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They didn’t have any news from Jason for a long time. Bruce fought with him a week ago, and Jason didn’t communicate since then.
Bruce and Jason were both so stubborn none of them wanted to be the one that apologizes first.
But this night, they needed Red Hood to deal with one of Black Mask’s traffic and they knew Jason would never miss that. Jason would do anything to dismember Black Mask’s gang.
So when he didn’t show up, even a few hours later, Dick started being worried. Very worried.
“Bruce, I know you’re still mad and you want Jason to apologize, but I’m worried. What if something happened to him?”
“He can take care of himself, Dick. He’s a big boy now.”
“Come on, Bruce. If Jason dies because you are both too stubborn to talk, you’ll regret it your whole life. It’s just ten minutes away. We can go now.”
Bruce hesitated for a long minute before nodding.
“Alright, but he better be in danger.”
They tried to call him multiples times before arriving at the safe house but Jason wasn’t answering. They call Barbara in front of the apartment, asking her to deactivate any security system there could be in the building.
“Jason, we’re going to open the door. This is your last chance to answer us if you’re just sulking. Because you’ll have to buy another door after that.”
No answer.
“Fine, Dick open the door.”
The door didn’t resist long under Dick’s blows and soon, the two adults were in the living room. All the curtains were closed and Dick opened them quickly so they could actually see something.
Jason was nowhere to be seen in the living room, nor in the bedroom, but they could hear retching for the bathroom.
“Shit… Jason!” exclaimed Dick as he rushed to the bathroom. Bruce followed him slowly, still mad at his son, he didn’t want to show that he was actually worried sick for him.
When he entered the room, he could see Jason gripping the toilet bowl, throwing up constantly. He looked terrible, his skin was pale but his face was flushed with fever, his eyes were closed, his whole body was shaking, and he was sweating profusely.
Bruce forgot about his anger immediately and rushed to his sons.
“Jay… Hey, can you hear me? How long have you been like that?”
Jason didn’t answer. He just whined and rested his head on the toilet bowl, utterly exhausted.
“We need to know what happened to you so we can help you, Little Wing. What kind of illness do you have?”
Still no answer, Jason was completely unresponsive, trying to catch his breath before going back to throwing up.
“Bruce can you stay with him for a second? I’ll call Alfred to try and define the symptoms.”
Bruce nodded and took Dick’s place next to his son. He ran his fingers through Jason’s sweaty hair, keeping them out of his face.
“It’s gonna be okay, lad. You’re gonna be just fine.”
Jason just moaned but Bruce wondered if he could understand what he was saying to him. They stayed together for a few minutes before Dick return.
“Alfred said it could be food poisoning. It can cause really bad fever and vomiting.”
Bruce nodded: “Alright, we’re taking him back to the manor, but we need to cool him down a bit before. Can you find a cold rag?”
“I’m on it,” assured Dick and left again.
“Alright, chum. I don’t think you can walk on your own right now so I’ll carry you. Try not to make it too much awkward for both of us.”
The younger didn’t answer, nor move when Bruce took him in his arms and carried him gently to the couch.
Dick joined them with a damp rag that he pressed on his brother’s forehead. Jason let out a moan and the coolness.
“Alright, Little Wing. You’re doing just fine, stay conscious and breathe. We’ll take you home as soon as possible.”
Jason mumbled something incoherent and Bruce decided that means: “Okay, I’ll do what you ask me to do and I’ll try not to be a stubborn ass.”
Dick managed to make Jason swallow a few fever reducers, and turned towards Bruce: “We can take him to the Manor in a few minutes, I don’t think he’ll become suddenly lucid anyway.”
“Fine, park the Batmobile just outside, I’ll come down with Jason in five minutes.”
In the Batmobile, Dick was driving as Bruce was sitting in the backseat, shushing Jason softly as he was mumbling again things no one could understand.
“It’s alright, Jay. We’re taking you home. You’ll have healthy food, plenty of medicines, and Alfred to tuck you to bed.” Whispered Bruce against his son’s ear.
They arrived at the Batcave after a ten minutes drive. Bruce took Jason to carry him to the medbay where Alfred was already waiting. Dick must have called him beforehand.
“My poor boy, you should have stayed in the Manor where I always prepared you food and healthy food.”
“Get o’t of my h’d,” he slurred. “Y’r n’t real anyway.”
“What do you mean ‘not real’, Jaylad?”
“It’s fev’r, why w’ld you c’re ab’t me?”
“We care about you, baby brother. Even if we fight sometimes we’ll always care about you.”
“No,” Jason breathed and Alfred put a comforting hand on his torso, shushing him immediately. “Stay calm, dear boy. You’re fine.”
“Br’ce don’t c’re ‘bout me, everyt’me ‘m tryin’ to do someth’ng he’s criticizing me,” He continued. “’M tryin’ so h’rd, tryin’ to do so much eff’rts…”
“Master Jason, please. Just stay quiet and try to breathe slowly or you’ll make yourself even sicker. We’re going to take care of you and get that fever down. Master Dick, can you help me get a water and a nutriments IV, please?”
Bruce was completely silent, watching at his younger son with wide eyes and a pale face.
