Scrawny. That was the first impression Dick got when he met Jason. Then again, the kid lived on the street before Bruce took him in.
A part of Dick was glad to have Jason. He always wanted to be a big brother. Another (uglier) part of him was hurt and jealous and angry. Robin was supposed to be HIS legacy.
He suppressed that part.
He tried to spend as much time with Jason as possible, to be the best big brother he could be. In the end though, his best was not enough. Jason died. And Dick did not even know about it until months after the event.
.
Then Jason was back but he was no longer the little kid Dick used to know.
It did not matter though, not to Dick. Because his Little Wing was alive, everything else could wait.
Dick did not notice it right away -- what with Jason playing the lone wolf -- but Jason was taller than him now. And somehow, that realization saddened. Because it meant his Little Wing had grown up and he had not been there to see it.
He felt guilty, but he was not one to live in the past. There was nothing he could do to change what had passed. The only thing he could do now was to do better by Jason, to catch him when he fell.
No matter how big Jason became, he would always be Dick's little brother.
Tim was not scrawny like Jason. Even so, for someone who came from a wealthy family, he did not look well either. The kid seemed... neglected. His failure with Jason still fresh in his mind, Dick tried to get close to the boy. He took him to the Manor as often as possible. He was not good at caring for others, but he knew Alfred was. Not to mention Bruce could also do with some company nowadays.
Tim's growth was not as noticeable as Jason, if only because he did not die and come back alive. Slowly but surely, he grew taller. Until one day, Dick realized he looked up at Timmy ever so slightly. Eyes narrowed, he scrutinized his younger brother. Pointedly, he made sure Tim did not wear heeled-shoes. "Huh, you're taller now," Dick murmured, his surprise had yet to fade.
Tim beamed at him. "Yap, now I'm taller than you!" his smile turned into a smug smirk.
Dick rolled his eyes, pretending to be annoyed. "Here I thought all that coffee you drank would stunt your growth."
Tim, showing how mature he had become, stuck his tongue at him.
Dick threw his head back and laughed. He could not begrudge his younger brother for growing taller than him. He was an acrobat. He was not meant to be tall. Besides, just because Tim grew taller, became more independent, it did not mean he stopped being Dick’s little brother.
Dick knew Damian would grow as tall as Bruce, at the least. Even so, he could not help but be surprised when the kid grew taller than him. At the rate Damian grew, there was a good chance he would be even taller than Bruce. His baby brother was growing up.
And it made him happy. Mostly.
There was a small part of him that felt... saddened. It was like he was being left behind, somehow. Damian was no longer his baby brother whom he could carry on his hip.
It was Damian's 18th birthday. He threw a big party as a cover. After all, he was the son of Bruce Wayne, Gotham’s Prince. He had reputation to uphold.
The real party was small, only attended by family and those closest to Damian. It was a nice party. And yet, Dick could not enjoy it. Instead of mingling, he hid himself in the corner, watching his baby brother as he interacted with everyone else.
Dick noticed when Bruce came to him. He was not in the mood to chat though, so he only gave a nod as acknowledgement.
Bruce was the one who broke the silence. "How old are you?"
Dick blinked. The out-of-the-blue question caught him off guard. "Old enough to have a kid of my own," he snarked once he regained his composure.
"You do know you're still my kid, right?" Bruce was looking him in the eye solemnly.
Dick was taken aback by the seriousness in Bruce's face. Bruce might not be known for his jokes, but he DID have a wicked sense of humor, the rare chance he let it show. "I know," Dick answered. "Why do you ask?"
"No matter how old you are, you'll always be my boy."
Dick was quiet for a moment, letting Bruce's words sank in. And when it clicked, a smile blossomed on his face. "Damian will always be my baby brother, won't he?"
"Of course."
Dick beamed, thanking Bruce before bounding to Damian. Once he stood before his little brother -- who was taller, bulkier than he was -- he put his hands on each of Damian's cheek, forcing him to look him in the eye. Then, he pulled him down to give him an eskimo kiss.
Damian was so surprised that he did not resist. Once he realized what Dick was doing, he pulled away hastily, eyes wide, the red on his face was still noticeable on his dark skin. "What the hell were you doing, Grayson??"
"Ooh, I didn't know your voice could still reach that high a pitch," Dick answered with a teasing grin.
Damian spluttered. "That was not the point!"
"Yes," Dick nodded, "The point is, you'll always be my little brother, no matter how big you become." After that, he flicked Damian in the nose.
A/N: Inspired by @rosevered‘s headcannon. So, this is for you!
