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Spinning, spinning, the big top was spinning. The red and yellow and greens of the circus twirling around him. His position precarious on the edge of the platform while his parents twirled and flew in front of him. And when the wire snapped they both screamed. And everything was spinning as he looked down and-
Dick sat up with a shriek, which was swiftly interrupted by gagging. And as he blinked away sleep he realized what had happened. Smeared over his light blue pajamas and all over his covers was- Dick gagged, resisting the urge to vomit again. He slowly peeled himself out of the bed and the sticky mess, wiping at his chin. The terror of his recurring nightmare was still fresh in his mind and his little heart was thundering.
He needed Bruce. He needed Batman.
So he fled his room and ran the short distance down the hall to Bruce’s door. Only to find the master bedroom empty. The sheets were made like he never went to bed. Bruce wasn’t out on patrol, he would’ve told Robin if there was another patrol tonight. They were partners.
A wave of panic gripped him before he turned and ran back down the hall, down the stairs, to the office with the grandfather clock. He opened the cave and ran so fast down into the cave he didn’t even feel the cool air on his bare feet.
The cave was also empty. And his suit was gone. But Alfred wasn’t working coms so Bruce couldn’t be on patrol. Stomping in place a bit, Dick was panicking. He needed Bruce. He needed to find him. What if we was in danger? Flying to the computer he checked B’s tracker.
And seeing the location he hastily grabbed his Robin mask and slapped it haphazardly on his face.
Bruce was trying so hard to stay awake. Luckily with his cowl it was hard to tell if he was sleeping or not.
The emergency the Justice League had to respond to in the middle of night, really hadn’t needed Batman at all. But nobody could coordinate quite like Bruce. While the metas focused on redirecting the flow of lava from an erupting volcano, Bruce had been mostly delegated to rescue efforts. Efficiently getting everyone out of the town before it could be engulfed in flames and drowned in lava. For all his griping he was glad he came. Had he chosen not to come along on this mission and someone got hurt well…
The only problem was, Dick was still young. Freshly traumatized. It had been awhile since another nightmare but Bruce had promised no matter what he would be there if he woke up with one. That’s why he needed to wrap up this debrief right now and get home to his son ward. But he had yet to mention his new adoptee to the team seeing as he had yet to even disclose his own identity to them. So he couldn’t use Dick as an excuse to get out of it.
Luckily Superman was getting to the tail end of his ‘everyone worked very hard and did a good job’ speech. He knows the man can’t help himself from trying to encourage the more human members who certainly couldn’t freeze lava in its tracks with a breath. But could this man ever go on and on and on in his monologues about Justice and Protecting the Innocent.
Just as Superman stops talking, the door to the meeting room opens. Everyone turns to the door. Staring wide eyed at little Dick Grayson, in pajamas and a domino. Sniffling and hiccuping. Nobody moved for a second. Nobody knows what to do with the mystery child that just materialized in the Watchtower. Bruce is so damn grateful their first reaction wasn't violence.
In an instant he is on his feet and dashing past his teammates with speed that rivals The Flash. When he kneels he skids to a stop and nearly barrels Dick over but he reaches out and grips the boys shoulders to steady him.
“Robin.” He says in what he hopes is a comforting tone of voice. The boy is covered in his own sick, the smell almost makes Bruce screw up his nose in disgust but he doesn’t. No need to make Richard embarrassed.
“I frew up…” he chokes out between hiccups.
“I see that chum. It’s okay.” Bruce says softly, taking disinfectant wipes out of his belt to begin cleaning his face. “Why didn’t you get Agent A?”
Dick looks at him like the thought had never occurred to him, cheeks flushing a little with embarrassment.
“‘Cause you promised…”
Bruce’s hand stilled. He breathed heavily through his nose and then resumed wiping.
“Your right chum. I’m very sorry.”
Behind him there was movement. Batman half turned, a snarl on his face as he was prepared to snap at anyone daring to question him right now. While he’s comforting his son of all things. Instead he found a group of very concerned looking hero’s.
“I can run home, grab one of my nephews shirts.” Flash offers. “It’ll only take a second.”
Bruce stares at him, shocked. He was… offering to help?
