Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

„I think, we shall decapitate them.“

„Damian. No.“

„Damian, Maybe.“

„Damian and Jason- No!“

„All three of you shut up!“ Tim grunted as he shoved the binoculars right into Red Hoods face, „It seems we are dealing with mages.“ His older brother, who had been standing a few feet away compared to the way Dick Grayson had the others shoulder to shoulder, took them begrudgingly and peered down to their location of interest.

„Is everyone in the right channel? We do not want to alert any other vigilantes.“
Seeming to fumble with the comm, Jason probably furrowed his brows, not that anyone could tell with the literal fucking bomb on his head. „I get why I wouldn ´t want that but you, Replacement?“
Said Robin pushed his lips into a thin line. „Well-„
„The others are quite busy. We do not want to disrupt any further missions and keep quiet. Isn ´t that right?“ For some messed up reason it was Damian out of all saying this…
Even worse; it wasn ´t a first.

Red hoped that he was able to hide his confusion better than Jason. „Right.“

The two Robins had first assembled to deal with it a few days ago, but upon noticing the sheer amount of people involved… listen, they were good but not stupid.
Being reasonable as they are, and constantly bickering and insulting the other on their way, they quickly realized that this was no two men mission („More like one man and an annoying brat!“ „I WILL pluck out your eyebrows one by one, Drake.“). Of course, professional as always, they had returned to the tower immediately and TOTALLY would have asked for help, if it weren ´t for that familiar voice upon their arrival.

„So… two robins now huh? Do you think they can handle Gotham?“
„Clark-„
„I mean- It´s just… they´re all so young, and certainly not easy to deal with.“
„So was Connor.“
„Superboy is half kryptonian. I do not have anything against them partaking in the job! But all alone on patrol? I just worry. Little Grayson, you know how reckless he was Bruce. All that trouble in the Titans… it´s just worrying.“
„I know.“

They had not meant to eavesdrop, not at all but when hearing this… Tim signaled for Damian to stop in his tracks, who did so with a questioning gaze.

„But I trust them. They have proven themselves to be strong on more than one occasion. Just look at Grayson now, handling a city more or less by himself. Red Robin is smart and although Robin is still to be trained in mercy… Listen. We have a lot to do in times like these. Poison Ivy… Two face… It is only efficient to send them out to keep everything at bay. Steph and Cass are handling themselves well…“
A laugh. „You are sounding just like Drake.“

He looked at the ground. Bruce trusted them.

What was even more shocking was the fact that Superman knew they were there. He had to, and Tim knew that. With his kryptonian superhearing he would have heard them coming all along.
And yet he still let Bruce talk.

Because that´s what all of them had needed. For way too long. Talk. Something that didn ´t happen enough in this family of messed up semi-orphans.

His fingers tingled. Tim wanted to step forward into the light of the office and do exactly that. He had wanted to for a long time. But did he really belong? All he had done was push himself onto vigilantism by literal blackmail… and stepping into the light, admitting that he was incapable of handling something by himself, despite having meant to grow more and more independent- that just did not seem possible. Damian behind him seemed to have noticed his hesitation but decided to leave it without comment since he pushed past Red with his usual stoic expression.

„Robin! Back already? Did something happen?“

A moment of silence. Tim could not tell what Damian was about to do next, hell- no one could. The young boy just stared straight ahead. The idea of him being the one to ask for help almost seemed ironic…

„No. Everything is all right. We were just checking on something.“ He glanced back at the other.
So the decision was made.
„… Yes. That is right.“ and just like that, they strolled past the door.

„I gotta hand it to you Bruce. You really are good at finding the weird ones.“

What other choice did they have but to get some outside help instead?
The sole thought of disappointing Batman like that… He already wasn ´t Jason Todd nor could he convince him to come back to the manor; That was enough trouble already and Bruce did not need any more of that.

So what better plan was there than to call the very cause of his first gray hairs?

„Blüdhaven police station. How can I help you?“

„May I talk to officer Grayson?“

„Can I get a name and reason first?“

Of course it was never that easy, and of course Tim had to make it harder on himself by calling during his work hours.

„William Smith. I am calling because of the“ a quick look at his laptop screen, „drug dealing on Marvel street.“

There was a bunch of shuffling and the sound of wild keyboard tapping, doors opened just to fall shut again in the background.

„Officer Grayson? A William Smith for you.“ It was no more than a faint mumble when he was suddenly passed off to hear a familiar voice, „Officer Grayson here.“

Tim leaned back onto the sofa of the Wayne manor, taking another sip of his coffee. „Dick. It´s me.“

„Timboooo! What the fuck do you want.“

„Is the line safe? It´s about a case.“

„Yeah. I know. Shoot.“

„Mass export. A new drug. We cannot quite tell it´s effects just yet but I am quite sure that it´s not an opium. There are no Papaver somniferum we know of in gotham and evidence speaks for a local production. All that would not be so much of a trouble if it were not for the amount of people involved.“

Nightwing sighed on the other line. „I ´ll be there tomorrow. Have you told B-„

„No.“

„Okay... Should I be worried?“

„No.“

One of the perks of being the reasonable one; it´s easer getting away with being totally irrational at times.

„Well… Should I try and find Jason?“

„And make him die twice?“

„Despite what Bruce says, he is no wallflower, you know.“

„No. He is an angry rose reborn as an even angrier venus fly trap. If he does not kill them it is us he is going to-“

„Cool. I ´ll call him.“

„Don ´t you-„ But the call had already ended with a loud beep.

Maybe he should just have asked his father instead…
Worthy Robin or not, everyone needed help sometimes right? Especially regarding Dick Grayson, considering what this role had meant to him. The way he had first looked upon Tim when seeing him in that suit, made to avenge his dead parents, a suit that was no longer his, altered to match this scrawny rich boy instead. And yet he had swallowed it down and greeted him like any other. Being trusted with this role was no easy thing, and he was going to prove just how much it meant to him.

Batman had made Dick Grayson Robin, so that he would not turn out like him.
It seemed now Nightwing was making sure that no one else ever turned out like Batman by giving the legacy on. This name, this place, this smile accompanied by that hand on his shoulder…

„What was that.“ Asked Damian as he came down the stairs.
„Someone to aid us in tomorrows case.“
The others eyes narrowed. „ I can aid myself just fine.“
Tim groaned. Did you seriously have to pull everything out of this guys nose? „Dick-„ „How DARE-„ „Not you! Nighwing! God- Nightwing is coming to help. That way Poison Ivy can be held in charge by Batman as well as- whatever the hell is going on around there.“

„Oh.“ All his prior anger had vanished just as fast as it had appeared.
„Yeah.“

„You did not tell me that Hood was going to be here too.“ Damian complained after being handed the binoculars as well.

„´Think I am glad to be here with you wretched Demon? I only came because I had a suspicion about this location anyway. Though Arsenal would probably be more helpful than any of you.“

Despite the offense, Jason was ´t neccessarily wrong. They were looking into a dirty window on the roof of a previously abandoned warehouse. One of the kind Jason otherwise would maybe have had built a safe house in if it weren ´t for the unwanted company that worked many feet beneath them.
„Why can the both of you not just use your batarangs and guns from up here? That would prove to be way more efficient as they do not seem to have any firearms themselves.“

„Because that´d be kind of lethal, Dames.“ Dick said and obviously a certain someone had to roll their eyes at that, „Anyway. Sitting here is doing nothing but wasting time. 4 people, for corners. Keep under cover and we ´ll manage.“ And with a last playful nudge to Tims stiff shoulders, he pushed the roof window open and slipped inside. Graceful as ever.
„Nightwing! Shit!“ Before he could even move a finger, Hood had already followed the other.
„How the hell did these two survive so long?“ Red Robin cursed under his breath.
„Well one of them didn ´t.“
„…“
„Do not tell him I said that.“ But before Tims shock had properly manifested, Damian too took the entrance, and with yet another curse, he decided to do the same.

A quite whistle echoed through the bustling chamber. Dick had already resided to being crouched on the thin railing of the path to the fire escape. A single push and he was bound to fall, Tim noted in worry.
„Quiet, Hood! We are going for a stealthy approach if you do not want our heads on a stick!“ He flashed them his typical wonderboy grin, „or Wand.“

„This is the real world- as far as I know it´s way more complex than that.“

„Well it would make incinerating us way easier. You know, quick magic spell and bam! Kebabs ready.“

Damian tilted his head in confusion. „Why would they try to incinerate us?“

„So they can… EAT US!!“ Dick lazily threw his hands around as if they were claws, not acknowledging how serious the thing going on beneath them might be.

„I do not plan on being eaten.“

Jason pushed him aside when settling next to Nightwing. „You won ´t if we finally get the fuck going.“

After that they had all changed to a quiet understanding, nudges and nods into directions indicating locations of interest. Though looking like a red Stop sign was bound to be noticed one way or another, it´d be plain stupid to go on and give yourself away from the very beginning. Realizing it was their best chance of getting around, the first dozen take outs (mainly practiced knockouts for Tim) had all happened when balancing on the great maze-like structure of support beams over everyones heads.

Damian and Dick were mostly focusing on the vast amount of boxes and containers being carried around. Dirty browns filled the gray area like a secret moth nest and there was no escape from the carbon smell lingering in the air. The oldest had already taken a sample of its containments for following examinations.
A powder, shimmering in the light like a rough crystal…

That was no mere heroin.
Tim was sure that there were mages at work, mainly due to prior observations, but between enchanted necklaces and artifacts- glitter? Seriously?

Plus these things were practically everywhere. A clear path had been constructed between everything. The workers, clad in black, looked like bees in a hive. Their voices melted together into an indecipherable mass of noise to the point where one might even question if they were speaking english at all.

But it could not go on like this forever. Sometime these scoundrels would just have to notice their missing colleagues, who were primitively tied along the beam work.

„´You seen Quentin ´round?“

Think of the devil.

The other goon right beneath him turned around with a box in hand. They were currently loading a bunch of these onto a white van. First child kidnapping and now drugs. Maybe Wayne companies would have to have a little talk with whoever was selling these vehicles.

Him and the others had to work faster somehow, secure the boxes and knock all of these out without making a fuss and Tim was already going through all possible ways of doing so.
Sure, they could just jump down and use the effect of suprised to their advantage…
Maybe he should inform the local police already, that way there would be no means of escaping.
…Secure the exists, perhaps?
How many were left? 40? 50?

„No… but come to think of it, seems we ´re a lil short on staff, dontcha think?“
An approving grunt. „Yeah no I swear I saw that son of a whore around today. And I also swear to the gods above if he took another goddamn smoke break-„
„Think he ´d do that after the scolding y´gave him two days ago?“
„ ´d even think that that bastard´d smoke this shit as well.“

Red could not help but stare at the recently tied up man he had caught with a cigarette at the back of the warehouse.
Short to say that the pack immediately went flying out the warehouse window, otherwise Hood might want a souvenir…

„Red. We are experiencing trouble. Northwest corner of the edifice.“ It came out as a whisper which one would expect in the situation they were in but a concerning and uncharacteristic exhaustion had clung itself onto Robins words.
Keeping his steps as light as a feather, Tim Drake started moving toward said spot only to witness Nightwing swinging himself feet first onto a woman.
The cut-off shout did not really help their mission.

„Someones onto us. Noticed an opened bag. They´re smarter than we give them credit for.“ and as if the two oldest had planned to specifically give Red Robin another migraine, Red Hoods voice appeared through the comm, accompanied by distant thumps and gun shots. „Initiated a direct approach. ´Ran out of rope… and patience.“

Tim could do nothing but groan. He had not expected their biggest issue to be of materialistic kind, but of course; why the hell would Red Hood of all carry anything like that around anyway? While, yes his ability to stay quiet is one to be trusted, his morals were not.

„Guess that settles it.“ Dick said as his hand flew out to throw a batarang right above both Robins heads, scraping Damians little spike of hair. He seemed to be way more worried about that than his life as he clutched this strand once the blade passed. A load groand made them turn around to see a guy currently pinned to one of the huge metal containers by his sleeve.

Another pained hiss escaped his throat.
„Come on! I barely scratched you!“ But then he was already over in a second, and so was his fist that left the others nose bleeding before he went limb. Nightwing shook his hand as if that would make the stain wash out easier.
Perks of wearing black and red; it did not matter either way.
„NOW you may writhe in pain.“

Ripping the sharp tool out of the container, the vigilante was already up and gone, gracefully managing to jump over the unconscious woman he had knocked out earlier, ready to take on the others as well if he had to.

„Okay new plan-„ But upon glancing to his own side, the al ghul kid too had disappeared without a trace.
All that left were two echoing laugh going in opposite directions, croaking through the air like some kind of animal.
Great.

Fucking great.

Everything went absolutely horrible.

Everywhere, all the time, someone was throwing a punch or a vase or a box literally ANYTHING at him. Bricks, metal pipes, fists, it did not matter as long as these idiots thought it might smash his head.
Going over his sweat-drenched forehead, he did not know how much longer he would be able to keep up with this bullshit, always turning to block a knife from piercing his skin, just to whip around again to dodge a dagger to his gut.

Having the others there as well did not seem to make it any better. Only more people to look out for.

„You know, there is an alarming lack of female co-workers here.“ Dick noted with a grunt.
Red Robin had no idea who he was talking to or what he was doing, but at least someone seemed to be having fun.

„Pretty sure there is a policy against sexism in the workplace. Though, there is also one against drug dealing so there ´s that.“
And judging from the sound, the person he had been talking to was now slammed into a wall.

„Nightwing?“ „Yeah?“
„Shut up.“

A chuckle followed by two gun shots on the other end of the ware house.

„Hood did you just-„ If it weren ´t for all these damned boxes and containers… He had to trust all of them blindly, literally, because all he could see were more fists and guys in even more black clothing coming at him like straight out of a mass production center.

„No.“

Gritting his teeth, Tim decided to trust the outlaw just this once. If Grayson could, so can he.
Besides, he did not really have any other choice. While the masses seemed to be getting lesser and lesser, the boxes were obviously not and nor did they want that to happen, not if they were going to deport it.

After what seemed like ages, he saw Damians angry little face coming closer from in between all these obstacles.

Without a word had he pushed another one of those dealers aside, and suddenly 5 people were falling and struggling to get up again and-

Wow.
How had he not thought about a Domino effect before?
No wonder he was a fan favorite.

A look at his watch told him that they had been going at it for… thirty minutes?!

Which also meant that there could be backup arriving anytime now…

That was when Red Hood too came out of a similar direction as Robin, walking as if he had all the time in the word.

„You really do love trouble, huh?“ And it sounded almost lightheartedly sarcastic.
Tim looked around. There was a circle of groaning, unmoving bodies. Not only around him but spread throughout the entire edifice probably.

He turned, ready to dodge another but…
Nothing.
„Did we make it?“
Grabbed by the shoulder, Jason ripped him along to where Damian had ran to just a few seconds ago.
He let him just this once.

Now one could finally understand all the ruckus in this area. The large white van filled with plenty of boxes stood right in front of the warehouses drive-in. And all separating it from departing? A large metal door going up to the ceiling.
The remote next to it had been ripped out.

Robin and Nightwing were already examining and pushing some boxes onto stone ground.
The latter nearly disappeared in the dark while doing so. His dark hair became one with his black suit, and Tim had to squint in an attempt to follow his movement through the shadows.

With a push more violent than necessary, Red Robin was let go.
„Did anyone escape?“

„I was stationed around the vehicle the entire time. Not a single soul came in or out this exit.“ Dick pointed at the still closed folds, more than big enough to let an export of this size pass.

„A few tried. There is another exit to the south. But they did not. I made sure of that.“
Now that just sounded shady on purpose, right?

„It seems there are plenty of… flavors.“ Robin noted when inspecting one of the plastic bags in which white powder fluttered from edge to edge with every movement.
Air and water proof. Maybe that might already be an indication toward it´s chemical components?

„Elaborate.“
„Demon ´s right. I watched them pack some. They differentiate in color and texture.“

„But do they also differ in effect?“ The eldest was holding a translucent bag up to the faint lights far above. „Only one way to find out!“

Jason laughed and Dick could not help but cherish that stupid low class joke more than he should have. God, how he had missed this sound. Especially since it had been everywhere when they were still kids…

„Be careful with the samples. There were mages at work, we do not know whatever that could be.“

The minuscule crystals reflected and glistened against the dark interiors of this hellhole. It was like looking at gems in a jewlery shop.

„There are also prototypes in the back. ´Heard them talk about it when they were packing this shit. Too dangerous for the market, they said. The boxes were dark blue instead of brown though.“

Damian was looking around with his nose up in the air and his eyes narrowed significantly, as if trying to sniff out any danger. „Okay but how do we supposedly tell which container inhabits which drug.“
„Or how many there are in the first place.“ Tim noted.

„Or we just blow everything up.“

„That would be wrong, senseless and dangerous in multiple aspects Hood.“ Tim crossed his arms infront of his chest, relaxing his shoulder and stepping closer to the truck while the others did the same, forming a semicircle- well it ´d be a full circle when you take Nightwing into account, who was sitting on the edge of the wagon and swinging his legs. All the boxes towered over him like extended hands, turning toward the light that was Graysons reassuring smile. This way it was easier to see where one stopped and the other started.

„Maybe you guys should contact the league. This shit is huge. I mean, Hundreds if not thousands of drugs we have not even taken a single look at?“

Damian looked at Tim in a knowing way. That bastard.
He sighed, „I shall do that this instant.“
So Red Robin pressed a finger to the topside of his mechanical glove, about to activate another channel when-

„LOOK OUT!!“

But it was already too late.
With a push to the chest the boy was pulled aside by Blüdhavens hero.
It ripped the air straight out of his lungs and made the world spin until his heart was pounding and hammering against his chest so loudly that someone must have heard.
Well, If only it weren ´t for the amount of noise that followed suit.
During the span of a mere second, two ear shattering thumps echoed through the large warehouse and Damian as well as Jason could be seen holding onto their ears.

„Shit!“
Tim managed to look up. His head hurt and spun like crazy. The last thing he saw was a gloomy figure, up on the support beams like they had been at the very start.
Three shots. Red Hood had unholstered a gun of his and was already ready to hurry after the mage, but a blue box fell loudly to the ground as they disappeared into thin air without a trace.
„This is why I fucking hate mages! Of course the second we let our guard down-“
His weapon still pointed up at the ceiling before he finally lowered it, followed by his head. Another uncouth curse in his robotically tuned voice.
Tim lifted himself with gritted teeth, another second and it would have been more than a headache huh? „It´s no use now...“ Because it truly was not. No way led past that call. A sigh. He opened another channel. „Red Robin to Batman. Me, Robin… and Nightwing,“ him leaving out the second oldest did not go unnoticed, but he knew that the other had no chance but to stay quiet. „We are facing trouble. Gotham, Towerstreet. Mass export of strange drugs. Every enemy has been neutralized but one.“

All held their breaths upon hearing that low and raspy voice on the other line. „Heard. Any major injuries?“
Being pissed off, tired and suffering from a headache probably didn ´t count…
„I ´m fine.“ His gaze drifted over to Damians stoic expressions, „Robin ´s fine. And Nightwing…“ He came to a halt. He had thrown himself right infront whatever the mage had been doing so why did his eyes suddenly widen?
„Unconscious.“ It was none other than Jason Todd who was already leaning over the dark figure on the ground. He had taken one of his leather gloves off, pressing them to a place on his neck as if to… check his pulse.

Both younger Robins grew tense again.
Looking down, there was their golden boy. Hell- THE golden boy.

But it couldn ´t be real, could it?
No, he must´ve dodged.
Dick Grayson always dodged.
He had to…

His nose was bleeding and his hair was drenched in sweat. Despite all those times Tim had witnessed him hurt like this, it never seemed to grow on him. No matter how many times blood portruded out of that olive skin, it did not appear to be anything more than inconvenient liquid. Like a stain in a painting. Like red milk raining down, and he would be smiling again as soon as you wiped it away. No cut would remain, not on that smooth skin of his. Dick Graysons arms would always be there to catch Tim. Yet all he saw right now was a single twitch in his left hand. A spasm, shooting through his muscles like a run over bird reliving its last flight.

No.
He always dodged.
He just had to.

„Red?!
Red do you copy?!“
Bruce. Of course. They were on a mission. It would all be okay…

„Sorry, what?“ He did not remember the last time he had been this informal over comm. When first inherating (more or less) the first Robins old gadgets the other no longer needed, he had had a lot of fun trying to upgrade it´s signal.
But now he was just staring onto those lines of lights underneath Batmans name.
They rose and fell like a breathing chest.

Right. Air. Lungs. Hearts. Veins.
Everything was going to be just fine.

„He ´s breathing.“

„Was that Red Hoods voice in the background? Red Robin, what is going on?“ It was a mad grumble and heavy sounds in the background indicated a change of place.

„Nightwing. He appears to be unconscious.“

„And I ask again- just what-„
„How long is it from Gotham to your current location?“

„… I ´ll be there tomorrow morning.“

And the line broke.

The only sound left was Jason heaving a limp body over his shoulder.

„You think we can just leave him at the HQ? Like the Titan or Watch tower?“

„Sure, right. Let´s just carry an unconscious Bludhaven hero into space alongside his previously dead brother! Plus I am NOT pulling whoever ´s left up there into this!“ Although that remark would totally have deserved a good punch, the older decided to just let it be. He didn ´t like the sound of having to meet the birds of prey or whatever was currently going on up there either. All he wanted was to get in and hope that Dick survived until the next morning to get scolded by Batman (totally without checking on him from time to time). „And that one for show?“

Red was gripping onto his hair by now. „THE ONE WITH THE WINDOWS? IF YOU ALREADY KNOW ITS FOR SHOW WHY THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN ASKING?!“

„Fuck I don ´t care about you and your stupid hero quarters up in fucking space! But we cannot just stand around and wait here! What if the guy that got away is getting backup? What if this was only the fucking beginning?“

Damians eyes had been switching from one Bat to the other. „What about the manor? We have a MedBay as well as Pennyworth to take care of this.“

Huh.

„That´s… okay actually.“ How had Red not thought of that?

„No way in fucking hell.“ Oh right. Because of Jason Todd. „You guys can carry him. I am not stepping foot into that house.“

„It´s not that big a deal, Hood. No ones there.“

„Yeah right! Why the hell did I even agree to this bullshit?“

Everything was always way funnier when Grayson was around. He knew what to say, how to lighten the mood… and especially how to handle Jason.

Damian scoffed and swore, „The audacity to-„
„Robin. No.“
But upon trying to stop the shorter, all he got was a shove to the shoulder, making him stumble back.

A groan of the unconscious hero broke them out of their fight. The boy instinctively jumped back.

Tim himself had whipped his head around as well, evidently irritated.
They all just kept staring. Shoulders tensed and ready to go at it the second something happened.

„I am taking this exit over here in case anyone wants to find out what might just have happened in a… calmer environment“
Believe it or not, it was none other than Damian, who had just been about ready to jump both of them, saying those words, although he himself was looking rather gloomy, but that was nothing knew, was it?

„Fuck it.“ With that, Jason pushed past the 17 year old.

„No signs of a concussion, or any hit strong enough to do… this.“

They were all looming over Nightwing on the couch. Their shadows merged into one weird shape, until suddenly, Alfred stepped into view.

„May I be of any help for Master Dick?“

Damian was the only one left unscathed due to his height as the other two shook their heads, causing them to bump into each other.

Despite somehow having agreed to bring him here, and even stay long enough to have this discussion, Red Hood was not at all happy about this.
„I am telling the both of you- It´s this stupid magic shtick.
It was that drug- a powder. And they were mumbling something and then just threw it but it disappeared midair and then Dickiebird was already down.“

Damian lifted his spiky head, „Don ´t such drugs usually have to be consumed orally?“

„I ´d rather you not know that. Also this is magic we are dealing with. Not Metahumans like Duke or, I don ´t know- This is magic and magic is something we dont want to mess with.“ His face was contorted in something resembling disgust- not at the limp body but the situation.

All this short time that Time Drake had been Robin (which was still long enough to be replaced somehow) he could always rely on Dick.
When both Jason and Damian stood against him (which was too often for his liking) it was Dick who would still greet him with a nudge as if there was not a single care in the world.

And now he was enchanted, whatever that meant, and Tim might just be at fault.

Great…

„What do we do now?“ It was the youngest who ended up breaking the silence.

A sigh. „We wait. Maybe pick up a book or two. Something could change in the course of the next hours, just as much as nothing could change. Maybe they made him into the next sleeping beauty, but they might also have created another Godzilla. We don ´t know it yet and we won ´t if we keep standing around like we ´re on puppy patrol. Seriously, is this the first time you deal with a knocked out person?“
Jason had turned his back to the others already, finally getting rid of that helmet.
„When was the last time we had to deal with magic? This just… does not make sense. He might as well be sleeping!“
Damian had kept growing grumpier during this word exchange. „You said it yourself, Drake. It´s magic.“

„Both of you shortstacks keep quiet. Alf´ , think you could spare a bed in the medbay for Dick to sleep in?“

The butler nodded gracefully, before moving along to the batcave.

Jason was back to the couch within two large steps. He swung the other over his shoulder once again and made a motion to follow.

„… And Master Jason?“
It was unusual for Alfred to carry this tone- careful, sentimental even.

„Yeah?“

„What about your place to stay? Would you rather take the guest bed, or your old room?“

Chapter Text

If only they had known that they would be awoken at 7 a.m sharp, maybe then would they have hurried about deciding what to do.
Yawning, the younger bats slowly strolled into the salon in which they usually ate breakfast- if you could even call it that considering that mostly happened around 12 on days like these.

„I need a thorough report of your patrol yesterday.“ A familiar low voice shot through the room like a cold fog, followed by a sigh as its owner held his head in his hands.
No one had noticed the leader of the family entering during the night which was not unusual per se, but Tim and Damian would at least have appreciated a mental warning before getting scolded.

