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Dick felt like his skin was on fire. He could vaguely hear Babs in his ear, telling him to get out of there. He knew it wasn’t possible since he didn’t have his earpiece in, but it felt very real. He knew the cuddle pollen would have him incapacitated shortly. It was just his luck that the gas station he was at would get attacked. Apparently some oil baron was there? Crazy coincidence.
He tried to help the civilians get out, but he was dosed in the process. Ivy was taking off with the baron, and Dick saw the batmobile speeding past. One of the others would probably come to check on civilians, so he didn’t have to wait long. He slowly exited the gas station, and a man approached. “Are you okay, sir?” The man asked him. Dick’s breath was starting to go ragged.
He sank to his knees, praying the burning in his skin would go away shortly. “Hey, aren’t you one of Bruce Wayne’s kids?” The man asked, brushing a strand of hair out of his face. Dick ignored the question, the burning suddenly replaced with such a freezing cold he thought he’d get hypothermia.
He pressed his face into the man’s palm, “Please,” he mumbled, unsure what he wanted. Part of him knew that this was a stranger, he should not want a hug from him, but the other part felt the heat from his hand and wanted nothing more to be enveloped by it.
The man stared at him before picking him up. Dick clung to him with all the strength remaining in his body. Cuddle pollen always kicked him on his ass, but it was worse when he couldn’t get an antidote quickly.
The man put him in his car, and he whined at the loss of contact. He had lost all shame, he felt like he would combust if someone didn’t hug him right at that moment. He pulled his knees to his chest and shivered, the chill once again burrowing under his skin.
Dick wasn’t sure how long they drove for, or where they’d gone. All he knew was he was being picked up and taken inside a decent style apartment. The man pulled out his phone and took a photo of something that Dick couldn’t care less about. He grabbed something from his desk then went onto the couch.
Dick wrapped his arms around the man’s torso tightly, praying the contact would never end. Everytime the man let go, it felt like being skinned alive. They sat there for a while. Eventually, the man left the room. Dick tried to follow him, and he fell to the floor. He curled up, rocking gently.
Every once in a while, he would come by and rub his hair, his shoulder, his back. Dick could hardly breathe, it felt like he was breaking out in hives from the pollen. The man came in smelling like liquor at some point. He wasn’t sure how long it’d been, and he couldn’t bring himself to care. The man put his hands around Dick’s face.
The relief was instant. Everything still ached, but he could pretend it was better now. Until he started peeling off Dick’s clothes with drunken fervor. Dick felt hazy, but he knew this wasn’t right. He weakly pulled away. “Shhh, stop fighting it,” the man cooed. Dick felt himself go limp. Perhaps this wasn’t too bad.
A gunshot echoed through the room before anything could go further. The man fell on him, and Dick shuddered. Blood poured out of the man’s shoulder. “The fuck do you think you’re doing?” A modulated voice yelled from the door. He picked the man up by the collar and slammed him into a wall. The Red Hood, Jason, pressed his gun to the man’s temple. “Give me one reason not to blow your brains out onto this wall.”
“Jay?” Dick asked, reaching for him. Jason turned his head towards him, and he dropped the man. Jason approached and felt Dick’s forehead. “Ivy,” he told him. Jason slowly nodded and reached into his pack. He stabbed the antidote into Dick’s leg. “Don’ kill him,” he scolded Jason.
Jason probably rolled his eyes under his helmet, but he didn’t defy his words. He tied up the man and then hoisted Dick up. “If I put you on my motorcycle, are you going to throw off the balance?” Dick shook his head into Jason’s shoulder. “You’re lucky I’m feeling nice tonight or that bastard would be dead. Dick was pretty sure that was a lie. Jason knows what it's like for control to be taken from someone, he wouldn’t do that on purpose. At least, Dick didn’t think so.
Jason drove far more carefully than usual. Dick appreciated the fact that he had to hold onto Jason the whole trip. Jason brought him to the batcave and everything got handled. His symptoms would likely last a long while after.
Still, appreciated his family taking care of him. Once he started getting back out at night, Jason pulled him aside during patrol. He turned off his comm so that nobody would listen. He took off his helmet so that Dick could see his face, a moment of vulnerability. “I didn’t tell them what I walked in on.” Jason spoke carefully.
Dick sighed. “It’s really no big deal, Hood. Nothing even happened, it was just close.” Dick waved him off, stretching instead of staying idle. Dick had bigger problems than a guy being a bit handsy. It was pretty foggy too.
Jason gave him a look. Dick didn’t need to see his eyes to know they were narrowed and staring at him intently. His face was twisted into a scowl. Dick shook his head, “I swear. It’s fine. I can handle myself.”
Jason’s hands clenched in a fist. “I know you can handle yourself, god dammit. In this case, you just don’t have to. Not alone, at least.” Dick’s chest ached at his tone. What did Jason want him to say? Did he want Dick to bear his soul to him right there? That was idiotic, even for Jason.
“Awe are you worried, Hood?” Dick teased, forcing a grin. Dick saw Jason’s face shift through at least three different emotions. “C’mon, we should be patrolling. The last one to the bridge in Little Tokyo buys dinner tonight!” Dick shouted, already racing ahead. After a short segment of cussing, Jason leapt to follow Dick.
Maybe they’d have that heart to heart someday, but for now, Dick was content feeling the rush of air as he flew, knowing his little brother was behind him. Jason was right, he wouldn’t have to handle things alone. Not with four siblings and a whole horde of others on his side.