Archive of Our Own ^beta

"-wings tied to feathers," Dick sings, cartwheeling across the trailer to his mom, who laughs and smiles brightly. "So many letters, um, something something chips-"

Mary suddenly stoops forward, scooping the young boy into her arms, and begins tickling him. Dick shrieks in excitement and starts to squirm, twisting in her arms until he's upside down, and Mary takes advantage of his shirt slipping down to blow raspberries on his belly. "Daddy! Dad, help!"

John, who's currently mending a tear in Dick's newest leotard, sets down the bright fabric and walks over. Dick grabs onto his arm when he gets close enough, pulling himself up between his parents even as Mary continues to attack him. John puts a supporting hand on the child's back to keep him from falling if he lets go. "I don't know, you know how your mom gets when people get the words wrong in songs."

Mary blows again in agreement, before tilting Dick upright and placing him on her hip. Dick continues to laugh, though it's quieter now. "I just don't remember them all yet!"

"You don't need to," Mary squeezes him a little tighter, "You just need to know that you're my robin."

"Why can't I be a tiger? I'm fierce, see? Roar!" Dick crosses his eyes and curls his fingers to looks like claws. "Or I could be an elephant like Zitka!" He tries to make an elephant noise, but mostly spits on his chin.

Mary passes their son to her husband, and kneels before him, wrapping small hands in her own callused ones. "You'll always be my robin, do you know why?" Dick shakes his head. "because robins are songbirds, and you will never stop flying. Or talking."

She stands up, ruffling his hair quickly before John swings him up onto his shoulders and causes another squeal. "Ready for practice?"

"Always!" Her baby cheers. "I'm a robin!"

"-THE FLYING GRAYSONS!"

The crowd roars, and Dick grins at his mom. Mary smiles back, eyelids coated in her favorite sparkly blue. "Are you ready, my robin?"

Dick nods, bouncing on his heels, "I've been waiting forever."

"You're seven," John says amusedly, smoothing down the boy's hair and pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Fly high, little one."

They step into the spotlight.

Mary watches as John let's go of Dick and he starts flipping.

Once-

Twice-

Thrice-

Dick rolls over once more, and Mary grabs his outstretched hands as John whoops for them both. "You did it! Robin, you did it!"

"I did it?" Dick's eyes light up. "I did it! I did our flip!"

"Good job, Dickie!" A juggler calls up.

"You're amazing!" Mary smiles maybe the biggest smile Dick has ever seen, and he grins back. "I'm going to send you back to Dad so we can get down, I need to hug you."

Dick giggles, doing the trick again when they let go.

"Daddy! Catch me!" John looks up, and quickly extends his hands so Dick can clasp them, using the last of his momentum to go into a handstand while John balances the boy above his head.

"You're lucky I wasn't holding anything, little one."

Dick rolls his eyes just as John tilts his head back to make eye contact. "You always catch me."

John can't say anything to that, and instead focuses on the flaky mud covering his child. "Were you playing with Zitka again?"

"Mhm! She was a princess and I was a witch, and we had to stop this evil robot-"

"Doesn't he deserve to have a real home?" Mary asks John softly as they look at the small lump in their bed. "A place he'll remember the name of, a proper family?"

John wraps his arms around his wife, "He loves performing, and Zitka."

"But is that enough, Jo?"

John shrugs, "Maybe, maybe not. Let's ask him after this next performance, okay sweetheart?"

Mary turns, frowning at him. "He deserves better than Gotham as his last performance."

"Gotham won't be his last anything, we're all too stubborn for that."

"Dick!" Mary calls, John quickly scooping him up before he can run far.

"I was just gonna explore!"

"We know, little one." John turns his son so they're facing eachother, "But Gotham is more dangerous than most cities, so we need to stay here, okay?"

"Besides," Mary loops her arms around her boys, "We have to check costumes for tonight, don't you want to see what Dad added?"

Dick grins, "Did you finally add red!?"

"Why don't you come see?"