#dickdavid

It's strange how beautiful a smear of blood on glistening metal is.  However he blames his odd and jumbled thoughts on the fact that he's most likely severely concussed and suffering from mild blood loss.  It most likely didn't help that he was currently flying, held in the arms of a borderline frantic Batwing and, really, that should set off some sort of alarm in his head, but he can't bring himself to analyze the other man's behavior or words.  After all, there were so many other things to focus on, like how bright and vibrant everything was and how much he wanted to do nothing more than laugh like a lunatic.  Drugged, his mind helpfully provided when he tipped his head back a little to stare up at the stars in the sky.

Dick only realizes that they're inside when the stars disappear, his head slowly rolling so he can blink up at the man holding him dazedly.  David looks so worried and, deep down, he knows that that should bother him a lot more than it currently does.  Instead he offers him a borderline dreamy smile and reaches up to lightly pat the other man's cheek, making a feeble attempt to soothe him.  It doesn't work, only serving to make the other man swear under his breath and move to gently lay him a battered couch, one which Dick sank into with a happy sigh, his eyes fluttering shut.

Suddenly there's a warm hand on his shoulder, gently shaking him and it makes him open his eyes. "Nightwing!  Keep your eyes open."

Dick offers the larger man another of those loopy little smiles. "Okay...  Really tired over here though...  And the lights are really bright..."

"You've been drugged--"

"Yeah... Makes sense..."

David heaves a sigh and gently squeezes his shoulder. "Eyes open and stay put."

Dick laughs softly and smiles again; it's really hard to be upset about anything, really. "Okie dokie, Wingman~"

David gives him a puzzled look, which just results in another soft huff of laughter, before he leaves the room.  It feels like an eternity at staring at the ceiling and forcing his eyes to stay open before the other man comes back, gently running a warm cloth over his face, something that feels amazing until he notices that it comes away covered in red.  He frowns at that, some of his senses coming back to him, though not completely, and only enough for him to be concerned about the fact that the blood looked fresher than it maybe should have.

"Is it bad?" Dick manages, frown deepening a little.

"What they drugged you with has thinned your blood.  Your injury isn't severe, but you have lost a decent amount of blood." David answered, reaching up to remove his head piece, setting it aside before removing his gauntlets as well. "Are you in pain?"

"A little." he admitted, staring at the other man as he rinsed the rag in a bowl of water. "You can take off your armor, you know.  Didn't you get hurt, too?"

David stills for a moment, looking thoughtful, before glancing down at himself, eying a gouge in his armor. "Not serious."

Dick reached out, running his fingers over the jagged edges of the metal, his brows knit as he stared at the wound concealed beneath; it wasn't as bad as it could have been but he didn't like that it was there at all.  David heaved a sigh and gently gripped his wrist, pressing it to Dick's chest before he reached out and applied gel to remove his Nightwing mask.  Dick grimaced as it was slowly peeled from his face, eyes scrunching shut; light was even more unbearable without the lenses of his mask in the way.  Gingerly he opened his eyes a crack, staring up at the other man who had leaned in, staring at his eyes, most likely checking to see just how bad his head injury was, but all it did was make heat rush to the acrobat's cheeks and a shy smile curve his lips.

"You're worried about me?" Dick breathes out the question, more awe in his voice than he would have liked, but it was difficult to think, let alone be subtle.

"Of course.  You're badly injured." David answered, brows knitting in confusion.

His smile brightened immediately, then turned brittle; whatever they had dosed him with was leaving him raw and vulnerable. "Thank you."

He hadn't even noticed that his hands had moved until he noticed that they were framing the other man's face and that he'd gone very still.  David was very still, his eyes wide with surprise, but he didn't move, instead studying him intently, gaze calculating, something that really was too Bruce-like for his tastes.  Dick's brows furrowed a little and he slowly lowered his hands, slumping a little, though he wasn't certain why he was disappointed and when he tried to think about it, his thoughts immediately scattered.

