bruce;

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[So, maybe he should have considered the ramifications of breaking his shoulder in a motorcycle accident, but maybe he made a choice and the choice was Killer Croc is trying to eat my baby brother and I can yeet a motorcycle onto him.

The real choice - the one that is has a ramification - wasn't his, anyway. It was Damian's, dragging him back to the Batmobile and driving it straight to the cave and then dumping him there. That little bastard was going to pay.

Unfortunately, the worst of the ramification is that Alfred found him, and now Jason is in the pack room up in the manor with a sling, drugged to the gills, and huffing the smell of a blanket that Alfred left with him like a lunatic.]

Stop hiding I can smell you.

[He says that to the door, which is now open.]

Comments

[knightbynight]

[ Alfred calling him in was not terribly unusual. Alfred all but bullying him into showering first was.

Alfred taking care of the first aid and practical needs - completely typical. That man was the glue of this pack, and Bruce may not acknowledge that enough but he certainly knows it.

He walks the rest of the way through the door, head inclined a little as he looks at Jason with the blanket.]

I'm not hiding. And I don't think you can smell much besides the blanket. [ Which... likely smells like him. ]

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

Don't be ridiculous.

[He says it as he peers at Bruce, and tries to scowl ferociously. He doesn't think he manages much.]

You're always hiding. You like corners. And shadows. And. Stuff like that.

["Stuff like that" he says, as if that makes any sense at all. His fingers curl around the blanket, clutching it and tugging it close to his chest.]

[knightbynight]

[ Shadows. Corners. Costumes. Scent blockers and fake scents and fake personas. Goddammit Jason, stop being both perceptive and right.

It makes him feel vulnerable and he hates it so much that there's a faint flash of teeth as he walks into the room and toward Jason.

His approach isn't aggressive, all, though.]

Broken or dislocated? [ The shoulder. ...He can't argue the point right now, but he isn't going to admit it ]

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He clutches his blanket and whines a little when he sees Bruce's teeth.]

Don't be mean, I'm injured. I saved your stupid kid and everything.

[He whines again.]

Broken. Alfie gave me the good drugs.

[knightbynight]

I appreciate it. I also appreciate that the stupid kid got you home.

[ Oh, that whine gets him. Way more than the ... 'stupid kid' remark and all the many, many complicated feelings that stirs up in him. Pretty much par for the course for anything with Jason or Damien.

He keeps coming until he's at the couch.]

Sit up and pivot so the broken arm is toward the room.

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He makes a tiny, frustrated little noise and he scoots a bit, and if that, of all things, proves that Jason really is both drugged up and in pain.]

You have to buy me a new motorcycle.

[This seems reasonable as a price for saving Damian.]

[knightbynight]

Sure.

[ Whatever. Don't break yourself on this one, though. Also he's not concerned right now. With that. Concerned more with Jason and that he's complying with him. The rest is just money (says his overly privileged ass.

He slides in behind Jason, knees bent up one pressed into the back of the couch. He leans his back against the arm of the couch, so he is... not trapping Jason but behind him with one arm around his chest, avoiding the broken shoulder. ]


Lean back. All the way.

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He should fuss but he doesn't; Bruce smells like home. Bruce smells like family and maybe he's a bit drugged.

Okay, a lot drugged. He rests back onto Bruce and whines a little.]

Shouldn't you be driving your own motorcycles into people?

[knightbynight]

[ Jason smells wrong. Drugs and pain. Bruce doesn't like it. Alpha is complicating and uncomfortable but still... pack. The rest, less.

He drags that blanket back up to Jason's chin and (unusually) rubs his cheek against Jason's hair, deliberately trying to transfer scent. Because, while 'omega' isn't a thing he loves about himself it's... protective and Jason's his and-

Instincts are things that exists, even in him, even if he mostly resists them. ]

Alfred threatened to ketamine me if I tried to go out.

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

That doesn't sound very nice.

