A.N: This was written on my tablet so excuse any grammatical and spelling mistakes. I will be cleaning this up after it's all done.

_Chapter 1_

"This is lame," Jason said.

He had expected at least some support in his favour, but either his family really were that stupid or he really was so remoI'm ed from them his opinion didn't matter. He kind of hoped it was the last one, as bad as it was. Being ignored because they hated him was much more favourable to Jason than the idea he actually was surrounded by idiots.

Something clipped him on the back of his head, Dick striding around until he could plop between Damian and Tim. "Come on Jay, it's fun."

"It's lame," he repeated.

Dick made a face, "You're not scared, are you?"

Jason scoffed even as his neck got hot. "Course not. Just think this is a bit childish is all. Besides, shouldn't we all have better things to do tonight than stay in and play this stupid game." He knew he personally had a drug bust that needed seeing to.

"It's one night off. Gotham's not gonna fall if we take a break." Dick had the audacity to smile at him while he spoke, like he, out of all of them here, was just as guilty as Bruce sometimes for his obsessive need to go out every night.

"This is bullshit," Jason muttered.

"Language," came behind him, Bruce tapping him on the nose as he joined the rest of them on the floor. "And no one is forcing you to be here Jay. I would understand if you had better things to do. I would prefer you stay, but..."

Bruce was a class A manipulator and he knew it. As if it wasn't enough Damian and Tim were getting along, that they had all been nice to him when he showed up to this 'emergency' meeting Steph called. As if he couldn't see the clear divide between Jason and the rest of the family, something he could join if he just made the effort. No, Bruce had to use that stupid tone on him and make it his own choice whether to stay or leave.

He could leave. He wanted to leave. But a bigger part of him wanted to stay. Even if they were doing something completely ridiculous.

Cass and Steph bounded into the room like a tornado. Steph, naturally, couldn't help but make the same scared jokes Dick had when Jason didn't leave but didn't come any closer to the coffee table either.

"You know kids play this thing right?" She chuckled.

"Don't care. It's stupid."

Which it was because of course when they took a night off they didn't invite Jason to their movie nights. Jason knew they had them. He'd heard about them during team ups and even through the comms when he tuned in to their channel. Yet did Jason get an invite, no. Not once. Instead, when he finally was asked to the manor under false pretences it was to game night, and not twister or monopoly which brought back memories upon memories from his childhood and Jason knew he would pretend to hate but secretly love. No. They invite himto game night where the only thing on the menu is an ouiji board, five orphans and a hoarde of Alfred's brownies.

He hated this family.

"You know,"Tim said as he set up the board. "For someone who loves reminding us he's died and come back you have a weird lack of interest in the other world."

"That's because there isn't one,"Jason spat. He got six wide eyes for that comment.

Dick was the first to break the silence. "I thought you said you couldn't remember what happened."

Jason shrugged.

"So when we- there's nothing?" Tim asked.

Jason shrugged again, knowig without the judgement of his family that he should have kept his mouth shut. In front of him were the exact reasons why people made up things like an after life. Bruce, Dick and Tim had lost everything in a horrible way. If they couldn't believe that they were alright now, that they weren't enjoying some kind of heavenly holiday then what did they have to look forward to? Why did they even bother when the people, innocent people they failed to save, weren't in a better place now?

He shouldn't have come.

Thankfully the door wasn't far, and with Jason not needing to say any mushy goodbyes he could have been out of there in seconds. Except, Alfred always had a sixth sense about when Jason would try to flee and came in with brownies and something suspiciously familiar he handed to Jason as he herded him back in.

Alfred was too good for this family.

"I will be back in an hour with supper." On the surface a polite reminder there would be more food. Underneath that a command for Bruce to behave and have Jason still here the next time Alfred came around.

Bruce was lucky Jason got sidetracked with the basket of chocolate Alfred had gave him otherwise as soon as Alfred was gone Jason would have been too.

"You know what," Bruce said, "Even if there is nothing, it's fun. And like Dick said, you ddon't remember much Jay. For all you know there was something and you simply forgot."

