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Sep 27, 2013

[FIC] Bat-Social-Worker Troubles by Lillybe-Forest

Title: Bat-Social-Worker Troubles

Author: Lillybe-Forest

Word Count: 15,900

Rating/warnings: Teens

Summary: It was only a matter of time before Bruce got a call from Damian's new principal expressing concern. What he hadn't expected was for a visit from a social worker.

Note: Accompanying art by st00pz, which can also be found under the cut below!

[full res here]

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The halls always seemed very long in any school that Bruce Wayne entered, especially the one towards the principal’s office. It may be from his own time in Gotham private schools that he felt they were never-ending. They had never gotten smaller no matter how tall or important he became. Now it felt interminable. It wasn’t the first time he had been called to this office; he had rarely been able to turn up though, sending Alfred in his stead. The schools never liked that. This time he had been called up and practically threatened to attend the meeting himself, the woman on the other end of the phone wouldn’t let him go until he promised to come in person. It was rare that Bruce was afraid of someone but the secretary actually frightened him a little. He would never hear the end of it if any of the boys found out about that.

Finally he reached a door proclaiming itself the principal’s office, knocking he entered when bid. Inside was the secretary, a very harassed looking woman with a tight ponytail, sitting behind a desk glaring at something. Turning, Bruce was shocked to see both Dick and Damian sitting in the chairs before the door to where the principal actually was. Dick was hunched over Damian whispering to him, the boy was ignoring Dick, staring at his MP3 player instead. No, he wasn’t being ignored, every so often Damian would nod or make his ‘tt’ sound that he was so fond of.

“Mr Wayne,” the secretary said, Bruce went over to the desk, “please take a seat.”

Bruce frowned. “Why was I called here?” he asked. “Is Damian in trouble? Why is Dick here?”

The secretary raised an eyebrow at him, her lips going tight. “Please take a seat,” she repeated.

Bruce was about to protest when he heard someone get up from behind him. He was unsurprised to find Dick pulling on his arm a second later. “Come sit down,” the acrobat prompted. Bruce scowled at the woman before allowing himself to be taken over to the chairs, sitting on the other side of his son.

“What is going on?” he asked Dick.

His young lover smiled at him with a shrug. “I don’t know, I was called up and told to come here.”

“Weren’t you going to spend the day with Barbara?”

Dick nodded. “Yeah. She was glad to see the back of me; apparently she was fed up with the waiter only paying attention to me.” Damian grunted something but Bruce didn’t care to catch it.

“Damian,” Bruce said, drawing his son’s attention from his device, “did you start a fight again?”

Why he allowed Dick to convince him to send Damian to school he would never know. The moment he agreed that Damian needed more social interaction with people his own age he was caught into giving Dick whatever he wanted no matter how much he knew it wouldn’t work out. Still, he had hoped that Damian would be able to get on at school. So far there had been two complaints of fighting and six about his general attitude towards everyone in the building. It was only through using his name and generous donations to the school that Damian hadn’t been expelled yet. One more fight would send it over the edge, as per the warnings he had gotten. That didn’t explain why they had called Dick in but who knew how schools worked really.

Damian scowled. “No, Father, I have not been fighting. I have decided that they are below my notice.” He looked over at Dick for a split-second. “It is not worth my time and I will not satisfy the plebeians here by reacting to them.”

Dick smiled at that. Bruce got the feeling that he had been the one to get Damian to think that way. Unsurprising.

“Then why are we here?”

“Upon my request,” a deep voice said.

Just beyond them was a large woman in a tight black skirt-suit standing in the doorway. Bruce hadn’t heard the door open. Impressive. Bruce stood up extending his hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said with a charming smile, “I’m Bruce Wayne, Damian’s father.”

The woman sniffed at him but accepted his hand. “Principal Stern.”

A description or a name? Perhaps both.

Dick rose from his seat also extending his hand. “Dick Grayson,” he introduced with his own handsome grin, “Damian’s big brother.” His hand was taken as well.

“I have heard that you may be more than that,” the woman’s eyes narrowed at him.

Dick looked taken aback for a moment, eyes darting to Bruce for a second before looking over at Damian who was watching them intensely.

“Shall we?” Principal Stern opened her door and swept her arm inside. “Damian Wayne, you can stay out here until you are called for.”

Damian was ready to protest before Dick rubbed his hair, smiling at him. “See you soon, Little D,” he said warmly. Bruce was still amazed how his son reacted to Dick, yes he grumbled and was far from calm but it all lessened.

Upon entering the office Bruce surveyed the area. It was very neat and tidy, perfectly proper. Nothing out of place. There was one plant that was kept well away from the desk and any paperwork on it, all of which was stacked to one side, not a piece out of place.

“Take a seat.”

Bruce was already getting tired of hearing that. Though this time it was said without any politeness. He sat down, elbows on the armrest, hands interlacing in front of him as he watched her. Comparatively Dick basically flopped into the chair, being very graceful and handsome whilst doing so.

Principal Stern walked around her desk, picking up a file before sitting primly in her chair. “Mr Wayne,” she started, “I have allowed a lot of things to slide because of your contribution to the school but I believe that this has gotten out of hand.”

That was not a good start.

“The previous principals may have overlooked your other children’s behaviour because of who you are. I am here to stop this. Your son has done nothing but display anti-social behaviour since he came here. We have been trying to fix this, as per your request. From what I have been led to believe the majority of his problems have been caused by neglect from his mother and how he has been moved around. At first I wanted to think that was the main cause but now I am less inclined to think so. Ample time has passed and still this behaviour persists. If that were all I would be welcome to continue trying for another month but new information has come to light.”

She pulled out a few sheets of paper stapled together; placing it on the desk she slid it to towards Bruce who picked it up. The paper was entitled. ‘My Family.’

“Your son’s class was asked to fill this out.”

Bruce flicked through the sheets, there were headers for different family members with space to fill in the sections, Damian’s neat writing was underneath. At first he didn’t read what was written, just the typed sections.

“There are a lot of empty spaces,” Bruce commented.

The principal nodded. “We are aware of the shift in family bonds so we make sure to include everything. You will find areas for step-parents, half-siblings and even adoptive family members.”

Dick smiled at that, leaning over to see the sheets, Bruce tilted them towards his partner.

“If you would read what your son has written I am sure you will see where some issues in his home life lie.”

That did not inspire confidence. Bruce read the front page over. Damian had written about him, how he was the head of a company and about his various achievements. That was fine. Even the Mother section was reasonable, nothing in depth and relatively small. The area under siblings was empty. Turning to the next page he saw that Damian had actually written something under Adopted Siblings, talking about Dick and insulting Tim, Cassandra was mentioned briefly and deemed ‘acceptable’, then there were the words ‘Jason Todd – dead’ which made Bruce’s heart clench painfully.

“I don’t see a problem,” Bruce said, looking up at the woman. Dick reached over and took the papers, looking over the rest. “He didn’t put a lot of emotion into it but that should not be an issue. Nothing seems amiss with his home life from this.”

“I can see something that may be a problem,” Dick said softly.

Bruce turned to him and was presented with a sheet he hadn’t read. One box was filled in, ‘Step-Mother.’ Frowning, Bruce read it through.

Richard Grayson is Father’s sexual companion and has a tendency to act as a parent towards me as well as proclaiming himself my older brother. They are not wed but I have been informed that it is an unimportant detail as Grayson is adopted into the family. I have also been informed that he is the mother figure of the family. Therefore he is similar to a step-mother, especially as he fulfils Father’s sexual urges as a wife tends to.

Dick was staring at Bruce intently.

Taking a deep breath Bruce looked through the rest of the pages. Alfred was mentioned as a Grandfather along with Ra’s al Ghul. Through the whole paper there was only one thing that could be seen as a problem and unfortunately, from the way the principal’s eyebrow was raised, Bruce felt it very important.

“Damian is only eleven years old,” Principal Stern said, voice tight, “yet he is aware of your sexual behaviour. That alone shows a unique way of parenting which I do not agree with. However, more distressing than that is the fact that it is a involving one of his brother figures. It is glorifying a borderline incestuous relationship.”

“We are not blood related,” Bruce had to stop himself from scowling darkly at the woman. There was nothing wrong with his relationship with Dick and he did not like it being taken as something his son should not be around. “Frankly I do not see how this is any of your business.”

Principal Stern sat up straight. “A child’s mental wellbeing is my business.”

“He’s fine mentally,” Dick protested, “a little anti-social but he is getting better.”

A disgusted look was sent Dick’s way making Bruce tense, he did not appreciate how the woman was treating them.

“How is it that Damian is aware your relationship is sexual in nature?”

He was also getting tired of her talking about his sex life. “He is an intelligent boy, I am sure he figured it out somehow.”

The woman was not convinced. “Has he seen you two together in that way?”

Bruce’s face went red as did Dick’s.

“So,” Principal Stern hummed, “that would be a yes. Are you aware that a child should not be exposed to that kind of imagery?”

“It was an accident,” Dick said, trying to protest her ideas about them, “everyone was meant to be out for the day. He came back early.”

That apparently did not excuse them.