[He sniffs, and makes a little noise and stretches his head to one side.]

He told me I had to stay here. He said he would chain me to the den.

[Another noise.]

Mean.

[knightbynight]

[ He pauses and narrows his eyes a little when Jason tilts his head around - because it makes him more consciously aware of what he is doing --

-- and the words themselves clue him in a little more firmly on what Alfred is doing. ]

Probably because he loves you.

[ Then decides and moves - holding his arm firm and dragging his rough cheek up Jason's throat and against Jason's cheek in a more direct way. ]

And is aware you keep staying out until you're right at the edge of starting to register as a treat instead of family.

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He's gruff as Bruce scents him, and tries to wiggle a bit but the drugs are powerful and the pain is still there, so he settles pretty quickly.]

I am. Very scary.

[He is now bringing up the blanket to huff.]

You never smell right and I don't see him taking away your scent blockers.

[knightbynight]

[ Yeah. Settle. The alternative is he absolutely bites you and not in a sexy way that would be fun for someone else (albeit also not a violent one) just an annoyed one. ]

Really? Who's the blanket smell like, Jason?

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He huffs. In his head he is slamming the blanket in Bruce's face. In reality, he is feebly waving it a little.]

Don't be an asshole, it smells like you when you smell like you, not when you smell like crap.

You ever wonder if the good people of this shitty town all go crazy because Batman smells like ass?

[knightbynight]

[ He basically gets the blanket waved into his face and after a moment sort of... gently pushes Jason's arm back down so the blanket goes back to his nose. ]

No, but it might have something to do with how often I get stabbed. Have you considered why you care so much what Batman smells like?

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He's definitely drugged because he just flops there.]

I don't know why you hate your designation so much. It's the reason I trusted you.

[He rubs the blanket on the tip of his nose.]

When I thought you were just some alpha I was ready to book it.

[knightbynight]

I don't-

[ He starts, cuts off with a soft rumble of a growl and restarts somewhere else. ]

I'd hate being an alpha at least as much, likely much more.

Being an alpha would make me dangerous.

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He reaches for Bruce’s hand, like he’s a little kid again.]

Do you think being an alpha is what makes me dangerous?

[He asks with that quiet curiosity that he’s had before. Dick was an omega too, and when puberty hit Jason it slammed into their family like a truck.

He asked that question before, but he was angry, then. He was fifteen.]

[knightbynight]

[ Not 'am I dangerous' but 'do you think this is why'.

Fair.

Not like Bruce could be capable of being dangerous. More dangerous? He's not getting ensnared in that mental spiderweb right now.

Too preoccupied with Jason holding his hand and the continued... blend of this scents even if Jason is still ... narcotics scented. ]

No. I think it makes you feel more dangerous to me.

[ And creates some serious complications. Especially with Dick, probably. ]

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He doesn't say anything for a long time, just stays there quiet.]

If you had been a beta, I would have run too.

You got me to stay because when you took off that shit you put on to disguise yourself to everyone else, you smelled like home.

[His mom was an omega; she used to hold him tight when he was a pup and the smell memory was strong.]

[knightbynight]

I know.

[ Remembers, too. ]

That's why I took it off. It was the only thing I could think of that would make you feel... safe enough to stay.

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

Then stop feeling so sorry for yourself.

Smells bad when you do.

[He takes a big breath.]

You don't even like me anymore anyway.

[knightbynight]

[ He lacks the desire and ability to self-reflect (as opposed to just brood) so ignores it and moves on like the emotionally (im)mature person he is. ]

And you smell like a pharmacy.

[ Just saying. Mostly 'hurt', though. ]

I don't not like you, Jason.

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

You can't be mean to me about my smell! I'm injured! I saved your idiot son!

[He fakes an impressive cough. Cough Cough. I'm sick.]

That's a really terrible way to tell me that you tolerate me, Bruce.

