Dick didn’t miss a single beat of it: the way Jason crumbled into himself, the way Tim’s irritation flared with his words, the way guilt pulled both his brothers beneath a wave when he impulsively said what he said. It wasn’t about who’s fault it was, or if it was Jason or the pit, if it had been too early and timing forced Jason’s hand, whether Tim had wanted to step up, or whether it was what Bruce needed to survive his own grief over losing a son.

All Dick knew was he didn’t want to see his two baby brothers hurting. He just wanted to make it better. Leaving was always the easiest thing to do. Sometimes, it was the right thing to do, but right now? Now, as hard as this was, as pissed as he was at Jason for lashing his emotions out and at Tim for threatening retreat, he knew that he did this, and he couldn’t just run away.

“I’ll be okay,” he replied to Tim, gaze raw as he met those wary blue eyes. He knew that Tim wanted to fix it as much as he did, and he didn’t even know half the story. Dick just needed some time to straighten out the tangles of his own emotions and he would be fine. He would be fine.

“Jason…” he started, voice level now. “Why don’t you go with Tim back to the nest?” Jason’s words contained so much disorientated pain that had to do with so much more than Dick’s escrima blow. He took a step toward Jason. “It’s pretty late already. Call it a night. I have something to wrap up then I’ll go find you, alright?” He looked back at Tim, knew that Tim wouldn’t want him leaving on a note like this. Then, he looked at Jason again, knew that there was a lot he still needed to say, to explain, including a proper apology, but he couldn’t blame Jason if now was not the right time.

“I’ll meet you both back at the nest in an hour or so. Promise.”