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Alfred Pennyworth watched the young ward of the manor drag his feet as he made his way to the table for breakfast. He was already dressed in his school uniform, but the older man looked at the child and felt that something was off. Alfred set the plate of food in front of Dick and allowed him to pick at it, making a note that the boy had not even eaten half of his breakfast. They had not had this issue since they had first taken Dick into their care.
Dick Grayson always had a smile on his face.
He was always bouncing around the house.
This new development worried the butler as he took the plate. "Master Dick, are you feeling ill?"
"No Alfie, I'm fine. Just tired, I guess." Dick answered, and offered him a smile that Alfred knew was forced.
"Alright then, my boy, let's head off to school." The car ride was silent. Alfred glanced back in the mirror to see Dick looking out the window as they drove the familiar route. As they pulled up to Gotham Academy, Alfred opened the door for Dick. "I will return at 3 p.m."
"Okay, thanks Alfred."
"It was no problem, Master Dick. Have a good day." He told him as the boy made his way up the stairs, the usual pep in his step was not there. Alfred watched as the boy paused at the door before stepping inside. Something was definitely wrong.
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It was lunch by the time Dick could sit down and get some peace. All day there were remarks made, mostly by the same three boys that had been bugging him for the past month. He rarely let them get to him because he knew what they said wasn't true. They would mention his parents a lot, even reading articles about their death, as if he needed a reminder.
But what was really getting to him were the comments about Bruce. He had heard a lot of them before, but they were usually whispered gossip at big events. Now it was everywhere at school. The stares and hushed whispers. The blunt comments. The notes in his locker.
"Awww, is someone sad because their daddy didn't bring them to school? Was probably tired after…`` The boy was cut off before he could finish. Without thinking, Dick had swung at the boy's face and knocked him over. Dick's fists were still clenched at his side and fury burning behind his eyes.
The cafeteria was silent, and all eyes were on the two. Waiting for whatever would happen next. Dick's eyes followed the boy's every move as he stood back up. "He's not my dad." Dick finally said. "As you have so kindly reminded me, every day my parents are dead. I know this Because I watched them fall. I don't need you to read the clipping from the newspapers to remind me. I don't need the photos slipped into my locker and I don't need you to say a damn thing to me about them. I know. I know better than every single person in the room." He said, his voice even but anger laced in every word.
"Mr. Grayson!" one teacher hurried over, a student by their side, and Dick didn't doubt that they had told them he hit someone. "The office now. We do not tolerate fighting."
"Maybe you should take Charlie too," Barbara Gordon spoke up. "He instigated the whole thing. Dick only defended himself. It's only fair that they inform both parents of the incident."
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Dick sat in the chair across from Charlie in the office, an icepack resting on the other boy's face. He watched everyone around move about their day. The secretary was filing papers and answering the phone. The counselors were going in and out of their offices, sometimes with students. Then Charlie's parents walked in and his eyes stayed on them. Dick couldn’t hear a lot of what they were, but he had picked up on some words, and understood quickly where their son's own words were coming from. When his father turned to Dick, the two made eye contact.
“I don’t care who took you in. You should not be in this school. Your kind deserves…”
“I suggest you move away from him now.” Bruce’s voice boomed from the doorway. The man backed away from Dick quickly as his guardian stepped further into the room. “Let’s go Dick.”
The principal stepped out of her office as Dick stood up. “Mr. Wayne, we need to have a meeting about the boys' fight.”
“We will set one up at a later date when both parties involved have calmed down. I would suggest next time you separate them more, because if I walk in and see what I saw again, I will not be as calm as I am right now.”
“Your son hit our boy!” Charlie's mother suddenly yelled.
“I’m not saying what Dick did was right. I do not condone that kind of violence and he knows this. But I will not tolerate a grown man insulting a child, either. I will be back tomorrow morning at nine a.m. for the meeting.” Bruce told them, not leaving any room for argument. Dick followed Bruce from the room, and the two remained silent until they got into the car.
“What happened?” Bruce asked him as they drove away from the school. “Dick?”
The boy let out a heavy sigh. His gaze remained out the window, refusing to look over at Bruce. “They just would not leave me alone. I was tired of it.”
“I’ve told you before not to do this at school.”
