Work Text:
Jason doesn’t get sick. He just doesn’t.
He was hoping the Lazarus Pit would give him some sort of immunity to most diseases. He was so painfully wrong.
He hasn’t been able to keep anything down- or even move much- for the past week. If he had the energy, he would be livid. There’s nothing more pathetic than being utterly useless from such an avoidable thing. Being curled up on his mattress trying to fall back asleep for the past three hours was the last thing he wanted to be doing.
Granted he tried to patrol earlier this week. Managed to bust a few drug trades and one bomb threat. It was only after he got so dizzy he almost fell off a building while trying to grapple that he accepted his fate. He’d rather die again than face the embarrassment of being saved by Red Robin. He made Tim promise that he wouldn’t tell anyone. Tim only agreed on the condition that Jason went home and actually slept. So here he was, utterly useless to the world.
He honestly misses the slight dizzy high he had during patrol while he was slightly less sick. It was manageable and made it easier to not care about what he was doing.
Give the hardest job to the laziest person and they’ll find the easiest way to do it….or something like that.
Now he was just done. He thought almost falling off a building would be the worst of it, but no. The hallucinations that have been making guest appearances in his line of sight for the past few hours are just cruel. They don’t even make much sense. His family members with messed up faces and even more messed up things to say. It shouldn’t bother him, he knows it’s not real and to his credit, it didn’t bother him that much. But then the ones of Bruce started showing up.
He shudders. He doesn’t want to think about it.
The world shifts to swirls of color, a faint ringing taking over his mind. He doesn’t remember the last time his train of thought was so painfully blank. He can’t hold on to a thought for longer than twenty seconds before it disappears, melting out of his brain and dripping from his eyes in a boiling hot mess of salt and regret. Wait- that doesn’t sound right. The ringing shifts its tone and gets louder. It isn’t until he sees the screen glowing that he realizes his phone is actually what’s ringing. He rolls over slightly, barely managing to move without getting dizzy to switch his phone to silent mode. He doesn’t remember the last time his body felt so light but his head felt so heavy, despite being empty. The colors swirl harder, making him nauseous. He can’t afford to puke though, he’s barely eaten all week.
He flutters in and out of consciousness. It feels wonderful after being in so much pain for so long. His eyes dart around the room uselessly when he can focus enough to realize if he’s conscious. Everything is so bright and vibrant and….and….
He hears the window slide open beside him.
That’s a new one.
What isn’t new is the hallucination of Dick that crawls in through the window. He thought this part was over already.
“Whatever you came here to say, I’ve probably already heard it. Go away, Dickhead.” He thinks he says.
The hallucination just cocks its head and stares at him. He thinks he sees its lips moving but the sound is drowned out. He feels like his head was stuffed with wet cotton balls. Fuzzy and full but slimy and warm. Too warm. He shivers.
He feels hands grasp his shoulders before he passes out.
-
After the fifth missed call, Dick starts to get worried.
Granted, Jason usually ignores his calls but Dick usually sees him everyday, it’s almost like a taunt.
But Jason hasn’t joined them for patrol in six days. Which wouldn’t be that weird normally…
…Except Jason hasn’t been seen at all in six days.
Crime alley has had zero Red Hood sightings for most of this week. Rumors have already started much to Dick’s displeasure. He wants to try calling Jason again but he doubts he’ll have much luck. Worry curls in his chest like a venomous snake, sinking its fangs into his heart. Obviously Dick knows he can be overbearing, Jason and Damian remind him every chance they get, but he can’t help it. The way his insides freeze over anytime he loses track of somebody bites at him painfully. He paces slightly in the cave, trying not to worry so much while getting ready for patrol. Voices and laughter flow around him, has nobody else noticed that Jason is just- gone?
“Yo, Dick, are you doing okay?” Steph pipes up. How long has she been standing in front of him?
“Oh, yeah.” He says after a pause. “It’s just- have you heard from Jason recently?”
Steph shrugs, pulling her hair back and tying it into a low ponytail. “Tim and Cass were the last ones to patrol with him, I think. You should ask them.”
“How long ago was that?”
“Thursday I’m pretty sure. You remember when Riddler had that whole puzzle set up at Gotham General? He was trying to blow up the psych wing or something- ringing any bells?”
Dick does remember that now that he thinks about it. Didn’t Jason come back to the cave afterwards? Or did he go back to his apartment…why can’t he remember how that night ended? He takes a short deep breath. Jason’s fine. He seemed fine that night, he’s probably just taking a break or something.
Jason never takes breaks.
“Either way, Tim would know more about it than I would.” Steph mutters finally after Dick doesn’t say anything. He nods before she walks off.
