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It was dark.
That was… wrong.
The dark pressed into his many eyes, holding him down, invading his lungs and streets like a slow poison. He opened his mouth, tried to call out, to yell for help because this was wrong , the dark was meant to protect him, to cloak and soften rough edges when they got too close to delicate flesh or wires.
The city strained against it, trying fruitlessly to shove it off, to escape, only for the darkness to wrap tighter around it, choking and infesting every inch of him.
Jason wasn’t waking up. Tim could feel something was wrong, but the city had blocked him out, only letting the faintest wisps of terror drift through the bond. Dick was gone for a least another thirty minutes, and Damian’s connection was still too new to be much help in figuring out what was going on. The deep red threads that wound around both younger bird’s were taut, practically vibrating with unknown tension.
Jason made a noise, frightened and so so small that for a moment Tim didn’t even realize it had come from his city. His answering whine was almost cut off by Damian shoving him aside as the tiny protector determinedly pulled himself onto the bed and aggressively shoved himself into Jason’s side. Tim huffed, but didn’t say anything, sparing only a second to nip at his baby brother for the shove before wiggling himself close to Jason’s other side. It still wasn’t ideal, neither of them were experienced enough to drag Jason out from whatever nightmare he was trapped in, but it would do until Dick got back. Tim brushed against his bond and urged him to hurry.
His city was scared.
Not the little one, the one he could see in the graffiti and flickering streetlights and neon reflected in puddles. No, this was the street, the dirt and foundation who’s terror he could taste in the air. It thrummed through their bond like a frantic heartbeat, the feeling of being trapped tearing at his chest as though it was his own.
Dick pressed against the ships window, waiting desperately for them to be in range to begin landing procedures. A low whine built up in his throat, anxious shadows flickering at the tips of his gloved hands. He ignored the looks from his teammates, knowing they understood his quirks better than almost anyone. He needed to be home, his city was calling and he needed to answer damnit.
He felt the second they entered Gotham airspace, placing both hands on the quickly darkening glass and pushing until he broke through, stumbling into a little apartment and immediately whipping his head towards the bedrooms. He called, pushing against the bonds under his skin and almost sprinting down the hall towards the two tentative responses he got back.
Jason looked.. well he didn’t look great but Dick had seen worse. He tried to keep that thought in mind as he pressed a hand to his city’s forehead, hissing in displeasure at how warm it was. He nudged his fledglings to go gather supplies while he himself settled down, methodically rearranging the blankets and pillows into a more acceptable nest.
Once he was satisfied, he laid down, spreading his awareness through the bonds and soothing worries. He was here, he would fix it now. The twin brushes of affection-welcome-missed were reassurance enough that he finally got down to his main task.
The wall blocking Jason off from the rest of them was laughably easy to get around, although the second he did Dick was almost wishing he hadn’t.
He opened his eyes and was in a horribly familiar place. The city surged under him, dirt roiling as if it was alive, as if it was trying to get rid of something inside it. The shattered headstone that lay half buried face enough clues to the kind of nightmare Jason was stuck in, even as Dick dropped to his knees and pressed his hands into the moving dirt, eyes again closed in concentration.
Someone was here.
Jason could feel something other than the dark pushing through him, searching. He reached out blindly, grabbing and pulling at the hands he found desperately. He felt more than heard the breathless laugh, the reassuring words that echoed down the bond.
“there you are little wing”
The hands that pulled him up were familiar, blue gold and so so warm. The second they connected with him it was like something was unbound, and the darkness vanished. His big brother hauled him out of the ground, gathering up and holding everything that Jason was close until red and blue were practically indistinguishable.
The wall lifted, and green and black tumbled through, scrambling to press up against the other two, relieved happiness making them shine brightly.
The city breathed, and gathered its surface and both protectors into itself, grounding itself in their presence.
Jason woke up.