All heads turned around as Jason Todd spied into the room at the doorstep as well.
Bruce Waynes , which did not look like it had slept that much himself, jaw tensed immediately.

„Jason-„
„Don ´t. Not what I am here for and neither are you.“

Painful but true.
They were here to discuss the huge drug dealing that had recently started in gotham and-
… and what it had done to Nightwing.

Right.
Where was he?

Looking around, everyone beside them seemed to still be out.
Not Steph nor Barbara nor Cass NOR Duke were to be found.
Now, it´d be wrong to say that this was surprising, considering that it seems criminal activities have increased by a whopping 43,7% in the last few weeks. No wonder they´re busy.

A lot of the crime nowadays was so glaringly obvious that it was almost insulting.

It could also just be a way to distract from a greater evil… whatever that may be.
These drugs also remained a mystery and-

„Master Bruve- We… I suppose we have a problem.“
Alfreds voice, no doubt.
Well just what problem could be worthy of note with such a distressed tone? And even his expression! The white hair wasn ´t put back tidily as usual and his mouth pulled together in a tight line.

Bruce groaned. „What is it this time?“ He was so done with everything.

„Ahem…“ The butler shoved a boy into view.

He had black, slightly curly hair, intense blue eyes and stood upright like an athlete.
His skin was olive, well besides the spot underneath his bloody nose which was stuffed with a papertowel, quickly filling with red liquid and audibly dripping onto the floor within the silence that suddenly engulfed them.

But the mystery boys clothing were the most obscene-
Everything was way too large. A sweater which could have fit an adult hung over his small shoulders, giving away lean muscle. Around his waist hung a belt, although „hung“ would be the wrong way to say it. The leather looked like it was desperately trying to strangle the boy underneath and cut him apart which made it seem like he was wearing a potato sack more than anything.
It also became obvious that it was not the top he was trying to keep in place, but his ridiculously big shorts. His legs were protruding out of them like sticks and the denim was long enough to brush his knees with every movement.

The boy must have given up at his shoes, for he was entirely bare foot.

Jason, who had been the first to see the other, jumped back in distrust.

Was this an intruder? Another orphan thinking he could be the next Robin?

… Then why did his facial structure seem so damn familiar?

The head of the Wayne family seemed to think the exact same since his eyes widened in great shock and he froze entirely.
The boy in question still said no word, staring ahead with his brows furrowed.

Naked feet tapped lightly onto the floor as he went past all gawking mouths.

He must be about Damians age, a little younger perhaps or just short.

When the eery child arrived at the end of the table where Bruce was sitting, they shared a glance.
Even the way these two looked at each other somehow resembled… No, that couldn ´t be, right?

„It´s okay. They ´re… friends of mine.“
The boys shoulder fell.
Damian could not believe his eyes at all. He had never heard his fathers voice quiver like that. Was this another one of his secrets? Had he another damned child?

But a look around told of a different story. Everyone was just as confused as him, having their lips agape in a mix of shock and uncertainty.

Suddenly the boys small arms wormed around the man in what looked like a… hug? It might also be suffocation, judging from the hesitance with which the man lifted his own and the smaller leaned in like a cat searching for warmth… an uncanny resemblance, truly.

„Did you have another…“ Bruce let out his breath. Was it truly shaking? „Did you have another Nightmare, Dick?“

Great.
Just Great.

„You ´re telling me that´s Dick?“ Tim stood up, sending the chair behind him flying.
The now youngest managed to free himself from the tangle of arms and gave a giddy wave which reminded, without a doubt, of the wave after… a circus show. It was big and cocky and did not at all fit into the rich Wayne Manor. Its owner quickly adapted with a smile, a hand still fitted at the smaller ones shoulder.
„May I introduce you all to Dick Grayson? „

Their mouths did not close.
Well, besides one.

Jason, out of all, managed composure. „Grayson? THE flying Grayson? As in… the circus boy?“ He earned a huge giddy laugh at that. As if this were all a planned gig, he stepped forward and crouched down to meet the others eyes. „We heard a lot about you from B over here. Only good, of course.“

„Something happened to my room.“
That was the first time the child had spoken. His voice was boyish and young. Slightly nasal in fact. A heavy accent accompanied all vowels.

„Did it now?“ Bruce managed to fake honest suprise. Of course something had happened, it was not his room after all.
The original Robin nodded gingerly (Tim was almost certain that that might cause a migraine-) and lifted himself up on the table. Some habits never leave it seems.

„I woke up…“ a suspicious glance around“ elsewhere. And my room- it was locked!“

„I think we have to tell him.“ Tim sputtered. There were so many thoughts filling his head, he just had to get them out somehow.

„Are you certain?“ Damian asked, looking at the other worried. They were awfully close, so he was obviously not going to be very fond of poking around with a miniature Dick that did not seem to remember anything at all.

„What else are we going to do? Kick him out? Lie to him? He does not know us at all!“

„Of course I know you guys!“

All heads whipped around. The boys ´ eyes had grown smaller in his huge wonderboy like grin.

„You do?!“

„Nope. Just wanted to see how you ´d react.“
Groans echoed within in the stone walls.

„Listen kid.“ No one would have ever imagined Jason Todd to be a voice of reason. „This might sound crazy but you have travelled in time.“ Mostly true. „We are all accomplices of Batman.“ Again mostly true but really weird to hear out of his mouth in particular. „Me, Damian and Tim are all friends with your future self. We found you unconscious after a mission, which is why you woke up inside the MedBay.“

The boy, whether that be surprising or not, did not seem fazed at all. „Yeah, I figured as much. Calendar Radio clocks and all… , Is that why Bruce is so old now?“

Any doubt that might have been there before left.
Yep. This was the one and only Flying Grayson left on this earth.

„I may be old, but not deaf.“

„But senile! Helloooo?“ He had turned around in the, more or less, seat he had taken on the Mahagoni table, swirling a finger over his temple.
„My meds?“

Oh.
That sure was a problem.

„I think we still got some of that stuff he takes in the morning beneath the cabinet at medBay for emergency sleepovers.“

Tim did not dare speak to the child directly. It made no sense but this was all just too… bizarre.

Especially the fact that Dick just took it at face value.

Oh sure, he was just somewhere in the future where a bunch of strangers knew him! Totally normal!
Although, he did seem to know about the Batcave- so maybe he already knew a thing or two about this stuff. Yet Dick was so… tiny? Had Bruce truly let this immigrant-third grader-literally freshly orphaned child jump around on rooftops to furiously kick asses?

The boys face fell significantly, but no word left his mouth.

Bruce sighed. „I don ´t think we can give him his older selfs medication. Especially because he would be taking a minimal dosis as he is. Say, how long have you had your medication for, Dick?“

„Well… My on-demands I got for like nearly a year I think. The other´s… for a week maybe?“

„One might as well fill him with narcotics! No. We can not be considering this.“ Damian chimed in, giving the table a light nudge to emphasize his medical expertise.

„I second that. Lisdexamfetamin is illegal for ages like these. Pretty strong stuff. Let´s not even get started on the anti psychotics.“ Jason was now standing right next to Dick who looked up at him in awe, in a manner that might have been familiar with an older Grayson around. It was not unusual for both to be leaning onto the kitchen counter during intermissions. Occasionally there ´d be a Damian throwing himself into the picture, ripping his favorite colleague along. Whether that be to assert dominance over the „morally ambiguous“ person that was Jason, or just because he enjoyed the others company. (Mostly the latter, but it´s not like he would ever admit to it)

It used to be Jason himself looking up at the older Robin, watching him save the world, all athletic and kind and just… perfect. This felt… wrong.

„Wait- Like the Prodrug? Does he get medication for ADHD?“ Tim had never cared to ask. The idea of someone having to consume these pills everyday, commonly resulting in Dick´s scrunched up face after swallowing, felt so intimate that he never dared think about.

„Fortunately.“ Bruce somehow seemed to be even more done with everything. The suprise was slowly fading off of his face and settled into a slight annoyance at the constant swinging of legs, the constant tapping of fingers and the constant switch between non verbal and hyper verbal behavior.

The latter seemed to just have activated.

„Fortunately it is!“ with one swift motion of his arm he had heaved his little feet up onto the table in a full on 360 flip. „Do you know how hard it is to keep school and circus under the same hat?! Every time I was in school- which was still way too much, really - I just did not know anything! Well, that´s wrong. I knew what I was supposed to write but like, my brain would not let me! Suddenly it was not only the paper in front of me but the ballpointpen of everyone else as well! And all those stares and the stuff they would say to me. GYPSY MY A- foot. I mean foot. Good fucking GOD! I hate school, but only because it hated me first! And then I would manage to write like 4 sentences just for my pen to fall onto the table! I did not even know why- hell I did not know anything! Which is to say- I did know most things but I- Ugh!“ He had crossed his arms over his chest, clearly overwhelmed by his own thoughts and emotions, though there might still be the drug at play.

„Off the table Grayson.“ Bruce had no bother in his voice.
With another swing, the boy obliged, but not without doing a flip midair and landing on his feet as if this were some kind of show.
„But guess what!! First I was homeschooled, right? BUT in a lot of European countries that´s kinda illegal so we had to put me through end examen to assure that I was ACTUALLY studying- which I wasn ´t. Then, last year, I got the meds because Haly said I could not keep working if my grades did not get better, which, like, RUDE but anyway. And then I was sitting there and my hand just would not stop moving and actually CAUGHT UP to my brain for once and then suddenly I had 8 pages full of an analysis and interpretation for „The nice guy“ in comparison to core elements of some weird Drama- Andorra or something- in german class-„

„Wait- German class?“ Tim was the first to ask one of the question that had been piling up inside their heads.
„You guys read Andorra by Frisch? Its-„ „Sooo Not important right now, Todd.“
This guy really was talkative huh?
And they thought their Dick already was.

„Yeah, I was somewhere in Switzerland or something like that- anyway. And then I got an A there and I already had an A in Sports anyway so that was no biggie- but then we went to greece where I got ANOTHER A in ancient greek which was just a shocker honestly because I had no fucking clue what the hell was going on besides that some chick Φαιδρα was suddenly committing SUICIDE , right? And then I just kept getting As and my hand just kept writing and SUDDENLY I got to skip a grade. So now I am allowed on shows! Well- only like 2 hours a day max because of child labor laws but-No- Wait- Or… well..“
It looked like someone had hit him across the face.
„…WAS allowed.“

The childs face kept dropping with those last sentences, his brows furrowing, until he was just staring holes into the air with an almost angry expression.

Bruce gulped and closed his eyes.

Right.
They were still dealing with a child who had just lost his parents.
A traumatized neurodivergent, circus child.

Would not be the first time one of those ended up in the Wayne manor, quite the contrary. But it was oh so different when it was their older brother.

„Well… where are you from?“ A poor attempt of changing the topic. Of course Tim knew the basics of the Flying Grayson story. Sabotage, a fall, and quite a bit of blood if he remembered correctly. Not a nice article to be reading in class.

But all it had been were letters on a screen.
These were words, produced by vocal cords- very human vocal cords. A childs nevertheless.

Seeing his sunshine of a brother like that-

It did not feel right at all.
In a way he did not want to. Dick Grayson was strong. Dick Grayson was there for everyone, ever. Sure, he was annoying and stuff but…
Seeing him all vulnerable, without his smile, felt uncomfortable.
Maybe if Tim would just look away, he wouldn ´t have to see the hurt in Dicks eyes.

„Wouldn ´t you like to know, american boy?“ He attempted to laugh, but it suddenly seemed to be drained out of him entirely „Oh you know, the usual.“ The kids eyes had found their way off the ground again, but it still wasn ´t the same child they had just witnessed two seconds ago. „Greece, Austria, France although I HATE France, Italy, Poland, Ukraine, Sweden, Valta, Kosovo … Not in that particular order. Chile is most recent, we had to leave our elephants there for care and grooming. But my parents are Romani. So you could say I am too. We mostly speak it back at home with my parents. And lots of other languages too. Rarely english though, the audience likes being addressed in their mothers tongue and the effort makes the difference, especially in countries like Euskadie. The American gig wasn ´t really planned all that well, otherwise we would have… We…“ Tears were swelling in his eyes yet his expression did not dare falter. „But, oh well. Can ´t expect a multi billionare to be bilingual huh?“ Another smile that dropped just as easily.

His wandering gaze settled onto his, not yet and perhaps never, father. „I would like to go to my room now.“

Bruce cringed. „You see… you do not exactly live here anymore. But we can surely get you a room ready… Isn ´t that so Alfred?“

Everyone had forgotten the butlers presence until then.
Maybe they wouldn ´t have remembered if it were not for Bruces trained mind. „That can be arranged, Master Bruce.“

„Thank you-„ But then suddenly there was a tug at his sleeve. Or rather multiple because it did not stop even when the attention was on him. Bruce looked at him as if he were searching for something inside that face staring up at him.

He nodded.

„How about some… distraction, yeah? I fear your older self took a lot of things with you when moving out. Although there is a bedroom saved for you- I fear may not be properly equipped with what you may be needing right now… Would you mind going to the room? Me and the others have to talk for a second, okay? We will surely find something.“

The look of the smaller turned bewildered, but again he did not say anything, nor did it appear like he needed or wanted to.
Hesitantly he let go to follow Alfred.

Jason shut the large door behind the boy.

„What the fuck.“

„Exactly. What the fuck indeed.“ He turned from the door with an indecipherable expression.

Then silence settled again. Everyone was staring ahead, thinking.

„What about the-„
„The League will handle it.“ Bruce interrupted. His voice dripping with authority in a way that had Tim questioning why he even asked in the first place.
Of course it´d be Jason to open his mouth in order to refuse, but despite, or maybe because of, all tension between them the man did not let him. „This is not up for discussion. Our top priority will be Dicks well being. It´ll be your job to examine his behavior and ultimately, take care of him. He cannot be held accountable for whatever might happen to him right now, nor do we know what might even happen.“

„So you ´re telling us to go babysit and shut the fuck up about everything else, old man?!“

But no answer ever came.
Maybe it was better that way.
Everyone was just resumed staring, brows knitted.

All of this was just way too much for 7 am.

„…Well, do we know how much he knows?“
„Apparently more than we do, dipshit.“
„What´s that supposed to mean now, Todd?“
„Dont you get it, Replacement? That was so unlike Dick- It was hard to watch.“
„That´s what I was thinking too! He was there, somewhere, but also- not. God I don ´t know what I ´m saying anymore.“ He put his head in his hands.

„Both of you two, stop pondering for a second.“ Bruce intervened. He himself did not look any less distressed, nor was it likely that the younger of the two would ever stop pondering.

„DO we know how much he knows?“ asked Tim while lifting his head again.

„4 weeks after I took him in. First week of being Robin.“

All heads slowly turned around.

„And how did you come to this conclusion if I may ask, father?“

Yet another sigh. „He went completely… non verbal I believe you call it, for the first two. He started talking whilst transferring things from the tents to the manor. That was also the first time he articulated his suspicions regarding a person you may know under the name of Zuccho. The forth, he started sharing more. Especially after his birthday.“ Bruces expression turned warm for a second just for it to drop again with the next sentence:, „That was also when most contact within the circus went static.“

„… The talon breeding circus? That one?“
A silent nodd of approval by the head of the family was all they needed.
This topic rarely ever came up- for a good reason. Every single one those fond memories, the principal of his whole being… a lie.
And all Dick himself had ever done about it was spend more hours than healthy in the training room.
If not in his hell of an apartment, he could usually be found in the gym, sometimes even past opening hours.

Jason would have made a cocky joke the first time he saw it; that he might just have to arrest him in the name of justice. But he hadn ´t.
Not when Dick Grayson was hanging there on the rings, upside down, arms spread out, unmoving. It stayed like that for a couple of minutes, which in itself was quite impressive, but suddenly he had done a flip to the ground and started kicking a can that happened to be in his proximity. All had been shivering at that point already and the imprints on his hands looked like he had been up there the entire day.
„Wow, trespassing AND vandalism.“ Jason had wanted to say yet again but could not. Definitely not when seeing the older sit down, gripping at his hair and breathing heavily.

And it certainly did not stem from the exercise , that much was clear.

Jason had decided to disappear after that.
They never talked about it ever again.

There was a lot they did not talk about, huh?

How come such a loudmouth was able to never truly talk about himself?

The second eldest (or oldest now?) had to break another silence. „So, what equipment were you talking about?“

To most peoples surprise, it was Damian who answered. „If I may- Dick recently gifted me a box of DBTS skills that are to be used in distressing situations that may raise my anger levels. I suppose it must be something similar?“

Jason dared to scoff. „You really think Dickiebird would have something like that for himself out of all? No… no. He definitely had to look that up. You never ended up sending him to therapy B, huh?“

Said man lowered his gaze to shake his head. „No, he resisted every attempt at doing so. Back then. But there was indeed a prescribed list with things to keep him distracted, they worked it out with an acute child psychologist at the hospital he stayed at for the night after the incident. I imagine that visit did not help his trust to these people at all- he had to sleep in an intensive care room.“

„Yeah I can imagine. Any idea what that might have been back then, old man?“ The outlaw hesitantly leaned onto the table, which was rather unseen of inside the Wayne manor without a major emergency calling them all together, even stranger without a Nightwing at his side, as if to make sure he didn ´t flee (which actually wasn ´t even that unlikely…). Utterly, outrageously uncommon…
This day could not get any weirder.

Bruce shook his head with his eyebrows tightly knitted together.

„Guess child intorregation it is!“
„Wait, let me come with!“
„Hell no, shortstack.“
„You ´ll totally scare him away Mister „gets neck pain when speaking to literally anybody at all“.“

„I too, shall come for I have visited Dick often. While I must note that I have never seen the interior of his apartment, I pride myself in my growing knowledge of Blüdhavens topography.“

For once, the older two of the three agreed. „Definitely not.“

„I know my way around just fine.“ Jason added, which left Damian with a pout.

Both did not have to walk far to hear some rumble down the halls, coming from a… spare bedroom?

At least not from Dick´s. They knew the kind of ruckus (older) Dick made after he ´s gotten ready to return to Blüdhaven. It was like a bell over everyones heads, indicating that soon they shall bid their farewells, because 5 minutes later, the eldest would already be sticking his head through the door with that typical grin of his. One cannot stay mad when faced with it, so even if Damian had furious with the other just seconds ago, whether that´d be due to having lost at Mario Karts or an Alien Invasion gone wrong, it all ended in a hug without fail.

Tim and Jason knocked at the door which was, undoubtably, the place of origin for all these noises-
A mumble.

They opened it.

Behind was, as to be expected, young Grayson. What was not to be expected, was the sheer amount of struggle he seemed to have with his clothes.

It was hard not to laugh, really. If Jason could, he would have shot a foto right then and there to tease him with once the spell wore off. Especially when he refuses any help with his injuries yet again, saying that he was fine.

The boy had wriggled his entire body through the headhole of the blue sweater he was wearing, but seems to have forgotten the tight belt around his stomach since it just hung over in a weird rumble of unnecessary cloth. He currently appeared to be most appalled by said piece of leather, tugging and pulling at it as if to make it tighter, despite it already being on it´s last hole.

Was this olympic contestant Dick Grayson over here? America might just be doomed.

„Should we… go again?“ Tim asked, bewildered by seeing the brother he looked up to struggle with something as trivial as clothes.

But the other did hear them at all, his hands already red as he gave up with the belt and resumed to putting a new sweater over everything.

„You good there bud?“

Dick Grayson was now practically disappearing in two instead of one sweater.

Then suddenly, he gave up with a defeated motion- or rather the sudden lack of motion since he was just sitting there, with his black locks peeking through the armhole he so desperately tried to get through.

Jason signalized something resembling „proceeding into the battlefield“.

With a single tuck, he shoved the headhole to its rightful place until a very redfaced and angry young Robin poked through.

„Ay, Kurva!“ He seemed to bite his tongue more than one should- if at all, while resuming to another battle with his belt. The boy had jumped away upon impact like a scaredy cat. „That´s a five in the swear jar.“ The older noted. He was really going through with this thing, huh? How can one be so unfazed by a 27 year old turning into an elementary student within one singular night? And shedding every memory he had off them at that too-

„I swear I can do it way faster. I did a quick change of 35 secs on stage once! I just- With our show horses you just pull and then-„

„First- you are not on stage. Take your damn time,“ A halt as if Jason was waiting for the other to mention the swear jar himself, something Dick would totally do at every occasion around Damian but- nothing. „… And second; you are no horse. Plus a horses reigns have a lot of space left, you are basically about to burst with every breath!“
„… You work with horses too?“ The boy pulled his legs to his chest and his head on his knees, looking up at the taller with excited eyes.
„No. But you did, right? …You seem kind of under the weather. Something happened?“

„Everything happened!“ the younger bursted, throwing his arms around before settling down onto the vacant bed again. „Sorry.“
„It´s okay.“ Tim said, slowly closing the door behind him when finally leaving the doorstep. „This is probably all pretty confusing.“

„It´s not that. It´s…“ Another sigh. His blue eyes seemed to have disappeared behind his unruly bangs.

A hesitant hand was placed onto his shoulder. It´s something that the older Dick liked to do. Physical contact was kind of his thing- well. More than kind of. Every time he had appeared in Blüdhaven, whether that be as Red Robin or not- a hug and a cup of his favorite tea always stood ready and waiting for him. More often than not, that was just exactly what he needed in that moment. It was an unspoken rule between them, well between nearly everyone and Grayson.
Everyone always went to him when they felt bad. Seeing his younger version like this made him question where he himself ever went.
His mental state was no secret- those were not welcomed in their inner circle anyway.

(No one never dared (although maybe they should) to talk about that one time an unknown number had called into the manor, saying that their (at that point still) eldest was in trouble. Of course everyone had assumed it to be something legal, something that could be solved with enough money. But when he arrived, not only was he standing in front of a hospital, but was also called into the deepest depths of what he himself recognized to be a intensive care room for self endangered patients. He knew so, because his own father had once been in one. Though he could not tell what pained him more to see, his father staring back at him with the most apathetic stare, or Dick „wonderboy“ Grayson, Smiling.

The name of Drake must be cursed, something inside said, or is it perhaps not the name, but he himself?

„Hey Timberly. Wanna… Wanna play cards?“ It was clear that he had been crying.

And yet, said teen had done nothing but nod at the request, very aware of the window to the main office of the station.

After an hour, Dick had turned his head away and said „Mind getting someone on patrol in Blüdhaven tonight? They got guards in here so leaving may prove to be hard, as much as I ´d love to come with.“

„… Sure I ´ll get some ice cream with… Mary. I ´ll do just that.“ He blamed this poor acting onto the situation.

They never talked about it again.
Not once.
Because Tim Drake might just be nothing but a coward.

Then they hugged.
Well, they always did.
He tried not to notice the way his older brother leaned into it as if it were the only thing keeping him alive. He also tried not to notice how that might even be the truth.
Tim held on a little tighter anyway.)

This instinct did not leave him hanging. The young Grayson too pressed himself up against that hand again, like it was the only thing keeping him there. „You don ´t have to talk about it. We ´re mere strangers to you right now anyway, huh? Listen...“ He turned to look the smaller into his eyes, although it felt horrible to see and know.

They were curios, scared, anticipating… and not quite able to decide anything just yet.

„Me and Jason are going over to older-you ´s apartment, which sounds just as weird to me as it does to you. Believe me. We do not know yet how long you will be staying with us like- like this. So it´d be best if you ´d be kind enough to tell us how to… care for you?“ Everything he said just sounded so wrong.

The older vigilante did not seem to mind. „On the basis of caring for you, how about we help you not strangle to death here.“ He said, opening the belt which had made an entire 180 during the extreme battle against Dicks tiny fingers. „There.“

The other huffed. „With horses, pulling before opening worked just fine.“

„Hmh. Sounds reasonable, only one thing- you are still no horse.“

„Same difference in this business.“ He said with his full chest, scrawling out of the way-too-large everything, leaving him in boxers and still too big of a pullover.

„…How about we get you some fitting clothes as well, Dickie.“ It was less a question than a statement against the tight string he seemed to have pulled around his stomach to keep his underwear inplace. Tim was growing acutely aware of having seen these in the cave to. And while they did belong to Dick, they clearly did not fit this one.

„Would be kinda nice actually…
Why are you staring at me like that when I talk?“

The 17 year old took another look around as if there was anyone behind him to explain that piercing stare.

„Quite observant, little guy.“ Jason took word for him. „This is one hell of an american boy. Let me guess; it´s the accent?“

Reluctantly, Tim had to nod.

„Does- Do I lose it somewhere?“ Dick shrieked and grabbed at his throat as if to check for its presence.

„Obviously at the auction for 20K.
Well, I- which is to say Jason, don ´t know if we ´ve introduced ourselves before properly, knew you before Replacement over here did. You still had it as a teen but it was too recognizable. Romani with a sprinkle of everything on top isn ´t too common around these parts. So you kind of dropped it at some point. But accidentally, a switch back to those hard Rs and throaty sounds comes out sometimes, mostly when you are tired… or trying to flirt. By the way- I still expect to see your cash in the swear jar. Just so you know.“

Wow.

That might have been the most trust Todd had ever shown to… anyone after his death. Sure, him and Dick were on more friendly terms after a while but that look in his eyes- It´s as though he himself had been replaced as well. It was nicer, softer but also… sadder.

It was like all his anger had resided, not into apathy for once, but a weird clarity accompanied by melancholy.

Was this just another facade or had this image of Dick triggered something?
´Hope be that it´ll last longer than the curse.

„I flirt in the future?“
„Weird question but yeah. Not only that but you taught ME how to flirt. Some ladys go crazy for european accents.“
„SERIOUSLY?? WAIT, what if you telling me this information about my future self is going to end up in some sick effect and everything will be ruined and BOOOOM and-„

Tim Drake squeezed his shoulder with a snort before pulling back all of a sudden.
Something had tugged at his heart in an unbearable way.