Jason shrugged again, much more interestef in the goodie bag than Bruce as order was restored and hostilities deceased. Cass hit the lights, the only glow in the room now coming from the candles. Jason grunted at the change, shifting closer to one as his family gathered around the table, Tim, the little drama queen, starting the welcoming in a long droning tone.

Alfred had really outdone himself this time, Jason preened as he spotted a Dairy Milk near the bottom. It had startef when Jason was thirteen. It was the first year he had ever lived at the manor and after the bumpy moving in period he had got himself a little routine going. During the day he would hang out with Alfred while Bruce did Bruce stuff and at night he would be Robin, boy wonder and protector or the innocent. Of course, the peace had been shattered sooner than Jason would have liked and it wasn't because of his night job. He actually would have preferred that to coming down one morning to find Alfred with his bags packed at the door.

Jason had been, well, distraught. Bruce was okay to live with, much easier than what he was now, but Alfred was better. Bruce and Alfred together were better. Jason, fearing the worst, had threw the mother of all tantrums, demanding Bruce get his sorry ass out of bed to the door and apologise now for whatever he'd done to Alfred. It took ten minutes to calm him down enough to explain Alfred was merely going on vacation and he would be back before Jason knew it.

He still hadn't liked it. Had even given Alfred a hug so long he was almost late for his flight. The week without him had been horrid. Even more so because Bruce was trying his best to make it up to him.

He had been inconsolable until Alfred came back jet lagged but refreshed Monday morning and the first thing he did was hand over a small basket of chocolate.

It had become a tradition. Not only because once Jason had tasted British chocolate he had been hooked. He remembered the last holiday had been shortly before he ran off. He had left the chocolate behind, wanting to travel light and not look like he wasn't coming back. He wondered who had ate it, if they had ate it. He wouldn't put it past Dick to steal his basket. Probably thought he was honouring Jason somehow by doing it.

He knew he was being sad sat there while the rest of the family was bonding and sorting his chocolate. But Jason had a system and a way to ration his food so if he should have the munchies one lowly night after a bad patrol he wouldn't be cursing his past self for being a greedy bastard.

He really got into his organising. So much so that when the room got cold he had honestly forgotten where he was.

Everyone was still around the coffee table, their fingers one on top of each other, but there was something on their faces, a curiosity mixed with fear that had Jason tuning in.

"What about my dad?" Tim asked, desperation clear in his voice as the families fingers moved. Whatever the answer was it had Tim paling. "He didn't-"

"Tim," Dick cut in. "It's just a game." Yet Jason could see how Dick didn't believe himself. "Bruce, it's getting late, maybe we should just end this." Their fingers still moved, Tim mouthing -C-K-D-I-C- "Bruce."

Bruce was watching their fingers like the rest of their family. Jason crept closer, almost close enough to give Damian a fright if he wanted when the candles went out and everyone's phones pinged. For just a moment, Steph's finger left the board, it was back on in a second as Bruce recognised the ping from the batcomputer and went into work mode.

They closed the session, everyone scurrying off to the cave. Everyone except Jason. He knew he wasn't welcome, not in that aspect of family life so he decided to gather up his basket and say goodbye to Alfred.

There were no calls from the family after that night, no update on what was so important to ruin 'game night'. There were no run ins on patrol or secret calls from Alfred. Which meant, that when Dick decided to pay him a visit, he didn't know what the hell he was walking into.

There were no signs of entry at his safehouse. His alarms were untampered and door handles set exactly where he left them. His food was untouched and even the mugs were still in their right place. Yet, when Jason went to his room there Dick Grayson was door open wide and shower on as he worked the kinks out of his neck.

God it was like a bad porno, so much so that Jason couldn't help chuckling as he switched on the safety and put the gun away. "You have safe houses of your own Dickie. I know, I've raided them."

Dick smirked at him from under the spray, no quip, just one tan hand drifting from his neck to his stomach. Jason looked away, focusing instead on stripping out of his suit. He didn't have to worry, not with Dick here. Tim, maybe, Damian most definitely, but Dick, the only motive he had for tracking Jason down was either for a heart to heart or a team up. Sometimes both if the situation required.