“Miss,” the Principal raised an eyebrow at that, “Mrs,” higher, “Ms Stern.” She was not impressed still. “You are correct that a child should not see their parents in that position, either parent, and I am not happy that he saw it but what he saw was not very explicit and we explained it him afterwards. Seeing one glimpse of my private life has not harmed him. You can ask him if you wish and he would agree.”

“I do not wish to find out how much you have brainwashed him into thinking that what he saw is acceptable,” Principal Stern said.

Dick stood up. “I’m not going to sit here and listen to your passive aggressive comments,” he said firmly. “Damian’s a good kid and he accepts us. You may believe that he isn’t able to handle us together but you arewrong. He understands more than you give him credit for and I do not have to sit here whilst you put him down. You don’t even know him.” He started for the door.

“I know enough, and I am also aware of your own anti-social behaviours at school.” The woman tapped a different folder. “In your folder it was recorded that you attacked eight upper year boys because they were insulting gypsies.”

“You have my folder?” Dick did not look impressed about that turn of events. “That was ages ago. Nothing in there is relevant now.” The principal raised an eyebrow at him.

“Principal Stern,” Bruce said, cutting off any further conversation between his lover and the woman, “what is it you wish to do about the matter at hand?”

Stern folded her hands together. “I am going to have Damian see the school psychologist,” she said, “and I am going to speak to Social Services in regards to your care of him. They will visit your house and decide if it is the right environment for Damian to be living in. This will, of course, also affect your other adoptions. I believe Timothy is now seventeen so I am unsure what will be done with him, though I expect if it is not a suitable home he will be removed from your care.”

Bruce’s hand fisted.

“Every member of your household will undergo a psychological examination. I expect it to be very enlightening, Mr Wayne.”

“I’m sure it will be,” Bruce said through gritted teeth.

Principal Stern nodded. “Mr Grayson, as you are already standing, why don’t you call Damian in.” It was not a question.

Dick went over to the door, opening it. “Dami,” he said softly, “can you come in, please?”

Bruce watched as Damian walked in, looking thoroughly unimpressed with having been left outside. After taking a few steps in he crossed his arms, frowning at them all. “What is it?”

The principal gave a sickeningly sweet smile, it did nothing but make Damian scowl. “Damian,” she said softly, “how are you at home? Do you feel cared for enough?”

Damian narrowed his eyes. “How is anything I feel any of your business?”

That did not sit well with the principal. “Because it is my job to make sure that you are happy and well-adjusted. If you are not happy at home then something needs to be done about that.”

Damian raised one eyebrow at her. “I am fine.” He turned to Dick. “Can we go now?” Dick shook his head, placing a hand on Damian’s shoulder.

Bruce stood, walking over to his lover and son. “Is that all, Ms Stern?” he asked.

“I’m afraid not,” Principal Stern stood, taking the folder and going over to the filing cabinet. “Damian will have to attend the psychological evaluation today after school. Sometime in the next few days you will get a visit from a social worker. Be warned, Mr Wayne, if I am not pleased with the results I will make life very difficult for you.”

Bruce nodded. “Understood.”

“Damian,” the principal used an overly friendly tone, “please go back to class, then go to conference room C after your last lesson.”

Damian pulled away from Dick and stormed out of the room. Dick nodded to the woman then followed his brother. For a moment Bruce lingered before turning to the woman. “If you try to take my sons away from me I will do everything I can to get them back and have you excommunicated from this school.”

“You may have a lot of pull, Mr Wayne,” Principal Stern said, a small smile on her face, “but you have no authority when it comes to schools.”

“You’d be surprised,” Bruce said darkly. He nodded to the woman. “Until we meet again, Ms Stern.”

Striding out of the room he found Damian and Dick in the hallway. His lover was kneeling in front of Damian, hands on the boy’s shoulders as he whispered to him. Bruce came up to them just as Dick pulled Damian in for a hug.

“It’ll all be okay,” Dick said softly, “be good.”

Damian let himself be held, when Dick moved back the boy eyed him. “I know,” Damian said confidently, looking up at Bruce as well, “I am sure they will not go against Father.”

Bruce wished he was so sure. “We’ll fix this,” he spoke in a deep calming voice, more for Dick than anything else, “just be on your best behaviour from now on. Now go to class before they find one more thing to complain about.” With a parting nod Damian walked off.

This was going to be a trial, they didn’t have much to go on but if they really wanted they could find something. He wondered if he had done something to the principal to make her hate him. There were a lot of women who had a vendetta against him for various reasons; it would not be a leap to think she did as well. Maybe this was a sign for him to set things right with all of the people he had dated before.

Dick stood up and leant against his side, Bruce curled an arm around the acrobat’s slim waist. Then again, he didn’t want to open a can of worms which may backfire and hurt his family. Better to leave the women alone so he doesn’t harm his family any more. People can forget their problems when left to themselves. Hopefully there would be less revenge that way.

“It will be okay,” Bruce said, pressing his lips to the top of Dick’s head. How did Dick get his hair to smell so nice? It was amazing.

“Yeah,” Dick mumbled. He held onto the hand around his waist. “I know.”

They had to make sure things went well with the social worker. So long as everything appeared to be fine then there was nothing a spiteful principal could do.

“What do you think they’ll find when they psychoanalyse Damian?” Dick asked, his voice strained. Probably trying to lighten the mood.

“They’ll find an uncooperative eleven year old.”

Dick laughed.

Waiting for Damian to come home was excruciating. Not only because Bruce needed to find out how the examination went but he had an extremely wound up acrobat to deal with. Dick was being the most annoying he had ever had to deal with, at least in current memory; the boy had been very frustrating at times when younger. But that was beside the point. Bruce had to forcefully make Dick calm down. He pulled him onto the sofa, laying him against his chest, arms wrapped firmly around Dick’s chest and talking to him soothingly. Dick was lucky that Bruce loved him so much otherwise he would have been kicked out of the house when he began kicking his legs as he fidgeted on him.

“Calm down,” Bruce said for the hundredth time, “he’ll be okay.”

Dick pouted. “I’m more worried about the psychologist. What if Damian kills them and they figure out it is him? He’ll be taken away.”

Personally Bruce would be more concerned about the fact that Damian would do that to start off with than them finding out who it was who did it, but he could see Dick’s point. “He doesn’t kill anymore.” Dick frowned and opened his mouth. “You were the one who trained the violence out of him, Dick. He won’t hurt the psychologist.” With any luck.

More shifting on top of him, this was getting ridiculous. Dick isn’t even this active during sex. Then again, he doesn’t keep kneeing Bruce in the groin during sex either, so he prefers not to compare the two.

“If they take Damian from us then he won’t care about violence or excessive force or killing,” Dick said, looking up at him. “He’ll go crazy, I just know it. Then the League will find him. We can’t let them get to him, Bruce.”

Bruce sighed and ran a hand through his lover’s hair. “Dick,” he said softly, “I told you. He will be okay. No matter what he will come back to us. You know that. I’m glad you love him so much but you need to stop worrying. Damian knows what to do. Trust in him.”

Dick buried his face in Bruce’s top. “It’ll be my fault. I told you to send him to school.”

“And I agreed. He didn’t even complain that much.” Bruce kissed the top of Dick’s head. “It was the right choice. He has been getting better.” Not enough to please the teachers but it was a lot better. He had even stopped trying to use excessive force on all but the worst criminals. An improvement if ever there was one. Only one criminal that Robin had taken down that month was in the hospital for more than three days. That was better than near the end of Jason’s time as Robin. Maybe Damian would eventually match up to Dick’s brilliance in the role. He looked down at Dick. Maybe, though it was unlikely. No one could be as magnificent as his first.

“What are you thinking about?”

Bruce forced his face into a blank expression and kissed Dick’s forehead. “Nothing.”

“You were smiling,” Dick pointed out.

“I was looking at you.”

Dick snorted and went back to fidgeting. “You’re ridiculous.”

Bruce shook his head and wrapped his arms tightly around Dick, trying to hold him in place. “Maybe,” he said, “but you need to stop moving before I throw you off the couch.”

With a pout Dick rested against Bruce.

“What if-”

Bruce cut off whatever Dick was going to say by pulling his lover’s face upwards and placing a firm kiss over his mouth. It would be so much better if Dick stopped thinking and talking right then. His agitation was not helping Bruce’s own inner turmoil and as much as he loved Dick he really wished he would be quiet for once in his life.

There was a cough at the door. Dick pulled away and looked over at Tim who stood there awkwardly.

“Timmy!” Dick pulled out of Bruce’s arms and went over to his little brother, wrapping him in a hug. “I’m so glad you’re here.” The younger boy looked confused but brought his own arms up to hold Dick back.

“What’s going on?”

Standing up Bruce watched as Dick began talking quickly; he would be on stand-by in case Tim didn’t understand Dick’s yammering. On occasion everyone had to have an interpreter for Dick. He was a clear and concise leader but with people he was close to he could get a bit overexcited. Luckily Tim appeared to understand the majority of what Dick said, at least enough to nod and hold onto his big brother steadily.

“It’ll be okay, Dick,” Tim said slowly, “we’ve dealt with worse.”

Dick shook his head. “No, no, social workers are evil!”

Tim sighed. “No they’re not,” he explained, “they are looking out for what is best for the children. They’re not evil.”

“Yes, they are!”