The boys body felt like someone had endowrapped a skeleton and slapped some muscle on it for good measure. Dick had never ended up bulking like Bruce or Todd. He did not need that extra mass on the rings so: No biggie! - At least not when living under a milionaires roof. Growing up with nothing but a circus tent over ones head might prove difficult when getting enough food for a growing athlete. Everything about this child was hard, rough and cold.

He could not help but feel disgusted and scandalized, out of all. Then that feeling turned into pure shame for himself.

Everything was just too weird.

He shook it off.

„Watched Buttferly Effect one too many times huh?“ And then all disappeared when the boy showed off his toothgap by stretching into an endearing smile.

Yeah he definitely learned that in the circus.
It was like it´s own sun, making others forget what just happened and anchoring them in a world full of hope, in a world full of flashy lights and trapezes and hugs and movie nights and video games.

„Mayhaps…“ His voice just managed to tie it together with a nice touch, smooth although a little croaky and yet even that managed to seem cute.

Tim returned his hand to the others head. Dick´s hair was soft and fluffy as ever and his own fingers got tangled while going through it, as if something wanted to keep it there forever.

„We still need to ask you a few questions, if that´s fine with you.“ Jason asked, and he too was somehow smiling.

Guess that´s just the kind of effect Grayson had on people.
Although that wonderboy smile quickly turned upside down with a skeptical huff. „I thought you knew me? This is not some kind of trick to get at Batman, right?“
Slightly knitted brows betrayed that flashy smile on his face.

And… that hurt.
A lot.

It shouldn ´t have and nor could or SHOULD the young one have known.

Nor should it even have triggered the question at the back of Tim´s head. DID they know Dick? The one that started the legacy, the one to kill the Joker and revenge the Robins(though that did not last), the one to get along with everyone, the one keeping this whole batfamily thing together somehow…

And yet he felt as if he had known nothing.

He ´d have an therapeutic interrogation with the older Grayson once he returned.

„Well, you see,“ Jason started, „it´s kind of complicated. Older you is an open book but not at all at the same time… I- Long ago, I got hurt. Badly. Physically and mentally. Bad stuff happened and he, so you, could not prevent it. And before that, we had just started getting along very well, you know? What I am trying to say is; you are REALLY good at what you ´re doing. Too good even. Enduring things, keeping up your reputation. You never quite stopped acting, nor did you ever stop being angry. That´s why we don ´t really know how to help, you know? He never told us.“

It was so vulnerable and intimate and should you really be saying this, a voice in his head asked and- well, yes he should be telling someone this, that´s what Dick always said but it was so out of nowhere and-
And it seemed to do the trick.

Because Dick was staring up to him with the biggest eyes. The hand on his head carelessly slipped away as he tackled the man into a breathtaking (literally) hug. The child had resided to pushing his face into the others shirt, for he did not reach higher than stomach area and strangle all evil thoughts out of him.

They both knew that it would not work.
And yet he tried.
Nothing ever really changes, huh?

Hesitantly, Jason too wrapped his hands around what he could reach of the younger without having to, as Tim had stated, get neck pains again.

Was that a tear in his eye?

No, it could not be. It was raining somewhere. Surely.

„Okay buddy, enough cuddling I gotta breathe.“ And Dick removed himself, wiping his nose.

Another mental note: clean his WHITE shirt just to be sure that there was no snot on it.

„Listen. I don ´t know you Mister, not yet, but I don ´t think that you would make both of us cry just for a little trick- Don ´t deny it, I saw it with my own two teary eyes! And even if you are, that´d mean you ´re pretty good and I trust theater folks as much as I trust sad people, although that IISSS kind of the same thing- ANYWAY- What was your previous question again?“

They could not help but chuckle.
This was truly still Dick Grayson after all.

„Your swear jar fee. And what you ´ll be needing for your stay here. Although B and.. Damian are probably already working on it We do not know how long this will last.“
Tim earned himself a glare by chuckling at the way the other struggled to use the „wretched demons“ actual name.

„Lieber Vorsicht als Nachsicht- I get it.“

The chuckle came to a halt.
„… Was that another polish slur?“ he blinked before the little one shook his head. „It´s a saying! Really! Like.. rather cautious than regret.“

„Better safe than sorry… why don ´t you just say so kid..“ A sigh escaped Jasons mouth. No wonder Bruce got grey hairs so early.

„Well soooorry Mister that I have to live with more than 3 languages in my head all at once! Seriously, considering you are one of Waynes associates I would have expected a better education. Maybe even good enough to differentiate a V from a W because I clearly swore in Romani there.“

„…We have been here for longer than 15 minutes and you still have not answered our question.“

„Oh. Sorry.“ He jumped back onto the bed which gave up underneath him, making his figure shrink into the cushions…
and just stared at them.

„Your-„
„My stuff! Right! Okay. Sorry. Well first I need clothes, though I doubt that that would be in older me ´s apartment… if I do not have a child myself?!“ He ripped his head up as if that would have been the most scandalous thing ever.

„No, not that you know of at least. Hey Replacement, you writing?“

Tim had tapped onto his watch to make the screen he was currently writing on, appear. Another gadget he had been gifted from the first Robins young Justice days.

If Jason started to notice the discomfort building up inside the boy, he decided not to comment on it. „Something personal maybe?“

„Well… I just usually carry around a box of DVDs.“

Tim raised his head for a split second. „Cool, what movies?“
But the boy had grown nervous, fidgeting with his hands and pressing his knees down as if they were about to start flying if not. „… They´re show recordings. Haly always did that so we could look at it later, plus it was way cheaper than going to the cinema so…“

All halted in their movements for a split second.

Of course they knew.
Well, they had never seen it for themselves. Him and Jasons friendship only really started after he found out about the talon thing, and whenever anything like that came up, Dick would just shoo it off with a strained smile although it got clearer and clearer every time just how much anger had pent up inside that single twitch at the edge of his mouth.

It laid buried in a cabinet full of nothings, along all other things related to the lie that had been the circus. Thinking about those smiles, those touches of comfort… And it had all been for an ulterior motive…

„What else?“
„My mp3 Player please. It´d mean a lot.“
„Sure thing.“
„And Ζιτκα.“
Another halt, but not out of shock this time.
„Huh?“
„Oh. You know. Зитка.“
„Stop changing alphabets, wonderboy. Who is Zitka?“

A mumbled response, all muffled by the pout that had swiftly appeared on his face.
„Sorry?“
Another mumble.
„I really can ´t hear you bud.“
„MY STUFFED ANIMAL GODDAMNIT!“
Jason flashed a cocky grin. „Oh I know. just wanted to have you say it after years of denial. Yeah, don ´t worry. That little thing sits secure in one of your cupboards.“ he held the boys leg to prevent it from kicking him in unruly places, „That´ it?“

Dick crossed his arms and nodded, averting his gaze.

Jason straightened his back to regain full height, signalizing the other to come with. „Great. See you later then.“ The door closed with a horror-movie worthy creek. All those questions that had built themselves yet again, seemed to resurface once it appeaered securely shut.

„MP3 Player… Pretty oldschool huh? But makes sense when constantly traveling countries and all…“ But the older did not seem available for light hearted chatter.
„Those tapes…“ Jason whispered instead.
„Footage for the court of owls to draw their next talon. I know… Hey, about that thing you said-„

„Don ´t.“
„Well you can ´t just go on about how you miss your big inspo and all and not expect me to not say anything about it. Bruce wants you here, and Dick sure as hell wants you too-„

„I said: Dont.“

And with that, the conversation was settled.
Just like any other important conversation they ever tried to have about this topic.

Maybe Dick could use his wonderboy-smile super attack again sometime and get some more out of him.
Yes, that would do… it had to.

Chapter Text

„How the hell did you survive as a Robin if you cannot even handle Zeta tubes?“ Tim tried to bite back the laugh coming up, but just could not help a slight chuckle which ended up earning him a stern glare. „I ´ve rarely used them before and you can thank Dicks shenanigans for that! Plus I just got a sensitive stomach- I don ´t flip through the air like Nightstick.“ Another laugh, before the younger decided to focus on the matters at hand. „So… this is it?“

They stared up at a large block-building. It´s many balconies resembled vertical prison bars if you were to ask the 17 year old, but this WAS his first time seeing this edifice during the daylight so he hadn ´t gone up to it completely void of expectations. He knew Dick didn ´t live necessarily nice or fancy but deliberately choosing to stay here? While technically being a trust fund baby?

„Yup. Eastern block. Mostly old slavic ladies up there, but what does one expect of a police officer?“
„… So I suspect we won ´t be grappling up there. Got a lock pick?“
A cocky grin flashed across his older brothers face. „Tim Drake? Trespassing? Don ´t know if Daddy Wayne would be very happy ´bout that.“

„And when was the last time you cared about Dad´s feelings?“

Cut off growls, a face that went through every stage of acute anger and surprise, a raised finger- and finally a defeated groan. This was not the place nor time to bicker again.

Something resembling a jagged key flew over into Tims hands.
He was about to stand and cover his more or less illegal version of a key, just for the door to creep open upon touching.
„Huh. Maybe I get why Dick decided to stay here.“

The 6 stories they had to walk up made Jason question whether he should consider working on his damned cardio again, but it was not like he was planning on going here more often, right? No. Not at all. Never- At least now he knew why Dicks legs looked like that.

Chatter echoed through the building and only stopped once Jason finally shut the apartment door behind them after Tim had picked it open. A sigh left both of them simultaneously. Being in civvies might not always be physically exhausting… but trying to get past all of these old ladies without earning a shoe to the head? It was like Grayson had his own fucking army.

Surprising how much gossip a single apartment building could hold. How dare you random Mister Sergej to cheat on your wife, how dare you.
Yeah, it was easy to get behind why Dick didn ´t mind it here. The Entertainment business never quite left the kid, huh?

„Oh.“
Jason turned around to see what the other was on about again, thinking that the worst was behind them already, only to be met with… well everything.

Bandages, trash, bandaids, clothes and every single thing one may think of laid on the ground, only interrupted by a clearly distinguishable path through the mess.

„When was the last time Dick cleaned his room?“ Tim asked, blinded by his shock that he did not notice the obvious… did not notice how his voice gave room for open disgust.

„Or when was the last time he came through the door…“ Because only a few feet in front of them (this place really wasn ´t that big), right before the fridge, did the path gave room for a big circle, taking over to the couch and the two other rooms.

The taller did not at all seem fazed by this, almost as if he had been expecting or experienced this beforehand. Making his way through the mess with careful steps he quickly arrived at the main center; mostly clean of dust and trash, indicating that the inhabitant spent most of his time here- God he was starting to sound like Batman.

„Seems like Dickiebird ´s been more than a lil under the weather lately, and not only his Mini-him.“ Boxes were thrown over, some of which Tim recognized still from when the other had asked him to help with moving into a new building. All walls in the livingroom were uncomfortably blank and one of the doors had a very fist shaped hole, still visible despite a notorious and also pretty fist shaped sticker that had been put over it carelessly. „Nice in here, but have you ever considered going outside?“ it said with a smiley right underneath. Maybe going outside wasn ´t the best thing to do with a mess like this remaining.

Jason started rummaging through a couple of cupboards in the open kitchen right before the living room. It was no more but a corner of utensils and a fridge right next to the TV. Tim marched past him with a wrinkled nose. Despite the looks of it, there was a glaring lack of stink in between the trash, which was alarming in its own way. Since it seems like Dick had no motivation to use or even get a can, and all must be stored somewhere, where was the rest of his food? To answer exactly that, he opened the silvery fridge, littered with silly magnets Wally had liked to collect back when they still were in a team as „souvenirs“, and had gifted his best friend for his 26th birthday. It was nice to see at least something here hinting at the flying Graysons existence.

Another chucke escaped his throat.
„What´s so funny over there?“

„Off-brand Fruit-Loops, sparkly water, Off-brand soft drinks and Fresubin.“ Tim listed.
„You mean the stuff they give you in the hospital?“
„Yes.“
„… But that is no real food.“
„My words exactly.
„… And that´s it?“ The other came up beside him and squeezed his head into the tight space as well as if they had failed to detect a miniscule atom that indicated something else. He whipped his head out and shoved the door shut within one smooth, yet kind of angry, motion. He was so going to go grocery shopping with the other once this was all over, whether he wanted to or not. A huff escaped him at the thought, before he motioned Tim to strut along. „Couldn ´t find anything in the kitchen cupboards, the BCPD save for the gun would be too easy and I don ´t think Dick would hide anything in the sofa cushions. So it´s got to be his room.“

Halting in front of the door with the sticker, the younger felt himself growing unsure. Invading his privacy like that just did not seem okay. He had been inside the others room countless of times but actually searching it? Was that not going a little too far? Jason himself seemed to be fighting with himself when finally turning the knob to reveal what looked like paradise in comparison to the rest of the apartment.
The dust layer only ever interrupted by eerily consistent Fingerprints was kept to a bare minimum. The piled up clothing and case files on the ground even felt comforting somehow, although Tim had often teased the oldest about how he should clean up one day.
If only he had known.

An office table with a computer on top stood in the corner of the small room, separated from the bed by a path toward the window. All left was a closet facing the entrance.

„Does this man never need to sit?“ Jason thought out-loud while ripping the cupboard at the desk open.
Tim did not get to answer, as he was too busy staring at the wall above the bed.

Photos of Dick, his teams and the batfam hung up there along reminders for trivial things such as „eat breakfast“ and „brush your teeth“.

„Nothing of use. You?“
But he just could not stop looking when he quietly dipped down. He ´d seen the edge of the poster sticking out from in between bed and wall but he had never seen it in person before.

The Flying Grayson poster.
It was famous at this point. Everyone that had found out about Dick´s past family had probably looked up one of these, and every single time without fail, they ´d be met with his large childish grin, the one Tim had seen firsthand just an hour ago.

The colors and lines had paled with the passing years and the faces of the figures standing next to the child were nearly unintelligible now. His parents. The people Dick had witnessed plummeting to their deaths.

It wasn ´t a nice thought.
Tim shoved the poster away as if it were something scandalous, although carefully folding it back into its original shape beforehand.

„There ´s a bunch of stuff under here.“ He finally got onto his knees to investigate further. Looking at that face, smiling right next to his now dead parents… It did not feel right at all. His attention finally shifted once his vision adapted to the dark beneath the bed. A huge box had been stuffed all the way back to the wall, covered with cobwebs and dust. Its paint chipped off at the edges and it looked like it had endured a kick or two. Handprints from the past of different (growing) sizes were eternally imprinted in a thick layer of dust. Another glaring reminder that this was in fact Dicks business they were poking into. Jason settled down next to him and pulled the thing out of its hiding place, blowing some dirt off before opening its rusty clasp. The inside made Tim gulp. Another tiny Dick stared up at them from the cover of a DVD. The printout of a picture had been put on the front, along year, place and date. And there were a lot of them. God, how young was he when he had started working on the trapeze? Although, by the way Nightwing moved around, it´d be no surprise if he had learned how to fly through the air before being able to take a single coherent step. Atop all cases laid a blue mp3 Player, and right next to it something both identified to be Zitka.
She was the only one you could hold without getting yourself a dust lung.

Poor Zitka was missing an ear and her stomach had been patched up with what appeared to be a fragment of an old handkerchief.

Tim could not suppress the short „Aww.“ in his mouth. He would never make his older sibling forget about his lovable sidekick Zitka. International, a veteran and terribly cute.
The other started carelessly throwing everything into a bag he brought, only stopping to try and turn on the Player. This thing had to be at least a decade old. Could they really guarantee that it´d do its job?
A smile crossed Jasons face. „Still works.“ A whistle „Over 300 files on it.“ But that cocky grin dropped all of a sudden. This was obviously one of the more frequently used things in the box. The play-sign remained barely visible and the only way of telling where one button started and the other one ended was by feeling along the metallic rills.

„What? What is it?“
But the older just shook his head.

This may just be a little too personal, even for them.

It was full of show music and each file was listed with date and place. „Alle tanzten mit dem Tod, Cue „sensibel“, Ελισαβεθ., Schweiz“ flashed across the screen with multiple spelling mistakes. That was no mere Circus show, that was the one and only world tour Halys circus had ever been on that also included America- and Dick.
Its purpose was clear- because there was always a purpose with the Court of owls, never could a child just be a child without them witnessing. This had been nothing but a test on how the child would react to new environments, new people and how fast he would be able to adapt to a new role if necessary. And yet another image of that wide smile shot up in his mind. THAT was supposed to be the next talon. A 9-year-old. A literal child barely able of holding himself.

Gothams streets were a hard place to grow up for Jason. Being taken in by the Dark Knight in shining armor himself obviously helped his financial situation, but could not reverse what had been done. Distrust, getting into trouble- He had been able to leave one more behind than the other but still. Back when he was a kid, for at least a second, everything seemed to halt every time that grin appeared. Dick would ruffle through his hair and the younger would be just as surprised as everyone else that he would actually let him. His little puppy crush obviously didn ´t stay a secret for too long and of course instead of admitting any kind of admiration toward Batmans sidekick or, god forbid, expressing the urge to bond with a father like figure to Bruce, he had denied everything at hand. Despite this great admiration, they too got into fights. Everyone did. That was just Jason to you, he thought. No matter where he went, trouble followed and it seemed to be no different at the Wayne manor. Once, during one of those, he had shouted something that would repeat in his head for days on end.
„You never knew pain!“

Maybe he should officially take that back, whether that be to just stop the nightmares of the way the others face had contorted ( Why such apathy out of all?), or just make sure everything was and stayed alright between them.

A good look at the year of the file gave him another slight wave of nausea.

The Derniére was set to be after his parents deaths.
Dick never got to finish his world tour.

„…Let´s just get out of here.“ Jason ripped his gaze from the tiny device, grabbing some cable headphones he also found at the bottom of that dark pit, before standing up.

Chapter Text

When entering the BatCave (two days in a row at that; a terrifying thought), not only were they met by a creak of the door but also a katana being thrown their way.

„Now, I don ´t think those are meant for flight.“ Tim tried to go for a lighthearted tone, but all dropped upon seeing Damians expression.

„I ´ll take their presence as a sign for me to leave then, father.“ And he shot the two of them a deathly glare before hitting the changing room.

Bruce, who had been sitting in front of the computer and seemed to be on a call with Barbara, sighed.

„I ´ll leave you to it then.“ The redhead said before the connection broke.
„…Mind telling us what that was about, B?“
The man in question flinched.

„Did you get the things?“

Jason finally opened his mouth. „Yep, all in here.“

Tim dared to step further into the cave. „So, how far did you get with the research? Got any hold on the others?“
„Just because you want to see your little girlfriend does not mean we have to call a family meeting, Replacement.“
If he noticed the way his ears turned pink at that, he decided to spare him just this once.

„I actually did manage to reach Duke, Cass, Barbara and Stephanie. The latter being the only one available to come by for… support.“
No wonder. Cass was still in Hong Kong after all and Duke was still new to this whole thing: even if he had not been send out to be tutored, he had not known Dick as good as the others did. Sure, that guy had an easy way to everyones heart but something like „oh yeah, this dude that everyones been talking about just turned into a fucking child“ did not strike as a very orthodox occasion to hang out.

„What about Barbs then, is she coming?“ But Bruce shook his head. „Currently out of state and unwilling to Zeta tube here due to some medical complications. She caught herself the flu.“
It was weird to consider that people as strong as Oracle could get taken down by things as simple as the flu. „But her and Dick called for some time once he accidentally caught sight of her.“ If you squinted your eyes real hard, one might even think the man was smiling.

„So… what was that about the wretched demon?“ Jason asked flatly, unaware of the elephant in the room he was now poking at.

„A minor inconvenience.“ The younger had to question if it really was so minor if they had nearly been impaled by a sword, „Zatana is coming over for an examination tomorrow. The league has secured the building and all it´s containments, while also catching the escapee. But he is currently still not in the mood for talk. A report of your patrol last night would help.“
Of course it all always came down to business, and of course Bruce wouldn ´t talk about feelings, whether those be his own or others.
Tim gave a quick nod. „On it.“ and Jason watched him ascent the stairs, only sparing a last glance at the mans slumped shoulders before doing the same.

For a different reason of course. No way he ´d be writing a report for fucking Batman.

But maybe he was in fact growing soft in a way. Why else would he halt before entering the living room? Why else would he endure feeling along those walls despite everything they have or haven ´t done for him?

He even knocked before barging into Damians quarters. Time for some more friendly chatter (aka child interrogation).

„I said no.“
Especially upon such a warm greeting; Who wouldn ´t want some more team bonding time with this little sunshine?
God, How the hell did Dick get along with this guy? The ex-Robin was beginning to doubt his lack of superpowers. No way anyone could ever like this one.

„What happened.“ It was no question but a cold demand. Something the other hopefully was better acquantinced with than warmth.

The boy was sitting on his window sill, back turned toward the door. His feet were already out of the building and it appeared that he had been trying to run off.

„Minor inconvenience.“
Yep, very much Bruces son. No DNA test needed. Jason sighed, „You ´re really lucky that I am no snitch, y´know? But things change and adapt depending on the situation, don ´t they?“

Piercing green eyes shot him a glare as the other whipped his head around. „Are you attempting to blackmail me, Todd?“ A shrug, „I might just have to disappoint. Father is very aware of my tendencies to leave the manor unanounced.“

Jason stepped into the room. God, why was he even doing this again?
„The almighty blood-son, the perfect little soldier willingly disobeying orders from the big scary bat? What would Bruce think?“ He tried to suppress the smirk on his lips when he continued, „Only one way to find out.“

„Wait!“ Now Damian turned his entire body as the older tried to step away. „You are insufferable.“

„Someones gotta take on Nightwings legacy, right?“ He spoke before he could think and his brain basically short circuted upon hearing his own voice. But it seemed to do the trick just fine, since the youngers narrow eyes softened.

„…I lent him my clothes for he could no longer jump around looking like a skimpy harlot.“ „Wouldn ´t be a first, but sure.“ „At first, all seemed good. It was a hassle trying to find pants that fit him, and we eventually had to search Tims closet as well for he did not want to go, and I recite, „looking like a poorly censored whore during a PG movie“ until suddenly everything escalated.“

Now, it was clear that nothing just „suddenly escalates“. Jason knew enough psychology to be aware of that. But he also knew enough to notice the way Damians gaze dropped, his shoulders slumped and even his spiky hair seemed to finally subdue to gravity. He idolized the first boy wonder beyond anything, and if it were not for Dick, one could not even be sure if he would have ever been willing to cooperate at all. Seeing him turn against him like that without any visible reason sure seemed to hit. Hard.

„I ´ll go talk to him. Any idea where he went?“
„No.“ The others voice was weirdly timid and… young?

They were both just… kids.
They all had been once.

„Then I ´ll find him. Demonkid?“ Jason usually would´ve laughed at the fact that the other already reacted to his nickname since his gaze rose to meet the others stern face for a split second. „We ´ll find your boy blunder. Big or not, we ´ll fucking find him.“ And he decided to completely ignore the way he started cringing and curling into himself while saying that because nothing mattered when those small lips finally curled up into a tiny smile.

He closed the door behind him before it could get any more embarrassing. Emotions were hard. Really hard. Jason decided to shake them off- quite literally because it felt like a shiver going down his spine.

Time to find the second nuisance.

It wasn ´t really hard.
When the both of them were younger, and Jason had only recently been adopted, their main way of bonding had been exactly this; jumping around on rooftops to get away from the manor. He had been so desperate to be liked that it seemed nearly easier to push the other away. Dick wasn ´t really fond of having his mantle taken and replaced either, but despite all that, when everything was lost in chaos and despair, one could always count on the other. A single sleepover on his (more or less) friends couch and somehow all worries seemed to fade away.
Their bickering had stopped quite quickly, especially with the amount of times they met far above the dirty streets of gotham, though it couldn ´t stop fast enough. „I ´m Robin and… Robin is magic. So basically, we ´re both magic. Which means we must stop fighting because… magic does not fight“, something along those lines. Not that he liked to remember these cliché stunts he pulled in his early days. But he had said that, years ago in the exact spot he was standing on right now. Nightime and rain reigned over their heads. But they just sat there, Dicks feet dangling over the edge of the flat-roof. He himself had not been that courageous yet. One could never help himself but look up at Dick in pure awe. In fact, Jason believed one must. How could they not?
He was… everything.
After that the other just leaned back and ruffled his wet hair with that million giga watt smile which managed to turn shattering darkness into light once and for all.

The young adult sat down on the edge to trace a hand along the stone. If he squinted his eyes, he could still see the stain of Dicks sugary drink, spilled years ago while explaining the basics of „flying“.

There was a similar, newer stain on his own gravestone. Dick had only found out about Jokers torture after Jasons funeral. He couldn ´t blame the other for trying to get away from Bruce in the first place. Sure, he was starting to be a way better father now but practice should not be a key element of parenting, right?

Still. It hurt seeing his prior mentor weep for his death way after it happened. Nearly just as much as it hurt when he did not come to his funeral.

Yeah, Jason had every right to be mad at Bruce.

Worse thing; it was almost like he could still smell it. The terribly off-brand soft drinks the other had never stopped buying from his circus freak days…

Wait.
No, he could actually smell it.
Did he suddenly grow kryptonian super-senses that could transcend time? Was there even such a thing?

And that angry slurping from somewhere beneath him- no. That was no mere memory.

Jason looked down onto the other flat-roof next to this one. And, without a doubt, there it was: A 9 year old, dangling his legs over a lethal drop with a cup in hand.

Silent, just as Bruce had taught, he dropped down, stopping a few feet behind the other. The sun pierced his neck with an unfamiliar warmth. He had never sat up here in daylight.

Only when that tall shadow leaned over the boy did he turn his head to reveal his profile. A sly smile, „You come up here often?“

One of his teeth was missing. His frail, thin fingers traced the edge, just like the one the shadow belonged to had done only a few moments prior.