In no time he was down to his jock, ready to discard that too when he found his pyjamas. The shower was still on when he felt fingers on his back. They traced a scar he knew Dick liked to look at so he merely rolled his eyes as he grabbed a shirt out the drawer.

"Would you mind turning that off? I know the manor has more than enough money to support your lax shower habits, but here, I actually have a limit on my water bill a month. One I am not going over."

The fingers dipped lower, Dick's soft hair brushing Jasons back. "You're so different."

Jason huffed, shoving his shirt on and effectively stopping Dick's little exploration. So, they were going down memory lane tonight. Jason didn't know what to think of this. Past experience had shown him it would either end im crying and Jason feeling bad because he couldn't live up to his family's high expectations, or arguing and Jason feeling bad because he'd upset one of the three people who actually wanted him around.

He pulled boxers on, striding to the kitchen since he wasn't doing this without some food in his stomach. "Look Dick, I'm tired I'm hurt and I honestly can't be bothered to soothe your broken soul tonight. You think you can hang on until the morning for this talk?"

When he turned he had to take a step back, not expecting Dick to have kept this close the whole walk. Those big blue eyes Bruce told him Dick had never grown out of were fixed on him, narrowed slightly as roamed over his face.

"Dick?" He reminded.

Dick blinked, silent and still. Long enough for Jason to start looking him over in turn. There was something off about him. An essence that screamed to Jason's brain wasn't natural. There wasn't a funny smell in the air, Jason getting at least a little reaction when he leant in for a sniff. But then, not all of Gotham's concoctions had a smell. Often they were undetectable to the nose, another surprise you couldn't prepare for until you were rolling in whatever agony it created. His pupils seemed normal and so far there was only a feeling that something was wrong, no out of character behaviour anyway.

The silence was getting uncomfortable when Dick blurted out, "Can I stay here?"

Jason wanted to roll his eyes. Trust him to get all paranoid when the only thing going on here was Dick too nervous to ask to stay. He supposed he was a little to blame for it as he said yes, Jason had shot people, specifically family, in the past for trying to mooch off his kindness.

"I'm ordering Chinese," he warned when he turned to find Dick still there, still close.

"That's fine."

No argument. Dick really must have something important to say to him in the morning.

The food came just in time for Jason to finish stitching up his arm. He sent Dick to pay, surprised when his brother came back with both food and money with no angry delivery guy.

"Should make you get the door more often," Jason praised, digging into his rice.

Dick didn't eat. Mostly, the rest of the night, he sat close to Jason and watched him. By the time Jason went to bed he figured Bruce must have either sent Dick to babysit because someone had escaped Jason wanted to kill, or to make nice after the disaster that was game night. It was just like the old man to send Dick in.

The covers were up to his chin when the bed dipped and Dick got nose to nose with him. Jason edged back, well versed in Dick Grayson's bed habits.

"I have a couch," Jason hinted.

Dick didn't get the message, snuggling up close again. Dick was lucky Jason was too tired to press the issue further. Also that he was indebted for basically getting him a free meal, so, just this once, he went lax and let Dick octopus his way around him.

Jason would be lying if he said he hadn't woke one too many times in the night next to Dick and not envisioned his brother tossing him off. Dick was a beautiful human being. Physically, he was right in every way, not too overboard here or there, he was basically if Jason was Goldilocks just right in every way that mattered, and that had killed Jason when he had been a teen.

Seeing the specimen of humanity he had to try and live up to popping around every other week was a form of torture. In the beginning, Jason had hated him. Hated that he would never be as flexible or fast as Dick. Of course, hate and lust always tread a fine line, so Jason wasn't too surprised when his late night solo hand jobs prominently featured him topping Grayson one way or another.

It had only, unfortunately, got worse from there. A downward spyral that one minute had him wanting nothing more than the power of having Dick finally submit to him and the next fisting himself wishing more than anything that Dick would want him as something, anything, than a little brother. That he was good enough for Dick now, not Bruce.

It hadn't faded with death. Coming back, he had hoped more than anything that his lust was gone. Nope, first sighting of Dick Grayson had him hardening in his jock and running to the nearest safe house so he wouldn't confront the Bat with a boner.

