Work Text:
“Batman” Oracles voice patched through the comns.
“What is it Oracle?” Bruce asks.
“Signals emergency Beamer was just lit. The last location known is Narrows” He could hear the concern in her voice.
“I’m on my way, t-minus 5 minutes.”
Five minutes later, Bruce landed on top of a abandoned building, where Dukes supposed location was.
“Signal?” He called out.
A cry was the response he got.
So Bruce followed the sounds of the crying.
And Bruce found the room where the crying was the loudest.
There was a kid,curled up under the dusty table. Looking no younger than 4 years old.And sitting in Signals uniform, looking way too big on the boy.
He approached the child cautiously, And kneeled down.
“Do you know where signal is?” He asked softly.
The boy looked up at him.
Bruce recognized that face immediately, it might have more baby fat, but that was his foster sons.
“Duke?”
Duke sniffled “Batman?.. how do you know my name?”
Bruce thought quickly. “Your parents told me to come and get you.”
“Rweally?”
“Yeah” Bruce confirms.
He takes his cape off and wraps it around Duke, picking him up, and carried him on his hips.
“Where-Where are we goin’ Batman?”
“Somewhere where we can wait for your parents”
Duke nodded and laid his head on Bruce’s shoulder.
“I’m hungry”
Bruce blinked.
“Okay… what do you want to eat?”
“Yogwurt”
“Alright. We’ll get you yogurt bumblebee.”
Duke smiled sleepily, Bruce could feel his body relaxing.
“You can go to sleep. I’ll wake you up when we get to the safe place.”
“M’kay Ba’man.” And within minutes, he was asleep.
“Oracle”
“Did you find him?” Oracles voice came through is ear.
“I did. I need you to get Alfred and Tim on standby”
“Is He hurt?”
“No..”
“Then why Alfred and Tim?” Oracle questioned.
“It seems Duke has turned into a toddler.” Bruce informed her.
“Bruce, how is that possible?”
“I’m not sure, that’s why I need Alfred and Tim”
“I’ve put them on standby” Oracle tells him.
“Thank you. We’ll be there soon” And grappled off in the direction of the cave.
———
“Tim, report.” Bruce orders.
“Duke was fighting a villain named ‘Baby’ and got hit by their powers.The villain is now In custody.”
“Do you know how long this will last?” He ask as he looks over at Duke, eating a yogurt cup in a chair while swinging his legs.
“People who are victims of Baby, say that the effects of his powers last a couple of days” Tim informs him.
Bruce sighs.
“So we’re just going to wait until this wears off?” Dick ask.
“Basically” Tim replied.
Bruce rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Dick squeezed his shoulder “We’ll get through this together Bruce”
“Together” Cassandra agreed.
———-
Dukes new diet now consisted of Yogurt, Cheese sticks, and strawberries.
And he wanted nothing but those three things.
“Duke, do you want a sandwich?” Dick asks.
Duke shakes his head “I wan yogwurt.”
“You’ve already had three cups today bud, you need to eat real food.”
“Yogwurt is real!” Duke insists.
Dick sighs. The kid was right.
“Ok, how about if you eat the sandwich I’ll give you two yogurts” Dick negotiatates.
“Dweal” Duke reaches out his hand for Dick to shake.
“Deal.” Dick shakes Dukes outreached hand.
“There’s no way you made a deal with a preschooler” Damian smirks.
Dick shrugs “ He drives a hard bargain”
———-
Cassandra enjoys Duke being a toddler. It meant she could tuck him into bed whenever he got tired.
“Cassie?”
Cass looked up at Duke next to her in his bed.
“Yes?”
“I’m tired.” Duke rubs his eyes.
“ I know. Go to sleep.” She kissed the temple of his forehead and tucked the blanket around his shoulders
Just before she got up, Duke tugged on her shirt.
“Can-can you stay? Jus’ till I go to sleep?” Dukes hands fidgeting with the blanket
Cassandra nods, and climbs back in bed. Brushing Dukes curls out of his face.
“Tank you Cassie” Duke says already half-asleep.
Cassandra smiles, Maybe this could last a little bit longer.
———-
From what Bruce researched about caring Black hair types, Duke could be labeled as tenderheaded.
“OW! YOUR PULLIN’ TOO HARD” Duke wailed
“I know, Sunshine, you have a couple of more knots left.” Bruce picked up the spray bottle and wet his hair, hoping that would lessen the pain.
“It hurts" Duke sobbed.
“I know, im sorry. I’m going as gently as I can.” Bruce tells him as he combs through another section of his hair.
Dukes gripped onto the chair.
“Are u almost done?” Duke sniffles.
“Yeah, almost. You’re doing so good Bee” Bruce combs through another knot.
Duke whines.
“One more. And then we can go downstairs and get some strawberries”
Duke smiles at that. “M’kay”
“All done chum, you can get up now”
Before Bruce even finishes his sentence, Duke immediately jumps out the chair and runs towards the kitchen to go claim his prize.
Bruce now knows why the older duke's hair is so short.
————
“Dami?” Duke calls.
“What?”
“You play with me?” Duke asks. Holding up his Superman and Batman figures.
“I don’t play, playing is for children” Damian says.
Duke frowns.
“Fine. You must tell no one about this.”
Duke nods ,promising secrecy.
“I Ba’man and you be Superman” Duke hands Damian his toy.
“Why am I Superman?” Damian questions.
“Cuz Batman is my favorite”
Damian grins. “Yeah, he’s my favorite too”
Duke and Damian sit down together on the floor.
Duke lowers his voice “I am Batman, I here to save da day”
“And I am Superman, here to help Batman!” If Damian was going to do this,He was going to do this right .
Duke gasp “Da Riddler Is here”
“That’s Riddler is no match for the world's finest superheroes!” Damian tells Duke.
“Alfred told me tell you that-” Tim grins, pauses mid step and pulls out his phone.
“Don’t you dare” Damian growls.
Tim snaps a photo and dashes.
“GET BACK HERE” Damian chases after him and Duke follows
—————-
After two days, the effects of the Baby’s powers finally wore off.
To say Duke was embarrassed was an understatement.
“We will never talk about what happened,” Duke announced.
“Agreed” Damian confirms.
“Then what am I supposed to do with all these photos that I have of you?” Tim asks. “I mean Duke you were just too cute” Tim teases, dangling his phone in front of Duke's face.
Duke lunged at the phone, but Tim parried his attack and ran off with laughter.
“Bro, Get back here!” Duke ran after him.
“Never!” Tim’s laughter echoed through the hallway.
Alfred shakes his head and sighs. “Boys..”
Bruce smiles, taking a sip of his coffee.“Atleast their our boys”
“Indeed,Master Bruce.”