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Published:
2023-06-03
Updated:
2025-10-15
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3,266
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3/?
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Are You Sure This is Him?

Summary:

Dick finds himself in an alternate universe where he's superhero? Bruce Wayne is batman? Dick really wants to go home.

 

aka

Dick from an alternate universe where he isn't Bruce's ward get stuck in the world we all know. Dick is a little traumatized from Gotham Juvie.

Notes:

Hope you like this first chapter was going to post this story once I had a good foundation of it down put I liked it too much for that. If you've read my other works you'll find this same theme in my "Not exactly him,but a verison" where it Anakin from an alternate universe, LMAOOOO i just like the idea too much.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: Chapter 1 | Why does Batman know my childhood nickname??

Chapter Text

Dick didn’t know how he got here, he was simply working in his office, the basement, at his work. That’s all he could remember, now he was embarrassingly laying on the floor of wherever he was, definitely not his office at Wayne Industries.

Dick quickly gathers himself off the floor, pushing his glasses up his nose. He carefully looked around, there were medical cots and other medical equipment, he definitely didn’t know where he was. Dick quickly reached for a kidney dish, he looked at his reflection. Everything appeared to be the same, sharp blue eyes covered by a black frame thicker around the glass staring back at him, same facial scars on his lip, nose and brow. No new injuries that he could tell.

Putting down the kidney dish, Dick went to examine the other medical equipment. Scalpels could be seen across one of the tables, odd.

Hearing loud footsteps Dick quickly reached for a scalpel hiding it in his pocket, one could never be too sure, especially somewhere he didn’t know nor how he got there.

Very loudly the door was swung open by a man, around Dick’s age with a grey streak in his hair.

“Dickhead you’re free to go-“ he began before cutting himself off and tilting his head, it reminded Dick of a puppy.

The man tilted his head again, Dick could feel his eyes on his face, Dick could see that this man had recognition on his face.

“Should I know you?” Dick questioned with a slight bite to it. Normally Dick wouldn’t even consider such a tone to strangers, but he was very annoyed. He didn’t know where he was, or why he was in the medical ward of such a building. He didn’t even know the man in front of him who obviously knew who he was.

The stranger opened his mouth then titled his head again. As if the idea of Dick being in front of him was so curious he just had to stop and stare even more.

Ever so slowly Dick’s hand goes to his pocket for the scalp, and carefully steps closer to the strange man.

In one full motion, Dick takes the scalp completely out and pounces on the stranger, holding the scalp to his neck.

“You will tell me where we are, and why.” He demanded with a deadly cold voice, if Juvie and Gotham had taught him to keep his cool when the situation seemed desperate.

“Look Dick-“ the now captive started

“Since we’re so familiar, why won’t you tell me your name?” Dick said with a hiss, pushing his hand and the scalp just a little bit closer to the stranger’s neck.

“Look I know this seems…um a little absurd” he said in a voice faltering thinking of a way to respond. “Fuck who knew you could be so cold” he mumbled half laughing to himself.

And then the door opened and Batman and Wonder Woman were at the door. At that moment all Dick wanted to do was laugh until he couldn’t breathe. He released the stranger from his grasp, he really couldn’t use it as leverage against a woman with a lasso, and a man who seemed to blend into shadows.

“Who are you?” Batman questioned very darkly.

“Shouldn’t I ask you why I’m here?” Dick said, raising his eyebrow at the supposed superheroes.

In front of him the guy he had in grasp starts laughing but a quick glare from Batman shuts him up.

Batman gives him what he would assume would’ve been a blank stare if not for this faint look in his eyes.

“You’re Dick Grayson, are you not?” Batman questioned. Which ultimately made Dick want to curl up and die. No one has actually called him Dick not in a long time, not since his parents. How exactly Batman and the guy he had in his gasp knew this information was quite curious.

“You could say that” Dick responded curtly “but the true question here is why am I here?”

Wonder Woman gave Batman a look, a silent conversation taking place, but before he could continue any farther Dick’s old captive responded.

“You’re in an alternate universe where you’re a superhero.”

“Jason!” Batman yelled, sounding like a father disciplining his child.

Dick just stared at “Jason”, the mere possibility of inter dimensional travel was nearly impossible if not none.