He bit back a whimper as Dick's hand rubbed gently over his clothed cock. A single finger went back, pressing in a little harder and harder again as Dick made his way to the elastic. Jason heard his breathing get harsher the longer Dick trailed over the rim. God, Dick was teasing him, it wasn't just a quick mishap in the night, Dick was actively torturing him.

A nail lifted the fabric up, scissoring a gap between skin and boxers. Jason wanted to move, to just tug them down and tell Dick to go for it. But his hands wouldn't listen to him. His legs didn't either. Or his head. Really, the only thing capable of moving was his cock, which jumped as Dick dug a nail into his tip.

A moan cut off in his throat. He wanted to clutch on to something, to Dick. He wanted to look at him, watch the hand that was creeping slowly into his shorts. But he couldn't. He couldn't and he was starting to panic.

It wasn't excitement and anticipation holding him down. He'd had sex, he knew what those felt like. This, it was like something wad holding him down. Like his body was under a paralysing agent.

He tried speaking, maybe telling Dick to stop and try again when Jason could be an active participent. No words came out, his jaw aching with effort.

An unbidden thought came to him. Dick hadn't ate. He got the food for free too. It wasn't a secret what Jason's order was. Who's to say Dick didn't drug him, that he was-

He couldn't think it. Not of Dick. But then, he thought his mother wouldn't go so far to sell him out either, both of them. Family was nothing, and now Dick was showing his true colours.

He wanted to scream when Dick grabbed his cock, giving it a few soft tugs before going at it. This wasn't how he wanted it. Dick didn't have to drug him. This wasn't fair. He tried moving his hands again, getting one a few centimetres from the mattress before it strained too much and he had to put it down.

Dick, despite the drugs, was a natural at giving hand jobs. Somehow, he knew all of Jason's likes, twisting where he should and pulling with just enough force that his body was leaking in under a minute. It was strange, usually in sex there would always be a mistake, some mishap or other that was corrected or laughed about later. Dick had none. No fumbles, no guessing. He knew Jason's body, and had him ready to cum just as his hand left his cock and pressed gently on his ass.

Traitorous as it was, his body came, cum staining his boxers as Dick milked him dry. As the last drop fell, Jason went back to sleep.

He woke with his limbs working, bolting upright to find Dick's head curled on his stomach. He wanted to punch him, to shoot him right in his pretty eyes but he didn't. He was wearing the same clothed as last night, the ones he'd went to sleep in, only, where cum should have been dried uncomfortably, he could only feel his boxers. There was no mess, and worse, no aches he definitely would have felt if he had fought a paralysing agent. He was tired, sure, but his body didn't feel violated.

Maybe- maybe it had just been a dream. A bad dream, but still a dream.

Dick rubbed his nose ungracefully on Jason's stomach, sparking a reaction he definitely shouldn't be having after a dream like that. He inched Dick carefully off yawning as he found his feet and trudged to the bathroom.

There were circles under his eyes despite the fact he had a pretty good sleep schedule. A few more hours sounded amazing until Jason spotted the time. Five, in the evening too. He'd slept a whole day away.

Maybe he was ill.

Whatever it was, he managed to put it to one side in favour of a shower and breakfast. Dick was in the kitchen when he came out, looking well rested and as cheery as ever as he slid a box of cereal he left last time he was here over to Jason.

He ate it, feeling like he was at an execution. Any moment now Dick was going to bring up the conversation from last night. Jason didn't think he could handle this.

Yet, when breakfast was done, Dick didn't bring it up. He didn't even speak, just sat there like last night and watched Jason.

"How are the brats?" Jason asked at last, not used too so much silence around Dick.

"Brats?"

Jason rolled his eyes. Of course Dick didn't think of them as brats, to him they were all his widdle baby brothers. "Tim and Damian. I'm guessing Timmy's recovered from game night."

A satisfied smile came onto Dick's face, "I wouldn't say recovered. Tim took the game a bit to heart. He tries not to let the others know but... you can see it in his eyes. He's thinking about it."

Jason snorted. "Was it Damian? I wouldn't put it past the kid to try and mess Tim up. Should've thought of it myself actually."

Dick pouted, "You don't think it was a ghost then?"

