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“This is all your fault,” Dick grumbles, trying to crack the jammed lock on his cuffs – his fingers aren’t exactly cooperating.
“I didn’t ask you to follow me in here.” Jason’s voice comes out metallic, bare of any inflection. He’s already freed himself and is checking the exit door for trigger wires.
“You didn’t ask anyone to follow you,” Dick points out; the thought of Jason going in without any backup was what had him tailing Jason in the first place.
“I don’t see how that’s supposed to be a vote in your favour, stalker boy.”
“Don’t try to turn this one around, Hood. It’s too risky flying solo on cases like this,” Dick says, finally shaking off the cuffs and sitting up. Several dark dots dance in front of his eyes and he has to blink a few times to get rid of them. “International drug deals are one thing but intergalactic ones? What were you thinking?”
“I was doing fine – before you showed up.” Jason comments drily as he circles back to Dick. “You made quite the entrance.”
“What can I say, I like to leave an impression.”
Jason snorts. “That you did. About two inches deep into the floor when the rafters came crashing down.” He glances towards the ceiling, then back at Dick. “Grand opening.”
“I didn’t–” Dick starts to defend himself but Jason waves him off.
“Come on, let me help you up.”
“No need.” Dick draws himself to his feet, swatting away Jason’s outstretched hand.
Jason watches him for a few moments before asking, “Is it broken? Do I have to carry you home like the damsel in distress you are?”
“I can walk on it just fine,” Dick assures, breathing through the pain shooting up his leg. He doesn’t think his ankle is actually broken but he rolled it as he fell and the healing stab wound to his thigh from two days ago isn’t exactly helping. Neither is the alien substance circling in his bloodstream, making everything bright and loud and out of focus. “I don’t need your help.”
“And I didn’t need yours,” Jason says, stepping over a pile of rubble and sneaking his hand around Dick’s waist. “Yet, here we are.” Jason isn’t shouting. He hasn’t even raised his voice and Dick wishes he would because then he could argue back without feeling like a complete asshole who wanted to help but caused more problems instead. “I had it covered,” Jason says and he’s right, he had it covered until Dick intervened and caused the alien drug seller to disappear through an interplanetary portal together with the rest of their goods.
“It could have been a trap,” Dick grumbles, gingerly putting more weight on his bad leg, straining to keep his expression neutral.
“But it wasn’t. They would have never known I was there if it wasn’t for the roof giving up underneath you.”
“Shut up. I didn’t exactly plan on that, did I? Do you think I wanted to send it crumbling down along with me?”
“It could have been a good distraction if I knew it was coming.” Jason shrugs. “I don’t know what’s going on in that pretty head of yours half the time.”
Dick humors him. “Do you think they’re coming back to check on us? Maybe we can escape through the window. The ceiling is too high and the roof completely unstable. What time is it? Did I water my potted bay leaf tree? What was that noise? Was it footsteps? What time does Big Belly Burger close? Do you have the bike near or–?”
“I parked two blocks away,” Jason cuts in. “The door is wired, the window will be easier. You don’t own a potted bay leaf.”
That gives Dick a pause. “How do you know that?”
Jason splutters. “I… don’t?”
Dick dislodges Jason’s hand and takes a stumbling step away from him. “Did you place a bug in my place?” Surely, Dick would have noticed.
“No, I did not place a bug in your place,” Jason is quick to assure, turning to face Dick but it’s hard to guess the expression on his face when he’s got the helmet on. Still, something about Jason’s wording is too peculiar and Dick goes with his gut instinct.
“Did you have someone else do it for you?”
“Nightwing, I’m insulted. Don’t you think I could pull it off myself if I wanted?”
“Did or did you not?”
“I did not. Stop making that face, you look like Batman.”
“The truth, Hood,” Dick all but growls. He lets Jason get away with a lot of questionable shit because it’s Jason and he means well and Dick is stupidly fond of him – emphasis on the stupid part – but the privacy of his home is sacred. Dick must be losing his touch if he didn’t notice the intrusion.