Bruce went over and pulled Dick towards him, pressing his back against his chest. “The last time you had proper interaction with one was over fifteen years ago,” Bruce said softly to his lover, “they might be different now.”

Dick pouted, looking up at Bruce. “They were mean,” he whined.

Sometimes Dick could be ridiculous, especially when wound up. “They weren’t that kind, yes, but as I said that was a long time ago. There are most likely different people working there now.”

With a frustrated look Dick nodded. “Fine,” he said, “I’ll reserve judgement.”

It was completely understandable why Dick didn’t like social workers but it was still not a grudge he should have. Apparently so long as they weren’t in the house he was fine with them but invading his home was another matter entirely. Bruce pressed his lips to the top of Dick’s head. Tim looked away, blushing a little.

“So,” Tim coughed, “Damian will be back soon, won’t he?”

“We aren’t sure when,” Bruce said, loosening his arms around Dick, “he is having a psychological evaluation after school.”

Tim’s eyes widened. “Oh.” He crossed his arms, taking on a contemplative look. “Then we might have a problem.”

Bruce almost wanted to groan. Why did Tim have to say that? Dick tensed in his arms. The last thing that was needed was Dick getting even more stressed out about this. It was sometimes hard to believe that Bruce was Damian’s father when Dick acted so much more parental than him.

“He’s fine,” Dick argued, “they won’t find anything wrong with him!” Even Dick didn’t sound one hundred per cent convinced.

They both looked at the acrobat sadly. Dick ripped himself from Bruce’s arms and stormed out of the room. No banging of doors, or any being closed at all, Bruce would be willing to bet that Dick was now waiting in the hall for Damian’s return.

“So,” Tim said softly, “he doesn’t like social workers?”

Bruce nodded. “He had a few bad experiences with them after his parents died.”

“Did they not like him coming to live with you?”

Turning, Bruce walked over to a chair, sitting in it. He felt very old all of a sudden. “Quite the opposite,” he explained, “they wanted him to come with me, they didn’t want him to go back to the circus. They were not seen as fit guardians, they kept Dick in Gotham because of the murder case. His parents didn’t have any clear guardianship set out for him; I believe they thought he would automatically stay with the circus, but the system took it upon themselves to decide what would be best for him. According to them an orphanage would be safer for a child than the circus he had lived in his whole life.” It was no wonder Dick disliked them. No matter how large his heart, he couldn’t forgive anyone who pulled him away from his first family. “It is selfish of me to believe that they were right.”

Tim frowned, walking over to Bruce and sitting on the couch near him. “You think it was right that they kept him here?”

Bruce eyed Tim for a moment. “I am thankful every day that Dick came into my life. If it weren’t for him there would be no Robin.” Most likely none of the boys would be with him, even Damian as Bruce may not have lasted long enough to conceive him. There would be no light in the darkness that surrounded him. A lot of lives had been changed by Dick Grayson’s existence; he had made the world a better place. “As I said, it is selfish of me but I am glad that he stayed in Gotham.”

A hand touched his wrist, a mere flutter before it was gone again. “I’m glad too,” Tim said softly. “We are all lucky that he came into our lives.”

The sound of a door slamming and cursing.

Damian was home.

Bruce stood up immediately and made his way towards the sounds of his youngest. When he found Damian he was wrapped up in Dick’s embrace. That was becoming a habit. Bruce watched as Dick pulled back and whispered into Damian’s ear, something so low that Bruce couldn’t hear it. Going over to them he placed a hand on Dick’s shoulder, watching Damian closely.

“How did it go?” he said in way of greeting.

Damian straightened. He reached into the pocket of his school uniform, pulling out a screwed up piece of paper and handed it to Bruce. It was unclear whether Damian had screwed it up or it happened when Dick crushed the boy. Still, Bruce flattened it and read carefully. There were notes on it, overly complex language which Bruce guessed was to make the reader feel inferior as there were far simpler terms to use which would have been just as good. Either way he hadn’t expected anything less. No matter how good Damian was at deceit and lying for the sake of their identities a professional would still be able to tell that there was something wrong with the boy’s psyche. Even an amateur could guess at it.

“Do you understand what this means?” Bruce asked.

Dick looked between them both. “Bruce?” he asked, offering his hand for the paper to be shown to him.

With a shake of his head Bruce folded up the paper and handed it to Damian. It was private and Damian could share it with whoever he wanted. Apparently he didn’t want Dick to know as he shoved the paper into his pocket again.

“I understand, Father,” Damian said, “I tried my best.”

Bruce squeezed Damian’s shoulder reassuringly. “It is not your fault. These sort of things are meant to help you. If you wish to stay here we will do everything we can to keep you.”

Damian looked up at him; Bruce could see the small spark of desperation in those usually distant eyes. That scared him slightly.

“Don’t make me leave, Father,” he said, sounding so much like the child he still was, “I’ll try harder.”

“I would never make you leave. You are my son, Damian. This is your home.”

Damian continued staring at him. After a brief moment’s hesitation Damian nodded and walked away.

“Dami!” Dick reached out; Damian paused, before raising his hand and knocking away Dick’s. Instead of being hurt Dick laughed fondly. He really was a strange one.

With Damian gone Bruce extended his hand, pulling Dick up then against his chest.

“He’s okay,” Bruce said softly, holding Dick close, “nothing we don’t expect.”

Arms wrapped around his neck, warm breath ghosted over his collar.

“I worry,” Dick whispered, “I need to know he’s well and here.” He held on tight. “He’s a part of you. He was all I had. I love him.”

Bruce smiled. He knew that Dick didn’t mean that he only loved Damian because he was Bruce’s son and all he had left. They were partners and learned to work past all their pain together. In a way Bruce was jealous of their connection. It was something he would never have with son. He knew that Damian cared for Dick in a way that he didn’t for any other person. If he didn’t know Damian he would actually be worried about an ex-assassin's interest in his lover but as it was he thought it strangely sweet.

Dick squeezed Bruce’s neck.

“I know,” Bruce finally said, “and we’ll do everything possible to keep him.”

With the psychologists report it would be harder, they could be found as aggravating Damian’s problems if they didn’t do this right. But Dick didn’t need to know that.

Everything had to be looked over. There could be absolutely no sign of anything that had the potential to be seen as non-child-friendly. Damian nearly threw a fit when Dick took the swords from his room, Bruce would have allowed him to keep them up if they looked in any way decorative but they didn’t. So instead Dick hung some of Damian’s drawings up in frames; the happier ones, not the ones that would demonstrate how unstable Damian could be. They locked Jason’s room after checking it over briefly; he frowned when he found what could not have been old cigarettes in the drawers. He would need to talk to Jason about that when he saw him next. Tim and Dick could be trusted to sort out their own rooms, though the latter was rarely used. Every single hint of a second life was swept away more meticulously than ever.

Alfred was on high-alert, he had even yelled at Bruce for trailing in dirt. That had made Dick and Tim laugh before they were banished to examine their film collection to weed out anything inappropriate.

They didn’t know when the social worker would turn up and that aggravated the whole manor. Including their friends as they passed on their agitation. It was not a happy time to be around any Wayne.

Bruce groaned as he collapsed next to Dick in bed. Sweaty and exhausted, he felt as though his brain could finally clam down. As the post-orgasmic bliss entered his whole body he began to let go of consciousness, he hadn’t slept in two days and desperately needed it.

“Bruce?” Dick turned in bed, curling up next to him. Good. He wrapped an arm around his naked bed-mate. “Bruce?”

Frowning, Bruce tapped Dick’s side to let him know he was listening.

“Do you think we should put more family photos in the hallway?”

A different kind of groan escaped Bruce. He really wanted to sleep. “Dick,” he huffed out, “now is not the time.”

“When would be the time?”

“When I’m not about to sleep?”

Dick huffed. Not a good sign. “I’m trying to make this place seem less like a museum and more like a home. Does the time really matter?”

“It isn’t a museum.” Bruce opened one eye to see Dick staring up at him, displeasure clear in his bright blue eyes. “Do what you like.” Alfred would change it later if he didn’t like it.

Apparently that wasn’t the right answer as Dick sat up to stare at him. “Do you not care that this place isn’t lived in?” Dick asked. “Before we started clearing up it wasn’t too obvious but the whole Manor had a dead feeling about it.”

Now that ruined any hope Bruce had of going to sleep blissfully. “It has never felt dead to me whilst you were inside it,” he said.

Instead of making Dick smile and blush, as Bruce thought it would, he scowled. “Well it feels dead to me.”

“If you don’t like it then you don’t have to be here,” Bruce said in annoyance, “no one is forcing you.”

Now that made Dick flush. “You’re a pig, Bruce.” He got out of bed still covered in the remains of their previous lovemaking. He wrapped a robe around himself before storming out of the room, slamming the door so hard it probably woke up the rest of the family.

Bruce sighed. He hadn’t even done anything wrong. Obviously the stress was getting to Dick as well, his dislike of social workers not helping matters. Apparently having sex didn’t get rid of his stress as it did for Bruce. That was something to take note of.

It was some time before Bruce could fall asleep.

Dick didn’t leave the Manor. The next morning he acted normal, even kissing Bruce when he first saw him. As unlikely as it was Bruce preferred to think that everything was fixed between them. A surprisingly optimistic view for him but better than the one where he would have to talk it over with Dick, he always messed things up when he tried to talk about feelings.