Wonder Woman takes a step forward
“Dick-“ she starts but Dick wasn’t having any of it.

“First of all, the possibility of dimensional travel is statistically zero, secondly why would a group of enhanced vigilantes have such technology, without even considering other factors such as atom to atom assembly, the quantum mechanics and the unethical testing of a device.” Dick said angrily.

Besides dimension travel being such a far fetched idea, Dick was also angry at the situation. He was probably nowhere near Gotham, and knowing his luck probably fired from his job at Wayne Enterprises.

“I think that the most intelligent sounding you’ve ever been” Jason answered with a teasing grin. The whole situation made Dick uncomfortable, he didn’t know Jason, he didn’t even know how he got here.

“I think I should’ve slit your throat.” Dick mutters.

Jason dramatically gasps “Did I hear that correctly? Goldie handing out threats. Guess I’m not the trouble child anymore”

Dick just stares at him, he sure does look like a problem child to him.

Batman just glared at Jason, but shifted a little. It probably meant something, but Dick was never good at reading people.

“Dimension travel is possible, I’m not sure by human means but by magic” Wonder Woman stated with a reassuring smile.

“Okay…” Dick said cautiously.

“Currently our expert on magic is off world, she’ll be back in a month's time.” She continued slowly.

Yup, it was officially he was getting fired. Their version of him was most likely in his world, and based on the people in front of him, Dick assumes he wouldn’t know to go to his work.

Wonder Woman glances at Batman, he does some glaring, and Wonder Woman finally looks back at Dick.

“You’ll stay with Batman while our magic expert returns”

Dick releases a sigh, if he knew anything about the Justice League and “superheroes” was how paranoid Batman was.

The walk to a car was deadly awkward other than Jason asking a series of questions which he claimed was to “determine if Gotham was the same”, which it was.

Batman looks at Jason, another silent conversation, before Jason gets in the driver's seat. Dick quickly hops in back, quickly followed by Batman.

Before Dick can even think of how odd the situation was, Batman raises his hands towards his helmet tearing it off. Dick blinks once then a second time, he for a moment thought the rest of vision gave out because Bruce Wayne was in front of him.

Bat- Bruce was still staring at him, but now his face was showing and Dick sensed a sort of sadness in it.

“So you truly don’t know each other in your universe?” He questioned lightly.

Dick just gave him a questioning look, even outside of Batman he seemed to be quite vague, and paranoid. From the driver’s seat Dick could hear Jason laughing.

“More so I know you” Dick replied going into his pocket, digging out his W.E ID and handing it to him.

Bruce grabs it and looks at it over an extended period of time in Dick’s opinion.

“Electrical engineer” he finally said

“Yes”

“How bad is your eyesight?” He asked curtly and in Dick’s opinion felt more like an interrogation

“Not to seem ill-mannered especially as your ‘guest’ but what does my eyesight have any relevance?” Dick hissed at Bruce.

Was Dick still salty after his eyesight? No. Maybe. It was a result of his first ever mistake after his parents death. Juvie was not a nice place, after all.

Bruce let out a soft sign before giving back Dick’s ID. The rest of the ride was excruciatingly silent except for Jason mumming, which Dick thought anything at first but Bruce Wayne’s stare was more so.

Chapter 2

Notes:

Low key short but I promised a chapter. On vacation in Las Vegas thought I would have more time to write😭 but also reading the new hunger games book, bro heart breaking anyways tho new chapter

Chapter Text

The Bat cave, as he was told by Jason, looked like something out of one of a nerd’s fantasies, with the amount of technology in it and if he was in a different situation he might have admired it more closely.

Dick was left alone with Jason, which left silence between them, though Dick couldn’t tell if he preferred the silence or strangers talking to him like they knew him.

Jason had told him Bruce would be come back in a couple minutes but the time seemed to stretch the more and more Dick looked around.

 

It didn’t take long for Dick to hear heavy footsteps along with more than one voice. Though Dick was pretty sure Jason chose to ignore it.

Eventually Dick could see Bruce walk in,he had continued to walk until siting down in front of Dick.

“Okay. Im just going to ask a few questions so we’re a little more informed about the situation we’re both in” Bruce said as if he was talking to a kicked puppy but there was a type of familiarity to it that irked Dick. Bruce. Jason. They didn’t know him but their eyes, their voices, told a different story.

