I4.6
Chapter 12: Bruising
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Adult themes. DO NOT read if you are underage or dislike controversial things.
Author's Note: I apologize for my typos, y'all. I need to do a better job at proofreading. Smh. Thank you for taking the time to reading!
There were very few times in Richard's life where he has felt the sting of guilt. He, generally, makes good decisions because he is interested in doing what is best for the group, community or people at large. This is one of the reasons why he makes such a good super hero and team leader. He is heavily invested in keeping the social dynamic of the group as harmonious as possible. Even when one or two members decide to have a mini rebellion and step out of line. He rarely makes choices for his own personal or selfish reasons...until now. But even his selfish decisions have very practical implications.
So, is that why he doesn't feel very guilty as he looks at Beastboy's unconscious body in the Tower's medic bay? The green young man has been stripped of his normal clothing and dressed in a light hospital gown. There are multiple wires connecting him to a plethora of medical machines that are tracking his pulse, breathing, temperature, and brain waves. Various IVs are infusing the young man with nutrients and hydration to help his body combat whatever is plaguing him. The worried faces of his teammates are peering down at him as his eyes twitch beneath his closed eyelids. It appears as though he is experiencing a very vivid dream. The machine monitoring his brain waves is beeping away steadily as the spikes are recorded. Richard wants to get him in an MRI to track which parts of his brain are lighting up or cooling down. He remembered what it was like being under the effects of I4.6. He experienced a succession of dreamlike memories that played his heart strings like a harp. They reaffirmed his connection to Rachel. Renewed his need to keep her by his side for both of their sakes. She needs him as much as he needs her.
Richard wonders what kind of dreams his subordinate is living or reliving. The fingers of Beastboy's right hand are curling and uncurling while his left hand has shifted into a very dangerous looking claw. His lips are moving, but he is mumbling so low that no one can really make out what he is saying. Even though all members of the team are present, they hesitate to get too close to his bed for fear of him lashing out in a moment of delirium, so they look on feeling rather helpless. Well, except for Richard. He knows what to expect, but he also wants to just stand back and observe. His main goal is to keep Beastboy stable so that his body can fight off the drug on its own. This is the perfect opportunity to collect data on the performance and after effects of I4.6. He plans on following the same treatment regiment that Bruce and Alfred used on him. It worked for him, so it should also work for Beastboy.
From what Richard has managed to gather so far, when this drug is ingested, it has the ability to render the victim unconscious. In that state, the person begins to experience very real and very lucid dreams. If Beastboy's current experience is anything like his leader's, then his brain must be working in overtime and he is probably aware of their presence. Whether his brain registers them as real or just a figment of his imagination is anyone's guess. Granted, he did drink more of I4.6 than Richard did. On that infamous Saturday night, a less than mentally stable Richard only downed a teaspoon of it. This morning, a jealous, petty and very vindictive Richard emptied a whole vial into Beastboy's least favorite flavor of protein drink: vanilla. There were no second thoughts or feelings of guilt as he was pouring the other flavors down the drain and discarding the bottles. Why should there be? The mutt's presumptuous attitude needed to be checked before he tries to lay actual claims on his Rachel. He practically volunteered himself as test subject number M132.
According to the records that Bruce has kept, Richard's experience with I4.6 is logged in as "male 131" or M131 for quicker classification. There are fewer data points on this drug's effects on women and although he doesn't want to use this experimental concoction on the females of his team, he knew that he would eventually need to. Especially, since they are such powerhouses in their own right. The purpose of Inhibitor 4 is to protect everyday, average humans in case people with extraordinary powers, like his teammates decide to go rogue, or worse, straight villain one day. He was doing this for the good of his community, and by extension, the rest of the world. It is imperative that the existence of a drug this potent be kept under wraps for as long as possible, even if that means the testing and research needs to be completed under shadier conditions than he would like. This is for the good of everyone involved. That is what Richard tells himself as he stands slightly in the shadows; listening to his team members discuss their current situation.
"Who found him?" asks Rachel. She is looking at Beastboy with a very concerned look on her face. Richard deems it an appropriate amount of care. They are coworkers, after all.
