So after a crazy week, I finally I had the time to post this. :D I hope you all like it.
They just needed to hold each other.
Dick had dragged Jason, who went willingly up to his room. The pair laid together on the bed. Jason wrapped himself around Dick, and whispered into his ear, "I missed you."
"I missed you too."
No more words needed to be spoken, they were too exhausted to utter another syllable. Sleeping alone was not something they were used too anymore, and now they were together that was all they wanted to do.
Jason passed out before Dick did. He could hear the calming, even breaths of his lover. Dick took in the heavy scent of cigarettes that clouded Jason's clothes. He used to hate the smell, but now it provided comfort. Dick loved Jason. He wanted to stay with him, for as long as he possibly could. Dick was never more happy when he was with Jason.
Once Dick had fallen asleep, the pair was left undisturbed for hours until there was a strong knock on the door. Recognizing the knock belonged to Bruce, Jason sat up and scooted away toward the edge of the bed. He set his legs over the edge, but kept his hand on Dick's. Sitting up, Dick pulled his knees to chest defensively.
"Come in." Dick called, allowing Bruce entrance.
As soon as Bruce stepped into the room, Dick squeezed Jason's hand tighter. Dick knew Jason very well, and he needed a way to keep him relaxed.
Bruce's eyes glanced at their hands, but he ignored it, "Are you two doing okay?" he inquired, not stepping further into the room, but rather staying a foot from the door.
"The hell do you want?" Jason snapped.
Dick peered over at Jason, whispering, "Calm down." then he turned his attention back to Bruce. "Yes, we're okay now, and we're going back to our apartment."
Bruce's expression was unreadable, but it was obvious that there was intense thinking raging behind those eyes. "Be careful – Both of you."
Jason said nothing, but Dick smiled, "We will."
They had not finished unpacking yet and so their apartment had a mixture of empty and unopened boxes piled around. Dick had gone to take a shower, and while he was in there Jason figured it was best to clean up a little. He took the empty cardboard boxes and folded them down. But that did not take as long as he was hoping and since Dick was still in the shower Jason had nothing to play with. He could not remember how he kept himself entertained before he hooked up with Dick.
He grabbed his pack of cigarettes and made his way to the balcony. He peered into the city, with the cigarette pressed into his mouth.
Fifteen minutes later, Dick stepped out of the bathroom and saw the sliding glass door that led to the balcony was open, and he figured that Jason was out there. His hair was a little damp, but despite that he stepped out into the humid night air anyway.
"What are you doing out here?" Dick asked.
Jason smiled as he sifted his gaze from the city, to Dick, "I needed to smoke."
Despite the absence of light, Jason could tell that Dick was rolling his eyes. Dick was not a fan of Jason's habit, but there was nothing he could do about it.
There was an awkward silence, because both of them knew that there was issues floating around that could not be ignored. Not when both of them were going to go out on patrol the next day, and those problems were still there.
It would only be a matter of time before Bruce might even find a way to separate the pair until Jason decides to give up the way he handles the criminals on the streets. Bruce was certainly smart enough to do it, but Jason was daring enough to take him on and challenge him.
"I love you Jason." Dick said suddenly, he reached out and took the cigarette from Jason's mouth. "I'll always love you, no matter what you decide to do."
Jason put an arm around Dick's back, and pulled him in, "I want to make you happy."
Dick set his head on Jason's shoulder and sighed, "You think you can go one night without being so brutal?"
"Gonna have to convince me," Jason teased, slipping his hands down the back of Dick's pants.
Dick smiled at his touch, "I don't want you to feel like -" he paused at the feel of Jason's fingers climbing up somewhere. Dick wanted it too, after spending the previous night away from him. They did not have sex every night they were together, but it was one of those nights when they needed it. "Okay, fine!" he gave in, and wrapped his arms around Jason's broad shoulders. "But we discuss this later." He kissed Jason on the cheek.
"Yeah." Jason lifted Dick and carried him into the apartment.
It had been nearly a week since Jason and Dick had their argument, and nothing had changed. Nothing was said. Dick did not want to upset Jason again, and Jason was not going to change for anybody. Not only that, but in a way, Dick did not want him to change.
Dick was sitting at the kitchen table, typing up a report for Batman on his laptop, when Jason walked through the front door with a few bags of groceries and a newspaper. Jason handed the paper to Dick, and went to putting the groceries up. Dick glanced at the front page, "Looks like Scarecrow escaped." then went back to his work.
"You going to go find him?" Jason questioned, shutting the fridge.
