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Thick, Male Heads
Blake woke up with a foul taste in his mouth and a sore tummy that thankfully no longer felt like a giant rat had gotten trapped in there and had been trying to claw and chew its way out. Thank God. And as an added bonus the first thing Blake saw when he opened his eyes was his alpha hovering over him like a mother hen, relief in Bane's eyes when they met his own. It would have been a better visual if the alpha had ditched the mask, but still...he was pleasantly surprised to see the man standing guard over him. Which made him a complete idiot, but Blake figured he could be excused this once. Or at least blame it on the drugs or temporary Stockholm Syndrome.
"Do you require the doctor?"
Since he'd come perilously close to both screaming and possibly crying when he'd last been conscious Blake gave the question serious thought as he did a thorough mental investigation of his body. The pain level had definitely gone down from an eight point five at least to a...three, maybe? Thereabouts, anyway.
And now that the pain had significantly decreased Blake could think clearly enough to be majorly pissed at himself for taking the drugs and leaving himself open to an attack before. I mean sure there'd been people around at the time who didn't want him dead, but given that Talia could order them all out of the room and they'd listen...he should have sucked it up and let himself cry if that's what he had to do. Trusting Bane to stay put even with Talia in the compound had been the definition of serious stupidity. Like promiscuous blonde omega who goes down into the dark basement alone in a horror movie setting stupid.
Or it should have been. Bane was here and possibly had been since he'd passed out. Huh.
He also didn't sense great evil in the room so Blake didn't think Talia was somewhere out of his line of vision, which was another nice surprise too. Not that he'd expected her to stick around unless it was in the hopes of smothering him with his pillow when Bane's back was turned. Not that they'd even given him a pillow, the savages. What did they have against basic human comforts here?
And he really needed to focus.
"My muscles are sore from seizing up, and I have low grade headache lurching in the back of my mind, but I'm okay otherwise. At least for the moment. Better keep whatever was in that needle handy though in case that changes." Blake closed his eyes for a moment, refocusing his thoughts, then opened them again to meet Bane's gaze. "How long was I out?"
"Almost four hours."
"Joy. Where's everyone else?"
"The doctor is with Hitachi in his room at the moment. The boy and Barsad are with them, and Talia is in her rooms to the best of my knowledge."
Shit. "He doesn't have much time left, does he? Hitachi."
"No."
"Fuck. That's going to fuck Si-Kei up." Lifting his arms, a task that took way more effort than it should have, Blake scrubbed his hands over his face. "Kid just can't catch a break."
"You do realize that technically he achieved manhood years ago."
This called for bunny ear quotations as Blake highlighted the importance of the word technically.
"And he'll always be a kid to me. I taught him to shave for fuck sakes. And used to make him eat his vegetables, which was not easy since I don't like them either." And the shaving lessons had been a little pointless since as it turned out Simon couldn't grow a beard or really any body hair to save his life. Lucky bastard. But he had done demonstrations, so it still counted.
Speaking of which...
"I need a shave." He hated getting scruffy. Bane could pull off the five o'clock shadow very sexily though, Blake decided after a moment to think about it. Not a beard though. He'd take the man bald and hairless first.
"Don't you think you should be more concerned with your inner health than your outer appearance?"
A valid point, save for one thing. "Wouldn't you rather I focus on my face scruff as opposed to the fact that because you wouldn't give me my Umbra my entire body is making me suffer? Not to mention there's probably not a lot that can be done for me here other than drug me to the gills. Oh, and keep me alive by keeping Talia away from me. Those two things are now your sacred duty, by the way."
"You are so sure she'd kill you, even knowing your lesser value to Wayne."
"Bane." You idiot. "EVERYONE knows she wants to kill me and why. Except for you."
"I am aware of why. But neither of you will kill the other. I will see to that."
Unlike Talia Blake had a pretty firm 'I don't kill people' mentality. Not that he couldn't or wouldn't, but to take a life was a weight he would only shoulder if there was no other choice in the matter. That being said, Blake was pretty sure that Talia needed to be put down like the rabid dog that she was. There was no saving a creature who lacked a working soul to begin with. Only death would save her from herself and others from her.
That and prolonged exposure to each other could only end one way. Let's be real.
And apparently some of what he was thinking showed in his eyes or on his face.