“I didn’t know… I didn’t know he was feeling that way…”
“Master Bruce, you can have a talk with him when he’ll wake up, but for now I need you to help me. Could you grab a damp rag and help me to get him out of these sweaty clothes?”
Bruce nodded, still a bit shocked, but helped to strip his son’s dirty clothes and to get him in soft and clean sweatpants and a t-shirt, that were probably belonging to Bruce.
A few minutes later, Jason was sleeping soundly on the bed. Bruce was holding his son’s hand carefully, as he was reading a press article on his laptop.
Alfred had explained to him that Jason could be taken downstairs when he’ll wake up, and Tim had already prepared the guest room with extra pillows and blankets.
“Let me make it up to you, Jaylad. I’ll show you how important you are to me.” He mumbled to his sleeping son.
When Jason woke up, the first thing he did was to turn on his side and throw up again on the floor of the Cave. Thankfully, not on Bruce’s side.
Bruce called Alfred as he was holding his son so he won’t fall face-first on the floor. “It’s okay, lad. You’re okay. We’re taking care of you. I know food poisoning is not funny, you need to take whatever get you sick out. But then, you’ll be fine.”
Jason groaned before throwing up again, but this time on the bucket Alfred had put for his on the floor.
“The best remedy against food poisoning is a lot of rest and staying hydrated. Master Bruce, can you try and carry Master Jason upstairs, if his stomach is settled enough.”
Bruce nodded and took Jason very carefully in his arms to carry him to the guest room his sons had prepared for their brother.
“I’m going to put you to bed, Jay. Then you’ll sleep and you’ll feel better when you’ll wake up, I promise.”
He put down his son very slowly before tucking him under the blankets. Then he presented him a bottle of water with a straw and a few pills to swallow. Jason took the pills before downing the bottle of water in just a few seconds.
“God, Jason. Slow down or you’ll get yourself even sicker.”
Jason nodded and sighed before putting his head back on the pillow. “Will you stay?” he mumbled sleepily and Bruce looked at him, surprised.
“If that’s what you want, I’ll stay.”
Jason looked even more surprised than him, and Bruce remembered their fight.
“I’m… I’m so sorry, Jay. I wish I could know soon how you were feeling. I would you could have tell me instead of keeping it for yourself and just trying to argue with me.”
“Why would I tell you something you wouldn’t believe?” Jason whispered and Bruce shook his head before kissing his son’s forehead, encouraging him to get some sleep.
“I’ll be there when you’ll wake up, Jason. You should get some sleep for now.”
In just a few minutes, Jason was fast asleep.
The next morning, Jason seemed way better. His skin was less pale and he could stand up on his own. He still couldn’t eat much, his stomach was still a bit weak but at least he was lucid, and Alfred made him a warm soup. He still had a fever, but it wasn’t as bad as it was the last day.
“There, my boy. Drink that slowly, tiny sips. And I want you to tell me what you’re cooking when you’re alone so I know if I should worry about another food poisoning.”
Jason groaned, knowing that he’ll probably get lectured by the old man.
“I just ate undercooked meat, Al. Sorry, I worried you like that.”
Alfred frowned at these words before mumbling: “I would like you to stay at least for a week there. You can still have symptoms for a few days and I want to make sure that you’ll eat correctly after that.”
Jason sighed and tried to argue but Alfred didn’t want to hear it. He let the younger man drink the soup slowly.
“Alright, let’s call your siblings for a movie night, sounds good? They love movie night, and you’ll fall asleep during the first five minutes anyway.”
“Hey!” Complained Jason: “I don’t fall asleep all the time.”
“Sure, did you at least see the end of a movie? Asking for a friend.”
Jason rolled his eyes and his father chuckled before sending a message in the family chat. Then, he helped his son downstairs and they sat together on the couch. Dick, Damian, Tim, and Cass joined them a few minutes later, and Dick seemed utterly relieved to see that his father and brother had sorted things out.
As always Jason did fall asleep during the beginning of the movie, and Bruce took a picture of him as proof before taking him closer to him, kissing his forehead. Damian, who was on Jason’s other side, was dozing off too.
Even asleep, Jason was feeling warm, but not the uncomfortable warmth due to sickness, burning him from the inside; the soft warmth that meant comfort and family, that meant he wasn’t alone, not anymore.
He woke up the next morning feeling way better. His stomach wasn’t hurting anymore, his fever had broken during the night and he didn’t struggle to eat anymore. To celebrate, Alfred made him his favorite, Chilli Dog, and a nice strawberry cake for dessert.
“I’m glad to see you eating so easily again, Master Jason. I hope that I will never have to treat you for food poisoning again, or I’ll have to keep you at the Manor forever, to make sure you’re eating correctly.”
Jason smiled: “If I have to eat your food forever I don’t think it’s a punishment, Al’.”
“Trust me, my boy. You don’t want to deal with me if you’re having another food poisoning.”
Jason nodded, he knew that his family just wanted him to be careful. Bruce was still next to him, running a hand down his back to be sure that he was still there.
Jason was glad to realize that even when they fight, his family will always be there to help him and to give him love and support.