metalogs | miles from where you are I lay down on the cold ground (canon update catch-all)

Dylan's eyes are pointed to Sleeper and Tim, but his gaze is distant. As the memories from home are processed, it's like experiencing the trauma all over again. He hates it. He doesn't want to think about it.

Clearly Nico doesn't, either.

"I could go for some curry."

Tim chooses that moment to finally start waking up, eyelids fluttering a few times before his eyes actually open. His head hurts - though maybe not as bad as it would if there wasn't an oozecat helping out - and he's not exactly 100% sure what's going on, but at least he's not as panicked as he was the last time he was awake. That's probably an improvement.

"Wh...?"

"Shh," Sleeper says, having realized a bit before this that Tim was beginning to wake up. They're mostly just laying on him, using skin-to-skin contact to monitor various things and appropriate painkillers. "Don't try to move just yet, everything's fine. You're safe."

They raise their head a little to glance around the room, well, aware of tension and panic being a little higher than normal, but hoping folks will be on the ball.

"Maybe something a little milder than curry. Japanese?" Okay, maybe they just want a cuisine that has raw options...

Upon seeing Tim awake and knowing Dylan and Sleeper were doing their best to monitor and heal him, the tension in Jason’s body eases, though he’s not entirely ready to relax yet.

“Yeah, sure. Japanese curry for us and a sashimi special for Sleeper,” he says before checking his phone.

“Dick’s going to be here soon too,” he then continues before petting Sleeper. It’s a gesture to show his appreciation and perhaps to calm himself down as well.

"Yeah. Okay." Dylan says flatly. "Japanese place. Sushi. Curry. Maybe some ramen. Something expensive." He leans back, eyes distant. "Something expensive. Then..."

He had spent so many nights these past few months sleeping on the street, breaking into buildings to escape the rain. Even when he'd made it back to his home in New York, it had been a cesspit, with utilities cut off and teeming with rats.

But now, he was back in Central City. Where his real home was. Where a penthouse apartment awaited him. "Some sleep, maybe." Maybe he'd ask if Nico and Tim wanted to sleep over, if they were feeling up for it.

The conversation happening around him isn't soothing, exactly, but it's certainly low-key enough that if he had any residual panic happening, it's gone now. He's confused, mostly, how he got here and why there's a cat on his chest, which is why he promptly ignores Sleeper's advice and struggles to sit up. "Jason...?" he says under the hope that maybe Jason will explain what is happening right now.

“Hey. I’m here,” Jason says, still concerned. He gently puts a chest on Tim’s chest to keep him from moving up too fast. “The others found you injured. Sleeper’s patching you up. Don’t move yet. Dick’s on his way to see you too.”

Jason would rather wait until Sleeper gives the okay than risk letting Tim move before it was safe for him to do so.

"Don't move too fast, but nothing's really wrong right now. Make sure to stop if you feel dizzy," Sleeper advises, letting Tim pull away, knowing they've got enough done that it shouldn't be a problem. "If you don't want to have someone rousing you because of the concussion, I would prefer to be where I can monitor that aspect when you choose to sleep."

They give a flick of their tail that shows just how soon they expect that to be.

Sleeper's damage report draws Dylan's attention, and for a moment, his thousand yard stare is reeled in and he focuses on Tim. He smiles weakly, offering a soft nod, even if Tim's too out of it to really catch his gaze.

Dylan's glad to hear he's doing better.

There's a sound at the window as Dick slides through and into the room. He stops long enough to take off his mask, given he's not trying to hide his identity from anybody in the room. But it also shows how worn he's feeling for a moment before he rallies, making his way over. "Tim? You awake?" Then, to the others, "How is he?"

“‘m okay,” Tim says from underneath the alien cat that is currently administering medical aid. At least it’s not emergency medical aid anymore. “They’re trying to decide on dinner? I think?” He adds helpfully. There, Dick is caught up on events.

Jason ignores Tim’s answer as he jumps into the conversation.

“He had a head injury and his heart had stopped after getting hit by a sonic cannon and someone opening an airlock to space,” he replies to Dick. “Dylan and Sleeper have been healing him and he’s safe for now.”

"Not completely out of the woods, but nothing urgent. Concussion, but I can manage the pain and inflammation until it's no big deal," Sleeper corrects. Because it's not perfect, but Tim's not going to keel over because of it.

"Not really sure the whole situation, but there are a few benefits to being able to integrate with another being when there are health issues."

They're not pushing, but it's right to get the facts out there.

Sleeper's words would normally breeze right past Dylan; The both of them had explained their biology time and time again, this was nothing new.