For a split second, all Jason could see was nothing but another child. Like he himself had once been. Like everyone once had been.
That realization struck him harder than it should have.
And he knew very well that it was something the two Robins still had to learn. It was visible in the way they looked at his sunken cheeks, his funny accent, his trouble at pronouncing certain words at all and this weird vulnerability. Like a wounded animal, limping forth and forth. Impulsive. Unpredictable. They did not see their golden boy, did not see their Dick Grayson for he happened to be no more than an idea; a surge of hope. The fact that this smiling shadow, appearing just in time when danger was near, had been just another immigrant child seemed surreal.

Tim decided to become Robin because of Jason and chose to stay because of Dick. Yet here sat the latter, clutching his tiny arms against the cooling breeze that swept past.

Intensive blue eyes were still fixed on him.
„Nah, only when I gotta keep tabs on you for once.“ He came a little closer. „`You…“ A gulp, „you okay?“

And Dick, that fucking menace, just laughed.

„What-„
„It looked like it physically hurt you to ask!“ He was clutching his stomach in laughter and it almost looked like he was about to fall.
In a split second, Jason was right next to him, holding him in place by the nape. „Careful!“ But the laughter just kept going.

„It´s just- you were all like“ Dick´s face changed to something theatrically stoic, „You…“ it contorted in disgust, „o-…Ok-„ he clutched his chest with a groan, „You okay?!“ and suddenly he was falling over dramatically, „Oh no! Too much emotion for my big bad boy agenda! Nooooo!“

Jason now also grabbed him by the head, before going through his unruly curls until they fell over the his eyes. „Stop avoiding the topic. You ran off for a reason, and the others are worried.“ And it´s not like Jason wasn ´t talking from experience. The others face dropped to the arms up on his knees. „Why would they care? I don ´t know you guys yet.“
„But Bruce does. And you ´ll know Barbara very soon. And we know you, give or take a few years. So spill.“
A huff.
„You know, 26 year old Dick always forces me to talk about my feelings. And I already did that with you, didn ´t I? Seems kinda unfair.“
A reluctant nod.
„So spill.“

„I just…“ That timid voice started before pressing his lips together tight, as if to stop any revelations from getting past them. He freed the prison that was his conscience with a sigh.

„Sometimes I wish I had fallen with my parents.“

Oh wow.
What a way to start this conversation.

„When flying, I was important. I was one of a kind. Nothing could ever reach me. Sure, it was hard. Money either spiked up into the sky or down into the abyss but- still. It was family. Being on stage and feeling the light hit my face- Listen. If you get into acting, you start being content with being an object. An object one can ´t replace, an object others swoon over. It´s a curse but it´s so awesome.. I could have run away but it felt like I already was running- From the world and everything around me, and as long as I kept running it´d be okay. And it was, you know? I really love- loved my parents. But they´re gone. And I know who did it.“

Jason opened his mouth, and closed it shut again. In all his years of knowing Grayson, he had never ever talked to the other like that. Well, he had told him about his own parents, the almighty Todd residence, crying into another large blue hoodie which wrapped its arms around him. How could he not? This city was so horrible he just had to change it. Who is better to talk to about that than the very sidekick of justice?

No, he just had to tell him. This was a child who had lost LOVING parents.
He was just a kid.
God, was this was getting old felt like? And the post-mortem growthspurt had only started wearing off too…

„Zuccho. You caught him. He ´ll be chained away forever in Bellerev. Don ´t worry. Also…“ He groaned, rubbing his eyes reluctantly like he could not believe what he was saying. So many emotions. He really should not be the one comforting a traumatized child if that meant comforting DICK. That was usually the older ones field. „You are no mere object, chum.“

Dicks tightly knitted eyebrows loosened slightly.

„…But that is not the only thing bothering you, right?“ When had his own voice gotten soft too? And why was that not surprising at all? Sure, this was usual with kids on the street he saved. Red Hood having a soft spot for children had always been a pesky rumor he had never been able to get rid of. But, until now, that had never meant getting involved with Grayson out of all.

This felt like a once in a lifetime chance. A way to make something right, without having to beare the great boywonders stare. Eyes that had wept for Jason.

These eyes were innocent, still untainted by his presence.

The outlaw felt as though he did not deserve to have someone like Nightwing condone him, stand next to him, bandage him up…

Dick averted his gaze again, staring onto the street several feet below them. „I saw my room. Older me ´s room, I mean. There was a suit, pictures and everything... I could see how I would like it in there someday but then it was also a bunch of- sad stuff. Like bandaids. When I looked around, I noticed that it was not the room of a very happy me. A loving one, sure. Pictures of older me and friends I will have one day, and still… Reminders of the simplest things everywhere. Get your next target here! - then something suspicious over here! But all I could see was older me in that suit living there. Not- not.. Richard Grayson living at all. I know I am… different, I guess. Than some, at least. But there were darn self-help books for bpd and anger issues and adhd and- they were all still in their package. Catching dust. Does older me not want to get better?“ He looked to the side and Jason could not help but sling an arm around the others shoulder. He himself had never been the one for physical contact, but everytime Dick would lean into and and fill in all space between them to get some more of warmth- that made it worth it.

„The Dick Grayson I know is a very… peculiar man. Everyone loves you, you know? - Stupid question, because you don ´t. He- YOU don ´t get that they love you and not just the act you give them. You never stopped putting on a show.“ He cuffed his cheeks with a straight face which made the other laugh.
Shit he was actually going to kill Zuccho after this. Once and for all.
„But I can assure you, we ´re all working on it. Your future won ´t be as lonely as it might seem, and trust me when I say that. He was even the one who sought me out first. Real annoying. Kept following me around, making sure I was okay and all. Don ´t tell him I told you that, or just, forget that I said anything at all ever, but he kinda grew on me eventually- Hey! Don ´t laugh like that! He hadn ´t expected me to still be this stubborn though, so now you are not getting rid of me that easily, you hear?“ Jason actually hoped he wasn ´t. It was like another person was speaking things directly out of his mind.
The laughter slowly stopped.

„About the others, Mister Todd-„ Said „Mister“ in question nearly choked upon hearing. Being mistered by the golden boy himself (The oldest, mind you) had not been on his bingo card for this year. „Spare me from a heart attack and just call me Jason, alright?“

The laughter swelled up again. „But it feels so weird! Every other language has a way to talk to people higher than you. Like old people!-„ „Rude.“ „You Americans are so tiresome with your constant „you“! I could never just go up to my chef or Haly and be like „Have you got my paper for me?“ No! Ew! Irk! If I ever talk to older people, it´ll always be in spanish or german. A nice little „Cómo está usted?“ is way better! So much more academic! How does anyone get promoted in this country!“ And the boy was already swinging his legs again in a giddy manner, whipping back and forth and very obviously trying to give Jason a heart attack after all, since he had to be the one holding to the boys small shoulder and pray that it did not slip his hand. He eventually pulled the other back from the edge by the back of his T-Shirt, one he had gotten from Tims room.
Apropos Tim…

„You were about to ask something about the others. Now, respect your elders and keep talking out your feelings so we can prevent any misunderstandings between you and the rest of the bat-brats.“ He said flatly.
Jason, despite the joke, did not like being Graysons elder. He in-fact, did not like anyone but Bruce and Alfred to be Dicks elder here. All deep talk aside, he could not help but look forward for this weirdness to stop.

The childs face dropped once again.
„I just- I saw them wearing the mantle. First it was only on the pictures. You were there too. The other two also. I saw a costume titled Damian in the cave, and another with Tims name. I- I was replaced. The title- it´s a family thing. Being Robin, it´s a dream-„
„One that came true.“ Jason interrupted.
Of COURSE he had to have see the other mantles. He could more than imagine what was going on in the others mind. His name swept away and replaced by a new, fresher one. What a deja vú.
Plus, he would have to wrap his head around the fact that the other still had a picture from his Robin-time in his room later.
„You were Robin. The best in a lot of peoples opinion, you know. You never stopped being the wonder-boy, I don ´t know if you noticed but the others think very highly of Dick Grayson. You were kind of pissed when- someone else… took the mantle next.“

Coming up with a way to make the child feel better about something he himself had been angry about for so long totally did not hurt. Not at all. That tear swelling up his eye? An illusion.
„…But that only means that your legacy will live on. You ´re a sign of hope, you know? You quit of free will and created yet another sign for a city even worse than gotham. You were the one training Damian AND Tim to take on the mantle. It´s as easy as that.“
But if it really were that easy, why did the Lazarus made him grow mad about it? Was it really that easy when calculated plans on how to get back at them had filled his own walls not too long ago?

Once again his words had done… something. Huh. Maybe Robin really was magic.
The child was staring up at him in eyes wide, all of his prior sorrow replaced by surprise.

Yet Suddenly, it all cracked as something overcame his emotions once again, like a wave crashing over and taking everything with it. Words got stuck in his throat and he tried to look Jason in the eye, just to realize that he couldn ´t.
„I- I am trying to believe you, but something inside me says I cant!“ The sound of a tear, dropping onto stone. „I ´ve always been the circus boy. And suddenly I am starter of some kind of legacy that others take on? I am one of many, interchangable. Something no better than a replacement that will take after me once I die, trying to avenge these streets!“ His voice was full on quivering and Jason was growing frustrated with every thought leaving that tiny mouth. Was he being difficult on purpose? Seriously, didn ´t Dick have everything?
Wasn ´t HE the first wonder-boy?!
But deep down, he knew the other wasn ´t. No. One could not fall for the trick this illness was playing on him. Especially not if he himself had had similar thoughts once, too. It was just really hard to imagine the almighty, THE flying Grayson who seemed to excel in everything, feeling the same way someone low like him could.

He decided to ignore how that last thought sounded exactly like what Dick was saying right now.

„In the circus- I might also have been just another flying Grayson- but.. But-!“ He was breathing heavily. „I am nothing but bad jokes and the constant urge of trying to be something!“ All the boy was saying felt so wrong, and Jason wanted nothing more but to shout until he understood the cowardice that had befallen him. His muscles tensed under whatever nonsense the boy was sputtering- because it was no nonsense for the boy. The Grayson in front of him was a child that had just lost his parents and everyone he was ever close to, while also witnessing himself being replaced in the only thing that could bring him vengeance. He had enough understanding of psychology (because he totally had not done any research after the older got his diagnosis', and he TOTALLY did not compare notes with Tim over a throw away phone afterwards-) to understand that that was no way of handling this.
So he took a deep breath, and tried to at least keep himself calm while the other rocked away. It hurt seeing him like this, but it was now his turn to be the one comforting.

„It´s just! I want to go home so badly, you know? I really do. I want to go home. But- There is no such thing as home anymore! No matter where I go- I am the orphan circus kid! Just how the heck does that sound!?“ He threw his hand around, hitting the stone next to them and the older could see the faintest hint of blood protruding. His sugary beverage fell to the side and rolled away.

The kid was thrashing around, rubbing his knuckles on the rough structure of his too-big jeans until they grew red and dirty. His muscles tensed in a way that made every single move terribly odd looking, not at all like his usual smooth way of going through the day.
At some point he was holding onto Jasons leg roughly like a life line. Perhaps it was, because his gaze drifted further and further and although he might be looking down right now, it was certain that he did not see what was going on for he was captured by his own overwhelming emotions and thoughts. Something no child should have to deal with, the older used to tell him while holding him in his arms while he wept for a better future to come.

If only Jason had known that he had spoken from experience.

More tears ran down the smaller ones eyes as he tightened his grip.
Jason let him.

„Dick.“

„And it´s just! I don ´t want to be here anymore, or anywhere at all and that is why I keep trying to get away but there is nowhere to get away to because everywhere is horrible! And now that I finally have the chance to avenge mami and dad-„

„Dick.“

„But I cannot get revenge because that´d be WRONG and Bruce is just- he ´s Bruce and has no idea how to handle kids and I KNOW that- he ´s not my dad after all but suddenly everyone expects him to be and I do too in a way but I still miss my dad but I also just want to-„

„Dick!“ The other finally stopped blabbering.
All that remained of him were sniffles and quick breaths, as he wiped his nose with the short sleeve of Tims shirt.

„Dick. You are splitting up on me again.“ He said and it almost sounded angry. It was a sentence he had read in one of those stupid selfhelp articles for people with mood disorders; something he never thought anyone ´d need, ever.

Jason really should not be the one to be doing this, but guess it takes one to know one, huh? Shit, he couldn ´t even follow his own advice.
Yet here he was up on a rooftop, hesitatingly petting a childs shoulder.

Realization hit the others face like a truck, as Jason watched try and calm his breathing, whispering reassuring words only to get lost in Gothams air, polluted with agony.

4 Seconds in. 4 Second hold. 8 seconds out.
Then again, 4 seconds in, 8 seconds hold, 4 seconds out.

It was something he had no doubt learned in order to control his anxiety before shows. No wonder he was so good at counseling the hurt and ravaging teens of Blüdhaven during another rage crisis. Okay, maybe 90% of them also just had a crush on him but that was beside the point.

„…Sorry.“ The voice said after good 10 minutes of pure silence. Not like Jason had minded out of all. „I think I did enough talking about feelings for today. Sorry that I got out of it at the end, I didn ´t mean to. I don ´t know why.“ He sobbed.

„Don ´t worry. Older you is still working on that as well.“ He said curtly. He really did not feel comfortable as the role of the child comforter and yet he could not help but smile down at the kid leaning on his side.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

He shifted with a curse to grab it, seeing a contact he recognized very well. Yes, so well that it annoyed him.

„How´d you get my number this time.“ He sighed into the phone, just to hear a female voice laugh on the other end.

„You can always count on me!“ Oracle said, „Bruce told me about the most recent events. People have also articulated their worries about two civilians on a very high rooftop. One of them a small child. Sound familiar?“ Jason looked down on the street full of people. Sometimes, they´d throw a glance or two up at them, but of course, this being a more posh region, someone had to get the strays of their property or something…

„Yeah yeah. Sure. We ´ll be off in a sec. Don ´t worry.“ He was already grabbing the escaping bottle as he broke the call.

„We gotta go. Back to the cave if that´s okay.“ Both stood up, brushing the dust of their knees. „Hey don ´t forget to take your-„ Jason turned beverages plastic bottle. „Your… Flirt? Seriously, doesn ´t Bruce make enough money for you to buy regular Fanta? Or, y´know, the whole company?“ He chuckled while throwing it to the pouting individual, who just countered „It totally tastes better AND it´s cheaper.“
„Sure, whatever makes you sleep at night.“ Jason murmured before going through the others hair once again. He could get used to this.

Maybe he could also try ruffling older Dicks perfect curls up from time to time. As a treat. No way did he deserve to look that effortless.
Or maybe not.
Don ´t count on it.

„Oh, and… Jason?“
He had already turned to descend the interior stairs like any normal civilian would, when two arms suddenly slung around him in a hug.
It knocked all air out of him. Not because of its force, nor was it surprise. Still, he had to calm his nerves when hesitantly lifting his own arms around the boy who was currently pressing himself into his shirt, like he wanted to make the world disappear.

And for a second, it almost worked.

Chapter Text

„Oh my gosh he is so CUUTE!“

Jason was contemplating whether they really should have gone back to the cave. Sure, Dick really wanted to get onto the trapeze, which would have been fine if it weren ´t for Stephanie barging in.

„You sound like you ran here.“ Tim noted, laughing. He had sat down onto a couch to edit his report one last time when the two others had entered.

„Probably because I DID!! Seriously, who wouldn ´t under that premise? And I don ´t regret a single thing!“ She was already kneeling down in front of small Grayson, blowing a curly blonde strand out of her face.

„I ´m Steph.“
Dick appeared to feel quite comfortable with the energy she brought along, sucking it up like a sponge when grabbing her hand in a big shake. „I ´m Dick.“ His smile was so bright that they could have turned off all tech and it´d still be visible. The girl gave a little „Aww“.
„Oh I know who you are. I know older you. But I never thought that you were ever this ADORABLE. Bruuceee? Can I stay for dinner? Or after? Like a sleepover? I swear I ´ll account for whatever happens in the meantime, really. Duke said he ´ll be taking care of it.“

Tim looked up from the screen that had just been kissing his nose. „Duke said that because he new you ´d be happy about it. Plus I am not sure if we have any more rooms left.“
She was already over with two large steps, clinging to the teen at work so that he had to free himself from all her hair.
„Guess I ´ll just have to share with you!“

„No.“ Of course, that had gotten Bruces attention.
„Then Cass ´s room! I ´ll even call her to ask!“ The man sighed. Trying to work while the girl was in a mood like this was no use. „Go and ask Alfred.“

Tim, who had been more or less forced to lean onto Steph for support, was suddenly left falling to the couch as she abruptly stood up without warning, then yelling a little sorry accompanied by a quick peck on the forehead before crossing the room energetically.

But obviously not without saying goodbye to a certain someone, and taking a few (if not a few hundred) pictures for good measure on her phone.
Jason had to bat her away like an annoying fly. „Get off the child, Brown. As said, we ´re on our way to the trapeze.“

But when a certain malicious glint creeped up in her eyes, Jason braced himself with a sharp breath.

„You ´re right, Todd. It´d be boring with a younger Grayson on there anyway. I trained basic acrobatics with the older one- and am certainly way ahead. No need for me to watch or anything. It´s just going to be the usual kids show. Well then- guess I ´ll be leaving.“

Tim on the other side of the cave had set down his report file, watching the spectacle unfold. Oh, he knew exactly what she was trying to do and, despite his reputation as the „good“ one, he let a chuckle escape into his fist.

„Kids show? I ´ll let you know I am very capable! I am sure I could beat you anytime! Any discipline! Older me even got an olympic medal in his room- where ´s yours?“ The grin that had stretched on the childs face was by no means truly with mal intent. It was more like a sparkle, the anticipation of a challenge, menacing and seizing her up.

„Guess we ´ll just have to test that out, hmm?“ She crossed her arms dramatically over her chest and pushed her chin up.

„Bet!“

„So this is what you are into, huh?“
Jason mumbled while turning another page, whereas Tim had just been staring with his phone in hand to measure the time.

The other two had been in a one handed-handstand for the past 10 minutes or so. Dick was humming a tune while swinging his legs from one side to another, that little show off, while Steph was taking something serious for once and actually fixating a point on the ground as taught.

Suddenly, Dick´s shoe lightly grazed the girl next to him, making her lose all focus as her arm gave up, resulting in a rather ungraceful fall on her face.
A gasp, „Sabotage!“

The smaller went back onto his leg in less than a second, elegant as an angel in comparison to the others landing. He stuck his tongue out, „No it wasn ´t!“

„Obviously it was! Look!“ She pointed to her face, which now carried a red spot on her forehead. „It´s ruined!“

„I thought your nose always looked like that.“

„You little-! Just you wait!“ But obviously neither of them did since they both started laughing and trying to wrestle each other to the ground.

„Dick, I will not be going down into the cave after dinner again. So decide whether you want to go there or stay here.“ Jason noted while marking something in his book. God, when had he started feeling responsible for that little brat? Hell- Why had he even decided to stay?! The familiar whirr of the A/C was killing him a little inside, especially when it was accompanied by another tap on the keyboard at the other side of the room.

Said boy was currently being held captive in a headlock by a certain girl, „Well, when ´s dinner?“

„30 minutes.“

One could witness when the boy finally stopped joking around for good. Instead of relying on force, he decided to just bent his leg in a way rather unpleasant to watch, trying to separate them somehow by wriggling it between them and pushing the other away. It did not even end up in its destination as Steph was so engrossed by this unnatural movement, that she let go entirely.

„Eww… I thought you were an artist and not a snake human as a kid. You said it´s all practice- well, older you did.“ She pouted, crossing her arms.

„It is! That´s why I ´ve been sleeping in splits for the past few years!“ Jason couldn ´t help but laugh- he was glad the other had stopped doing that before they had started sleeping under the same roof. Stephanie did not seem very pleased either, wrinkling her nose. „Does it help?“
„No.“
„Then why´re doing it, dickhead?“ Jason dropped the laugh and shot her a glance. Close one. „That D BETTER be capital.“

„Force of Habit. Plus that way no one would deliberately attack me in my sleep.“
„At least you ´re self aware.“
„… Just like I am aware that you now owe me a penny.“
„Do not!“
„Do too!“
„Do not! Tim! Tell him I don ´t! If you don ´t wanna be sleeping on the couch that is…“

The teen in question had given up measuring their time, seeing as things never went as planned anyway. „You don ´t even live here! Why would I be the one sleeping on the couch?“

„Well, you wouldn ´t if you ´d just agree with me.“
And to his great luck, of course tiny Dick had to chime in as well. „Gotta give her this one; that is no way to treat a lady.“
„SEE?! This is how he pulled Starfire.“
„… I did what?“

Jason finally decided to put an end to this conversation and slammed his book shut, gaining everyones attention, even Bruces. „I, as a neutral witness, decide that this was all legal according to usual bat manners. And I am also deciding that Tim is, in fact, not being the gentleman he should be when taking his looks into consideration. ´Gotta make up for them SOMEHOW.“
„Wow. I know you don ´t like me but COME ON!!“

Going onto the trapeze was not only good for Grayson, but also the people around him. As is self-care in general, but that was not the point.

It was quiet.
Well, if you ignore all the huffs, scoffs and the sound of Jasons heart beginning to beat faster every time he saw the child way above in a free fall.

But, all in all it was the exact silence he needed to finally think.

He ´d been here for way too long. This feeling…The „bat air“ as he used to call it, was weighing him down, messing with his brain. Memories came up with every corner he turned and his brain was shouting, begging for him to turn and run.

Dick shot him a look.

„Tute si o pravo te kerel o drom, le na o phabarya le kerdipeske“

„…What.“

„Du darfst deinen Dienst erfüllen, jedoch keinen Anspruch auf die Früchte deiner Taten erheben.“

„First, I can ´t hear you if you are screaming down from up there, second, I don ´t speak Romani nor European-ish stuff.“ Jason shouted to the boy, still flinging himself on the trapeze. It was like Dick was trying to put a show on just for the three of them- well two. Tim, who was basically never able to turn his brain off, was still writing down stuff into his laptop about what had happened the night prior in excruciating detail.
No one minded. This was his way of expressing his worry.

At least the boy wonder was doing something about the first point, as he climbed onto the wooden bar, and shook the ropes into the direction opposite of where it naturally would have swung, making it halt, although it had been rutting so much that Jason feared he might just actually have to tell the other to come down for good. He was already worried every single time Nightwing took a lethal jump that´d lead to him plummeting to certain death if he wasn ´t- well, him.
A little child doing the same? Good god.

Said child just sat down as if that thin bar were another park bench.

„Wanna hear it in Russian too?“
„No.“
„Sad. You are allowed to fulfill your duty, but have no right to the things that come out of it. So no I will not be distracting Bruce just so you can sneak out of the cave.“

Jason knitted his brows. Was it really so obvious that he didn ´t feel comfortable in Waynes company? Or was this just another consequence of living with detectives as care takers?
Whatever it was, he wouldn ´t talk about it with a literal kid.

„That only has very little to do with the sentence you mentioned.“ Dick started leaning back and forth, along with according movement of his legs, turning the trapeze into a swing. A lethal-fall-damage-range above ground swing. He wiggled his finger into the olders direction. „Nuh-uh! Don ´t divert the attention. I just started liking you! And I think ALL of you guys should stay for the night.“

That last word seemed to finally catch Tims attention. „And who ´ll be going on patrol?“

A smug grin, „Me!“ said the literal elementary schooler (if he wouldn ´t avoid it like the plague) in question.

„Woah there boy wonder!“ If Steph was being reasonable, you knew what you were doing was simply reckless. „Gotham´s changed. So did its scroundels. Plus- you ´re tiny!“
„But I ´ve already been Robin for some time! Also, I ´m tall enough to drive the bat mobile!“

Another voice entered the room, „That does not matter. I have talked to father. Brown, you shall be the one patrolling tonight alongside Batman.“ Damian scanned over everything with narrowed eyes. „Pennyworth has called for dinner. I ´d advise to stop stalling.“ And as fast as he had entered, he was gone.

Dick seemed to get over his defeat rather quickly, since he dismounted the trapeze and ran toward the other three who had been sitting on an actual, REAL bench. He ran a towel over his small sweat drenched forehead, and quickly urged his more or less caretakers to follow along into the manor. „I am STARVING! Also- who is Pennyworth?“
„That´s Alfred.“ Tim explained matter of factly, trying not mind the fact that it was literally the oldest of them asking this- He ´d never get used to tiny Grayson.
„Huh.. Didn ´t know Alfred had a last name. He ´d always just been… Alf. Do you know what´s for dinner- uh… Tim?“ Gosh, one even had to look down in order to check that you weren ´t accidentally tripping over that kid! Truly bizarre.

„Actually, don ´t answer that! Whatever it is, it´ll be awesome!

Chapter Text

But of course nothing ever stays nice.

When entering the hall, all was set and ready and Pan cakes were steaming away in the middle of the large table.
A table which´s end remained empty.
No one dared talk about it.

The man had started being even more secretive the moment mini-Dick appeared at the doorstep of this exact salon that morning, hiding away in the study and typing on his computer to appear busy…

It hurt, but it was Dick out of all that seemed to mind the least.

„B? Yeah, he tries. Wonder what he ´s up to. But that´s nothing new, he IS always busy isn ´t he?“ he said upon seeing Steph eye the empty space.
And with that, the others got reminded of the fact that Dick had grown up with a Bruce that had, in fact, always been busy. Managing being Batman and the head of a Wayne company AND a traumatized orphaned child really could not have been easy on him at first. No wonder his first gray hairs had started showing so early. But shouldn ´t he have enough free time to spend at least a single day with this younger version of Dick? Now, that he had so many helpers, it only appeared fair to Tim.

„It´s Bruce. What do you expect.“ Jason growled before shoving another pancake up his mouth.

Sure, but… Was he really that bad of a caretaker just to the two of them out of principal? No. He knew their Batman better than that.

Still. The seat remained empty.

That would not stop them from more or less happy chatter.
And for the first time in a long, long time… they felt like a team. A family. A group…
Connected.

