Regressing For The Enemy

Chapter 3

    Robin was in trouble. Big trouble. He lost Bruce Wane's, shit, he lost Batman's  high tech weapon belt. Along with every weapon inside of it.  And not only that, he lost his black adult pacifier that Alfred bought specifically  for him! Okay, so maybe that last bit wasn't as important as the first two, but I felt important to Robin, okay? 

    Robin felt his stomach twisting into knots. He was standing in Gotham for the first time since running away to join the Teen Titans. How long had it been? More than days. Weeks, months, trimesters? No. It had been a year and a half now. He knew Bruce would take him in as always, but just standing in the city was enough to make his tummy do flips. Was he still angry? Upset? Disappointed? Fiddling with his fingers, Robin suddenly felt as if he was 9 years old again, meeting the tall black figure for the very first time. 

Batman carried this aura of both intimidation and admiration. Something Robin himself couldn't place. It was something only he had. Something that could only belong to Bruce. Something frightening yet familiar. Something ... fatherly. Of course Bruce could never replace his true father, John Grayson, but to Robin, he was definitely a supplement. And yet, Robin knew that neither Bruce, nor Batman would ever feel the same parental feelings, Dick once craved. After all, Tim was Bruce's son now. Not  him. 

    Still, there was one person Robin was happy to visit, no strings attached. Someone that fought to keep Robin home. Someone that always had his back no matter what. Even after the incident. Alfred Pennyworth had always understood him. No matter how much Dick showed, no matter how many nightmares he had, no matter how many mistakes he made. Alfred was always there. And coming back into Gotham, Alfred would be there to support him. No matter what Bruce or Batman had to say about it. 

Something in the shadows shifted, catching Robin's attention. Instantly he had his escrima stick out in front of him, protectively. "Dick." Robin straightened. "Batman." There was a glimpse of a smile across the ever stoic face, but it was gone within the moment it was noticeable. "You've come back to Gotham." Robin felt his knees shudder, knowing he'd have to give up the reason he was back in the city. After all, it was only a matter of time, until the detective figured it out himself. "I- I need a belt." He stared at the ground, not wanting to see the disappointment and hurt he knew flashed across Batman's face. "That it?" It was silent for a moment. "My- my belt was taken by a criminal, Slade. It had everything in it. My tools, my weapons, everything I'd need in a fight." He rubbed the back of his head, still looking towards the ground. "I fear that Slade will find a way to use the technology to his advantage and I can't have that manic running around with super gear." Robin looked up and a faint smile formed at his lips. "It was irresponsible, I know." He laughed a little. "I remember." The tension from before, was swept away. "Come on then, we can't have another Joker running around Jump city, now can we?" Robin smiled, grateful the ice breaking section of his temporary visit was over, happily shadowing his ex-mentor back to the mansion. 

Inside The Mansion

    "Master, Richard." In an instant, Robin was enveloped in a pair of neatly lint rolled arms. "How are you, young sir? Have you been eating properly? Lord forbid the things you teenagers must be eating in that tower of yours." Robin giggled, before remembering Bruce's position in the room. "I'm only here on business, Alfred-" "Business? My, and here I thought I was talking to 15 year old Richard Dick Grayson, but it seems I've stumbled upon another one of those pesky door to door salesman. Eh, Master Bruce?" Alfred raised an eyebrow towards Bruce. "He is only here on business, Alfred." If Mr. Pennyworth was a less classy fellow, he definitely would have rolled his eyes at that. "And shall I at least, tell Master Timothy, that Master Dick has arrived?" "No." This time it was Robin himself who answered. When both men turned to star at him, Robin shrank a little under the intensity. "Why not?" Bruce's tone was dark. Robin's face grew hot. "Well I- I won't exactly be around so long, and I really don't want to be a bother. I'm sure he has many better things to do." Robin did his best to smile reassuringly. Bruce only sighed, rubbing his temples with his fingers. "Alright, champ. Let's go get you that belt of yours."

    It was an awkward silence between the pair. Luckily, Bruce always had spare equipment lying around. Unluckily, Robin had outgrown all of his old sizing, meaning all new measurements had to be taken so the belt could be tailored to his exact height and build. It was silent as Bruce moved the tape around from position to position. Finally, he spoke up. "Why haven't you come home, yet?" Robin felt an intake of breath, dreading this part of the conversation to come. "I looked for you." "And the world's greatest detective simply couldn't find me?" Robin couldn't help the sass that left his mouth. "Watch your tone. After what happened with Jason, you should know that by now-" "Know what? That you didn't want me to be your Robin anymore because nothing could replace him? Until, surprise ! You replaced him just fine on your own?" Bruce glowered, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "You know that's not how it happened." "Did you think I wouldn't read the newspapers? Not read the headlines? 'New Robin Springs To Action?" Bruce stopped measuring all together, setting down the measuring tape, hard. "Watch. Your tone." "One moment you're grieving and will never have a side kick again, and the next, Tim Drake is plastered across every Gotham newspaper!" Bruce looked for a moment, as if he was going to take Dick over his knee, and at that moment, Dick almost wanted him to. To prove something. To say that he loved him still. That he really did  care about him. That they could fix things. But, no. Bruce picked up the belt, fixed it to the required measurements with a huff, and shoved it to Robin's chest. "Lock up the batcave entrance as you leave. I wish to be left alone." And with a swish of his black cape, Bruce stormed away, his once tall threatening figure dispersing into the darkness in which it came. 

And Robin did exactly that.