“Here child, come sit down.” Hawkwomans chair is closest. She offers it to Dick, rolling it a bit closer.
Bruce gives Flash a quick nod and he runs off. Meanwhile Bruce scoops up Robin in his arms and then sets him down on the chair, kneeling in front of it.
“What’s your name son?” Superman asks as he approaches, placing a comforting hand on the back of the chair. Dick looks at Bruce who gives an, admittedly, hesitant nod.
“Robin…” he sniffles. Superman kneels down.
“You must be a very smart boy Robin to find your way all the way here to your dad by yourself.”
Robin sniffles again.
“B’s s’not my dad… my dad is… is…” Judging by the hiccup he’s about to cry again, Superman looks like a fish the way he panics. Wonder Woman kneels on the other side.
“Who is B to you then, little warrior?” She asks with a calm smile. It immediately stops his spiral and he looks at Bruce again for permission. Bruce bites his lip but nods. Because this is working. He’s calming down.
Sitting up a little straighter Dick wipes his eyes on his sleeve. Tears are still leaking out from the side of his domino mask.
“B, is… my partner. We fight bad guys together…” His inhale is shaky. Flash has returned from Central City in a whirl of lightning and hands Bruce a shirt that's a size too big for Dick but will do. Standing up he lifts his cape and Dick scrambles off the chair to change inside it. He holds up the gross shirt for Bruce so he takes it and tucks it into an evidence bag for easy clean transport.
“Batman! I can’t believe you hid this partner from us!” Aquaman says, leaning back in his chair a little to see Robin stepping out of the cape like a dressing room. Batman growls a warning but Arthur continues. “If he’s your partner, then he should be a member of the Justice league too!”
“I’d love to see your skills some time, little warrior. With Batman as a mentor I’m sure you're very talented.” Diana speaks again, agreeing with Arthur.
With one last sniffle Robin ducks his head, blushing. Then he looks up and smiles.
“Oh I’m way more talented than B. I can do so many things he can’t.”
“Yeah? Like what?” Green Lantern speaks up for the first time during this whole ordeal, leaning forward with his hands resting on the table. Bruce had honestly expected him to make some kind of comment. Make fun of him or his kid. But that’s not the case. Hal’s face is relaxed, open. He’s not looking for blackmail, he's… trying to coax Robin into bragging. Distract him.
“Like a quadruple somersault. Watch this-“
Bruce’s arm shoots out to stop the little acrobat before he can start doing flips.
“Maybe next time, chum. You don’t want to get sick again.”
Robin scoffs and rolls his eyes, Bruce catches Flash smiling and nudging Green Arrow who is wearing a matching grin.
“He’s not scared of the big bad bat at all.” Arrow whispers gleefully. Not viciously, he just looks fond.
“He’s secretly a big papa bear huh?” Flash responds sounding soft.
Bruce feels like he should be embarrassed but somehow he… isn’t.
Instead he swoops down to scoop Robin back into the safety of his arms. Letting the boy nuzzle against his shoulder even as it gets snot all over his cape. That’s okay, it's worth it.
“Sorry we kept your… sorry we kept Batman so long. We had no idea he had someone waiting for him at home.” Superman sounds genuinely regretful.
Robin peeks over his shoulder at the man, shy. “S’okay.” He mumbled sleepily. It was strange to see his boisterous little Robin so subdued. He must be feeling pretty sick. Bruce rubs his back gently in the hopes that it eases his child at least a little bit.
“Oh, he looks tired.” Diana practically coo’s.
“You’d better hurry home Batman and get him to bed.” Flash insists with a nod. Several other members seem to agree, nodding their heads along to the suggestion.
“I-“ Bruce is momentarily touched. Sure these people are his coworkers but he had always kept them at arm's length. Afraid to get too close. Afraid that they might get too close to Dick. And yet every single one of them jumped in to help his kid at first sign of distress.
Oh. He thought. Of course they had. This was why he worked with them after all. Their overflowing compassion for the rest of humanity. These people were friends. Family. Bruce smiled to himself.
“Thank you.” He whispered, holding his boy tight to his chest. With one last nod to each of the Justice League members Bruce silently left the meeting hall.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to show them this part of himself.