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Jason groaned as he jerked awake. He wasn’t sure what had woken him but as awareness filtered in he could feel the telltale burning under his skin, almost as if he had electric currents running through his veins. “Fuck,” he mumbled as he reached towards his bedside table for his meds- or for where he usually kept his meds. When he came up empty, he tried to think through the fog. He’d gone on a mission with the Outlaws and when he got in he’d- right, he’d gone straight to bed forgoing unpacking and taking meds in favor of sleep. Before he could gather the energy to move his phone rang. He grumbled at the stupid ass ringtone that Roy had given himself before locating his phone. “Hello?”
“Jaybird! I’ve been trying to reach you all morning! Did a Bat actually sleep in for once in their lives?” Roy chirped on his end. If Jason listened closely, he could hear Oliver and Dinah bickering in the background.
“Fuck you, bats are nocturnal,” Jason grit out as he sat up, putting his phone on speaker so he could see the time. It was already noon. He sighed as he dropped back on the bed.
“Jay?”
“Hmm?”
“What are your pain levels today?”
“Fuck you,” Jason breathed out while he seriously considered the answer. He could lie, but he knew Roy would see right through it. And he really was trying to be better with his relationships and being honest with people. Well, at least with Roy and most of the Bats. His relationship with Bruce was a whole case he didn’t want to touch with a ten foot pole. He took stock of himself, just breathing so he could accurately answer. “Fuck. This might be an eight day.”
He heard Roy try to muffle the phone as he called out, “Hey, Ollie! I need to get to Gotham. I have a Bat in distress!”
“Aren’t they allergic to distress?”
Jason sighed as he made himself get up and move to his bag across the room, and started digging through it for his meds muttering about assholes who thought they were funny. When he found his meds, he brought them with him back to the bed just in time for Roy to say, “Hey, Jay? Take your meds and hang tight. I’ll be there soon and we can spend the night wrapped up on the couch and watch stupid shit or just exist. Maybe I’ll even read to you with the voices. I have it on good authority that I do the best voices.”
“Very funny, Harper. I seem to remember being the one reading to Lian the most lately,” Jason got out around a yawn.
“Take your meds and sleep for now, Jaybird.”
Jason did as he was told, although he couldn’t resist flipping the phone the bird before crawling back under the covers and letting sleep take him.
The next time he woke up was to the sound of intentionally loud footsteps. He opened his eyes and looked toward the doorway. When he saw it was only Damian, he patted the side of the bed. “What are you doing here, habibi?” he asked.
Damian scoffed as if he should have the answers to that already. Still he responded with, “Your paramour called me. As it pertained to your health, I was able to convince Alfred to bring me. He also ensured I brought your favorite. I was asked to make sure that you eat.”
Jason grumbled and when Damian got close enough, he reached out and pulled him onto the bed with him. Although Damian didn’t fight back, Jason could feel how tense his brother was. “And did Roy tell you what was wrong with me?”
Damian scowled at him. “It has something to do with the Pit, right? Mother never was clear about what would happen to you.”
Jason sighed. “It could be because of the Pit. Leslie thinks it more likely to do with what Joker did to me before I died. That my body never got the message that I’m alive and okay again and so it’s giving me phantom pains.”
Damian was quiet as he absorbed the information and filing it away for later. Finally, he grumbled, “You were meant to eat.”
Jason chuckled before letting his brother go and stretching in hopes of figuring out his pain levels. The burning was still there but it seemed like it may have calmed down at least a little bit so he braced himself before sitting up. “Alright, I’m up. Needta remember to tell my paramour to stop siccing birds on me. Before I know it, Dickface will be suffocating me with his octopus limbs.”
Whatever meal it counted as was a silent affair. Neither brother was too talkative though Jason could tell that Damian was deep in thought. Jay was grateful it was the baby of the family that was sent to help. While Damian was stiff and often spoke as if everyone were beneath him, Jason knew it was a mask. Of all of Bruce’s kids, Damian had had to grow up much faster than the rest. One didn’t survive the League as a child unscathed. At any rate, Jason had known Damian when he was just a baby. He knew him before the others, and while Dick was still Damian’s favorite, Jason was often the one he ran to when the coddling got unbearable.
When they finished eating, Damian ushered him to the couch and went to find cozy blankets and a few books. Jason gave his brother a tired smile. “What say we watch a movie or something?”
“I am amenable to that plan. What did you have in mind?”
Jason grinned as he thought of a movie he hadn’t thought about in years. “I have just the thing.”