That was the day the social worker came. At two o’clock in the afternoon on a Friday of all times.

Alfred opened the door and the social worker was led into Bruce’s study where he had been going over papers for Wayne Enterprise’s new venture. Looking up Bruce smiled, standing to walk around the table. First impressions mattered. Alfred left them after bowing out, probably leaving to inform Dick that she was here.

“Good afternoon,” he said, “I’m Bruce Wayne.”

The woman in front of him, late forties with a kind face framed with bleach blonde hair, took his offered hand. “Good afternoon, Mr Wayne,” she said, “my name is Samantha Rune, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine, I just wish it was under different circumstances.” Bruce indicated for her to take a seat as he went back around his desk. “I am not sure how this is meant to go, Ms Rune but I am afraid that Damian and Timothy are at school at the moment. I assume you need to see the whole family.”

Ms Rune nodded. “Eventually, yes, I will speak to every member but I purposely came here to assess the house whilst the youngest is not present. I have reviewed Damian’s case and I feel it would be unwise to go through the house with him here, he may feel threatened which is the last thing a troubled child needs.”

Bruce smiled. “Perfectly understandable.”

The woman was carrying a briefcase which she lifted up and opened on her lap, pulling out a clipboard full of sheets of paper, along with a pen. “Shall we get straight to it then?”

“Of course.”

Bruce stood up, showing Ms Rune out when she stood up without waiting for him to help her. Not that she needed it, but he would play the gentleman.

“How many people are currently living in the house?” Ms Rune asked as he began showing her around the Manor.

“At present there are five. Myself and Alfred, along with Richard, Damian and Timothy.”

Ms Rune took note. “You have another son, correct?”

Bruce tensed. “I did, yes, Jason, he has unfortunately passed on.”

The woman studied him. “And what were the circumstances surrounding that?”

“I would rather not say,” Bruce looked away from her, leading her onward, “it is a painful matter and I am afraid that if I talk about it I would not be fit to continue the tour.”

“Does this often incapacitate you?”

Now Bruce had decided he did not like this woman. “No. Only when it is brought up.”

He could feel someone watching them as they went through the main entryway. Looking up he saw Dick leaning on the railing staring down at them. It was strange that he had not come to introduce himself as he was usually very chipper. He must be very on edge.

Ms Rune came up beside him. “Is that Richard?”

“Yes,” Bruce nodded.

“Is he shy?”

“No,” Bruce laughed, “never.”

“What is your relationship with him?”

“He is my lover.” Bruce grimaced as Dick turned away from staring, retreating instead of coming down to them.

“Is he not also your son?”

That was more complicated. “He became my ward when he was eight, I have since adopted him but he is not my son.”

“Then why did you adopt him?” The woman was making notes furiously. No doubt this is going to work against him.

“At the time I felt a need to ensure that he knew I cared for him and wanted him to be a part of the family officially.”

“So you feel that it was merely convenient for you to use the laws and adoption for your own needs.” It was not said as a question. “Very enlightening, Mr Wayne.” She nodded. “Shall we continue the tour?”

The woman asked some more questions which Bruce answered. There was a lot of humming. He couldn’t be sure if this was going well or not, he highly expected that it wasn’t. That was just how life went for him at the moment. She looked the house over stopping in front of the closed bedroom doors.

“Do you want to see inside?” Bruce asked.

Ms Rune raised an eyebrow at him. “Do you often go into your son’s rooms without their permission?”

Bruce shook his head. “No,” he said, “but they knew you would be coming and have informed me that they do not mind.”

Another hum. “I will wait for them to be here. Until then, I would like to see your room and if possible, Richard Grayson’s.”

Reasonable. Bruce nodded and led her to his room. He opened the door, checking inside quickly to make sure Dick wasn’t asleep in his room before opening it for the woman, stepping inside before sweeping his arm out in invitation.

“There is no need for the flourish, Mr Wayne.” Ms Rune walked in to the room and looking around. She began writing things down as she examined every inch of the room, frowning at the photos on the nightstand. Straightening, she made a few last marks before turning around. “We must find Richard Grayson before going into his room.”

Bruce nodded and led her out, closing the door after her. She was being polite about this to a degree. He didn’t exactly know if she was upset with his room or not. There was nothing special in it she couldn’t like so he was baffled about her behaviour and what notes she could be taking.

Unfortunately Bruce couldn’t find Dick easily; another note was made on Ms Rune’s papers.

“Have you considered a smaller house, Mr Wayne? One which allows you to find your children, perhaps?”

After ten minutes of walking around the giant house he finally heard voices in the main entertainment room that he swore they went passed three minutes ago. Bruce opened the door and found Dick doing a one-handed hand-stand on the back of the sofa, the television was on The Real Housewives of Gotham playing obnoxiously. Bruce would never understand what his lover got out of watching that show. When they entered Dick switched hands and tipped his body to look over at them.

“Richard Grayson?” Ms Rune asked.

Dick bent his legs then swung himself down to stand behind the sofa. When he landed he smiled over at them. “Yes,” he said, “it’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss..?”

“Samantha Rune,” Ms Rune said, her voice had tightened when she looked Dick over. “Do you do that often?” She nodded towards the sofa.

Bruce tensed when Dick frowned slightly.

“You mean do handstands? I do them all the time. I thought Bruce gave you a tour, we have a gym where we can do all kinds of exercises. Including handstands.”

Ms Rune did not look happy. “I meant perform dangerous actions on pieces of furniture. Do you do such things were Damian can see you? Are you teaching him to endanger himself with your foolish antics?”

Dick laughed lightly. “I’m sorry,” he said when he had control of himself again, “Damian doesn’t care about anything I do. I could be performing backflips off the roof and he wouldn’t take it as anything other than my being stupid.”

The woman huffed. “You may not think so, Mr Grayson but children do, in fact, take in what they see around them and learn from adult’s actions. Now, tell me, do you do such things were he can see you?”

Dick shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.”

Bruce groaned. Why did Dick have to say that? It was the truth but it was not something the woman should know.

“When you talk to Damian you’ll realise that he doesn’t care that I do it,” Dick continued. “He is very aware of his own sense of self and does not follow anyone’s actions. That should be evident from his school records.”

Ms Rune looked through her files. “And what about, Timothy Drake?”

“What about him?” Dick asked.

“Do you exhibit these tendencies around him?”

“Yes,” he said, “I’ve even taught him some of my old routines.”

Bruce rolled his eyes. Dick was not helping at all.

“Routines?”

“From when I used to live at the circus.”

The woman’s nose turned up. “Ah, yes, that is on file. A messy business really.”

“In what way?” Dick asked, voice lowering slightly.

Instead of answer Ms Rune waved her hand. “No matter, I suppose. Now, Mr Grayson, I would like to inspect your room.”

Dick nodded and led the way to his room. Bruce followed after his lover and the social worker, he could see how tense Dick’s back was. Apparently he knew the answers he had given didn’t please the woman but had told the truth anyway. Usually Bruce would be glad that his charges didn’t lie to people unless they had to, but this was different. Lives were at stake here. As much as he loved his son he knew that if Damian was taken away and they wouldn’t let him come back there was a chance that he would leave Gotham, either taken by the his mother’s ninjas or he would leave by his own will. It was a thin line Damian walked and he needed to stay on their side in it all.

A lot of notes were written when Ms Rune entered Dicks’s room, she didn’t look impressed as she saw the circus paraphernalia or the poster of the Flying Grayson’s. Bruce did not appreciate how she glared over at Dick. Ms Rune picked up an object from on top Dick’s dresser, holding it up with the end of her pen. It was a length of coloured stones with a pendant at the bottom, a metal palm of a hand.

“What exactly is this?” she asked, lip turned up in disgust.

Dick went over and took it back. “Khamsa. It’s a protection and good luck charm,” he stated, placing it back where it belonged.

“Why do you have that?”

Dick looked over at her, an expression of blatant confusion. “To give me luck and protection,” he said slowly.

Ms Rune wrote on her papers again.

Bruce leant against the wall watching as Dick glared after the woman who once again looked over his belongings.

“That will be all in here,” she said finally, walking out of the room. Bruce followed her, Dick closed his door firmly when he came out as well. “Your other two sons should be home soon, correct?”

“Yes,” Bruce said, “Alfred has most likely already left to pick them up.”

“Tim won’t be here,” Dick cut-in. Both Ms Rune and Bruce turned to him. “He was going to Conner’s after school today.”

“Who is Conner? Does he have a last name?”

Dick rolled his eyes. “Yes,” he said stiffly, “Conner Kent, he is Tim’s best friend.”

Bruce raised an eyebrow at Dick. It was unlike him to say that Conner and Tim were just best friends, he knew they had been dating for at least four months now. Usually Dick would always call them boyfriends as he found it ‘cute.’ Apparently Dick didn’t want the woman to know about them. Or his lover was just that ill at ease with the whole situation that he was not comfortable saying so.

“Should I text him and ask him to rearrange so he can be here?”

“Do you often take your brother’s time away from his friends?” Ms Rune asked.

Dick closed his eyes for a second. “No,” he said, opening them again, “I’m sorry. I thought you might want to talk to him. I don’t mean to interfere in his life.”

