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Damian rolled over in bed, groaning. He felt horrible. But life moved on, so he stumbled out of bed a groggily pulled on his school uniform. It took him a few tries to get his arms through the holes of his shirt, but it was nothing Alfred’s breakfast wouldn’t fix. He grabbed his book bag and slunk from his room, heading for the kitchen.
He halted in the doorway, scowling. Everyone was already there. Damian was never the last one to breakfast. Never.
“Woah there!” Dick’s eyes widened upon seeing Damian. “You okay?” Damian ignored him and shuffled forward, heading to the coffee pot. Dick held an arm out. “Seriously, Damian. You look terrible and your pants are on inside out.” Damian looked down, so they were. He growled and turned around to head back to his room and change.
“Damian?” Bruce called from the breakfast table.
“Yes, father?” He responded, turning back.
“Maybe you should stay home from school today? You really don’t look well,” He gestured to Damian’s rumpled appearance.
“I’ll be fine, just let me go change,” he set his bag down near one of the cabinets and headed back out into the hallway.
He was nearly finished changing when he heard the commotion in the hallway.
“Grayson?” He called. “You really are a terrible sneak, you know!” He pulled on his shoes and went to the door, intending to peek out into the hallway and see what was going on. But he couldn’t open the door. He pushed harder, but it was stuck fast. “What did you do?” He called. Dick’s chipper voice responded.
“Executive order states that you will not leave that room until you are 100% recovered from whatever ails you!” Damian groaned.
“Let me out, Grayson! You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Actually, Damian,” Bruce’s voice cut in. “I think it’s best if you get some rest. Why don’t go back to sleep, I’ll have Alfred bring you—“ There was a bout of muffled whispering. “I’ll have Dick bring you something for breakfast in about an hour.” Damian rolled his eyes.
“Fine!” He said, even as he turned to inspect the windows. Maybe he could escape this way.
“And Damian?” Bruce called, raising his voice.
“Yes?” He replied.
“Don’t even think about trying to go out the window.” Damian fisted his hands at his sides and listened to their footsteps walk away. He climbed back into bed, seeing no other option. He left his school uniform on though.
He was fast asleep when Dick crept into the room an hour later, toting a tray of soup. He’d even left his tie on. Dick smiled and set down the tray to untie it, leaving it hanging on Damian’s desk chair.
He turned back to Damian, careful to step around the tray on the floor, and shook his shoulder gently. The smaller boy coughed as he woke, rolling over on his side.
“Grayson?” He asked, sounding confused.
“Yeah, it’s me. I brought you some soup,” he pointed at the steaming bowl on the floor. Damian coughed again.
“Thank you. It appears that I need it.” Dick smiled again.
“Yeah, it seems so,” he picked up the tray again and unfolded it like Alfred had shown him so it was like a little table that should sit over Damian’s legs. “Do you need anything else?” Damian shrugged.
“I think I’m alright for now.” Dick nodded, moving to leave.
“Just holler if you think of anything,” he pulled the door shut quietly behind him and headed back to the kitchen.
Damian turned to the food in front of him. He was quite hungry. But soon the food was gone and there was nothing to do but stare at the ceiling. He wasn’t tired enough to fall back asleep and he didn’t keep any books in his room.
“Dick!” He tried to call, but his voice came out as a wheeze. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Dick!” It only took a few seconds for Dick to come running. He popped his head through the door.
“What’s up?” He noticed the empty dishes and tray on the floor. “Need me to clean this up?” He asked, pointing at them. Damian nodded.
“That would be nice,” he swallowed. “But also, I’m bored,” he hated how whiny he sounded, like a child. Dick quirked an eyebrow.
“We could,” he tapped a finger to his chin, thinking. “Play a game?” Damian shook his head. “I could grab you a book?” He tried. Damian shook his head again. “We could watch a movie?” Damian paused, and then nodded. Dick smiled.
“What movie?” Damian asked, voice cracking.
“How about…Brave?” Dick responded.
“Brave?” Damian sounded confused.
“Oh, just you wait, you’ll love it!” Dick grabbed the tray and dashed from the room. Damian could hear him yelling down the hallway.
“Operation Sick Day Movie is a go, Alfred!” Damian tried to laugh, but ended up coughing.
Dick returned a few minutes later, laptop in hand and dragging even more blankets. He dumped them both at the foot of Damian’s bed before heading back out into the hallway. He came back with the same tray from earlier, but this time it held two steaming tea cups and an assortment of crackers.
Damian slid over, making room for Dick on the bed beside him. The older boy plopped down, already bouncing with excitement.
“Brave is one of the best movies ever made, Damian. You’re in for a real treat.” Damian shook his head, Dick said the weirdest things sometimes. The older boy was taping away on the laptop, pulling up the movie. He gestured for Damian to sit up and handed him one of the teacups. He cleared off the rest of the tray and set the laptop on it, pushing it farther down the bed so they could see better.
Dick had set the plate of crackers between them, but Damian moved to the bedside table. He scooted closer to Dick curling into his side.
“Tell anyone about this and I’ll kill you.”