farcry | anything can be taken from you.

It has to be. It's in him now. It'll heal him. [ she repeats after Jason, nodding, believing it with all her might. and even if it weren't for Dick, she believes in Jason, and herself, that they would be able to will Dick back, just like Gar had done by bringing Dick to the pit in the first place.

it takes long moments for her tears to subside, and when they do, she realizes she's been doing nothing but watching Dick's face, as if he would open his eyes and look back at her any time now.

but they know he won't wake up tonight. ]

Here... [ she pulls a chair toward Jason, where he's crouched at the side of Dick's bed. ] Sit.

[ Jason nods, his eyes not moving from Dick's face either. There's no pit here, but if anything- Jason would do what he could to get Dick back to Gotham if he had to. It won't come to that, though. He has to believe it.

He only draws his attention away when Rachel pulls a chair over, but he still doesn't let go of Dick's hand. ]

Sorry, I should've.... thanks. Is there one for you too?

Yeah--over there. It's okay. [ she gestures toward a chair on the other side of the bed, tucked into the corner. she pushes the chair closer to him, and sets a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. ]

Jason... do you think we should tell Bruce?

[ If he could get any more tense than he already is, he gets there at the mention of Bruce. ]

No.

[He says before he can even think it over, but then he hesitates, adding-]

Not yet. When Dick wakes up, if he wants to tell Bruce, then he can.

[Calling Bruce and telling him now, it feels like they'd be preparing for the worst, and he doesn't wanna go there. They'll wait and see for when he wakes up.

He pulls the chair even closer to the bed, finally sitting down.]

I think he just needs to know where here for him right now.

[ it's not her intention to make things more tense, but she can feel it in the way Jason speaks to her now. ]

Okay... Yeah, you're right. [ when Dick wakes up. she nods, finally rounding the bed to the other side, pulling her chair up close as well. she looks at Dick's hands, the on in Jason's, and the one resting on the blanket, the heartrate monitor clamped over his thumb. she traces his knuckles with her index, softly drawing along the scarring.

she doesn't feel like making conversation either. ]

[ He's glad she agrees. He doesn't want to argue it right now. He realizes how entirely fucking drained he feels- between their earlier conversation- his and Rachel's, the one with Dick that caused this accident, and then everything after, he feels like he's been going non stop.

Even sitting here for a while, Jason still can't relax though. He can't close his eyes. He just watches Dick's face, his hand, the rise and fall of his chest.

A nurse comes in to check on him and that's the only time he moves back, but then as soon as she leaves his hand is laced back into Dick's again. At one point he even lifts it to his face and kisses his fingers, letting out a shaky breath. ]

[ Rachel pulls back to text Gar, telling him that she and Dick went out, telling a lie to account for them both. it feels bad lying to Gar, but she knows it’s just temporary, only something she needs to do for now. just until Dick wakes up, then he’ll sort them all out.

she feels lost without him, and though she wants to look to Jason for guidance, it feels like he’s at his limit right now. so she folds her arm on the bed beside Dick’s side and puts her head down, unable to fall asleep either.

every once in a while, glances up from Dick just to see how Jason is doing. Jason’s surprisingly affectionate, lacing their hands together like he’s done it a million times, brushing his mouth across Dick’s fingers so tenderly Rachel has to look away. she knows it was out of line to say that Jason idolizes Dick and follows him around like a lost puppy, but she truly only meant to tease him about it, and she really does find it cute.

but in this moment, she’s heartbroken, and she can see Jason is the same. it’s not so simple.

they both pull away when the nurse comes to check on Dick, and return when she leaves. a knock on the door signifies that she’s coming again, and this time, she kindly suggest that they should get something to eat. at least something to drink, though she knows they don’t feel like it. so when she leaves again, Rachel stands up and takes a slow, steadying breath. ]

Do you want some tea? Water?

[ Jason knows that maybe he's revealing their status like this. Maybe it shows that they're so obviously past whatever they were before- or maybe Rachel wouldn't imagine it in a million years, so she won't think anything of it. Either way, Jason isn't going to hold back his affections. Not with Dick, and definitely not now.

The longer he sits here, praying and wishing for Dick to be okay, the more he realizes just how in love he is. How he can't imagine his life without him. He was so fucking stupid to think he could just leave this behind. So fucking stupid.

When the nurse suggests for them to go eat, he wants to argue right off the bat. He doesn't want to leave Dick, even for a second. He looks like he definitely will argue it, until he glances at Rachel. Looks like she needs some air, and maybe he's so fucking dizzy because he needs something to drink. He can't remember the last time he ate, either. ]

Yeah, okay.

[He says quietly, reluctantly standing up. He leans in to kiss Dick's forehead, brushing his hair back and whispers We'll be right back to him before finally letting go of his hand so he can head out of the room with Rachel.]

Just for a little while.

[ the tenderness to that gesture has her heart twisting in empathy. Jason’s completely broken by this, and the more she sees of their relationship, the more everything starts to make sense. ]

You can stay with Dick if you want. I can bring you something.

