Chapter Text
It’s been a few weeks since he finally came clean and told the League that he’s a child. Mostly because he found out he wasn’t aging, but that’s fine… he’s not worried. That’s a problem for later.
They took it pretty well. For the most part. Wonder Woman hadn’t liked the fact he lied to them. But after the full story, how he didn’t have a full choice in getting powers, and getting to know Billy as Billy she came around and mostly forgave him.
The other members had been hesitant to allow him to retain full membership. But then it was pointed out that it’s best to have him on their side then otherwise, if he needs help and this way they can keep an eye on him and know exactly what he’s up to.
That’s how Billy ended up in this situation. Dragging his blankets and backpack into his room in the watchtower. Every member gets a room. There’s a pretty big risk that comes with the job, so members will spend the night for a variety of reasons. If there was a villain attack too close to their home or if they’re injured. Sometimes people sleep over because of their time zone and meetings being late at night for them.
In Billy’s case, it was too cold. His drafty abandoned apartment isn’t the best when it’s cold at night.
“Billy?”
“Oh hi,” Billy waves slightly, his arms full of blankets.
Superman walks over, “What are you doing here this late?”
“It was too cold at home, and it’s warm in here. And I wanted to wash my blankets.” He holds the pile of blankets up.
“Do you want me to get these in the wash for you?”
“Uh, sure,” Billy shrugs. He didn’t expect to run into anyone, “Are you on monitor duty?”
Superman nods, then smiles, “Yeah, I can look through the wall and keep an eye on it.”
“Woah,” Billy grins, “That’s cool.”
“I did have a question, when you’re Marvel you don’t act like a kid… well you sort of do. Is there a reason?”
Billy shrugs, “I think it’s like I’m expected to be an adult so people just think I’m a really weird adult. I also try to be more mature and act a little different. ”
“A little like what I do then,” Superman nods as he and Billy start walking over to the laundry room.
“Wait,” Billy grins, “You have a secret identity?”
“I do.”
“Cool,” Billy says, pushing the door open.
The blankets are put into the wash before anyone says anything else, “You’re not going to ask?”
Billy turns to look at Superman, “What would I ask?”
“My secret identity, you don’t want to know.”
“Uh, well yeah I want to know, but I didn’t tell anyone my identity for years. So I don’t want to pressure you into telling me if you don’t really want to.” He shrugs.
“Oh.” Superman binks, somewhat surprised by the answer.
Billy looks up at him and nods awkwardly, “Well, ok, uh Good night, thanks for the help cleaning the blankets.”
With that Billy walks back to his assigned league dorm room.
He realizes that he hasn't been in the room as a child before, “Oh…” He whispers to himself. The room felt big as Marvel, but as Billy it’s huge. He’s never been in an adult sized room before. Well, he had his parents, but they were always with him. In all the foster homes and with Uncle Ebinezer, the room was at least usable for kids.
But this, it feels just a bit too big.
The mattress comes up to his shoulders.
After a few attempts to climb up he sits back and frowns. This is not working. The thing with Billy Batson is that he’s not all that good at climbing. Sure he’s scrambled over fences and walls before. But climbing onto a plush surface that has no place to grip or step up onto is hard. Sure he could drag a chair over but, they’re wood and the room was designed for a superhero, an adult superhero, so there's no way he can move stuff by himself in here.
… He’s going to have to ask for help isn't he?
Pulling the communicator out of his backpack Billy frowns. The only other person on the watchtower was Superman.
Great.
Not that Billy didn’t like the Man Of Steel. It’s just asking him for help as Billy. It’s a little weird. He’s still his hero. Even though they’ve met and worked together for months. So yeah, weird.
He’s drawn from his worry as a knock comes from the door.
“You alright there?” Superman calls, “Your heartbeat picked up.”
“You were listening to my heart?” Billy whispers as he opens the door, “Im fine.”
“I was keeping an ear out for you,” He shrugs.
“Oh, uh, I can't climb up.” He points to his bed, “Can you put me on the bed.”
“Sure.” He follows Billy into the room.
Running over to his backpack Billy slowly pulls a beat up tiger plush out. “Ok.”
Boosting him up onto his bed Superman nods, “Alright, let me know if you need something else.”
“Ok,” Billy nods as he burrows into the blankets, “Night.”
“You want the lights off?”
“Can you turn the desk light on, then the big one off?”
“Sure.”
The lights click and the door is slid shut, “Night Billy.”
_______
The next morning Billy wanders around the watchtower. Eventually he finds the cafeteria. Wandering inside he stops as he spots Flash and Kid flash chatting.
“Who’s the kid?” Kid flash asks as he spots Billy standing in the doorway.
