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Dick stared at the chart. No matter how much he stared, it didn’t vanish, didn’t blur into nothing, it proved not to be a hallucination or a figment of his imagination. It was very much real and very much present.
“What the fuck.” Jason growled when he entered the kitchen, eye’s zoning onto the chart before his face turned red. He flushed embarrassed and stared much like Dick couldn’t help but so over the bowl of cereal he’d been dozing into.
It was some sort of miracle or curse he hadn’t noticed the chart while he’d made himself the bowl and poured a glass of orange juice, because the chart stood out so clearly against the sleek black fridge. He’d chalked it up to exhaustion.
Jason hadn’t said a word beyond his initial reaction, still staring. Dick broke his gaze first, looking back down at his obnoxiously colourful cereal, shrugging and then continuing to eat. It wouldn’t be the weirdest thing Bruce had done and honestly it was almost nice.
Jason started a while longer, face frowning and cheeks red before he turned on his heel and stormed back out of the kitchen without a word.
Dick didn’t have any other interruptions with his breakfast beyond that, and it gave him plenty of chances to keep sneaking peeks at the chart on the fridge. ‘Good Behaviour’ was printed along the top in bright red, yellow and green that made Dick smile. His colours.
Below, meticulously, each member of the families names were written, his at the very top, followed by Jason, Tim and Damian.
It probably seemed a little condescending, to most people it would, but Dick only beamed. Yes, he was 25 and yes he was way too old for a stickers chart but Bruce! Bruce had made this and it was a sweet attempt from the man who often fumbled with his emotions, showing he could pay attention to his children when it counted…
Dick was scrubbing his bowl clean when Tim shuffled in like a zombie heading for the coffee pot.
“Morning Timmy.” Dick beamed and Tim made a grunt in acknowledgement. It was pointless trying to talk to the teenager before he had coffee.
Once he’d down two mugful's, Dick relished in the whiplash Tim probably gave himself, head snapping to the fridge eyes wide before filling with tears.
Suddenly Dick no longer felt amusement but worry and concern, instantly moving to Tim’s side.
“Tim! Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Dick asked, hesitant to touch the boy in case that made things worse, but holding out his arms should Tim want a hug. Tim surged up and into his chest, letting Dick’s arms wrapped around him, holding him tightly. Tim looked up, sniffling as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“I-I’m included.” Tim whispered and smiled through the tears. Dick shot back his own blinding grin and nodded.
“Always, Baby Bird. You’re ours, remember?” Dick soothed because Tim still questioned his role in the family sometimes and it broke Dick’s heart. The kid had never been included in things before, nothing as mundane as a sticker chart because he hardly ever saw his parents growing up-
Dick would have to remember to give Bruce a hug for the whole thing if it made Tim happy enough to be brought to tears.
His washing up was left partly done in lieu of carrying Tim (and his third mug of coffee) into the living room to snuggle up on the couch. Tim tried to calm his sobs, shocked by his own emotional response as Dick held him close and they both hardly paid attention to the crappy daytime tv Dick had put on in the background.
Jason had returned around lunchtime, refusing to even look at the fridge, turning his face away when he had to go into it for butter and milk and cheese for a sandwich and a tea. Dick, who was with Tim in the kitchen at the time, Tim fixing them both up toasties snorted. Yes, he’d had his own emotional outburst at the chart but Jason was outright so flustered and shy at it. He looked so destroyed at the prospect of Bruce still including him in such a thing, that perhaps Bruce really did still see him as his son… Like somehow this was the nail in the coffin, despite Bruce’s constantly attempts to reassure Jason he still loved him, that despite everything that had happened, despite his previous murderous tendencies, Bruce loved him no less than when he’d been a scrawny twelve year old, brave enough to steal his tires.
“Jaybird c’mon, it’s not that bad.” Dick teased when Jason slammed the fridge shut harshly.
“What’s not bad?” Damian asked, entering the room, eyes drawn to the colourful monstrosity almost instantly. “What is that infernal-”
“Good morning Boys.” Bruce spoke, entering after Damian. It wasn’t morning. It was 1pm, but Bruce clearly had a late night and had just woken up.