Dick head went reeling. If he was in alternate universe what choose was the path of divergence? What were the differences?

 

“Dick-“

“Right, ask away” Dick responded right away, no need to make the situation worse by making them worry.

But as Dick looked at Bruce he spotted two childrenDick didn’t know what to make of them. One seemed to be at the very least ten, while the other looked mid-teens.

“Why do we have an audience?” He asked, staring more intently at the uninvited guests.

Bruce turned, spotted what Dick was referencing and sighed.

“Heard that you two, you’re unwanted here” Jason smirking although the words were harsh Dick heard no malice in them

“Dick, this is,Tim and Damian” Bruce started pointing to the oldest looking to the youngest.

“Why’d you introduce Drake first” the youngest said, Damian. Dick looked between them, he was pretty sure Bruce had introduced the other as Drake.

“Right..” Dick said cautiously.

“So, this how Grayson looks as a normie”Damian said.

“Damian-“ Bruce started in a tried voice.

“Take a picture it’ll last longer” Dick responded uninterested. Dick was not a zoo animal to just stand around to look at.

At Dick response Bruce let out another big sigh.

“Okay,let get basic questions out of the way, what were you doing before you ended up here?” Tim said look at Dick with some sort of respect. Dick couldn’t quite place the expression he had. Dick look up and saw all four of their eyes on him.

“ I was at work, I was just about to leave when I was in your base” Dick responded with a monotone voice. Dick had to bite his tongue a little to keep his composure, there’s no way this was his fault. If anything a superhero vigilant version of him did this.

“Sound like Goldie did something then” Jason responded boringly ask he examined his gun.

“Put that away” Bruce said barely sparing Jason a glance, as if they’d had the same argument multiple times.

“I’m assuming I’ll have to wait for your ‘magic expert’ then?” He questioned.

“Yea..” Bruce said quietly like he was expecting a different answer from him. It was as if Dick had a line, practice line that he had always said, but Dick had missed it. A performer who had just missed their line.

Chapter 3

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 3
Dick’s head was spinning, body aching. Dick opened his eyes carefully assessing his surroundings. He was on the floor, not the best sign for a vigilante. Carefully he got off the floor, he was in a dingy room that appeared to be an office of sorts. Dick tried to remember the last thing he did, all he could remember was the blank white of the Justice League’s medical ward.

Cautiously Dick made his way to the computer, careful not to leave his fingerprints. To his shock the screen of the computer was the default for W.E, the company blue shining brightly into Dick’s face. Dick carefully looked around again, who’s office could possibly be shoved down there? Was it even an office…?

Looking back to the screen, he carefully hacked his way through the lockscreen to the employee’s account. Being Bruce Wayne’s ward was really paying off for him, Dick thought, smiling to myself a little. His smile immediately fell once he realized whose computer he was on, the employee’s account shining brightly at him.

Richard Grayson.

With a new vigor he took all the information he could from the work computer. Electrical engineer, W.E employee, Gotham University alumni…

The W.E computer gave Dick nothing other than confirmation he was in a different universe, one where he seemed to be a civilian. He took a look around again, there’s no way this version of himself got pushed to a dusty office. Dick started to open drawers, he only found some niknaks then he found a messenger bag. Quickly going through it he found a phone and a personal computer, perfect.

Opening the phone he quickly found this version of himself’s apartment, if he was swapped with an alternate version of himself he would rather do research in their house than a dusty W.E office. He quickly shoved the computer in the bag he had found earlier, putting the phone in his pocket and calmly walked out of his “office”. Dick found the walk to the exit wasn’t far with no one interrupting him on his way out. Dick didn’t know if it was the Batman paranoia getting to him but the walk to the apartment was surprisingly uneventful as well.

Dick tried to remember how he had exactly gotten into this predicament, he remembered fighting a meta and a blur of the medical corridors of the Watchtower, and finally the small depressing W.E office of his alternate self. Dick was going to have strong words with B if those were the office some of his employees were delegated. Dick quickly shook off the thought that was time for a later date, for now he needed to find everything to do with his alternate self.