Snapping his head over Flash grins and gives a lazy wave, “Hey Billy.”
“Hi.”
“Here, Wally, this is Billy Batson,” Flash introduces as Billy walks over.
“Batson?”
Billy giggles, “I don't work with Batman, I'm Captain Marvel.”
Wally freezes, “Really?”
“Mhm,” Billy nods.
“How old are you?” Wally asks slowly, he couldn’t have been older than seven, maybe eight.
“Twelve.”
“How?”
“Magic,” Billy shrugs.
Wally shrugs back.
“What are you doing here?”
“It’s my school’s career, take your child to work day thing. I bothered Barry into bring me up here.”
“Where you get to help me,” Barry grins, “I have moneter duty today.”
“Aww man.” Wally scuffs at the ground jokingly.
Billy laughs.
“Do you have school today?” Flash asks suddenly.
“... no?” Billy shrugs, “I don't go to school.”
“Yeah, but you need school…”
“Why?”
“It’s illegal to not go.”
Billy stares at him, “I told you I was basically homeless didn’t I, I don't want to be back in the foster care system.”
“Ok, uh, lets go talk to Batman. I think he’ll be best for this.” Barry says ushring Billy towards the computers.
He’s right about that. Batman knows how to deal with things like this. Of course Billy had practically thrown a fit when he had offered to take Billy in. Billy needs to live in Fawcett. It’s where the rock of eternity is. Where his power comes from. He has to live there. It’s fine to visit or even spend the nights at the watchtower, but he can’t stay there full time. His time must be split.
The proximity to the rock also helps him heal faster and negate some of the weird magic leaking into the city.
Within a few hours Batman has Billy registered for school, they just need to test for his grade level.
“Will you not visibly aging cause any problems?” Batman asks.
Billy shakes his head, “Nope. uh, Fawcett has a ton of magic leaking into things, the magic messing with ages is rare but not unheard of so people will prabbay just think i'm really unlucky.”
“Hmm.”
“It’s fine. Really.” Billy waves his hand.
“What grade are you in?”
“Uh, I stopped going in second… but I tried to keep up with the library. I'm not sure where I'm at.”
“I'll bring you the placement tests.”
“Golly, uh thanks sir.”
___________
Billy’s found a good medium. Splitting his time between Fawcett and the Watchtower. It works for him and it’s nice being to interact as a kid again. He doesn’t have to be as uptight and serious all the time. He sleeps over at the watchtower pretty often.
It’s nice.
Captain Marvel stands on top of the Wizz radio building. Surveying the city. He caught Sivana before his evil plot could really get started today.
Worn out and exhausted he jumps into the air and flies to an area next to his abandoned apartment building.
Transforming he runs out of the alley and into the little mom and pop diner, “Sorry i'm late.”
“Hey Billy.” One of the waiters grins, “you’re at the back tables tonight.”
Billy nods.
A few hours over he’s done helping out for the night and heads back to his apartment.
Pushing the door open he flops onto the mattress and falls asleep. A few hours later something pokes his back, and shakes him awake.
“Did something happen?” He asks, sitting up and rubbing his face. Staring with wide eyes at Flash, Green Lantern and Batman.
“You didn’t show up at the watchtower.” Batman states kneeling down to Billy’s level.
“Yeah we didn’t know what happened.” Flash shrugs, “We were worried.”
Billy shrugs, “It’s not like I go there every night.”
“You kind of do.” Green Lantern says.
“Oh.” Billy frowns.
“Come on, it’s late, you have school tomorrow,” Batman says as he looks at Billy. Holding his hand out to help him up.
Flash grins as Hal whispers something to him, Then he asks,, “Yeah, what were you doing anyways?”
“One of the kid’s in my class, his family owns the diner over there.” He explains pointing in the general direction, “Uh they would let me help out to get food and tips when I needed it… they needed an extra server since their other ones quit. They’re probably one of the reasons I survived so long out here.”
Batman nods.
“Yeah, but you don't need to sleep here,” Hal looks at the bed, “You slept in that.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s gross.” Hal shudders, “Here come to the watchtower.”
“Bring your stuff.” Batman nods.
“Fine.” Billy gathers the few items left in the apartment. Looking around it one last time he grins, “it is pretty gross.”
“Can’t be safe either,” Barry frowns looking at the walls. “No maintenance on the building, all kinds of stuff on the walls.”
- - -
After a decontamination shower; Batman is a little paranoid sometimes , Billy climbs into his bed. In his room. The bed was lowered so he could use it.
The fact that this is his really starts to set in. His parents' books are on the shelves. Retrieved from his uncle's house. He went as Marvel when Batman exposed him for fraud and child neglect. His parents stuff was his and he’s honestly pretty happy with how it worked out.