Steph did not bother chewing before she began to continue her speech, „-Oh my god, and then Tim over here seriously looked me dead in the eye and told me, „they´re the same color“. Like HELLO?? Even Cass was disappointed. Anyway! Thoughts?“ She shoved what seemed to be manicured hands right onto the table, a blueish purple coating her nails.

„I still don ´t see the difference.“ Tim noted, squinting.
„Well, this one ´s more blueish while the other was closer to a 50/50 purple. It´s color theory! God, and I thought YOU were supposed to be the smart one.“
Dick perked up in his seat across the table. „Wait, you go patrolling with these?“
A menacing grin spread on the girls face, as she took the tip, and slid it off like a ring. The part clinging to the rest of her finger was so thin, that it was hard to make out at all.
The child stared at her like she had just invented flight.
„How-„
„Maaaagiiiiic!“ She whispered ominously, wriggling her fingers as if she were about to hex the boy.
„Actually it´s a-„ „MAAAAGIIIIIIC!!!“ Now she was hexing her boyfriend as well, only stopping when the sound of a buzz came out of her pocket.

„Whoops. I know, no phones on the table.“ Steph said, but pulled it out anyway before her eyes blew wide with a smile. She looked around, as if this were some kind of inside joke.
„HEEYYY!! Wally!“ And all around could hear Jason groaning into the palm of his hand.
„Why all the other bats wont answer their phones? Oh they sure were busy!“
„No I was just ignoring his calls.“ The adult grumbled before shoving yet another dry pancake into his mouth. The most bizarre out of this was the fact that he had deliberately cut Dick´s food into little bitesized pieces, which were each now coated in a thick layer of sirup. He prayed to whatever god might hear him that the other wouldn ´t remember anything that had happened, because otherwise, he ´d never hear the end of it.

„What happened to Dick you ask?“ She was sounding out each individual syllable, holding eye contact with everyone in their little circle that´d be willing to. „Well, how curious! A small Malheuer happened on patrol yesterday night, and now, your best friend might have just turned into a kid! A pre-teen!“ This just sounded like a really bad romcom.
The voice on the other end got louder and all but Dick knew where this was going.
Damian too had dropped the edges of his mouth into an over exaggerated inverted smile. „I was just starting to enjoy this dinner.“ He said, and crossed his arms over his chest while pouting.

„Well, of course Wally! We would all really be glad to have you here! You have every right to support your best friend in times like these, so we are all welcoming-„ the doorbell rang, „you with open arms, aren ´t we?“
Another groan.
Jason got the empty plate from Bruce ´s seat to put it above his own. A necessary protection against what was about to come.

Alfred appeared in the large doorframe. Everything suddenly seemed so big in comparison to Dick; there was even enough space to fit three more brow-cocking butlers right next to him!

„It´s just Wally.“ Steph said with a huge smile. A bit of her sirup draped down from her fork onto the silky white tablecloth- Tim winced, but quickly recovered. Bruce ´s fault for not being there. Besides, the table was big enough to give house to 10 people! No way anyone would notice that.

But Wally was just about to enter… chances were that the table would not be left with only one stain that dinner.

Alfred seemed just as concerned. „I was not aware that Master Richard was expecting company.“
The voice on the phone had by no means stopped talking, if ever. A constant choir of „let me in“ could still be heard.

„Me neither!“ Dick laughed, swinging his legs in a way that endangered the entire table to shake. The mans eyebrow kept rising higher, but nevertheless disappeared to go greet their old friend.

Not even a second after the door had creaked open, a ginger head of hair was already looming over the table as well, shoving three whole pancakes into his mouth. He was occupying two chairs at once, legs sprawled out over the one next to him as well, and inspecting the little boy next to him with more care than he held on any mission probably.
Dick jumped up onto his chair, „YOU CAN TELEPORT??!!“ he shouted.

„…Shit you weren ´t lying, huh? I was actually about to tell you I finally got myself a date thanks to your advice but DAMN!“ Wally stretched his lanky limbs before sitting upright.

„Hey. No swearing in front of the kid.“ Jason grumbled, seated next to said boy and proceeding to eye his plate to check if it was still there.

Damian, who was the only other Wayne kid on their side, shot him a piercing look. „You never minded swearing in my proximity.“ He noted.
The older glanced at the two kids caging him in this row. Okay, maybe even three if you counted Wally as well who already seemed to be doing just fine eating away their pancakes and chatting with the circus boy.
He leaned back, the only possible way of escaping this dinner if he did not want to jump over the table and straight into Steph and Tim. „Well, probably because you ´re fucked up as it is, demon kid.“

Said Robin mumbled something disapproving and scoffed, but Jasons attention was already back at the intruder.
„Not teleportation, I ´m just super mega extra fast bud!“
Dicks eyes had gone wider and wider, „So you- you ´re a SUPERHERO?!“

He had sat down with his chin on his knees, feet rhythmically tapping onto the chair, and threw his hand flat onto the table.

„Why so surprised? God, I don ´t remember you ever being this tiny, how the hel- sorry- how the fiddlesticks did this happen?“ He scrunched another pancake up with his fist to shove it into one of his cheeks like a hamster.

Tim groaned. „Long story. We still don ´t know alot.“
„Well, it´s just- Sir- you do not look very heroic. At all.“ Dick had thrown his arms around his legs now as well, looking up at the redhead in a mix of respectful awe and sass.

„Wha- Everything about me is as heroic as ever! We ´ll even work together in the future, side by side!“ He threw his boney chest forth as if that was going to help polish up the plain long sleeve with a red T-shirt on top. He looked like a cheap copy and paste nerd from a video game.
„Listen. I ´ve only been in this time period for like less than a day and even I noticed that you ´re stuck in the 2000s.“
„Oh, you ´re the one to talk! Your fashion taste in men classifies as horrible by ALL standards!“
„At least I don ´t go around looking like Mommy's 21-year-old basement kid who watched a little too much Big Bang theory, that her Boyfriend forgot to pick up on Hannovers train station! Who are you planning to go on a date with like that? Zac Efron? Gabriella?“

Steph was thoroughly enjoying herself. „Don ´t know each other longer than 2 minutes and already back to being best friends.“ She beamed.
Dick had jumped up again, „Don ´t think I forgot about you two! If there ´s anyone here that should be allowed to wear it Sheldon style, it should be little Mister ´tism over there!“
Tim, who had managed to eat his portion this entire time without interference, was suddenly pulled into the spotlight. „Now-„
„Oh don ´t try to fool me young man!“ Dick cut him off, „It takes one neurodivergent to know another! My antennas have connected the moment I laid eyes on you! The voices told me! And they never lie!“
Tim let out a heartfelt laugh as he carefully cut another one of his pancakes up into pieces, „Yeah? What else are the oh so wise voices telling you dear Grayson? ´Got any more superior knowledge?“
Dick finally settled back down onto his seat, tapping his fingers like an evil villain. „… They´re asking whether gingerbread made of real human gingers tastes any different. Wanna find out?“ His head slowly turned toward Wally, whom he was still occassionally play-fighting with during their argument.

„Oh, I think you ate out enough gingers to know-„ Steph tried to say before earning two kicks underneath the table by all other Robins- though it only ended at that number because Damians legs wouldn ´t reach.
Luckily the youngest did not hear, having gone back to conversing with Wally. They seemed to connect instantly, like two magnets snapping together every time they got too close, no matter what timeline, universe or… age.

The two of them had been talking about super hero culture beside Wallys never halting hand reaching for the next pancake- just to meet an empty plate.
He looked around with a guilt ridden face, „Sorry- It´s just- I am starving! I ran here from Tenessee and-„

„Do not worry about material things, Sir West.“ Alfred suddenly appeared behind them. „It is just that I did not account for a speedster metabolism.“

Dicks head went to his own plate, and then back to eyeing Wally. „Well, If you want to you can have some of mine-„ But Jason grabbed the tiny, frail hand that was about to reach for the porcelain. „No. Sorry little one but believe me, he needs it a little less than you right now. Whether he looks like a stick or not- we ´ll find him something else. As said; material worries should be your least.“ He assured, releasing his grip after giving a gentle pat on his shoulder as apology. He had not meant to be that rough, but it only felt natural for him, although he should have been used to wealth by now. Nothing had ever been able to really pull him out of this calculation - constantly guarding food even if it was mostly for others now. He certainly still related to people not as good off and while he wasn ´t the one to judge a cover by its book- Dick did not look that well off either. At least in this state.

„Besides, where ´d you leave your snacks?“ Steph asked, shoving a last fork of food in her mouth.
„Ate them, but I was so out of it today that I just did not know what to do. Then I tried to find Dick, naturally, but could not find him in his usual spots in Blüdhaven or wherever. So I called, ´cause I was getting worried y´know? Didn ´t just want to barge into the manor like that. -Sorry…“ He awkwardly scratched the crook of his neck where an untreated case of neurodermatitis revealed itself to open air. Red spots blended into the massive amount of freckles. It was as though someone had littered him with sprinkles.

„Anyway- as I was about to say! My date-„
„Do all gingers come from colder places?“ Dick interrupted, „Haven ´t seen many in Greece, spain or portugal- Which isn ´t really a pity. Have you ever watched the Spider-Man movies in Spanish? He is so cool- UNTIL he is suddenly called hombre araña. Cuando era pequeño, quería- Wait. Sorry. Wrong language. English, right. Anyway- How many MORE syllables do you need?! Spider-Man is fine as it is! Also, none in Italy either. Even less ginger heroes… or any heroes at all.“

Luckily, Wally shared the same kind of short attention span and actually seemed to consider. „Wait- are you saying you ´ve never seen a ginger hero before?“

The kid pulled a face. „None, really. Your kind doesn ´t really ever appear in other countries, outside of emergencies that is- or have you ever seen a german superhero? Imagine a german Batman alternative, „Ich… Ich bin der Fledermausmann“.“ He fell over his own middle, laughing, „Or- Or! Maybe he could be called Nachtigall! That´s a bird! Sounds way cooler than Batman either way- actually maybe I should convince B to try and speak german one day. Just picture the villains hearing that Baritone voice behind them going „Hab dich.“ Wouldn ´t that just be great?!“ Another ear shattering laugh that just spread through the whole room like a warm infection in everyones chest. „Seriously- Why do Americans need that many superheroes? Though I only really like Superman. Oh, HE ´s great! Did you know he can fly?!“ A shimmer had settled in his blue eyes as he pulled on Wallys sleeves to emphasize.

A laugh, „Yeah, I even once flew with him. You did too. We even worked with his son.“

The chair behind him went flying back and Jason could not be bothered to do anything about it, not if he hadn ´t seen the older (or- currently younger) smile like this in years. Sure, Dick was always smiling but it rarely reached his eyes. It was the kind of smirk you throw a stranger while making smalltalk- this- This was different.

„I ´ll get to meet THE superman one day?! Like- THE FLYING SUPERMAN?“ His grin turned malicious, „I ´ll get to meet THE CLARK KENT?“
Tim nearly choked on his water. Yeah, he was NOT supposed to know that yet.
„How did y-„
„Oh come OOONN! I AM a detective, you know? Think I can drive the batmobile but can ´t even draw a pair of glasses over a face? PLEASE!“ He let himself fall onto the chair with a huff again. „Who do you think told Bruce? ANYWAY- You said something about a date sir. Something you wanted to tell older me. When ´s that? Will you be staying too?“

To Jasons luck, the ginger shook his head. „Nope!“ He said, popping the P gleefully, propping his head up on the table with his elbows.
This dude was lucky his power was superspeed, one hit and maybe his arms would just fly away! But Jason also couldn ´t quite picture the Dick next to him being a Robin and dropping onto someone from a 200ft building knee first either- so there ´s that.

„Because I!“ an artistic pause in which he caught everyones gaze, „- Got myself a date! Today!“ His triumphant hand shot into the air as if this were a miracle. Maybe it was.

„But it´s already quite late.“ Steph said, furrowing a brow and looking at the fancy clock over the wide door.
Wally tensed for a split second. „What time is it?“
„Why don ´t you look right there?“ Damian flashed a malicious grin, „don ´t tell me you aren ´t acquaintinced with analog clocks!“
The other went red all over as if he were trying to blend in with his hair. „Rude! I thought you rich snobby kids were all about the guest being king! Big daddy Batman ain ´t taught you that yet?“
The kids face turned into a scowl, his slightly chubby cheeks seeming to drop as well as his mood. „No one invited you, therefore you are no guest but a measly intruder stealing our dinner. I ´ll let you know I have been taught the best of manners, perhaps not by my father of blood but a very important person nevertheless! …Also do not call him that.“
Wally let out a chuckle at getting the other to look away first by mentioning that obscure nickname. Damians usually so piercing gaze was now back on the ground in defeat when Dick out of all intervened.
„Quit it. It´s 30 past 20.“

Even with the other childs head lowered, one could see the confusion turn into a knowing smile.

…At least more knowing than Wallys very academic, „Huh?“

The other few had been enjoying themselves just watching everything, but Jason eventually spoke up with his mouth full of his last bite. „It´s in military clock time. Pretty usual in literally any country but america I imagine.“ He shielded his mouth behind the back of his hand.

The redhead still seemed lost. „It´s half past 8.“ Tim elaborated, trying to suppress a smile.

„Yet another function you shallow minded boy are not familiar with. It´s piling up.“ Damian mused.

Wally relaxed into his chair with a sigh.

„Well? Who is the lucky person and when do you gotta be there?“ Stephs grin almost seemed to spread from one ear to the other.
The adult immediately started fidgeting again and the redness of his face that had just been starting to fade hit back with full force.

„Artemis.“ his voice broke mid sentence like one of a nervous teenage boy.

The blonde girl at the table went out to another set of „Aww“s and Tim cocked his head in Jasons direction, who grumpily slid over a 20 dollar bill.
Wally watched this with utter shock. „You- You bet on me?! You bet on your big bros best friend?!“ He exclaimed, although it appeared a hard task to close his mouth at all.

„You weren ´t supposed to know.“ Jason mumbled, „because you should actually be recovering from an arrow to your kneecap right now.“
Tim played with the paper in his hand as if it were a fidget toy. „Well, I said that you ´d ask her out and she would AT LEAST get free dinner. Whether that´d be platonic or not in her understanding- or rather in her denial.“ His smirk spread wider and the other contestand groaned, „Little Mister Red Hood over here said that she wouldn ´t even do that and dump you straight away, resulting in a rather imaginative scenario about how you ´d cling to her and beg not to leave you and then-„

„WOW. THATS how you think of me Jason?“ Wally had to turn his head in an awkward angle to spy past the kid next to him, but still managed to meet the others avoidant, yet amused eyes. „Come on. You ´d totally be into it anyway so it´s a win-win.“ and they, well besides Wally who still seemed to pout excessively, erupted into laughter. Even Damians evil little chuckle chimed in before Steph had to ask the inevitable, „Well? When do you gotta leave?“

„It IS at 9 pm so-„

„I ´M SORRY- WHAT?!“ Dick would have sent the chair back flying again if he had not already, instead he jumped up and slammed his hand on the table for extra emphasis.

„Well, yeah-„

„NO. Wait. YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE SORRY! You ´ve got less than 30 minutes and you still look like- like- like You!“ Jason could not suppress the chuckle escaping him. Yep, even as a literal kid is he still superior to Wallys dating skills.
The boy took a deep breath before taking a seat again, talking in Damians direction instead to see that malicious grin.
„You ´re telling me that you are abizt to go out with a girl, named after a literal goddess,“ a sigh from the other guy, „That she is…“ „ AND YOU ARE STILL GOING like THIS? Listen, I ´ve been to greece, I saw the statues, I translated the TEXTS! If she is anything like her name implies, which- I may not be the one to talk but still- This is- it´s not-„ Dick was at an absolute loss for words, to everyones surprise… and to everyones even more surprise it was the other child that picked his sentence up. „This is no attire for such occasion, West.“
„EXACTLY!! See?! Even the 8 year old gets it!“
„… I am twelve and therefore currently older than you.“
„Same difference, anyway- Wally. Walls. Walster. Walladishious. You cannot actually be considering this.“

Said adult had sunken into his chair deeper and deeper with every mention of his name. The shade of his ears had eventually surpassed the one of his hair, before he buried them deep inside his hands alongside his face. Talking to his de-aged best friend about dating while half the bat company was present just did not seem right. At all.

„Okay.“ Tim started with a loud exhale, „We probably shouldn ´t be listening nor should we be even part of this conversation, but just because your best friend has shrunken in size and age does not make his advice any worse.“ Hell, how could it be when Dick had literally been his gay awakening?! The teen looked wildly uncomfortable with what he was about to do but wasn ´t this his duty? Hell, Damian and Dick were currently children, he had no idea if Jason even was into girls and Stephanie- well. Steph might actually be the right one to help this poor guy but when he tried looking in her direction for help, her big bright eyes just looked back at him expectantly. He himself as a fellow bisexual man who has gotten himself exactly one long(er) time girlfriend he was still very much in a relationship with might not even be fit for this- but his partner was still staring like that and he just could not dare ruin this heroic moment of… dating advice between bisexual males? Okay, maybe Steph just thought that this was hilarious- actually it was very likely that she was trying to hold in her laughter while seeing men ponder over women, like it was a whole other world. Shit, where were those bisexual superpowers Dick always seemed to possess? The ability of being carelessly attractive and perfect as though blessed by Aphrodite himself.
It was like Adonis and Hyacinthus had come together to personally carve Dick Grayson out of flesh- he spared a glance across the table to said boy- just so they could put him into a darn CIRCUS.

God someone had to say something and help poor Wally not mess up the chance of his life. No idea when he ´d get a chance at getting to date someone like Artemis again. If ever.

„Now why the fuck would you even go out like this to get yourself a girl?“ Jason asked with an accusingly pointing fork.

And it must have been some kind of wizardry the older kept hexing everyone with ever since he got here because for some fucked up reason that was what made Wally West crack under the pressure he had put upon himself.

„I asked her to go out with me. I said something like „Just the two of us, grabbing dinner. I ´ll pay obviously.“ and I don ´t know if she got the HINT! Like what if I make a fool out of myself by wearing nice clothes and she gets scared?“

Steph snorted, „Oh yeah, which one of the 534 hints did she miss? Dude, you ´ve been DROOLING!“
„But she probably thinks I treat every girl like that!“
„-which you do-„
„BUT ONLY THE PRETTY ONES! And she is the prettiest! Trust me! You should have seen her!“
„Oh trust me, I did-„ A little kick from the fellow bisexual next to her.

With a groan his face fell into his hands again and everyone settled into a brooding silence. The clocks ever ticking movement did not make anything better. Time was literally about to run away.

Dick, of course, was the first to come back into action. „I know EXACTLY what you need!“

A hope shimmered in the redheads eyes as if he had just looked upon the light of god itself. His brows flew up and his entire face seemed to come to life again.
„What- What do I need?“
This was it. This would save his date and the rest of the world. He ´d be able to grow old with the love of his life, sitting on the porch of a huge barn and looking across the fields toward the horizon to take his last breath and be happy to say, ´ this was it, and I can thank Dick Grayson for that´

„You need a fucking therapist.“

Everything crumbled again.
„WHA-„
„Ay! No swears while the kid is around.“ Jason mumbled toward the kid in question.

The child put his best academic face on. „You see, you are currently overthinking. Wear what you think is nice. If you look in the mirror and ask yourself, „Would I want to be on a date with someone looking like that?“ and if your answer isn ´t, „HELL YEAH“ then do not go. Of course tastes differ-„
Damian decided to lean forward and interrupt this life important information with an even more important one, „Tastes may differ, but Nasal capacities don ´t. You are sweaty, West. You ran a lot, and smell accordingly.“

Dick turned around with a wide grin, „EXACTLY! Some surely like sporty guys, but you have to be effortless. And it´s already quite the effort to be sitting next to you, to be quite frank-„
Wally groaned and his stare toward the clock indicated the end of the world. „But I can ´t shower, unless you got speedster water or something like that-„

„Cologne. You can just wear cologne.“ Steph sighed, an underlying chuckle in her voice. „The clothes are only a minor problem. Artemis is your friend, right?“

A gulp followed by a nod.
Both made Dick jump up. „SHE ´S YOUR FRIEND?! THAT CHANGES… EVERYTHING!!“ his face was contorted in utter shock and Jason originally thought that the kid should be too young to be interested in this stuff, but he surely hadn ´t considered the amount of gossip the other had to grow up with around the circus. This was basically like another dramatic play his aunt had loved to enact, reason and inspiration for his „Dickie“ alter ego.

He dragged Wally out of his chair. „Aren ´t you a little young to be giving dating advice?“ and that made the smaller halt in his tracks, looking up at the other as if that was the dumbest thing in the world.

„I grew up with a family of more than 20. More than half of those were girls. I fear all of the things you were worrying about are pure common sense“ He stated matter of factly before continuing to address Jason, „Could we get a hairbrush, toothbrush and so on?“

A smile, „I don ´t think that guy would survive the next hour without it.“

Chapter Text

They had done exactly nothing about his clothes. Artemis knew Wally and his rather uncaring style, so she ´d have to see the effort in other places, those being; his hair which was nicely styled with enough spray to withstand a hurricane, carefully picked necklaces because Wally „just had a necklace face“ according to Steph, a pleasant cologne and last but definitely not least, something to keep the sweat away for the next 4 hours. Hopefully it´d also be able to suppress speedster sweat-attacks, or even worse; Wallys-anxiety-sweat-attacks when he got too close to someone attractive again.

After that, dinner had ended suit and it was slowly late enough for Steph to take her place in patrol. That must have been the first time Batman had seen any light besides the one of his computer screen at all because he seemed even grumpier than usual, brows tightly knitted together and with no more than one-syllable answers, if any at all. Usually a grunt of approval or vague head shaking- causing him to clutch his temples - as an alternative.

Even then he seemed to avoid… everything.

When he did eventually catch a glimpse of the boy, currently seated on Jasons shoulder, his gaze would change in an undecipherable way.
A slight pinch in his jaw and a twitch of his lips was all that ever got to the surface about it.

A nice quiet eventually settled over the remaining people. Wally was off on a date, Steph back on patrol in gotham… all in all a pretty successful, if exhausting, day.

„So, guess we ´re stuck as babysitters, huh?“ Tim asked, slumping down onto the couch of the living room.
With his characteristic hesitance associated with everything involving the manor, Jason too sat down in respectable distance.
„Yeah.“ He said flatly.

„…“
„…“

„You… managed to find Dick after his little tantrum?“
„Yeah. Guess you could say I did. You found a way to reverse it yet?“
„No, not really. But me and B are working on it. Already called Zatanna and all. Lucky Steph made so many pictures since she wanted to see, although I don ´t know whether that actually had anything to do with finding a solution or just plain curiosity. Can ´t blame her though.“
„True… Today´s… strange.“

Not only that but something about this exact moment was terribly wrong as well…

„Is it just me or is it weirdly quiet in here?“ Tim exhaled and Jason immediately went up again, „Shit! You ´re right! Why didn ´t I fucking notice?“
„Notice what?“ But the other already closed the distance between them and grabbed him by the collar aggressively. „Where is the kid we ´re supposed to babysit?!“

„Oh.“

Quiet and awkwardness in the Wayne manor: a clear sign for an alarming lack of Graysons!
No wonder it had been awkward; what else was there to talk about besides the most recent events?!
The adult whipped his head around in a frantic search.

„Wasn ´t he just on your shoulder a second ago?“
Jasons scarred eyebrow fell, „He was?“
Tim nodded as he even attempted to lift the cushions of the couch as though the child was just another lost TV remote. „Yeah! When Bruce was there!“

„… Then maybe he just went back to his room or something?“

But when they pushed the door open, it was the same as earlier.
The EXACT same. A very Dick-shaped dent even still disturbed the sheets.
Upon knocking on Damians, they noticed that that child had also disappeared although that was nothing too unusual.
Still…

„We so suck at babysitting.“ Tim was clutching his forehead in an oncoming stress-induced-migraine.
Bruce would so kill them.

Jason had different plans, „Alf!?“ He shouted across the hall, and both expected a grey head of hair to appear right around the corner when suddenly, „To your service, Master Jason“ could be heard from right behind them.
Fuck the idea of B killing them, a heart attack was bound to do that first!

„´You seen the demon kid around?“

And the second they both turned to face the butler, another child like voice manifested, „I don ´t know. Have you Alfred?“

The fact that he was holding a knife did not make it any better and Tim could not help the shriek that escaped him. To his defense; he never signed up for this.

Jason had probably never looked so content with nearly being stabbed when he whipped around again. „You seen Dick?“
And he totally wish he had, because Dick would have made the best fucking pun about his own name this exact moment and it´d even be okay for Damian because it was DICK saying it.
Stupid pretty boy privileges.

The child huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. It seems he had been sweating. „I certainly have.“
„Well, are you going to tell us about it?“
Damians judgmental look went around, and it let the others feel utterly dumb for not having known where when or how he had seen the kid. How dare they not be able to read minds? Dick surely would have! Although that might actually be not too far from the truth…

„Well, I was leaving the manner through the vents when-„
„Wait wait wait. WHY were you leaving the manor through the vents? And where were you going?“ The teen asked as the pain in his temples tightened. Damian shot him another glance that pretty much translated to: Imbeciles. All imbeciles.

Another huff, but this time his chin shot up in arrogance. „Nowhere. Obviously because I am present, am I not? Either way, I came across a certain…hinderance to be quite frank.“

Jason furrowed his brow, „You ´re saying he ´s in the vents?“
Tim turned to the oldest of the entire bat company, and perhaps even the wisest. „Did he do that as a kid?“

Alfreds eyes narrowed as if to look far behind them and into the past. „Yes, I do recall that being the case. Not only was Master Richard prone to… how do you say- escaping, another symptom of his sadness was, obviously as much as sadly self induced, isolation into rather inconvenient places.“

„Huh, guess you both have that in common.“ The 17-year-old of the group noted while stepping back, ready to go investigate this himself.
„Yes, that may be the case, just like the iron supplements the young master will be taking now.“
Damians smile faded into utter horror, „But- but Alfred!“
„No buts.“

And with a last push full of Schadenfreude from Jason, the boy was dragged along the hallway.

