Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Bruce had been teaching Dick Grayson self-defense since the morning after he brought him to the manor. At first, it was in case any of those involved with the other Flying Graysons' murders, or any hired by the same, attempted to kidnap or kill the boy. As a ward of Bruce Wayne, the kidnapping possibility continued to be a threat from any wanting to pressure him as well. So, it was wise to teach Dick how to defend himself. After the last Grayson became Robin, his learning well beyond the basics became even more important.

In the early days, when Dick briefly forgot his losses and escaped the pain they caused, he would try playing with Bruce during their lessons. The Dark Knight had discouraged it. These skills were a matter of life and death. Their training sessions deserved concentration, quiet, and focus. Dick nodded at his lectures, his usual grin gone, and tried to learn as his guardian wished him to.

Bruce was not always serious with his ward. He knew from how Thomas and Martha had raised him eight short years, from his study of psychology, and partially from his general observations of people, that children needed the emotional release of laughter, that it bonded them to others, and it made them feel safe. He wanted Dick to feel safe. He also wanted his ward and then partner in crime fighting to be able to 'keep himself' safe.

Dick's lessons became harder and harder over the years. By the time the first Robin was twelve, he was trying truly complex moves where accuracy and speed were everything. Eventually, even the last Grayson, with the stamina, strength, and balance of the trapeze artist he started out as, began to struggle.

The now almost teenager grew discouraged. The more he repeated the movement, the more tired he became. The more tired he became, the worse he failed. The worse he failed after so many tries, the closer he came to losing his temper with himself. Then Bruce would order him to stop and rest, perhaps work on something else. Then the normally cheery Robin often walked about with slumping shoulders and drooping head.

Bruce would watch him, smother a sigh, and try to say something encouraging. Usually it was 'give it time,' 'most people your age are not even close to your level,' or 'you got closer before your muscles began to tire, we'll try it again once you're fully rested.' Then an incident during one such practice-session challenged Bruce's scientific mind far more than his protege's body.

When the tween was somewhere between frustration at multiple failed attempts and ensuing exhaustion, Superman visited the cave. Bruce was somewhat relieved and somewhat jealous at seeing a wide grin form on his ward's face. "Uncle Clark!'

Batman grunted in displeasure from a dark corner. "Call him 'Superman' when he's wearing the costume."

Dick replied without looking away from Metropolis' hero. "Superman! Sorry ..."

The Kryptonian shrugged. "Down here, it likely doesn't matter. But Bruce is right about developing a good habit for when less friendly ears or even just civilians are around."

The Dark Knight narrowed his eyes. "Then Call me 'Batman' since I'm wearing the cowl."

Dick Grayson tilted his head. "Maybe you should call me 'Robin' then." Bruce saw the moment his ward's back and shoulders tightened before he looked down at himself seeing the simple black leotard he was in. He also saw the flush on the tween's neck.

In the heavy silence, Bruce regretted his earlier interjection. It 'was' important they 'never' accidentally call each other by their civilian names in front of civilians let alone criminals, let alone 'super' criminals. He didn't even want it to happen in front of Commissioner Gordon: the man he arguable trusted most outside of his innermost circle and Justice League colleagues. Bruce also believed in the saying, "Sow an action reap a habit. Sow a habit reap a destiny."* Still, in this case, he probably could have afforded to have let it go. Dick was discouraged enough already.

The cape, belt, and boots of the "Robin" outfit made certain movements more difficult. So, when Dick learned a new martial arts move, he started out in a simple leotard like he was used to wearing. Only when he mastered the move in a leotard, and had sufficiently built up his confidence, did he practice it in the Robin costume. The boy said it felt like relearning it all over again when he did so. Again, the drag of the cape, the change in balance from the belt ... the body felt and reacted differently. Bruce knew that well himself. Thus, he insisted Robin built up his confidence in performing the move before 'relearning' it in the Robin costume.

Now was the time to distract them both. Batman looked up from Dick's blushing neck to Superman's face. "What brings you here?"

Kal El met his gaze over his protege's head. "Luther is doing something odd. Ships he owns, through shell companies, have been heading to Central America. I've studied them, no lead, just construction supplies, mostly bags of dry cement. But he's not been open with the public about any new project down there."

