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Even though Bruce had done his due diligence as a guardian, and if anything had gone overboard in his warnings given that the age of his sons, he still found himself unable to sleep knowing that they were out there.
It would be different if it had just been Dick and Jason. Certainly both boys had made their fair share of mistakes but that only meant that they knew full well how to handle themselves. Actually, no, even when it was just Dick and or Jason Bruce still waited up for them no matter how long it took for them to call it a night.
There was always that niggle of worry for his kids even though he trusted them to be aware of their surroundings so when Bruce’s phone rang at two forty-seven in the morning, he already had it to his ear it before it even had a chance to tone a second time.
“What’s your status?” Bruce demanded.
For a second all that answered him was the roaring of background music and laughter. Then Dick’s voice echoed, relaxed and most definitely intoxicated.
“It’s all good B! Jay just wanted to say that he loves you!”
“Give it here Dickface.”
There was a rustling as the phone was very likely snatched from Dick’s hand and when Jason spoke, his voice was significantly more sober.
“We’re good.” Jason said. “The idiot just tried to go toe to toe with Wally again.”
“It’s so unfair!” Dick sobbed. “He’s such a big fat meanie!”
Bruce chuckled, glad to know that while Dick had done one of his more frequent mistakes again, at least Jason was there with him to keep an eye on him.
“How is Tim?”
While Bruce could hear Jason’s eye roll even through the phone, Jason didn’t actually hang up.
“The Kid’s fine.” Jason said. “He’s nerding out with some college girls. I don’t think he’s quite worked out that they’re batting their eyelashes at him yet, and they definitely have not noticed that a certain Supe has been trying to activate laser eyes for the last hour.”
There was a new voice in the background, one that Bruce thought might be Connor Kent, but Jason didn’t let the phone be taken away from him.
“We’re heading back soon.” Jason said. “Probably just another hour or two, given that it’s a school night.”
“I don’t go to school!” Dick wailed.
“No shit Sherlock,” Jason shot back. “I was making a fucking joke, you idiot. Christ, you’d think he’s a telenovela star or some shit.”
“Careful Jason,” Bruce said. “If Dick heard that, he might just take you up on it.”
But Dick had already wandered away from the phone, Bruce vaguely hearing his voice amongst the hundred others as they sang the start of Barbie Girl.
“Yeah yeah, gotta go.”
“Oh and Jason,” Bruce said. “Thanks for looking out for them.”
For a beat, all there was was the background noise of the club. Then, Jason’s voice returned and Bruce knew full well how his son was fighting back a grin.
“You still owe me Old Man.”
It was actually closer to sunrise that the three boys came back home. Even if Bruce had been asleep, he would have heard the crash and the subsequent curses as Dick no doubt bumped into some priceless heirloom.
Bruce forced himself to remain in his room all the same, listening in amusement to Dick’s drunken rambling as they came passed the hallway. In a strange way it was reassuring to know that Dick had felt safe enough to drink so much, and it just went to show how much trust that Dick had in Jason and his other companions to keep him safe.
Then again, Bruce had no doubt that Dick was going to be miserable come morning. As much as he adored his eldest, Dick hadn’t quite come to terms with the fact that he was near thirty now and he definitely could not attempt to outdrink a hero with a super metabolism anymore not that he could have ever won against Wally even when they were younger.
With Jason having been completely sober, Bruce also had no doubt that the second eldest would rub it in Dick’s face about how good he felt tomorrow which Bruce supposed was just fair game given that Jason had been on babysitting duty for the night.
The wild card of course was going to be how much Tim had felt like he could let loose. While Tim had definitely drank in the safety of the Manor before, this was supposed to have been the first time that he had legally gone out to a club. Bruce had no doubt that Tim had kept his wits and had been careful, but he was still curious to hear about how it was for him.
Dick had eventually settled into his bed, alongside the glass of water, an electrolyte mixture and a vomit bag that Bruce had left out for him, the rest of the noise died down considerably as Jason himself went to bed and Tim at the very least went to his own room hopefully to get some sleep too.
It was only then that Bruce let himself drift off, knowing that his boys were home safe.
The retching had barely even started before Bruce was already up and out of his bed, rushing towards one of the closest bathrooms. He had expected to find Dick curled around the toilet bowl but instead he found that it was Tim, just as Tim’s body lurched again.
Bruce made certain to make a noise as he came into the bathroom fully but Tim hadn’t seemed to notice at all, too distracted with vomiting once more.
“Lad,”
Tim whipped around, his eyes wide and wet.
“This isn’t what it looks like!”
There was a deep shaking in Tim, one that made Bruce even more concerned when all at once Tim was rushing back to the bowl again as he dry reached.
Bruce longed to rub circles into Tim’s back but he didn’t, only inching a little closer to him just in case his body was too sensitive to touch right now.
“What does it look like?” Bruce asked.
Tim’s only answer was another horrid gag, an arm wrapping around his middle as his body strained. He finally leant back again, a bead of sweat rolling down his face. He was pale, significantly more pale than his usual paleness, and when Bruce slowly reached up to press a hand against Tim’s forehead he found that his son was cold.
