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( It's not that he's worried he can't do this. A broken nose is comparably a lot easier to handle than something splintered or shattered to pieces on the inside and judging from how Jason's nose looks, it doesn't look as if it's in such bad shape it needs reconstructive surgery. If so, he wouldn't touch it and tell him to go to the medical bots, so. This just involves pushing the cartilage and a bit of the bones back into place.

Playing doctor wasn't on his list of things he thought he'd be doing today, but. Here they are.

Jason goes and finds himself a chair to sit on and Bruce slowly makes his way over to the locker there that has the medical supplies he often administers to himself, setting the kit on the table. Gently, he pokes through it, taking out a few things that he needs. )

If it gets worse or your breathing becomes difficult, you need to see the medical bots, understand? You can't go into a new mission at a disadvantage like that.

Got it. [Jason is more focused on deep breathing and preparing himself for the pain than he is the actual words being said to him. He grips the arms of the chair and shuts his eyes. He's as ready as he'll ever be.]

( Well. This is one way to bond with each other.

Taking out a wooden tongue depressor, he holds it out against Jason's mouth. )

Bite down on this if the pain gets to be too much.

( It's what he does. Tips and tricks in how to suck it up and deal with the pain from your not!father figure, he supposes. When Jason has it between his teeth, he goes and spins a chair around to set it in front of the other for himself, setting out everything he needs there on the table. Finding the lidocaine spray, he uncaps it and holds it there close to Jason's face, spraying the anesthetic around his nose and across his cheekbones. )

Give that a bit. Let me know when you can't feel your face there anymore.

[Jason takes the tongue depressor into his mouth and keeps his eyes shut as Bruce sprays the lidocaine on his face. He lets it sit until his face is more or less numb before he nods.]

Ith numb. [The tongue depressor obstructs his speech just a touch.]

( With sterile gloves pulled on, he looks over to Jason when he claims the numbing has kicked in and goes to take a seat in the chair opposite of him. Suddenly, he feels like Alfred tending to him with the injuries that are a little more difficult for him to tackle on his own. )

If it's too much at any point, let me know. I can't rush this.

( Lest he end up pushing something somewhere it shouldn't be, but. To start, he gently and slowly presses gloved fingers along the sides of Jason's nose to simply get a feel of what needs to move where. )

[Jason offers a small nod before he focuses on being as still as possible for Bruce's work. There's a slight twinge as Bruce handles his nose, but Jason doesn't make a sound.]

( Jason doesn't need to make a sound. Bruce is a master at reading body language. However, he only makes a mental note of it before his focus returns to his work there in the terminal, the sound of fluttering bats around them above.

Feeling for spots that are out of alignment and very much obviously where they shouldn't be, he maps out the current situation of Jason's nose and determines what to work with first. After a moment of deliberation with himself, he chooses to go along the side that will take a bit longer to set, wanting to get that done first. With gentle and slow presses of his, he begins to push the cartilage back into the center of the bridge of his nose, using only the barest touch of force with the pads of his gloved fingers. )

[Bruce is gentle with the broken pieces of his nose, but that doesn't stop Jason from tensing up from the pain as bones and cartilage are navigated back into place. He bites down on the tongue depressor but still makes no sound. He can't make a sound. Not like this.]

( If he wants to make a sound or needs him to stop for a second or two, it's not as though he's going to judge him for it, but. He also gets it... he's very much the same in that regard: just wanting to get it over with regardless of how much it hurts.

It's why he does his best to do this as accurately as possible while not taking any more time than he needs to. The lidocaine is more of a topical anesthetic, but. It still dampens the pain to an extent. Just... not as well as a local anesthesia would.

He works his way down the one side of Jason's nose there — the difficult side — and flicks his gaze up to meet the other's only sparingly, wanting to remain focused on what he's doing, yet also wanting to make sure Jason is ok. )

[Jason remains as stoic as he can through the pain. He doesn't want to signal that he's in any pain at all. He wants to be tough, to prove that he can deal with pain the way a strong person would.

But still a slight creak of the tongue depressor gives him away.]

( At that creak, his gaze falls onto Jason's. )

I know. But for what it's worth, you're doing a lot better than most would.

( He offers him the faintest smile as a means be supportive, then goes back to realigning that difficult side of the nose. This takes a good few minutes — five maybe, but. When he gets that side dealt with, he gently pulls his fingers away and eyes Jason, wanting to see how he's doing. )

Good news is, that was the more difficult side. Bad news, still have to do the other side.