“Hey B.” Dick smiled, “and it’s a chart, Lil D, you’ll get stars if you’re good.” Dick beamed. Damian clicked his tongue.
“I don’t need stars to tell me my worth, Grayson.” Damian retorted and Tim only snorted again. Were all his siblings tsunderes (minus Dick of course) or something because Damian’s cheeks were also flushed red at the prospect. God they were all craving validation or something.
Bruce silently stalked across the kitchen and pulled out some pretty, glittery stickers from his pocket. He placed three beside Dick’s name and one beside Tim’s before moving over to the coffee machine.
“Morning Jaybird.” He spoke, softly, full of love as Jason squirmed under the attention.
“H-Hey B.” He croaked because poor Jason just couldn’t comprehend he was redeemable. He was his biggest critic and Dick hated that.
“Thanks B!” He grinned at the stickers, “what’s that for though?” He asked curiously.
“Alfred mentioned you looked after Tim earlier, thank you for looking out for your brother, Dick.” Bruce answered as he stole a little of Jason’s hot water, earning a yelp from the twenty year old.
“Hey! That’s my water!” He bit out and then pouted. Bruce only let out a rumbling laugh.
“And Tim, for making lunch for you brother.” Bruce added, explaining Tim’s sticker. Damian glared from across the room.
“That’s ridiculous. That’s not worthy of praise, any imbecile can look after Drake or make a meal. I demand a star of my own, Father!” Damian hissed and Bruce shook his head fondly.
“Sorry Damian, stars are only gained for looking out for your siblings. Maybe you can help Jason make lunch or perhaps assist in washing the dishes when Dick and Tim are finished?” Bruce suggested with a sly grin. Dick laughed too, as Damian stomped out of the room with yells and shouts of how he wouldn’t lower himself to such a level.
“Don’t tease him, B.” Tim chided but failed to hide his own laugh at the situation. Jason tried to blend into the background, finishing up his own sandwich and reboiling water for a tea after Bruce’s theft. He snuck out quickly and quietly while Bruce was distracted talking to Tim and Dick.
He still felt awkward and shy around the clan which was weird. He’d never been a shy kid, in fact he’d always been the opposite, brave and fearless and it was too unusual to think about how he’d suddenly, upon his return to the manor, become quiet. He was almost afraid to start conversations, to interact with the family in fear they’d turn on him, they’d tell him it was a joke and how they never really wanted him back… Jason should probably tell someone this… Ah well.
He munched his sandwich, walking back through the hallways, to the safety of the guest room he’d claimed. His own room felt like a mausoleum. This one was better. He couldn’t get too comfortable, so when they inevitably got rid of him, it wouldn’t hurt as much.
It was three days later, with Jason having a singular star beside his name, that made him feel all fuzzy and welcome. He’d done something right though he wasn’t sure what. Dick’s stars had overflown the chart and were training down the side of the sheet. Tim had a handful more too.
Damian had none.
It was during dinner Damian stood up angrily, chair flown back as he stormed across the kitchen.
“Damian?” Dick asked, confused, as Damian reached the fridge. He took one hard glare at the sheet, plucked it from the fridge.
“A-” Dick started to exclaim, eyes wide and mouth open as Damian ripped the sheet in two, then four and eight-
“Damian!” Bruce raised his voice.
Damian didn’t halt until the sheet was in pieces before stuffing it all in his mouth.
He was silent, didn’t break eye contact with the family at the table, as he swished the paper around puffed out cheeks.
Jason broke first, laughter pouring out of him while Damian looked like a chipmunk. Tim went next, sniffles and hiccups breaking through lips he urgently pressed together until Dick was pulled into the contagious sounds, all three brothers laughing hysterically at the sight as Damian struggled to swallow the paper.
Bruce exhaled and two fingers came up to rub at the bridge of his nose.
“Damian spit that out before you get sick.” He sighed.
Damian maintained eye contact and...
Swallowed.
“I have all the stars now.” He boasted and turned to flee.
Jason forgot how to breathe around laughter as Tim flailed against his side, clutching onto him as he giggled too and oh… Maybe he did feel like he belonged.. Maybe a little…