"Unless Deadman or Raven were around, I don't see anyone but Damian behind the messages. What did they say anyway?" He hadn't had a chance to ask. No doubt it was a bunch of generic answers to generic questions.

Dick didn't lose his smile as he shrugged, "Oh, you know, his dad's a rapist, he never liked Tim and he's burning, burning in hell."

Damian was twisted. Jason was as much horrified as he was impressed with the kids gutsyness. "He get grounded for that?"

Dick shrugged again. "Didn't stick around to see."

The afternoon was passed in relative ease. Jason didn't bring up last night and neither did Dick. By eight, Jason was suiting up and considering this one of the more successful brotherly bonding nights. So much so, when he had attatched his last knife he asked, "You wanna patrol together?"

Dick, unlike Jason, hadn't changed into his suit. Still in nothing but the boxers Jason had insisted onto him the night before it didn't look like Dick would be going out tonight. Weird.

Sure enough, "I was thinking of staying in. Maybe ordering you something to eat for when you come in."

"That's..." weird again. "Nice. So you're staying over again?"

"You said I could stay," Dick reasoned and, well, Jason guessed he did. Sure, he had thought Dick just meant for the night but when he thought back Dick hadn't actually specified how long he was staying.

"I did," It would be rude to kick him out after all. Besides, if Dick was holing up with him and not Tim then something was wrong with the bats nest. So long as Jason was kept out of it, he didn't want to know. "'Kay. Guess I'll see you."

Patrol was interesting. Jason was tired, so tired, and in between kicking ass he caught a few power naps. It was after one of these that he woke up to find Bruce looming over him. The cowl didn't scare him like it would anyone else. Actually, Jason had woke up more times to Bruce in the cowl than out of it.

He did push himself up, just in case this wasn't a cursory visit. "Batman, what can I do for you? Your Robin fly the nest again?"

"You're tired."

"I slept. Don't worry." He slept longer than he usually did too, which was why he was so confused why he was so tired.

"Helmet," Bruce ordered anyway.

Jason bit down a snarl, unlatching his hood and letting Bruce do his thing. It was out of worry, Jason had to remind himself. Bruce was just worried, it didn't mean he didn't trust Jason to look after himself.

Progress since last year Jason would have been lunging for Bruce's throat if he even suggested Jason was incompetent.

One glove came off, Bruce peeling Jason's mask off to check his pupils as his hand went back up to check his forehead. "You're a bit clammy."

Jason actuslly felt a bit of relief at that. Illness, while it was inconvenient, could be dealt with, and it explained the tiredness too. It actually explained the dream as well. Jason had always been known to have nightmares when he was ill. Bruce said it was because Jason felt more vulnerable.

"Guess I could cut patrol short. Don't want you stalking me."

He swore if Bruce had that cowl down he would have been scowling. "Come back to the manor and I won't have to stalk you at all."

"No," Jason snorted. "No way. Damian would kill me on sight if he thought I was moving back in. Even temporarily."

Bruce sighed, "I don't like you being on your own when you're sick."

Jason thought this was the first time in his life Dick did him a favour with his lack of boundaries. "Actually, Nightwing's staying at mine tonight. So, I'm not on my own, you can stop stalking and we can part ways without a problem."

Bruce looked like he was going to demand both him and Dick back at the manor. He had before when Jason mentioned Dick crashing at his place, but this time he just grunted and ordered Jason to keep his phone on and tell Dick to do the same.

Jason gave a little salute as Bruce disappeared.

He was tempted to find a few more fights to get into. Eventually however, Jason was just too tired and ended up back at his apartment before one o clock.

He dumped his stuff, promising to clean in the morning as he went hunting for the food Dick had promised to order.

He didn't remember eating, he didn't even remember getting into bed. What he did remember was waking up to that same heaviness in his limbs. He opened his eyes, the cieling undeniably his own as he tried to find Dick, ask for help. His eyes couldn't travel far, stuck as they were with the limited view Jason had slept in.

Dick appeared, his eyes brighter than they should be in the night light. They seemed to glow as they looked over him, his handsome face smiling once at Jason before disappearing. He tried to call Dick back, to help, but his mouth wouldn't move.

