As much as Bart hates to admit it, there are downsides to video games. This downside may just be a him thing, though.
The sharp burning pains run through each joint of his fingers and down to his wrists. Every slight movement triggers it again. It would help if he could stay still. But y'know. Speedsters and their ADHD. And tremors. The tremors definitely make it worse. His hands have always had a slight shake to them, it's why Robin says his handwriting is so bad, but the universe has decided to make it ten times worse when his arthritis is acting up.
Bart sets the controller down after he thoroughly beats Kon in Smash Bros. Kon is groaning, but Bart can’t focus on what he’s saying through the pain. He goes to crack his wrist- not great, he knows, but it's a habit- and immediately hisses from the pain. He switches to rolling it around and tries to massage his fingers, but it just makes the hand he’s using to massage them hurt worse. He gives up.
He zips to the kitchen to avoid Kon questioning his silence. Tim is here, taking things out of the cupboards and typing on his communicator built into his suit. “Hey Bart. You hungry? I’m about to throw together a dish I just learned.” “I’m always hungry, but are you any good at cooking?” Bart teases, and Robin rolls his eyes, “Better than you probably.” Bart reaches for the pot of coffee on the counter. He can’t lift it. Trying to sends the searing pain up his arm. He frowns. “Can you pour me some coffee?” He asks. Robin gives him a questioning look, “Can’t do it yourself?” “No.” Bart idly massages his wrist. Tim looks at him with curiosity, but gets a mug from the cabinet and pours him a cup. Bart briefly pictures sewing his mouth shut so he doesn’t have to worry about Tim blabbing to the others that Bart can’t even pick up a coffee pot. Tim adds the exact amount of sugar into the mug that Bart likes, and he wonders how Tim knew how much to add without asking. “Thanks,” he says instead, and tries to take the mug.
As soon as the weight is shifted to his hand, the pain flares and he drops it. Tim catches it, somehow, so it spills but the mug doesn’t shatter all over the floor. “Sorry.” Bart imagines killing himself. Tim sets the mug on the counter. “Let me see your hands, Bart.” Uh oh. He’s using his “serious but not mad, just worried” voice. Bart holds out his hands. Tim examines them thankfully without touching them. “They’re inflamed and shaky… Did something happen recently? Did you get it checked out in medbay?” “Nothing happened,” Bart says quickly, snatching his hand back. “Bart, whatever it is, I can probably help. I won’t tell anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Bart thinks it over for all of two seconds. He wraps his arm around Robin’s middle, ensuring he has a good grip without using his hands, then runs them all the way to China, in the middle of some rice field. “I have arthritis,” He says, before Tim can adjust to zooming across the globe.
Silence happens as Tim adjusts that Bart knows is probably not that long but feels like a million years to him. Finally, Tim takes a deep breath as he pushes down the nauseated feeling of going so fast and breaks the silence. “Okay. I can get you some medicine and wrist braces. I’m guessing you don’t have any, or you would have used them already. We can also trade off an ice pack and a hot pack to reduce the stiffness and swelling. Could you take me to my place? I think I have everything we need there.” Bart pictures Robin in a little nurse outfit putting ice on his hands. It's kind of cute. He wraps his arm around Tim again and takes them to his boat house, which Bart had only been to a couple times before. Robin lets them into the boat quickly to make sure no one sees them in superhero getups. Bart zips around the boat, taking it all in and rambling about all the changes he sees since the last time he was here to distract from the awkward feeling he has as Tim gathers up all the materials. He sets them all on a table by the couch.
“Bart, you gotta come sit down so I can do this.” Bart groans but sits heavily on the couch. “Put your hands on the table,” Tim says. Bart follows the instructions and tim carefully places an icepack on one hand. “I have some pain pills here too, with some water. Can you lift the cup?” Bart puts the pills on his tongue and reaches for the small cup with a couple sips of water. It hurts, but he pushes through and manages to swallow the pills. “Good.” Bart blushes. Tim puts ice on his other hand and Bart wriggles impatiently in his seat. How long does he have to stay like this because he feels like he’s gonna explode. Tim grabs a nearby remotes and flips on the TV, putting on a cartoon. Bart watches the screen to take his mind off of everything. “SB is asking where we went, I’ll tell him we’re out getting groceries. I’ll order online delivery while we’re here.” “Thanks,” Bart says. “You didn’t have to help me. I could have just waited it out.” Tim shakes his head, “That’s not sustainable. You shouldn’t have to just wait it out and suffer. I can help, so I’m helping.” Bart imagines placing a big fat kiss to Tim’s forehead in thanks. He smiles instead, and watches the show.
After an episode, Tim takes the ice off his hands. The burning pain has subsided, and the cold has made him hands numb, which is honestly much better to him. Tim wraps each hand in his own for a few minutes to warm them up, and Bart tries not to vibrate out of his skin or throw up the butterflies in his stomach. Once his hands weren/t freezing cold, Tim got out the braces. “Tell me if it's too tight, we can’t cut off the circulation.” “Got it.” Tim adjusts the braces, sending a couple small waves of pain through Bart’s hands. When they were sufficiently on and adjusted, Bart sighs with relief. The tightness feels great, like it holding all his bones together. “Thanks Rob!” His big smile is closer to his usual mannerisms, and Tim returns a smile. “No problem. Now we just gotta get some groceries to the Cave so Superboy is none the wiser. I ordered some, they should be getting dropped off soon. I’ll call the cycle and we can ride it back so you don’t have to carry everything.” “Sounds good,” Bart says, and switches his attention back to the still running show. He’ll keep watching until everything is good to go.
A week later, Bart is playing more games with Kon, thankfully without much pain this time. “Imp, can I talk to you real quick,” Robin asks as he walks into the room. Kon and Bart look at each other and shrug. “Sure thing Rob. What’s up?” “In private,” He says quieter, and leads Bart further into the cave. They end up in medbay.
“I made these for you,” Tim says, handing Bart some red gloves that match the ones on his suit. “They’re modified braces. They look like your usual gloves, but they provide more support, and they have cooling and heating options.” Bart slips on the gloves and feels that same support from the other braces Tim let him use. “Woah… How did you even make these?” Tim shrugs, “It was a joint effort between me and the Bat’s tech guy. Technically a prototype, so let me know if anything needs to be adjusted.” Bart smiles wide and wraps Tim into a tight hug. “Thanks.” “No problem,” Tim says with a bit of a strained voice and a red face. “There’s- uh- pain meds in the medbay too, you have free access. I left a chart taped to the cabinet that lists the correct dosages for each of you.” “You’re the best nurse a guy could ask for,” Bart says in a slightly teasing but not mean tone.” Tim laughs, and Bart revels in it. “You can go back to Kon now, I’m sure he’s getting bored waiting.” Bart nods, “Thanks again, Tim.” He zips away, and Tim tries to cool the blush on his face with an ice pack from the medbay mini freezer.