( Looking at his nose, his gaze flicks back up to Jason's. )

Blink twice if you want me to keep going.

[Jason meets Bruce's gaze firmly. He wants to continue and Bruce does continue. Jason bites down more firmly on the tongue depressor and it gives another creak.

He blinks twice, without question, without hesitation.

Keep going.]

( Jason gives him the go ahead and so, he keeps going.

The other side of his nose is a lot easier to work with, pushing the cartilage back into place with slow and gentle movements. This side doesn't take nearly as long as the other and he's more or less got it back into place within a couple minutes. Pulling back, he looks at Jason's nose — tips his head back with a touch of his fingers under his chin before he lets it fall back down. )

Looks good. But I'm going to put a splint around it.

[Jason's teeth are nearly snapping through the tongue depressor as Bruce works. His nose feels like it's being reconstructed one piece at a time and he supposes that's exactly what's happening. When Bruce finishes, the tension leaks out of Jason and he pulls the tongue depressor out to breathe through the pain washing through his face. Said bit of wood is almost broken at the angle it's been bent to.]

Got it.

[He puts the depressor back in his mouth and nods at Bruce.]

( Honestly, this part's a little more easier than everything before, but. He still makes sure to take care with how he touches Jason's nose. Grabbing the things he'd placed on the table, he goes about splinting the other's nose with the materials on hand — taping it down into place after packing it with gauze as a means to keep the bones in place beneath the splint. Pulling back some, he looks it over and sighs then. )

How's that feel?

[Jason exhales through his nose and immediately realizes how much easier it is to do so. The pain remains, but the relief at being able to breathe better is instant. He takes out the tongue depressor again and it is nearly cleaved in half. A few pieces are still hanging on for dear life.]

Lot better. I can breathe through my nose easier. Still hurts, but. Y'know.

( Smile faint, he gives Jason's shoulder a pat. )

I'm proud of you.

( At that, he stands — goes about removing those sterile gloves and discard them while he starts packing up the medical supplies. )

Painkillers are going to help with that. Also, be sure to sleep with you head elevated. At least for the first few nights. It'll make breathing easier in general.

[Oh. Oh. Jason is pretty sure he's never heard those words in his entire life. He keeps the emotions back this time, but boy does he need a nap or something to vent the pent up emotion.

For now, he nods and offers a barely there smile.]

Is it cool if I stay here while I, y'know, get better?

( With the medkit more or less packed up, he looks over to Jason there and nods. )

You have a room here. You can always stay when you want.

[Having a dedicated space isn't exactly new. He had a room in his version of the Manor, but Jason has been moving from place to place for three months and it would be nice to have a safe place to stay.]

Yeah, okay. Thanks.

[He pauses.]

I think I will stay.

Until you're better?

( Or at least, feeling like he can handle himself without the need of someone else around him. )

Yeah. 'til I'm better.

[Jason nods and finally gets up from the chair. Still unsteady, but he can breathe easier, which helps.]

You wanna see if they've got bad chinese food here?

( Well, it's... something. After having been with Damian for over a year, to suddenly be alone in the tower — to not even have Alfred here... it's been difficult and he's been lonely and spiraling in a way he doesn't always think he can get out of. Bruce Wayne by himself is never a good idea. But especially not when he's so full of anger and heartache and has nowhere to direct that anger. So instead, he spirals into a never ending depression of not caring what happens to himself or if he ever wakes up here again. To have Jason here, even temporarily... maybe it'll delay the inevitable end he's sure he's coming to.

So he nods when Jason makes the suggestion and looks back to the packed medkit. )

Sure. You also should get some rest though. I can give you an extra pillow. Make sure your head's elevated, like I said.

[Jason grins and nods. Time to figure out what kind of chinese food they do or don't have.]

Totally. Let me run to the mart and see what they have. I'll be right back.

[Except, he pauses at the elevator, turns and considers Bruce for a moment.]

Hey, are you, like, okay? I mean. This place was destroyed. Still kinda is.

( No, he's not ok. The past few weeks and even months have been rough on him in ways where he practically has nothing left to give emotionally and he's convinced he's the Batman that's meant to be alone. How can he be anyone's hope when all he has is darkness? How many more people does he need to lose before he finally stops feeling altogether? It must be close now, right? He's holding on by a thread as it is.

Throwing a glance over to Jason, he nods for a moment before he's looking back down. )

I've just been busy. Working on your stuff.

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