Summary: Duke learns a surprising fact about Bruce.
Crossing his arms, Dick glared up at Jason. “Let me go home.”
“Nope. Alfie wants you to rest and you won’t do that if you’re at your apartment.” Jason smirked down at the older man.
“Barbara will be there.” Dick pointed out.
“Not all the time. She’ll be at the Clocktower or work. Meaning you’ll be by yourself and won’t rest.”
Dick glowered at his brother but didn’t try to argue because he knew Jason was correct.
Duke watched as Dick spun, winced, and then limped back to the couch he had been laying on before deciding to leave. (Not that he would have gotten far with Duke and Tim in the room.) “Why are you so stubborn? You’re hurt, you need to get better.”
“Father will be a worrywort and Grayson is like the rest of us and doesn’t like it.” Damian answered as he stepped into the den, Cass beside him.
“Bruce isn’t that bad.” Duke was confused.
Tim laughed. “He is, you just don’t see it since you work mainly during the day. Dad worries and frets worse than Alfred.”
Cass nodded her agreement. “I sprained my knee and wrist in a ballet class and dad didn’t let me out of sight for days.”
“First time I got hurt after rejoining the family, dad moved me into his room for the duration of my ribs healing. Selina didn’t like it.” Jason added on.
“She should be used to it by now,” Dick spoke, “Dad did it all the time with me before you joined the family Jason, and she didn’t like it then either but didn’t say anything.”
“Not to you two or father but she has to me. Says I need to stay in my own room when hurt. I do, father just moves me.” Damian pouted.
Tim nodded his agreement. “Dad loves having us in sight when hurt and no one except Alfred seems to understand that it’s his way of making sure we’re safe.”
“He’s not here now and Dick is with us.” Duke pointed out confused.
“Because we’re all together and he’s watching us through the camera’s instead of doing WE work. It’s why I want to go home. I can get better there and won’t have a FATHER WHO KIDNAPS HIS CHILDREN TO HIS BED WHEN HE SHOULD BE GLAD WE AREN’T COMING IN AT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT.” Dick raised his voice as he glared at the one camera that was positioned right at the couch.
Duke sighed but the others could tell he didn’t believe them. He would soon enough they knew.
Once he got hurt enough that he was actually taken off duty for a while, Duke would figure out that his siblings were correct on Bruce being a mother hen and Selina hating them for a while.
(Bruce never realized until all his children were in his huge bed one day all sick how badly Selina hated not having the bed and Bruce to herself.
(She got an ultimate that night. Either she get used to it and sleep in a guest room, join the kids and Bruce, or leave and know the two of them were done for good.
(Selina left thinking she be back and everything would be fine, like it had the times before, but it wasn’t. Bruce was done.
(His children came first and if no one could understand that, then they left and were never a part of the family ever again.)