Chapter Text
The med bay lights were kept low, though they still reflected off the metal fixtures. Kon sat in a chair pushed close enough to reach Tim if he needed to, though he hadn’t allowed himself to move even that far, a kind of self-discipline he rarely used. Tim lay a few feet away, unmoving except for the steady rise and fall of his chest under the thin blanket. He should have looked peaceful. Instead, he was pale and thin, and the fresh scars and wounds that littered his body could be seen even though he was mostly covered,
Kon’s eyes stayed fixed on the monitor at Tim’s bedside, holding on to the hope that consistent flickers meant he would be okay. Tim shifted slightly, a small unconscious movement, and it drew Kon’s attention instantly. His muscles tightened before he forced them to relax again. Tim’s face, unguarded in unconsciousness, offered no clues that anything was wrong in the moment. Kon leaned back in the chair and forced himself to breathe.
He let his gaze travel over the collection of medical equipment and the clean edges of the walls. Everything looked controlled here, nothing like the chaos he’d fought through to get Tim here. Kon scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to push back the thought that there were so many unanswered questions, and that Tim may not wake up to solve them. The situation wasn’t resolved. Tim wasn’t awake.
He shifted in the chair, exhaustion settling through him. He had been running on adrenaline for too long. Now that the crisis had stalled, his body was ready to crash. He tried to keep his focus on Tim, but the slow weight of exhaustion pressed deeper. Kon’s eyes finally closed, the last of his resistance slipping as sleep caught him. He dreamed of the last words he heard Tim speak.