"Suspicious considering his love for positive press. I'll look into it." Batman moved to the Batcomputer.

As he did, he heard the other hero's friendly voice again. "What are you learning Robin?"

He almost rolled his eyes at the Kryptonian's flagrant flaunting of his rule of 'proper address according to dress.' It 'did' boost Dick's self-esteem to be called by his hero name, though. So, he said nothing this time. His ward's voice sounded lighter and warmer when he gave the name of the martial art move he was mastering.

Superman whistled. "That one is 'tough.'"

Bruce sat down at the Batcomputer keeping his mind on task instead of noticing the pause before Dick replied. "Yeah."

"Want to show me how you're doing?"

"Maybe ..."

Batman grimaced. Dick hated to fail in front of the other hero. As Batman typed away, Superman continued behind his cape. "Here try to hit me with it. I'll move back in time, so it won't connect, while watching your form."

Bruce heard the slight grunt of concentrated effort from Dick and smaller whoosh of a retreating Superman. His ward's bones would shatter if his body connected with the 'Man of Steel's.' Bruce and the Kryptonian had practiced together so often, he trusted him enough not to turn around or even stop his research, though. The Kryptonian's cheerful voice sounded through the cave. "Hey, almost! Can I show you how I do it?"

"Yeah!"

Minutes ago, they had gotten to the point Dick had almost lost his temper when he 'showed him the move again.' But then, it was Superman now. Some of Batman's allure had worn off. It had to eventually. Batman moved the ongoing conversation behind his back to the back of his mind as he concentrated on what he was learning about recent events in Central America and Luther's Shell Companies.

He still registered Superman's loud, playful "Hoya! Like that! Now you try!' Followed by Dick's laugh and Superman's "Come on, try to land it right here. 'Then there was an overexaggerated grunt from Kal El that couldn't be real since there was no pained scream from Dick. This was followed by "Almost! A little higher!" After that came a whistle followed by 'Wow, that was close." Batman put his use of these phrases on Superman's encouraging and light-hearted communication style.

Then ...

"I got it! Batman! Batman, look!"

He turned. Dick wore an extremely wide grin even for him. Then his ward aimed the move at Superman who 'whooshed' back out of its way, and ...

Batman blinked. Then, he rose and strode away from his computer. He stopped to form a three-pointed triangle with the pair standing perpendicular a few feet from the empty space between the two, a good point to observe up close. "Show me again."

Dick grinned and did. Of course, it didn't connect ... "couldn't" connect ... and it was a little slower than the moves Dick had had down cold for months or more. 'That' would be worth if the form remained perfect though. And ... the form ... was ... perfect.

Batman nodded. "That earned your favorite dessert tonight. Go tell Alfred."

With a whoop, Dick rushed out leaving his favorite Superheroes behind without looking back. He was probably as anxious to 'show' Alfred his newly mastered move as he was to see the same start that dessert. After Dick closed the door at the top of the stairwell leading into the Manor's kitchen, Bruce murmured "You taught him that within two minutes ..."

Superman shrugged. "He'd mostly grasped the concept."

"He'd worked on that for hours with me. I expected him to perfect it tomorrow at the soonest ..."

"Maybe we just got lucky."

"Try again."

"Bruce ..."

"Dick learning these skills as soon as possible can save his life! I've never seen him master something so fast with Alfred or me! Tell me how you did that!"

"We probably had more ... fun?"

Batman grimaced and bit out the word. "Fun?"

Superman nodded.

The Dark Knight bowed his head in thought. Then he went back to the Batcomputer. Soon he pointed the Kryptonian and journalist in a few directions for his own investigation in Metropolis and Central America. Superman went upstairs to say goodbye to Dick and Alfred before leaving. Batman then studied the surveillance footage of the lesson he'd had his back turned to. Dick came down, saw him doing so, and pointed while bragging.

Batman pursed his lips in thought instead of responding leaving the boy to return to practicing. Batman turned to watch in silence. Had he been teaching his ward wrongly ... for years?

Chapter Text

Bruce was a scientist and engineer; eager to know, eager to use knowledge to fix things. He was also paranoid and a striver for efficiency. He’d had a few things he’d wanted to discuss for some time with Oliver Queen. That list now included questions regarding Superman’s investigation into Luther’s intentions in Central America. Another billionaire businessman might know something. Communicating about such things through hackable channels of communication was risky.