“Oh my god, someone is prickly. Don’t get your panties in a twist, I don’t have a bug in your place,” Jason says and Dick almost relaxes but then Jason continues, “Oracle does. I simply tapped her line.”
Stunned, Dick echoes, “Her line?”
“Yes. I think she knows I know but she’s letting me get away with it. I bet she’s glad someone else besides her is watching over you.”
“I don’t need either of you watching over me.”
“Pretty sure Bats asked her to,” Jason says like it’s nothing. “Self preservation has never been your strong suit, Boy Wonder. You’ve gotten even more reckless after that thing with Starfire and that’s me saying it. Besides, if none of us were keeping an eye on you, Firebug would have roasted you like an extra crispy marshmallow weeks ago.”
“So you decided to help?” Dick should probably feel insulted but the thought of Jason making sure Dick is safe is not entirely unpleasant. It makes something warm flutter in his chest. Dick prefers to tell himself that the fluttering is simply another effect of the drug. “Wait, was that you last Wednesday, in the docks? Helping me?”
“You don’t have to sound so alarmed. You remember it was you who followed me here tonight. I’d say we’re even.” Before Dick could object to that, Jason quickly continues, “Anyway. The point is, you don’t have a bay leaf plant.”
“Not anymore. Forgot to water it one time too many,” Dick says and it earns him an amused snort from Jason. The fluttering intensifies.
“Was it a gift from O?”
“Yes, she was very disappointed in me,” Dick admits.
Jason nods. “I bet she was. Still, she should have known better.”
Dick shifts his weight, looks around them, notes the destroyed roof and the empty crates scattered across the floor. They were lucky the alien seller was more interested in making themself scarce rather than fighting back because neither Jason nor Dick were equipped to deal with alien technology tonight. Dick considers them lucky to only get cuffed to the pipes and left there. “We should probably get lost before anyone comes back with reinforcements.”
“You can head back, I’m staying.” Jason’s hand finds its way back to Dick’s waist. “C’mon, I’ll help you through the window.”
Dick sags into Jason’s hold more than necessary as they shuffle across the room. Partly because he doesn’t want to miss the rare opportunity for close contact, and partly because playing injured might prevent Jason from taking unnecessary risks in favour of tending to Dick. “What do you think you’ll find? Everyone is long gone.”
“I want to search the rest of this place. Maybe someone forgot a vile or two. I need a sample to get this shit analyzed.”
“Ah. Well. I’ve got you covered on that.” Dick doesn’t exactly want to tell Jason how he obtained said sample but coming clean is better than letting Jason search the rest of the warehouse without any backup.
“You’ve managed to snag a sample?” Jason perks up and the surprise is evident in his tone. Dick doesn’t need to see his face to know his eyebrows have climbed up to his hairline. “When did you manage that?”
“Haven’t you heard? I have many talents,” Dick says, dropping his voice low, hoping to distract Jason from thinking about it too much.
No such luck. Which shouldn’t really be surprising because Jason has always been immune to Dick’s charms.
Jason cocks his head. “I had my eyes on you the second you crashed through the roof. I would have noticed.”
“Then it must have happened before that, right?” Dick says and he lets out a muffled curse as he tries to lift his leg to get himself hauled up to the window sill.
Jason’s hands are on his back that instant, helping him climb up before Dick could lose his balance. Dick has to fight down the embarrassed flush to his cheeks.
“This is your fault, just so you know,” Dick repeats. Jason could have called any of them, Babs wouldn’t refuse her assistance and Dick would have gladly helped Jason out with the mission had Jason thought to include him. Dick wouldn’t have had to sneak around and he wouldn’t have gotten distracted and he wouldn’t have spooked one of the dealers who wouldn’t have panicked and used the only thing he had on him – a syringe full of an unknown substance – to defend himself against Nightwing. Right now, Dick wouldn’t be feeling the effects of the drug worsening by the minute.