[knightbynight]

[ He... bites Jason - well nips - sharply, chidingly, and right at the back of his neck. Whether it's for the fake cough or 'tolerate' he isn't elaborating (it's both). ]

I more than tolerate you, and you know it.

How's Dick?

[ Speaking of idiot children. ]

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He makes a high pitched whimpery noise, but it's not a real whimper. Just a little sound so Bruce knows that Jason is responding to his pack omega's bite.]

Probably Alfred already called him and I can anticipate being scolded by him, too.

[He grumbles, and then digs his nose against the base of Bruce's chin.]

[knightbynight]

[ He twitches slightly but then scratches lightly through Jason's hair and lets him settle in at his throat. Even relaxes more himself for it.]

He's going to scold me more when I have a motorcycle delivered....

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

No he won't. He's not stupid. He knows what this job is.

[They have dangerous things happen; Jason's bad call wasn't actually a bad call. He cuddles in a little closer, wiggling his shoulders and trying to get more comfortable.]

[knightbynight]

Then what do you think he's going to scold you about?

[ Bruce knows it wasn't a bad call. He's glad his youngest is in one piece. Grateful, even.

He grunts when Jason wriggles around, not wholly comfortable himself but slides down so Jason can adjust. ]

You're going to regret this when the drugs wear off.

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

Not the motorcycle. Having to hear about it from Alfred, probably.

[He snorts.]

Regret going home to my omega smelling like our dad? Yeah, I'm going to regret this.

[knightbynight]

[ Bruce doesn't disapprove of Dick and Jason.

That probably isn't clear from the fact he mostly ignores it, and when the words 'my Omega' come out in reference to Dick he tenses up in a very particular way. He doesn't move away from Jason. It isn't, at least, anger. Just... discomfort, from not having the first idea how to navigate it.

That 'our dad' thing... is complicated all over the place, and a higher than usual amount of internal conflict.]

You should probably call him, rather than letting how you smell when you come home be the tell.

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He cuddles in closer.]

Alfie took my phone.

He says I get loopy when I'm on meds.

Can I have yours?

[knightbynight]

[ He stares down at Jay for a moment and - ]

Only if you let me up to get one.

[ He's freshly showered and those sleep pants have no pockets.]

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[Absolutely not. No. He is not letting that happen.]

I guess I'm not calling D.

[knightbynight]

Why not? You don't even like me.

[ Turn about is... 'fair' play? ]

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

You smell like home, you duplicitous shitbag.

[Never say Jason isn't ready to throw down at any moment of any day.]

[knightbynight]

And you smell like pain medication, an injured adult alpha, a fourteen year old, and asphalt. What is your point?

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

You're lucky Alfred took away my knives or I would stab you.

[He grumbles it.]

World's best detective.

[knightbynight]

Want to borrow a sword?

[ He is absolutely an asshole, but.

If anyone has any right to stab him... it's Jason. GIven how many other people have, it's almost unfair. ]

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He tries to hit him and doesn't manage, of course not.]

Fuck you.

[He's pouting now.]

I'm injured and you're being a jerk.

[knightbynight]

[ He braces his open palm against Jason's broken shoulder to support it, then rolls so he's wrapped around Jason, and still holding onto him. It probably hurts, but that isn't the purpose. That they end up more comfortable after that is. ]

Because I miss you or because I'd let you stab me?

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

[He squints.]

The second. I think.

[knightbynight]

You have ever right to stab me.

[ Just saying that. ]

I can argue with you about the whys, but it doesn't change that.

[turdusmigratoriusmortuus]

I don't wanna stab you.

Wanna watch the Knights play.

[He clearly is getting more and more loopy as time goes by.]

[knightbynight]

[ That... gets him emotionally, because that is absolutely a call back to much better day, when a much smaller Jason was curled up with him.

But it also concerns him enough that he presses his fingers against the inside of Jason's wrist just to be sure that loopy is narcotic, not coming from a missed internal bleed. ]


We can do that. I'll even buy you a hot dog.