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[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.

[Jason watches Bruce for a moment before he crosses the room and offers a one-armed hug. A mirror of what Bruce had given him earlier. Maybe they both shouldn't be alone right now.]

( Maybe they're just too alike in that regard.

When the hug comes, blue eyes blink slowly and he stands there, staring down to the table for a long moment before he goes and raises an arm to gently wrap around Jason's back, returning the careful embrace. He holds to him in a way where he's both terrified to have him here at the chance of becoming attached and reluctant to let him go lest another son disappear suddenly.

Maybe Jason leaving will be the final nail in the coffin for him. )

Thank you. [Jason says quietly as Bruce hugs him back. He's afraid of much the same: of getting attached and then kicked out for any reason. This Bruce is well within his right to do so at any moment, but here they are. His Bruce never hugged him, not even while Jason struggled with nightmares, so he drinks in this sensation, allows himself to drown in it for a moment.]

( Gaze dropping down again, the hand there at Jason's back gently lifts to hold the back of his head instead and he stands there with him. For as long as the other wants. Always as long as he wants. Words soft, he offers a simple: )

I've got you.

[Jason waits, if only because he doesn't know when they might be able to hug again like this. It takes a couple minutes before he slowly steps back, looking up at Bruce with a smile.]

Yeah, you do.

( A glance down, he reaches out then with that same hand and gently ruffles some of Jason's hair before it drops back down to his side. )

Eat and then rest, ok?

[Jason soaks up all the attention like a sponge and nods at Bruce.]

Totally. I'll be right back with chinese food. We'll eat and then I'll lay down for a bit.

( Part of him doesn't want to get used to this. He had with Damian and now he's gone. Smaller and doesn't remember their year together here in the tower and the moments they'd had with one another that had brought him out of his darkness somewhat. But another part of him — the part that wakes up every day with tears in his eyes and his head pounding wants to, because he's still human beneath the cape, the cowl, and the greasepaint. A very lonely human just trying to figure it all out.

He wants to be careful but he's also emotionally tired. )

You better.

( On both counts, he means. )

[Jason nods with a grin and heads toward the elevator.]

Promise I'll be right back.

[And then he disappears through it. Finding chinese food takes about ten minutes before he's inputting the code and calling out for Bruce on the main floor.]

Bruce, I got the food!

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