Bruce had not wanted to abandon Gotham for as long as an in-person trip to Star City would take, before. Two true tests of his guesses on Oliver having a clue about Luther’s plans and ‘fun’ being key to Dick learning self-defense faster made one visit efficient and necessary. He made three phone calls, and the plans were set. 

Dick was excited for a vacation/visit with friends. Roy and Oliver were excited to have them, well ... Dick. They would both tolerate him. 

Bruce accepted that Oliver and he didn’t see eye to eye on many things. They agreed on the importance of fighting crime through non-lethal means and giving their wards the best life their money could buy, though. That was enough for this visit. Dick seemed to be loved everywhere, except crime hotspots. Batman feared that due to his taunting and the embarrassment of being beaten by a pre-teen, Robin might be more hated than Batman by the criminals they captured.

J'on and M'gann arrived at the Batcave to play Batman and Robin that night. Alfred drove Bruce and Dick to the small airfield where Oliver's private jet was waiting for them. Oliver liked to go all out in playing host from an early point on. When they arrived that evening, Queen had steaks on the grill on his patio. As the two billionaires and their pair of wards ate together, gathered around a table on the same patio, Bruce studied Dick's peer. 

Roy was oddly grave. There was a bite in his personality of repressed anger possibly from the trauma of losing his parents. If so, he was dealing with it far more like he had at the same age in comparison to Dick. Within days of witnessing the other Flying Graysons' fall, the last Grayson could go from smiling and laughing to freezing at certain stimuli like the scent of buttered popcorn or a sound like snapping rope. The freezing would be followed by a storm of sobs. Those ended in a solemn silence, which would last for about an hour, ending in small smiles signaling he'd be his usual cheerful self in less than an hour after that. At the moment ... Bruce turned his head. 

Dick and Oliver were in an animated discussion about ... seasoning ... different kinds of seasonings and foods around the world. Dick had been a world traveler as a member of the Haley Circus. Oliver had traveled for fun. The blonde billionaire then turned his gaze back on Bruce. "Eat before the meat I grilled and seasoned to perfection for you gets cold!

Bruce made sure he cut up, chewed, and swallowed several bites intermingled with compliments before bringing up a certain topic. "Oliver, could you to teach Dick the martial arts move we discussed in depth a few months ago?"

"The one you said was overly complex and a waste of time to learn or even perform in a real emergency?"

Instead of answering that, Bruce replied while lifting his water glass to his mouth. "I think Dick would enjoy learning it from you."

His ward raised his voice in agreement. "Yeah!"

Oliver smiled at his younger guest. "Sure kid, after we let this meal settle in our stomachs."

Bruce nodded his agreement, "I had some things I wanted to discuss with you sooner rather than later anyway."

Queen gave him a joyless smile. "Can't wait ..."

Roy and Dick took the dishes to the kitchen where they would do them, Dick to be a good guest and Roy, because he was still more in the habit of doing chores from his previous life. Once he realized the 'important' topic of conversation Bruce wanted to bring up was superhero concerns, Queen became more interested and serious. He did have a few contacts in Central America he'd spoken with mostly about trouble brewing where he had meant to take Roy to test their wilderness survival skills. Where Queen saw an unsafe vacation destination, Luther might see opportunity. Bruce planned to pass this on to Superman.

After the dishes were done, Dick went up to Roy's room to see both the things he'd brought with him from his old life and some of Oliver's gifts. Then they went down to the den that had been transformed into a gym. They all warmed up a bit before the sparring began. Roy and Dick went first. It was the most Bruce had seen the red-haired teen laugh and smile the whole visit right up until he and Oliver sparred. Both their wards were vastly entertained by this. Finally, Oliver taught Dick an overly complex and thus difficult, but mostly useless move ... in 90 minutes. 

Oliver had playfully taught Robin something Bruce would have guessed would take at least 3 hours for him to learn in less than two. Bruce would set up a third test. He wouldn't consider anything proved in only two. The brunette billionaire vigilante's belief that he'd held his ward back for years with his teaching style, though, sank in a little more.