Chapter Text
“There’s nothing…” Jason groaned, already bored “Just one robbery and some random bar fight!?”
“You should be thankful that nothing is happening, you know Hood?”
“Yeah yeah… But it’s boring.” Jason waved a dismissive hand “Just like you Red”
Tim rolled his eyes used to his brother’s dramatics while Damian decided he also was bored and got up, stretching his arms over his head and stepping besides Jason probably intending to spar for fun but before the kid could open his mouth to talk, he was interrupted by an urgent voice over the coms.
“Robin, are you with Red and Hood? We need backup here!”Dick’s voice could be heard, clearly urgent followed by Babs’ who interjected to help “Sending the location.”
With that they were gone, It was a bat-kids patrol, Bruce was supposed to be resting, he had broken his wrist, and even if he insisted that it wasn’t entirely broken and was already healed after three days of resting, Alfred had very non-politely told him to stay home or else. So he was now listening to everything from a unauthorized com while he hoped his kids were okay, because sleeping was not going to happen.
For now everything seemed fine, he could hear the usual banters “Watch it Red!” “God you are insufferable…” “Can we all focus on the guy!??” Bruce fond smile was interrupted by an explosion followed by grunts and shouted instructions “Hood to your left!” “Robin!” “Good one Orphan!”. And suddenly everything went silent.
For a moment Bruce thought the intercom piece had been disabled, wouldn’t be the first time Barbara and Alfred conspired against his attempts of being present when he was supposed to rest. But then he heard Babs:
“Nightwing? Are you guys okay? I can’t track the guy you were just fighting”
“Who’s nightwing?”
It was a soft small voice, and then he heard crying, an actual baby crying. Bruce got up from bed way too fast uncaring of his broken wrist as he dressed up as quick as he could and connected his intercom piece
“Oracle, location. Now”
In any other case Bruce was sure Barbara would shut him off and try to take care of it herself but this clearly had an impact
“B… You might want to go buy some kid clothes”
ཐི ₍^.ˬˬ.^₎ ཋྀ
An hour later, Bruce was back in the bat-cave, holding kids with clothes too big and letting Alfred’s confused expression sink into him.
Alfred looked at him not sure on how to feel. Bruce was holding a chubby and angry baby, not even a year old that looked a lot like him, in his other arm was a dark-skin toddler, maybe three years old at most who was sucking on his thumb and sniffling; Behind him a little girl that looked about ten years old, clung to his pants peeking just enough to look at Alfred but clearly scared. Another six year old kid with a dark hair and pale skin was looking around the cave holding his hands to his chest as if afraid that he would want to touch something out of excitement. And the last two, Alfred knew this two faces all too well. Holding onto him and almost growling at the other kids, was undeniably a thirteen year old Dick Grayson, and grinning brightly as he peeked behind Bruce’s leg like he was playing a secret game was a nine year old Jason Todd with bright blue eyes and that sweet smile. Both faces were uncomfortably familiar, and steered emotions that would not be useful at the moment, so instead of looking at the angelic ids Alfred turned his attention back to Bruce.
“They are small.” A fact. Bruce noticed the tension, the butler seemed to be as shocked as him.
“Yes… And scared.” Bruce sighed trying to sooth who Alfred was very sure was Damian, chubby face all red from crying. “They don’t remember anything.”
“Who are this kids!?” Dick demanded stomping his foot to the floor glaring specially at Jason who was tugging on Bruce’s pant and calling ‘dad’ repeatedly. “And why is he calling you dad, huh?”
“Chum… Calm down, this is not easy to ex-”
“We were de-aged.” The kid who was looking around —Tim— stated, making everyone freeze and look at him.
He had stopped looking around the cave and was now looking at a picture that was placed in the dashboard of the bat computer. the picture was a simple photo from last summer, all of them were there wearing swimwear or summer clothes, even Alfred was in the picture and some of the pets as well.
“R-Right? That’s us and… Yo-you look older than Bruce Wayne” Tim stammered noticing everything went silent “Uhm… sorry”
“Of course you would know…” Bruce sighed fondly, way too smart even at 6 years old. “A good detective, as usual”
“Detective?” Tim awed but was interrupted by Jason.
“HE CALLED YOU OLD!” Jason barked a laugh and run to Tim almost tackling Tim in his way to hug him “I like him, can we keep him dad?”
“Jay-”
“NO! Wait, what does he mean with de-aged?” Dick asked stepping forward now more agitated
Bruce sighed continuing to bounce the kids he held in arms so none of them fussed while he tried to find the words to explain to this clearly distressed thirteen year old that all of this kids were his siblings and he was twenty seven.
“It means you are stuck on a body and mind of the past” Tim said matter of fact “in this present you should be older but somehow you were turned into a younger self.” He said smiling a little more confidently and daring to look at Dick.
“And how would you know? You sound like a stupid rich kid!” Dick snapped crossing his arms over his chest and Tim looked like he had been slapped in the face.
“Master Richard! Apologize immediately!” Alfred looked equally horrified.
“Oh c’mon Alfred, he i-” But Dick couldn’t finish his sentence as Tim burst out in tears, loud wails filling the cave.
“W-wait! Why are you crying!?”
“Maybe cause you were a dickhead?” Jason huffed rolling his eyes and hugging Tim protectively, trying to sooth him by rubbing his back “It’s okay little dude, you are not stupid, stupid people don’t know big words” he whispered softly just for Tim to hear.