[ He hesitates again, eyes still on her. It feels selfish, not leaving with her, not making sure she's alright too, but-- he wants to stay here with Dick. ]

...Okay. Thanks. Just a water and... I dunno. Whatever else you're getting.

[It feels like a relief, though, getting to stay here with Dick. Just the two of them.]

[ a part of her is thankful for just a few minutes of alone time. she’s always needed time on her own, as scary as her thoughts sometimes are. on her own, she doesn’t have to hold so steady, to act so strong like she knew for a fact that Dick would wake up.

what if he doesn’t?

besides, she also doesn’t want Dick to be left alone either, so this way, at least Jason would be there in case anything happened.

she numbly makes her way through the halls, where she can feel the energy behind every door, the pain of the hospital, the history that has been through these halls. she tries to tune it all out as she finds the cafeteria. ]

[ He's glad for the time alone too. He feels a little guilty cause he knows he should be with her too, but at the same time-- he needs to be with Dick. Dick is his first and foremost.

And really, all this time, all he's wanted to do was climb into bed with Dick and curl around him. Hold him.

When Rachel leaves the room, he does a little bit of that. He gets up out of the chair and sits on the bed instead, then lays down carefully, gently, pressing his head against Dick's chest as he closes his eyes. ]

I love you. I already fucking miss you. I'm sorry. I hope you wake up soon. I swear to god I won't be such a fucking pain in the ass if you wake up soon.

[ it feels like quicksand. every breath feels suffocating, every bit of effort sinking into shifting molasses, keeping his consciousness pulled under darkness. he can feel a warmth pulling him forward and a quietly encouraging murmuring, cradling him.

the pain is there, too, hidden behind the quicksand and the warmth, and it threatens to break through and pull him under. he fights it like he’s always fought it. it’s his friend and his enemy, and it’s something he’s made peace with by now. it’ll always be there, and he always has to reach for the light.

you’re gonna be okay. you’re gonna wake up. i love you. i miss you. he has to grip back and pull himself forward, through the relenting quicksand and toward the warmth pooling across his chest. even if the pain sharpens every step of the way, he has to reach back.

Dick’s hand twitches in Jason’s, a tiny thing that’s just his index at first. then, he grips back, his fingers curling weakly against Jason’s. everything feels incredibly slow, like someone took time and dialed it back, muting everything. he struggles against its grip.

his first breath is shaky, and he shuts his eyes almost as soon as they crack open. it’s so bright. a familiar voice says something to him, and in the back of his mind, he finds it funny. ]

Ja—son?

[ Jason breathes in, he breathes out. It feels painful when he does so, because of the ache around his heart- but he breathes in, breathes out, keeping it in line with Dick's breathing. Something about it is comforting. It feels like maybe he can pull Dick out of this somehow, if he's here with him. If he works with him.

When Dick's fingers twitch, Jason lifts his head quickly, looking down at the older man. ]

Dick? Dick.... I'm here. I'm here. Wake up.

[His fingers do more than just twitch after that, curling around his own, and Jason lets out a soft sob, moving a hand to the other man's face as the one holding Dick's hand grips him a little tighter.]

You can wake up, it's ok. You're gonna be ok. I love you.

[Dick's eyes open, just a little at first. Jason knows what that feelings-- trying to wake up and re-aclimate to the world. He even smiles a little now, fingers sliding up to push Dick's hair back a little as he wakes up a little more.]

Yeah, it's me. I'm here. You're ok. Just breathe, ok? I'm here.

[ it’s Jason. holding onto his hand, smoothing back his hair, warm touch gentle against him, slowly coaxing his senses back.

Jason’s words fade in and out, but his voice feels safe, and there’s a strange sense of peace knowing that Jason is here. as if everything will be alright. ]

Jason..my hand. [ he winces, shakily breathes out. ] Ouch.

[ Jason's here. He'll always be here. He fucking swears it.

When Dick winces he loosens his grip completely, but he's still too damn scared to let go of his hand all the way. ]

Hey. Sorry... sorry. I didn't wanna let you go, you know? Felt like maybe if I held your hand tight enough... you'd come back. You'd wake up.

Yeah— [ he even manages a smile, eyes opened to tired, bleary slits as he takes in Jason’s worried expression. ] I know. I got you worried. Just needed a nap.

[ why… though. confusion clouds his mind as no clear answer surfaces. when he tries to lift his other hand to touch Jason, a bolt of pain races up his arm and he winces again. he looks down at his arm, then back at Jason, slowly blinking away the blurriness. his gaze slowly slides off to the side, taking in the unfamiliar room. a hospital? ]

How—bad is it?

[Jason knows he needs to call the nurse. And he will. He just needs a moment.

Dick is awake and alert. He's talking and he makes sense. He knows who he's taking to and that alone is the biggest relief.]

Just a nap, huh?

[His eyes are full of tears again- more relieved than anything, even as he takes a hold of Dick's arm and sets it back down so he won't be in so much pain.]

It's ok. Hey, it's ok. Don't move around too much, ok? I'm gonna call the nurse.

You got in an accident. Do you remember? We were talking on the phone. You're pretty banged up, but you're awake now, so you're gonna be ok. I'm gonna take care of you. You're gonna be ok.