Two Three Ninjas movies later had Damian throwing in the towel. “These movies don’t make any sense, Todd! Who thought of this foolishness?”
“They were weirdly popular when they came out,” Jason chuckled. He was pretty cozy on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket, Damian leaning on him. “Think you could handle Pride and Prejudice?”
“Anything is better than what we just watched. I think I might read if that is alright?”
Jason nodded. “Sounds good, habibi. Let me know if I need to turn down the volume.”
Roy made it about a quarter into the movie. Jason paused the movie and made room for Roy on his other side. “So what are we watching?” Roy asked as he tucked Jason close to him.
“Do you really need to ask?”
Roy snorted. “My poor romantic Jay, I figured this would be the first movie in the line-up.”
Jason grinned, “Nah, I had to introduce Damian to the Three Ninjas. It was important.”
At this, Damian huffed. “Why did anyone think any of that was correct form? And for that matter, why were the kids the ones taking care of the problems?"
Roy chuckled. "The world will never know. It's not like we know any kids taking care of adult problems. Now Jay, where would you say your pain is at?"
Jason took a moment to catalogue his aches and pains and finally decided, "It's like a seven and a half. Better but still enough to keep me from wanting to go out. Shit, I better let my lieutenants know I won't be there."
Roy stopped him from pulling out his phone stating, "The Alley is already covered for the night."
"What do ya mean?"
"I told Dick you weren't able to go out tonight, so he's covering for you."
Jason gave Roy a flat stare. "You are so lucky I love your dumb ass."
"He is the only Bat you trust. Anyway, I want to hear you rant about Mr. Darcy, let's get to watching."
Jason sighed at his boyfriend's obvious deflection. He was getting too tired to think about any of the Bats, so he just hit play and went back to the movie. Roy pulled him closer while Lizzie and Darcy were talking about pride and Darcy's lost regard.
At some point during Lizzie's visit to Charlotte, Jason felt Damian slump onto him, fast asleep. He smiled. The fact that Damian felt safe enough to sleep around him always felt like some kind of prize, even if he had been guarding him a good portion of his life. It wasn't until the end of the movie that he realized how exhausted he was. He stared at Damian a moment, wondering if it was worth moving him. Fortunately, Roy made the decision for him, picking Damian up and asking if the guest room was made up. Jason nodded, he always made a point to keep the guest room well prepared these days.
"And now, I believe it's time for us to retire, Mr. Todd," Roy murmured in his ear.
Jason kept up the most unaffected look he could manage before replying, "Help me up, jackass." Roy laughed and Jason couldn't help but feel a swell of gratitude for his boyfriend and need to meddle. When they got to the bedroom Roy carefully helped him into bed and moved to get ready for bed himself, stripping to his boxers before climbing in and gently pulling Jason to him.
Jason hummed as he got as comfortable as he could. Once he was settled he asked, "So what's the plan for tomorrow?"
Roy grinned. "Well I figure we can have a nice breakfast before your brother shows up to mother hen."
Jason groaned. "You told Dickface, didn't you?"
"I said nothing about the chronic pain, but he was concerned about being asked to take on your patrol. So. He may just show up at random to check on you."
Jason buried his face in Roy's chest. "This is why I don't say anything. I'll never get rid of him otherwise. Fucking family of detectives."
Roy brushed his fingers through Jason's hair and said, "You do know it's okay to have a support system, and that having a disability isn't a weakness, right?"
"It sure fucking feels like it."
"It might do you some good to have people who can help out when you need it. You already have me and Damian, it can only be a good thing to have more help. You know Dick won't think less of you. And you can always talk to Barbara, if anyone would understand she would."
Jason allowed himself to relax into his boyfriend's hold while he thought about it. He wasn't sure if he could handle any of the sad looks that would come from his explanation. It might be too late to avoid Dickie's pitiful looks. If nothing else, Bruce was staying in the dark. There was no way he could handle whatever guilt his dad was carrying. Finally he responded, "Maybe. I just don't want to be treated like I'm fragile and going to break at any moment. I've already gone through that before."
Roy kept running his fingers through Jason's hair as he said, "For the record I think you may be over thinking things. Just know you deserve love and help."
Jason could feel his eyes growing heavier and mumbled, "For the record, you better keep Dickie off of me tomorrow."
Roy laughed before pressing a kiss onto Jason's forehead. "I can live with that. Now how about we get some sleep, hmm? Goodnight, Jason."
"Night, Roy. Love you."
"Love you, too."
Jason allowed the peace and warmth of the moment, the feeling of being cared for fill him up as he drifted off. The day may have started rough but it ended in the best way he could think of.