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In their defence, they knocked on the window and waited a bit before breaking in.
Okay, well it wasn't really 'breaking in', not in Jason's eyes, but Tim was still a little iffy about it. But even he couldn't disagree that when it came to Dick and absences that better sorry than safe. They could always apologise and lie when they said they wouldn't do it again if everything was great inside, but if it wasn't then they might just end up saving their brother's life. The possible scenarios were vastly varied, as was usually the case with most of their family.
They'd planned this meet-up with Dick though, to work on a case that involved a new drug going around in both Blüdhaven and Gotham and Jason and Tim weren't that early that Dick just wouldn't be home yet or something. Yet their oldest brother hadn't answered the window. They both sincerely hoped it was just because he was in the bathroom.
Anyway, they snuck in and nothing stood out to them immediately. The apartment was a mess as usual, but not so much that told them Dick had been robbed or there was a scuffle or anything.
"Dick?" Tim called out, as Jason went to one of the kitchen cabinets in the hope of finding a snack but being disappointed when he saw it was mostly empty save for some cereal and granola bar boxes. He decided he might as well take a bar if it was there and was free (especially free on Dick) while Tim wandered further into the apartment. He'd just bit into it when Tim had shouted.
"Jason! C'mere!"
He tucked the bar away in his pocket for later as he made his way quickly to where Tim was standing outside of the bathroom. The younger boy pushed the door open more and Jason sucked in a breath as he saw what was inside.
"Is that fresh?" He asked, looking at the red splashed on some of the floor tiles and the edge of the bathtub and sink.
"I think so," Tim grimaced.
"Dickface? You here?" Jason called out, trying to peek into the other room further down while Tim closed the door of the bathroom gently.
A shadow moved under the door of the bedroom, followed by a dull thump and Jason and Tim's eyes met for a split second before the decision was made and they both sprinted down the short hall.
"Dick, if you're naked right now, or that's not your blood in the bathroom - "
"Just open the door Timmy!"
The two burst in and froze in the doorway, staring. Pained blue eyes stared back.
"You guys're standing… sideways…"
"You fell, Dick," Tim supplied at the same time Jason asked, "The fuck you doing on the floor, Dickhead?"
Dick winced at Jason's loud voice which wasn't a good sign, the fact he hadn't known which way he was facing also not a good sign.
"I… uh…, ow," Dick managed to get out, seeming to not know what to say, think or do as he winced again. Jason's eyes softened.
"You need help to get up?"
Dick closed his eyes and rested his head back down. "Would be great, thanks."
"I offered my help, not to just pick you up for you," Jason grunted as he awkwardly half-lifted, half-supported Dick as the man stood up. The top half of his Nightwing costume hung loose around his waist, exposing the shabby first aid job, bloody bandages hanging onto his side for dear life.
"Holy shit, Dick," Tim whispered. "What happened?"
"Well, I thought since you guys were coming by at like, midnight and we probably weren't gonna get anything actually done but you'd stay for the whole night anyway that I might as well do a quick patrol before you guys show up but then something went wrong and I kinda got shot, just a little, and then I came home and forgot you guys were coming so I was in the middle of doing something about this," - he gestured to his bloody side - "when I heard the window knock and I remembered you were coming so I came here to change and then I fell. I think. I don't know how but then you guys showed up and apparently I was on the floor and ugh my head hurts and I wanna go to bed so can we take a raincheck on whyever you were here or something?"
Apparently exhausted from his little monologue, Dick promptly slumped over and Jason stumbled with the sudden extra weight, Tim rushing to help so that his oldest brother didn't end up on the floor. Again.
"Back up," Jason grunted as he readjusted his grip on his older brother. "You got shot?"
"Just a little," Dick mumbled.
The two younger brothers' wide eyes met over the oldest's head. It was a unanimous and silent decision to take Dick back to the bathroom, so they started awkwardly manoeuvring their way out of the room and down the hall.
"Dick, if we weren't coming today, what would you have done?" Tim asked lightly, even if the implications were anything but.