"You would be wrong to think you could succeed."
"Bane...if you get your wish and knock me up I will HAVE TO kill her for the sake of the baby. She might surprise me and actually be intelligent enough to realize that I can't replace her in your affection, but a baby? Your baby? She won't suffer it to live. And I will not let her live the moment she tries."
"She would not murder a child."
"Bane. Come on. She and her father constantly speak of laying waste to Gotham and other cities in order to 'save' the world and mankind. Can you honestly look me in the eye and swear on the lives of any future children we might have that no child would be hurt, much less killed if they succeeded? That you would never have to touch our children with hands stained with innocent blood under their orders?"
They both knew he couldn't. And the silence in the room was heavy.
"She would not murder my child." Was what Bane finally responded with.
Yes. Yes she would. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, and really he shouldn't, Blake could imagine that she might, just might, have enough feeling in what passed for her soul to regret causing Bane the sort of pain the loss of his child would no doubt inflict on the already damaged man. Blake knew that Bane had been with Talia all her life, had helped raise and nearly died to see her free of The Pit. And Bane had no doubt risked his life for her many times since then. Bane probably did matter to her, even if it wasn't real love she felt. Wasn't selfless or giving enough to put Bane's happiness before her own. So yes, maybe she would be sorry to hurt him...but she'd blame him and Blake for daring to bring the child into the world to 'replace' her in the first place. Blame the child for existing and forcing her hand.
But telling Bane that would be pointless. He, Barsad, and pretty much anyone else could talk until they expired from frustration and Bane still wouldn't believe them. Bane would have to see with his own eyes. He'd believe only when there was no other choice but to accept the unacceptable.
So rather that argue Blake asked when Bane planned to get him to a specialist to see if he could get pregnant. If they were lucky the answer would be no and Bane would never have to face how right Blake was about this.
The emotion that came into Bane's eyes then was there and gone so fast Blake didn't even have enough sense to guess what Bane was hiding from him.
"You don't want children."
"It's a little late to be asking me that now, don't you think?" But because the question suggested what he might have seen in Bane's eyes had he had longer to look Blake found himself answering the question in a softened tone. "I would want them if I brought them into a world that wasn't so hostile to their very existence. Where they'd be safe and loved."
"You think I couldn't keep you both safe? Or perhaps that a monster such as I would not be capable of loving our child?"
Stupid, stupid man.
Grinching his teeth Blake struggled to sit up, Bane coming closer to wrap an arm around his waist to support some of his weight for him. Appreciating the gesture Blake worked up a smile as he cupped Bane's cheek for added emphasis.
"I think you would love any child of ours to the very marrow of your being. And you would die for him or her without hesitation or question. I know that. Don't doubt that for a second. And with me keeping you in line and training you I think you'd be a great father if given the chance. But neither of us controls the world we live in. And you have masters to answer to. Ones who don't care what's best for either of us. Or anyone else but themselves."
"You're wrong."
"I'm not. But how about instead of arguing you take me back to our bed. I'd much rather be lying in it with you than in here giving my body something else to complain about. Please?"
Bane made a sound of frustration, but he nodded in agreement to the rest.
True to his word Blake kept silent as Bane scooped him up into his arms, simply settling against him as comfortably as he could as they crossed the room before twisting a little to open the door for them. That there were two men guarding the door was cause for some eyebrow raising but Blake didn't ask about them either. The point was Bane knew they were there and they were both betas. Ergo likely not assassins sent to kill him.
Or if they were...they were really crappy at their job.
"Damn I need more sleep." Turning his head with the intention of burying his face against the side of Bane's neck Blake paused and tilted his head back a little to get a better look at the rather spectacular bruising there.
"Did I do that?"
Okay, not the best Urkel impression in the world, but then Bane wouldn't get the reference anyway so it really didn't matter.
"Yes."
"You mad?"
"No."
Well all right then. He'd have to remember that for later. Seeing as his ass was still firmly off limits until future notice. He was still a little drugged...but he wasn't stupid.
