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There came a yelp from Timmy on the floor as a crack of thunder shook the manor. Jason turned the television up more, hoping to drown out the sound and distract the boy.
The Wayne family was having a movie night- peacefully until there came a sudden rainstorm. Timmy had regressed due to his odd fear of thunder, and Dick was starting to feel himself slip. What was it with children and their ability to sympathize with one another? You make one baby cry, they all cry. He sighed, trying to push the fuzzy feeling away.
Jason and Timmy sat on the floor in a bundle of pillows and blankets while Bruce, Damian, Wally, and Dick sat on the couch behind them. Wally and Dick were at the left far end of the couch, huddled underneath a blanket, and Bruce and Damian were on the right end of the couch, looking formal and awkward. Snacks were scattered on the coffee table, which they had pushed off to the side for maximum space and the best viewing experience. They were watching Ratatouille.
Dick rested his head on Wally's shoulder as there came another clap of thunder. Jason shushing and consoling Timmy did not help the feeling of being small that Dick felt.
He pushed the blanket aside.
"I'm going to the bathroom, Walls, I'll be back," he whispered to his boyfriend.
Dick quietly shuffled from the bustling room into the quiet hall bathroom. He looked into one of the many mirrors in the huge mansion bathroom and rubbed his tired, dull eyes before leaning over and opening the faucet to splash his face with warm water. Dick glanced up to look at himself once more, his face dripping with water. The fuzzy feeling wasn't going away.
After a moment, there came a knock.
"Dick?"
How long had he been there? He grabbed a towel and begun to pat his face dry.
"Yeah?"
"You okay?" Wally's muffled voice asked from the other side.
"Yeah."
The door cracked open, and his boyfriend peeked in, probably just making sure he wasn't intruding on something personal. When he confirmed he wasn't, he walked in and shut the door.
Dick set the towel down and gave Wally a questioning glare.
"You were taking a while. Worried me."
Dick gave a small laugh, shaking his head. "I'm fine."
Wally stared at the counter for a moment before looking back up at Dick. "Are you? I know you like to splash your face with water when you feel like you're thinking something you're not supposed to."
Dick sighed, adverting his boyfriend's gaze. He was too good. He knew just how to pry into Dick and understand him.
"Okay, what's up? Talk to me."
Dick shook his head. He didn't want to. He didn't understand what he felt wrong.
Wally must've sensed his frustration. "That's okay! That's okay. Why don't we start with why you needed some space? Why'd you come here?"
That one was easy. "I was starting to feel small." And Wally's reassuring baby talk was not helping.
Wally raised an eyebrow, surprised at the response. His voice softened the next time he spoke.
"Are you still feeling bad about being small?"
Dick fiddled his fingers and shrugged. Maybe that was it.
"Look, it's something that helps you. Something you need. I know Bruce was hard on you as a kid-"
"But I had my parents!" Dick interrupted. "They loved me! They gave me just the right amount of attention! So why do I still need to be small..?"
"Dick..." Wally sighed. "How old were you when your parents died?"
"I was eight. But what does that have to do with-"
"That just wasn't enough. Parents are supposed to watch their child become a teenager and then struggle with them through puberty. You never had that. You had Bruce, who was hardly a father, and he had just as much of his parents as you did yours. You guys were both hurt. He thought raising you differently would be the least painful way. But look at you, buddy. You need to be small. And that's okay."
Dick took a shuddering breath. "No- I don't- It's not fair."
"I know. I know baby." Wally reached forward and pulled Dick into a hug. "But you need this second chance. And I'm willing to bet you Bruce wants to give this second chance to you as well. He wants little you as much as big you. He wants to be a better father. Believe me."
Dick buried his face deep into Wally's shoulder as sobs racked his body. Wally rubbed his back and shushed him comfortingly.
"I know.. it's okay. We're here now. Hush, baby bird. You're safe with us.."
Dickie slowly pulled his Daddy onto the floor as his legs gave out underneath him. The two sat on the cold bathroom floor in each other's arms. Dickie hiccuped and wiped his face with his sleeve.
"Is not fair..." he murmured.
"I know, baby. And I'm sorry."
Dickie burrowed himself more into his caregiver, hoping to drown away the outside world. He wished it didn't have to be this way.