"Woulda patched myself up enough so I can go to sleep. 'M really tired."
Tim could see how much restraint it was taking for Jason to not start shouting swears and lecture Dick right there on the spot. Instead, the guy just asked a question of his own.
"Anything else happen on patrol, Dick? Any other… injuries we should know about? Gases, poisons, any psychological traumas?"
Dick giggled and that might have scared Jason and Tim more than anything. "Psycho-whatever trauma, hah. That's your thing, Jayjay, I wouldn't take it."
"Tim…"
"Just because he's halfway there, does not mean you get to finish the job."
"Oh!" Dick said loudly, startling them. "I mighta gotten a tiny bit drugged. Don't do drugs guys, not good and not fun." He made a face, before his eyes rolled back and Jason and Tim had to readjust their grip on him again.
"Okay, okay, easy."
"Well, at least that explains it," Jason grouched as they finally got into the bathroom and gently set Dick down on the edge of the tub.
"Jason, can you go grab a glass of water and some painkillers for him?"
"No," Dick murmured, half-unconscious. "Already had like, five."
Jason's eyes widened and he gave Tim a loaded look, but Tim just sighed. "Okay, that's good I suppose. They should kick in sometime soon."
"Ha, no," Dick spoke again. "I'm about to throw them up sometime soon."
"Oh my god," Jason said, exasperatedly. "How are you still alive, Dick? You are not fit to live alone, how have you even lasted - "
"Jason," Tim said, cutting him off. "Can you watch him while I grab the med kit and do a better job of… whatever this is?"
"You're making me deal with when he throws up now? I'm never working a case with you two again."
"Please, Jason. Do it before I have to resort to threats. And before you question what I can threaten you with, know that you really should change your password from something to do with your hobbies to something harder to guess."
Jason snapped his mouth closed, eyes wide. "I was gonna do it anyway," he grumbled quietly, but Tim ignored him as he turned to Dick, who was still sat on the edge of the bathtub, resting his head against the wall.
"Dick, is your first aid kit where it was last time?"
Dick didn't open his eyes, but he nodded. Tim and Jason shared a worried glance.
Just as Tim turned around to search the cabinet, Dick lurched forward towards the toilet.
"Shit," Jason hissed, but knelt down next to his brother and started rubbing his back. Tim quickly snatched the kit and opened it, getting the necessary equipment as Dick stopped throwing up and Jason helped him wash up in the sink.
Once Dick was back on the edge of the tub, Tim got to work with undoing Dick's terrible patching up job and redoing it better. Jason hovered nearby to help out wherever Tim needed him but mainly to also make sure Dick didn't fall off the tub. The drugs were out of his system now - good and bad - but the pain and exhaustion had driven him to a state of barely-conscious; their only indications of him still being awake were the frequent wince and occasional groan or hiss of pain.
Finally, Tim finished up and stepped back to wash his hands. Jason helped Dick up and led the half-dressed man back to his room. Tim joined them not soon after, but eventually then by the time he did, Dick was already snoring under the blanket.
"I considered changing him, but that's too much work. He's just in his boxers under there," Jason said, keeping his voice low so he didn't wake Dick even if he was sure the man was completely out. "Did you clean up everything in there?"
"I considered cleaning the blood up, but that's too much work," Tim parroted, ghost of a smile on his face before it faded and he sighed. "We'll just deal with it tomorrow."
"Which bit? Him or the bathroom?" Jason joked, but he sighed too. "We have to stay don't we?"
"He can't be trusted on his own," Tim agreed. "Especially not like this."
"Nope. Well then, I call the couch."
"What? That's not fair, where am I gonna sleep?" Tim spluttered, following Jason out. Jason ignored him, yawning and stretching in the hallway before jumping and spreading out on the couch.
"Go sleep in the bathtub and clean it while you're at it."
Tim pouted, before he grinned evilly. "Okay, take the couch. Just don't blame me if you wake up to the world knowing about your Spotify wrapped and your dating profile."
"Hey wait, Timmy, we can work this out. We're family, I can make some space on the couch here if you want, come on - "