To tame a Demon (english)

Chapter 32: A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye.

"I'm afraid your eye is beyond repair Master Jason. The rakes on Master Dick's feathers have torn out the entire vitreous body. Unfortunately, there is nothing more that can be done. I can only sew up the torn skin, but a scar will probably remain."

"Don't worry Alfi. I already knew that when all the stuff ran down my face. But that's not half bad. I still have the second one."

"Master Jason with respect, you shouldn't make this out to be a simple trifle. Your body is your most important asset and determines your whole life. Especially in your young years you should take special care of it. God help me with this good-for-nothing!"

With that, the old butler turned away, shaking his head, to take more swabs for the bleeding areas, and then set about stitching up the wound, with deep wrinkles on his forehead.

Alfred's diagnosis was nothing surprising to Jason. After all, he himself had felt the sharp feathers dragging out the inside of his eye and how the measly remnants then worked their way down his cheek.

But as much as Jason had no problem with having sacrificed one of his eyes, he could tell how much the butler was tormented by it. After all, he was only the tip of the iceberg.

It had been several hours since the events at Bludhaven and each of them was scarred.

Jason had insisted that the others be taken care of first, since his eye was beyond saving anyway. Damian, Tim and even Dick definitely needed it more. He himself had taken care of fixing Dick's wings and his many deep wounds. They healed slower than usual, which was why this had been necessary. But Jason was in awe of what Dick could take. Without self-healing to take care of the roughest, these injuries would have surely been fatal.

And as was to be expected, said mummy was now back in that little cage Bruce had built for him.

It permanently annoyed Jason, especially since he hadn't expected the cage to be so small. But for now he said nothing against it. Dick is still in dreamland anyway, and arguing with Bruce after everything that had happened was definitely too much for this day. He just wanted to go to bed.

And so the Outlaw lay here in the Batcave on a couch and let Alfred patch him up. At least what could be patched up.

The butler was finishing the last stitch when Jason addressed the elephant in the room:

"How's Damian?"

The butler's already sad expression darkened a few more shades at the thought of their youngest:

"I wish I could say good, however his injuries are severe and the tremendous blood loss is also taking a toll on him. We won't know if he will pull through until tomorrow. Master Bruce is personally monitoring his condition until then."

With that, both had probably seen the branded J on Damian's collarbone. The Outlaw was just glad that this burn scar had not been addressed for now. But who knew how long that would last.

"And Timmy?"

"Master Tim has already retired to his room. Fortunately, no major arteries or tendons in his leg were damaged, so his wound should heal well. But he was very upset by the whole thing, and he was also bothered by the head injury. Sleep will do him a world of good."

Jason snorted briefly in amusement before he could only agree:

"I think it will do us all good."

Alfred dabbed the stitches clean and then wound his way to the medical paraphernalia to grab the bandages. Jason was sitting up when the butler's gaze slipped briefly behind the bars of the metal cage: