Batman: Empty Nest (M, Nightwing, Cold)

[Mercury]

A/N: I experimented a little with sneeze spellings. I don't really wanna draw attention to it, but I'm not sure it works so it'd be great if you let me know what you think.

Empty Nest

It should have been obvious to anyone, that as soon as Alfred took a week and a half to go visit his niece in Glasgow he would be needed. As a point, everyone always needed the gentle yet sardonic butler. Luckily, Dick had been living away from the mansion long enough to know, in the very least, how to heat up soup a can of soup without assistance and without burning it or blowing up the microwave.

It wasn’t as good as Alfred’s kale and garlic soup, or his parents’ chicken noodle, which he still remembered very fondly, but it was hot and it was soup. That was enough.

He held the sleeve of his baggy sweatshirt under his nose.

“HehGitIchhh!”

Dick sniffled a little bit after the thick sneeze. His head felt full of heavy liquid, and every sneeze was as if his body was trying to decongest itself in one fowl swoop. Luckily the sneezes seemed to be few and far between.

He blew his nose into the paper towels before throwing them out and washing his hands. In Alfred’s kitchen, he wouldn’t dare put the sullied paper down on any surface, and he could just imagine the disapproving look he’d get if he didn’t make sure his hands were clean afterwards.

The back of his sinuses were already starting to tickle, with a hot dripping sensation easily felt amongst the persistent congestion. Dick sniffed in case his nose was running, but he couldn’t get much air though and was luckily that it didn’t aggravate the nasal sensation into the need to sneeze again. He returned to stirring the soup he had cooking on the stove, a concoction that violated the sanctity of tinned soup by having added garlic, onion and extra vegetables.

Dick leant over the steam to see how the liquid looked, but felt his nose run from coming into contact with the steam and he pressed another paper towel to his nose in an effort to stop it. As it was, he was already covered when his nose decided to make another attempt at expulsion.

“EhhTihItchhh! IhhDhYichhhh!”

“You should ease up on the pepper.”

Dick looked over to the doorway, where Tim, backpack slung over his shoulder, had decided to lean and watch him. The elder of the adopted brothers kept the papers to his nose, not wanting to blow or remove them in the younger’s presence, but smiled beneath them.

“Hey, Tib.” He tried to sniff again, but it was still too difficult to get the air through.

“You’re making me some of that too right?”

Dick frowned, and looked him over. “Are you sigk?”

“No, but I am hungry. Assuming you haven’t dripped snot in there, of course.”

“Dow, I haved’t.”

“Awesome.” Tim slung his backpack around and on top of the kitchen’s island bench; Something Alfred would have never allowed had he been there. “But maybe I should finish it off just in case. You can go crash on the couch and pick out a movie for us to watch.”

He stepped up and took over stirring the soup.

“It shouldn’t have buch logger to go.” Dick took the opportunity to deposit the sodden papers in the bin and claim some new ones while his brother’s back was turned. “If you could stick a bid of extra spice in there too id bight helb by dose.”

“Yup.”

Dick gave Tim a clasp on the shoulder before he left, letting him know that he appreciated what the teenager was doing for him, without having to sound like a girl by saying the actual words. He wiped his nose on his sweatshirt, thankful that there would be actual tissues in the lounge. Undoubtedly with lotion, as was the ones Bruce preferred. His nose begged for their soft touch.

There was a blanket thrown over the back of the couch, and he grabbed it and flung its warmth around his shoulders before collapsing into the soft leather couch. He moved the tissue box off the side table, rested them next to his thigh and gave his nose a thick, gurgling blow. It was too swollen to get much of anything through and he ended up frustrated and unsatisfied.

Dick threw the tissue as hard as he could to try and express his annoyance, but it simply floated down peacefully onto the carpet.

“Dab id.” He pulled out two more tissues, holding them half to his face as his breath hitched and rebelled against his failed attempt to blow. “Hihhhh... huhhEhhhh... HutESCHHISHHH!!”

Dick was flung forward by the thick, drenching sneeze and flopped back against the couch with a painful thud. He let his head fall against the backrest and gave a few soft staccato huffs into the tissue before letting his arm drop to his side.

“I suppose you have to get worse before you get better.”

Jumping, the acrobat turned to see Bruce entering the lounge, dressed in his Armani suit, but absent of his suitcase, shoes and tie. Dick convinced himself that it had been the thick sock padding that had allowed the older man to sneak up on him so stealthily, and not Nightwing’s dulled senses.