After some time he found NOTHING. Well… what Dick found wasn’t necessarily nothing per say but this version of himself was mundane, boring even. The most interesting thing about him was his medical records, specifically his optometrist records; acid to the eyes really couldn’t be good for anyone. Dick could also find the appeal of working as an engineer especially for W.E. Dick had carefully and very meticulous made a report of this version of himself, being extra particular with details.

Dick lazily laid on the couch of his alternate self, which of Bruce’s procedures should he follow? He needed a magic user if he wanted to go back. He need the Justice league if he wants to get into contact with one, probably Zatanna. He needs Batman…

Dick realized the huge issue with going to Bruce in his situation, Bruce was already paranoid as it was with people he knew. If Dick went to him claiming he was his son in an alternate universe he would investigate this version of him, extensively. Dick had to investigate this version of Batman and his siblings. He needs to figure out a way to make Batman trust him.

He quickly stood, walking towards the other side of the apartment. Lucky (or unlucky) this version of himself preferred dark clothing, as dark and mood as his appearance Dick mused.

After getting dressed in something he could easily blend into the night of Gotham, Dick carefully opened the window to the apartment. He carefully made his way to the topic of the building. It felt slightly weird to Dick without any of his normal gear but he had been in high places without any safety gear before.

Dick knew his family’s routes like the back of his hand, he just hoped they would be remotely similar to his world, but Dick was never made for stake out missions. Sure, he could do them, and when he was desperate to prove himself to Bruce, he would do them without complaint. But there was something about stalking a version of your family that unsettled Dick. It took most of Dick’s composure not to run to his family and even more of it to remember and use Slade’s advice on stealth. Dick had to be extra careful not to get his family's attention

Dick had chosen a relatively silent roof top, knowing the street was too close to the Police department for any criminals to pull something too close, but close enough to where he knew his family’s routes where, and like he had hoped his family routes were relatively the same and any difference would be worked out, Dick was too used to B’s paranoia not to figure it out.

As the night continued, Dick became more and more certain of the similarities between his version of his family and the one he was in. The way Jason’s routes were the closest to crime ally, the way Damian stayed close to Batman, the silent way Cass behind Stephanie, and how Tim checked his technology the way Dick knew when someone had asked him for something.

Dick carefully left his rooftop making his way closer to the Police department, one thing Dick knew for sure was that it would have the report of this version of himself’s juvie report. Dick wanted all the details of his stay there, as Dick got closer his stomach began to knot. Dick’s few weeks at juvie after his parents death was horrible, he couldn’t imagine having to stay any longer than he had.

Swifty Dick glanced and quickly memorized the files before stashing it away with the report he had made prior. Making his way back out of the window he had entered from. Quickly Dick glanced at this version of himself’s phone, Dick wanted to make it to the Batcave before his family. He wanted a dramatic entrance, he was a performer after all.

As Dick neared, he carefully made his way towards the Batcomputer. Dick needed to know any difference between his world and theirs, but as he looked there was almost no difference except the one he already knew. Him.

As Dick closed tabs on the computer he heard the garage opening, creaking it’s way open. Dick smiled a little, he knew Bruce refused to fix it because he likes the way it creaked open.

“There’s no way you got more arrests than me” Tim exclaimed as he and Jason talked in still fully suited up.

“You don’t have to believe anything.” Jason responded smugly, a shit eating grin fully on his face.

If Dicked closed his eyes, he could almost believe the last couple hours were a dream, and he was finally in the cave with his family.

The batmobile pulling in, with Damian quickly exiting while lifting his noise at Tim and Jason. The heavy stud of B exiting the batmobile, carefully closing the door without a sound. His steps made its way closer and closer to his siblings, and by extension him. Carefully Dick turned the chair towards where he knew Batman to stand.

“Hello Batman.”

Notes:

Heyyy guys!! New chapter, kinda short but I wanted to leave it like that. Also I might upload another one soon, lowkey been depressed because Im back at Uni and I have a midterm on friday. probs gonna fail but I upload :)))

Notes:

hope yall liked the story ;))

oh and also I took inspiration of Dick's facial scars from this fan art --> https://i.pinimg.com/originals/4b/50/db/4b50db0e64cd68ffcbbb0da4c1038876.jpg