Of Birds, Rich Boys & Superpowered Teens

Chapter 7

THUMP. THUMP. Crack. THUMP.

Nononononono, he had to get out! He had to! He couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe, oh god, someone help—

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"JASON!"

Jason bolted awake, sweat running down his entire body like rivulets of rain. Frantically, he immediately raised his fists in a defensive stance, his rapid breathing loud in his ears, the blood pumping furiously in his veins. Panic clouded his mind and it took a second for him to register the fact that he was sitting on the bed in his own room. The lights were on but he didn't remember leaving them on—

Finally noticing his elder brother hovering at the edge of the bed near his feet, his face uncharacteristically serious and anxious, Jason lowered his raised fists, his heart still beating a wild rhythm in his chest. Jason had had a history of accidental violence after particularly dreadful nightmares, which was why Dick hadn't tried to approach him until he had been fully awake.

Now, Jason felt the mattress dip to one side as his elder brother sat on the edge of the bed beside him and placed his arms around Jason's shoulders, gently pulling him into a hug. Normally, Jason would try to pull away, not being a fan of physical touch, but this time he allowed it. Dick's hugs and touches always helped him calm down and stay grounded after panic attacks and nightmares, helping him focus on something other than his terror. He would never admit it out loud though, yet he knew Dick knew anyway. After all, the man always hugged him whenever Jason had a nightmare and Dick happened to be there.

Jason buried his face in the crook of Dick's neck and let out a relieved and tired sob. Dick's arms tightened around him, giving him a sense of safety and protectiveness, and he felt his eyelids drooping again.

"I won't leave if you don't want me to, Jay," he heard Dick whisper in his ear. Jason was too tired to lift his head and murmured "stay," into Dick's neck instead. Dick must've heard him, because he didn't leave.

They stayed like that for a long time. At some point, they heard Damian shouting from the other side of the door, but neither paid him any mind. Jason felt Dick shift and his brother gently readjusted their position so that Jason was settled comfortably against Dick's shoulder with Dick's back against the headboard, careful not to jostle him. Jason felt himself becoming drowsy and sleepy as Dick's hand tenderly combed through his hair, lulling him into a deep and peaceful sleep, safe and sound in his brother's arms.

♔ ♔ ♔

Breakfast was a tense affair.

Artemis sat stiffly on the edge of her seat at the dining table (the second one), glancing at the two Waynes seated on the far end with roiling unease.

Damian was already finishing up with his buttered toast. Tim was drinking coffee as usual, reading through some sort of thick file and marking it with a pencil every now and then. Neither gave any sign that they noticed the tense atmosphere in the room.

The two eldest Waynes were conspicuously absent. Artemis wondered where they were.

The previous night, Conner had stayed up outside in the hallway, listening for any signs of unrest. The team was still quite worried that something was wrong, so Kaldur had appointed Conner to be on guard duty. Conner had reported the next day that Tim and Damian had returned to their rooms shortly after, but he hadn't heard Dick leave Jason's room.

Before Artemis could gather up the courage to ask either Tim or Damian where Dick and Jason were (their little encounter the previous night had left her slightly shaken up and—dare she say it?—scared of the Waynes, which was ridiculously absurd, considering they were a bunch of superpowered teen heroes, and the Waynes were just civilians, but the fact still stands that she was now a lot more wary of them), Damian stood up, having finished his breakfast. Briefly sparing them a glance, he announced, "I shall be taking Titus out on a walk in the gardens." The Great Dane curled up beside Damian's now abandoned seat perked up at the mention of his name.