‘Batman, indeed.’ He thought, lamely, and swallowed a giggle as he wondered whether he should check for a fever.

“You’re hobe early.”

Bruce stepped across to him and seated himself on the couch next to Dick before answering. “With Alfred not here I had to come home early to do the laundry.”

“You should habe texded be. I could habe du’d it.” He snuffled a little bit and wiped his nose, knowing that it wouldn’t really help with the congestion, but giving it a shot anyway.

“You’re not here to work, Dick.”

Casting a look over at the man, who was now flicking through the television channels, Dick smiled slightly. It was clear that Bruce was worried, but was trying to reassure him that it was okay to take time out to get better. He pulled the blanket around a little closer and tucked his feet up under him as he pulled out another tissue.

“Is there anything you want to watch?”

He sniffled into a tissue, “I was goi’g to bick a bovie for Tib a’d be.”

“‘Indiana Jones’?”

Smiling behind the tissue, Dick shook his head. “I haven’t wadched thad since I was kid.”

“But you still like it.”

“...Baybehhhh... HehEhhUtchhhh!”

As Dick finished by snuffling another not-blow into the issue before he lowered it and Bruce placed a calloused hand on his forehead. It was surprising, but not unpleasant.

“Oh, hi, Bruce,” came Tim’s voice as he entered though the doorway behind the couch. The billionaire’s hand dropped quickly from Dick’s forehead, but not hastily enough to look as if he was embarrassed and trying to cover up the motion. “I’m freezing some of the soup for later, in case you infect the rest of us, but here.”

Tim handed Dick a bowl with a spoon sticking out of it, while having his own held in the other hand. It was hot, but came with a tea towel folded underneath the bowl, so that Dick could hold it on his palm and against his chest without the ceramic burning him. He could hear Tim offering to get Bruce some, but the sick hero wasn’t listening, as the steam was making his nose run and finally making him feel as if his head wasn’t three times too big.

Her sniffled and dabbed his nose with a fresh tissue before eating a spoonful. It was nice, although the flavours were dulled from his illness and the temperature of the mixture, but Dick continued to eat it with enthusiasm, enjoying the heat against his throat.

It wasn’t until he paused that he noticed the growing tingling sensation on his tongue and how it was spreading up to his nose.

“Huuhhh...IhhHuhhhh... ...” Someone lifted the bowl out of his hands so it wouldn’t spill, while someone else gently pushed his hand up so that the hot tea towel was pressed to his nose. “Hutshummmphh! Ektsithhphhhh! EshhItchkttmmp! Hhhhhh... IkiiDichfmphhh!”

He cracked his eyes open to see Bruce looking at him concernedly and Tim with wide amused eyes.

“Tim,” Bruce’s voice rumbled, “what did you put in the soup?”

“Nothing. Dick said wanted extra spice, he thought it would help.”

“Tim.”

He looked back at Dick. “Back me up here, man.”

“... UhTidittchhhpphh!”

“See.”

Between his sneezing, Dick managed to squint his eyes open at the Dark Knight Detective. Through the tears that had forced out from the force of his nose, he saw the curve of Bruce’s mouth turn up and heard a barely audible chuckle that had him once again convince that he may have a fever.

As he ducked his head to sneeze again, Bruce rested a hand on Dick’s back.

“Tim, why don’t you put on a movie? I think Dick wanted ‘Indiana Jones’.”

[Kshu]

Batman fan fiction is my current favorite, ESPECIALLY with Dick! And this is so good!

[Arty]

As u already see by my profile pic that i love my baby nightwing. You....I love you to pieces....!!!!!!!!*glomps* his sneezes are adorable and daddybats there and tim and my feels button were pushed. I was awwwing and cooing and laughing.

Edited April 26, 2014 by Artygirl22

[party_snake]

Oh My God! THIS IS AMAZING!! I agree with Artygirl22, Dick Grayson is the greatest and so is this fic!!

[weepy]

Fheajkldeanjklsadfnsdjk

Oh my goooooodddddd. I love this. That was awesome, and the spellings were amazing! Nice job!

[Hibiscus]

That was really good. A really fun read. *looses control* OH MY GOD, DICK IS SO LOVABLE AND SWEET AND MISERABLE ! I love how he asked for extra spices, so cute. Aww, and Bruce is worried for him.

