Ahead of the Game
Summary: Dick gets a concussion. You keep him from doing anything stupid.
a/n: REMEMBER THAT VOLLEYBALL AU I WAS BITCHING ABOUT. HERE IT IS. BLAME @jd-loves-fiction and @pricetagofficial. This is one of my 2 birthday
warnings: suggestive language and poly fic (RoyDickWally/Reader)
Masterlist
The crowd brays as Roy dishes out another cut shot, ball slicing through the air at impossible speeds.
They can't get that.
C'mon!
Go! Go! GO!
Ahhhhh!
The mingling voices braid in the air making Dick's bones vibrate as he watches the ball travel. Out of nowhere, the opposing team's libero does a rather impressive dig, his body skidding against the floor. The crowd explodes with life.
Dick's face aches with the smile spreading across it. He crouches low ready to spring into action. He watches the setters form. He has a few choices.
1) He could send the ball to the spiker on his right and try a cut shot. Though, this spiker isn't quite as proficient in that yet so if it's him it's likely gonna be a straight shot.
2) He could send it to his middle spiker who has to compete with Vic and good luck with that honestly.
3) He could go for the left spiker. This is probably the most likely option since the guy has so much more power than the other two.
The ball is up in the air for a breathtakingly long moment before it's in front of the left spiker. It takes only a few seconds for Dick to calculate his next move with a slight horrible miscalculation that sends him tumbling into the row of fold-able chairs.
Still reeling from the impact of the spike to his head, Dick scrambles to his feet, trying to launch himself back into the game. The stadium lights are blinding. The crowd’s voices are bouncing in his skull. He trips. His limbs move uselessly without direction.
The ref blows a whistle, making him wince. The crowd goes quiet as footsteps pound toward him. Someone turns him over and waves a hand in front of his face. Is it just Dick or do you look especially good under stadium lights?
"Dick, how many fingers am I holding up?" You say, waving your hand in his face.
"You're supposed to ask him questions he knows." Wally says, cradling Dick's head in one hand. The pressure to the back of his head is at once a relief and a pain.
"He's a mathlete, of course, he can count." You hiss, looking incredibly unamused.
"You sure?"
You frown down at Dick. "Maybe." Dick tries not to pout at that. "How many fingers am I holding up?" You repeat, waving your hand.
His head throbs. It would be easier to count if you stop waving your hand.
"Four." Roy says, a little too loudly. The volume makes Dick flinch. You glare at Roy waving two fingers at him, tempted to fold your pointer.
"Just checking." Roy grins and you look like you're going to knock his teeth out.
Dick wants to laugh but that's too loud too.
You move your head to the side and again Dick flinches. Clicking your tongue, your frown deepens and you look over your shoulder to coach Hal. "Concussion."
Dick's stomach drops at the word.
He shakes his head, pulling himself away. "I'm fine." Dick slurs as he pulls himself to his feet. The movement is dizzying. "I just--" What's the word?
"Hit your head?"
"Yeah."
"No shit," you hiss. Dick stumbles and you're quick to catch him, placing his hand on your shoulders. "Dick, you have a concussion." Concern carves its way into the hitch of your shoulders.
"I can walk it off. Promise." He says with a wink. You look unconvinced. It was probably because only part of the sentence was intelligible.
You sigh and put a hand on Dick's. It feels warm and it makes his already fuzzy head squiggly. "C'mon Dickie," you say sweetly. It's honestly amazing how easily he can focus on your voice even when it's impossible to concentrate on anything else. "Just come to the clinic with me and you'll get the ok to go back in."
Dick confidently gets tricked by all your little touches as he lets you lead him out of the gym.
"That worked?!" Roy asks, scratching his head.
Wally shrugs. "It's (Y/n). She can play Dick like a fiddle."
"True," Roy says, then grins and nudges Wally. "You say that like you're any different."
"First off, you're worse than me or Dick--"
"Get your asses back in there!" shouts the grumpy old man on the bench.
____________________________________________________________________________
Dick slowly withers away as the nurse lists all the things he isn’t allowed to do. Dick has zoned out twice now but still when he tunes back in the nurse is still going.
“So, no volleyball for the rest of the day?”
“Yes.”
“None at all?”
The nurse laughs because she thinks he’s joking. Her laughter slowly fades when neither you nor Dick joins her because yes, Dick Grayson is very serious. Almost as an afterthought, she adds: “No strenuous physical activities.”
Dick’s shoulders drop a solid six inches.
“Is it alright if I stay with him?” You ask.
The nurse shrugs and points you to a chair.
Dick tosses and turns uncomfortably. He’s not sure what’s more unbearable, the not moving part or the silence. His mind is running wild with the possibilities of what’s happening in the second set. Is his team ok? He should be there for them.
