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Saying that Jason was cold was an understatement. He just crashed into the harbor's water as he was fighting Penguin's men on a boat and had no other choice but swim all the way back to Gotham.
Honestly, he didn't think he would be able to do it.
The water was freezing and he was trying very hard to keep his limbs coordinated as he was swimming as fast as he could to the harbor.
"I need help, I have a situation" he rasped into his com, praying the water didn't damage it.
The com made a scary gurgling noise before Jason heard: "... rec...ed... wa... are... ming..."
Jason couldn't understand a single word, but he was hoping it was something like: "We'll be there in three seconds so you won't freeze to death in the fucking ocean."
He sighed and kept swimming towards the shore, which actually seemed to get further every time he was making a move. His arms were getting very tired and it was hard to move them in the freezing water.
He was getting too cold too fast, and he was struggling to swim. He wasn’t even close to the harbor.
He had closed his eyes at this point and was just trying to keep all his remaining energy on his swimming.
It took him a second to realize his limbs had stopped working and that his head was now under the surface.
He was tired, he was cold, and he just wanted to sleep.
His consciousness was leaving him and he was just praying that he won’t wake up in a grave this time. Anything but a grave.
Nor the Pit.
Nor a warehouse.
Maybe it would be better for him not to wake up this time.
It seems like something was grabbing his wrist, pulling him up, trying to bring him back to the surface, but his body was too cold to feel anything properly, and he might as well have imagined it.
He closed his eyes and let the darkness welcome him.
Jason woke up with a gasp as someone was literally punching his chest for him to breathe.
He struggled to get on his side and threw up all the freezing water he had swallowed, tears rolling down his cheeks as he was desperately trying to get air into his lungs.
“Breathe, Jason. Breathe. You’re okay.”
I’m trying, he wanted to scream, but his throat was burning and he could only let out a strangled gasp.
“Don’t try to speak. You’re fine. We’re taking you home.”
It took him agonizingly long minutes to be able to breathe better, but he finally felt good enough to open his eyes and look at his rescuers.
Dick was crouched next to him, an arm wrapped around his little brother’s shoulders as he was trying to help him breathe better. Bruce was driving the Batboat —seriously, Bruce. The Batboat?— but was turning his head every minute to look at his son.
Jason noticed that he wasn’t even shaking anymore, as his body was trying to keep his strength against the freezing cold.
Dick must have noticed that something was wrong too because his voice was a bit too high-pitched when he asked Bruce to hurry up and bring them home soon.
Jason might have lost track of time because it seems like they were home a few seconds later, as Bruce was stopping the Batboat in the small private port of the Cave.
He felt his father lift him as if he was still a child and almost running out of the boat.
He thought that Bruce would bring him to the medbay and drop him on one of the uncomfortable beds, but the older man carried him up the stairs towards the Manor.
“We need to warm you up quickly, sweetheart. Dick is bringing new clothes and blankets, you need to sit near the fire, alright?”
They entered the huge living room where his other siblings were already, plus Alfred who had lit a fire and was holding what looked like a steamy cup of tea in his hands.
Even though Jason was conscious, his thoughts were completely fuzzy and he couldn’t really understand what was happening, as if he was the only normal one and everyone around him suddenly developed the same powers as The Flash.
While the girls went out of the room to look for heating pads and more blankets, Alfred and Bruce took off his wet clothes and he was quickly swallowed in heated blankets, pressed close against his body as he was shivering in his father’s hold.
Dick rubbed vigorously his frame to warm him up and Alfred was trying to make him drink the hot tea with a straw.
Everything was so confusing and Jason let out an involuntary whine of confusion and panic. He couldn’t get why everything was happening so fast and he couldn’t move nor think.
A part of him knew that he was safe and that his family was there. But he was so cold and so confused and he felt like another part of his brain didn’t even realize yet that he was out of the water.
“Jaybaby, you’re safe. You don’t have to try and hold on, we’re here, and we’re taking care of you.”
“D…Dad…” he mumbled, and in an instant, his father took his hand.
“I’m here. Don’t worry, son. I’m here.” he whispered and Jason finally relaxed a bit in his father’s hold, deciding to give up on understanding what was going on and just let his family warm him up.
He was soon left in Bruce’s arms, near the fireplace and holding a steaming cup of hot tea in his shaking hands.
“You’re okay, Jay,” was mumbling his father like a mantra, petting his damp hair slowly. Jason couldn’t tell if his father was trying to reassure his son or himself, but he didn’t say anything. His teeth were shaking too much for him to talk anyway.
He might have dozed off a bit because his father shook him slightly to make him drink his tea: “Come on, son. You need to warm up again.”
Jason grumbled but put the straw in his mouth and drank the tea slowly, letting the minty flavor relax his muscles.
After a few dozen minutes spent in front of the fireplace, Bruce decided to take his son to a proper bed where he could rest and stay warm. He carried him slowly to his bedroom and tucked him in the bed, soon after, he joined him and pushed Jason against his torso to keep him warm while his other children all curled up in the bed next to their brother, sharing body heat.
Jason let out a pleased sigh, allowing his body to relax in his family’s hold. He was safe here, and they would take care of him. He didn’t have to pretend anymore. He‘ll be fine.