Work Text:
Chloroform
“Are you ready?” Batman asked. Robin nodded but kept his eyes forward and away from his mentor.
“I’m going to attack you from behind. Most assailants who use this tactic will do the same so be prepared,” Batman continued from his position behind his young partner. Both were in full uniform despite being the only two in the Batcave. This was a Real World exercise, which meant it had to be as real as possible.
Robin could sense Bruce’s unease over this exercise, though the man was doing well at hiding it. Bruce hated exercises that purposely harmed Dick but they both knew he had to be prepared. That last kidnapping attempt could have ended a lot differently had that man been able to actual catch Dick.
“Take a deep breath when I place the rag over your mouth. I want you to experience the full effects of the drug and be able to recognize the taste and smell in the future.” With a final nod, Batman stepped up behind his protégé. Robin was tense, the man could see it clearly in the boy’s posture and bunched muscles.
It has to be done . Bruce thought of all the circumstances Dick or Robin could find himself in where chloroform could be used on him and immediately his hesitation left the Dark Knight. He would do anything to keep his bird safe and this was it.
With no further warning Batman’s hand shot out, covering the young boy’s nose and mouth with a heavily dosed rag of chloroform. Immediately Robin tensed, his lungs freezing and his hand flying up to grab Batman’s. Batman felt proud at the boy’s instant reaction, but that was not the point of this exercise.
“Deep breath Robin,” Batman said. He felt the boy hesitate and then take a deep breath. Instantly he began coughing. Batman removed the cloth from his partner’s face and watched as Robin stumbled and then fell to the ground, unconscious.
Batman placed the rag carefully down on a side table before going over to check the boy. Due to the effects of chloroform Batman had set up this training in the Training Room, where the floor was covered with mats. He wanted Robin to experience this drug’s effects but he did not want undue harm to befall the boy when he fell unconscious.
He laid Robin out on his back and checked his vitals. Deep, measured breaths and steady pulse- he was having no complications with the drug. A good sign.
Looking down at the unconscious boy Bruce was reminded once more of just how young Dick was. It was easy to forget most times that Dick was only ten, though he would insist on ten and a half. The boy was always so outgoing and mature and brilliant that most times it was very easy to forget his age. But now, knocked out and defenseless, the reminder hit home hard.
That’s why you’re doing this , Batman reminded himself with a grim firmness.
-Several hours later-
“Ugh,” Robin groaned as his consciousness began to return. Batman looked over from the computer as Robin sat up holding his head. He smacked his lips and made a disgusted face.
“That tastes horrible,” Robin said, definitely not liking the chemical taste coating his tongue and mouth at all.
“Remember it. If this ever happens again you need to be able to identify the taste so you know how to react,” Batman instructed having turned back to the computer.
“No worries there. I don’t think I’ll ever forget this taste,” Robin complained as he got up to grab his water bottle. He had to take a second to steady himself, feeling slightly woozy as he stood up.
Effects coordination upon waking. Should not attempt movement immediately , Robin surmised as he analyzed his reactions and symptoms. Other than the slight wooziness and horrible taste in his mouth, he felt fine.
“Are there any other after effects with this drug?” Robin asked as he took a swig of water, swishing it around his mouth, trying to get rid of the taste before swallowing.
“Unsteady coordination should be your only symptom now however, you could wake with others in different situations depending on how you are captured,” Batman said, turning around to face his partner. Batman stood up and walked over to the boy.
“You mean like if I get in a fight beforehand or something?” Robin asked. Batman nodded.
“Or if you hit your head when you lose consciousness you could wake up with a headache or the effects of a concussion,” Batman elaborated. Robin nodded, taking one more gulp of water before tossing his bottle back towards the wall.
“Again?” Robin asked, though he knew the answer.
“Again.” Batman confirmed, walking over to grab the rag once more. Robin took a deep breath and shook out his arms and legs, trying to relax and focus himself for the next phase of the exercise.
“How long was I out for?” Robin asked, realizing he hadn’t yet. This first phase was to learn his maximum susceptibility to the drug. Whatever number Batman said would likely be the longest he would ever stay out for when confronted with the drug again. That was important to know when captured.
