"Jay!"
"I'm alright," he soothed, reaching up to tuck your hair behind your ear. "It's not as bad as it-" He broke off with a hiss when the wound across his abdomen throbbed.
"What can I do?" you ask Dr. Tompkins, cool hand stroking his forehead comfortingly.
"Exactly what you're doing," she said, watching Jason relax so the sedative took effect- For being broken up, you were both still involved with each other. But- if it worked it worked and she wasn't going to argue. Sedating Bats was tricky. If having you close to him put him down, then so be it.
_______
Jason cleaned the row of stitches on his abs and sighed. He knew he'd make a full recovery but- he couldn't seem to shake the idea that something was missing.
A feeling that never quite went away. Not since you'd broken up with him. He felt like he was missing a limb. But that he could still feel the space that you used to take up. And that feeling only faded when you'd been close to him, stroking his head until he fell asleep.
"Is Y/N around?" Jason asked, carefully not catching Alfred's eye in the mirror.
"She just left I believe," Alfred said, "A study group, she said."
"Oh," Jason said, trying not to look disappointed.
"If I may-"
"Please don't," Jason mumbled.
"She was very upset," Alfred said quietly, pressing on in spite of Jason's protest. And when Jason caught his eye in the mirror, he knew the butler was JUST speaking about his injury.
"But she left-"
"Wouldn't you?" Alfred countered, "If you were in her position."
Jason paused, looking away. Thinking about all the times that you'd lagged behind the group. All the times they'd gone hiking or climbing and you'd either had to stay behind or sit at the trailhead until they got back. Trips to amusement parks consisted of roasting in the sun and people-watching. All the hate you got online, just for dating him. The world told you over and over again that you didn't need to be there. That you needed to stay home and out of sight. And then, instead of including you, he'd let you be pushed aside.
Alfred left him to consider that and exhaled slowly. He only hoped that Dick and the others knew what they were doing. It was exhausting watching the two of you miss each other that much.