„At least we don ´t have to take care of 2 disappearing brats now.

„Or 3. Don ´t forget Alfred always being conveniently placed around the house.“ Tim snickered but had to halt in his tracks „So… which of us is going up there?“

Jason now too halted, but his face did not seem to be thinking rather than mocking. „Yeah sure I ´ll go after this less than 5 feet tall child,“ he snipped the others forehead, „what do you think, genius?“

Tim decided not to dwell on the fact that this was the first time he had not been called Replacement or simply Drake by the second Robin. Maybe this was also the reason why he decided to go after one of the (not so many) things the both of them shared in common; that lingering admiration for Richard „Dick“ Grayson.

And honestly, this would not be his first dive into the vents of this mansion. It´s system wasn ´t as complicated as other, newer buildings and most definitely not as safe as the ones in the Watchtower or anything like that. So when he made quick work on the screws while standing on a chair, he hadn ´t really expected much. Or, anything at all actually. Merging with the shadows of the manor wasn ´t really his job. He left that to Cass, Damian… and possibly Dick Grayson. Sure, the oldest had known how to escape the mansion unnoticed suspiciously well when Tim once called because he had wanted to meet Steph although he was supposedly studying Calc for an exam,...

…But it´s not like he ´d even know anything about the others relationship with the manor since he rarely visited anyway. Perhaps Dick had been a real menace (although he still kind of was sometimes). You look away for a second and gone was he! Seriously, the only time he hadn ´t mysteriously disappeared was when surveillance followed at all times. Accordingly, they were trying to achieve just that for the time being (and pray that it´d be over soon) but that proved harder than thought.

The first thing he noticed upon being ushered inside the vent by the adult on ground, was the clear lack of dirt. One associates the interiors of vent systems with dust and spiderwebs, and although he could recall Dick telling a tale of having a pet spider he once saved from cleaning-day, no such animals seemed to be living here.
Which should be no wonder, for this WAS a manor after all. Maybe it was good like that, otherwise Damian would pull up with a tarantula he found in here in no time in addition to his other countless pets.

The second thing was the lack of space. There was no possible way of turning for him, and, even if he was in best shape, this whole crawling was proving to be a real workout.
In theory, he knew the blueprints of the manor. But sadly that document didn ´t account for „menacing kids hiding spaces“ as well. Sure, Dick had a habit of disappearing the second you blink but now it was just getting on Tims nerves. Why not stay with your sleep deprived (more or less) little siblings trying to take care of you? Why use every opportunity to start something new and different? Malice, that must be it.

Tim scanned his surrounding, although there wasn ´t really much to scan. A mental imagine came up in his mind; the map. If he were an evil little kid, where would he go?

A few dozen feet into this lovely (not) training session, his sight caught onto something. While there was no dust to indicate a path, there WERE some marks he knew all to well; the scratching of his old shoes he had lended the other, leaving a black trail along the metal coating. The rubber was faint and almost invisible to the bare eye, but Dick must have pulled his legs after him. Plus, the shoes were just a tad bit too large so that would also explain the occasional lankiness of the trails.
After another turn in this dark labyrinth, he could hear something as well. A sound, slapping lightly against the walls and echoing through every inch and centimeter of them. Although he did not expect the child to run away like a wounded animal upon being found, Tim did try to quiet down his huffs and prevent any unnecessary encounters between his elbow and the tight walls around.

Pulling himself forth in a weird mixture between a snake and a sea-lion, he was quite happy that he wasn ´t claustrophobic. Well, not yet at least. The metallic air and the constant smooth surfaces surrounding and mirroring him were not the nicest experience to be having.
Eventually, he stared ahead through the dark into a reflecting wall, two shadowy paths next to it.
A crossing.

And when he was just about to curse this world, another sound. Shuffling. On the right.

He craned his head around the corner and that sure as hell looked like a human being.

Pulling his eyes back and making another motion to come forward, he managed to turn his head more comfortably to observe the boy.

Dick Grayson was laying on his back, knees propped up against the ceiling, facing away from his spectator. Old and relatively cheap 2000s headphones blended into his dark hair and his frail fingers poked through a too large pullover Tim recognized as his own. Though he was more mad about the fact that the Grayson somehow even managed to pull of a dark red- a dark red HE called his signature color (HELLOOO?? RED ROBIN??)- as well. Before the trapeze session, he had been wearing a blue T-Shirt. Something from Harvard or whatever. Sure, he could wear THAT like a child model, it was his his color anyway - but Tims red?

But wait- his hand was holding something. Something small, emitting a blue light.
The MP3 Player.

Tim held his breath. The moment in front of him suddenly seemed so frail; so unbearably human.
It was just… Dick Grayson. Listening to music. Specifically music from his circus days.
Once, M´gann had told a tale about times during their telepathic link, where show music would just randomly appear mid mission from one of the participants and it wasn ´t hard to guess who. Then it´d mix and swell with constant thoughts and calculations which Tim could relate to just a little too well. Despite the fact that he had found out Nightwings identity on his very own, it was hard to believe that the boy in front of him will one day turn into the primarily preferred leader of the next justice league. According to people like SUPERMAN out of all! Dick had grown from fan boy to admired wonder boy. Having him sit there, listening to music that slightly surpassed his shabby headphones, seemed almost surreal.

The boys fingers were twitching in inactivity, much likely triggered at certain sounds, like a retired race horse hearing a count down again, subconsciously tensing in preparation.

Tim had to get this child under surveillance, which was hardly possible with four walls caging him in from all sides.
Plus he needed some of Jasons newly gained good sibling genes. And that totally didn ´t have to do with the fact that the older had told more throughout this single day than he had in literal years. Not at all.

The teen tapped onto the metal structure. Feeling it rather than hearing it considering his way too loud music, Dick tried to jump up and Tim too had to wince when his head hit the ceiling. Two big blue eyes turned around. It was hard to tell in the dark but there was something about them, something different. They seemed to reflect more, push the light away from the little ones face… were those tears? Obviously Dick had noticed the other staring despite the darkness and wiped a hand over his eyes. Even after his fingers had quickly jumped to press the pause button on the device, his headphones lingered on as he fidgeted with the cord.

„…You okay there?“ he kept staring.
God… how was Tim supposed to know how to take care of a child when his own parents had been neglectful? And RICH? Probably kind of the opposite to Graysons, which made them compliment each other very well in most cases, but this one certainly wasn ´t one of them.

Wait. There was one more. One more parental figure Tim had watched, if from afar most of the time, but now official on paper as well.
Yes, that must be it.

„How about we get out of here chum? How does that sound?“ Another wipe and another stare followed by a -finally- nod. It was unlikely to be seen but Tim put a reassuring smile on nevertheless, whether that be for him or the kid he did not know nor did he care.
After the boy had turned around (to his fortune) and led the way toward the vent of the kitchen, Tim just turned his brain off completely and tried for something Dick liked to do to keep him occupied..

„Why did you go up here?“
No answer.
„Please don ´t run away again and tell us if you want something.“

Then a thought shot through his mind like a sharp arrow. A memory, a sentence.
A sentence that changed the sense of his last words entirely. Dick didn ´t try for chit chat in order to keep himself occupied, it was a way to keep himself from shutting off completely. When he was talking mindlessly, even when all other stimuli withered away, he could still force his emotions out. He could still act.

This child simply seemed to have numbed over the past few seconds. Opening his mouth yet no words protruding. They couldn ´t. Thoughts were an incoherent jumble in the mess called his brain and everything was weird and wrong and odd and off.

„Don ´t wanna talk right now?“ It might be that the child wasn ´t even hearing him…
But that thought proved to be wrong when he halted and nodded, looking over his shoulder in an attempt of a toothy smile.

Tim couldn ´t help himself but smile back even if he had wanted to.

Chapter Text

Alfred and Damian were already gone by the time they had left, yet somehow Jason had appeared in trade.

„How did you-„ Tim began before connecting the dots, „You saw the open vent. Of course.“

The other did not lift his head from the book he was reading. „´Was hungry.“ He said before turning a page and putting it onto counter across from the fancy silvern stove. „I see you brought someone along.“ Dick had heaved himself up on the counter beside the taller one, and Jason had used the opportunity to ruffle through the others hair, making him smile greatly. Well, ruffling Graysons hair wasn ´t a rare possibility per se, but Jason taking up on it certainly was.

Tim decided to grab a tall stool and sit next to the two as well. He tried to ignore the fact that the others feet had a steady hold on the ground while his barely grasped the floor, but tiny Dicks, who sat on the counter itself, feet seeming miles away from reaching down made him feel better after all.
Still.
Stupid child insomnia. He surely could have been bigger than Grayson by now.

He was almost considering laying off on the coffee before breaking that thought again- Nope, his addiction would have to carry him through school and this exhausting day somehow.

„Have you seen Damian and Alfred around? I thought they were supposed to be here?“ He asked.

Jason grabbed toward a glas next to him, just to realize that he had already drank all of its content with a sigh. „They were. The demon spawn ´s… well, somewhere. Probably in the cave… He seemed okay though. Not grumpier than usual.“

„…Dick won ´t speak again. Hasn ´t since Wally left. That´s a couple of hours. A possible sign of discomfort or sadness.“ Tim stated matter-of-factly.

Jason scrunched up his face and his tone managed to drop even lower. „That so?“ He asked and turned to said child who just resumed to stare, his gaze wandering and mouth opening ever so slightly, yet the words just wouldn ´t leave his throat for some goddamn reason, so he just ended up pressing his lips together.

Another sigh, „How about we do something… nice?“

Tim wasn ´t even sure if the other knew the definition of nice and he himself did not seem too sure either.
The child nodded absently, swinging his legs and looking around as if trying to find the next activity to throw himself into.

It was evident that he did not want to confront these emotions inside him, did not want to confront the tears or the way his fingers had shivered when clasping that Player.
But that was no way to handle this, was it? Tim had to know; he had begun managing his workaholic problem because of Nightwings, Kons and Stephanies constant bickering and check-ins. Sometimes the older´d take him out to eat, or meet him on a faire. Anywhere but the Wayne manor usually. He wasn ´t only there to help him distract himself from work and thoughts lingering in his mind, but also to help him talk, Stand behind him while he faced the things that happened and finally try to accept them at face value.
Of course it took time and he wasn ´t healed. But one day he might be. Surely. It didn ´t really matter for as long as the older stood behind him, everything would be okay.

This was his moment to give that back.
…Take things at face value, see the good as well as the bad.

„Do you maybe want to watch TV? We don ´t really have to talk that much and we can get cool snacks.“ Tim offered.

„Oh hell no I am not letting this brat pick out food again, did you see his taste in beverages?! Flirt as a Fanta susbstitute? Can you imagine my shock? If you ´re not going to eat clean at least do it the original way.“ Jason flicked Dicks forehead who then erupted into huffed laughter.

„Okay. Then… Dick can pick the movie and I pick the snacks.“

A furrowed brow, „and what do I get to pick?“

„Your seat while you park your ass and wait for the adults to finish, Mister. I don ´t want to have to eat apples and pears all evening.“

„Why so fucking pessimistic, Replacement?“

But Tim just raised his brow and motioned toward the stack of apple cores. One did not have to be a detective to notice that.

„Touché.“ And with that, the other moved into another room in which the entire bat company usually spent their movie nights. Well- most at least. Damian, even if everyone was present (which was pretty rare) would either sit somewhere super close to Dick and practically growl at you if you did something he couldn ´t approve of like a guard-dog, or be perched up in that little square in the wall- also known as „The vent“ for normal people.

Coming with two bags of chips and a few pears for good measure, he too sat down on the soft couch, leaving place for Dick to decide whether he wanted to sit between them.
Tim had expected for the kid to be going through the mass amount of DVDs, possibly even Netflix, but the boy was nowhere to be found.

He turned toward Jason who seemed to read his mind, „Pretty sure he only remembers the late 2000s, so I didn ´t bother trying to explain streaming services. ´Wanted to show him some Discs instead but he just motioned for me to wait.“ and his hand found a way toward a pear.

Settling down, small footsteps could be heard from behind them again and they turned in time to see the boy coming forward timidly. Looking around to make sure they had noticed his arrival, and Tim nodding approvingly to the thing he held in his hand, he came closer to the back of the couch. The older had to crane their necks in weird angles, but that didn ´t really matter as much as the nervous expression Dick wore. Grayson and NERVOUS? That´d be new. It was a DVD case like any other, one of those you could flip through to find the movie you ´d want to watch, but something was also… different. They´d seen it before, In a dark room with dust covering its edges.

Stuck on top were fotos of a circus. When turning to look down to examine, one was met with a smiling Dick staring up at them, whether that be in the air or on a donkeys back.

„…I want to show you.“

Tim wanted to shout something along the lines of „You talked again!“, but Jason, who respectively sucked at feelings but had seemed to have gained some kind of super power when it came to this child in particular, luckily cut him off, „You sure? As I said, older you is kinda guarded about it. We ´d, uh- ….love to see it, but only if it´s actually something you want to do.“ His voice managed to be stern and serious while also sounding comforting somehow. Guess someone had to take on the „best dad ever“ mug Damian had once gifted to Dick- well, before apologizing for its informality. Luckily the older had been able to keep that mug more of a secret than anything in his life basically. Even his relationship with Barbara was found out by Batman after a few months. The mug from which he drinks his coffee every single morning in the BPD? Not a clue (although it is a nice way of keeping creepy flirts away).

Tiny Dick tried for a smile, „What, you saying I never got to flex with my skills? You basically had free tickets to a show and never used them? ´Guess it´s time then!“ and Tim tried his best not to comment on the slight twitch of his hand when selecting a Disc and pushing it into the old player. He also couldn ´t help himself but take curious note of the way the following footage had been filmed and documented.

09.01.2007.
Europe, Austria to be exact. The ninth of January from 18 years ago.
…And only a couple of months ago for the Dick that had planted himself right between them.

Another flash of text. Richard John Grayson. His legal name.
Disc two.

Upon that, the kid next to them shifted, „I wanted to show you my first time in an official theatre with a show right before. That was a pretty stressful day but… still fun.“

Jason turned to watch the boy while the video cut to a view from the top of a circus. Pillars, a long rope like cloth high up on the side, a normal trapeze and a very small Dick in comparison. The lights appeared to be huge and so did the audience caging the boy in a circle.

„Are you saying you had multiple shows a day?“
„Well, normal actors have eight a week-„

„Eight?!“ Tim nearly let his coffee fall. As a an 8 year old the most time he had spent was at school and that was already hell-
But Dick just gave him a large grin. „That´s showbiz baby!“

Grayson was usually much of a talker during movies, and for once they might just let him be. Just this once. Hell, it was like watching a show right next to its actor.

Plus this was also the first time they could freely ask any questions about the circus at all, maybe they even had to because the kid was obviously still very much feeling the music in his head, indicated by certain twitches of his limbs at what seemed to be cues and the way he mouthed certain words while watching, as if not to forget.

„What´s that thing?“ Jason asked, as the Dick in the tape was rolling himself up- or was he climbing? His limbs were tangled into the cloth in a way that looked- impressive for the lack of better words. Surely there were some kind of names for whatever was happening, if only Tim knew what exactly was.

„It´s another type of artistry. Did you know the Austrian just call us, „Artisten?“ ´Wanna hear someone say that this isn ´t art again! Anyway, kind of like a background show while- there!“

The scene changed to another, possibly later in the evening but it was hard to tell with all the lights.

Tims breath audibly hitched upon seeing the people swinging along the other, catching him.
Mary and John Grayson. It was like staring at two ghosts, long gone…

The video kept cutting to some of Dick´s major scenes, routines they had seen the older Dick do as well just… just without his parents. Nor anyone else. They all weren ´t acrobats. Sure, they were physically fit but swinging and flipping around wasn ´t the same as kicking guts.
Seeing that kid hold onto his mothers hands midair, and fly like a bird with such a great smile on his face… It looked like he was born for that.
Perhaps he was. Well, he had to be- that´s how the business works.
Tim tried to think back to the time he had last seen Dick that happy. Had he ever? Sure, he smiled but that twinkle in his eye when being in the spotlight, that rush of activity surging through after another big „Oh!“ and all the clapping, the whistles and flowers…

All left in the search for justice.

How could they have done that to a little kid like him? How could one leave him there, between his parents to watch them fall to the ground with a loud thump, see their ribs pierce their lungs as they slowly choke to death with nothing you can do but watch as the blood leaves their mouth, watch as the laughter of the circus and all you had ever known- all you had ever trained for, die with a single fall.

(„Someone get the kid out of there!“
„Oh god, are they…?“
„The child! Someone get the child!“

„What if he sees?“

But he already had. They all had.)

Jasons jaw had tensed as well as he silenlty stared ahead, occasionally giving signs that he was still listening to the constant background infos the kid was happily willing to give- an amount of info Tim would have loved to listen to on a nice tuesday evening with a warm mug of chocolate in front of him.

This felt wrong.

It was hard to admit that THE golden boy was also just a child, made of flesh and bones, shivering in the cold and eventually succumbing to hunger and death like everyone else.

Tim grew increasingly aware of the small warmth next to him, the breaths, his heart beat…

He wrapped a hand around his shoulder. In the next few years of Dicks live, not only would he finally be able to gain some weight to support these muscles, he ´d also make and lose friends, be sexually assaulted, move cities and still end up being the best non-biological (nor adoptive, get a grip, Bruce!) brother anyone could have ever asked for. In a way, Tim was… proud. And shocked, and nauseous and he pitied the other and everything was happening all at the same time…

One thing was clear; Dick would SO be getting a hug once he turned back.

His conscience slowly retrieved because of the feel of fabric moved by breathing and he finally returned to the scene at hand.

Jason and the other had started a conversation while last scenes of the circus flew by. A woman, probably a knife thrower by the looks of it, on her knees, the youngest of the flying Graysons swiftly landing behind her in a handstand (however THAT was possible Tim didn ´t know), waving down after a show- but instead of kicking down to go and stand beside her, he swung his legs over so they eventually settled onto the lady´s shoulders before slowly lifting his torso up in a full 180 while she stopped her waving to hold his ankles in an iron grip. Not only must that make one dizzy as hell, but DAMN 8 years old and already stomach muscles made out of brick huh?

„Yeah, that was totally one of my favorites! I wish I could one day do it again, but I don ´t have anyone to do it with…“
Jason leaned back in a thinking manner, „Well, you ´re the main attraction in that one. So the others wouldn ´t have to be as athletic and flexible, right?“

Tim finally decided to let the thoughts pass and include himself in the conversation- the tiny Dick must think that he was a freak by now, which was kind of reasonable since all he had done was stare and gawk at the fact that the wonder boy too had once been a kid.

Dick had just nodded eagerly before the teen decided to take over the word, „So basically, Jason is offering to do it with you.“
„-Wha- NO I AM NOT, REPLACEMENT!“

„Then I am. I am way better than mister frown-town over here anyway- just kidding. Don ´t decapitate me.“
The kid had subconsciously leaned into the touch so much that he was basically flat against Tims side, staring up with wonder and anticipation in his eyes. One Tim wanted to see on the Dick he had gotten to know himself as well.

„Besides,“ Jason huffed, „We ´re both too heavy for your measly little stick to carry.“

Dick straightened his back with determination up in his face, „Guess I will just have to put in a good word for the both of you!“and he scurried off to fetch a piece of paper. With a glittery-pen in hand, no idea who the hell owned that but Tim was definitely going to find out later, he wrote a number on it. „Our routines were all numbered, so were our practices and bla bla bla.“
…No doubt for easy manipulation, if the body already associated certain words with moves it would be even easier to forcefully awake that memory with a single sentence…

„This way, in case older me forgets what happens once he gets back… this should definitely do.“ And Jason carefully slid it into the pocket of his leather jacket. When the kid sat down again, he shifted even closer to the teen and absentmindedly pushed his legs toward Jasons. His head fell onto Tims shoulder as they kept watching and even the adult didn ´t seem to mind the occasional knee-bumps.

The scene on the TV changed entirely and the kid perched up.

„I guess I now know why you sing under the shower all the time.“ Jason noted and Dick went red across his face before pouting. It was a scene from an official stage; a play with dance and music. Nothing too hard for the performer next to them. The first clip just featured him with the entire company, dancing and singing, and his voice got lost within all those baritones and sopranos, no doubt there to show his capability of adapting to new experiences and teams. The second though.. the second Jason would never let Dick forget. His tiny little Falsetto voice, all powdered in the face and with the clothes of a prince from the 19th century… sound and acting weren ´t too bad; if it hadn ´t been for that voice! So high and a voice crack to top it all off! Then a man came up behind him and heaved him up onto his shoulders like a cat and the boy, while keeping his expression calm, immediately went red all over. This? This was just mere humiliation. Jason would so tease him about this later (he didn ´t try to think about the implication that´d he ´d even BE there later to do so). Hell- the court of owls would surely have to, he can ´t imagine why else they´d pick this exact show of physical and mental balance. To be honest; the guy WAS fine looking, all clad in fancy white clothes with an angelic face.

Jason could not help himself from laughing. „How did I ever doubt his Bi-ness?“ he snorted but the kid was luckily not listening, hiding his face between the couch and Tims side. „It was part of Rudolphs role, okay? A one time thing!“
„`Fuck you mean „was“, you ´re nose ´s still red.“

A groan. „I was des Kaisers Sohn - whatever that means - and I want to see you sing these notes, huh?!“

The laughing stopped.
„That´s what I THOUGHT.“

Only a few minutes later did the sound turn into light snores and the two older ones noted that the kids body, which had been leaning onto Tim, had gone slack.
Despite their constant bickering, a single look was all that needed to be shared this time, as they carefully reached for the remote to turn the TV off and remove themselves from the sofa. Of course they couldn ´t simply go up to their rooms before having scooped up Dick and put him to an actual bed. The teen internally braced himself for the other to wake up, but he was dead asleep. One couldn ´t blame him, it WAS a pretty confusing and tiresome day. It only ever got weirder when it was Tim out of all having stay up with Jason. A glance at the clock told him that it was way past any curfew. Maybe Damian ´d let him tell him to go to sleep too. Okay, maybe not. Actually, probably not if Tim didn ´t want to risk a broken nose.

Now, of course he could be a responsible older brother and go to sleep himself. Maybe 3 shots of melatonin would even let him. There wasn ´t anything left to do after all, right? Jason was already ready to leave the second the child fell asleep and yet he had done all work that needed to be done to care for the „OG bat-brat“.

Oh who was he kidding. Of course Tim didn ´t go to sleep. His feet took him to the cave without any thought at all. It was second nature by now, to sit down perched on the little sofa in the corner, get his laptop out and do what others his age managed to accomplish in a week within 3 hours.

Well, if only he had considered that NOTHING about today was as usual.
His spot was occupied by a blonde girl he knew all too well. Just like he knew the pullover she was wearing WASNT hers nor were the boxers she used as pyjama pants.

Tim halted. Not because of Stephs attire; it was pretty common for her to steal his and he was pretty sure he had even left those exact things next to the shower rooms (for HIM to wear, but oh well, at least his pants were still safe). No, the light that iluminated her face came from a corner, specifically one close to the place of the batcomputer. Problem was that all lights within the cave were attached to the ceiling. Plus it was way too early for normal patrol to even have ended yet.

If the girl hadn ´t been visibly snoring, cuddling a pillow to her chest as if she wanted to choke it to death, one might think that there was an intruder.

He stepped further into the room to see Bruce frantically typing into the keyboard.

„B.“ A flinch before said man turned slightly. Eyebags hung over his face like heavy rings weighing him down. A quick calculation told Tim that the other surely had not slept in at least 36 hours and that could only have been for approximately 4,7 hours if he remembered correctly (which he definitely did).

„Anything new?“

Bruces tense shoulders fell. „The league has interrogated the captured goons of the warehouse. No more than one had escaped, as reported. Further testings of the samples you and Damian had taken proved the substances to not be of euphoric kind.. Most somehow contain traces of magic, like a truth serum for example. Others also trigger parts of the brain responsible for pain, but without any redirection to sensors in the skin or anything of that kind.“
Tim frowned, „So a drug that targets specifically the ACC and insula cortex, but not the Thalamus… If that is the case; could it be that it suppresses the automatic response of the Thalamus? I mean- that thing´s pretty much fatal to basically EVERYTHING at this point. That would be important for sensory stimuli, right?.. Would the body even send Endorphines to lower the pain if that was the case? Surely a drug like that could lead to.. to longtime damage.“ He gulped. No. Dick wasn ´t even hit with something like that! There was nothing to worry about.

Still…
No- He had to stop that.
He had to stop worrying otherwise he would not be able to sleep at all that day.
Yeah, great…
Everything was just great.

Bruce just nodded.
„The league already found the company responsible and all documented shipments. The escapee has been identified through finger prints- rookie mistake. A magister known for creating… unusual substances. Everything is already being taken care of. Citizens claim to have caught sight of him somewhere near San Francisco. Found Prototypes are currently being tested, though they all seem to be more magical than biological. They appear to react upon impact, which makes sense considering Dick turned when shielding you, as you reported. All three of those have been securely put away as well and Zatana expects to be able to help us with Dick tomorrow or today, depending on how things go.“

That was… kind of a turnoff.

All hopes of getting to solve another mystery with magic involved vanished right in front of Tims eyes and he wasn ´t able to suppress the sigh leaving him.

„…Why didn ´t you contact the league before proceeding?“

And Tims heart stopped. He had already forgotten about that, how could he not with everything that was going on right now?
Being faced with such an insecurity he had not thought about for the entire day seemed… surreal.
He winced. If he hadn ´t been… like that, maybe then Dick would still be okay and with them. No, instead he just had to witness the golden boy in a state no one wanted to remember. Not even he himself.

„I wanted to manage it on my own.“ The words left his mouth without a single second wasted to think. The throwback through time had detached him from all present.

