Chapter Text
Dick and Damian were sent out on a routine mission. A drug bust on the eastern docks, something they had done hundreds of times by that point. Damian wouldn’t dare voice it, but he was excited to be working alongside Nightwing again. Bruce had come back around a year ago and since then, most of Robin's patrols had been with him. Tonight, Batman was patrolling with Orphan, and so Damian asked to go with Nightwing for the night since he was visiting for the weekend.
Nightwing and Robin waited in an old warehouse where the shipment was supposed to come in. They reviewed the plan as they waited.
Of course, a routine mission hardly ever goes to plan.
Damian was the first to see one of the goons holding Scarecrow's toxin and was able to get his rebreather on before smoke filled the room.
Once the haze had cleared he found Dick slumped against the wall. He had his rebreather, but it was obvious he had been dosed.
“Oracle, I need back up.” Damian rushed towards him.
“Nightwing, are you hurt?” He held Dick’s shoulders, trying to see if he was injured at all (other than the obvious drugging).
“Cat, don’t do this.” He whispered, but made no moves to bat Damian’s hands away, making Damian’s stomach twist uncomfortably.
Damian moved his hands as though they had been burned. “I am not this ‘Cat’ you speak of. I am your brother and I would not hurt you.”
A whimper tore from Dick’s throat, Damian flinching in response.
“Nightwing?” He muttered, crouching down to his brother's level. “Can you hear me?”
There was no response, just a fleeting look of defeat in his big brother's eyes before they closed tightly. After a few moments, Dick let out a pathetic sob before whispering, “If you’re going to use me, just get it over with.”
Damian’s blood ran cold. “Oracle… I need back up,” he was much more unsure of himself this time.
“Robin,” Oracle's voice cut through his earpiece. “I’ve sent backup to your location. Batman and Orphan’s ETA is about three minutes.” Damian couldn’t find it in himself to feel any relief.
Damian blinked back tears. “...Nightwing,” his voice cracked.
Dick’s body was trembling, his eyes now staring at something ahead of him. “Cat. Come back!” He scrambled to his feet. “Cat please! ”
“Let her leave,” Damian said, standing in front of Dick so he couldn't follow her. “She is no good for you.”
Dick didn’t listen, he just pushed past Damian. “Cat, I'm sorry I said you used me! I didn’t mean it, just come back.”
Luckily, before he could get to the door Bruce and Cass rushed in. Cass stopped Dick from leaving, while Bruce made his way over to Damian.
“Father.” Damian struggled to maintain his composure. “Nightwing is…“ he couldn’t get the words out. “One of scarecrow’s toxins. He didn’t get his rebreather in time.”
He placed his hand on Damians shoulder. “You did good, Robin, let’s get him back to the Cave.”
Cass and Bruce guided Dick to the car. Damian, feeling defeated, sat next to him in the back seat. He’d deny it if anyone asked, but he held his brother's hand tightly the whole way home. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the toxin’s effects amplified themselves and knocked Dick out. Damian felt awful for feeling relief, but the things Dick was saying… it couldn’t be real.
“Father?”
“Yes, Damian?’’
“I believe I was dosed as well.”
“You seem to be fine.”
“I must have!” Tears welled in his eyes. “The things Richard said, they must be fake!”
Bruce frowned. “I don’t think they were, chum.”
“But, father-“ Damian looked helplessly at Dick’s unconscious body.
Bruce took a moment to respond, not taking his eyes off the road, “It seems your brother has been through more than we know.”
Damian squeezed Dick’s hand. “I must be under the influence of a toxin. I must!”
Cass looked back at him, a sad look on her face. “We heard him too.”
“I must still be at the warehouse. All of this is fake. It's fake!” Damian’s breath hitched.
“Safe.” Cass pressed her hand against Damian’s chest.
His lip wobbled, “But…” He sniffled and regained his composure. “I suppose I would be much more panicked if I was hit by the toxin.”
“Yes.” Cass offered him a smile and turned back around
He wrapped his arms around Dick’s arm and leaned against him. His mind was still racing, but he also felt an odd sense of calm. Yes, Dick had clearly been through something horrible, but he was still here. His brother had gone through hell and come out the other side, and for that, Damian felt a sense of pride. His brother would be okay because he had to be. Slowly, but surely, Damian calmed down and fell asleep.
He was woken up when Cass gently shook his shoulders. Upon realizing Dick was no longer in the car he panicked. “Where is Grayson?”
Cass offered him a smile and gestured to the med bay where Dick was laying on a medical table, Bruce sitting by his side.
“Damian,” Bruce looked over at him. “Why don’t you get some sleep?”
Damian didn’t respond, too hesitant to leave Dick alone.
“I’ll stay with him,” Bruce assured, giving his shoulder a squeeze.
Damian nodded shortly and retreated to his room for the night.
Once Damian left, Bruce took Dick’s hand in his. “My son, what happened to you?” His voice was barely a whisper but it seemed to stir Dick from his sleep.
Dick groaned and cracked open his eyes. “B?”
Bruce brushed Dick’s hair out of his face. “What do you remember?”
Dick thought for a moment before going pale. “What did you hear?”
Bruce sidestepped around the question. “Do you want to press charges?”
“No.” He shot up. “B, it's my fault.”
“How?” Bruce's tone was so cold it sent shivers down Dick’s spine.
“It's just…” He shrunk in on himself. “I deserved it. I let her kill Blockbuster, I let her r-”
“Dick. I am not allowing you to speak of yourself in this manner.”
Dick deflated, “Whatever.”
“It is not ‘whatever’ and I will not allow you to treat it as such.”
“Can’t you just leave me alone?” Dick laid back down and curled up on his side to face away from Bruce.
“Why don't we get you to your room?”
Dick groaned, “‘m comfy here.”
“You’ll be more comfortable in your bed.”
“Just let me sleep here.”
Bruce sighed, “Sure.”
Dick waited for Bruce to leave to take out his phone and let Catalina know that he wanted to come back. Afterall, if his fear toxin induced hallucinations were her leaving him, it must mean he was scared of losing her, even if the thought of going back caused a pit to grow in his stomach.