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Dick and Tim were hunched over the desk in the library scouring through old reports from GCPD with some hope that they could find out background information on the gang they were after. The two of them had been so absorbed into what they were doing that they didn’t even realise another presence had joined them in the room until something was nudging at Dick’s leg and a loud bark was made.
Jumping at the noise they look down to find Titus nudging Dick’s leg to get his attention. Dick raises an eyebrow at the dog in confusion but bends down and pets him, figuring the animal was just after some attention. Once that was done he turns back to Tim and carries on talking about the case.
It wasn’t long until Titus was nudging him again, this time whining as he does so. Dick looks back down and frowns, “What is it boy? I’ve already said hello to you.” He pets the dog again and continues to do so as he discusses the gang with his brother.
After a few moments, and Dick only gets a few sentences in, Titus begins barking again, this time it was louder and more purposeful than before.
Tim almost glares at the dog. “Titus if you’re after attention go find Damian. He’s your owner after all, I’m sure he’ll give you a treat or whatever.”
The dog barks and darts away from them and heads out of the library’s door. Dick and Tim share a look before turning back around to their files. This time a few minutes pass but then the barking was back and gaining their attention once again. They both turn back to the door way to find Titus barking at them, his tail was wagging away and there was something off about the way he keeps edging towards the side like he really wants to run that way.
Tim gives him a side glance, “Think he wants something? Why isn’t the gremlin dealing with him.”
“Don’t call him that,” Dick chastises out of habit, “I don’t know. Thinking about it, wasn’t Damian supposed to be out on a walk with him?”
His brother unhelpfully shrugs and turns back to the papers but Dick doesn’t look away from the dog. “What is it boy? Where’s Damian?”
The dog barks and quickly darts to the side before coming back again barking even louder. A bad feeling starts creeping up inside of Dick and he starts walking towards Titus. The dog waits for him to get to the door before sprinting down the hallway, before he turns the corner however he stops and glances back like he was checking that Dick was following him before barking again and taking off. Dick spins back around to find Tim slowly following him, “I think he wants us to follow him.”
Dick doesn’t wait for a reply because he’s already off jogging after the dog. They continue like that for a while, Titus out in front making sure that Dick was following behind him every few meters. When Dick reaches the kitchen, he finds Titus scratching and whining at the closed back door that leads into the back garden. Feeling confused he opens the door up and allows the dog outside, Titus certainly doesn’t waste any time before he’s taking off into a sprint down the garden.
The bad feeling intensifies as Dick steps out of the Manor into the chilly winter air outside. Ignoring the cold he takes off in a run after the dog, wondering what the hell was going on for Titus to be acting like this.
Finding that he’s lost sight of Titus he stops and starts looking around. The garden to Wayne Manor was huge, while there was a swimming pool near the house further back it opens up into a forest type place. A few moments later Titus’s barking starts up again and Dick starts following where the sound was coming from, it ends up leading him into the trees beyond the property.
Weaving his way through the trees the barking becomes louder and Dick finds himself becoming desperate to find Titus.
“Titus! Titus! Damian! Where are you?”
The barking suddenly stops and Dick’s heart drops, however it starts beating faster once Titus appears from behind a tree. Dick rushes forward and comes around the tree next to Titus as the animal starts whining and looking up at him with pleading eyes.
Dick looks down to find Damian curled up in a foetus shape. His head was buried in his arms and he wasn’t moving. It even looked like he wasn’t breathing. Dick drops down to his knees and his hands hover over Damian’s body, wanting to but not wanting to touch him.
“Damian?” Dick says brokenly. He was pretty much in shock from seeing his brother curled up this way in the middle of the forest in their back garden. Now he was closer he could see broken tree branches and leaves over him, glancing up at the tree above him Dick wonders if Damian maybe fell from the tree.
Deciding to risk it he places his hands on Damian’s body, frowning as he could feel the kid shivering, and gently uncurls him from his position. That gets him a groan in response and Dick swallows as he untucks Damian’s head from his arms. There was blood coming from the side of his head that was leading down his neck and covering his arms.
“Damian?”
“Grayson…?” Damian’s speech was slurred.
Dick gently cups Damian’s face, ignoring the way blood begins to coat his fingers, and tries to get the kid to look at him. “Damian, can you open your eyes for me? I need you to look at me kid.”