“Five hours,” Batman said as he stepped back behind his protégé, rag in hand. Robin nodded, dedicating the knowledge to memory.
“Ready?”
Robin nodded.
“This time I want you to take a half breath and remember the smell,” Batman instructed and without warning covered Robin’s mouth and nose once more. The boy tensed again, lungs freezing and hands shooting up to grab Batman’s, before he could even register his reaction.
“Half breath,” Batman said. Robin closed his eyes and did as commanded. This time the effect took longer to take hold but within a minute Robin was once again lying on the floor unconscious.
~~~~
“Ugh. How long this time?” Robin asked as he once more roused from his unconscious state.
“Two hours,” Batman said.
“Five to two with just half a breath,” Robin said, slightly impressed by the difference it made. He was holding his head, a slight headache building in his temples. Batman passed him his water and Robin took a swig, swishing once more to obliterate the nasty chemical taste.
“Ready?” Batman asked. As necessary as this training session was Batman did not like how long it took. Eight hours of the day had been used up on this, eight hours he could have used for many other types of training or teachings with Robin. Batman had to remind himself that this was one of those times when however wasteful it seemed to be now, this was one of those exercises that would be invaluable when Dick actually needed it.
“Let’s do it,” Robin said as he got up and took his place once more.
“This time don’t alert me to being awake. In these situations being able to continue the façade could be your best chance of escaping or learning anything about your assailants,” Batman said as he walked up behind Robin once more with the rag. Robin nodded. “Only a shallow breath this time.”
This time it took nearly three minutes for Robin to pass out. Thirty minutes later he was waking, though he made no outward signs of such. He laid lax and still, as he had been taught, listening to the sounds around him and discovering his condition and situation.
He had been moved to a bed, likely one of the medical gurneys in the Cave. He could feel the difference in softness as compared to the floor mats and smell the laundry detergent Alfred used. There was typing coming from his left, so he was still in the Cave and likely very close to the Batcomputers. He felt no injuries or restraints of any kind on him, nor did he sense any other presence in the Cave despite hearing another voice. It sounded slightly metallic; a radio.
That’s how he’ll test how long I’ve been awake , Dick realized and continued his façade. After ten minutes he decided to try his luck with sneaking up on Batman. It didn’t work.
“Good job until the end,” came the deep voice from the chair Robin had just snuck up behind. He let out a big sigh of disappointment at being unable to catch Batman off guard. Batman turned to look at him. “How long have you been awake?” Robin shrugged.
“Little over ten minutes,” he said. Batman raised an eyebrow.
Robin jerked his head toward the radio. “I can only listen to Godfrey’s bile for so long. He was complaining about the Atlantians again when I woke up.” Bruce nodded and the two walked back to the training mats.
“Now only a small gasp. I don’t want you passing out this time,” Batman instructed, facing his ward. “You are going to feel very dizzy and uncoordinated. You may also feel your mind processing much slower.” Dick nodded. He'd figured as much after that last phase. The few minutes between him inhaling the chloroform and passing out had been very disorienting and unpleasant. He was not looking forward to trying what Batman was going to instruct him to do next. “I am going to attack you while you are like this. Fight me as best you can and do not lose consciousness.” With that Batman walked behind Robin and placed the cloth over his lower face. He took a small breath and Batman let him stagger away before going after him.
Robin’s mind felt like it was moving through clouds of molasses. He felt light yet heavy and very uncoordinated. He could hardly maintain his footing but he tried. Suddenly a giant black mass was in front of him. He jumped back, away from it and stumbled but was able to keep his feet. A good thing to because the black mass- Batman he realized- was striking at him once more. He ducked the first punch but overbalanced and had to roll to regain his feet. By the time he turned back around Batman was there once more.
A heavy palm hit Robin square in the chest, knocking him to the ground. His body reacted on instinct, tucking into a ball and rolling backward to absorb the blow and stand back up. The room spun drunkenly, Robin’s stomach matching it. He stumbled back and tried to blink his eyes back into focus. He had to focus. He had to fight back. He couldn’t get captured. His mind repeated this over and over to him but despite his best efforts, Batman soon had him pinned to the ground.