Cyborg is shaking his head slowly as he says, "I did. I was looking for him so we could start our game with our friends. When I walked into the kitchen, he was slumped on the floor and holding his head." The metal man pauses for a heart beat before he continues with, "He kept repeating Robin's name."
At that confession, all heads turn to their esteemed leader for answers. Why would Beastboy be calling his name as he collapses? Richard knows that he needs to do damage control as he replies, "I'm not sure. The last thing we were talking about was how much fun he had with Rachel on Saturday night...Maybe he was calling for me because I was the last person he talked to?"
Richard glances between Rachel, Starfire and Beastboy. All three of them have provided him with slightly different accounts of what happened that night and he was very sure that one of them was lying. Was Beastboy over exaggerating the physical closeness that he and Rachel shared to get under his skin? Is Starfire lying about seeing them share a passionate kiss so that she can drive a wedge between them? Or is his beloved lying to him to cover her own follies? She must know that he would not approve of any blossoming romantic relations between her and the changeling. Both Rachel and Richard have been extra sensitive when it comes to her dealings with men ever since the Malchoir episode. Once again, he was there sweeping up her shattered pieces and trying to help her put herself back together. She was better off just cutting out these middle men entirely and relying on him completely. He hasn't broken her heart or made her cry and he doesn't intend to as long as she comes to him willingly.
"Did you notice anything strange about friend Beastboy, Robin?" chimes in Starfire's high pitched feminine voice. It is laced with concern for the young man.
"Can't say that I did. He was his usual excited self. Especially, as he talked about Jean teaching him to curse in French," Richard supplies before turning to Rachel, "Did you notice anything weird about him?"
Her violet locks sway around her lovely face as she shakes her head negatively. "No. I didn't notice anything. It was a typical morning. He came in, grabbed his gross protein shake from the fridge and we just talked. Like normal."
There is a low growl from the small medical bed that their green companion is laying on. His twitching is becoming more noticeable and, dare Richard say it, violent. All heads turn toward the creator of the noise and Richard can feel the room become more tense with the unknown hanging in the air. When it appears as though the danger has passed, Cyborg wonders out loud "Maybe it was something that he ate. He was completely fine yesterday. We didn't eat anything that we didn't make at home…"
"Maybe it was the shake that was consumed this morning?" pipes in Starfire.
"You might be right, Star. I'll go bring the bottle," says Richard. Everyone nods their head in agreement and turn their attention back to their sick friend who is, once again, laying quietly on the bed. Richard is melting into the shadows of the hallway as he makes his way to the kitchen. He made sure to volunteer for this task before anyone else. He's not too keen on the others knowing about the existence of I4.6 just yet. So, now he is off to tamper with some evidence so that he can continue with his little experiment without his team losing their minds about being poisoned by the enemy. They probably would have consented to trying it if he had explained to them the purpose of this drug, but he didn't feel comfortable with them knowing that he has this ace up his sleeve. Richard has no idea what the future holds and what will eventually become of his team. Nothing was meant to last forever.
When he enters the kitchen, he finds the empty plastic bottle laying harmlessly on the floor. There doesn't appear to be much liquid left in the container and for that Richard is thankful. Rinsing out the bottle crosses his mind, but any water left behind would be interpreted as suspicious. Instead, he settles for twirling a paper towel on the inside of the container and places the used item in the food disposal. Next, he wipes his fingerprints off the bottle before gingerly putting it in the evidence bag that he brought with him. He is fairly confident that any residue that is left over doesn't have enough material for Cyborg to analyze. He knows that his metallic teammate will agonize and over analyze what he can find to figure out what happened to his best friend. Not that Richard could blame him. If something like this happens to Rachel, he would lose his mind and someone will loose their life and/or a limb.
