Chapter Text
Dick didn’t quite understand why Bruce kept on insisting that he should spend time with Catwoman, sorry, Selina, all the time.
Sure, it was better than not having anyone around to talk to, and Selina seemed to be genuinely interested in him, but it didn’t make sense.
He was already suddenly spending tons of time with her at night, but maybe Bruce was hoping that he would pick up some stealth tips from her? That could be it, but surely Bruce would teach him those himself.
Either way, she was at the manor on a regular enough basis now that it almost felt normal. Except for the part where she was a thief, and he and Bruce were the ones who always caught her.
She hadn’t stolen anything in a while now though, and it was becoming suspicious. Suspicious enough that Dick began making plans with Wally.
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Wally was not helpful.
Part of this was likely due to Wally being a speedster. His plans generally didn’t exceed “run at the criminal really fast”.
It was also likely due to the fact that Wally had gotten it into his head that Catwoman and Batman were dating, and that Catwoman would likely soon be Dick’s stepmother.
Dick had tried to explain to Wally that Bruce wasn’t his father to begin with, meaning that Catwoman would never be his stepmother, but Wally had simply brushed it off as “semantics”. If Wally was to be believed, Catwoman’s master plan was to marry Batman in order to ground Robin and make sure that he couldn’t stop her heists.
Something about it seemed wrong though. For one, Catwoman was clearly more interested in him than she was Bruce.
She was still better than that Talia woman that Bruce had been dating when he had taken Dick in. That wasn’t a very high bar to clear though.
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“I’m telling you Bruce, he doesn’t like me. At all.” bemoaned Selina, head in her hands.
“Give him some more time, maybe if you try doing some sort of activity together? Maybe take him somewhere?” Bruce suggested.
“Where would I take him though?” she sighed. She’d been absent his entire life, of course he would hate her!
“Try the zoo? He told me once that some of the exhibits remind him of his time in the circus.” came the response.
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It was demeaning, really. Bruce was insisting on Dick going to the zoo with Selina. The two of them still kept insisting that they weren’t dating or anything, but Dick knew that there was something there. He just had to find it.
In the meantime, he was headed to the zoo. Hooray.
Nearing the exit of Gotham Academy, Dick nearly collided with Artemis. He could tell that it was her, of course, but she hadn’t figured him out yet.
Slipping out of the crowd and towards the doors, Dick made his way over to where Selina was talking on the phone. The conversation that Dick heard made it clear who exactly she was calling. Frantically worrying about where he was? Clearly on the phone with Bruce. Up until the point where she saw him, at which point she closed the call.
“Alright, you ready to head to the zoo?” asked Selina.
“I mean, I’d kinda like to change into an outfit that doesn’t scream ‘free ransom money’ before we head into a large public space” snarked Dick.
“Thought so” said Selina as she tossed a duffle bag at Dick. At least she wasn’t trying to get him kidnaped.
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An hour later and Dick and Selina were in the center of the zoo. Dick had tried texting Wally for advice, to no avail. The speedsters advice peaked at ‘find a shiny for her to steal’, but how was Dick supposed to find something that would thoroughly activate Catwoman’s feline kleptomania in a public zoo?
“Hey, Dick” called Selina. Something about the way that she said his name, the hesitation in the middle, bothered him. Was she really that uncomfortable with him? What was worth making herself so uncomfortable? “Come take a picture” Selina continued, waving him over to a cutout.
Dick faked a smile while placing his face through the painted wooden ringmaster’s face, which looked nothing like Mr Haley, while Selina found a cartoonish lion to impersonate. It was ridiculous, no smart ringmaster would personally involve themself with one of the most dangerous parts of the circus.
“Your son certainly looks like you” Dick heard the photographer say after Selina collected the pictures. Dick stiffened, so focused on what Selina would say that he didn’t notice how she stiffened in the exact same way.
Selina simply gave a dull chuckle and a smile that, if Dick had been looking, would have been obviously fake.
After that, Dick began playing up the ‘miserable orphan’ act, ready to head back to the manor.