Tim was applying adhesive to his domino mask when Dick approached him, sliding it on his face and shielding his eyes from the world. It makes him look so blank.
“Tim, you were the last one to patrol with Jason, right?”
When he nods, Dick continues.
“Cool, so….where is he?”
Tim shrugs. “Probably at his apartment. Or at least one of his safehouses.”
Dick bites the inside of his cheek. “But you haven’t seen him since?”
“Nope.” Tim says simply, then corrects himself when he notices Dick’s worried expression. “This is a good thing though. It means he’s keeping his promise.”
“Promise? What promise?”
Tim hesitated. “I’m technically not supposed to tell you this but he’s kinda sick.” He muttered before clearing his throat. “He should be fine though. Last I checked he didn’t have much of a fever, he was just hella tired. I told him to stay home and rest, technically benched him but he agreed voluntarily…after I agreed not to tell anyone. Anyways, he’s actually taking care of himself for once so I wouldn’t be too worried about it.”
As much as Dick wanted to let that ease his worries, it just didn’t sound right. Tim made it sound way too simple. Jason never agrees to anything that fast unless he’s too out of it to keep going. Either way, if Tim was sure it wasn’t that bad, how has Jason been gone for almost an entire week? Wouldn’t he be feeling somewhat better by now?
Tim sighed when Dick didn’t respond. “When you go over and check on him, just don’t tell him I told you anything.”
“How’d you know I was going to-”
“I can hear you thinking from all the way over here.” Tim scoffed. “Go. Go make sure the idiot didn’t die or something.” Tim said with mock-exasperation, despite the fond smile on his face.
-
When Dick got to Jason’s apartment it was strangely dark. He had climbed up to the balcony to peer into his living room. The place looked exactly the same as it had two weeks ago when Dick came over to work on a case with Jason. It didn’t even look like anyone lived here at this point. He made his way to Jason’s bedroom window instead. It was equally as dark but Dick could at least make out the shape of Jason laying on his bed. He didn’t look dead so at least there was that. He cautiously slid through the window, immediately greeted with a wave of heat. Why the hell was it so warm in Jason’s apartment anyways? The dumbass already had like seven blankets on, Dick noticed as he continued inside.
Upon further inspection, he realized Jason wasn’t even asleep. He was laying perfectly still, staring at the ceiling. Tears were laying still on his cheeks, as he blinked they were pushed out of his eyes but they refused to fall further. He looked so peaceful yet miserable at the same time. His hair was matted and his forehead was slick with sweat. Dick felt the same worry from before slithering its way into his body. His chest tightened painfully as he continued to go over Jason’s condition. He looked so….empty. Dick stood at the foot of the bed, trying not to startle him.
“Jay?” He muttered.
“Wh’tev’r y-ou c’me ‘ere t’ s- say, ’ve…..’lrea’y ‘eard it. Go ‘way, D’ckhe’d…” He slurred, though it sounded choked. His words were slow and syrup-like, flowing thickly.
Dick cocked his head to the side. “Jason, what are you talking about?”
When he got no answer, Dick sighed. His brother was past being coherent.
“It’s okay, Jace. Just relax.”
-
The next time Jason was aware, he was absolutely freezing. He felt hands slowly carding through his hair. Which his hair was apparently wet…as was the rest of his body- the fuck? He slowly cracked one of his eyes open, his eyelids felt so unbelievably heavy.
“Dick?” He mumbled slowly, trying to turn his head more to look at his brother. His entire body twitched. Why was he moving so sluggishly?
“Hey bud, how are you feeling?” Was this normal? Why did Dick sound so sad?
“I feel like shit. When did you even get here? And why am I-”
His brother sighed, cutting him off. “Jay, you had a one-hundred and five degree fever when I got here.”
Oh.
Oh that explains a lot.
“So that's why we’re…” He motioned at the bathtub. “here.”
Dick nodded, taking a handful of water to rinse some of the shampoo out of Jason’s hair. It felt oddly nice, humiliation aside. Jason could swallow his pride just this once. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Jason melted when Dick’s hands resumed running through his hair and massaging his scalp. He let his eyes flutter closed again, leaning his arm against the side of the tub to rest his head in the crook of his elbow. He wanted to be mad, at himself, at this damn sickness, maybe at Dick too, but he just didn’t have the energy. He let out a small sigh.
“Why didn’t you come back to the manor if you knew you were sick?” Dick asked after a while.
Jason shrugged. “And let your annoying ass coddle me? No fucking way.” He scoffed.
Dick laughed, light and fond. “Huh, funny where that got you.” He muttered, not even trying to hide the grin on his face.
…
“Shut up, Dickface.”
And if Jason was smiling too, well, that’s for him to know and Dick to never find out.