He slow walks his way back to the medic bay and mulls over his actions and his next steps. It's too late to turn back now, so he has no choice but to move forward without regrets. There was a brief moment of remorse when he first saw Beastboy's prone body, but that was quickly stifled when he heard Rachel's sharp cry next to him. She couldn't seem to comprehend that her teammate has collapsed without any seemingly obvious cause. That remorse was then buried when she reached for him without hesitation. Before Richard could think too closely about his actions, he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her closer to him. He didn't want to see her touching his body or have her share her healing energy with him. Those privileges were only reserved for him. When Rachel whipped around in his arms and leveled a glare his way, he responded with, "Look at his hand." Beastboy's left hand had shifted into a claw the moment Richard entered the room. He began twitching at the sound of his voice. His nose had flared open at the new scents in the room. It makes sense that the unconscious man is on edge around and responds to him given their last conversation. Richard feels a corner of his lips pull up into a little smirk at that thought.
He stands before the metal doors of the medic bay with the tampered evidence neatly wrapped up in a plastic baggy. He is trying to figure out what he should be feeling. He knows that excitement should not one of those emotions, but the thought of all of the data that he can harvest off of Beastboy makes him giddy. When he pushes open the door, that moment of deranged excitement is replaced with concern. Not for the patient, but for the actions of the woman who is standing besides the bed and gently stroking Beastboy's right hand. She is not speaking to him, but she definitely wants him to know that she is there for him. The sight of her tender care being directed to someone else ignites a rage in him. He had thought that that type of affection was only reserved for him and their more intimate moments together. Clearly, it was not. Once again, she is willingly blurring her boundaries with this other man because of what? He couldn't fathom what she sees in him. Their little training session didn't go as planned because she threw him a curve ball. He had been working under the assumption that that these two teammates have kissed, but she revealed to him that that wasn't the case. She claims that she was stuck to him that night because he had too much to drink and was falling all over himself. That had made him falter in his actions and before he could think of another way to teach her boundaries, Starfire arrived with her declaration.
Don't make me question your honesty, Rachel. Lying to me will do you no good.
"Thanks man," says Cyborg as he takes the bag with the empty protein bottle. His deep voice snaps Richard out of his daze. He had almost forgotten that he is in a room full of people who know how to read him fairly well. He would need to tread more carefully going forward. Both Starfire and Beastboy have picked up on the way that he looks at Rachel. If they know, then there is a good chance that Cyborg knows because Beastboy shares everything with his best friend. It's only a matter of time before the metal man will want to have a talk with him.
"Yeah. I think that we should all take turns looking after Beastboy while he's like this. I'll take first shift," Richard says to the room before turning to Cyborg, "I know that you're going to want to be here with him and analyze the sample. But you can't be in the medic bay and the lab at the same time. Let us help."
There are some tears welling up in the big man's eyes, but he blinks it away and nods his head in agreement. How was he supposed to know that Richard is volunteering to do this so that he can get Rachel out of the room for now? He wanted her as far away from Beastboy as he could get her. He also wants to spend some alone time with the unconscious changeling so that he can monitor his vitals himself and update his profile for M132. He has a unique perspective as both an observer and someone who has experience with I4.6. He also just wants to be alone with his thoughts for a while.
There is communal agreement among the team and Richard says, "I'll take the first shift, Star will cover the second shift and Rachel can handle the third. Cyborg, are you okay with night duty or would you want me to come back?"
The eldest Titan shakes his head and says, "I'm fine with night duty. That's the most dangerous time after all, so I would rather be here for that. Thanks Robin."
Moments like this just reaffirm in the team's mind that they were in good hands. That Richard is a good leader that cares for them, both physically and mentally. That he will be there for them if anything were to happen. Never in their wildest dreams would they have considered that he would be the one orchestrating these events. Much less for revenge over a simple kiss. What would they think of him if they knew that he was the reason Beastboy is lying, sick, in that bed? How differently would they view him if they knew that petty jealousy was the reason that drove him to action? Would they ever trust his judgement again if they found out that he is slowly starting to lose his self control? The cracks that have always been there are growing and starting to show. But, even with all of this, Richard has enough sense not to challenge Beastboy head on in his current condition. Even now, as he stands in this room with his teammates, he can feel the muscle fatigue building in his arms and legs. That brief, low intensity, sparring match with Rachel is taking a toll on his body. If he had gotten into an actual fight with the changeling earlier, he would surely lose and sustain some serious damage. He normally fights at a disadvantage against his high powered colleagues, but right now he is even more vulnerable. Besides, why fight harder when he can fight smarter? This way, not only does he get to punish Beastboy for his transgression, real or imaginary, but he can also gain valuable information about a powerful weapon. Win-win.