His jock was gone, and Jason didn't remember putting shorts on which was probably why Dick had such an easy time getting to his cock.

It was already hard, the mere presence of Dick Grayson making it perk to attention. Like the night before Dick didn't fumble as he stroked him. He was sure, strong as he teased Jason's skin, rolling his balls before grabbing him, positioning him and a wet heat closed over the tip.

Why. Why was his brain doing this to him? If it was going to have sexy dreams damn well do it when he was well, when he could move and when he could actually participate. This, here, it just felt wrong despite Dick's mouth feeling like heaven itself.

Jason wanted to watch. He wanted to watch Dick take him in, down his throat. He wanted to watch his lips wrap around Jason's cock. He wanted to watch himself be inside Dick, and struggled as much as he could against his invisible bonds to catch a glimpse.

It hurt, his head strainig and neck jarring as it followed a path that, ordinarily, would be easy. The heaviness was almost enough to make him give up. Almost. It took all he had but just as his body was ready to cum he caught a glimpse of Dick.

His eyes really were glowing. Bright blue, they were fixed on Jason's face, a smugness written all over his face. Jason fell back down, his body giving over again as his mind swore he saw wings. He went back to sleep.

Banging woke him up. Not a hammering from his neighbour, although Jason was pretty sure he didn't have a neighbour. It sounded like it was coming from his door.

Jason peeled one eye open, wishing more than anything to shut it again. Og God he felt worse, so much worse than yesterday. The banging didn't stop, in fact it got louder and more forceful the longer Jason ignored it.

Getting his hands under him was harder than he thought. His limbs ached, not like they had been pressed down but like he had been working out all night with no stop. He was still fully clothed, which surprised him since he was sure he had stripped. He wasn't even in his room, lying on the couch with a blanket Dick must have threw over him.

Thoughtful. If only the ass on the other side of his door was as courteous.

The door gave way just as Jason stood, Bruce filling the doorway and looking like he was ready to break bones in his armani suit. He did a quick sweep, eyes landing on Jason and next to him in a heartbeat.

Jason was kind of glad, his legs weren't co operating enough to keep him up. "Easy," Bruce cooed- actually cooed- as he lowered Jason back to the couch. "Easy Jaybird."

"Thought I told you to not stalk me."

Bruce's face hardened before softening again, probably saving his anger for when Jason was well enough to take it. "You didn't answer your phone."

"I fell asleep." He felt like he was going to again in fact, rubbing his eyes to try and keep them open. "Shoulda phoned Dick."

"I did." Bruce moved away, doing another sweep of Jason's apartment. His disappeared for a while, coming back with a bag slung over one shoulder. "Going to have to move you Jay. Think you can suffer being carried?"

Jason scoffed, mostly because he didn't think Bruce was being serious, Jason was almost as big as him after all. But Bruce wasn't joking, in two swoops he had Jason tucked in close to his chest. Bruce took a breath, a ghost just behind his eyes.

"Bruce?"

"It's nothing," he brushed off, carrying Jason easily down to his car.

The ride to the manor Jason was sure he fell asleep, or he wanted to, but Bruce was talking to him, probably more than Jason had ever heard him say in his life so he couldn't have been asleep for all of it.

Alfred was fussing the moment they stepped over the threshold. He followed the two of them up to Jason's room, his actual room too not the one he sneaked in through when he wanted a safe place to stay some nights. Tea was at his bedside, no pills since the two of them had learnt long ago Jason would always spit them out or throw them back up, not wanting to go the same way as his mom even if he knew logically these drugs helped.

Jason slept, and woke, and slept, and woke again to find Bruce still next to him. It was dark outside, late, and Bruce was here instead of out as Batman. A large hand felt his forehead, "How are you feeling?"

He stretched, yawned and sat up. "I feel like I'm not gonna collapse if I go for a piss."

Bruce let him go, ready with Alfred as back up when he came back out to try and get him to eat something. Nothing heavy, but even if it was Jason would have forced it down, he loved Alfred's cooking.

Ice cream was for after, Jason much more enthusiastic eating that up. When he finished, Bruce made him lie down again, settling in next to him like Jason was twelve not twenty.