“You don’t understand! Bruce, you don’t get it.” Dick cried out. “It's not just today. It is every single time I step through those doors. It doesn’t stop. It won’t stop.” He said. “I can’t do anything and you can't either.”
“I’ll take care of it tomorrow.”
“Oh please, you’re just going to throw money at the problem to make it go away. But it isn’t just me. They’ll move onto another kid because they won’t be protected, and the cycle is just going to continue. Nobody cares. Nobody ever will.” Dick told him. “Just forget it.”
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“I don’t know what to do Alfred.” Bruce said at the table the next morning. “I told him I would take care of it. He said I would just throw money at the problem.”
“An acute observation sir.” Alfred said as he set down a plate with breakfast on it in front of the man.
“I don’t do that.”
“As of late, it appears you do, sir, and Master Dick has picked up on your habit of doing this. Or else he would not have made that statement.” Alfred told him. “Your meeting with the school begins in two hours sir, I would suggest finishing your breakfast and prepare to leave shortly.”
Dick walked into the dining room and sat next to Bruce as Alfred moved into the kitchen. “Morning.” He greeted Bruce sleepily.
“How are you this morning?” Bruce asked, receiving a grunt as Alfred walked back in and set Dick’s food down in front of him. “While I am at the meeting, I would like you to finish any school work that needs to be done.”
“You aren’t making me go?” Dick questioned in surprise. “I thought…”
“I am going to handle this, so you don’t have to go through this anymore.” Bruce reassured him. “And I don’t want them around you. They weren’t very kind yesterday.”
“I’m used to it.” Dicks said, biting into a piece of toast. “If it doesn’t happen at school, it’ll happen at the next gala. It’s not just the kids B.” he continued. “I hear all about how I’m trash and my parents deserved their fate, how I’m just a charity case. They say even worse things, but I don’t really want to repeat those.”
Once Bruce finished eating, he stood up and put his hand on Dick's head, ruffling his hair. “I promise I will take care of this.” he told him before walking out of the room.
—-----------------------------------------
Bruce pulled into the school parking lot and could feel the stares as he made his way into the building. As he moved to the office he straightened his posture. When he stepped through the door the secretary immediately stood. “Mr. Wayne. They are in the conference room right this way.”
“Thank you.” He said and followed her to the next room, where he found the principal, Charlie and his parents.
“Mr Wayne.” The principal greeted him. “Will your son not be joining us?”
“No, I had him remain at home.” Bruce said. “I want to know what is going to be done. This has been going on far longer than just this incident. I understand Dick should not have hit him, however…”
“There is no excuse for him putting his hands on our son!” Charlie’s mother said, raising her voice far above Bruce’s.
“Your son has said inappropriate things to Dick about his parents, about who he is and about many other things, in which he should not be saying.”
“They’re just words.” Charlie’s father said.
“Then let me assure you , that what I am about to say are not just words. If your son continues to harass mine, I will not be sitting in this office with you. You will have problems beyond this. Teach your son respect, or he will learn the hard way. I have reprimanded Dick for what he has done. As long as your son does not continue, then this will not happen again.” Bruce stood back up.
“Mr. Wayne.”
“This is a first time offense, is it not? I assume he’s suspended for the three days, which brings Dick back to school on Thursday.” He said, walking to the door. “And I hope Charlie receives the same treatment as my son, since they were both involved in this matter.”
“I assure you it will be taken care of mr. Wayne. Thank you for taking time out of your day to be here. I know you are a busy man.”
“We haven’t even solved anything, and you just let him walk out of here.” Charlie's father said, and Bruce stepped toward him, holding his hand out.
“I hope that there will be no more issues and we do not have to meet like this again, Mr. Ferguson.” He said, waiting for the other man to take his hand. “Drake Industries just hired you, have they not?” Before Charlie's father could respond, he continued.. “I have another meeting I need to get to,” he told him. “I can’t keep Jack and Janet Drake waiting.” He told him, letting go of his hand and walking out the door.
Bruce climbed into the car and loosened his tie before calling Alfred. “Alfred, I’m coming by to pick Dick up for a day out. I was thinking of taking him to the zoo to see Zitka. Can you make sure he’s ready?”