By this time, the majority of his teammates have scattered to various parts of the Titan Tower. Starfire is going to monitor the city to make sure that all is well in their command room. Cyborg is off to the lab to try and glean any information that he can from the bottle and the small sample of blood that he took from the patient. There is only Rachel and himself left in the room. She is still standing over Beastboy's bed and looking at him with concern in her eyes. As stoic as she can be, she really does care for her teammates. They have spent too long together and been through too many ordeals to not have created bonds with each other. She cares deeply for each one of them in her own, quieter way and seeing someone that she has befriended like this makes her sad and anxious.
Before his sexual awakening towards Rachel, Richard would have been proud to see her physically soothing a distressed teammate, instead of looking on awkwardly. Before he knew what he felt for her, he would have probably encouraged their budding friendship. Before he realized that life without Rachel is unacceptable, he might not have minded her choosing the green man as a lover. He would have been blissfully unaware of what he could have had. What he will have. Now that he knows what is in his grasp, he will not let it go. He knows that she loves him, even if she doesn't necessarily recognize him as man, yet. He knows that she trusts him and his judgement. She even alluded to potentially leaving with him if necessary. Leaving the team and only family she has ever really known for him and with him. That is how deeply her loyalties lie. There aren't very many people like that in the world.
These thoughts help to ease some of his anger at the sight of her still stroking Beastboy's hand. At least she wasn't undressing him with those hands. Richard walks up behind her and laces the fingers of his left hand with hers. Her hand is so soft and small compared to his that it seems almost comical when his fist swallows her own. She is still looking at the unconscious young man on the hospital bed when Richard quietly whispers in her ear, "We should let him rest."
She absentmindedly nods her head and does not fight him when he gently pulls her away from Beastboy. Pulls her closer to him and deeper into the shadows. He guides her behind another curtain with another hospital bed and set of machines. He makes her sit on the stool at the side of the bed. Rachel looks up at him with a question on her face. Violet brows are squished in worry and her lips are turned down. Unhappy with the whole situation. Adorable is the only word that he can think of to describe her soft round face looking up at him in displeasure. He uses the thumbs of both his hands to smooth out the furrows on her forehead. "You're going to give yourself wrinkles."
"Why did you bring me here?"
"I wanted to treat your injuries while we wait. There isn't much that we can do for him until Cyborg comes back with the test results," Richard says as he moves to stand behind her. His cheek is still stinging from her elbow, so he knows that she must be aching from where he held her down during their earlier spar. He hears a deep sigh come from his beloved as she lowers her head.
"How did this happen?" she asks no one in particular. Beastboy collapsing came out of left field for her. She had spent the morning talking and joking with him.
"Not sure. You saw him this morning. He was his usual self. Talking about video games and what not," is Richard's reply as he walks over to the cabinet in the corner to retrieve the tube of vitamin k cream. This particular concoction works best at easing swelling and bruising, which he is sure she has. "There isn't much that we can do besides make sure that he is comfortable and wait for the results so that we can figure out a treatment."
"How are you so calm about all of this?" Because I know how it happened and that he had it coming.
"I'm staying calm because I want to focus on what we can do," is Richard's reply. "Hysteria and over excitement isn't going to help us in the long run."
"What if he was poisoned? That's a massive breach of security!" Rachel says in an excited whisper. She is mindful of the sleeping man behind the thin curtain. There is a low mumbling coming from him but neither one of them could make out what he is saying.
"That would be a dangerous breach of security, but we haven't seen any signs of the sort. Someone who is able to sneak into the Titan Tower without five super heroes, four with extraordinary senses, and then waltz out without anyone knowing just boggles my mind," Richard says as he moves behind Rachel again. "Besides, why would they target Beastboy and not the rest of us? That just doesn't add up. This might be something specific to him alone."
