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Dick was anxious to see Batman, he had to make sure that his dad was okay. He followed Zatanna to the zeta tubes and zoomed to the watchtower. Zatanna had messaged the Flash about tiny Robin and told him they were coming up before they switched him back to his proper age. As soon as Flash heard about the Original Robin turning 12 again, he had called all of the Bat Colony to the tower, they would never forgive him if they missed this opportunity.
Jason didn’t go to watchtower much; before he spent more time with the Titian’s and after his return, well The Red Hood wasn’t exactly invited to stop by. Jason knew that there was nothing short of his second death that would keep him away from witnessing the embarrassment that is a prepubescent Dick Grayson. It was time to repay him for his time being a shitty older brother.
Tim was excited to see Dick Grayson’s Robin again. While Jason had been his favorite Robin, Tim still carried a soft spot for the First Robin. Tim managed to snatch up a couple of his favorite scrapbooks and his camera before he zipped up to the Orbital Station. He was going to get a few more family photos if he got a chance. Any ones he got would have to go into the secret files but he would love to get a picture of tiny Dick Grayson surrounded by all his future siblings.
Cass wondered if this younger version of her Big Brother would be just as kind and friendly as the man she knew. She hoped he would be accepting of his horde of siblings that were going to bombard him with their presence. She wanted to give him a hug, then she could see if he was always so comforting or if it was something he grew into.
Damian was nervous and upset but he was trying hard not to show it. He knows that Dick is not his Father, but at the same time he is. Dick was the first man, person even, to care about Damian, for Damian. He wasn’t ‘The Demon’s Heir’ or ‘The Blood Son’ he wasn’t an ‘Au Ghul’ or even a ‘Wayne’ the only title he cared about was ‘Brother,’ or even ‘Son’. He just wanted his Baba to be proud of him, and this version didn’t even know him, would this Dick Grayson, one so close in age to himself actually even like him.
Duke was excited to see Dick younger than him. He hadn’t been with the family long but he had been an avid follower of the first Robins exploits for as long as he could remember. He even wrote some Robin/Kid Flash fics on the G-fics back before he had ever met the super heroes. Then Duke had taken his chance to lead a protest movement in Robin’s name, Duke hoped that Dick would be proud of what he had done with the name.
Alfred was on the watchtower for the third time in his life, it was the first time where it wasn’t a traumatic emergency. When the Flash had called and informed the household that there had been another de-ageing incident he had been afraid to ask whom was affected this time. He was actually excited to see a younger Master Dick. He was just glad he appeared to be an age where he had already been with them a few years, he had no doubt that Dick did not want the others to know how much of a hellion he had been in the early days.
Bruce was anxious, he was happy to see his son again, before they had strained their relationship with all his bad decisions. But he was very conscious of the fact that Little Robin was not a very forgiving individual and he knew that the very existence of another Robin would piss him off.
They heard the soft woosh of the Zeta Tubes followed by low voices murmuring in the other room.
“Is he here, is my dad, is Batman really here?” Bruce choked up a little hearing that he had no idea that Dick had thought of him as his dad so young. Dick never used the term at all until after he had come back from his time traveling adventure courtesy of Darksied.
“Yes. I got word that he and the rest of the bats are all waiting to see you.”
“Rest of the Bats? You mean Agent A came up here to asterous. I always wanted to show him space, its so pretty up here.”
“Well, there are a few more bats than Agent A, now. Are you ready to meet them?”
“I don’t, … no… Did he…” they heard a sigh and then a quiet voice sadly said, “I guess so.”
Dick froze when he came into the room; there were so many people here. He recognized Batman, Agent A and the Flash but he had never met any of the others. There was a tall man with a white streak in his hair, a skinny lanky kid with a camera, a petite Asian teenage girl, a dark-skinned teen with a Robin bomber jacket on and a little kid about his age. Five people he had never met were staring at him studying him. He was a pretty confident child and hero but it had been a long day and he was having trouble hiding his emotions anymore.
Jason was surprised at his first glimpse of the younger version of his older brother. He hadn’t expected him to be so small or so sad. From every story he had been told about the kid he always had Sunshine radiating out of his ass and could do nothing wrong hence calling him Golden boy. But this was not Goldie, this was a scared, hurt little kid in a Robin uniform. Jason never actually remembered a time when he had seen Dick scared of anything. That in its self was the most disturbing part of this whole episode.
Tim had studied young Robin for years and he knew that expression, he had only seen it a few times when Dick and Bruce were on patrol and every time it was because something went drastically wrong. Dick was terrified and uncertain, what could he be afraid of here? It was just the family.