“I still don’t see how any of this is my fault. This isn’t even your territory. You didn’t have to get involved at all, Boy Wonder.”
“Word was around on Blüd’s street about the new supply. I traced it back here to Gotham and got my hands on one of the doses.”
“Uh-huh, sure.”
Dick ignores the pain and the dancing darkness and gets the window cracked opened. He waits for a moment to see if anyone on the outside has noticed it but the night continues to be silent. He swings his legs around and lowers himself to the ground on the other side. “I got the sample, didn’t I?” It only took getting jabbed with the syringe and trying out the drug firsthand. Zero out of ten, would not recommend. “You don’t have to go looking for it, I’ll send you the chemical components once I have them.” Once Dick gets the data extracted from his own blood count.
“Oh. You do that,” Jason says as he leaps through the window in one fluid motion. “Do you want a lift?”
Dick flicks his hand, dismissive. “I can manage.” He promptly discredits his words by swaying on his feet and having to lean against the wall to steady himself while he waits for the dark spots to stop waltzing all around. It’s a little disconcerting.
“You’re coming with me,” Jason decides.
“It’s fine. I have a safehouse near.” Despite feeling off-center, Dick is reasonably certain he can make it there to draw his blood before he crashes out. He takes a few slow steps away from the warehouse, testing his balance. An uneasy feeling settles in his stomach.
“So do I,” Jason says, but Dick doesn’t quite recall what they were talking about. Jason falls in step with him. “Mine is closer. Hey, Nightwing?”
Dick looks at him, expectant.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Jason asks and out of nowhere, he produces Dick’s escrima sticks.
“Where did you get them?”
“Where you left them,” Jason retorts and starts weaving the two sticks in choppy, unpractised movements.
Dick hates the way Jason is handling the escrima sticks and he launches for them, about to make a grab for the one closest to him but the sudden movement is a mistake. A huge mistake – but Dick doesn’t realize it until it’s too late. The ground sways around him and the darkness becomes all encompassing.
…
When Dick comes to, the world is too bright behind his closed eyelids. The air smells different. It makes his hackles rise. Without opening his eyes, he tries to move his hand to feel the surface beneath him – soft, flat – but he doesn’t reach very far. His hands are bound and a little wiggle lets him know that so are his feet.
His heartbeat speeds up when he realizes that he doesn’t have his mask on anymore.
“Oh, hey, you’re up.”
Dick blinks his eyes open to see Red Hood towering over him. “Wh–?” he tries, lips dry and throat parched.
“I kidnapped you,” Red Hood says flatly. Dick tenses at his words. As swiftly as he can with his uncooperative fingers, he tries to reach for one of his hidden batarangs but they’re not there even though he always puts them there before a mission. Losing his cool, Dick thrashes in his restraints, hastening to loosen the binds. A searing pain shoots up his leg and Dick is no longer caring about keeping his movements subtle. The waves of pain are unbearable, nauseating.
“Holy shit, Dickie, calm down.” The helmet slides off and is unceremoniously dropped to the floor. “I was kidding. Fucking hell.”
There is a hand on his shoulder. Dick flinches away and the hand disappears.
“I was just joking with you. Breathe, fucking breathe!”
Dick takes in a gulping breath, staring up into Jason’s wide, panicked blue eyes.
“There you are. It’s safe, okay? You’re safe. You know who I am, right?”
“J’sn,” Dick manages through clenched teeth and he sees Jason’s shoulders relax minutely. Dick tugs at the restrains on his arms in a silent question.
“Right. Shit. Sorry. Didn’t want to risk you hurting yourself. Sometimes when my mom – she would – hang on,” Jason says and in the next second, Dick is free. He doesn’t try to stand up, though.
“Wh’re?”
“My place. You ended up in my bed after all,” Jason says, aiming for a sly smile but missing by a mile.