"I'm going to stay up with you and keep you awake." David murmured, pulling back a little, his hand moving to absently smooth back the hair from the smaller man's face.

Immediately he leaned into the touch, eyes fluttering, a soft, happy noise passing his lips; it felt nice. "Concussion... Right..."

"Batman told me that you enjoy talking."

Dick laughs softly, keeping his eyes trained on David, on this man who was so dedicated, so driven, and yet was as warm as Bruce was cold. "Yeah... I'm pretty chatty."

"We can talk, then.  You don't need to tell me anything, I--"

"No, no, I mean... I was stupid and you got hurt because of me, so giving up a few dirty secrets will be my pen... Whatever."

"Penance."

"That's the word."

David chuckled, the sound deep, rumbling in his chest, immediately causing the acrobat to flush and smile in answer; leave it to a drug to leave him acting like a girl on prom night.  While he was about as talkative as Bruce, he was also very warm and kind, very alive and nurturing in a way, at least he thought so, unless it was the drug talking again.  If he was being honest then he had to admit that he really enjoyed working with Batwing and being taken care of by David... Well, he felt safe, he felt as if, for once, it was okay that he was injured, that he hadn't failed somehow.

"I'm surprised it's taken me this long to screw up while working with you." he joked, offering a small smile.

"It was something you couldn't predict." David answered immediately, leaning in again to check the wound on his head again.

"Don't tell Bruce that."

"He is often too harsh."

"Careful, you might make me swoon." Dick teased, struggling with his exhaustion, forcing himself to focus.

"Bruce said you were fond of jokes."

"Well, not everything I say is a joke."

There's a change in David's face and it's so subtle that he's surprised that he sees it happen.  Dick frowns a little, wondering if in his drug-addled ramblings he'd offended the other man. Shaking his head he reaches out and lightly pats the other man's shoulder, offering him a small smile.

"Hey, ignore me.  Drugged and flirtatious, all that..." Dick muses before frowning again. "I probably shouldn't have admitted that last part I guess..."

"Subtleties don't suit you." David responded, looking amused and almost fond. 

"You have no idea." the acrobat insisted, smiling. "Careful, though.  You keep up the niceness and might never get rid of me."

"Would that be so bad?"

There's a long moment of silence that stretches between them, one Dick is sure is way too full of him looking startled, hopeful, and confused. "I... No, no it really wouldn't actually."

David smiles and it's gorgeous, making the shorter man swallow thickly around the huge wave of yearning that it caused. "Good, because you won't be fit to return to Gotham for a while."

"I suppose I could use a small vacation."

"I'm not certain if the combination of mine and Matu's presence in one room is very relaxing."

Dick laughs then, eyes hooding a little, willing the little voice in his head that's seen too many bad romance movies to shut up. "You'd be surprised."

"Dick, if you do need to escape Gotham for a time, you are a welcome presence here."

"Oh, now you're just asking for it."

"Perhaps."

Dick shoots the other man an overly dramatic look of suspicion, drawing another chuckle from the taller man. "I'm too drugged to tell which kind of invitation that is."

A soft, contemplative sound rumbles in the other man's throat. "I'd say that it's whatever invitation you wish it to be."

"You, Sir, are crafty.  Also mean."

"Mean?  How so?"

"You haven't given me a 'Get Well Soon' kiss, yet." Dick murmurs, his voice getting quiet towards the end, shy.

David's lips quirk a little before he leans in, their breaths mingling for a torturous moment that has Dick's pulse racing suddenly.  He holds his breath, waiting, only for his eyes to flutter shut when his hair is brushed back and gentle kiss, so full of fondness and caring that it makes his chest ache, is pressed against his forehead.  Forcing his eyes back open, he stares up at the other man, knowing his expression is raw, and offers him a tiny, happy smile.

"Get well soon." David murmurs, his words soft, warm, and full.