Robin was heaving in breaths, eyes unfocused and cloudy as he tried to fight back the black spots in his vision and approaching unconsciousness. He wasn’t sure he was succeeding.
“Robin.” Robin felt a stinging on his cheek and realized Batman must have smacked his cheek. His eyes moved to stare at his mentor though he could hardly make him out. It was enough for Batman though. “Stay awake. Fight it.”
Robin heard the order and wanted to obey, but it was hard. His body felt incredibly heavy and his eyes just wanted to close for a few seconds. That wouldn’t hurt right? Just a few seconds. Suddenly he felt another stinging blow to this other check and opened his eyes. He had nearly passed out.
“Stay awake.” Batman ordered. Robin nodded slightly and this time managed to stay awake. It took some time but eventually the effects wore off.
“I think that was worse than waking up with the taste,” Robin said as he again took his place in the center of the mats feeling drained.
“Chloroform is designed to affect your state of consciousness. It will always be a battle if you take in any amount of it. That is why if you ever do inhale any you should run and call for backup, not fight,” Batman said and his protégé agreed. Robin breathed out and as he sucked in a deep breath he straightened his shoulders and brought his head up. Ready.
“When I grab you this time fight back. React on instinct and try to break free,” Batman instructed. By this time Dick knew the smell, taste and different effects of the drug. Now it was time to teach him how to avoid it. “If you are caught I want you to fake inhaling it.” Robin nodded in understanding though he had no intention of remaining in his mentors grasp.
Batman grabbed him and like every other time, Robin stopped breathing but this time he didn’t simply grab his mentor’s hands, he attacked. Robin struck an elbow hard into Batman’s side, aiming for and hitting his abdomen just below his Kevlar padding. Batman released him and Robin lunged away before turning back to face his “attacker”.
Batman came at him again. Robin dodged and spun to kick the other in the back. The Dark Knight grabbed his leg and swung him around. Realizing what Batman was going to do Robin moved with the swing and prepared himself for a hard impact with the mats.
“ooff!” Winded, Robin did not let it distract him and just as Batman was coming in to pin him down Robin brought up his other leg in a high kick. Batman just managed to dodge the kick to his chin but had to release his hold on the boy’s ankle to do so. Robin used the momentum of the missed kick to flip himself over and regain his footing.
The two squared off again, this process repeating for some time until-
“Shoot!” Robin was pinned. He had misread Batman’s last move and been taken down. Now he lay trapped under the man who was moving the cloth towards his face. Robin continued squirming. It didn’t help and soon his lower face was covered with the chloroform rag again. He continued fighting but his movements grew weaker and slower until finally he stopped resisting. Robin’s chest rose and fell steadily, his body lax and unresisting, eyes closed. He was out.
Or so anyone was supposed to think.
Batman removed the rag and stood up, standing beside his protégé. The boy was doing a very convincing act and he couldn’t help the pride he felt at that.
“Nicely done,” Batman said and instantly Robin’s eyes shot open and a grin split his face.
“So I passed?” Robin asked hopefully as he sat up, eyes glued to his mentor.
“Yes,” Batman said. Robin jumped into the air with a fist pump and a shout.
“Woohoo! Movie marathon and cookies tonight,’ Robin sang. It had been Bruce’s deal with Dick earlier in the day. Arkham was full at the moment, no Big Baddies were out, and there were no pressing cases that demanded Batman's attention. In short, it was a quiet night tonight and Dick wanted to take full advantage of it.
If Dick managed to complete all of the training today to Batman’s specifications then Bruce had agreed to hang up the cape for the night and the two would have a movie night with Alfred. That had been too good a deal for Dick to lose, they almost never got time to hang out as a family and Dick took advantage of it any chance he got.
“I call dibs on first movie choice!” Dick called as he ran to the locker room to change back into his civilian clothes.
“I assume Master Dick won the wager,” Alfred asked with a small, knowing smile. The butler had just come down to see how things were going when he heard the boy’s exclamation of joy. Bruce nodded, a fond smile on his face as he watched the boy disappear into the locker room.
“Hmm then I call ‘dibs’ on the second movie,” the butler said before turning to leave the Cave.