Dick watches the unfamiliar grimace on Jason’s face and he doesn’t say anything because words are hard to form.
“Fuck, Dick, your pupils are huge.”
Dick wouldn’t know but he does feel pretty shaken up. His pulse is still racing. There is a cool hand on his forehead. It feels nice enough that he closes his eyes.
“Lay down and get some rest, Dick.”
“But I like to keep busy,” Dicks mumbles. Keeping himself busy is what keeps him going in the first place.
Soft on his feet but still audible, Jason reaches the window and draws the curtains before returning to Dick and settling at the foot of the bed. The mattress dips when he does so. “Do you want to talk?”
Dick doesn’t feel like talking. He’s tired and his own voice sounds too loud in his head. But the silence is overwhelming, too. He blinks his eyes open to find that the curtains provide a lovely shade, blocking all the light that would be otherwise filtering in from the streets.
“Dick? Talk to me?”
Dick shakes his head. It makes him dizzy.
There is a momentary silence, then, “Mind if I talk instead?”
“Sure,” Dick says because Jason has a lovely voice, and Dick hardly ever gets to hear it without the stupid voice modulator in his helmet interfering.
Jason talks for a little while about the most mundane things going on in Gotham and it’s nice to listen to him without having to engage in the conversation. The reconstruction of the Trigate Bridge is nearing its completion but the traffic is still a nightmare. Jason managed to sway Alfred to try one of the flourless tarts recipes. Lian has gotten into another fight in the kindergarten. At some point, Dick stops paying attention to the actual words and just listens to the sound, not bothering to distinguish the meaning.
Dick does notice, however, when the words come to a stop. His eyes flutter open and close a few times as he tries to focus on Jason to see what’s going on.
“Do you remember how much you took?” Jason asks and Dick’s mind is suddenly filled with the memory of the syringe penetrating his skin.
It’s enough to make Dick shudder, the uneasy feeling squeezing his chest tight. It was just a single dose but it was too much, Dick could feel it pooling through his bloodstream, could feel the itch under his skin but he chose to ignore it because there were more important things to do, like following Jason inside the warehouse to make sure he makes it out in one piece. He didn’t expect to need saving himself. His cheeks are positively burning now and Dick isn’t sure if it’s the shame or a fever.
“Yeah, okay, not talking about that,” Jason says calmly. “You’ll tell me later. And don’t you think you won’t because I’ll ask.” Then, quieter, “Bet it was some fake shit, fucking Christ.”
Dick starts to shake his head but the dark spots appear again so Dick closes his eyes, suppressing a little whimper.
“You need to give it more time, Dick. Don’t fight it, just let it happen. You’re safe here, I promise. I’ll touch your hand, okay?”
“Okay.”
Jason squeezes his hand. “This is nice, can you feel it?”
Dick can feel it to the core of his being. “Very nice,” he agrees and he curls to his side because the pain is coming in waves, sharp, blinding, overpowering. “I should take something for the pain.”
“You already did,” Jason tells him, quiet but firm.
Dick doesn’t remember that. “Oh.”
“Just hang in there, okay? I know it’s awful but it will pass soon, I swear. It’s just a difficult trip you’re having and it sucks, right? But you’re okay.”
The room is pleasantly quiet and Jason’s voice is soothing but Dick doesn’t need any of it, he can make it fine on his own. It sure does feel nice, though. Jason is being so gentle with him. Dick didn’t realize Jason could be like that with him. Dick wishes Jason would be like that with him even if Dick wasn’t in such a rough shape. He wants to say it, wants Jason to know but he doesn’t know the right words.
“Go to sleep, Dick. I’ll watch over you.”
Dick lets himself drift, still feeling Jason’s anchoring touch on his hand.
…
After what might have been ten minutes as well as ten hours, Dick peels his eyes open. Jason is sitting on the other side of the bed, cross-legged.
