Chapter Text
Dick didn’t remember when he figured out something was wrong. When he started flinching when they called him Marielle. His parents tried their best. He didn’t flinch when they called him Robin.
“Robin’s a boy’s name. Right?” Dick asked when he was four. Mary swore he’d started speaking in full sentences, inscrutable as a baby and toddler until suddenly he’d opened up his mouth and started asking all the questions he’d been storing up.
“For you, it’s a nickname,” Mary said. She watched her tone, careful to keep it neutral. “Some girls use it, and some boys use it, and some people use it who aren’t either.” She and Giovanni had been waiting for the day that question would come. When he was three and started to teach himself tumbling, she’d sewed him a leotard like her own, but he’d pushed it away, pointing to Vanni’s outfit instead. When he was two, he’d stolen the scissors and cut his hair short, giggling as he looked in the mirror afterwards. Giovanni had cleaned up the choppy lines, and since then, their Robin had worn his hair short.
“You said you didn’t like being called Marielle,” Mary said. A year ago, Giovanni had noticed him recoiling from the sound of his birth name and asked if he still wanted to use it. Dick had answered with a pout and a shake of his head, stomping his little foot against the floor of their trailer.
“I don’t,” Dick said. He squared his shoulders and jutted his chin, a portrait of determination in miniature. “Robin is better. I like it, but it’s not my real name.”
He’d always been their little Robin, even before they noticed the flinching. Ever since he started reaching for the trapeze, humming to himself as he swung barely above the ground.
“What’s your real name?” Mary asked.
Dick shrugged. “You’re s’pposed to give me one.”
“What kind of name do you want?”
“A boy’s name?” Dick’s resolve cracked, and he looked up at Mary with pleading eyes, begging her to accept him.
“We can do that,” Mary said. She scooped Dick up into her arms, kissing his cheek. “You can be anyone you want.”
“Even a boy?” Dick asked.
Mary smiled. “Even a boy.”
Dick nodded solemnly. “I’m a boy now. I need a boy name.”
“We’ll find you a good one.” Mary hugged him a little bit tighter. Every day, she thanked her lucky stars that her Robin had been born into a circus, had been born to them. He could be whoever he wanted here. No one would look twice, and if anyone did, well, the circus never stayed in one place too long anyway. “Now, come on, little Robin. It’s time to get ready for the show.”
Dick always watched Mary curl her ponytail and put on her makeup, sitting captivated as she painted her eyelids blue and her lips red. Midway through the process, Giovanni swept in, glistening with sweat, hair wild as ever.
“You’re late,” Mary said. Giovanni came up behind her and hugged her, turning his head for a kiss. “Not now! My lipstick hasn’t dried!” She laughed as Giovanni kissed the tip of her nose instead.
“The clowns needed an extra hand setting up. You know how it goes,” Giovanni said.
“I know it always goes the same way in every city. You get hung up helping and you’re almost late for the performance.”
“I’ve never been late in my life,” Vanni said, dressing as quickly as he could.
As he changed, Dick tugged on his unitard and leaned his face up to Mary. She dusted his face with golden glitter.
“There you go! Now go find Johnny,” Mary said, sending Dick off after his cousin. As soon as he’d left the trailer, Mary turned to Giovanni.
“Uh-oh. You sent Robin away. That means I’m in deep trouble.”
Mary laughed. “For once, no. Though you will be if you don’t comb your hair.”
“I’m combing!” Vanni said, reaching for a comb and a bottle of hair gel. “Now. What’s going on that the little bit can’t hear?”
“He wants a new name. And he wants us to pick it out.”
“He?” Giovanni asked, a hint of a smile on his lips. “It’s he now?”
“Yes, Vanni. He finally spoke up today.”
“I thought he’d want to pick his name himself.”
“He wants it from us. Told me that’s how real names work.”
Vanni laughed. “So that’s why!” He finished combing his hair and set the comb and gel on the dresser.
“Let me see you,” Mary said, standing to reach his face. Giovanni leaned down and Mary dusted him with the glitter. “You’re actually ready on time for once!”
“I’m too helpful,” Giovanni said, feigning regret. “It’s a curse!”
“A curse?” Mary said, raising her eyebrows.
“It can only be broken by true love’s kiss!”
“Well, you’d better go start looking,” Mary said, but moved forward into his outstretched arms.
“Oh, I think I have a good idea where to look.” Giovanni pulled her close and leaned down to kiss her. “For luck,” he whispered against her lips.
“For luck,” Mary agreed as she took his hand and pulled him towards the door.
Dick wasn’t really in the public eye yet, still too young to do much more than stand on the sidelines. That was good; the fewer people that had heard of the Flying Graysons’ daughter, the more seamless it would be to switch to calling him their son.
After the show, the Graysons headed as a group towards Rick and Karla’s trailer. They always ate dinner as a family, and it was Rick’s turn to cook tonight. Dick tugged on Giovanni’s shirt as they walked.
“Da?”
“Yeah?” Vanni said, picking Dick up and swinging him into his arms.
“Did Mom tell you about my name?” Dick asked.
“She did! I’ve been thinking!”
“Think faster,” Dick said.
Vanni laughed. “Tell you what, kiddo. What if we ask everyone at dinner if they have any ideas? We picked out your old name together before you were born, so what if we do it now too?”
Dick nodded. “Okay.”
Once everyone had served themselves and sat down, Giovanni spoke over the usual chatter.
“Robin has something important he’d like us to talk about.”
“So we’re using he now?” Karla asked.
Dick nodded. “I’m a boy.”
“He wants us to pick him out a new name. Any ideas?”
Rick spoke almost instantly. He’d obviously planned for this conversation. “Well, Vanni. I named one after you. Isn’t it fair that you return the favor?”
He turned to Dick. “What do you say, kiddo? Wanna be a Richard too?”
Dick’s face split in a grin. “I like it.”
Word spread quickly through the circus that the little princess of the Big Top had become the little prince. No one was particularly surprised, and one roustabout who made a rude comment found himself fired on the spot. The circus took care of its own.
The next night, the show went on almost as usual. Dick did his few little flips close to the ground, and then watched the rest of his family fly. But one thing was different.
At the beginning of their act, Pop Haly’s voice boomed through the Big Top.
“And for our sensational next act we have the stupefying, the death-defying! The world-renowned Flying Graysons! John Grayson!”
Giovanni smiled and waved at the crowd.
“Mary Grayson!”
Mary waved a hand and grinned.
“Richard Grayson!”
Rick raised a hand to the crowd and did an exaggerated bow.
“Karla Grayson!”
Karla curtseyed.
“Johnny Grayson!”
Johnny raised both hands, waving.
“And introducing! The youngest of the Flying Graysons, Dick Grayson!”