Ms Rune tapped her clipboard. “I do indeed wish to speak with him but I can wait until he returns home.”

“He wasn’t going to come home tonight.”

That was the first Bruce had heard about it. Not surprising given the tension in the air at the Manor, Tim did tend to get more stressed than anyone else so he was probably very on edge. It would have been a good thing to have him away from home for the night, or maybe the whole weekend as it was a Friday.

Ms Rune sighed. “Then I suppose you should ask Timothy to be present after school.”

Dick nodded and left them, pulling out his phone as he walked down the hallway. There was no need for him to leave them if he was just going to send a text but Bruce could tell that it was an excuse to extract himself from the social worker’s presence.

“Shall we wait somewhere more comfortable?” Bruce asked.

They retired to the main room, both sitting on armchairs on the opposite side of the sofa. Ms Rune continued asking questions. Nothing too major, just about day-to-day life and how he felt Damian and Tim were doing. It began to give him hope that it would be okay.

Eventually there was the sound of the front door closing. Bruce stood up and held his hand out for Ms Rune to take to help her get up. She did not look impressed and stood up by herself. Still, Bruce sent her a charming smile and led the way to go see whoever had returned. They found both Tim and Damian in the hallway, Dick was crouched between them an arm around Damian’s shoulder. He was talking to them in hushed tones.

Ms Rune did not like that one bit.

“I would advise against talking to them right now, Mr Grayson,” she said sternly, “it could be taken as you telling them what to say to me.”

Dick turned around, pulling Damian closer to himself making the boy huff angrily but he didn’t try to escape the hold.

“I’ll take that under advisement Ms,” Dick said.

“Now,” Ms Rune said, looking the two new boys over, “I think we should let the boys put away their school things before I speak to them privately.”

Dick slowly pulled back from his brother’s before getting up and facing the woman. Damian scowled behind him, crossing his arms, he watched Ms Rune closely for a moment then stormed away up the stairs. His door slammed shut.

“Nice to meet you Miss,” Tim said softly before nodding his head at her and following Damian.

“Where would you like to talk to the boys?” Bruce asked after a strained moment of silence.

“I believe in the room we were just talking in, it is the one that feels most homely,” Ms Rune said, “it should comfort the boys.”

Nodding Bruce once again led her to the main room.

“Mr Grayson,” Ms Rune said, “I believe you should come as well.”

Dick followed them, sitting on the arm of Bruce’s armchair.

There was silence once more. It was five minutes before Tim came in, he was changed out of his uniform and sat down on the sofa after greeting Ms Rune properly. He looked surprisingly at ease, he was getting better at acting but Bruce could see how rigid he was still. Another ten minutes passed before Damian came in, he had on Tim’s old black jacket with the yellow stripes.

“Are you cold, Damian?” Ms Rune asked, her tone turning to soft and mothering.

Damian huffed. “No.”

“Then why are you wearing a jacket?”

“Because I want to,” he snapped.

Bruce closed his eyes asking for patience.

Ms Rune tapped her clipboard. “Now that the family is together I would like to state the reason for my visit.” She smiled over at Tim and Damian. “I have been informed that there are some problems in this family, I am here to see what can be done about them. Does anyone have any concerns about this?”

“I am not leaving,” Damian said firmly.

That drew all of the attention to the youngest.

The social worker raised an eyebrow. “Why do you think you would be taken away?”

“The Principal said I may be,” he rolled his eyes, “there is no reason I legally should be but apparently when dealing with a successful family an example should be made. I have no doubt that some reason will be found to make a mockery of the Wayne name causing the extraction of Drake and I from Father’s home. I will not leave.”

Ms Rune sighed. “Apparently I will need to speak privately with you first, Damian.” She turned a few pages on her clipboard. “If you would excuse us,” she said to the rest of the family.

Bruce stood up, taking Dick’s hand and pulling him away as he looked as though he didn’t want to leave Damian alone. Tim followed them out of the room. They walked down the hallway.

“What are we going to do?” Tim asked when they were far enough away so as to not be heard. “Damian is right, this is set up too perfectly. There is no other reason to bring this up suddenly. Damian’s attitude and his paper can’t be the sole cause of this. They are trying to get at us.”

“I know,” Bruce said. “Dick and I are going downstairs; you need to stay here for when she asks for you. We’ll figure something out, Tim.” He placed a hand on Tim’s shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

Tim nodded, breathing out heavily.

Dick pulled his hand away from Bruce’s hold and he embraced his brother. “We’ll be okay, you won’t lose us.” Tim had lost enough family for one lifetime, as had Dick.

Although Bruce said he would figure it out he was at a loss as to how to do it. He would be able to though. He needed to. When Dick let Tim go they went down to the cave, leaving Tim to his own devices for the time being.

In the cave they found another problem. There at the consoles sat Jason Todd.

“How did you get in here?” Bruce growled. He had a security system for a reason.

Jason turned in the chair, legs crossed casually. “Dickie-bird let me in earlier, did he not tell you?” he laughed.

Bruce looked down at his lover. Dick shrugged. With another growl he went over to his computers. “What have you been doing, Jason?” He looked over the screens, it was the security feed in the main room. “You’ve been spying on us.”

“Nope,” Jason said, “I have been doing what your boy-toy asked me to do.”

“Which is what?” Bruce turned on Dick, glaring at him darkly.

Dick walked over, pulling Jason’s chair back to keep him away from Bruce. “I asked him to watch her,” he pointed at the screen, “I don’t trust her.”

“Dick,” Bruce sighed, “I know you don’t like social workers but they are just doing their job.”

“You admitted to thinking she was playing us!” Dick protested. “I’m not going to be separated from my family again, Bruce!”

Bruce moved and grabbed Dick’s shoulders, shaking him once to snap him out of a growing panic attack. He could tell the signs and he wouldn’t let it become full-grown. “Dick,” he said reasonably, “we don’t know what she is doing and until we do we should not assume anything. We should not spy on her yet.”

“You are just full of contradictions, Brucie,” Jason laughed. “Besides, don’t you want to know what your son is saying?”

Dick pulled away from Bruce and leant over the console turning on the volume for the camera in the main room.

“-anything at all,” Ms Rune finished saying.

Damian was sitting with his arms crossed as he stared at the woman. “If there were any problems, do you think I would be saying that I wish to stay here?”

“A lot of children are afraid of what their family will do to them if they speak up. I am here to help them. To help you. Please, you can trust me, tell me anything that is bothering you.”

That made Damian pause for a few seconds. “What is bothering me is that someone is interfering with my life. I do not need help, I wish to stay with Father.”

The sound of Ms Rune tapping her board with her pen came through the speakers. With every second Bruce wished more that he could take her pen and snap it. It was driving him insane. He would not be surprised if that was what drove The Joker over the edge.

“In your psychological examination it has been discovered that you have mild paranoia and violent tendencies as well as a complex towards both of your parents. Do you wish to be your Father?”

“No,” Damian said decisively, “I wish to be like him but I do not wish to be him. That would be foolish. You cannot become the same person as someone else.”

Bruce was proud of that. Damian was learning and thinking for himself.

“How do you feel about Richard Grayson? Does he feed into your problems?”

Damian went very tense. “Grayson is a good person and has helped me in many ways. It is because of him that I am even bothering to sit here.”

Dick let out a strange little noise, probably a cut off coo. Bruce wrapped an arm around his waist. His lover smiled over at him.

“So he has a profound influence over you?” Ms Rune asked.

“I would not say that.” Damian made his tt noise and looked away.

“But he does influence you?” Damian huffed at her question. “How did you become aware of your father’s relationship with Richard Grayson?”

Damian rolled his eyes. “It would have been hard not to see. They are not ashamed of it and do not hide it from anyone. Nor should they, so long as Father and Grayson are satisfied with the arrangement there is nothing wrong with it.”

“Arrangement? That doesn’t sound as though they are in a lasting relationship.”

There was another huff. “I do not know the specifics of their relationship but I assume it would go on for a while, Grayson is like that.”

“I see.” Scribbling on the papers. “You didn’t state how you found out. Did they tell you or did you see something, perhaps your butler or brother told you?”

“I saw them and they told me.”

“What did you see?”

Damian shifted, he was uncomfortable. “More than enough. I have seen far worse than Father engaging in a heated moment with Grayson.”

“You have been subjected to sexual material?”

A harsh laugh escaped Damian. “If that is what you would call it.”

A lot of writing now.

“Have you ever seen Richard Grayson or your father touch or look at Timothy Drake in the same way they do each other?”

Damian snorted. “No.”

The woman now spoke slowly and softly as she leant on her knees watching Damian. “Has your father or Richard Grayson ever touched or looked at you in that manner? Have they touched you in a way you don’t like?”

Eyes widening Damian stood up. “Are you suggesting that they have partaken in paedophilia? They would never do that!” He stormed towards the woman, bending over her. “Take that back at once or I will make you.”

That wasn’t good. Bruce sighed. Damian talking to the woman was strange but this was completely expected. The woman suggesting this was not a shock, not when he was engaging in a sexual relationship with a boy he had adopted. Damian should have known this would happen and be asked of him. Dick held onto his arm, squeezing it.