“Are you feeling any better?”
“You ground me,” Dick admits.
Jason ducks his head, failing to hide a smile. He’s changed out of his gear and is wearing loose sweats and a soft-looking, threadbare shirt. Dick wants to run his fingers over it to see if it feels just as nice to the touch.
“Here, drink some water.” Jason drops a book he’s been reading into his lap and reaches over Dick to the nightstand for a glass. Dick takes a slow sip under Jason’s watchful eye. “You are doing great,” Jason comments and a little heat pools in Dick’s stomach, warm and pleasant.
“Last thing I remember is the warehouse,” Dick admits, hoping Jason will fill in the blanks.
“I got you from there, you were a little clingy,” Jason says, teasing.
“You lugged me across half the city?”
“It wasn’t that far and you’re not that heavy. Seriously, Dick, your ribs are showing. Besides, your place is a mess. There is no food and I had to wash your clothes to get you something clean to change into.”
“God,” Dick whispers, mortified, “I’m such a mess.”
“Oh, hey, no. None of that. You’re doing well. You’re trying hard, I can see it. It’s just too much sometimes and you need to learn to let go. Take care of yourself as well as the others.”
Dick starts to protest but Jason talks over him.
“If you don’t take proper care of yourself then you won’t be of any use to anyone else. No one wants you dead on your feet. Because at the rate you’re going right now? I’m giving it another two weeks before you crash and burn. You need a vacation. Like, yesterday.”
“I hate it when you make sense, Jay.”
Jason gives him a small smirk and reaches to put the glass back. “You’re running on no sleep and stretching yourself thin. I can see the dark circles under your eyes.”
“Just because you took off my mask,” Dick objects and Jason chuckles again.
“Seriously though, are you feeling any better? I called Babs and told her you’re staying with me.”
“What did you tell her?”
“What do you think? That you were too busy falling through the roof and I was too distracted making sure you survived to see the alien drug lord and his merry band putting us both in cuffs before disappearing into thin air?”
“It was a portal, Jay.”
Jason gives him a pointed look. “I know.” Then Jason heaves a sigh and looks down into his lap, idly thumbing the pages of his book. “I just told Babs that you decided to take some time off. I didn’t tell her you’re using.”
Dick frowns, uncomprehending. “That I’m, what?”
“Look, I know it seems like a good idea at first because it gives you the high to fight crime all night long but it will destroy you in the long run.”
“I don’t follow.”
Jason flashes him a glare. “Let me put it simple. Are you popping any pills?”
Dick blinks, then he blinks again but Jason is still staring at him with the same fierce expression, unmoving. “Did you just seriously ask me if I’m ‘popping any pills’ so that I ‘can last all night’? Because let me assure you, I have no issues in that department.”
Jason flushes scarlet and oh, isn’t that a lovely sight.
Dick barely manages to avoid the book Jason flings at his head. “Oh, touchy subject, I see.”
Jason sobers up immediately. “Yes, yes it is a touchy subject and you know enough of my history to know why. There are other ways, Dick. You need to figure it out and I’m offering to help. Get you clean and help you back on your feet.”
“How are you so sure I’m using?”
Jason’s lips thin. “You basically collapsed on me. Don’t you think I’d draw your blood to see what the fuck was wrong with you?”
Dick brightens. “You got my blood sample? That’s awesome! Can I see?”
“Awesome, huh? With all that shit circling your system it’s a miracle you’re even up.”
“Jason don’t be an idiot, of course I’m not using,” Dick says and then, “Though it’s nice to know you’d be willing to help me through it.”
“Not using?” Jason echoes, getting agitated. “Not using! Even if I ignore the shitshow that’s your blood test results, you can’t seriously try telling me that you weren’t on a bad trip last night.”
Sheepish, Dick picks up Jason’s book, placing it on the nightstand with great care. “Oh. About that. Um, remember when I said I managed to get a sample of that intergalactic drug?”