[ if he’s at the hospital, then they’re probably pumping him full of pain meds, meaning he can’t reliably get a good sense of how bad things are. Jason keeps talking, which gives him something to try and focus on, but some of it isn’t making much sense.

that’s normal, though. he just woke up. ]

Okay, yeah. [ what’s strange is how sweet Jason is being, how Jason is suddenly crying over him as he gingerly guides his arm back to a resting position. the accident must have been bad for Jason to be treating him this tenderly, promising to take care of him.

if only they could have this when he wasn’t hurt. ]

Honestly, Jason…I don’t remember what happened.

[Jason expects Dick to be fully out of it, so it's alright. He doesn't need to be with it just yet.]

It's ok. Don't think too hard about it. They're taking care of you, you don't gotta worry about it, ok?

[He brushes Dicks hair back again.]

I'm gonna stay here the whole time. I called Rachel too. She's here. She just went to grab something to eat. Lemme call the nurse, alright?

[He leans in to press a kiss against Dick's forehead, then gets up to go into the hall to call the nurse.]

[ the confusion is clear in his eyes, mixed with a pleased warmth when Jason pulls away from kissing his forehead. maybe he’s not awake yet. maybe he’s stuck in an alternate universe where everything has sorted itself out. Jason’s touch feels too good to be real, and the whole situation feels like a fever dream.

and Rachel? and Jason being on speaking terms?

he huffs a quiet wry laugh. ]

Alright. [ don’t think too hard about it.

when Jason ducks into the hallway, he looks around, trying to recognize the space he’s in. there’s that pain scale on the wall. what he can see of the window tells him it’s morning outside, but it’s a grey, rainy day.

with a steady inhale, he puts an elbow down, leaning hard into his good side as he attempts to peel himself up.

wasn’t there something he was trying to work out? something that distressed him? that muted dull pain pulses with his heartbeat, and when he finally manages to lift his head, everything starts spinning. he shuts his eyes hard. ]

Fuck.

[ a nurse emerges almost immediately through the double doors when Jason calls, and quickly follows Jason back into Dick’s room. ]

[Jason can see the confusion, but he knows they'll sort it out. Dick is awake and coherent, and that's the most important thing.

Even better, hearing Dick laugh the way he does. Finally, a little bit of relief settles his nerves.

The nurse comes quickly as well, which he's grateful for.]

He's awake. He's talking. That's good news, right?

[He tells says to the nurse, then goes right back to Dick's side. He also texta Rachel that Dick's awake.]

It's great news, [ the nurse replies with a calm smile as she places a hand gently on Dick's good shoulder, guiding him to lay back on the bed. Dick looks at her through squinted eyes, lets a shaky breath out and follows her guidance. she pushes a button to recline the hospital bed so he sit up slightly. he winces with the movement, but settles.

he hates hospitals. doesn't like doctors and nurses who aren't Alfred. does Jason know that about him? he stares blankly at the nurse when she sits beside his bed and records onto a clipboard, then calmly, factually retells him what happened. the accident on the highway off-ramp, the ambulance, the medically induced coma, and reassures him that he probably can't recall any of this yet, but that it'll come back with time. he accepts it. maybe he hasn't had a concussion this bad before, but none of this is especially new.

before the nurse finishes speaking, Rachel bursts into the room, bright and teary-eyed as she sees Dick. she gasps with a smile, his name mangled in a sob as she makes her way to the other side of his bed, pressing into a hug that has Dick wincing softly. I knew you'd wake up, she repeats twice, muffled into his shoulder. he smiles in return, good arm raising to hug her back the best he can. it's hard to imagine that before, he wanted to distance himself from people, when having people who care about him is the best feeling in the world. ]

Rach, I can't--breathe. [ she lets him go with an apologetic, wet smile and steps back, blinking away the tears as she smiles at the nurse and Jason. finally, after asking more questions and promising a series of tests once he regains more of his awareness, the nurse leaves.

it's then that Rachel gets a phone call. ]

It's Gar. [ wide-eyed, she looks at Jason, then Dick, then back to Jason. ] What do I say?

[Rachel goes in so hard that Jason wants to tell her to be careful, but he understands. He wants nothing more than to climb into that bed and lay with Dick, holding him tightly until he heals up completely.

He gives Rachel a teary smile when she looks over to him, and when the nurse leaves, Jason goes back to th bedside to slide his fingers through Dick's. He doesn't ever want to let go.

When Gar calls, Jason hesitates, then gives a small shrug.]

Tell him...I mean. If you want to.

[He says, looking at Dick.]

[ Dick is staring at their linked hands when he realizes both Jason and Rachel are looking at him, waiting for some sort of answer. he frowns, feeling like he's severely lacking context. ]

Tell him I'm coming back soon. I'll be fine, but until then, I'm counting on you guys to pick up the slack. You can't do much when you're sitting here waiting for me, though. [ Rachel looks a little unsure with his answer and hesitates for a moment before bringing the phone up to her ear and stepping outside again. ]

You too, Jason.

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okokok here we go LMAO

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Ooc: omfg you're double evil! 😂😂😂

I’m terrible 🤪

Poor Jason 😭

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