“Very hostile.”

“You are an outside force and trying to find ways to take me away from my family,” Damian growled, “I will not tolerate this.”

The woman raised an eyebrow. “You are making it harder for me to see why you should be here still.”

Damian glared at her then turned around. “I will not stay in your presence a moment longer. You will not be able to enact whatever plan it is you have. I will see to that.” He stormed out of the room, slamming the door.

“This is bad,” Dick whispered. He pulled away from Bruce and left, going up the stairs, no doubt to find Damian.

“Dickie-bird’s right,” Jason said. “I’m amazed the demon spawn actually talked to her.”

Bruce closed his eyes for a moment. “Dick asked him to.”

“A true demon tamer.”

Bruce kept watch as Ms Rune went to find Tim and began talking to him. Tim took it better, he answered easily and made sure she knew he was happy here. He was less emotional than Damian and didn’t get overly annoyed when she suggested that either of them had been touched inappropriately. Then she left Tim and came across Dick and Damian. They were in the library; Dick was holding Damian and talking to him too softly for the microphone to pick up.

“You appear to touch him a lot, Mr Grayson,” Ms Rune said as she came over to them.

Dick held Damian closer, surprisingly Damian allowed it without argument. “He is my baby brother, I am trying to comfort him.” From the looks of it Damian muttered something but Bruce couldn’t tell what.

“I would like to talk to you alone, Mr Grayson.”

Ever so slowly Dick unwound his arms from around Damian. He nodded to the younger boy who left with a glare at Ms Rune. When the door closed Dick frowned. “Yes?”

“How old were you when you first engaged in a sexual relationship with Mr Wayne?”

“I was legal,” Dick said with a roll of his eyes. “Aside from that it is none of your business.”

Ms Rune tapped her clipboard. “How were you treated in this building when you were younger?”

“Well.” Dick said. He was being awkward then. “I grew up, I became a police officer and I am well liked in the community. I would think that was a job well done by Bruce.”

A hum. “Do you think you are a positive influence towards Timothy Drake and Damian Wayne?”

Dick crossed his arms. “I like to think so.”

“I think otherwise,” Ms Rune stated, “I have read your file, Mr Grayson, I know why you were taken away. The worker in charge of your case thought it best that any undesirable elements were taken from your life in the hopes that you would grow up to forget your ill-breeding. Apparently that did not work. I’m afraid that it would be for the best to remove children from that kind of negative influence again.”

Dick had paled. “What?”

Ms Rune walked right up to Dick. “Timothy and Damian are intelligent young men who would do well to stay away from people who are below them. They are high-class and you are still a mere gypsy. It would be best if you remember your place.” She turned and walked away.

Dick stared after her.

Bruce slammed his hand against the console.

No one talked to his lover this way. No, to his family this way.

Checking he made sure that the whole conversation was recorded and stored away. “Keep watch,” he told Jason who snorted but didn’t argue. He went upstairs quickly. This was not going to continue. Locating the woman was not a problem as she had moved on to harass Alfred.

“You are no longer welcome here,” Bruce said sternly as he entered.

Ms Rune turned. “Excuse me?”

“Get out of my house this instant before I call the police. I am aware of my rights, you did not have to be allowed access to my house to perform your investigation. I went along with this in the hopes that matters would run smoother but the moment you start talking down and threatening my family you are not allowed in my home. Leave.”

Ms Rune tapped her clipboard. “You are not putting yourself in a good position here, Mr Wayne.”

“You do not have a case against me.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that. I will finish my investigation without access to your house. I have a lot to write up anyway. You will know of what I have decided. Soon.” She nodded to Alfred. “I can let myself out.” Then she walked out, Bruce followed her making sure that she was out of his door. He watched as she got into her car and drove away.

“Father?”

Turning Bruce saw his son standing on the stairs. “Yes, Damian?”

“She is going to attempt to send me away, isn’t she?”

Bruce couldn’t answer that. He knew that she would try, that much was obvious. “I won’t let her.”

Damian watched him. “Mother won’t allow it. She will come get me.”

“I know.”

“So what do we do now?” Tim asked.

Bruce rubbed his head. They were in the cave getting ready for patrol and talking, Jason was still there watching them whilst eating a sandwich Alfred had brought down for him. Dick kept hovering close to Damian, getting pushed away every so often, apparently that didn’t deter him as he moved back not too soon afterwards.

“We think of any problem she had against us and find a counter-argument,” Bruce said firmly.

“I know her main problem,” Dick said softly, “it was me.” He played with his mask before putting it on. “She was a bigot.”

“We can use that against her.” Bruce didn’t want Dick to feel as though he was less in some way. He went over to his lover, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Dick didn’t raise his head. With the mask on Bruce couldn’t see Dick’s eyes but he knew that they would show helplessness, he had seen it earlier on the monitor. It shouldn’t be there but it was.

“The headmistress,” Dick said after a moment, “she said about those boys I beat up because of their slurs against Romani. Maybe she found a social worker with something against them to take the case.”

That was a possibility.

“So what?” Damian asked. “It’s not important.”

Bruce nodded. “It isn’t. We’ll beat this.”

The alarm went off. “Robbery,” Jason said as he pressed a few buttons on the screen. “Gotham Diamond Deposit.”

“I’m on it!” Dick said as he ran to his bike, hopping on.

“I’m coming!” Damian called as he ran after Dick; he climbed onto the back holding onto Dick’s waist as they sped out of the cave.

Bruce pulled his cowl up. Time to leave. He didn’t mind flying solo as apparently Robin wanted to have time with his favourite partner tonight. Bruce didn’t know who to be jealous of there. It was probably best not to think on it too much. When he turned around to the computer Jason and Tim were staring at him.

“What?” he growled.

Jason grinned and spun around on the chair. “You really do pamper them,” he teased. “If anyone else suddenly left without orders you would be yelling at them over the coms as I speak.”

Bruce scowled. “I do no such thing.”

“Please, everyone knows you’d do anything to please your boy-toy. Now go beat up that social worker and headmistress for him, I know you want to.”

“No such thing will be happening,” Bruce said. He went over to Jason, stopping the chair from spinning. “We will beat this with the law not by harming people who believe they are doing their jobs correctly.”

Jason laughed. “They are doing it completely right,” he said. “I know that it is best for the demon spawn to stay here because Dick’s the demon whisperer or something but Bats, what you put kids through is actually counted as abuse.” He jumped out of the chair and moved away. “Child endangerment and emotional neglect, at least. Not to mention that half of the training you made us do ends up with you basically beating us up. I’ve been through worse but fuck, Bruce, you have to see that kids aren’t meant to do it.”

Bruce scowled darkly. “You didn’t complain at the time.”

“Oh course I didn’t,” Jason shook his head, “I got to beat up bad guys and do good. But to anyone else it is cruel and just wrong. Well, actually, I think you should have stopped putting kids in danger after I died, but hey, you thought otherwise.”

“He needed a Robin!” Tim protested.

Jason waved his hand. “Whatever, Replacement. Point is, if they knew what you were really doing then you wouldn’t have a leg to stand on for not having the kids taken away.”

Bruce turned away from Jason. “You may leave.” He made his way to the Batmobile.

“Bruce!” Tim ran after him. “We’re better off for what you have done for us.”

“Speak for yourself!” Jason scoffed.

Tim scowled. “I mean it, Bruce, thank you for everything. We’ll find a way to sort this out and it will all be a distant memory.”

Bruce turned his head. “You have spent too much time around Dick.” He got into the car speeding off.

“Was that a compliment or not?” Tim asked over the coms. He didn’t get an answer.

Nothing happened the next day; it was the one after that turned into chaos. Sunday morning there was a knock at the door; Jim Gordon was there with the social worker. Alfred had called for Bruce right away. He stood there in shock when he heard the woman talking. They were going to take the boys away and she had asked for police assistance, when Jim had heard he had wanted to come to make sure nothing bad happened.

“No!”

Turning Bruce saw Damian and Dick behind them.

“I’m not leaving!” Damian had a hand in Dick’s top, twisting it. “There is no reason to.”

“I’m sorry, Damian,” Ms Rune said, “the environment in this house is not the right one to raise a child.”

“He’s raised three others in the same one,” Damian answered, eyes narrowed. “You cannot make me leave Father.”

Ms Rune frowned. “You will find that I can.” She nodded to Jim. She handed over some papers to Bruce. “I will be taking Damian Wayne and Timothy Drake with me.”

“You can’t take them,” Bruce said defiantly, “I will not let them get absorbed into the system.”

“Me Wayne,” Ms Rune said, “we have reason to believe child abuse so you are lucky that you have not been taken to court yet.”

“What?”

“There are scars on both Timothy and Damian’s body, the only reason you are not being handcuffed right now is because Mr Gordon assures me that it isn’t the case. We will be talking to the children before any further measures are taken. But they are coming with us.”

Bruce couldn’t believe this was happening. He had wanted to save these children, he had provided for them, trained them, taught them right from wrong and in return he is being punished. His children were getting taken from him. Jason was right; they had been abused by him.

“Damian, please go pack your bag.”

“I’ll kill you before I leave!” Damian ran to the woman. He made it passed Bruce before Dick caught him.

