Room 44: Steph checks on Dick

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph slept in a booth for most of the morning, and now she's hovering at the door of her room, not wanting to wake Dick up but hoping he's already awake - she wants to talk to him. Conversations with doctors and shrink-types have not been reassuring.

He seems to be asleep. She curls up on her chair and waits, watching him.

Comments

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

Dick is completely asleep. It's not quite a restful sleep as might appear at first, though - but this isn't such a surprise. He hasn't had many of those in awhile. He's sweating and muttering something under his breath, and gritting his jaw in his sleep.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph watches, worried. Nightmares suck. If it gets any worse she's gonna wake him up.

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, nightmares do tend to get worse. Whatever's going on in his head, it's not enjoyable, and this one seems to involve someone called... Drakon?

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Dick," Steph says, putting a hand tentatively on his shoulder. "Dick. Wake up."

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

The touch is ( thankfully ) enough, and he jerks awake. "What..?!"

[alwaysroomforhope]

"It's just me," Steph says, anxiously. "Are you okay?"

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

Dick can't even be in denial in times like this. "Gimme a minute and I will be," He tells her.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph waits obediently, concern evident in her eyes.

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

He pulls up his shirt and wipes at his face, then offers her a hesitant smile. "It's alright. This happens a lot."

[alwaysroomforhope]

"...it happens a lot, so that makes it all right?" Steph demands, and sits on the bed beside him. "That's not how the world works, dude."

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

"Well, I can't get -rid- of it, so I have to accept it." He shakes his head. "Unless you know a way to put off nightmares."

[alwaysroomforhope]

"I wish I did," Steph says, looking broken for a moment. "No, I don't think there's a way. But you don't have to pretend you're okay. I mean, I totally whinge enough."

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

Dick pulls on her shirt, trying to get her to move closer. "You don't whine. And it's just a few nights a week, that's all."

[alwaysroomforhope]

She moves, obediently. "So that makes it okay? Dick - I'm really worried about you."

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

Dick hugs her. "It'll get better. It was like this after Blockbuster, too."

[alwaysroomforhope]

"You spent months going out on patrol without armour after Blockbuster?"

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

Dick blinks, then stares. "No, I had nightmares."

[alwaysroomforhope]

"I'm worried about you going out and not looking after yourself," Steph says, "not so much about nightmares. I mean, I am worried, but nightmares are - a hazard of the job, I guess. But you're acting stupid."

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

"How am I acting stupid?" He shouldn't ask. He knows how he's acting stupid. He just... doesn't want to admit that he's been a jerk.

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Dick! Not wearing armour on patrol qualifies as stupid!" Steph shakes him, but gently - she doesn't want to hurt him. "I don't want you to ever do that again."

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

"I won't." And he means that promise. "I've learned my lesson."

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph eyes him anxiously. "You always say that, and then you do something even more stupid. Promise me you'll look after yourself?"

She's much more worried than she knows how to put into words - from what she knows, he's subconsciously trying to get injured or killed, nothing else can explain it, and that fills her with cold dread.

"Promise?" she repeats.

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

"I don't know what you're asking me," Dick says, after a long moment of looking at her. "I get the feeling you're afraid of something more than just that."

[alwaysroomforhope]

"I don't know what I'm supposed to think, Dick," Steph says unhappily, hugging her legs. "You've been doing this longer than anyone else I know. Why are you taking stupid risks?"

[blue-bat.livejournal.com]

Dick sighs. "I don't know." And he's being honest here. "They have been stupid, haven't they?"