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Something had been off about Bruce for a while. Dick didn’t have concrete proof, but every time he tried to ask Bruce what was going on he got brushed aside. It frustrated him to no end, he was 13 not 3, he could handle a lot. He’d been going out as Robin for nearly two years. He could handle the streets of Gotham at night; there was no way he couldn’t handle whatever it was Bruce was trying to keep from him.
Dick had done everything he could to figure it out without resorting to putting on the Robin costume. He had asked Babs if she knew what was up, but she’d laughed at him when he explained what he’d observed. Dick had even gone so far as to ask Alfred, something he’d purposefully put off because he didn’t want to get Bruce in trouble if what he was hiding was something that would upset the older man, and all he’d gotten in response was an indulgent smile and some reassurance that whatever was going on, Bruce wasn’t in trouble with Alfred.
So really, that only made it more ridiculous that B wasn’t telling him.
At first Dick had thought the entire thing had something to do with this new Justice League project B had gotten involved in (Something Dick had actually encouraged him to do; his guardian needed more friends). Bruce had come back from multiple meetings grinning, or at least smiling which was as close as Bruce ever got to a full out grin.
Except then Bruce had gone out as a civilian and come back smiling that same weird way.
As far as Dick knew, Bruce had gone out to do some stupid interview about a boring gala he was hosting. Dick had been invited along to the interview too, but he had begged Bruce to let him stay in the Manor with Alfred instead. He hated galas, but he hated interviews more. Besides, he’d thought it would have been with someone like Vicky Vale, and he’d have been stuck watching B flirt the whole time. Except Vale didn’t make Bruce smile like that.
It all didn’t make sense. So, in an act of desperation Dick had decided that the only solution was a stakeout. He’d spent a lot of time outside of Bruce’s office trying to listen in to his phone calls to see if anyone reached out with anything that felt out the ordinary. He’d also snuck away one of Bruce’s tablets so he could look at his planner without letting him know Dick was onto him.
It had taken him a week and a half, during which Bruce came home from three more Justice League things (that Dick hadn’t been invited to, and had no way of sneaking along for- though he’d considered possibly crawling into the backseat of the batmobile before realizing he’d just lock himself in there and someone would have to come rescue him eventually) smiling that same dumb smile. Plus, Dick had also caught him smiling at his phone like that on a number of occasions throughout the week and a half as well. If this stakeout didn’t work he’d have to find a way into Bruce’s texts too.
So, Dick had hidden himself in some bushes, ready to save Bruce if the need arose. He’d prepared himself to have to sit there for several hours, after all- who knew how long it’d take Bruce and whatever impostor had him looking like that to turn up. He’d brought a bottle of water, his DS, some snacks, and his Walkman.
Despite his preparations it only took Bruce and the mystery stranger 10 minutes to turn up. A part of Dick was a little disappointed, he’d been excited to get to do a proper stakeout on his own for the first time, and this hardly counted. However, his disappointment was quickly forgotten when Dick realized who else was there.
Stood next to Bruce was someone Dick had been positively dying to meet ever since the JLA had started. Holding Bruce’s hand was the one and only Superman (or Clark Kent he supposed, considering the man was in his civvies). Dick wasn’t supposed to know who Superman was, but he’d found his identity when he was looking through the bat computer one night while waiting for Bruce so they could head out on patrol.
What Dick didn’t consider in his excitement, however, was that if Superman was there, he’d be able to hear the music from his Walkman, even if he’d put the volume almost as low as it could go so he wouldn’t miss anything.
He watched as Clark nudged Bruce and whispered something in his ear. Bruce smiled that same strange smile at Clark again, shook his head lightly, and then made his way over to where Dick had hidden himself.
“Hey chum, what are you doing here?” Bruce asked. He didn’t sound mad, but it felt as if nothing about Bruce had felt quite right recently, so Dick was still nervous when he responded.
“You just weren’t telling me anything, and like- I just wanted to make sure you were alright and...”
“Dick, it’s not your job to worry about me alright? I’m the adult. Leave the worrying to me.” Bruce ruffled his hair, “Now, we are going to have to talk about this when we get home because it is not acceptable for you to follow me out like this. But what do you say I introduce you to my boyfriend Clark first?”