Dick rolls his eyes "Okaaaay daaad geez!" The teen stops turning to his bedroom and tilts his head. What did he say?
"I- If you- I don't mind..."
Fix this, FIX THIS! "Yeah, no. It sounded more sarcastic in my head"
"... Oh." Wrong move! He turns back to Bruce. The man is looking down. Shit shit shit.
"No, I don't mean that you aren't- I mean... You- you aren't -" Bruce's head downs more and more to the ground with every word "No, no, no! Ah! Listen! I-!"
"It's fine" he doesn't look at Dick
"It's fine... Go to your room, Dick" Bruce looks up and smiles. "Let's talk tomorrow"
Dick runs away before he starts messing everything more. And they never talk about it again.
"It's a process. We all found it difficult at first, I know. But I still feel guilty over that moment." Dick shrugs. Jason frowns at him.
"Noooo, we didn't." Dick stops and twist his body from his lotus position to watch his brother over at the computers.
"Really? You found it difficult?" Tim tilts his head next to him at the mats. Dick swallows.
"I guess nowadays I can't call him pops as I used to" Jason nods to himself "but I started calling him that as soon as the papers were signed"
"You were never here... And I wasn't dumb enough to call Batman my pops, Dick" Jason scoffs at him.
"Why would it be hard for you?" Dick turns back to Tim
"I- I had my parents so..." He closes his mouth. Tim is studying him, no judgement. But Dick still feels sick.
"Mmh. I guess so." Tim holds his own chin.
Dick smiles "You felt the same way?" He can see Jason joining them from the corner of his eye.
Tim frowns "Hell no!" Jason guffaws as he sits next to Tim "I saw an opening and started bombarding him with the word!"
"Stalker Tim?" Jason waves his hands "You seriously think stalker Tim was shy about calling him dad?"
Tim twists his lips. "Yeah... Looking back it was kinda rude to Jack to call B my dad so soon after meeting him"
"... What?" Dick gapes. Jason belly laughs
"Imagine Jack Drake going to an event with his kid and as soon as Bruce appears, this dude runs to him screaming dad"
"Never did that" Tim points a finger at Jason "I only called him dad in private"
Jason raises his hands in surrender "I was exaggerating"
"Well, don't. Jack never knew... I hope"
Dick stares at them. Jason sighs.
"Look, if it makes you feel better, now I find it really really hard and awkward to call him pops anymore"
"No, it truly doesn't help"
"Well damn I'm never opening to you ever again"
"No... What I mean..." Jason crosses his arms and waits. "Now I find it easy. So..."
"Right," Jason rolls his eyes as Tim snickers "be a show off, why not"
"We're all different. With dad." the trio jumps as Cass sits next to Dick "Don't feel sad"
"That-" Tim swallows as he catches his breath, pointing at his sister "that's true" Dick tries to steady his own heart. "Our history is different from yours"
Dick wanna believe it. But he can't.
"You barely call him anything but dad" Dick sighs. Tim raises an eyebrow at him.
"He's dad. So I call him dad" Cass tilts her chin up, proudly, smugly. Something ugly growls inside Dick's chest.
"Well, at least you don't sound so stuck up calling him B. Imagine calling him father"
"He is my father" Tim is the only one to scream. "Seriously, Drake?"
"Since when are you here?!"
"He... Came with me" Jason raises a hand. "Are you ok?"
Tim shakes his head. "I think I shat my heart out"
Damian rolls his eyes in an almost painful way and gets away from the computer. "I call him baba when we're in appropriate- Honestly, Drake? You're being too much"
Tim takes a big breath and points at him "Not my fault you're garden gnome sized and practically invisible to normal eyes-!"
"There goes the chill afternoon"
Cass giggles at Damian taking off his shoe and throwing it a Tim's shoulder.
Steps on the stairs make them all turn their heads in unison.
"What are you all-" Bruce takes a second to blink. Dick sees his expression of 'god, I understand when the League calls them creepy', but it quickly goes away. Bruce clears his throat. "What are you kids up to?"
He steps down. The answers came in voices running over eachother, fighting to be heard.
Bruce's lips turn upwards. Oh, he's proud. Damn.
"Yo, pops" Jason raises up. Dick's mouth falls open. Bruce freezes, blinks and nods out of his momentary stupor. "Care to check this out?"
Dick grabs him by the ankle, making Jason trip and fall on his face. "YOU ASSHOLE"
Jason turns to face him, shocked. "What the-?"
"You did that on purpose!"
Jason kicks his hand away "No I'm not! That shit hurts!!" He takes Bruce's hand to stand up. Tim is covering his mouth with both hands, shoulders shaking. Cass has turned around, probably to laugh as well. Damian's eyes are empty as he seems to contemplate killing them all. "Sorry for feeling emotionally vulnerable and taking the moment that was offered to me!" Jason dramatically presses a hand on his chest.
Tim falls back with a laugh. "It could have also been my moment!!" Dick stands up.
"Then use it! It's not one per event you- you-!!" Jason looks around "I have nothing to throw at your face!!!"
"Oooh!! You know it wouldn't be the same!!" Dick seethes.
"This is so stupid" Damian sighs and moves between them to grab Bruce's hand. "Todd and I were working on this case" Bruce looks over his shoulder at them as he's dragged to the computers. "Nothing serious... Come on. Sit, baba"
"Well... There you have it" Jason points with his hand and walks to the duo.
Dick throws his head backwards with a growl and joins them. Behind him, he can hear the other pair mock them.
"Careful, dad! He's in a foul mood!"
Bruce slightly turns to them before Jason grabs his head with a hand and twists it back to the computers. "Scary big brother, dad"
Dick glares at them before standing next to Bruce's chair.
Bruce looks up. Slowly grabbing his hand. "It's okay, son"
Dick blinks. And everyone is quiet for a second before he throws himself to Bruce's neck. "Oh, dad!"
"Grayson, can you do that after baba checks this out?"
"He always ends up stealing the spotlight"
Bruce takes a second to return the hug.
