June 2005
Batman (DCU)
Continuity: post-Nightwing 100



The first time Robin died, Dick didn't come back.  Because he was still angry, or because he didn't know what to say, or because Bruce didn't ask him.

He wasn't very old, then.  And he was pretending he didn't know Batman's fragile.

Batman is a crazy thing that lives in the dark and growls at him like a little kid.  They don't get along very well.  Dick prefers Bruce. 

Dick's fairly sure Bruce loved him, at some point, but he's less sure who loved Jason Todd.  Twitchy little psycho-boy in the Robin suit would have been exactly what Batman was looking for.

Three Robins since then.  Quit and dead and broken and now Batman's patrolling Gotham without a baby bird.

One half-crippled Nightwing watching him.

Dick can't stay out the whole night yet.  He still hurts.  Gets tired too easily.  Batman doesn't need to see that.  So he retreats.  By the time Batman comes in, Dick's showered and reading in a corner of the cave.

Keeps reading while the batsuit strips off and Bruce comes crawling out of the Batman mess.

Dick catches his hand as he comes by.  Kisses it and goes back to the files he's working through.

If Batman's right, and Red Mask is Jason, this is all going to break.  Again.  Not tonight, but soon.

Dick has warning this time, though.  He's going to have a plan.


jane
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