Rachel nods her head slightly and replies with, "I guess that makes sense. He wasn't born with his powers like Starfire and I. He was injected with some sort of chemical. Maybe something biological is happening."
That thought doesn't make this any less scary for his beloved. If something was biologically changing within Beastboy, then is that change for the negative or the positive? Of course, Richard knows better. He knows that this is just temporary and that the purpose of Inhibitor 4 is to cut off the connection between the person and their super human power. That doesn't seem to be the case here, though. Beastboy is still able to partially shift, as evidenced by his clawed hand, but he doesn't appear to be able to control it. If he was conscious, would he be able to shift at will or even maintain another form? So many intriguing questions and not enough answers to go around. Rachel also brings up a good point about Beastboy not being born with his ability. How does that change the way this drug interacts with him? Does that make it more or less potent? Only time will really tell.
Richard is pulled away from his swirling thoughts by the bruise on the back of Rachel's neck. It was in the rough shape of his fingers and is peaking through the collar of her shirt. How low does this go? He thinks to himself as he reaches for the helm of her shirt. Without saying anything or warning Rachel, he gingerly lifts the bottom her top to reveal her lower back. There, as clear as day, is another blooming bruise.
"Dick!" she hisses at him and whirls around on the stool as she aggressively pulls at the cloth in his hands. "What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to treat your wounds. There seems to be a lot of bruising on your back. I need to apply some medicine," is his calm response. He has to come off as friendly and caring to lull her into allowing him to do what he wants to do.
"I can do it myself. Later," she responds. There is a slight blush on her face and she looks away from him. So cute.
"I need to do it now. The sooner I apply the cream, the less it will swell. You're so pale that is looks horrible already," he says. Richard gestures to the bed beside them. "Take your shirt off and lay down."
"W...w...what?" Rachel looks at him with mild fear and embarrassment in her eyes. The thought of taking her cloths off in front of him is a little unnerving for her, especially with the moment that they shared yesterday. She had undressed him with her own two hands and still haven't come to terms with the range of emotions she had been feeling in that moment.
"It's the least I can do after what you did for me yesterday. Let me return the favor? It's just your back," Richard says with his best charming and disarming smile. The blush is still there and it even intensifies a little. She sends a nervous little glance at the curtain that separates them from the patient next door. He's sure she is wondering whether this is the right thing to do after the conversation she had with the changeling this morning. That thought excites him even more. Yes, Rachel. Ignore his warning. You have nothing to worry about when you're in my hands.
"My back does hurt. I could just heal myself…," she begins to reason.
"Don't waste your energy like that over some bruising," Richard cuts her off. "We don't know if there is a threat out there and you don't want to be depleted because you were healing me and yourself. I know you probably shared some healing energy with Beastboy, as well."
She is absentmindedly chewing on her full bottom lip. A lip that he wants to chew on himself. "I guess...but make it quick," she says and lays face down on the medical bed.
"You're going to need to take off your shirt so I can be quicker. Sit up on your knees," Richard instructs. There is a slight hesitation before she does what she is told. Good girl. He makes sure to position himself behind her so that she can't see the glee on his face as he grasps the bottom helm of her shirt once again. He slowly pulls it upward to reveal the smooth expanse of her stomach and arch in her lower back. An arch is that sporting an impressive bruise from when he had pulled her feet out from under her. He makes sure to pull the shirt taunt at the back when he attempts to lift it over her breasts so that the fabric is hooked underneath it. He tugs upward once before leaning forward and whispering in her ear, "Lift your arms."
He can feel the tremor that she tries to suppress travel through her body. She's probably wondering why she didn't take the shirt off herself, but Richard was not about to pass up this golden opportunity. He moves his hands from the back of her shirt to the front as he dislodges the fabric from under her breasts. Gently allowing his hands to ghost over her bra and lightly cupping the fullness of her mounds before he works the fabric up and over her head. The red tint to her ears is now crawling down her neck. Richard is pleased that she is responding to him in such a way. This means that she doesn't see him as a sexless friend. Even if she doesn't want to admit to herself, yet, her body realizes that he is male and that she is attracted to him on a subconscious level. Richard can feel his ego and loins swell at that thought. He has to actively stop himself from kissing her shoulder in gratitude. Instead he says, "Lay down."
