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Jason was sick, very sick.
He was in Wayne Manor for the night, and he felt miserable. He didn’t want his family to see him like that. He couldn’t stop shaking and his throat was burning. He was sitting on his bed, in his small bedroom, and trying to breathe normally.
Everything hurt. But he needs to keep it together in front of his family. He didn’t want to sound weak. He knew his family had many things to do, and he could take care of himself once he’ll be back in his safe house.
Bruce was on patrol alone tonight, Dick was really tired and needed sleep, Tim and Damian were probably working, Steph and Cass were at Barbara’s house and Alfred was visiting his family.
He couldn’t complain to anyone. He needed to be strong.
Ten hours, Jason. Ten hours and you can throw up as much as you want and stop pretending you’re fine.
He could do ten hours.
He could not do ten hours.
It’s been ten minutes, and Jason’s head was hurting so much he felt like he could pass out at any moment. He needed water, or tea because his throat was too dry and he couldn’t sleep, but he wasn’t sure he could go to the kitchen downstairs without collapsing.
He stayed in his bed for five more minutes before admitting that he wouldn’t be able to sleep like that and that he really needed to drink something.
He stood up slowly, took a breath to try to compose himself, and walked slowly to the stairs.
In front of the stairs, Jason hesitated. Could he go down the stairs without falling? He was so tired and black dots were dancing around his vision. Maybe he should just lie down on the corridor and try to fall asleep.
How could someone feel so bad? What did he do to deserve this?
Finally, he went down the stairs: slowly, very slowly but once in the kitchen he couldn’t help but felt proud of himself. He could do it. Even sick and feeling about to pass out he could do it.
The young man leaned on the table as he was waiting for the water to boil. He wanted to close his eyes, but he was scared he would never open them again. At least not until he got some sleep.
Finally, when the tea kettle beeped, Jason groaned at the sharp noise and took his teacup back to his bedroom, leaving the kitchen without even noticing Tim, in the corner of the room, drinking a coffee and watching him with wide eyes.
In front of the stairs, this time Jason froze.
How could he climb the stairs now? He just had enough strength to stand on his feet.
He took a sip of his tea, burnt his tongue in the process, and sighed.
Come on Jason, you can do it!
He leaned on the railing as he climbed the fastest possible, trying to ignore vertigo and stomachache for a few seconds.
When he finally did it upstairs. He wanted to throw up so bad he just dropped his teacup and ran to the bathroom.
He couldn’t even tell how his exhausted body was able to run now, but he made it to the toilet at the perfect time to throw up his lunch.
His eyes teared up as the feeling of discomfort in his stomach and throat increased.
He was feeling so fucking bad. He thought once his stomach was empty, he would feel a bit better, but he continued to throw up for a dozen painful minutes before someone rushed to him.
“Jay? Jay are you okay?”
Jason didn’t answer, trying to understand what was happening between his coughs.
“Little Wing, can you hear me?”
It was Dick. Shit, he had woken up Dick.
Dick, who needed sleep after finishing a difficult mission for their father, Dick who had always been nice to him.
“...’M sorry… didn’t… didn’t wan’ to wake you up…”
“First, Tim woke me up because you were not looking good and then he heard you being sick. Second, I would be mad if he hadn’t woken me up. I don't want to spend the night sleeping peacefully while my little brother is sick as hell.”
Jason smiled miserably and Dick cooed at him before pulling him against his torso and petting his sweaty hair.
Tim took a look in the bathroom.
“I’m going to call Bruce.”
“Tim, Bruce is on patrol. I don’t think it’s a good idea to worry him now.”
“I know, but he will kill us if he comes back and sees that we didn’t tell him Jason was sick.”
“Fair point. Go ahead, I’ll take care of Jason.”
Jason groaned again, and Dick shushed him softly: “Do you feel like you’re going to be sick again?”
Jason nodded, his stomach was burning and he felt as if his head was about to explode.
Dick led him to the toilet bowl and the last thing Jason could remember clearly was emptying his stomach again while Dick was running a comforting hand down his back.
He couldn’t tell what happened next, but he opened his eyes as he was lying on the floor. Damian was raising his legs to aid blood flow to the brain, while Dick was talking to him, looking very worried.
“Jay, can you hear me?” Jason nodded slowly and Dick sighed in relief.
“Good. Tim, Damian, take his legs. We’re going to carry him to my bedroom.”
The two youngest nodded and Jason closed his eyes, fighting the dizziness as his brothers were carrying him to the large bed in Dick’s room.
When he was safe under the cover, the eldest left to look for a bucket, in case Jason needed to throw up again. Damian sat on a chair next to the bed, taking discreetly Jason’s hand in his own. Tim smiled at him, probably trying to comfort him as they were waiting for Dick to return. He also took Jason’s temperature and sighed when the device showed 104°.
When the oldest came back, he placed a kiss on his sweaty forehead. When Tim told him Jason’s fever, Dick placed another kiss on his cheek with an apologetic smile: “My poor Jaybird… You’ll be fine, alright? We will take care of you. I promise.”