Bruce hummed. Where had he heard that sentence before? „I ´ll manage“? A fate that overcame all Robins it seemed.
Something he had messed up once and never again.

„You can always ask for help Tim. I hope you know that. You are my son, no matter what the others say.“ And while that was nice to hear, it wasn ´t true.

And that bothered the teen only more.

„Your son just like Dick Grayson?

Oh.
The man turned away again, hiding his profile just like he had hid himself away the entire day.

„Everything between me and… Grayson is fine.“ He said and yet he didn ´t resume typing. He couldn ´t.

Steps. Another voice. The sound of a leather jacket shifting.
Jason had entered the room. It was like a shark smelling blood in the water, a predatory, yet somehow also miserable smile on his lips.
And he was as insufferable and provocative as ever.
„If everything´s so fine, then why don ´t you go and say hi? Or anything at all really.“
The mans shoulders tensed once again along with his neck and jaw. Tim thought he might pop a vein.

„I talked with him this morning.“ Though one must note that that had technically been a day before since it was already past midnight, „ I was occupied afterwards.“

„And avoidant.“ Tim added matter-of-factly and Jason was almost starting to tolerate this kid. Of course he was mad and angry. He had just witnessed more about the other´s life than he had in all years of knowing him, and the only vague father figure that was left actively looked away in ignorance and pain when confronted with his very face.

Bruce gripped the edge of the table, „Timothy Drake-„

But said teen had not been finished just yet, „Oh so NOW I am a Drake?“
And the man in the leather jacket could not suppress the chuckle escaping him. Damn right. Replacement´s finally fucking got it as well.
He pursed his lips. The silence was unbearable.
Jason couldn ´t have that.
No, he couldn ´t stand it. After a year of murderous intention, his eyes pulsed green. But, unlike every other time, without any selfish thought. No, this wasn ´t really about him. And yet he was growing utterly mad with every silent second that passed. And the fact that all of this anger bubbled up because of GRAYSON? That only fueled his wrath more. „The second someone says or does something you don ´t want to talk about, Something taboo in your little world of justice and stoicism and WOW, who cares about hurting the child you ´ve been trying to see in anyone that came after? C ´mon old man, You admire him. That is no fucking secret. The fact that he had been able to reach out to… to ME irks your narcissistic ass. How dare your two beloved wonder boys team up against you? - Or whatever it is you are thinking. It doesn ´t matter. But let one thing be said; it´s painful to watch you not use this opportunity, to redeem what you did wrong, and it´s becoming a fucking habit. You failed to adopt him when he was a kid who still looked up to you, looked at you as if you were his entire world- Fuck it, YOU WERE his entire world, and now it´s „too late“, isn ´t that so? Because it WAS this kid- this nine year old circus nerd you loved so dearly- It was HIM you gave up for justice to send him to Spyral. No, now you ´ve messed up BAD. You ´re always too late. Too late to avenge your parents and NOT turn out like this, too late to save me, too late to keep anyone that´s close to you here. You ´re scared, Bruce, So much so that it´s painful to watch you ruin your life.“

Tim watched in awe. He himself had never been the angry kind. Lashing out thoughtlessly wasn ´t something he liked to do, but god he too was so fucking tired of the constant thinking; A dead end. The more he thought and observed the more anger and worry build up agains the man he called his father.

Bruces hands hadn ´t loosened it´s grip around the table yet. A shaky breath left his lungs.

„I know.“ Was the only thing echoing through the room before that usually so stern voice recollected itself.

„I messed up-„
„Fuck yeah you did.“
„I messed up- and I feel… guilty. Seeing Dick… hurts. It- it hurts. I know and recognize my failure.“

Despite this long awaited revelation, Jason was too far in to stop now. Everything was spilling over the edges, his greenish eyes narrowed, his nose wrinkled and his smile was like a predator finally catching sight of its prey.
„Sure. Seeing the child YOU wronged hurts YOU? Seeing the child YOU hurt hug you and search for warmth in a place where he felt understood despite his troubles, unaware of the pain you are about to cause? Boo-fucking-hoo. Spare me with your apology. I heard it enough and you know my answer.
Dick didn ´t. The kid doesn ´t know why the big soft bat is being like this. He thinks it´s his fault and that fucking dickhead- pun not intended- probably still thinks that way to this fucking day.“

Bruces shoulders fell.
Was Jason being too harsh?
Good.

„It´s not only Dick you ´re hurting, y´know? Damian misses HIS batman, but if you keep being a fucking coward and take too long to get your fucking shit together it´s gonna be like this till the end of time. Being all buddy-buddy, „Oh my beloved son“ on mission and then awkwardly walking away with the tail between your legs? Fucking pathetic. And Tim?“

„…Yeah?“

„I ate your joghurt. Your tastebuds suck ass. Farewell.“ And with that, the man disappeared in the shadows of the opposite end of the room again.

Bruce really had never been the one to talk about feelings, to say what was going on. But his eye-bags even seemed to finally drag down the walls he had built around himself.
He still didn ´t turn around but Tim noticed a change in his breathing- a hitch, perhaps.
A few steps closer one could see the wet line trailing down the side of that broad face.

„As mad as I was for what happened after Spyral…. I ´m not going to apologize for what was said… Jason has got a point.“ The teen grabbed a nearby chair and wheeled it in the others direction.
The air was suffocating. All the ACs and vent systems Tim Drake knew by heart did not help. Everything around him suddenly appeared to be no more but a grey cave. A paranoid mans hide out from his own feelings.

More stiff silence filled the room and Tim even dared put a hand onto the mans shoulder. He didn ´t flinch this time, but sunk into the chair like a deflating balloon.

„I ´m sorry.“

„I know you are, Bruce. Some others deserve to hear it still.“

„… I ´m trying to change. To make everything right. I ´ve learned from my mistakes.“

„I know.
…I saw in the way you treat Damian. Still. He too wants to see you reconcile. You know that right? Him and Dick are inseparable. Hell, I heard him call him Baba more than once. You can ´t change the past but the present means just as much to Damian.“

„… I ´m sorry. I really am… That´s why- I ´ve been avoiding…“

„I know.“

„…I ´m sorry.“

Chapter Text

Now, when was the last time someone had ever seen Damian go to bed at curfew? These set times and rules; absurd! Utterly ridiculous!

And it seems he wasn ´t the only one that felt that way.

After Alfred had given him his supplements he had wanted to leave. Just Go somewhere! Anywhere! It felt weird not being on patrol for such a minuscule reason. What was he even supposed to do with that… child? Looking at that face, he couldn ´t begin to see how the Golden boy could have grown out of something so… hurt, scared and angry. Something so human.

„You deserve to be a kid, y´know?“ Grayson had said that all the time. At first it felt… weird? Why were tears springing up in his eyes? Why was all that anger suddenly jumping over into sadness?

But for once it was okay.
Because Grayson was there.
He ´d always be.
And as long as that was the case, everything´d be okay.

Yet now all there was, was a child like him. To be fair, Dick wasn ´t as grumpy and stoic as him, not by far. But this boy was crying and screaming and laughing (quite maliciously at that) and running and jumping and flying around and never ever stopping to let his thoughts pass. It was as if the other was afraid of that. Of halting. Of letting the world turn for just a second.

When Damian sat down in the vents after making sure that the other had been scooped out already, he was unable to do anything but to watch; Those shivering hands, excited chatter and that video on the TV.

It was mesmerizing.

And for a split second, he wanted to be like that too.
Damian wanted to fly through the air with Grayson, laugh like they had done before WITHOUT it having to end the second his father arrived- His blood father.
How come he had used to take pride in that- Being the blood son? And how come he would 100% catch a grenade if that meant a chance at saving Grayson? Not even a flinch crossed his face while sounding those words with a straight expression.

Bruce may be his father in blood but he hadn ´t quite actually been his… parent. Not yet.

Yes, he strived for approval.
And yes he wanted to be a good soldier.

But it had not been Bruce to look at him with soft blue eyes, put a careful hand on his tense shoulder and tell him, „Mercy. Not Vengeance. Yeah?“

That had also been the first time his tongue slipped into something way more personal. „Naeam, ya ´abi.“ The first time he had said that EVER (and not even felt bad about it too, despite being so vulnerable).

Dick´s gaze had turned surprised under that scowl and Damian immediately scolded himself.

„Apologies. That was indecent. What I mean to say was-„
„No it´s okay. My arabic's just a little rusty and I had to translate in my head to make sure you didn ´t insult me or anything.“

„No! I wouldn ´t!“
A pat onto those unruly spikes, „Good.“

And with that, he had just called Grayson father.
Not even! Dad. He had called him dad! Something so informal, not at all like he had learned and it felt… nice. Flying through the air, safely secured by Nightwings side in case he ´d fall. Learning his way around Gotham, watching Grayson flip and contort his body in ways Damian had never considered before. Like an acrobat, yes, but combined with martial arts? It would not have been the first time Damian tried to take as many mental notes as possible just to jut them down in an anatomy study later.

Sometimes they´d even talk in arab. It felt like home. So much so, that he ´d sometimes call into Gothams sister city just to hear that voice on the line, to ask it „Baba?“ and settle into meaningless sounds and words, soothing him to sleep.

Such a being alike Richard Grayson did not deserve these… emotions. Those obstacles. Tears.

But when seeing the video, securely hidden by the darkness of the vent; that boy swinging through the air surrounded by mesmerized humans- one realized that this boy might be their Richard Grayson after all. Only Dick had that kind of superpower. And Only Dick was worthy of admiration because of it.

Afterwards, all ways somehow lead to the trapeze. Damians mind just caught onto all the lights and colors, flaring up in his head. Placing a steady hand onto the low bar (still a little warm), he could only imagine what glory it must have been through.

The boy looked up, seeing it in front of his inner eye: Dick Grayson, flipping and flying, everyone clapping and „ooh“ing…

But no matter how hard he tried, his body would not bend in the ways necessary. For example: Before a routine Grayson would usually stretch. Totally normal, right? WRONG! UTTERLY WRONG! How dare ANYONE get into an extended split for WARM UP? Damians Hamstrings were screaming and when he looked at himself in the mirror, he did not see someone like his Baba, but rather a desperate kid trying to find a place to call home.

Well.
Swiftly disappearing into the shadows again, giving a kick to the wall for good measure, no amount of clenching his fist was able to suppress the loaded grumble of swears on its way.

So what if he had peeped? It´s not like he had watched them talk about sensitive topics or express any profanities. If anything, he was the one articulating such. Still. He had to turn away.
Yes. Nightwing had instructed that: A DBTS skill to keep his anger leveled until he ´d be able to deal with it head first.

Who better was there to calm him than Alfred the cat?

At least he always remained his lazy and bored self.

Still, his mind did not stop thinking useless thoughts. Red lights, flashing to yellow and then white. The faces of humans, children and adults alike, gawking up to see a small boy fly right above their heads; fully aware that he could fall anytime for he was no meta. Yet he still did it anyway, like fish in water and birds in the air. A boy that belonged. And then; the inevitable. Screaming, all signs of their weightlessness gone by a second. Something that has happened hundreds of times before; there wouldn ´t even enough space between their fleshy, human bodies and the ground for them to pull a brow. The boy would reach out, aware that there was no net to catch them, that, yes, this was part of their job but that this was never supposed to happen. It wouldn ´t end immediately. Humans bounce upon impact, Damian knew that all too well, just as much as the fact that they ´d survive the next few minutes. If not hours. All of that because of a man named Zuccho. Someone that wasn ´t even dead. And it´d stay like that (at least until he met Damian, that´s for sure). The al ghuls never feared death. It was a part of life just as anything else. He himself had witnessed it caused by his very own two hands. But it didn ´t make a difference. Almost every human being had two of each limb. Did it truly matter if his were stained red with blood that wasn ´t his own? Just as much as almost every human has two hands, two feet, two ears and eyes, almost every human also has the decision of what they wish to accomplish with the vessel they were given at birth. All choices have consequences. They need to. That is the course of life. If one of these consequences would be vengeance, then so be it. That was his job. He WAS the bloodson after all. Yet, somehow, this was different. Some Magnesia residue still clung to his hands and was now also adoring Alfreds (the cat) fur. If someone had told him to kill Mary and John Grayson back then, would he have hesitated? He was an assassin, would it be any different? Would it TRULY make a difference if it wasn ´t the white powder Richard adored so much clinging to that tiny black head of hair, but his parents blood instead? His brows knitted deeper and deeper. He was… distressed. And sorry. Mourning a boy he never got to meet seemed unreasonable. Every rationally thinking brain would tell him so. But how could one not? Especially with that vivid picture in mind: The glint inside the boys eyes slowly fading and suddenly vanishing with a loud thump beneath him. But the world kept turning, the music kept playing, the lights kept framing and presenting his figure, now confused and afraid, not quite realizing the reality just yet. Maybe that also explained his infuriating urge for action. The world never stopped turning. The earth didn ´t grieve. Then why was Damian all of a sudden?

Seriously! Damian al ghul-Wayne? Worried?

„Great! Just great!“ —Drake would probably have said but luckily he was no coward or fool like his older colleague and so he just let out another grunt, and fell to the floor with a curse leaving his mouth. It was no use. Nothing was anymore.

If only Dick were there.

If all this were about military tactics or calculating chances in a fight- Everything would be fine. More than, actually.
Why did life in america have to be so much more than that?
Why was being a kid so hard?

„Don ´t stare at me like that.“ He barked to Alfred who had been indeed staring down and blinking slowly ever since he had stopped petting.

A meow.
Wow. Rude.

„Do not mock me, peasant.“ Damian lifted a scolding finger, before rolling away with a huff and disappearing down the vent again.

What would Nightwing do? (He specifically avoided the question of what Dick would do as not to dwell in his worry)
Bad question, Grayson wasn ´t as good as handling emotions as he pretended to be. Quite the opposite. „Do as I say, not as I do.“ Was a strict rule regarding domestic life with the other.

Well, what WOULD he tell then?
„Sleep.“ A single world, probably accompanied by another one of his famous hair-ruffles. A hug perhaps. Maybe even a kiss on the forehead Damian would Groan at, yelling „Ew.“ while (not so) discretely leaning into the others warm touch.

Maybe sleep wasn ´t too bad. No definitely. Sleep was a necessity for the human body of which he possessed. Yes, surely he ´d go to sleep now. That was a reasonable thing to do.

Just that something stopped him. A sound. One all too familiar. Another restless human inside the mansion had awoken and was strutting into the salon. Damian sat one corner away from the vent of that one, so they echoed faintly into his ear. Of course he wouldn ´t take the stairs to his room. What´d he look like? A mere conformist?
Though, chances are Bruce upgraded the vent system specifically for Damian to be able to do that, according to Tim when he compared old to newer blueprints once again, getting lost in lines, corners, numbers and angles of no further relevance.

Still the child was unable to help himself but perk up.
The steps were light. They did not belong to Tim nor Jason nor Bruce nor Steph; The girl had a certain swing to her step, and everyone not listed should currently not be present. Even if they were; they did not fit into the weight class at hand. Those steps were the ones of a bare footed human, possibly a slim child. Bony. Yes, It had to be a rather bony human: The sound of skin against ground was undeniable but it still managed to sound.. hard.

Being the (blood!)son of the greatest detective, it did not take him long to figure out who had just awoken from temporary slumber.

It just so happens that Nightwing would in fact, be stupid enough to look after that child in his kind self-sacrificing and stupid self instead of sleeping. And even if he was supposed to do as the other said in that little analogy… Nightwing wasn ´t really here, was he?

That was all he had deduced before his stupid limbs carried him over to that opening to drop out somewhere over a kitchen door.

Damian kept moving forward until hovering over the child who was seated on the couch, head held in one hand propped up against his knee in a very frustrated manner.

„…Richard Grayson.“

Said boy did not seem fazed or whelmed.
„Present.“

„… Present?“

Dick finally shot a look up at Damian.

„Yeah. Present. Unlike your mom.“

Of course, the other was smarter than to let that get to him.
Still, the thought of throwing a punch right then and there did cross his mind. Thoroughly. Well, maybe it did not only cross it but made a whole journey from Amygdala to Thalamus and over into his fingertips.

His lips tightened instead, before taking a quick jump over the back of the couch and landing right next to the boy.

„You are unable to sleep.“
„No shit Sherlock. Well, I was able to, but then- y´know.“ Dick eyed the hand which tightly grabbed his own leg. It had remained bruised and bloodied after his little freakout on the roof, but it seemed that someone had patched it up. Judging from the likelihood of every member, he would have said Tim, but judging by the lack of skill, it must have been Jason at work. Not as good as Damian would have done of course, but this was not the time.

„I suppose I understand.“ He did not dare look in the others direction, staring straight ahead into the black void that was their large TV. Meh, He ´d seen larger.

„You get nightmares too?“ The former assassin shook his head, but before the other sighed in disappointment, countered, „Well, I did experience a lot of change in my life recently. As you have, I heard. Adapting may prove to be… a handful.“

Dick fumbled with the rim of his too large shorts and snorted. „Yeah. That it may.“

But despite his effort of talking, the others bouncing leg did not halt.
Damian narrowed his eyes and inched closer, inspecting. Dick remained in place.

Tense shoulders, nervous movements… Stress. That it had to be. So how deal with stress in a way that does not include beating someone up? Damian did not exactly know.

The box with skills his Baba had given him. What´d it say? What was he himself currently supposed to be working on?

God, being human was exhausting.

„Are you perhaps distressed?“
Big blue eyes stared at him blankly.
„Do you think I am?“

„I am unsure, that´s why I was asking you.“
„Well, I don ´t really know either. All I know is that the way toward the gym is locked, and you do not happen to have a key on you right now…?“

„… I will not support your tendency to sweep away your feelings. No. Older you has been teaching me certain mechanics. Methods to keep your inner world at bay.“

Dick had straightened his back as if this was going to be some kind of gift from god; a blessing coming upon him that would stop everything and bring eternal happiness.

How lucky they were he hadn ´t known about drugs at that age.

„…Weeeeell? Are you going to tell me or not?“ A nudge, shoulder to shoulder. It was bewildering and yet weirdly familiar.
No matter the intention, Damian tried his best to ignore it, his face not lifting when giving his revelation. „Skills.“

„…Huh?“

What an intellectual conversation, he felt as though he were talking with the Batcow.
„In this situation… hmmm..“ Damians eyes narrowed even further until they disappeared behind his lashes. A calculating gaze adorned his face and he sat so still one might mistake him for a philosophers statue.

„What is it you like to do?“

Dick was just as expressive, putting a thinking finger onto his lower lip. His very hard and very exhausting thinking pulled various variations of „hmm“s or „huh“s out of his throat before he used the finger for counting.

„ 1. Being on the trapeze.“ Damian nodded and immediately tried to note things down into his head, like this was some kind of calculation.
„2. Being in the air.“ … sure.
„3. Being on stage.“ …
„4. Circus music.“ … not really an activity…
„5. The ability to move freely and a lot.“ … sure….
„7… um… sports? 8.. uuh-„

„Okay I think I got it by now.“ Damian snapped. Hell, had this kid only known that darn circus till now? Actually, do not bother to answer that question. Of course he had. It was a fucking breeding circus.

He himself enjoyed drawing. To capture the canvas called life. He shot a glance at Dicks twitching fingers. No. The other was way too nervous for that.

Well- what did older Dick like to do? He ´d spent enough time out of Haly´s and his world didn ´t just consist of tents only differing in color and height.

Think Damian, Think!

His 12th birthday. Grayson had been late (which he totally had not nearly shed a frustrated tear about; no). So they had to unpack gifts before his arrival. Although he really had wanted to wait until the other was there, everyones gaze made him think that he might not come at all which broke his heart just a little.

A video game. Yes. He remembered. What did the card say again?

„Hey Lil´ D!“ - although Damian could not recall if that had been what it actually said or just stuck to his mind due to the vast amount of jokes Stephanie made about it.

Then some explanation as to why it wasn ´t a knife. Apologies over apologies, sentimental explanations that made his brows knit even tighter. He wasn ´t touched by it. No. Not at all.

„When you said that all you wanted, was for me to visit more often, I thought about what I could do in my might to maybe make that happen, while still getting you something material ´cause, y´know. You ´re still THE blood son. Though I must ask thee to excuse thy budget and quality, my liege. This is a pretty old videogame from when I was your age and only slowly learning that not all WiFi took days to load one Pdf. Not only did I think you might want to try this new experience as well, but it IS also a grand excuse to lure me into the manor, don ´t you think? ´Hope that the other officers might understand better if I say that I gotta play video games with my favorite 12-year-old. Actually- maybe they wont.“

Something along the lines of that. He couldn ´t quite read it till the end before his eyes went blurry and Steph just said something like „at least he didn ´t sign it as big D.“

Later, when Dick had in fact managed to rip himself away from another emergency shift, they sat in the living room shoulder to shoulder and Dick flashed him his biggest 10000 Giga Watt grin upon seeing the loading screen.

Damian had yet to beat his ass in the PvP coop mode. But for some reason… that didn ´t matter.

Nothing had.
Only them.

That grin… It had been- real.

Another shot to the boy next to him. No, the smile this one was wearing was way different. It didn ´t reach his eyes, and when it did it was met with such force that they´d get devoured in that little act he played.

A second to relax. Lay ones mind off of things…

God, was he really about to help this… brat?
Maybe.
Probably.

(Totally)

In a way, this was Damian paying back.
All those times indescribable emotions had overcome him, contorting his face and muscles in ways he couldn ´t explain, Dick had been there.

When Damian was punching, screaming at the top of his lungs and willing to rip his ears of in that instant-
Dick had been there.

Once he had finally calmed down, arms engulfed him in a hug. Its warmth melted everything that needed to be, and only left them at their human cores in a world full of- them. Full of family. Full of people that´d meet you halfway when reaching out.

He looked over again.
But Young Grayson had already been watching intently, as if this were some kind of serious math championship.

„Would you perhaps enjoy playing a video game?“

His face contorted in five different ways in the span of 2 seconds. „I ´ve never played videogames before.“
„I know. Older you told me.“

„Well, at least that ups your chance of winning.“
„As If I ´d need that, Richard.“

Dick was sitting upright as if he had swallowed a stick while watching the the other kid step over to turn the monitor on.

„Sorry if I have to ask, but are you from the Carribean Sea or the Arabian desert?“
Damian shot him a glare, „Why?“

„The way you make those throaty-sounds. You also tend to swallow a few letters. It´s like a weird mix. Reminds me a little of Valencias dialect.“

The old dusty PS3 (because of course Bruce Wayne owned every single console there was on the market) whirred to life and the intro flashed a light over his face.

„…Why, any stereotypes you want to ask about?“

He knew Dick didn ´t. He knew that Dick was Romani himself. But he also knew that the other jumped quickly to initiation if that meant he could get some action. Anger bubbled inside that man, and whether he wanted or not, it was bound to come to the surface at some point.

This however, was not that. Not yet, at least.

Arabic. An answer in arabic. Fluent.

The language switch made Damian double take out of which mouth that had just come.
„Pardon?“
Dick repeated, adding another sentence at the end with a grin and the other nearly flinched.

„Watch your language. Refrain from using profanity in my mothers tongue, Grayson.“

A heartfelt laugh.

„How come you are so… adjusted to these pronunciations? I must note that I myself struggled talking english when I first came here as well.“

Dicks wicked face lit up.
„GODS YOU ARE SO RIGHT! Mind you, this was my first time coming to America. I just expected some of the words to be the same y´know? Once I asked for a магазин. A shop. They stared at me like I was the devils left horn. THEY thought that I had just asked for a- i dont know- play boy Magazine?“
„…“
„… That´s a porno.“
„Ah.“

Damian turned the controller on, the weight in his hand comforting. „Unfortunate.“

„Yeah, It was funny as hell! They went to my- my… Raise aunt! Ziehtante-„
„Non biological aunt. I know what you mean.“
„Yeah, little Fräulein Müller. She explained what I meant and those Ammis looked so utterly perplexed and embarrassed! Hilarious! Well- until one of them started screaming something like „Gypsy!!„ but I ended up kicking him into the nuts so that was okay actually.“

Damian was beginning to see why he had liked Grayson in the first place. He handed him a controller.

„Shall we, Richard?“

That had been the first time he managed to win against Dick. Probably because the other didn ´t quite know anything about the mechanics, nor the buttons, nor what was going on at all, but a win is a win.

„I ´m never going to understand this stupid thing!“ He groaned.
„Yes you will, well- older you will. Also I won. Again.“
A furious mix of vowels followed as the other jumped up energetically and was about to slam the controller onto cupboard holding the TV- just to stop midair and set it down carefully.

But his face-and-elbow drop onto the couch was all the more violent.

This once deciding that it was no use to tease the other about this defeat, Damian paused the game aswell.

„Where ´d you even learn all that?! School?!“ And he was burying his head deep into the cushions.

„No. I am currently trying to convince older you to let me switch to homeschooling, as I find public schools not only beneath my dignity, but also unsanitary. Plus all the tests I ´ll have take because father won ´t forge them are a… how would one say… a drag.“

„Trust me, homeschooling isn ´t all that different.“

„I got the impression you were partly forced to partake in public schooling?“

Dick turned over onto his back so he could lift his head up to the other boy. „In some countries, yeah. You still have to do everything a normal student does though- at least in some places. You get bullied a lot. Kind of mean. Don ´t know what it´s like in Gorham-„ „Gotham.“ - Sure. That. Don ´t know what it´s like in GoTHAM though. Same old same old.“ A frustrated sigh.

„I do not bother. I am no mere kid as you are. The human being does not require friends to survive. And even then… Even if I do end up that miserable. I still got- You.“
Pressing his lips together tightly he dared a look to the head at his side…
…Just to find his eyelids closed, arms slightly hanging over the edge and his mouth slightly agape.

„…Grayson?
Grayson!
Richard!
Dick!!!!“

But no answer.
He was being vulnerable and the other had been asleep.
It was hard to tell whether one should be happy about that or not.
Still.

Great.
Just great.