)
Bright and early the next morning Bane was called to Talia's rooms to speak with him and Blake was not at all surprised when his mate immediately left him to obey the order. He was surprised when Simon arrived and gave him a play by play of what he'd missed after the doctor had knocked him out though. And yes it hadn't been an order, Talia asking Bane to leave him to spend time with her, but still...Bane had put him first. Had refused to leave his side. Bane could have ordered Barsad to watch over him since he didn't trust Simon to do it, but he hadn't. So Blake was willing to cut him a little bit of slack for all but running to her early. Not much...but a little.
The question of what he and Simon were going to do with themselves occupied their time after that since there wasn't a heck of a lot they could do. Especially since Simon was half asleep as it was, having stayed up most of the night to keep watch over his father. The man's impending death was weighing on Simon as well, the younger man showing no interest even in singing or learning a new song.
Simon was lost in his own thoughts at the best of times so yeah, Blake totally got the extra guards that had been posted outside his rooms. Or that could be because of his 'new' omega status, which would get annoying quick. Just because he might be able to reproduce now didn't mean he needed additional babysitters.
And since Blake didn't see Simon focusing anytime soon, and saw no reason to deny him time with his father before the man left him, Blake asked if Simon thought the guards would be willing to let them go and camp out in Simon's rooms so he could be with his father.
"I don't know. Can we ask?"
"Well Bane keeps saying I'm to be his mate so really I should just be able to order them to let us."
Simon pointed at him. "Not as long as that's around your neck."
Hand coming up to fiddle with the damn collar, a sign of his 'Pet' status, Blake made a mental note to talk to Bane about ditching it. ASAP.
"Fine. We ask."
So he asked. And they stated that they needed Barsad or Bane's permission first.
It took a while, of course, but eventually permission came and the guards escorted them to Simon's rooms where Simon's adoptive father smiled weakly to see them join him. He was too weak to even move his head to look at them, but he seemed to draw comfort from their presence which was something.
"It is kind of you, to come here so that he might be with me."
Moving closer so that he could hear the old man better Blake worked up smile for him. "You're welcome. Though there isn't much else to do around here anyway."
"True. For you or my son."
"He always has things to do in his head."
A snort. "True. And too often the case."
"I am right here, you know."
"Aww, don't be like that." If Simon had been closer instead of on the other side of the bed Blake would have ruffled his hair. And speaking of which...
"You need a haircut."
Naturally Simon shrugged, not caring either way.
"I'll cut both our hair if I can convince Bane to trust me with scissors." For some strange reason the alpha got a bit twitchy whenever he asked him for sharp, pointy objects. No idea why.
"Okay."
A sigh had their attention going back to the man lying in the bed between them.
"You are the most un-alpha alpha I have ever known, My son. The omega is more alpha than you are."
Simon shrugged again in a 'what ya gonna do' manner that had Blake biting back laughter since it was obvious Hitachi didn't find it a laughing manner. Which, given the situation they all found themselves in, did make a lot of sense.
"I'll be alpha enough for both of us if I have to." Blake told the man, patting him on the shoulder for emphasis. "He's my family too."
"It will take an omega that strong to live long as Bane's mate."
"So I keep telling Bane, but he doesn't want to hear it."
Hitachi stared at him with dark, piercing eyes. Compelling Blake to remain silent as the other man chose his words carefully.
"Bane has never seen Talia clearly. I don't know what she was at birth, but by the time she climbed out from The Pit there was no light left in her. Only darkness. Her father is lost too, constantly searching for light in the darkness, but she doesn't seek it to save her. But to devour it within her darkness. And as her father and Bane are the source of her power, the League will never follow her, she guards their affections zealously. She might tolerate your existence in her world for a while yet. Wayne might still come for you. But not for much longer. I don't want my son dying alongside you, John Blake. And now his fate is entwined with yours."
He felt like he should apologize for that, but at the same time Bane would only tolerate Simon's presence in the future because Blake had made it clear he had to.
So instead Blake asked if Hitachi had any suggestions on how best to deal with Talia.
"Kill her. Make sure her body is never found."
"Got a Plan B to offer?"
"There is no other option. If you are half as smart as my son thinks you are you know this."
"Yeah. I know."
As if to punctuate the point Hitachi was hit with a coughing fit that shook his whole frame, reminding them that the man wouldn't be with them much longer.
"She is beyond saving." Hitachi managed to croak out after the coughing fit was over, his eyes closing on a sigh. "End her and perhaps you can save not only yourself and my son, but Bane as well."
