Damian Wayne revealed!

When you're sick you do (not) go to school!

Ever been sick, missing school only to find out that's the ONE day something cool happens?

Sucks to suck, right?

Well-- what if I told you there's something that both fits that bill, and makes what happened all about you?

And would you look at that, it even makes sense!

If you're a vigilante at least...

~

Gotham's summer is a period that has its residents as much on the fence as winter, even if the heater isn't the problem. See, since more people are out during the summer, both earlier and longer, unlike winter where they immediately hole up someplace nice or on vacation to a place with an equally nice if not more beautiful climate, and since it's nearly summer vacation that means there's more chances to be targets. More chances to hit something if there are more targets to hit, right?

So a lot of criminal activity obviously means a lot of Bat-Activity.

Following me so far? Good.

During this troubling time, while not fatally wounded or captured, Robin gets into a bit of a situation.

MIA - Missing in Action.

Damian gets concussed during patrol, lost his com, damaged tracker and suit, injured in general. Ends up at Gotham Academy and hides up in the vents - his family searches for the lost Robin until daybreak, then Duke takes over, continuing to keep a keen eye and ear out - can't be that hard to find one of their darkly capedy nightly crusaders during a bright summer day, right? Right. (Then he remembers that same kid isn't like others, and probably was taught at infancy to hide from murder attempts while sleeping in his crib --do baby assassin's sleep in a crib?)

-

Robin wakes up, disoriented, to noise. Prepared for an ambush only to see some students loudly playing a game of football. His head pounds, brain seeming intent to swell past the limits of his skull.
The light stings his eyes, and the ringing of the bell makes him cower in pain more than his injuries had already made him do. He had to go... Somewhere. Darker. Quieter. It's a good thing, then, that he knows the layout of the building.

He slips down the vent, eventually makes his way to the large indoor locker for the school's sport equipment. He lays down on a stack of mattresses; it's dark, quiet and secluded. Safe... he'll rest here for a while before going for contacting the others... right.

Involuntarily, he slips into a daze.

The student on duty, sent by a teacher to get the equipment for an outdoor track challenge halts, freezes in place, when he sees the dark-yellow flash of a cape. What might've been a slacker hiding out on the matt wagon turns into a bewildering discovery of none other than Gotham's very own Robin.
When another student asks him through the door connecting the gym to the yard what's keeping him their only response is getting waved over, shushing him for making any noise lest they wake up the guy (with a sword). Upon first glance at the equipment they freeze much the same next to them. Then he takes his phone out, displaying a healthy dose of common sense and self awareness as he snaps a quick picture with both the flash and noise turned off. Checking it over, he mumbles that this has to be a fever dream, that they're both dehydrated, hallucinating.

Robin is still in the Foto.

The student decides to get their teacher, the picture as evidence whereas the other finally notes the blood crusting the top mattress under the young vigilante. He asks him to hurry, voice slightly raised and he's off like a shot.

He remembers this mornings news segment of the Bats being on the prowl, frantically searching for something. The Signal had made a brief appearance, mentioning it's of no imminent threat to the citizens before quickly leaving again.

His classmate returns with the teacher... along with about ten more curious kids in tow.

Do they call the GCPD or the headmaster first? Should they just... leave Robin be? Could they pretend like nothing happened and get on with their day, keep things from getting complicated? Do they try and get him to the nurses office? Is he dead??! Should they call the news--?? The cops?

The first picture was already sent in the friend group chat, then it was a hit in several class chatgroups, spreading far and wide with excitement and disbelief across campus, students getting out of their seats and leaving classes en masse.
Among which: Stephanie and Tim (screw the timeline), and Jason acting as substitute literature/ PE teacher.
Jason gets accosted by his own class about the ruckus inside the gym, more or less by snatching a phone in annoyance and then proceeding to do an attityadjustment upon seeing the picture. He scans it, repeatedly, as he does a once-over at his previously missing, injured little brother and is already marching his way though the gathering student body like an ice breaker.

Damian stirs, barely, when he's picked up by awkward and hesitant hands. Focus is bleary and short lived, yet he untenses just as quickly when he hears the deep timbre of Jason's voice (still as deep as his father's) and the green eyes just a shade brighter than his mother's across from him. He twists in that direction closer to home, and his carrier - the gum teacher- nearly drops him but his colleague reacts instantly. Damian barely drops a foot to the floor before Jason has him in a much more secure hold, grip firm and slightly proving, maneuvering him around in his arms. Jason brings him to the nurses office, pushing through the flabbergasted, wide-eyed and excited crowd of students and faculty alike, including those who'd just peeked their heads out of the teacher's lounge.

Jason checks the state of the other's equipment just as well as he notes the little tykes' injuries. Limbs seem mostly fine, barely a really ugly bruise. He's sure the moans are from strain, fatigue and above all the prominent Head injury - Robin switched to asking in Arabic on their way down the hallway where Jason came from and if he made it home, if father is angry over his failure to return by himself. What happened?

The literature Nerd in a Jock's body would very much like to have the answer to that, but he doesn't.

A blonde head of curly hair makes eye contact with his towering form, even over the crowd of students, and that's confirmation enough. Steph steps out, leaving him with Damian and Tim for backup whilst calling Duke for pick up. Tim helps Jason put at least a bandage around his bleeding injuries, the small resistance he got fading when Damian sees Drake's face and his non-lethally armed hands. He grumbles, but faced with the other unknown, unsafe faces he almost backs himself into a corner. Like a wounded animal.

Gotham Academy gets graced by not one, but two vigilantes that day - Signal showing up at the directors and later nurses office to 'sign Robin out for the day' as though he was an attending student instead of a grounds trespasser.
Though it saves them the trouble of deciding what to do with him...

He picks his younger brother up with the help of the 'teacher', who also uses his big and buff build to shout over the students to clear a pathway with the authority of someone believing themselves a successful Mob Boss.
Tim Drake being particularly helpful in that endeavor with well placed shoves and little reminders that there's still a fricking sharp sword poking out of Robin's cape. Signal isn't too worried about that one, if at all, being the only one currently armored enough and in control of all his facilities, unlike Robin who's neither quite awake nor oriented enough with his limbs -injuies aside, he'd pull through on spite on principle- to attack him with it.

They watch, stunned and relieved as they leave on Signal's motorcycle-- except Robin whines at the loud noises again, and Steph hurriedly throws them her earmuffs (which she'd also snatched from her backpack when making the discreet call to Duke). She'd get it back by evening at the latest anyway, and they all know how a concussion hurts.
It doesn't need the extra hurt that is Gotham as a background to add onto that fact or give them an even grumpier baby bat.

Grateful, they finally drive off. Signal making sure that Robin's cape is covering his head to block the most light, even as he makes a point to bend most of it away from his head and ensuring he doesn't fall asleep with a concussion. Bruce is more than happy to receive both of them in the cave the moment he got the photo of his son at school, even if he's worried about the known -superficial- injuries Tim texted him about immediately upon discovery.