But it hits something raw inside Dylan this time. He pales, remembering what he's seen and felt in Tim's memories. These injuries had been caused by a friend who'd betrayed his trust.

Betrayed him under the control of an alien symbiote.

There's a sick, twisting feeling in his gut. Dylan's felt a lot of things toward his powers and his heritage before — Elation, anger, comfort, confusion, among other things — but this is the first time he's felt... ashamed. Disgusted.

"Yeah," he says, rising to his feet. "I'm glad I could be here to help stabilize him." Dylan saved his life. He knows that, just as he knows the creature that had seized Jaime's body wasn't a Klyntar. It has nothing to do with Dylan or his family; There was no connection at all.

So why does he feel like this?

"I should give you guys some space," he says, making a beeline for the door. He motions for Nico to follow, but doesn't wait to see if he actually does. "Let me know if you need anything else."

He doesn't wait for an answer before exiting to the stairwell that leads back down to the bar.

Dick definitely notices a change in Dylan, the way he immediately closes off. But he doesn't know the boy well enough to figure out what may have caused it. Or how to help. So he just lets the other two boys leave.

Because it's not like his mind is really on that. Because Tim is on the floor and Sleeper and Jason have both just said that he nearly died and there's a stricken, sick look on his face for a moment before he shuts it down. Hides it behind the very real concern and worry and love that he feels for all of his brothers.

He puts the mask away, walking over to drop to his knees beside Tim's head, brushing the younger boy's hair away from his forehead. "Thank you, Sleeper. That's a lot better for everybody than people staying awake for a full day. And no caffeine."

Tim’s aware that’s something’s changed with Dylan before he left, but he’s not up to putting the pieces together yet. Or thinking heavily about any implications of what he just went through. Now that he’s here, and his full memories are settling in, having been home not long ago feels almost unreal, but at the same time, more real than this?

He struggles to sit up a second time, which hopefully no one is going to block since Sleeper okay’d it. (He’s not sure how he feels about whatever Sleeper’s doing to connect to him right now. He might be trying not to think about it.)

“I’m okay. It’s mostly just a concussion now, anyway, so - “

Jason frowns. He too noticed the change in Dylan’s body language before the teenager left. For now though, he has to trust that he’s with Nico and that Sleeper will join him soon. Dylan will at least won’t be alone. Jason will have to check on him later as he wants to look over Tim first.

“It still sounds like you went through a lot,” Jason says. “And it’s gotta be jarring as hell to suddenly get new memories.”

"Call me if anything changes, but between the three of you, I doubt there's going to be any issues until after dinner," Sleeper says, getting up and moving away to go after Dylan and Nico. If it's really important, Jason will fill them in once the chat is done, but some talks are better with only family.

"If it helps, think of what Dylan did as CPR without the risk of cracked ribs. I just handled the medication aspects to get the right responses where needed to help with pain, swelling, and anything else."

"Thanks for your help, Sleeper."

He doesn't entirely know what's going on, but he can give that, at least. "And give my thanks to Dylan as well, all right?"

He does move to give Tim some support. "Yeah, well, 'just a concussion' is still something to be careful with. TJ could probably tell you about the time I basically collapsed for two days because I wasn't as careful as I could have been."

There'd been things going on. And the existing head injury had certainly contributed to the fact that he'd spent two days unconscious, but that's something he could cop to later.

"At the very least, you and I are going to need to change clothes and some food before we go anywhere." Luckily, keeping clothes at Descendant is something they all do.

Tim waves a hand in Sleeper's direction as they leave. He doesn't really want Dick's support, but with Sleeper leaving and taking their pain management with them, he probably needs it. His head ends up tipping against Dick as some of the pain starts to filter back in.

"I'm not really hungry."

“That’s fine,” Jason says as he goes to check the drawers for spare clothes Tim could use. “You can eat later. Right now, you’re still gonna stay here.”

"You don't have to eat yet, but you will have to eat something before you get the good drugs." It was one of Alfred's rules growing up and it's never served Dick badly. Especially since they don't entirely have access to IV drugs. "But, yeah. We're going to stay here right now. We don't have anywhere to be and I'd like to make certain you don't fall over."

Honestly, he’s not sure why he wants to leave aside from a lingering itch of being somewhere Not Safe from before he ended up here. Logically, the safehouse should be as good a place as any to rest up for a bit. He just. He wants to go.

“What about Haley?”

“One of us can look after him,” Jason replies easily. “We have space to take care of each other.”

"I can run to check on Haley. And bring her here, if you want me to." Tim might rest better with the puppy nearby. "And bring back my bike so that I can take you home when the medics release you."

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