no rest for the wicked [jason todd]

sixteen

LETTING HIS SHOULDERS FALL FORWARD,

 Jason gave a little sigh, rubbing a hand across his face. "Tye," he said, "don't stand up, okay? We've talked about this. The doctor has talked about this. You're hurt. You've got a battered up shoulder there, you got broken ribs--" He waved a hand and then gently leaned over, pressing his hand against her shoulder. "Tye," he said again, warningly. "Lean back down."

"I need to get up. Just a little walk, Jay! I'll hold onto your arm for all I care, I just need out. I go home sometime today and it isn't going to do us any good if I'm not on my feet yet." Tye swung her feet over the bed. He was serious, apparently, because he took her arm and helped her stand to her feet. She was shaking slightly, her legs seeming weak, and she didn't even look like the same girl he'd met in the alleyway the first night. She'd aimed a gun right at him and threatened to shoot him, and here she was now, struggling to stay on her feet.

"Be careful with yourself," Jason offered softly, letting her hold his arm as she took a little step forward, pausing when she reached for her head. "Tye? Do you need to sit down?"

"No, dumbass," Tye replied firmly, and she actually glared over toward him for a moment before she cracked a smile, "just need a second. It's a lot to know that you've got awards for sprinting and you can't even stand on your feet now."

He was patient with her, uncharacteristically.

However, the door suddenly opened. Tye stopped immediately, nearly falling onto the ground from shock, and Jason caught her against his chest. He scanned the doorway and suddenly, his expression turned into a scowl. "Grayson," he said, "what the h*ll is he doing here? He shouldn't--" He put a hand on Tye's upper back, gently rubbing her shoulders. "You're okay," he added toward her. "Can you sit down for a second?"

Tye paused, reaching out for the nearby chair to hold her upright before she could sit down. "Yeah," she said, "I'll just be right here, I guess." She sat back in the seat, wincing slightly when she heard him shut the door loudly. She didn't realize Dick had stepped in as well, leaving Jason out in the hall with the stranger she didn't see.

"Hey," Dick said after a moment, "I hear your healing streak has only been going upwards. That's good, right?"

"Very," confirmed Tye, a little smile forming on her lips. She paused after a moment, turning away and rubbing her arm. "I thought you would have been here more," she admitted quietly, "but... Jason's been here every day, and I'm really grateful for him. I don't deserve it. He's been such a good friend."

The man nodded, pressing his lips together for a moment. "A friend?" He pressed, turning toward her. "You guys looked kind of... Involved in something when I walked in. You know, him holding you as if you'd almost died. I know the look you give him when you see him, Tye, and it isn't the same one he looks at you with."

"He doesn't look at me like that," she argued softly, "okay? He's trying to help, he feels responsible."

Dick bit his cheek, turning away. "He is," he murmured, "kind of. He cared about you, and someone saw that as an opportunity to let him know that he has a weakness. He isn't immortal. Just human like the rest of us."

Tye sat back in the chair, reaching for her ribs when she went to breathe, the pain feeling unbearable for a second. Dick moved to help her, but she stopped him quickly. "I feel grateful to him," she mumbled, "and would I kiss him if I felt like he wasn't gonna knock eight of my teeth out? Yeah. Do I think he's hot in the 'Oh man, wow, wish I could raise a dog with him' way? Yeah. He won't, Dick. He's too..."

"Too...?" A voice began, and it was Jason, leaning on the doorframe. "Too what?"

"Broken, traumatized, edgy, angsty--" Dick rattled off, but Jason punched him in the shoulder.

"Go," he muttered. He looked back toward Tye and he offered her a hand, which she gladly accepted, although her other one was busy covering her face. He could see even between the splits between her fingers that her cheeks had gone slightly pink, and he couldn't help the chuckle that slipped out of his mouth.

"Bitch," Tye replied stubbornly. "You're not supposed to laugh at people with injuries."

Jason's eyebrows pulled together as he looked down toward her, offering, "What did you mean by 'He's too...?'"

"Broken," Tye agreed. It was the word Dick had used earlier before he'd left when he'd been seemingly kidding around. She pulled away from him slightly, balancing herself by holding onto the chair. "Look, I didn't want you to hear that. I really didn't want you to know that because we can't just look away. We're going to be in the same apartment now and--" She broke off.

She broke off because he pressed his lips to hers. Her brain had a shortcut and suddenly she didn't even know how to tell herself that this was real life.