Instead of leaning into the touch like Tim might usually do, he curled away from Bruce.
“I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Tim.”
“I didn’t even drink that much.” He said miserably. “I promise, I wasn’t stupid.”
“I never said that you were stupid.” Bruce said. “I’m not angry with you.”
Whatever Tim was going to say was lost along with what little remained of his dinner.
Bruce waited near by until he was finished,
“Can I touch you?”
Tim considered for a long moment, his body shaking. Finally he shook his head then winced at the movement.
“Headache?”
A nod this time, along with the tiniest whimper.
“Were you feeling sick before you went out?” Bruce asked. Then, remembering who he was talking to. “I need the truth, please. I won’t be upset with you either way.”
“I was fine.” Tim said.
Bruce shifted back a little but still kept close by.
“Tim,” He said. “Genuine question again that needs an honest answer. Have you had alcohol since losing your spleen?”
“Oh for fucks sake! Not everything is about my damn spleen.”
“Actually, Son, it can sometimes affect the absorption of alcohol. Did you drink anything that the Metas and Supers have?”
Tim notably did not answer him this time, slumping into himself.
While Bruce wanted to point out how dangerous it had been for Tim to do that, he forced himself to remember that lectures were for later. Right now the priority was getting Tim feeling better. As Bruce watched, what little colour left in Tim’s face drained away.
Tim scrambled to get back to the toilet, heaving into it.
When Tim seemed to at last be fully finished, Bruce waited with him another twenty minutes in quiet to make sure that he wasn’t going to be sick again. When Tim’s eyelids started drooping, his attention waning, Bruce gently coaxed him up to his feet.
It took a moment for Tim’s legs to stabilise, tremors running through him, but Bruce gave him every chance to walk instead of be carried to his room. They took it slow, Tim leaning on him a little heavier the further they went.
By the time they reached Tim’s room, Jason was already perched on Tim’s bed. All at once he had launching up, coming straight to them.
Tim tried to wave him off but the effect was lessened by the fact the his hand just flopped weirdly to the side.
Apparently in the time that Tim had been gone, Jason had placed a bucket by Tim’s bed alongside with water and electrolytes just like Bruce had left out for Dick.
Bruce was careful in easing Tim onto his bed, giving him a moment to adjust before nudging him to lay down on his side. Almost immediately Tim’s eyes closed, his breathing evening out.
Jason made no move to join Tim on the bed like he might usually do, instead whirling on Bruce.
“This wasn’t my fault.”
“I never said it was.” Bruce said.
“I was watching him.” Jason insisted. “I made sure that he didn’t do anything fucking stupid, I made sure he didn’t take anything either. He had dinner, I made sure of it.”
“Jason.” Bruce said. “I believe you. Is everything okay?”
“I was watching him.” Jason said. “I was watching him. He should be fine. He barely even had any. He should be fine.”
Tim curled up a little, giving off a small miserable sound and Jason looked like he had been shot.
“Jaylad. Breathe. Tim is twenty one. He is allowed to drink. This was his choice, it may not have been the best choice to drink something designed for Metas but even I’ve made that mistake before.”
Jason stared at him. Before Jason could even think about asking for some blackmail content, Bruce continued.
“Tim will be okay. Think of it just as a bad hangover. We will keep an eye on him, keep him hydrated, maybe tease him just a little bit in the coming days so he knows not to do it again. Tim’s okay, Son.”
“He…” Jason swallowed roughly. “He can’t end up like me.”
Bruce set a hand on Jason’s shoulder, squeezing it.
“If Tim ends up like half the man that you, I would be very glad to see it.”
One more squeeze, and a kiss on Jason’s forehead, Bruce returned to Tim’s bedside.
“Go sleep.” Bruce said. “I’ll watch Tim.”
“Dick’s going to be a pain in the morning.” Jason warned.
“Oh, I very much expected that.” Bruce chuckled. “Thanks again for looking out for them.”
When Jason turned to go, he hesitated by the doorway.
“Bruce,”
“Yes?”
“What was that about you having gotten wasted on alcohol designed for Metas and aliens?”
“I said no such thing.” Bruce said.
Completely unconvinced, Jason went for his phone.
“Jason, do not call Clark.”
Jason flipped Bruce off.
“Jason, it’s five in the morning.”
“Hi Clark!” Jason grinned wickedly. “Hey, so I’ve got a question for you…”
At last Jason wandered off back into the hallway, leaving Bruce alone with Tim.
The very same Tim who had stiffened strangely. Bruce leant down, grabbing the bucket, holding it out for his son just in time for him to throw up in it.
Once Tim was done this time, he collapsed hard back onto the bed.
“This is so stupid.” Tim muttered.
Bruce hummed.
“Will you drink extra strength alcohol next time?”
The glare he got for that one was almost worth the way that Bruce’s heart twisted as Tim’s body decided that it wasn’t quite finished rebelling just yet after all.