He turns to you. “Did they tell you how the first set went?” He asks, pointing at your phone.
“Garth nearly slid into the pole and Vic spiked the ball so hard he scared the crap out of the other team.” You say the words being tailed by a twitch of your lip. “If Vic wasn’t careful, we’d have company.”
“Oh please, we both know if Vic’s spikes hit anyone, they’re going straight to the morgue.”
This startles a laugh out of you. “Shuddup.” You laugh, covering your mouth.
“It’s true.” He insists, more to do with making you laugh than any desire to be right. Though you both know what he said is definitely true. There is a reason Vic is usually in the back row.
“How's the second set going?”
“Nothing yet.”
Dick turns on his back then to his side then to his other side. “I should be out there.” He moans, pouting at you as if somehow you could change his diagnosis.
Dick is about to turn again when you jab his side. “Stop moving or I'll sit on you.”
“Promise?” He asks, his eyes glittering with mischief.
“We’re in public.”
Dick shrugs. “Never stopped you before.” He looks up at you through pretty eyelashes.
You shove a water bottle in his face. It's cool against his sweaty, sticky skin. He leans into it and part of his cheek squishes his cheek. It's a simple comfort that has his skin settling into place.
"Can't I at least do stretches?" He offers.
"Will it include a handstand?"
"No." He says, frankly offended by the accusation. "Ok, might."
You huff, handing him the water bottle with too many creepy smiling oranges. "Scoot over."
Dick makes room for you as you plaster yourself to his side, head resting against his shoulder, leg tangling with his. You tuck half your face into his neck and your nose brushes against Dick's skin, driving a shiver up his spine.
He nuzzles his face into the crown of your head. "This is a terrible way to keep me awake."
"I know," you say, giving him a quick peck to the lips before turning back to your screen, "which is why I'm looking up Kermit smut to read to you."
"What?! No!" Dick winces at the volume of his voice.
Your smile curves against his skin. "You'll like it I promise."
"I highly doubt that."
He does in a way.
Dick lays his head on top of yours, listening as your voice rises and falls along with the cadence of the prose. It's soothing in a way. The even cresting of your tone smoothes over the live wires snaking under his skin.
The light of the clinic hangs over his head dimly. Every once in a while, Dick will drift off, a yawn passing through his lips, tousling your hair. Every once in a while, you'll jolt him awake with words like 'Kermit's Glory Hole' or 'Elmo's seductive big dick energy'. You know, words he never wanted to hear.
"Here's one with Shrek!" You chirp.
Not for the first time this day, Dick questions this relationship. He groans, burying his face in your hair, unable to hide the smile curving his lips."Can't you read something else? Something good?" He mumbles, his words still slurring.
"Like what?"
He twirls his hand trying to grasp at the title. It starts with a T but everything else is a mystery. "The one you've been reading."
"The Intern?" You offer, brow arched.
"Yeah, yeah, that."
"Pfff," you boop his nose and it scrunches up adorably, "do you really want to walk around with a concussion and a boner?" You snuggle into his chest.
Dick seriously considers it, weighing the potential embarrassment versus the excruciating boredom. Boredom wins by a fraction. "Ok, no. Maybe. Just read something else."
You smile at him bright and evil and stupidly sweet. "Well," you draw the syllable out like taffy, "there's Dr. Phil smut." You say shaking the phone at him.
"Proceed with the Kermit smut." Dick sighs.
"Thank you," you say, turning back to your phone.
Dick's mind lulls back into a resting state as you begin to read again.
Dick's head bobs in and out of consciousness when he feels you being pulled away from him.
Dick opens his eyes to watch Wally pull you into his lap. Roy brushes the dark strands out of his face, the rough calluses on his hands brushing against Dick's skin.
"How are you, oh great captain?"
"Fine." Dick slurs, brain still partially asleep.
"You guys were getting cuddly without us?" Wally whines half-heartedly. He nuzzles his face against your neck and you let him despite how much it tickles. Wally blows a raspberry into your skin and draws out a squeal from you.
Dick covers his ears. You wince and apologize quietly.
"I bet you money that Dick got injured on purpose to hog (y/n)." Roy chuckles.
Wally pouts at him. "Why would you bet money? I don't have any."
"Yeah Roy," you say, "you're discriminating against us sugar babies."
"How are you sugar babies?"
"They're always broke." Dick points out sitting up and folding his legs to give Roy some room to sit because Roy is definitely gonna ignore the foldable chair.
Roy slides over to you and Wally, looking completely unsympathetic to the fact that Dick would also like to be cuddled.
"I see Dick hasn't managed to do a handstand while he's been here." Wally remarks.
"How'd you figure that?" Dick asks grumpily.