Cass looked away from little brother he was screaming fear and hurt and hurt and hurt with every breath. She had no idea why he was hurt but it was the only thing on the kid’s mind.
Damian was amazed at how young Dick looked, at how vulnerable he was. The boy was tiny, even as a man he was short and lean but as a child he was tiny. He had heard that Dick was capable of knocking thugs out even at this stage of his career. Physically he should not have nearly enough muscle to do anything like that physics alone said he didn’t have enough mass to get enough force behind his punches. He could clearly see the fighting spirit in Dick, the same one that he himself carried.
Duke was simply in awe, he remembered being a small child and hearing the first rumors of Robin. Then catching sight of him on tv and newspaper clippings. He remembered thinking about being like the child superhero when he practiced puzzles to stump Riddler. This was the same legend that had inspired him, had proved to him that it didn’t matter how old they were everyone could make a difference. He had mostly gotten over the hero worship phase with all his Bat-sibs. But seeing the OG Robin in the uniform again was reminding him of it all over again.
Alfred sighed with relief; Master Dick appeared to be unharmed. He forgot how tiny Dick had been when he first joined them. He felt an urge to feed the small boy. He knew he had all the stuff to make three of Master Dick’s favorite dishes. He hoped he’d have a chance to take care of the child before he returned to normal.
Bruce tensed slightly; his breath caught in his throat. How had he ever let his son fight crime so small. Dick was so tiny at 12 even smaller than Damian, his growth spurt didn’t hit him till 15. He missed his son, back before he had broken Dick’s trust. Before he had hurt his child so bad that he’d run away from him to another city. He looked back on the time and wondered how badly he had messed everything up. He hoped that he wouldn’t make these mistakes again. He was afraid he already had.
Dick took a deep breath; he couldn’t believe it there were so many people here. People that Bruce had chosen to add into his family. ‘Was he not enough, was he not good enough? And why did he give away his colors and name? Did B not love him?’
“B, Agent A.” Dick finally stuttered out his greeting, taking a hesitant step towards the two familiar men. He pulled himself back hurt and outrage on his face.
“Why?” he said in the most devastated voice, heart clearly breaking from his emotions.
“Why what chum?” Bruce was unsure of what Dick knew or was told.
“Why did you take away Robin? Why did you give it to someone else? Am I not good enough? And even if I’m not good enough you have no right to that name or anything. Is it because I’m not your son?” Dick was nearly hyperventilating by that point.
Bruce was a little shocked at the shear amount of vitriol and despair in his child’s voice.
“Oh, chum,” he said sadly. “I made a lot of mistakes when you were a teen, I was desperately afraid of you dying. I handled it badly, it was the first time you had actually gotten that badly hurt; you were being targeted by Two Face and his gang. I took the Robin suit away from you to protect you. You ran away to the Team instead of staying in Gotham. Then you had made a new name for yourself and I didn’t think that you would mind passing on the title. I forgot for a moment how much it meant and where it all started.”
The others gaped at Bruce, they had not heard him apologize nearly enough, much less with actual words.
“You have always been enough. You are one of the best things that has ever happened to me, chum.”
“Then why, why did you never want to…” Dick couldn’t finish.
“Because I am a stupid man. I had made up adoption papers with in two months of you coming to the manor. But every time I would go to ask you I would either chicken out or you would say something that made me think you didn’t want to be adopted. Then all the stuff with benching you and the huge fight and you went to the team I thought that you didn’t want me in your life at all. It took us three years to learn how to talk to each other again and I was so afraid of saying the wrong things I didn’t say anything at all.” Bruce had forced all the words out that he should have done the first time around.
Dick started to tear up. “You really do want me?”
“Of course, chum, I have always wanted you.” Bruce reassured the small child.
He quickly stumbled toward his dad, throwing himself at him, waiting to be caught and safe once more in his arms.
Bruce caught his little Robin, petting his hair and murmuring reassurance to his child.
“I’ve got you chum, it’s all going to be alright.” Bruce swayed slightly on the spot rocking Dick back and forth. “Everything is going to be okay.”
Bruce had forgotten how emotional his eldest always was. Even Zatanna and Flash hadn’t really ever seen Dick collapse like this after a bad mission. Dick had trained himself to keep it in until he was at the manor. Bruce was just grateful that Dick was still willing to come to him and be comforted.