"B, I hate to say this but even if I wanted to leave I physically can't. You don't have to hover."

Bruce grunted. "You scared me Jay. You didn't answer my calls."

"Told you, I fell asleep. You should have phoned Dick."

"I did," Bruce hissed. "You know what he said? He said he hasn't seen you in weeks. I know you don't want me to hover, but Jay, I can't help it if you lie to me."

"No," no, this wasn't right. "He was there. He's been around for two nights now. Bought me pizza and everything. If he says he hasn't been around he's lying."

"Jay he's been at the manor. I thought he was going over to check on you but he said you hadn't invited him over."

"He was there," Jason insisted.

He could see Bruce physically stop himself from arguing back. They were both stubborn like that, not liking to back down. But Jason was ill and therefore won by default all the time. It was just how it went.

Bruce stayed with him all night, and when noon came he helped Jason down to the kitchen, even if by then he was well enough to go on his own.

He felt refreshed. Like those past two nights he had been kept up instead of left to sleep. He didn't even need coffee to wake him up that was how well he was feeling. Which was just as well since Tim was like a rabid dog with the manor's coffee machine.

Everyone was already up when Jason joined them. Lunch was being served Damian trying to stab Tim around Dick's mediating form. Life as usual.

"Where's Cass?" Jason asked, taking the seat Bruce so graciously held out for him.

"Your apartment," Tim said. "She went to clean up before rats got in."

Rats? "My apartment?" He made sure.

Tim nodded. "It was no wonder you got sick living like that."

"My apartment?"

Tim nodded again.

No. Jason refused to believe this. He kept a clean house. Extremely clean. Sure, he may have forgotten to put his gear back before Bruce broke his door in but, as far as he knew his apartment had been clean.

"If it was dirty it wasn't my fault," he directed a look at Dick.

His brother held his hands up. "Don't know why you're looking this way Jaybird. I haven't been near your place."

"Er, yes you have."

"Jay-"

"No.I'm sick of being called a Iiar. You were at my place, you hogged my shower, you forced me to cuddle and you ordered me food and don't try and say I was seeing things because I know what's real when I'm sick. So what is it? What's so bad about me that you have to lie Dick?"

Dick opened his mouth a few times, looking at the rest of the table for support, Jason saw Bruce shake his head slightly next to him. "Jay, I swear, I haven't been near you. But if you want a hug-"

Jason didn't bother with breakfast. Not if everyone was going to call him a liar.

He holed himself up in the library, finding his old book collection just as Bruce carried Jason's would be breakfast in. "They still calling me a liar?"

"Jay..." Bruce didn't deny it, just handed over some toast it looked like he had made, which meant it was completely inedible. "How long have you been unwell?" He changed the subject.

Jason shrugged, "Two days. Just after Dick showed up and he did," Jason insisted. "But that doesn't explain my apartment. You didn't mess it up did you when you went through my stuff?"

Bruce shrugged his head. "It was already a mess when I came in. I honestly don't know how you were living in it. I know how you like to be neat."

"I do, and I hardly think a few guns left out was messy."

Bruce looked him over again. "Jay, it wasn't just guns. The food in your cupboards were rotten, the bed was ripped. It looked like someone had been violently murdered. There was even blood, in the bathroom and- Jay have you looked at your legs?"

No, he hadn't. So far there had been a kind of numbness about them. He turned away, peeling his sweats off and finding bandages wrapping around his thighs. Since Bruce was probably the one who wrapped them Jason had no qualms about stripping in front of him. The bandages were more or less ripped off Bruce leaving to get more as Jason beheld the mess on his skin.

He had scars on his thighs. He'd had them since he was Robin, one of them from before he was Robin. These however, weren't scars. They were a brand. They were fresh, still red and spelling out letters that Jason didn't have to spend long deciphering.

Dick. They said Dick.

Thing was, it didn't look like his handwriting, and while Jason was sure carving into your own skin wasn't the same as writing on paper he knew his own handwriting when he saw it. This wasn't it.

For one, it was far too elegant. Far too precise. As out of it as he probably had been there was no way he could have done this. No wonder Bruce had been worried.