[ayslin]

I freaking adore this fic.  It's a little slice of perfect.  Dick, with the stuffy voice, washing his hands and curling up on the couch.  Bruce, in socks, complete with forehead feels.  And Tim!  

Sigh.  Perfection.  

[Seeker]

Loved it! I love Dick Grayson. I loved Bruce checking for a fever (I'd love to know the number) and I love the family feeling here. So, yeah, love it!

[RemedyBane]

aww! Dick was always my favorite character, and it's really nice to see a softer side of Bruce! Gods know, Dick needed it. I love bat family happy moments Here's hoping for a part 2?

[SpookyBoi]

I love the batfam!!!!! This fic is so cute!!!!! 

 

[rockbell]

super cute gotta love the batfam!

[lilac-elixir]

On 4/26/2014 at 10:04 PM, Mercury said:

A/N: I experimented a little with sneeze spellings. I don't really wanna draw attention to it, but I'm not sure it works so it'd be great if you let me know what you think.

 

 

Empty Nest

 

It should have been obvious to anyone, that as soon as Alfred took a week and a half to go visit his niece in Glasgow he would be needed. As a point, everyone always needed the gentle yet sardonic butler. Luckily, Dick had been living away from the mansion long enough to know, in the very least, how to heat up soup a can of soup without assistance and without burning it or blowing up the microwave.

It wasn’t as good as Alfred’s kale and garlic soup, or his parents’ chicken noodle, which he still remembered very fondly, but it was hot and it was soup. That was enough.

He held the sleeve of his baggy sweatshirt under his nose.

“HehGitIchhh!”

Dick sniffled a little bit after the thick sneeze. His head felt full of heavy liquid, and every sneeze was as if his body was trying to decongest itself in one fowl swoop. Luckily the sneezes seemed to be few and far between.

He blew his nose into the paper towels before throwing them out and washing his hands. In Alfred’s kitchen, he wouldn’t dare put the sullied paper down on any surface, and he could just imagine the disapproving look he’d get if he didn’t make sure his hands were clean afterwards.

The back of his sinuses were already starting to tickle, with a hot dripping sensation easily felt amongst the persistent congestion. Dick sniffed in case his nose was running, but he couldn’t get much air though and was luckily that it didn’t aggravate the nasal sensation into the need to sneeze again. He returned to stirring the soup he had cooking on the stove, a concoction that violated the sanctity of tinned soup by having added garlic, onion and extra vegetables.

Dick leant over the steam to see how the liquid looked, but felt his nose run from coming into contact with the steam and he pressed another paper towel to his nose in an effort to stop it. As it was, he was already covered when his nose decided to make another attempt at expulsion.

“EhhTihItchhh! IhhDhYichhhh!”

“You should ease up on the pepper.”

Dick looked over to the doorway, where Tim, backpack slung over his shoulder, had decided to lean and watch him. The elder of the adopted brothers kept the papers to his nose, not wanting to blow or remove them in the younger’s presence, but smiled beneath them.

“Hey, Tib.” He tried to sniff again, but it was still too difficult to get the air through.

“You’re making me some of that too right?”

Dick frowned, and looked him over. “Are you sigk?”

“No, but I am hungry. Assuming you haven’t dripped snot in there, of course.”

“Dow, I haved’t.”

“Awesome.” Tim slung his backpack around and on top of the kitchen’s island bench; Something Alfred would have never allowed had he been there. “But maybe I should finish it off just in case. You can go crash on the couch and pick out a movie for us to watch.”

He stepped up and took over stirring the soup.

“It shouldn’t have buch logger to go.” Dick took the opportunity to deposit the sodden papers in the bin and claim some new ones while his brother’s back was turned. “If you could stick a bid of extra spice in there too id bight helb by dose.”

“Yup.”

Dick gave Tim a clasp on the shoulder before he left, letting him know that he appreciated what the teenager was doing for him, without having to sound like a girl by saying the actual words. He wiped his nose on his sweatshirt, thankful that there would be actual tissues in the lounge. Undoubtedly with lotion, as was the ones Bruce preferred. His nose begged for their soft touch.

There was a blanket thrown over the back of the couch, and he grabbed it and flung its warmth around his shoulders before collapsing into the soft leather couch. He moved the tissue box off the side table, rested them next to his thigh and gave his nose a thick, gurgling blow. It was too swollen to get much of anything through and he ended up frustrated and unsatisfied.

Dick threw the tissue as hard as he could to try and express his annoyance, but it simply floated down peacefully onto the carpet.