“Damn, I didn’t know Goldie ever actually….” Jason trailed off uncomfortable watching his eldest brother loss all his composure sobbing into their dad’s arms.
Dick’s siblings just looked on in amazement, their brother the heart and soul of the family just seemed to melt and shudder gasping for breath as he cried. Cass was the first to move closing in silently approaching the two men until she could put her hand on her big brother rubbing small circles on his back like he had done for her in the past. All of the kids came forward and touched him patting his back or running their fingers through his hair, a reassuring touch on his arm where it was wrapped around Bruce’s neck.
Dick’s cries stuttered to a stop. He sniffed a few times nuzzling into B’s neck.
“Who are all these people B?” He asked in a watery voice.
“Your siblings. You have said I have an adopting problem quite a few times. Would you like me to introduce you?” B’s voice was gentle soft rumble instead of a full growl a sound only his kids had ever heard. Dick lifted his head a little and nodded.
“I’m Jason, Goldie, your first little brother I guess.” His tough Gotham street-kid showing through while he tried to pretend it didn’t matter if Dick accepted him or not.
Dick ducked his head a little, “I always wanted a little brother.”
Jason was a little shocked at that, he had assumed that Dick hated him. There first few meetings had been pretty disastrous and their relationship had been rocky ever since. His death and return hadn’t made things any easier.
The others had pulled back a little clearly lining up in some semblance of order only comprehensible to themselves. While Jason was still mulling over his relationship with Dick, especially in light of what he had just found out, another of the boys approached him.
“Umm, I’m Tim Drake-Wayne, we met once before and then I lived next door to you guys for ages.”
“You take pictures?” Dick had noticed the camera that the kid had brought.
“Yeah, I tend to take pictures of nocturnal arboreal mammals and small red birds.” Tim let out a grin at the joke.
“I can show you some of the best if you have time.” He offered.
“Sure,” Dick was starting to perk up a little.
“Cass. Sister. Friend.” She signed as she spoke the words finishing with the pinky and pointer fingers extended with her thumb out in the ‘I love you’ sign.
Dick blinked a bit at her simple speech pattern before tucking his head back into B’s chest suddenly shy.
“I am Damian, you are my Baba.” Damian was stiff as he admitted his identity to his Dad.
“What does Baba mean?” Dick asks in a small voice.
“Dad.” Damian answered. “While Batman is my father, you are the one who took me in and treated me like your son.”
“I’m your dad?” Dick was too surprised to say anything else.
“I’m Duke, I’m the newest brother.” As Duke was talking the zeta tube went off again. In rushed a blond in a purple hoodie her long hair flowing behind her.
“Am I too late?” she hollered. “Did I miss tiny Dick?” Jason and Duke both laughed at that.
“No, he is still midget sized.” Tim said ignoring the glare that Dick sent at him.
“Oh My GOSH. HE IS SO FREAKING CUTE!” The blond squealed as she looked at him. Dick looked on in horror as she continued to fawn about his small stature.
“Hey little dude, I’m Stephanie, I dated Timbo over there and help out with the night job.”
“I’m not cute.” Dick crossed his arms over his chest and said with a pout. From the looks on several of the surrounding faces it appeared that none of them agreed with him. It didn’t help his case at all that he was still being carried around by Bruce. Tim had started to snap a few pictures now that introductions were done.
“Umm, Zatanna, not to be rude or anything, is there anything we are waiting on before we turn Dick back to his normal age?” The Flash asked.
“Nah not really, just waiting on him to tell me he’s ready.” She replied.
“What you don’t want a twelve-year-old for a boyfriend do you?” Stephanie teased.
“No, I don’t particularly like the idea of my boyfriend being twelve.” The Flash replied.
The look of absolute terror on Dick’s face was comical to say the least. Tim of course managed to get several shots of it while he laughed.
“No, no, no, no, I don’t want to date Uncle Barry. That is just NO.” Dick wailed.
“Hey, no you’re not dating Uncle Barry, Rob. It’s me KF.” Wally smiled as he took the cowl off his head.
Dick fell silent at that and stared at Wally. Then he let out a high-pitched squeal, “He actually likes me back.”
He flailed his arms and then shook Bruce and screamed right in his face. “He really likes me.”
“I know chum, I know he’s liked you for a long time.” Bruce smiled at his young son, laughing a little as Dick blushed and then hid his face against his chest again.
“He really likes me.” Dick whispered into Bruce’s shoulder letting out a huge yawn as he nestled in and closed his eyes. “Best day ever.”
He was asleep before Bruce could even say ‘Good night, Chum.’