With what feels like forever Damian does eventually open his eyes and looks at Dick, they don’t stay open for very long however and begin to close again. Dick squeezes him slightly. “Damian I need you to keep your eyes open for me.”
In front of him the kid opens his eyes up again and attempts to glare at him and it was an attempt because the confused expression along with dilated pupils ruin the effect. Concussion. He definitely has a concussion, to what extent it is he can’t fully say yet but as far as he knows it’s a concussion.
“Right I’m taking you to Alfred, he can treat you in the cave.” Dick tells his brother firmly. There was still blood traveling along his fingers so how bad Damian’s head wound was he didn’t know. Alfred could help.
For the first time Damian starts trying to get away from his grip, trying to tug his head out of Dick’s hands. Dick lets him go, only in favour of slipping his arms underneath the teen’s body and picking him up bridal style.
“I’m fine Grayson. I do not need you to carry me like a damsel in distress.” Damian protests but doesn’t actually make a move to get out of his arms. While that sounds like Damian Dick’s still worried because his speech is still slurred and his eyes keep slipping shut.
Dick makes his way out of the trees and heads back for the Manor, as he does so he bumps into Tim who was just entering the trees as he was leaving. Tim changes his direction and starts walking with him back towards the Manor, he gives Dick a confused look before his gaze settles on Damian in his arms.
“Dick what happened?”
“I don’t know,” He tells him truthfully, “He was just lying on the ground curled up when I found him. He’s got a concussion and is bleeding from the head. My best guess is that he fell from a tree and smacked his noggin on the way down, but until he’s better and can tell us what really happened we don’t know.”
He glances at his brother walking next to him to find him looking at Damian with an almost resigned look, like he doesn’t know what to make of this situation. Dick bets that on one hand Tim wants to make a snarky comment about how Damian got injured and the on the other he’s concerned for his brother’s health and is worried about him. Overall however, Tim simply doesn’t say anything, clearly choosing to keep quiet.
“Hey, can you run ahead and get Alfred to start setting up the med bay in the cave. Damian’s gonna need a medical check.”
Tim shoots him a look before glancing at Damian again and nodding once before taking off in a fast jog towards the Manor. Dick looks down at Damian and finds the kid with his eyes closed, Dick’s heart stops and he gently but firmly shakes Damian. “Damian? Eye’s open please kiddo.” His heart starts beating again once the kid’s eyes open up again and blink around blearily.
Dick picks his pace up after that, he needs to get him to the cave and pronto.
“A bit of rest and given some time, he’ll be good as new Master Dick.” Alfred tells him walking out into the main part of the cave. Dick had been pacing for the last twenty minutes while Alfred examined Damian.
“It’s all okay? He’s going to be fine?” Dick asks just to make sure.
Alfred gives him a sympathetic smile and rests a hand on his shoulder to give it a squeeze. “He’ll be fine Master Dick, it’s a good thing you found him when you did.”
Dick smiles at that, feeling more reassured then before. “That’s great to hear Alf.” He then frowns upon remembering how he found Damian hurt like that in the first place. “Where Titus Alfred? I wouldn’t of have actually found Damian if it wasn’t for him.”
Alfred raises an eyebrow at that but doesn’t comment on it and if as on cue a bark rings out throughout the cave which gains their attention. They turn around to find the dog lying down by the bat computer, he perks up once they look at him.
“I’m going to go and inform Master Bruce to what has happened today if you would like to stay with him until he arrives.” Alfred says getting Dick’s attention once again.
Dick smiles and nods at him, “Of course.”
With no more words Alfred removes his hand off of Dick’s shoulder and heads for the elevator leading up to the Manor. Once he was gone Dick makes his way over to Titus and crouches down next to the animal.
“Thank god we had you today buddy huh? Wouldn’t have even known Damian was hurt if you weren’t there!” He coos at the dog as he scratches behind his ears. Titus makes a happy noise and his tail thumps against the ground every time he wags it. “I’ll have to make sure you get extra treats for like the next month after this today!”
The dog gives a happy bark to that like he’s completely on board with the idea which makes him laugh. “Now come on, let’s go keep your grumpy owner company until daddy dearest arrives.”