Jason awoke first after a short, fitful sleep, muscles he had nearly forgotten aching as he lay curled around Dick's smaller body with the man's shaggy hair plastered against his cheek.
If at all possible, he felt more exhausted than he had been when he finally drifted off, and more unnerved by the boy who seemed to have not moved an inch since Dick had returned to bed however many hours before.
Dick was out cold, all energy spent, snoring softly. It was only out of fear of waking him that he stayed pressed against the man's back, watching the steady rise and fall of Damian's side.
He wasn't sure how long he stayed that way before Roy popped his head in the room to check on them, but Jason met his gaze with tired eyes and a furrowed brow, trying to convey a need for tea and something edible before the red head nodded knowingly and left once more.
Reclaiming his limbs upon the man's return went over far easier than he had expected, Dick never even breaking snore as he did so, so ultimately he followed Roy down the halls and joined him in front of the television. He was grateful when Roy chatted happily about everyday things, ignoring the elephant in the room completely as he forced the caffeine into his system, and without care noisily jammed half a coffeecake down his throat.
At some point during the second random movie Roy had started he had drifted back to sleep, tucked into a ball on the corner of the couch, where he likely would have stayed several hours longer had Kori not woken him gently to let him know Dick had pulled himself out of his half-coma, and had been asking for him.
He was met with a joyous grin when he finally stepped back into the bedroom, and he couldn't help the hint of a smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Dick was happy, and that was a vast improvement when compared to the many mornings he had experienced with him as of late.
"How long was I out?" Dick asked, stretching until his limbs popped, before settling with his back against the headboard.
Jason only snorted, shaking his head as he collapsed down into the neighboring armchair.
"Fuck if I know. Haven't kept track of time really. Had some quality bonding time with Roy, who played Alfred for me this morning. Evening. Whichever. Haven't been near a window or clock yet. All I know is you looked pretty damn comfy and I wasn't going to be the one to wake you up when that's the first time you've slept soundly in ages. Besides, might as well sleep while you can. Who knows what we're in for when the kid decides to open his eyes." He sighed, turning his attention to the ball of blankets curled at the man's side. "Any change?"
Dick smiled weakly and glanced down, running a hand through the boy's hair, smoothing it flat before letting it bounce back without its usual gel to keep it tame.
"Nothing. But I only just woke up. He's bound to be tired Jay, he's been through a lot… we've been through a lot. There's no rush."
"So you say." Jason huffed, bringing a knee up to rest his chin upon. "Maybe I'm just impatient."
"Sounds about right." Dick chuckled. "Things will be fine. Damian will be fine."
Jason frowned, but said nothing more.
It probably wasn't the best time to remind the man that he hadn't been fine. That he'd raged till he dropped most days. That Talia had pacified him with training exercises with assassins and various criminals, all of which he offed cruelly, rightfully, afterwards until he finally began to see straight. And even then he'd gone 'Off with their heads' when he went to war with Gotham- with Bruce.
"How about you get another break in? Eat something. Watch some TV. Talk to the love birds some. You three used to be pretty tight back in the day."
"I don't think-"
"Dick." Jason sighed, hopping up to join Dick on the bed. "I'll stay. Take a break. You can't stay in bed with him all day. You said it yourself. He'll be fine." He insisted, watching as Dick slowly panicked, seemingly torn as chewed on his bottom lip.
"You'll call me, if he wakes up?"
"Yeah, sure thing. Relax for a bit Dickie. You've been through hell."
Dick slumped in silent defeat, nodding as he inched his way off the bed and set his bare feet upon the floor. Jason almost immediately scooted in to replace him, and watched as the man hesitantly made his way to the door. Dick paused briefly, turned back, mouth open as if to protest once more, but stopped once he saw Jason's exhausted face.
"Try and get some more rest yourself Jay-bird." He murmured.
And with that he inched out of the room, shutting the door impossibly soft behind him.
-x-x-x-
Jason gave up on sleep quickly. Having dozed off twice all too recently his body was no longer willing to settle, let alone his mind. Instead he picked the book back up off the nightstand and plowed through a handful of chapters, shutting out the world completely for a time, before ultimately giving up on that small comfort as well as the anxiety kicked back in.
He was proud of Dick for having stayed away for so long, could imagine that it was taking every last bit of self-control the man had to not bolt from Roy and Kori, and return. He supposed Dick really was trying not to smother them.
He found himself staring long and hard at the ceiling without realizing it, and laughed it off, choosing instead to roll onto his side, and watch the rise and fall of Damian's side as he stared at the boy's back.
It was some time later that Jason snorted, and sighed into his pillow.
"Ya know kid, acting like this, pretending the world doesn't exist, and that the voices in your head aren't there does you no good. It's not going make things any better. All you're accomplishing is making Dick freak the fuck out, whether he wants to show it or not. You're lucky to have him there more than willing to coddle you and tell you everything's okay. That's more than I had for a while. And even when I did, your mum's bedside manner was hardly helpful most of the time, I'm sure you know that pretty damn well. My point is, he cares, regardless of what may come. Don't let him tear himself up. He won't last like this much longer." He paused, watching for any change, and huffed. "Look kid… your old man doesn't know this happened. We covered our tracks well. He's not coming to take you away, neither is your mom, or that crazy ass grandfather of yours. It's just me, him, Roy, and Kori. On an island, away from the rest of the human- or any alien race, and none of us are going to be judging you. Soon as you shape up, it'll be just us three, no more Gotham, bats, or assassins. Just… think about it, 'kay?"
And Jason could have hugged the boy in relief when there was a slight pause in his breathing, if of course he had been more like Dick, and less worried for his safety with what would likely occur if he invaded the kid's personal space. Especially in current time.
But even such a small reaction was acknowledgement, and that was good enough for him.
"Glad we talked kid."
-x-x-x-
As fate would have it, Jason had been so relieved by Damian's break in character that he drifted off after all, only realizing as such when the door clicked shut behind Dick as he returned to the safety of their room.
He grinned sheepishly as Jason turned his head towards him, eyes lidded, only half registering what was going on.
"Back to sleep Jason, you need it." He murmured, stepping around the room to kneel on the bed the other side of Damian. "Just coming back to join you. Can only take so much of Roy's peppiness and Kori's mothering at a time." He chuckled, prying back the edge of the comforter, shuffling in beside the boy.
"Mmm." Was the only acknowledgement Jason gave before pressing his face back into his pillow, and seemingly slipping back into whatever sleep was to be had.
Dick pressed himself back close to Damian, curled himself around the boy protectively, and let himself relax as he shut his eyes. He had nearly followed Jason's lead, drifting back into dreamland, when he felt muscles shifting, and he froze- even forgetting to breath. Damian moved ever so slowly, hesitant and unsure, until he managed to wrap his arms up around Dick's shoulders and press his face into the man's neck. Dick released his lungs with a shaky breath and tightened his hold. A long silent moment passed after, Dicks heart thrumming in his chest as he took great comfort in the boy's actions, his small progress.
And for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime, Damian sighed, and nuzzled closer, enough that Dick could feel his soft breaths on his ear.
"…thank you."
His voice was barely a whisper, but so close that he could have never missed it, and Dick gave a laugh that was surely half sob as he clung ever tighter.
Damian was silent thereafter, but even such little reassurance was leaps and bounds in Dick's book, and the man couldn't have been happier as he drifted off to sleep, Damian clutched flesh against his chest, and Jason's hand newly curled within his own.