Robin one shot part 3!

I'll miss saving the world with you pt 5

"What's happening?" Duke asked.

"Oh you've not seen them before," Steph realised after briefly wondering why he was confused. "Dick has night terrors. The fever is probably making them more intense. Think a fever dream having sex with acid and having a nightmare baby." 

"They're not normally this loud," Tim added for context. "He usually just kinda cries and calls for people. Apparently, he was so sleep-deprived from them as a kid that he'd just drop out of nowhere. He's always had them but they got worse after y'know." Duke knew and frowned to himself. The poor guy really couldn't catch a break. "So now they get worse again whenever he's stressed or he's got a fever."

"Is there anything we can do?" he asked. He didn't know how much he could stand the pained whimpers and cut-off sobs coming from the man. 

"I'm doing all we can," Damian informed him. It didn't feel like a lot but he didn't say that aloud. 

"Can you not wake him up?"

"It's usually worse for them to wake them up. Just have to wait it out," the younger explained. He spared a sorrowful look at the acrobat, unhappy with just leaving him to his trauma-filled nightmares but knowing there wasn't much else to do. That seemed to be a running theme lately. Something bad was happening but there wasn't much that could be done about it. They just had to ride it out. First with the cut, then the sickness and now this. 

"How long does that take?"

"Depends."

"Alright, everyone who is going out for patrols go downstairs and get going. We'll stay with him and make sure he's not pulled a stitch or something," Jason announced, taking control of the situation. Although there was enough room in the bedroom to fit them all comfortably, it was more so the atmosphere of it all. All their anxieties could be felt and fed into one another when they were all standing there helpless. It was in their nature to help and be useful so standing around only worked them up more. Taking to the leadership, the siblings reluctantly left them to deal with the acrobat whilst they went out. "Once he's out of it, we'll take his temperature and take shifts. I doubt any of us will be getting much sleep tonight."

"I'll get some more ice," Duke suggested. "Maybe we can open a window for some fresh air?"

"I wouldn't call Gotham air fresh but I suppose it couldn't hurt."

Eventually, Dick awoke gasping for breath and clutching at his chest. He moved away from the hand stroking his hair before he groggily registered who it belonged to and relaxed again. "You with us Goldie?" Jason asked. The acrobat stared at him for a long time. Too long for any of them to find comfortable. He blinked hard and rubbed at his eyes. "Dick?"

"My head hurts," he croaked, not answering the question. "What're you doing in my room?"

"You're sick and we're keeping an eye on you," Duke explained. 

"Where are the others?"

"What? Are we not enough?" Jason joked only to get another long stare from the man. There was something not quite there in his gaze and it became a little unnerving to be the subject of it. "They're on patrol. We'll be taking turns probably. Until you're better."

"Oh." He flopped back down on the mattress with a groan, kicking off the covers frustratedly. It was almost childish how he whined as he shoved them to the side but they couldn't comment on it. When they fought off fevers, anything covering them was like hell and he was exhausted from restless sleep. "Keepin each other safe till I'm better?" They nodded and he made a noise they hoped was in acknowledgement of their response rather than one of discomfort. "Good siblings. I'll take care of you again when I've had a nap," he mumbled. He let out a sigh as he moved to sleep on his side then let out a shout as his infected wound suddenly took the weight of his body. "Wassit?"