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Artemis knew the signs of abuse. She knew of the scattered excuses for injuries and the flinching away from touch. Artemis also knew that Richard Grayson from her school was a victim of abuse.
–
Artemis sighed as she sat at the island table in Mount Justice, she thought hard about what to do about her friend. She knew that the abuse was from home, Richard -well Dick, as he preferred to be called- was not in a relationship and it wasn’t like Mr. Golden Child was the type to get into fights on the streets. She vaguely wondered if it was his younger brother, Jason Todd. The kid was brash and always so angry, and he was bigger than Dick. Despite his age, Jason was taller than his older brother, with more muscle mass too. The kid was a tank with anger issues almost as deep as his parental issues, but Artemis has seen the brothers together, Dick was always calm around Jason.
“Artemis? You alright? It’s getting late, shouldn’t you be heading home?” Asked a voice from behind her, Artemis whipped her head around to meet Kaldur’ahm’s gaze.
“I’m worried about a friend, from school.” Artemis said, debating the pros and cons of telling Kaldur about Dick, “He’s getting hurt at home, I know it. I just don’t know how to help.” She explained and Kaldur seemed to take this into consideration.
“Have you told any authorities? Child services?” Kaldur asked, moving to sit next to the archer. It was her turn to think hard about her answer, she knew that the foster system was not a great place, and she knew that Dick was treated horribly when he was in there previously.
“Child services won’t help, with any luck they’ll throw him back into juvie like they did the first time. At least there it’s only other kids who can hurt him, but he’s only thirteen- just really smart, he skipped a few grades -I don’t want to throw him back into the system.” Artemis explained, fidgeting with one of her arrows as she talked.
“I see… maybe we could ask the Bat to help out, he has a habit of taking in hurt children. Plus, Robin seems to have a fairly okay relationship with him.” Kaldur suggested, nodding towards the closed door, in which Robin was presumably in the room behind.
“Who’s Robin have a good relationship with?” A new voice asks, having entered the room from the door behind Kaldur and Artemis. They both turned to face M’gann as she shifted a bit in her place, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I was just coming to get some water.”
“It’s fine M’gann, we're just talking about Batman.” Kladur explained, patting the seat next to him for M’gann to sit.
“Kaldur suggested I tell Batsy about this kid in my school who I think is being abused by his father.” Artemis added, watching M’gann’s face intently.
“That’s a good idea, I hear that the people that are supposed to be taking care of hurt kids are not that good. But shouldn’t you ask Robin about that first?” M’gann asked, taking the seat next to Kaldur and resting her head on her hands.
“I don’t think that would be such a good idea, Robin doesn’t believe his position as Batman’s sidekick is secure, we wouldn’t want him thinking the same about his position on the team.” Kaldur expressed, looking between the two girls.
“Right, don’t want Robin to think we’re trying to replace him.” Artemis agreed.
–
“Robin… we’re trying to replace him…”
Robin could only catch a few words of the conversation in the kitchen through Wally’s rambling, but what he did hear shattered him. Wally stopped talking as he noticed his friend going tense and tried to ask what was wrong but Robin was gone before he could collect his words.
Robin rushed through the corridors of the cave and to his little room, he had one even though he didn’t live there, just for nights when Batman was away. He locked the door behind him and sunk down against it, his entire body shook and his face became wet. He couldn’t think of a moment in which he had begun to cry so fast, he knew that he was having a panic attack, but he couldn’t stop it. Every thought raced through his mind too quickly to comprehend, they were trying to replace him. His teammates were trying to replace him. His head ached and his eyes grew tired, but he still couldn’t escape the panic that he felt.
–
Wally rushed into the kitchen, so urgent that he phased through the door, “Guy! Guys Robin just suddenly ran away and I don’t know what to do!” He shouted, pacing back and forth.
Kaldur looked at his phone, which was hooked up to security, “No one has entered or left in over an hour. He probably just went to his room.”
“Okay, but it’s not like him to run away, especially not with Wally right there.” M’gann pointed out, causing Wally to pace faster.
“He got all tense and then before I could even ask what was wrong he was gone and I’m worried that I said something wrong during my story. I try to check anything I say for possible traumas– for all of you, not just him –but maybe I missed something.” Wally was clearly panicked over his friend’s odd behavior, his pacing grew in speed as he walked.
“I’ll go with Wally to check on him.” Artemis said, grabbing the speedster’s arm and dragging him out the room.
–
The duo stood outside of Robin’s room and their hearts broke at the quiet sounds of crying from beyond the door. Wally raised a hesitant fist and knocked lightly on the door.