Jason would never let his brother baby him like that normally. But he was tired and everything hurt and he just wanted to sleep and feel better in the morning.
“D’ck ‘m… ‘m sorry i w’ke you up.”
“You already said it, Little Wing. And I’m going to say it again: I’m glad I’m awake to take care of you. You being safe, it’s enough. It’s all I need.”
“And I totally agree with you.” Added a new voice coming from the door.
Bruce was home. And he seemed very worried.
“What happened, Jason? How did you catch something like that, baby?”
“I don’t know.” Whined Jason, as he was trying to bury himself into the bed.
“Okay. It’s okay, Jaylad. I’m going to call Alfred and ask him about the soup he’s always making us when we’re sick so I can make it for you.”
Dick, Tim, and Damian looked at him with wide eyes for two full seconds before Damian shook his head: “I will call Pennyworth and ask him about the soup Father. Except if you want to make Jason even sicker with yours.”
Bruce sighed, but didn’t complain and let Damian leave to call the old butler.
“Tim said you were trying to make tea before, do you think some tea would help your throat?”
Jason nodded and Dick left too, leaving a kiss on his forehead.
“How are you feeling, sweetheart? Do you need something else?”
“Just… just stay here?” Asked Jason and Bruce cooed at him as Tim was taking Damian's chair to be closer to his sick brother.
“Dick said he has a fever of 104°, maybe we should try to cool him down a bit?”
“Nooooo.” Complained Jason. He didn’t want to be held in a cold bath, nor being taken out of the warmth of his bed.
Luckily for him, Dick came back with a warm tea and Bruce forgot about the bath idea, focusing on helping his son drinking the tea.
“You’re doing good, son. Just stay awake until Damian is bringing the soup and then you can go to sleep.”
“Don’t wan’ sleep. Don’t wan’ make nigh’mares.” Slurred the young boy and Dick petted his hair slowly: “You won’t make any nightmares Little Wing. I’ll stay with you to protect you from bad dreams. Alright?”
Jason nodded slowly and Bruce couldn’t believe this poor excuse worked on the boy. He must be feeling really sick and tired.
Damian arrived a few minutes later, with a delicious smelling soup that he gave directly to Jason.
“Enjoy, Todd. It’s the last time I’m cooking for you.”
All of them knew that if Jason was sick again, Damian would definitely cook again for him, but the kid needed to act as if he didn’t care about his family, so they didn’t say anything back.
Bruce helped Jason as he was drinking his soup, and then let Dick join his baby brother in his bed.
Dick took him in his arms, pressing a kiss on his hair: “Sleep Jaybird, I’ll stay with you.”
Tim and Damian left, with a last worried look towards their brother. Bruce stayed a little longer until Jason finally fell asleep. Then, he kissed Dick’s and Jason’s cheeks, before going to his own bedroom, even though Dick knew he would be awake in an instant if Jason needed something.
Dick fell asleep too a few minutes later, holding his younger sibling close against his heart.
The next day was terrible. Jason’s fever was getting worse and he kept crying and whining as he was fighting his family when they tried to cool him down.
Tim, Damian, and Dick had to hold him as Bruce was putting him under the lukewarm shower. Then, they dried him up and helped him put warm clothes on before watching a movie under many blankets, and with hot cacao for the sick boy.
They struggled to take Jason to bed and finally agreed on taking him to his father’s bed, where the adult could check on him and comfort him at the same time for the night.
“I don’ wan’ sleep.” Jason said again, and Bruce shushed him gently: “Alfred is coming back late in the night. He’ll be there for you tomorrow morning. He’ll probably make you something yummy to eat and pamper you for the next week.
Jason smiled at this idea and curled up against his father, letting his head rest on the man’s torso.
“You remember our first patrol together?” Started his father and Jason nodded and closed his eyes, letting his father’s story put him to sleep.
He woke up the next morning feeling a soft hand on his forehead.
“Alfie?” He asked hesitantly and the old butler cooed at him: “My poor boy… I am so sorry I couldn’t be there for you. I hope your father and brothers took care of you. I made you tea and some crepes.”
“God, Alfie. I missed you so much.”
The butler grinned at that and kissed the younger’s forehead, before bringing the trail, full of crepes and tea, and sweet things for the sick boy.
Alfred did pamper him for the next week, making him some crepes every morning, bringing him books and hot cocoa in bed, and petting his hair every time he went checking on his fever.
Not that Jason was happy to be sick, but he definitely liked that moment in the recovery. No more pain, just fatigue, and his whole family taking care of him.
Damian and Tim watching movies with him, Dick cuddling him to death, and Bruce reading him books, to help him fall asleep.
Jason never felt so happy to be found by his family when he was feeling so bad. He couldn’t imagine how it would have been if he had to take care of himself alone in his safe house.
For once, he was thankful for his annoying sleepless brother who found him as he was about to spend one of the worst nights of his life.