“Stop it!” Dick said, holding him up by his top. He swung Damian around, kneeling down in front of him. “It’ll be alright, we’ll get you and Tim back. Just be patient.”

“We’ll be coming in and talking to Timothy next then.”

Bruce didn’t even twitch. He stood in shock for the hour as Tim and Damian packed. Tim and Damian hugged him goodbye, the latter not wanting to let go. Bruce didn’t move. There was talking, a lot of it but nothing went in.

The door closed.

There was more noise. Dick was talking on a phone.

He didn’t know how much time passed before he was hit, falling to the floor.

Blinking Bruce looked up seeing an infuriated Dick for the first time.

“You didn’t even say goodbye,” he huffed, there was the beginning of tears in his lover’s eyes. “Your sons left and you didn’t even notice them.”

What?

“How do you expect to prove that you are a good father if you don’t even show sadness when your children are taken away?” Dick threw a phone at him. “I called your lawyer for you. You have a meeting tomorrow at eleven o’clock to figure out your legal options. He told me you have a case against them, especially if you show any footage with Ms Rune being discriminating and proof that you didn’t cause their scars.”

Bruce stared at his lover. “Dick?”

“Yes!”

“I’m a bad father.”

A sharp pain echoed through his body as he was kicked firmly in the stomach.

“Shut up or I’ll go for your ribs next time.” Dick’s face was flushed. “You aren’t a bad father, you’re in shock so snap out of it and figure out a way to stop Talia finding out that her son was taken away.”

Bruce nodded, still lying on the floor.

“Bruce,” Dick said sternly, “I love you but if you do not get up this second I am going to shove that phone somewhere very unpleasant.”

There was a second pause before Bruce stood up.

“Good.” Dick nodded. “Now, your lawyer has faxed you some papers you need to read through before your meeting. Go see to that.”

As if in a trance Bruce did as he was bid.

It took three hours and a tearful Alfred later before he completely came back to himself. Then he went about business properly. He read the papers and headed down to the cave to arrange for the security camera footage. When he entered the cave he was shocked to hear Dick laughing. That was strange; he had been close to tears when he last saw him. Keeping to the shadows he crept towards the sound.

There was Dick, sat on a worktable. In front of him was Jason who was being far too intimate for Bruce’s liking. Hands were running up and down Dick’s legs, he was leant right in whispering into Dick’s ear and standing between open legs. Not something Bruce wanted to see anyone else doing to his lover.

Moving closer Bruce scowled when he saw Dick’s smile and him placing his hands on Jason’s shoulders.

“… You’re right,” Dick said, he shook his head, black hair falling into his eyes, “but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.”

Jason scoffed, one hand reaching up to brush away the stray strands of hair, tucking them behind Dick’s ear. “Of course it’s a good idea. It’s mine.”

Another laugh.

“That does not follow, Jaybird.”

When Jason aligned his head with Dick’s, so very close to it, Bruce had to make himself known. He would not watch any more of this.

“What are you two doing?” Bruce growled as he stalked forward. He glared at the hand which remained on Dick’s thigh. It twitched but Jason didn’t retract it.

“Talking,” Dick said, all humour gone from his voice, “why? What do you think we’re doing?”

Bruce didn’t answer, walking passed them to the computer screens. He wasn’t going to get himself in trouble by saying something, not when he knew that Dick was angry at him. It was better to just let it be right now, whilst still keeping an eye on Jason’s hands of course, which were still they should not be. His eyes narrowed in annoyance.

“Remove that hand,” he growled at Jason.

Dick reached out and took hold of Jason’s wrist, keeping the hand where it was. “You don’t have the right to tell people whether or not they can touch me,” he told Bruce. “So long as I want it Jason can touch me as much as he likes.”

That had Bruce stalking over. Maybe a fight was exactly what Dick wanted. If so then he would get it. If not then it would be one less distraction for them both.

“You want him to touch you?” Bruce glared at Dick.

“Yes.”

Bruce had to restrain himself. He grabbed both of their wrists and pulled them apart. One sneer at Jason had the boy backing up. Good, he didn’t want to get in the middle of this. Bruce stood right in front of Dick. “I understand that you are upset,” he hissed, “but I will not stand for this attitude from you. You are better than that, Richard.”

Dick raised an eyebrow at him. “So it’s Richard now?” He twisted his wrist trying to get free but Bruce held it tightly not giving him an opportunity to break them apart. “You know something, Bruce, I am just as annoyed at you.”

“You’re annoyed at yourself,” Bruce commented.

With a frustrated noise Dick kicked Bruce in the stomach for the second time that day. His wrist was not let go of.

“Let me go!” Dick twisted his arm, it must be hurting to do that now.

Bruce finally released him so he wouldn’t strain anything. Dick brought his wrist up, rubbing at it.

“Why were you flirting with Jason?” Bruce asked.

There was silence. No denying it. Dick was looking down at his wrist. No movement behind him from Jason.

They had things to do to get the boys back and that did not include whatever problem Dick had with him. There was the risk of people being hurt or killed, Talia’s men wouldn’t care about being found out if she didn’t tell them to.

“Now isn’t the time for this,” he eventually broke the awkward silence. It was unusual to be the one to talk first when he was with Dick. “Leave.” Without looking at them he went over to the computers, sitting down in his chair.

A few shuffles behind him. Jason.

“Bruce?”

“Not now, Dick, I am busy.”

A pause. “Okay.”

Light footsteps away from him.

Bruce closed his eyes.

“Dick.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t blame yourself. You are not related to Damian, they should not have brought you into this. It may be for the best if the two of you are separated, you have been acting as his parent and you are not.”

A little shuddering breath. “I’m sorry.”

Bruce nodded. “After patrol tonight, go to your own room.”

No response to that but those light steps walking away from him.

Bruce ignored the ache in his heart as he went back to finding the footage. It was easy enough to do. He was so focused that he hadn’t noticed Jason had not left until he spoke.

“He was trying to punish himself.”

With an annoyed release of air Bruce turned to face Jason. “And what were you doing?”

Jason smirked, leaning against a table. “I was trying to piss you off by playing with your toy.”

“I have more important things to deal with at the moment than you two being childish.”

Better to talk to Dick later so he could apply himself into delaying Talia and getting the boys back. Besides, he had meant it. Dick was too concerned with Damian; they were far too reliant on each other. It was understandable but not healthy.

“That’s your choice but after you get them back do you really think Dick is going to hang around when you told him to stay away from your son?” Jason shrugged. “Not that I really care about your domestics.” One corner of his mouth raised cockily. “Now if you’ll excuse me I think that a certain bird will be having a break-down right now, I am going to go comfort him.”

A batarang imbedded itself in the table, right next to Jason. The boy didn’t even blink. He had been trained by the best.

“Stay away from Dick.” Bruce sounded more like a rabid animal than he would have liked. “Make yourself useful, find out which orphanage they were taken to and stake it out.”

“You can’t order me around.”

Bruce stood up, and stalked over to Jason. “Go find out the orphanage and stake it out.” He glared down at Jason. There was a small nod and Jason backed away from him, right into the table. He swore once before sliding passed Bruce, taking off out of the cave.

Going back to the console Bruce put everything out of his mind. There was no time for distractions, not when he had a lot to do.

That night Dick didn’t come into his room. The next day Bruce didn’t see his lover at all. Alfred informed him later that Dick had decided to leave for the time being. It was very silent in the Manor. No arguing or sulking teenagers to be found. No energetic lover swinging off the chandelier or doting on them all. There was nothing. Dick was right, without the people it felt dead, like a museum.

Jason had contacted him, they were at Gotham’s First Orphanage. Damian would not be happy about that, if he were to be at an orphanage then he would have been better off with his friend, Colin, than somewhere strange. Bruce hacked into their system and found an email sent to someone high up, it was a report; apparently Damian had already broken someone’s arm. It was amusing if slightly concerning. Complaints about him would lead to bad things.

On patrol that night Bruce swung by the orphanage. He stood on the roof watching the building, no lights were on. Somewhere in there were Tim and Damian. Two very lonely boys he had come to love.

“I’m not staying there.”

Turning around Bruce shouldn’t have been surprised to see Damian standing next to him. Then he remembered, this was the same orphanage that Dick had managed to escape from before, of course Damian and Tim would be able to.

“That isn’t up to you.”

Damian crossed his arms. “I waited for you today, Father,” he said stiffly, “you didn’t come for me.”

“I can’t make them reverse their decision in one day.”

“Grayson came to see me,” Damian continued, “he told me that he was going to remove himself from the Manor so that I would be allowed back.”

Bruce closed his eyes for a moment. Stupid boy. Why he put up with Dick’s drama he would never know.

“That is private.” He frowned. “Why was he allowed to see you?”

“Who said he was allowed to?”

So he either snuck in or Damian snuck out.

“How is Tim?”

Damian shrugged. “I don’t know. Drake is probably fine. He appeared to be when I saw him in the food hall. The children are separated by ages so I am not around him.”

Understandable.

Bruce was about to say something else when he saw a shadow move. Closing his mouth he grabbed Damian’s arm and pulled him back into the dark. Keeping an eye on the orphanage he noticed more shadows.

“Ninja,” Damian breathed out. “Mother has sent ninja to collect me.”