“Dab id.” He pulled out two more tissues, holding them half to his face as his breath hitched and rebelled against his failed attempt to blow. “Hihhhh... huhhEhhhh... HutESCHHISHHH!!”

Dick was flung forward by the thick, drenching sneeze and flopped back against the couch with a painful thud. He let his head fall against the backrest and gave a few soft staccato huffs into the tissue before letting his arm drop to his side.

“I suppose you have to get worse before you get better.”

Jumping, the acrobat turned to see Bruce entering the lounge, dressed in his Armani suit, but absent of his suitcase, shoes and tie. Dick convinced himself that it had been the thick sock padding that had allowed the older man to sneak up on him so stealthily, and not Nightwing’s dulled senses.

‘Batman, indeed.’ He thought, lamely, and swallowed a giggle as he wondered whether he should check for a fever.

“You’re hobe early.”

Bruce stepped across to him and seated himself on the couch next to Dick before answering. “With Alfred not here I had to come home early to do the laundry.”

“You should habe texded be. I could habe du’d it.” He snuffled a little bit and wiped his nose, knowing that it wouldn’t really help with the congestion, but giving it a shot anyway.

“You’re not here to work, Dick.”

Casting a look over at the man, who was now flicking through the television channels, Dick smiled slightly. It was clear that Bruce was worried, but was trying to reassure him that it was okay to take time out to get better. He pulled the blanket around a little closer and tucked his feet up under him as he pulled out another tissue.

“Is there anything you want to watch?”

He sniffled into a tissue, “I was goi’g to bick a bovie for Tib a’d be.”

“‘Indiana Jones’?”

Smiling behind the tissue, Dick shook his head. “I haven’t wadched thad since I was kid.”

“But you still like it.”

“...Baybehhhh... HehEhhUtchhhh!”

As Dick finished by snuffling another not-blow into the issue before he lowered it and Bruce placed a calloused hand on his forehead. It was surprising, but not unpleasant.

“Oh, hi, Bruce,” came Tim’s voice as he entered though the doorway behind the couch. The billionaire’s hand dropped quickly from Dick’s forehead, but not hastily enough to look as if he was embarrassed and trying to cover up the motion. “I’m freezing some of the soup for later, in case you infect the rest of us, but here.”

Tim handed Dick a bowl with a spoon sticking out of it, while having his own held in the other hand. It was hot, but came with a tea towel folded underneath the bowl, so that Dick could hold it on his palm and against his chest without the ceramic burning him. He could hear Tim offering to get Bruce some, but the sick hero wasn’t listening, as the steam was making his nose run and finally making him feel as if his head wasn’t three times too big.

Her sniffled and dabbed his nose with a fresh tissue before eating a spoonful. It was nice, although the flavours were dulled from his illness and the temperature of the mixture, but Dick continued to eat it with enthusiasm, enjoying the heat against his throat.

It wasn’t until he paused that he noticed the growing tingling sensation on his tongue and how it was spreading up to his nose.

“Huuhhh...IhhHuhhhh... ...” Someone lifted the bowl out of his hands so it wouldn’t spill, while someone else gently pushed his hand up so that the hot tea towel was pressed to his nose. “Hutshummmphh! Ektsithhphhhh! EshhItchkttmmp! Hhhhhh... IkiiDichfmphhh!”

He cracked his eyes open to see Bruce looking at him concernedly and Tim with wide amused eyes.

“Tim,” Bruce’s voice rumbled, “what did you put in the soup?”

“Nothing. Dick said wanted extra spice, he thought it would help.”

“Tim.”

He looked back at Dick. “Back me up here, man.”

“... UhTidittchhhpphh!”

“See.”

Between his sneezing, Dick managed to squint his eyes open at the Dark Knight Detective. Through the tears that had forced out from the force of his nose, he saw the curve of Bruce’s mouth turn up and heard a barely audible chuckle that had him once again convince that he may have a fever.

As he ducked his head to sneeze again, Bruce rested a hand on Dick’s back.

“Tim, why don’t you put on a movie? I think Dick wanted ‘Indiana Jones’.”

I'm not even a part of this fandom but this is one of the best sickfics that I have ever read

[starpollen]

This is very cute 🥰 

[ayslin]

I know this is old, and that commented like 8 years ago 😆 but I must have read it like 50 times since then.  It might be my favorite sickfic.  Absolutely adore it.  

[lurkernomore]

Dick grayson my beloved