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[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!

( He'd made sure to pack everything away — to shut the terminal down to low power and make his way back upstairs in the time Jason had been out. He hadn't bothered to fix anything — had decided to lay himself down in the hopes his nightmares would bring him splinters of happiness in seeing those who are gone from his life, but. He hears Jason then before he can fully slip into sleep and he slowly gets himself up from the bed and sits there. Head pounding. Before he pushes himself off the bed and slowly makes his way out to meet the other.

Eyes squinting some, his steps are slow as he starts to come down the stairs. )

They actually had some then.

( He's a little surprised, really. )

Yeah, surprised me too. [Now the quality is in question, but Jason doesn't mind. He carries the bag of generic chinese food and sets it on the counter.] They had beef chop suey, chicken chow mein, and shrimp lo mein.

[It's not a great selection but Jason isn't picky. He sets out the three separate cartons and two pairs of chopsticks that come in the bag. The paper sheath on the chopsticks says 'Have a happy day.']

( Slowly, he makes his way over to the counter there and stares at the various boxes laid out. He notices how none of the selections are vegetarian, but. It's not like it matters anymore. The chicken chow mein is what he chooses and slowly opens the box of that up. He stares down to the contents and plucks a pair of chopsticks for himself. )

How's the nose feeling? Still numb? Or did that fade away?

Still numb right now. [Jason scoops up the beef chop suey and a pair of chopsticks for himself.] Kinda coming back but not really.

[He pulls out a piece of beef and starts chewing but stops when he realizes it hurts his nose. Well shit. He starts chewing again, but much, much slower.]

Should take a few weeks to heal up, three at the earliest and if you're lucky.

( Poking the chopsticks around in the carton he has, not yet eating, he looks over to Jason. )

Didn't seem to be that bad. I don't think you'll have to worry too much.

( Or, in other words, he's seen and done worse. )

[Jason considers as he chews on his food.]

Last time I got messed up like this was when I got kidnapped.

[He’s slowly opening up to Bruce again. The chest piece is a huge step in the right direction.]

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