"Maybe." Dick shrugged, "I have some other things that I need to take care of, this is more of something for Bruce. But on the topic of patrol, I was wondering if you'd want to team up tonight?"
"That's crap, Dick." Jason set his palms on the other end of the table, glaring. "The only reason why you want to team up with me is because you want to make sure I don't do anything against your code." he instantly accused.
"How could you even think that?" Dick snapped. He stood up, and approached Jason. "What if I just want to spend time with you?" Jason growled, thinking, he knew that he was only being paranoid. What if Dick really wanted to only spend time with him? "Okay, fine." he surrendered, reluctantly. "We do my territory tonight then." he decided.
"Good, then let's go get dressed."
There was many reasons why Dick and Jason never really liked to team up. Their styles were so different, and each might become distracted by the other. It was risky.
Honestly, Jason was right. Dick had only suggested the pair go out together for patrol because he wanted to keep an eye on him. It was the only way for him to have some sort of control over Jason's behavior, and he hoped that by being there he could have some influence.
Although when Jason accused him of doing just that, he could not help but feel a little guilty.
The night of patrolling together started much better than Dick had predicted it would. Running across building to building in the heated night was almost pleasant with his companion there with him. Dick had noticed that him just being there, never more than a foot away from the Red Hood, had calmed the man down. Jason's movements were more relaxed, and less hostile. For a moment, Nightwing thought that maybe his plan was working.
At some point in the night, the pair had to separate. Of course neither really wanted to, but it was the best way to deal with the situation. It was because Nightwing thought he had caught a glimpse of Scarecrow, and the two went in different directions trying to find him.
Red Hood found him first.
Jason was not sure what happened after he sent the distress signal to Nightwing. Somehow he had lost his helmet, and was slowly losing his grip on the world surrounding him. That was all.
He laid in an unfamiliar bed for nearly two minutes, trying to piece his thoughts together and trying to figure out where the hell was he. Taking note at the usual amount of organization, he figured he was in Tim's apartment. He had no idea why he would be there, but not knowing did not change the fact that he was there.
Another thing that he noticed, was that he had a horrible headache. He reached up to his forehead, and noticed that it was bandaged. A few areas of the bandages were damp, he knew he must have been hit in the head and the wound was deep.
As he sat up, the room shifted a little. Not enough to throw him off, but enough to annoy him. His body was sore, and he growled as each muscle moved to allow him to sit.
Jason realized that he was in this bed alone. His first thoughts went to Dick, and where the hell was he if not right beside him? Jason knew that waking up alone in an unfamiliar bed, never meant anything good.
As he tried to clear his thoughts, he could hear Tim talking on the phone in the other room. So that made him realize everything he had suspected was true. That he was in Tim's apartment. Seconds later Tim stepped into the room. His eyes widened as soon as he saw that Jason was sitting up. "Hold on, I'll talk to you later." he spoke into the phone and hug up, then he addressed Jason. "You doing okay?"
Jason did not answer at first, his eyes noticed that Tim's right arm was in a sling, "The hell happened to you?"
"Umm..." Tim sat beside Jason. His movements were rigid,not because of his injury, but because he was being cautious of Jason."Do you...are you – um... You were there when it happened." his voice was tense, something was wrong. Not only that, but it sounded as if Tim did not really know what to say, or how to bring the words together. Rarely did Tim every have a problem putting words together.
"No," Jason shook his head. "I was not. Now you fucking tell me why the hell I'm in your bed, and where is Dick?"
"Jason," Tim reached out with his good arm and squeezed Jason's shoulder. "You shot me, in the shoulder. And you shot..."
Tim did not even have to finish the sentence for Jason to know what was coming next. He had done something horrible. Tim's eyes betrayed that much.
"I killed him..." Jason figured, but Tim shook his head.
"No."
"Then where the fuck is he?" Jason shouted, grabbing handfuls of the sheets.
"You don't remember?" Tim questioned.
"No, I do not!" Jason was starting to get annoyed by Tim not giving him a straight answer.
"Damian must have hit you hard." Tim sighed, gazing down to the floor, avoiding eye contact with Jason. "Um, as far as I know Dick is alive – for now." "For now?"
"Yes." Tim shortly glanced up at Jason, but could not hold the gaze and he looked away again. "You hurt him pretty bad. Shot him the – but it wasn't your fault, I don't agree with Bruce, but anyway...You were hit with fear gas."
"Tim, you fucking explain to me every damn thing right now!"
"Fine."
