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On what was the worst and most terrifying day of Dick's life, he met his guardian angel. He could still remember the chaos of the crowds, the sight of his parents' bodies broken, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles as they stared at him with unseeing horror. He also remembered being swept up by strong arms, a steady hand on the back of his head which pressed his face against a sturdy chest to hide him from the gruesome sight.
At first, he had been scared of Batman. Dick had screamed and cried and he even tried to run, but he knew Batman's true nature now. He was not someone to be afraid of, but someone who helped those in need. And Dick was in desperate need of help. He needed justice for the deaths of his parents, but more than anything, he needed the safety that only Batman could provide.
So now, Dick paced impatiently back and forth. Batman had told him about a big breakthrough on the Zucco case. He'd even printed out the documents for Dick to look at from his big computer. The Bat-Computer, as Dick had named it. That had earned an amused smile at the time which made the memory extra precious.
Naturally, Dick couldn't just keep such sensitive information out where anyone could see it, so it was taken back eventually. Still, Dick had managed to memorize most of the report. Zucco was running, but Dick had no doubts that Batman would find him!
As Dick continued to let out his restless energy, eventually switching from pacing to the stretches he'd practiced every day before attempting anything on the trapeze, he heard a click echo through the cave. Immediately, he perked up and ran as far forward as his space allowed. He tried not to touch the glass in front of him as he didn't have anything to clean the smudges his hands left behind and he didn't want to make it harder to see through it than it already was.
After an agonizing couple of minutes, Dick caught his first glimpse of Batman. He gave an energetic wave, but the man didn't notice him. Dick frowned when he went straight to the computer and out of Dick's view. With a huff, he sat down on his bed, knowing it'd be a couple hours probably before Batman even came to say hi.
With a sigh, Dick laid on his bed, hesitating before he grabbed Zitka who he cradled against his chest. Batman had been nice enough to get her for him from his parents' trailer before all the cops came in and stole all their stuff for evidence or whatever, but that was all he could save. Dick remembered crying really hard when he told him that he couldn't find any pictures of him and his parents, but he knew now that Batman had done his best. Really, it was a miracle he found anything considering how chaotic and dangerous things got.
After a few hours of making Zitka do flips and walk on an imaginary tight-rope, Dick noticed a shadow out of the corner of his eye. He shot up, leaving the stuffed elephant on the bed, before running back to the glass wall of his room.
"Batman!" Dick smiled wide when he saw an orange in his hands. Usually Agent A was the one who gave him his meals, but they were all boring, and he never talked to Dick while he ate. Sometimes Batman would sneak him a snack or two when came to visit, which made him better company in Dick's humble opinion. "Is that for me?"
"Of course," Batman clicked a few buttons where Dick couldn't see and a little hole opened up in the wall. Dick waited patiently for Batman to leave the orange then close the hole again. When he'd first gotten here, he'd learned pretty fast how easy it was to startle him. Doing so meant he took a while to calm down before he would try to give Dick food again and it made Dick feel a little guilty, so he avoided doing that when he could.
Dick turned the orange over, smiling when he saw a small cut that Batman had made for him. His parents always peeled his oranges so Dick was no good at it when he'd first arrived. Now, he could do it all by himself, sometimes in one big strip, as long as someone started it for him. As Dick worked on carefully peeling so that his hands didn't get all gross and sticky, Batman began to talk.
"Zucco's men are abandoning him in droves," He explained. "And I'm flushing out all his hiding spots. Soon, I'll have him in custody."
"Then I'll be safe?" Dick looked at Batman with a hopeful expression. It dropped when he saw the slight grimace under his mask. "I mean-"
"It's a dangerous world, Dick."
"I know but-"
"I'm doing my best to protect you," Batman reminded, not unkindly.
"Yeah..." Dick looked back down at his orange. The peel had broken a couple times, but that was alright. With it gone, he started picking at the white stuff on the outside. "Um... Do you think... Uh..."
"What is it?"
"Do you think I could get a hug?"
"I'll have to give it to Zitka to deliver for now Chum."
"Yeah," Dick nodded as he nervously fidgeted with the orange. He frowned when he pulled some of the skin off, getting a little bit of juice on his hands. "I know but... When it's safe?"
"We'll see, Chum," Dick looked down at the cold floor, then at his socked feet that dangled above it. Batman seemed to notice the downturn his mood took as he added, "But I'd like that."
"Really?" Dick looked up and saw a small smile on Batman's face. He couldn't help but smile too.
"Really. Now be careful with that, we don't want Agent A to have clean orange juice off your blankets."
"I know."
"And be careful of the seeds, you might choke if you swallow them."
Dick nodded, knowing that Batman always got him seedless fruits anyways. Still, it was his way of showing that he cared a whole lot about him, so Dick didn't bring it up. Instead, he ate his orange under Batman's careful watch, then placed the peel and other bits for him to collect when he was done. After showing his hands were mostly clean and that he hadn't gotten anything on his bed, Batman gave him a soft damp cloth to clean the juice off his hands. That too was taken once he was done.
"I have to go on patrol soon," Batman told him once he was nice and clean. "But Agent A will be down in one hour with your dinner."
"Is it soup again?"
"Tomato."
"Can I have a grilled cheese too?"
Batman hesitated. "You'll have to ask Agent A."
That was code for no. Dick pouted, but he couldn't be too upset with Batman. If he was gonna be upset with anyone it'd be Agent A. He was in charge of food and cleaning, so it was his fault when that stuff was a pain.
"Will you at least visit when you get back?"
Batman took a step back from the wall. He looked at Dick with what he could only imagine was a soft expression before turning away.
"Of course."
Dick rushed forward so that he could watch Batman for as long as possible before he disappeared out of sight. He only went back to his bed when he heard the engine of the Batmobile begin to run. Soon, it was just him and Zitka again.
Dick threw himself onto his bed, then claimed Batman's hug from the small stuffed elephant. He allowed himself to drift a little before Agent A came down, calmed by the memory of Batman's arms around him, and excited by the possibility of it again in the future.