“Where’s mum…?” Duke started to cry again making Damian go full rage on his crying.
Suddenly the cave was filled with crying and as Bruce tried to shush and sooth everyone he was reminded how little he knew about kids, specially kids younger than ten years old.
“Alfred.” Bruce looked at his Butler, and mentor, desperately.
Alfred rolled his eyes but stepped forward grabbing Damian and bouncing him gently, somehow the baby calmed down intermediately, yawning and snuggling into the butler’s shirt. “Alright, let’s all go to eat, you kids must be famished after all this emotions.” He declared and started to walk back up to the manor “And cookies always make things better, don’t you think?” he added.
“Heard that little guy? We get sympathy cookies! C’mon!” Jason grabbed Tim’s hand and followed Alfred eagerly tugging the younger with him.
Duke perked up at the mention of cookies and he wriggled in Bruce’s arms until the man put him down. He looked around trying to orientate himself from this new point of view and his eyes landed on Cass who was still hiding behind Bruce.
“Cookies?” he asked and gave her the sweetest smile Bruce had ever saw extending his little hand to the ten year old girl. Cass seemed to relax and took his hand before they both followed the other kids, now it was just Dick and Bruce.
For a moment it was silent, Dick was looking down at the floor, kicking an imaginary rock and avoiding looking up at Bruce, he held his hands behind him and he was clearly struggling to process his words.
“I didn’t meant to make him cry…” Dick muttered looking at the floor still
“I know.” Bruce replied softly.
“What’s going on, B?” Dick asked looking up at him with big scared eyes.
“Tim was right, you have been de aged, you should be 27 now.” Bruce said, deciding to be sincere as he knelt on the floor to be at eyes level with his kid. “I know it’s a lot to take in kid, but we have to keep calm right now, I’ll answer all your questions but i don’t want to overwhelm you.”
“And who are all those kids?” The small insecure voice broke Bruce’s heart a little “I thought I was enough”
“Dick, you are enough.” Bruce said firmly holding the thirteen year old’s face “You gave up the robin mantel, you wanted to be your own hero, not batman’s sidekick, and eventually I got another kid… You love them all and you are the best big brother in the world.”
“I gave it up..?” He asked confused. “That doesn’t sound like me.”
“Yeah but you grew up a lot, Chum. People change over the years.” Dick seemed hesitant over that “… and believe me, you are a better hero than me.”
“So I’m better than batman?” He asked with wide eyes full of awe “no fucking way.”
“Language.”
“Am sorry!” He giggled hugging onto Bruce’s neck “You don’t look that old by the way.”
“Thanks chum.” The cave went into a comfortable silence “Wanna go to get your scoop of sympathy cookies?”
“Yes I do!” Dick let go of Bruce just to start cartwheeling to the stairs and then jumping up. Bruce wouldn’t admit this out loud but he missed the energetic circus boy Dick once was.
ཐི ₍^.ˬˬ.^₎ ཋྀ
They were all sat on the big table, there was not much talking going on but at least there was not more crying. Damian was now swaddled on an improvised bassinet made of a clothes basket padded with soft blankets, little face peaceful in slumber. Duke was very happily eating a cookie while he talked to Cass who seemed to be less on edge now but eating little to nothing.
Tim was still looking deflated from the earlier confrontation even if Dick had apologized and tried to talk, the kid kept playing with his food although he ate his cookies, Dick was not even trying to eat, Bruce was not going to fight it today so he gave him the cookies instead of the actual food, better something than nothing, even if Alfred glared daggers at him.
And then the familiar scene that threatened to put a smile on his face. Alfred giving everyone food but adding even more food to Jason’s plate. It happened back then when Jason came to the manor for the first time, clearly starving and so small and scrawny, but Bruce had forgot how frail and small he actual looked. Alfred had made his life mission to make Jason Todd a healthy little lad and now a days would even serve him extra sweets trying to be discreet of his favoritism.
And now, with scrawny nine year old Jason again, Alfred’s instincts to make him fat seemed to go full in although everyone seemed too engrossed in their own food to notice how Jason’s plate never emptied. Jason on his part was delighted with Alfred giving him extra food and was eating it all messily much to the butlers distaste.
“The food won’t go anywhere my boy, slow down.” He tutted cleaning Jason’s face with a napkin and putting another one in the collar of his shirt, the shirt that was still too big on him.
That reminded Bruce, they were not prepared for all this kids, 14 year old Dick and 10 year old Cass could probably fit in Damian’s clothes maybe even 9 year old Jason could fit them. But those clothes would be too big on 6 year old Tim or 4 year old Duke not to mention Damian was less than 1, and even if he was born in the league, Bruce was very sure that they haven’t find a way to potty train an infant . He mentally cringed at the idea of diapers.
Best-case scenario, next morning everyone would wake up normal; worst case scenario, this was going to last more than one night, and if so, they should prepare to make sure everyone was at least dressed and properly taken care of until the problem was resolved.
“Alfred, do we have some of the kid’s old clothes? We certainly don’t have supplies for Damian.” Bruce frowned as he tried to remember if they had kept any clothes from when the children were younger.
“I already have that sorted” Alfred said not looking up as he cleaned Duke’s cheeks making the boy giggle “Although you might want to prepare for the solutions.”
“Who did you call?” Bruce asked already mentally preparing for the worst.
Before Alfred could answer the doorbell rang ominously and the entire room went silent.