Wally carefully side-eyes the nurse who's busying herself with the computer. "You're alive."
Roy nods sagely then eyes you. "Did you sit on him?"
"I wish." Dick sighs.
Your ears heat. You cross your arms. "I just read to him."
Roy and Wally share a look then grin at you. "What kind?" Your ears are going to burn off.
"Kermit smut." Dick deadpans raising a brow. "Should she have read me anything else?"
"She didn't read you stuff from The Intern?" Roy asks, his lips brushing against the back of your ear.
You scowl at him which just makes his grin broaden.
Wally (unhelpful) blows air into your other ear before asking. "Isn't she on the Paris one?"
"Oh! Oui, La Pari." Roy exclaims in the most Pepe Le Pew sounding French accent you have ever heard. You know he can do a good french accent. He's demonstrated it before.
"You're both horrible."
Evil is more the correct word really.
"Are you guys having a book club? Without me?" Dick says, mock hurt thick in his voice.
"Nah, it was more of a study group while you were on holiday." Wally explains with a flick of his hand.
"It was very productive." You scoff.
"Oh definitely," Roy cheers. "Especially with all the readings we did."
Wally waggles his eyebrows. "The readings were definitely useful."
You bury your face in your hands, wanting nothing more than to shrink.
"Uhuh, explain."
"Well, we started taking turns reading to annoy (Y/n) then we started testing things out." Roy explains.
You look between the three of them mortified. You really hope the nurse isn't listening.
Dick looks equal parts annoyed and jealous. "I was suffering and you guys were experimenting while I was suffering?"
"Must have been real hard up there in the Swiss Alps." Wally says, rolling his eyes.
"You try keeping Tim, Damian, and Cass from committing homicide!"
"What the hell was Bruce doing?" Roy laughs.
"Pretending he wasn't a single father of 6."
"Clearly." You snort.
"Duke and Jason?"
"Following Bruce's lead for once."
Wally and Roy burst out in a bark of laughter.
The curtains draw back with a harsh clinking of the rings.
"You two," the nurse points to Wally and Roy, "out."
You all swallow trying not to disintegrate from the murder she's radiating.
Roy and Wally scramble to their feet bleating out a quick 'yes ma'am'. Wally pivots on his feet and gives Dick a kiss to Dick’s eyes brow where you can see a little nick if you get close enough.
"I'll text you any updates on the next match." Roy kisses the corner of your lip.
You squeeze his hand before pressing a thanks into his palm along with a kiss.
The nurse practically shoves them out of the room. Wally still trying to wave as she hurls them out.
You settle back into place, notching yourself into Dick’s side. You can still feel him pouting against the crown of your head. You roll your eyes. "Where were we?"
"You reading The Intern to me."
You huff out a quiet laugh. "No."
"Pleeeease," Dick says in his kicked puppy voice.
You let out a breath. "No... ok, maybe--" you kiss him "--after you get better."
"But I'm feeling much better now." Dick says, sliding a hand down to your waist. He toys with the waistband of your leggings and you have no choice but to pinch him.
"Nice try but the nurse said 7 to 10 days of rest."
"Ok. Ok, fine but can you read me something else?"
"How about some Bottom Judas/ Top Jesus smut?"
"Oh my god, why?!"
"SHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The team won the next two games. The first match after Dick’s disappearance was quite an upset for the other team. They were pretty sure the Titans would be on shaky ground because Dick wasn’t there. Little did they know that the team *can* function without Dick. As long as it’s not practiced, that is.
Dick shrugs and rolls his eyes. “ I definitely, hundo percento intended to get hit in the face.”
The bus is raucous, buzzing with post-game energy. You, on the other hand, are out like a light. Dick is stuck playing pillow while you snooze. He doesn’t mind at all. It’s obvious that you’re still worried about him from the way you cling to him. Dick pulls you into his lap, careful not to jostle you too much. He can feel Roy and Wally glaring daggers at him.
“I’m still not convinced you didn’t get a concussion on purpose.” Wally accuses.
“You would if it meant extra cuddles.” Roy says, poking his cheek.
Dick stays stubbornly silent.
“See!”
“You try getting hit in the face.”
“Don’t you dare! All three of you dumbasses are not allowed to get injured *on purpose* just to get cuddles.” Coach Hal snarls.
Wally grins. “Gee coach, sounds like a good idea.”
Roy and Dick share a look. “Probably.”
“Wallace, I will call your uncle and get you banned from Volleyball for a year.”
Wally gapes. “Can he do that?”
“Just don’t and shut up.” You grumble, curling up into Dick more. Dick moves into your old seat to make room for Wally to squish beside him while Roy scoots into the one next to him.
Dick is definitely gonna fall asleep.
______________________________________________________________
Thank yoooouuu
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