Bruce wished his son didn’t sound so proud about that. It was an achievement he supposed, it showed that Talia cared on some level but it was not a good thing. Those ninja would hurt people. He needed to stop them.

“Stay here,” Bruce ordered, “keep in the shadows and away from any ninja.” The last thing he needed was to lose his son to Talia.

Shooting a line towards the orphanage Batman swung down, leaving his son to hide, though he doubted that would actually happen.

Landing quietly he looked around himself. There was a partly open window. How the ninja’s entered. Checking around to make sure no one was nearby he opened the window and slipped inside. He entered into a corridor, no lights were on and the whole place was silent.

Keeping to the wall Batman went down the corridor, activating the cowl he turned to see the heat signals in the building. There were some moving to the right so he followed. It could be children awake but if they were that way then he would most likely find the ninjas as well.

Turning a corner he found a ninja picking a locked door. What would they want in there? Whatever it was Bruce would have to put a stop to it. He came up behind the ninja and struck a pressure point in his neck before he could be noticed. Talia’s men really had gone downhill.

He moved the limp body, leaning it back against the door. It creaked open. So, he had finished just before he struck. Leaving the body against the doorframe instead Batman crept in, what would be needed in here?

It was an office. Checking it over he noted that it was the main office. Walking around the room he found files on both Tim and Damian. Flicking them open he saw something he did not like. There were photographs of both boys, their scars clearly visible. He frowned as he closed them. He had a way to explain them but he didn’t know how successful it would be.

Leaving the room he needed to get back to the ninjas at hand.

He found two more entering a dormitory. Knocking them out he tied them up and left them outside of the room. Checking the building there were three more already in a large room. There were other still figures, another dormitory. When he reached it they were already unconscious. Stood in the middle of the room was Tim. Batman nodded to him and went over, zip-tying them.

“Any trouble?” he asked.

Tim shook his head. “No one woke up when they came in. They weren’t expecting me here so I surprised them.”

Batman and Tim dragged them out of the dorm. There didn’t appear to be any other’s in the building.

“Damian’s outside, I’ll send him back in.”

“It can’t be that easy,” Tim said.

“I know. I expect there are more around the building waiting for a report.”

“Talia wants to see if you will take him back?” Tim asked.

That was most likely.

Batman scowled at the ninjas. “Go back to bed,” he told Tim, “I’ll sort it out. I have a plan.”

Very slowly Tim went back to the dorm, at the door he looked over at Bruce. “I understand by the way,” he said, “I know why you didn’t say goodbye to us.” Then Tim had disappeared, closing the door behind him.

Batman grabbed the unconscious ninja, collecting the others he took them out of the orphanage and strung them up on a lamppost. It wouldn’t hold them for long.

Going back to the roof he had left Damian on, Batman wasn’t surprised to see more unconscious ninja. He was, however, shocked to see Nightwing sat on the edge of the roof talking to Damian. Both turned to him when he landed nearby. Nightwing stood up; he shifted awkwardly for a few seconds.

“I’ll go,” he said softly.

Batman nodded.

“Wait,” Damian said, rising to his feet, “I’m going with you.”

“No,” Batman stepped forward and laid a hand on his son’s shoulder, “you’re not allowed to leave the orphanage.”

Damian glared up at his Father. “I am aware that you have forbidden Grayson from seeing me and if that is how you want to behave then I would rather be with him than you. Tomorrow Mother will send her men and you will do nothing about it besides knock them out when they are already here. If I am not there then they will not come to the orphanage again, and if I am with Grayson then I will be safe.”

“He’ll be accused of kidnapping when they find you.”

“They won’t,” Damian said confidently.

Nightwing shook his head. “Damian, you have to stay here. Your father has a way to get you back. Just wait and see.”

“I can’t wait!” Damian yelled. “Mother has informed me that she will come to collect me personally in two more days.”

Batman hissed. “And you didn’t mention this before, because?”

“I thought that the threat of her men would be enough to get you to remove me from that dreadful place. They are trying to get you to take me back but you are failing at that Father. I would rather be with Grayson than either of you at this rate. So I am leaving with him.”

This was getting far too out of hand. “You will stay at the orphanage for tonight. I will come by with my lawyers tomorrow and find a way to take you back to Manor.”

Damian glared at him. “You had better. I will escape from there before returning to Mother.” He glared at them both before taking a line out of his jacket and swinging down.

“He has your determination and anger issues,” Nightwing said lightly.

Batman looked over at him. “You went to see him yesterday.”

“I did.” Nightwing watched as Damian crept back into the orphanage using the same window the ninjas had gone through. “If I hadn’t you would have found him back at the Manor this morning.”

That wasn’t too hard to believe. “You told him that you aren’t staying at the Manor anymore.”

“I’m not,” Nightwing said, “I can tell when I’m not wanted.”

Taking a step forward Bruce raised his arm and placed a gloved hand on Dick’s arm. “You are always wanted.”

Nightwing took a step back. “That’s not what it sounded like when you kicked me out of your bed and told me not to see your son.”

There wasn’t anything Bruce could say about that. So he simply watched as Nightwing flipped over the edge of the building and disappeared.

The next day Bruce did go to the orphanage with three lawyers. They presented evidence of the social worker being corrupt; taking a bribe from the headmistress of the school and discriminating against Dick. All of this was also shown to the other necessary parties, including her boss and the school council. But what Bruce was interested in was getting his sons back. There he found another road block. The accusation of abuse, shown by the scars both boys had.

“Kidnapping,” a voice said behind Bruce as he talked to the head of the orphanage. Turning around Bruce saw Dick in the doorway. “I have the same scars. Both Timothy and Damian have been kidnapped since being in Bruce Wayne’s care. Though Damian had scars before he even came to Wayne Manor.”

“I’m afraid that does not inspire great confidence in Mr Wayne,” the head of the orphanage said, “I assume you are Richard Grayson.”

Dick nodded with a charming smile. “I am at that. We have set up precautions against either boy being kidnapped but when they are not in our immediate care it is hard to look after them, which can be said for any child. But both Tim and Damian have been taking self-defence lessons so they can protect themselves.”

The head frowned at him. “I’m sorry Mr Grayson but I need proof that you did not abuse them.”

“How can you have proof of something that didn’t happen?” Dick asked. He pulled up his top showing his scared stomach and chest. “These are not from abuse. Some are from when I was a cop but these are not from Bruce. I have the same scars Tim and Damian do. They are nothing but from freaks and crooks thinking they can exploit a successful man. Just ask Tim and Damian if they were abused whilst living in the Manor.”

“I am afraid I cannot go by the word of two children.”

“Then who can you believe in these instances. There is no proof against Bruce.”

At that point Bruce had to intervene. “Dick is correct. You have no proof and only allegations which will be struck down if you ask the boys how they got their scars. I have shown you enough evidence to discount Ms Rune’s decision, now I would like my sons back.”

“That is not up to me.”

“I have put in the complaint and my lawyers are working on sorting this mess out. I have been told that so long as you are willing to allow them back into my care I can retrieve them on a temporary basis until it is all sorted out. So long as you agree and have no fear of them being hurt I can have my sons returned to me.”

The head sighed but nodded. “You may collect them, Mr Wayne.”

Really, with Bruce and his lawyers there it would have been enough to scare even the strictest person. But with Dick there to prove that there was no mistreatment it was easier. He smiled at his lover as they went to collect Tim and Damian.

Being back at the Manor with the boys felt very good, Alfred greeted them all with hugs proclaiming that he will cook them a Welcome Home feast. Tim ran with his bag of things up the stairs and immediately went to have a shower. Damian grumbled and nodded to his Father before going into his room, five minutes later he went to have a shower as well. It had only been a few days but it was enough for all of them.

Dick was standing next to Bruce in the entryway. There was an eerie silence between them.

“So,” Dick broke the quiet, “I guess I’ll go.”

“Dick.” Bruce placed his hand on Dick’s shoulder, squeezing it. “You were very helpful today and… I’m sorry I pushed you away. I do not want you gone from the Manor. You can spend as much time as you want around Damian. Just, please do not flirt with Jason again.”

A light laugh escaped Dick. Then a sweet smile bloomed over his face. “Okay,” he said chuckling, “I won’t flirt with Jason.”

Bruce was pleased by that, he trusted Dick to keep to his word. “Good.” He studied Dick. His lover looked so happy, relaxed and smiling at him. It was strange, he thought they had more problems than a simple apology could fix but apparently Dick was just happy.

Dick moved in and leant up, pressing a kiss to Bruce’s lips. “Do you want to use a shower as well?”

This was very odd.

“I thought you were mad at me,” Bruce said slowly.

Dick frowned for a second. “You apologised.”

“That’s it?”

The younger man rolled his eyes. “Bruce, you don’t apologise often so when you say it I know you mean it. And you thanked me. So I’m perfectly happy. If you want me to hold a grudge I can but right now I’m pleased that Tim and Damian are home so just let me enjoy this.”

Fair enough. He could deal with any other problems later.

“Is it a joint shower?” Bruce asked, his hands moving down to hold Dick’s hips.

“It can be,” Dick said slowly, a wicked smile on his lips, “so, you up for it?”

How could Bruce say no to that?

#brucedick #brudick #dick grayson #bruce wayne #lillybe forest #st00pz

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