This time there is no hesitation as she buries her face in the hospital bed's pillow. She is attempting to hide her embarrassment, but he knew that she is just as excited as he is by this situation. He had felt how hard her nipples were, even through the padding of her bra. How was he supposed to let her choose another man when she responds to him like this? Her innocently teasing behavior coupled with the knowledge that Beastboy is just right next door is stirring dark and sadistic emotions within Richard that he didn't even know he had. There's just something about this violet haired woman that draws out his darker urges. Richard's eyes appraises the shape of Rachel's back. He is visually enjoying the difference between the width of her shoulders to the narrowness of her waist before it flairs out again for her hips. Her legs are hidden from view because of her pants and he is sadden by this fact.
"Dick?" she calls softly. Her voice snaps him out of his perverse thoughts. He was taking too long to apply the medicine. He responds to her question by unhooking her bra and throwing the straps to the side.
"Dick?!" she says with more urgency. She is attempting to sit up while keeping herself covered.
"Your back is covered in bruises from when you hit the floor. Hold still and let me work," he says. He smears the vitamin k cream in his own hands and rubs them together to warm the cold concoction. Richard starts with her neck. The bruising there is in the shape of his right hand. That same right hand is now gently applying medicine to the afflicted area. There is a small whimper of pain from the woman beneath him on the bed. Good. Let this be a lesson. The same hand that hurts you can work to heal you. This will be the same hand that pleases you. How this hand treats you is completely dependent on what you do.
The only one you should ever look at is me, Rachel. Let me be your everything and I will give you the world.
She starts to squirm under Richard's touch as he works his way lower and focuses on the bruising on her lower back. This one is larger and angrier looking than the hand print at the back of her neck. He carefully applies the medicine, but she keeps moving under his touch. This area must be particularly sensitive and Richard stores that information in his mind for later. He would have to recheck this area when her bruise heals. The more he knows about her body, the easier it will be to tease and please her. Eventually, his hand starts to trail lower. There must be bruising on both sides of her hips, as well. This was where he held her in place and pulled her back to him when she tried to escape. He thinks twice about hooking his fingers in her pants and pulling them down, but decides that he will keep going until she tells him to stop. He wants to keep pushing the envelope so that he can have an idea of how much she is willing to let him get away with. When his fingers move lower, he can feel her tense and when he fingers begin playing with the waistband of her stretchy pants, she jumps a little.
"I can handle the rest, Dick, thank you," she says in a rush as she tries to roll away from his touch. He lets her. This was further than he thought he would have gotten when he asked her to let him apply the medicine in the first place. He sits on the stool next to her bed and just takes her in while he cleans his hands of the cream's residue. Even under the harsh lights of the medic bay, she looks beautiful. The marks on her skin make her even more desirable because they were created by him and even though these bruises are destined to fade, he wants to create more. He wants to leave the imprints of his teeth on her enticing collarbones and the swells of her breasts. The same breasts that she is trying to hide from him as she uses one hand to push herself into a sitting position while the other holds the undergarment in place. She could just let it go. He wouldn't complain.
"Could you look away…" she asks. Richard's eyes are still trained on her face as he tilts his head. He doesn't want to look away. He wants to absorb and memorize the lovely blush that is coloring her pale face. The imprint of the pillow's seam on her cheek from how firmly she buried her face in it. Her hair is disheveled but still framing her face in an attractive way. The red chakra gem is glittering with her fluctuating emotions. She starts to nibble at her lower lip again out of anxiousness and he decides to take pity on her. Richard stands to his full height and looks deeply into her uncertain violet eyes as his hand moves to straighten her hair. Trapping a lock between his thumb and forefinger. Enjoying the silky feeling as he says, "Get dress. I'll go check on Beastboy."
As if on cue, there is a low rumbling growl from the other side of the curtain. Both titians turn their heads in unison. Just in time to see the shadow of a hulking figure struggling to get out of bed.
This seems like a good place to leave it!