It doesn’t take long for Jason to connect the dots. “Holy– You mean you took it?”
Dick grimaces at the memory. “Not exactly voluntarily, no.”
Jason pinches his brows. “Dick.”
“I know,” Dick sighs. “Sorry for getting you all worked up.”
Jason is silent for several long minutes. Dick tries not to fidget too much.
“I’m still keeping you here, though,” Jason decides. “To make sure you get plenty of rest. Enjoy some time off.”
A small smile plays on Dick’s lips. “Is that a threat?”
Jason nods. “I’ll kidnap you if I have to.”
“You’ll kidnap me for a vacation?” Dick laughs, recalling that Jason was trying to make the same joke before but Dick was too loopy to realize.
“If I have to. I’ll personally make sure you get to sleep in.”
Dick keeps laughing. “Good luck with that, Jason. Because I always wake up anyway. Internal clock, you know?”
“A night off, then?”
“Jay. I wouldn’t even know what to do with a night off.”
“I’d have a few ideas,” Jason drawls, winking.
Dick rolls his eyes. “Don’t promise things you’re not actually offering.”
“…Right.”
It’s their regular banter but this time Dick gets to see the expression on Jason’s face and it’s not the fond amusement he’d been imagining. Jason must be used to the helmet hiding his face because his expression is completely unguarded. The longing is so painfully visible that it makes Dick’s breath catch in his throat.
He wants to ask – he wants to know. But that’s always been his problem, needing too much, becoming too clingy, wanting to be closer than his partners were okay with. If he pushes Jason, Jason will run.
They don’t need to talk about it if Jason doesn’t want to yet. Dick has already been offered so much, he’s been allowed to see this side of Jason. Jason hasn’t even lectured him about being more careful on missions and he hasn’t rubbed Dick’s nose in his failures. It will take them weeks to track the seller down but Jason hasn’t mentioned it once. Jason hasn’t even said Dick owes him any favours for having to save his sorry ass last night, like that’s not a tab he keeps, like it’s a given that he’d catch Dick if he falls. Dick has never realized how much between them went unsaid.
Dick clears his throat. “So, what’s the plan now that you don’t have to babysit me through a withdrawal?”
Jason shrugs. “You still want those breakfast burgers? Because if it’s all the same to you, I’ve made fried rice instead.”
“For breakfast?”
“Why the hell not. You were out for hours and I was getting bored.”
Dick’s chest floods with the same warm feeling from before. He wonders if Jason knows how much it means to him. He bites his lip but decides that it can wait. “Sure. Breakfast is a great way to start.”
“Figured we could go for some training later so you don’t get stir-crazy.”
“You just want to see if my reactions are still top notch after that drug last night,” Dick accuses.
Jason nods, not bothering to come up with any convulsed explanations. “Yes. Also, you’re not getting your fancy sticks back until you pry them from my hands,” Jason threatens.
Dick smirks. “That will take five minutes tops. Then we can go over the blood results and figure out our next move.”
“Are we teaming up for this?” Jason raises an eyebrow but he doesn’t seem opposed to the idea.
“It would be more efficient that way. C’mon, Jay, it will be an adventure. Who knows what could happen.” Dick blinks up at Jason, eyes half-hooded, watching him through his eyelashes.
“I doubt it gets any better than you in my bed, Grayson,” Jason drawls, back to teasing.
“You could always join me,” Dick responds, matching Jay’s tone. “I recall you promising to keep me here,” he points out helpfully, just to see if he can get Jason to blush again.
He can.
Dick stretches lazily, pleased to hear Jason suck in a sharp breath.
“I’ll go get our breakfast ready,” Jason stammers and vanishes from the room.
“I want breakfast in bed!” Dick shouts and in response, he gets to hear something clumsily clutter to the kitchen floor.
He’s going to have so much fun driving Jason crazy. To the point where he will want to talk.
Dick has his answer ready.