“Rob? Hey Rob, it’s just me and Artemis… are you alright? Can you open the door?” Wally talked lightly through the door, his voice was shaky and he leaned against the door.
“Just…” Robin’s voice was shaky, he sounded so small, “Just you, don’t have a mask. I- I can’t find it.”
Artemis stepped away from the door but she didn’t entirely leave. Wally stepped forward and opened the door, closing it behind him
Wally sank down to where Robin was sitting and offered him a hug, which Robin took and tried to calm himself in Wally’s shoulder. His breaths were labored but his tears started to dry up, Wally held him for as long as he needed and fought the urge to cry as well.
“Just breathe Dick, it’s okay.” Wally whispered, rocking back and forth slightly.
“Wally… They said, Artemis said… they’re trying to- to replace me, Wally.” Dick stuttered out, breathing heavily to try to calm himself.
“What?” Wally’s voice came out horrified, and he was. Why would Artemis say that they are trying to replace Dick? His thoughts were brought back to his friend as the heap of abandonment issues tensed at Wally’s harsh tone.
“I won’t let them replace you Dick.”
–
Artemis headed back to the kitchen once she was sure that Robin and Wally were not coming back out, it was late anyway, they had probably gone to sleep. As she entered she noticed that the others were waiting for an update on Robin.
“Panic attack.” She said simply, and she could see the hesitant relief on the team’s faces, scared to be glad that Robin is emotionally compromised rather than gravely injured. The group all took a breath as Artemis sat back down with them.
“Well, let’s wait until tomorrow to call Batman about your friend. If the Bat does show up tonight then his main priority should be Robin, we are not to pull him away from that.” Kaldur said, standing up to leave. M’gann and Artemis nodded and wished him a goodnight.
“Who’s your friend Artemis?” M’gann asked, turning back to Artemis rather than at the door where Kaldur had exited.
“His name is Dick Grayson, quiet kid, loaded family.” Artemis sighs with her own words but doesn’t miss how M’gann’s eyes light up.
“Dick Grayson, like Richard Grayson? Like the son of billionaire Bruce Wayne, Richard Grayson?” The Martian asks, floating somewhat, Artemis just nodded, “I can’t believe you’re friends with him! I used to watch him on the television all the time when I was learning about Earth cultures! Wait… does that mean Bruce Wayne is abusive?”
–
The next day, Artemis and Kaldur were in a meeting with Batman, in private. Only M’gann was privy to the information that they were discussing.
“So? Why was this meeting requested?” The Bat asked, folding his arms over the table.
“We have a… non-hero related request…” Kaldur started, turning to look at Artemis, who gulped down her nerves.
“There’s this boy in my school, about Robin’s age, who I believe to be in an abusive household. He had a bad experience in the foster system previously and I don’t want to put him back there. I was hoping that… you could, ya’know, take him under your not-so-metaphorical wing? Like you did with Robin.” The archer asked, explaining the situation without giving away anything about the boy himself. Batman seemed to consider this, frowning a bit more.
“What is this boy’s name?”
“Richard Grayson.” Artemis’s answer was instantaneous, having expected the question.
“Oh.” The answer seemed to stun Batman for a moment, “There has been a misunderstanding,” He starts, tapping on his wrist device for a moment, “Just give me a moment.” He didn’t leave or even move, just waited.
Soon. Robin walked in, glancing at Kaldur and Artemis before turning to his mentor, staying silent, like this was a common occurrence.
“Robin, glasses off.” Batman’s voice shocked everyone in the room, including Robin, but he quickly snapped out of it and slipped his glasses off and into his pocket, then he looked over to Artemis and Kaldur.
“...Dick?” Artemis asked, and realization hit them both. Dick Grayson was not a victim of abuse, he was a vigilante trying to keep his identity secret.
“I hope you understand that this information is highly confidential, you mustn’t tell anyone, not even the others on the team. Only myself, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Kid Flash know Robin’s identity.” Batman informed, he never took off his cowl but it was inferred that he was Bruce Wayne, otherwise he was just creepily protective over the identity of this random kid.
“Surprise.” Dick said, looking more awkward than anything, then he put his glasses back on, “That feels too weird, don’t expect it often.” Then he paused and thought for a moment, “Wait… is that what you meant when you said you were trying to replace me? You were gonna replace me… with me?” He asked, then laughed, a genuine cackle.
“We were never going to replace you Robin, we were worried about you thinking that we were.” Kaldur explained, and Artemis laughed too.
“We really are idiots.”