He did end up bunching a blanking over him. The ugly and uncomfortable one of course, but a blanket nevertheless.

Chapter Text

Jason had never meant to come back.
Quite the contrary, he had told himself that after this bullshit, after all that caring, he ´d be done for GOOD, Finally giving Bruce the attention he so desperately wanted with his deep brooding voice and frowning face…

Then why did he keep returning?
It was 4 am goddamnit. Even patrol would be over by now.
Having left swiftly after the argument with the older man, it had already been embarrassing to take the front door. God, he just prayed no one saw that.
Just as he did now, clinging to the gutter right next to Dicks window.
It was no rare occurrence, whether he wanted to admit that or not. When bleeding (out) and with Roy out of town to look after Lian (Red Hood always made sure the other gave up all vigilante business for the time being) his predecessor would be there every damn time. It was an unspoken law. They always managed to find one another. Didn ´t matter if Jason wanted to be found. Didn ´t matter if he kept groaning at all the questions Nightwing would be asking while patching him up.

But that had been different. Very different. Right now he was knocking on a child’s bedroom window like a creep.
One could not help but think about Deathstroke when doing so especially in association with Grayson.

Shit. He had to stop that thought. This kid did not know anything about that yet and Jason wished that he would never have to. Not about Slade, Mirage or anyone else.

Wow, this almost sounded like he actually cared for the other-
Nope, that thought wasn ´t any better either.

A frustrated scoff left his throat, „Dick! Dickwing! Dickster! Dickie!“ He half shouted half whispered against the glas separating him from the inside of the Wayne manor while frantically tapping his knuckles against the material.

Another idea crossed his detective mind.
What if the kid wasn ´t even in there anymore?

He cursed and broke the window lock.
Maybe he ´d apologize later.
Actually- Probably not.

Still clinging to a piece of metal connecting the gutter to the wall and therefore serving as a ladder, he dared remove both hands to push it open.
He nearly swayed. Balance really was more of a Nightwing thing. If one of those human traffickers ever tried to escape via thin ledges or anything like that his guns would do the rest.

Jason lifted himself into the messy room.
Yeah, no wonder Grayson hadn ´t wanted to sleep here. It was messy as hell, and if the space wasn ´t stuffed with clothes or pictures, it was filled with files and cases.
The adult scanned the room instinctively. Was it really that unlikely that someone had gotten in here and kidnapped Dick? Well, kind of. No sign of struggle. Just the usual circus-orphan-adopted-by-a-billionaire mess.
Perhaps the other had fled? That was no rare occurrance either. There were lots of stories about Little Grayson running away or sneaking out. And it´s not like he ever really stopped, did he?

Through the window perhaps? Unlikely considering it had been locked. Front door? No. He wasn ´t THAT stupid.
Jasons senses were on an all time high, tiny hairs at the back of his neck lifting with every sound, movement or the wind flowing in from outside.
A look at the clock. Zatanna would probably arrive in an hour, if she wasn ´t already there. She had said something about appearing the day after, it´d only make sense to do it right after patrol, no?

Especially if she too noticed the change in Bruces voice.

„God! Isn ´t he just adorable? You SURE we can ´t leave him like this?“ A feminine laugh.
And not Steph´s rash snorts. Nope, this was upper class shit.

Which solved that last question too.
But it also meant that going downstairs was a no go unless he wanted to be caught sneaking around.

Jason cursed when the door squeaked shut behind him. Another sign of Graysons carelessness and the fact he never stared for too long.

He didn ´t really want to know how his own would sound like. A loud screach perhaps? When was the last time he had slept in there anyway? Sure, he had only stayed in the manor the day before but that had been a spare room. His own… only thinking about it made a shudder go down his spine.
Would his old pictures still be there? A measly attempt at trying to make it „feel at home“, despite having nothing at all?
Would that flying Grayson poster still be folded neatly underneath his bed? Would he still think about that time he had sneaked into the circus while his mother was hungover again and his dad was god knows where, stuttering when learning Dicks secret identity, turning red and eyes blowing wide while awkwardly pointing and saying „YOU were Robin? THE Robin? THE golden boy?“

A scoff.
The adult turned his head as if someone was going to see him in this empty hall, As if someone was going to laugh at him for that admiration he had held but never dared to articulate until it was way too late.

Speaking of that…

The Replacements room.
It stood open a bit. No light protruded. Jason wasn ´t really thinking when taking a step toward it. A single peek. It didn ´t mean anything. He also wasn ´t thinking about Steph and where she ´d be sleeping that day. Her and B… one could not be too sure about the relationship they shared. It sure as hell wasn ´t fatherly, especially with her experience with fathers.

Jason could… stand her. Surprisingly enough that was pretty easy to say. There were a lot of reasons to as there were also a lot of reasons not to.
Though the whole batfamily thing was weird in itself. Dick treated both Tim and Steph as his siblings, ruffling their hair affectionately and pulling them into a hug and while Tim would sometimes duck away at first, the girl would lean into it like a cat and roughly return the favor.
But at the same time Steph and Tim were a thing.

So what were they to him- Nope. Not going that direction again. GOD why was he so sentimental? Did seeing a tooth-gaped, malnourished, unmedicated Dick seriously mess with his head that much? Or did it mess with the fact that maybe they weren ´t all that different…?

Listen, sociogramms in literature were fun. Real life? With people he knew? Exhausting.

Yeah he hadn ´t really missed this part of being associated with the Waynes. Or Graysons. Nightwing had his way with getting people around his finger. Though that Charisma HAD to have been learned along his chill. No way that brat, disappearing off the second you didn ´t look his direction would just outgrow this Schadenfreude. Hell- He had laughed him straight in the face while Jason tried to be vulnerable just once!
Yet he could not help but smile at that scene on the rooftop after all that happened.

Jason finally stepped in front of the room. He had lingered longer than he meant to. Both in the manor and over that door. A lamp behind him painted his tall silhouette over the white surface. A warm light. The adult could see his own wide shoulders suddenly dropping because of a mere door.

He hadn ´t said goodbye before.
He never had.

Was Tim sleeping? He rarely did.

Finally, the creak opened slightly, just enough to see, just enough to not be seen while checking if everything was- if anything would-
Well, what WAS he checking?

Whatever it may have been, all was right.

Steph had obviously gotten the bed, indicated by the way her foot was still up there in the air along a part of the blanket draped over her. Tim had, all the gentleman- Yeah Bruce and Dick raised him well in that regard - taken the damned floor. Probably not wanting to force himself into Steph´s personal space while also not wanting her to wake up on expensive but relatively uncomfortable ground.

Of course Miss „I-beat-my-dead-up-in-neon-green-cowboy-boots“ Brown, a radical feminist that would not take shit from anybody, did not let that slide. Well, she had SLIDED but that was a different story. Even in sleep did she not condone Tims cowardice and was currently holding onto him like fucking teddy bear, part of her blanket around him too, which made her legs, still on the soft silky bed, naked and slightly quivering in the cold breeze that swept through the room upon Jasons arrival, look like sticks in comparison to this tangle of limbs. Her face was buried deep inside the crook of Tims neck, but the adult was pretty sure that those muffled snores were hers.

As if on cue, she rolled down the last bit in her sleep, properly wrapping herself around the teen boy on the ground. Even the girls leg inside those Superman-Pyjama-boxer was holding the other down like two Judo blackbelts after a fight.

Jason released a breath he didn ´t know he had been holding.
Everything had gone smoothly after he had left… after that fight.

Not that it was a first. Quite the contrary. Still, seeing that both his whatever-they-were were alright made some weight drop off of his shoulders too.

Life in the manor was so different and yet still so utterly normal in a way that it was maddening. Especially when in proximity of a child and a single dad did he at least grow a tiny bit more sympathetic to Bruce. Not that he ´d ever admit that. Still, Roy and Kory do it better considering B had thrice the practice! Jason couldn ´t help a snicker, thinking about how things would have gone if Dick had been the youngest.

At first; it was a nice thought. Maybe someone would make sure that he ´d get the childhood he deserved, just as Dick had at least TRIED to do for him. God- what was he thinking?!

Bruce had never been much of a girl dad, had he?
Well, Besides to Cassie perhaps. Another person he could stand quite well in this household- one he was NOT apart of, thank you very much.

Having grown up quite close to his mother and seeing a motherless Batman struggle to process and eventually respond to „Nah, can ´t go, It´s day two an ´ I don ´t wanna be bleeding onto the Batmobile like a turkey before thanksgiving.“ was actually quite hilarious. Even Cass snickered away and eventually, thank god, again, Selina had visited.

Yet he eventually tried. For Cassie. But was that really enough? He had given the Robin mantle on for others to find joy in it, and not for its original purpose; to initiate justice by yourself. Funnily enough, both the original Robin was adopted quite late and then BENCHED, and the only other Robin that ever managed to achieve this strive for hope and release wasn ´t ever even considered an option, and only lasted a week.

A fond smile crossed his face. Patrolling together with those two idiots wasn ´t the worst…
Again: Not that he ´d admit that. Ever.

Especially not if Bruce kept being such a fucking ass.
The smile left his face as he realized that he had been staring into the dark night of Tims window for far too long. It was an eery feeling. To see your own reflection in a window so familiar to another you- a younger you. A you that would never have had these thoughts.
Someone whose nose wasn ´t as contorted and whose left eye wasn ´t quite as swollen all the time. He looked… broken.

He felt broken.

Jason could not help but slam the door shut. It´s not like Tim would wake after days of staying at work, if he ´d even hear over Stephanies loud-mouthed snores.

„Anything I can help you with, Master Jason?“

Of course.

Great! Just fucking great!

Of COURSE Alfred would be the one catching him.

Well- the more he thought about it, more like thank god.
„Nope. No. Not really.“ He shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

A slight curl of Alfreds lips- that bastard. „Is everything alright?“

„Yeah. All fine and dandy.“ Jason put his best totally-not-forced-and-I-totally-want-to-be-here smile.

His best, sadly, was definitely another’s worst.

He definitely had looked like such a creep. No one would ever know that he just had the most emotionally progressive self reflection in months because he had literally been at the doorstep of his colleague (totally not brother) and his girlfriend while they were sleeping. This was it. He ´d never recover from this embarrassment. He ´ll have to leave the country and go live in a cave if he doesn ´t want his brain going „Hey, remember how you got real sentimental and tried to check for your older brother that was your younger brother for a day, that you grew really attached to and checked on this other guy instead and went on a mental journey of depreciation and moral reflection for at LEAST 100+ words and then got caught by your butler while still standing in the replacements room who was currently asleep with his literal girlfriend next to him LIKE A TOTAL CREEP? Yeah? Remember that? Bet all others do too somehow.“ For the REST of his life.

The other nodded, still not dropping that damned smile. „I ´m glad. And what about Master Tim and Miss Brown?“

Oh that sadistic middle aged son of a-

„No clue what you ´re talking about, Alf´.“
„Of course not, Master Jason.“

Said man slowly dropped the tension inside his fists. „What about our Dickhead? ´He… okay?“

The eldery´s face softened. „Yes. Miss Zatara was just here a moment ago. The young Master will soon be back to his normal status. Approximately, in two hours.“

„…Good.“ Jason did not dare meet that piercing gaze. His head hung low and those expensive tiles on the ground suddenly seemed to be the most interesting thing in the world.

„I shall inform you when the transformation is done.“

His jaw dropped- was the other implying that he ´d-

„Can I expect to find you in the study? Same place as back then. A few books might be to your liking, I believe.“

Oh that little bastard. A bastard he respected more than he wanted to admit.

DAMNIT This was almost as bad as being caught while checking on the replacement after a fight with B.

Yet a curt nod was all he managed.

Though it was pretty delightful to see The Kangaroo Chronicles in one of the shelfs, just right where he had left it before…
It was the same copy he had read back then.
The same copy as the day he disappeared from the manor to meet death.

The marker still laid at page 73.
A wild variation of color and finely written text was revealed upon opening. There were so many notes that it was almost harder to read the original text.

A finger of his carefully ran over the yellowed paper, as did the tear falling from his eye.

Chapter Text

„Knock knock.“

Damian slammed his advanced linguistic book shut.

„You know, normal people usually just knock. One does not have to say knock kno-„
Then, realization hit him like a brick.

Who had just said that? That voice, that mannerism…

„Grayson?“

A raven-haired head poked through the door. Blue eyes smiled at him.
TALL blue eyes. Genuinely several heads taller. The hand that had pushed the door open was slightly paler as well due to the lack of sun around Gotham and its sister city.

With a single, much wider step than before, Richard Grayson was standing in his room.
He recognized the too-wide shirt the other was wearing along those jeans. Damian had seen them the last time he had sat down onto Dicks vacant bed, just to stare around in the room. No one knew why he did that sometimes. But it felt so intimate and embarrassing that no one ever dared talk about it either.

„Present.“ He laughed and Damian shot up before thinking and crossed the few feet separating them with three jumps.
Only when seeing that he was currently buried inside a hug (that he had even INITIATED) and that there was a hand stroking his hair, did he suddenly draw back again.

„Grayson!“
„Damian!“ Dick barked back with the same enthusiasm.

„So you are back again, I see. Do you remember anything?“
He crossed his arms over his chest, not willing to acknowledge that he had thrown himself at the other in relief just a second ago.
Said man leaned against the white wall behind him. „Not.. really. Definitely not as much as I ´d like to based on everyones reaction when I say so. Must have been quite the crazy day, huh?“

„You are diverting from the topic at hand, Grayson.“
„I am?“
„Yes. What you did was foolish. Throwing yourself over Drake into an unknown environment, taking an unknown bullet and THEN passing out so that the Justice League saw it as THEIR mission to take over the case. Not only did your foolishness therefore handicap the entire team, but it was also stupidly self-sacrificial. I will have to expect better from you in the future.“ A pout settled on his face.

Yet Dick was smiling. But it wasn ´t happy. The typical Richard Grayson show. „Okay.“

Well, now Damian felt bad again. Why did he feel bad? Hell! It didn ´t make any sense! Everything he had said had been right and yet-
His Baba was looking at him with those intense blue eyes. A slight trickle of blood still drew out of his nose.
Is this what people meant when they say that you cannot stay mad at your kids (or pets- same difference, really) for too long? Because it certainly felt like that.

Damian was about to put a hand to the others shoulder, just to realize the vast difference in altitude and dropping it again.

„Are you trying to be nice or are you just trying to avow to the Vaterland?“ But that wasn ´t Dick. It was a way deeper voice, and suddenly another person tried to push himself through the creak. Of course, being taller and built like an upside down triangle for some reason - god what had his father been feeding this kid that he ended up this TALL? - Jason came through.

„Just wanted to say that I ´ll be on my way.“ It was barely above a whisper and yet the other Bats looked at him with wide eyes.

„Are you now?“ A sly and cocky grin was all Dick showed to accompany this open question, examining the other in something between utter surprise and excitement, concealed behind a thick layer of acting- something he was pretty good at but not good enough to hide the ticks and twitchy bounces of his leg as energy bubbled up inside.

Damian just narrowed his eyes. „And why are you announcing it? You didn ´t plant a bomb, did you?“

„Yes, and No.“ Noting how the adult had avoided the second question, they watched the other motion to walk away from the door again.

„Jason?“
Richard had the kind of voice that´d make you stop in your drags to listen. Its tone sounded important no matter the content, soothing and boyish. The definition of a circus boy grown up in the 2000s.

The Titans were lucky that what Dick was saying usually held some importance. Just as Damian was lucky for the other to deliberately work as a mediator for him. People rarely took the broody 12 year old with a cape as serious as they should.

Despite being a part of the literal Outlaws, even Jason was no exception, whether he would ever say that out loud of not.

„You can stay whenever you want. Whether that be Blüdhaven or Gotham. You hear?“

The man flinched, „Yeah. I mean- No. Okay. Not today. Some other day.“

Another award winning smile that the other avoided before finally dashing out.

Damian did not get to enjoy the silence for too long. „What. Happened. Yesterday.“ Grayson was still staring into the off, his eyes piercing holes into meaningless air.

But all the younger (now youngEST again) could think about was that damned trapeze. About how he always denied wanting to partake in the routine, always sat in the corner, frowning. He was the bloodson after all, he had better to do in his first days. Hell- He was ROYALTY!

Yet the fact that the others presence wasn ´t granted… The fact that the others presence for and around HIM wasn ´t…

Damian grumpily threw himself onto the bed again, opening his linguistic book.

„´That crazy, huh? ´Don ´t worry. You don ´t have to tell me. And if I have to waterboard it out of Jason- Just kidding.“

„I believe Crowbar-ing would perhaps be more efficient.“

„Damian al ghul - Wayne.“ It was somewhere between a dirty laugh and a threat.

„Sorry.“ He dipped his head away, burying his nose inside those pages. Greek letters. Wherever he looked. Not words, just letters.

Somehow he had managed to lose all connection toward them as his mind drifted places.

A long silence swept through the room like a breeze, in which Damian did not turn a page and Dick did not move an inch.

It lasted multiple minutes. The younger pretended to be reading. Something about Sparta and it´s method of raising children according to Plutarch. It took multiple tries for Damian to understand why this was considered wrong, as someone particularly made and trained to fit these standards. Had he not just talked about this exact text with the other a few days prior? About how throwing useless children into the abyss was apparently wrong now? About how Dick wouldn ´t even know because he had always avoided school like it was the plague himself?

„Somethings wrong.“ The first Boy wonder stated.

The preteen turned a few pages just so they would not fall back into the quiet stares. „Have you taken your meds today, Grayson? You were unable to yesterday. Especially your Antipsychotika, as there weren ´t any prescribed for the age you were. Pennyworth said something about still having to figure out the full aftereffects-„

„Now you are the one avoiding the topic. What´s wrong?“

Damians mouth came to a halt again, tying into a tight line. He didn ´t want to address anything at all, be vulnerable…

„Need help with homework?“ Dick definitely knew he didn ´t. Damian never did. It was a poor attempt at lightening the mood.

„Ancient greek?“
A curt nod.
„Oh, I already see a few aorists. I thought you only just now started with imperfect?“
„Right.“ Hell why did Dick have to pay attention to things he tells him? He slapped back onto his original page. Unit 16.
Plutarch said…

His mind went blank again. He never had problems concentrating, so why now?

„Need any help?“ The older was leaning over the book as well, laying on his stomach and propping his head on his hands.
„No.“
„Okay.“
„…“
„…“
„…“
„You know, how about you just maybe, start somewhere? Pretty sure we had the exact same books back when I went to school in Gotham. Καιρος. And a Καιρος it is! Though this text I remember being quite a drag.“
And it was so like Grayson to talk masses about everything that didn ´t matter, but shut up once anything actually personal came up.
Damian glared down onto the page as if it was his grave nemesis. Like always, he went to it with a calculating mind, writing down the words meaning and their Kasus, marking subject and verbs. Still. His mind was off. He rubbed his eyes. There hadn ´t been anything nor was he tired but something was, not that he ´d like to admit that, off.

Grayson sucked in a sharp breath next to him as he wrote.
The other was usually very well capable of keeping to himself while doing homework, going with his usual „Well… are you REALLY sure about this answer?“ and still somehow he managed to make one not feel stupid. Seriously. When Damian had tried to help Steph in maths all he got was a kick to the face and even more pent up anger. How utterly dumb did one have to be to fail at trigonometry?!
And yet Grayson had sat down next to her, all smiles and ears, watching with a careful eye while the girl tried not to simply rip the math book apart. Just like he did now. It was almost insulting.

Pretty sure that was the first time Steph actually felt smarter after a lesson instead of even more stupid.

That was also why Damian didn ´t immediately snap his head up along his sharp pencil.
„What.“

Dick was staring innocently, as if there had been nothing to provoke this action. „Nothing.“
„Good.“
„It´s just-„
The younger groaned.
A little chuckle. „You sure don ´t want any help?“
„No.“
„100%?“
„Yes.“
„None at all? Gar Keine? Ninguno en absoluto?-„
„Yes.“
„…“
„…“

„Well but do you really think that σωτήριας is plural?“
Another, louder groan. He narrowed his gaze.
„If you ask, you obviously do not believe that to be the case. Though that would be utterly ridiculous! The Savings. It has to be the savings. Why else would it end like that? Iota, Alpha, Sigma. Typical ending for Plural in A declination. Dativ plural.“ His face was scrunched up in an angry scowl.
„But… there is no Zirkumflex above the Iota, is there?“
He looked down and then up at the other again. His face was burning. „There- It´s- NO! No, there isn ´t…“

And wow, he couldn ´t believe his own words. He was getting worked up over SCHOOL out of all things. He never had any trouble with school.

Well, there WAS something else he had faced trouble with the day before he really wanted to ask about because how come Damian al ghul Wayne, formerly trained by the league of assassins, wasn ´t perfect at the trapeze? He was THE bloodson goddamnit. How come he had never bothered to learn?
Oh right. Same reason as literally right now.

Because he was the bloodson, a perfectionist and pretty much trained at every single martial art he knew.
For some damned reason whatever Nightwing kept pulling every night wasn ´t one of them. Which was probably the reason why he had not quite been able to win agains the other. Yet.

Dick was staring at him. „The Egg rule.“

Damians frown only deepened. „Egg… rule?“
„Hell, I don ´t really know what Americans call it. Learned about that in the Netherlands. Ei-Regel.“

No. Damian was more than capable of doing his homework himself. He didn ´t need help. He was quite literally a one man army! Bred to kill!
Yet all of that didn ´t really help him with that weird Egg rule, did it?

He snapped. „And what´s that supposed to be?! Just what might Alpha Iota and Sigma be if not the plural? And do NOT start talking about aorists because that does NOT COUNT-„

But the older just kept looking at him. No witty remark. Nothing.

„Fine! What almighty revelation do you hold for me this time?!“
He hadn ´t meant to raise his voice. It just happened. More than he wanted to, ever. He whipped his head around in shame.
But Grayson waited it out. Didn ´t judge.

„If the base ends in Iota, epsilon or Rho, then the A declination always needs to have an Alpha in its end.
But you know that, Dames.“

He did.
Because as much as he wouldn ´t like to admit, he too listened when Dick rambled about his own time at school in all those honorary linguistic courses. A tactical approach to life did not only make combat, but also learning easier. While he was still in the process of getting into the system, late night sessions when Dick had still posed as Batman, laying on the couch hunched over a school book because the other had been convinced that that was just part of growing up and that Damian deserved to suffer beneath it too, yes, those moments were the best.
And sometimes the only reason he kept coming back.

„Something´s plaguing your mind and I ´d rather not leave you alone in a mood like this before getting a vague reason or a solution.“

„Grayson. You ´ve been yourself for less than 2 hours and are actively nose-bleeding onto my seamless silk sheets.“

´Do not try to parent me ´. He wanted to add, or ´You ´re not my dad´, but both of them just.. weren ´t true. And even the thought of that having crossed his mind visibly hurt.

„And in less than 2 hours I ´ve somehow managed to make you grumpy again.“
„Miss Brown says I was born grumpy. But we aren ´t sure if I was born at all.“
„You came to this world as child of your mother as well as your father, evidently.“
If Damian would have been able to deepen his frown even more, he would have.

Grayson scooted closer, examining the other´s face, all scrunched up and red.
„Yesterday.“ The sunburnt-looking-kid barked out while diverting his gaze, pointedly fixating it onto the greek letters beneath. „You watched some tapes. With Jason and such.“

„So I was told..“ His usually so soothing voice had lost all song to it.

God. This was all a mistake.
A big, massive mistake.

„And you were there. On the trapeze. One figures that´s where you must take inspiration from. For your style and choice of movement.“
Damian had rarely gotten the chances to watch those infamous Grayson routines. And when he had, it just felt too.. strange.

Being under Batmans cape, well- Dicks cape, rain falling down onto them… Graysons tenor voice echoing through the night before they entered the cave…
It felt as if they were family…

And that might just be the scariest thing ever for a boy never meant to be truly human.

Again, a slight touch of their heads as the older tilted his and nodded. „I guess. Never really thought about it too much.“

Another thing: This man was effortless. So much that it was infuriating. When Bruce looked at Dick, it was a proud father looking at the person his son had grown up to be. Not that said son realized any of that, but still.
One day… Damian would like to be like that too. Until then, he could not deny watching in admiration himself.

„And you said something about wanting someone to do those routines with you again sometime-„ He was trying really hard to make this sound like a report. Just Naming events in chronological order, totally nothing more to it!

If it weren ´t for that curl of the other´s lips. „Yeah?“

„And while I cannot promise being… the one throwing you around, I might… Maybe it wouldn ´t be wrong to- Perhaps…“

The grin only widened. „Yeah?“

„Perhaps, it´d be useful to…“ He stared down at his paper as if it had just insulted his entire bloodline. A look into the others eyes can ´t be THAT bad- nope wait. It actually could. That damned knowing grin. He was burning red and the words just would not leave his lips.

„…Damian? Would you perhaps want to go on the trapeze with me today? Fly a little, the usual.“

A breath he didn ´t know he had been holding left said boy. „If you insist.“

And that he had. And should. Because it sure was awesome. Despite being very self aware of the fact that he was by no means anywhere near the level he could have been if he had accepted the others invitations earlier, the sole act of holding onto that bar and letting himself swing from one platform to the other was otherworldly. It shouldn ´t be. He ´d done way crazier things. Hell, he blew stuff up more than once and got sent flying while flames erupted all around. But this? Seeing the ground pass him by while knowing that if he reached a hand toward the other end, Grayson ´s would meet him halfway there? And all that without having to be in grave danger. It´d be okay if he ´d fall, or just wanted to reach out. Letting his guard down was okay for just a single breath.

Next time they went on patrol together, he ´d make sure the other wouldn ´t suffer a single scratch. Those tan arms, ready to catch him if necessary, would not be tainted by his own blood. Ever.

But that wasn ´t important right now, was it? It didn ´t have to be. Not if he could feel this safe for just one more second. Not if it was Nightwing putting a brotherly hand on his shoulder.