Chapter Text
How Many Times Can I Break Til I’m Shattered
Old memories are brought up outside Crime Alley
Bruce is busy sending out an email while Dick is trying to keep himself entertained by coloring on the floor. His guardian said they’d just be a minute and then they could get pizza for dinner and go home. Alfred would never know once he got back from England.
Coloring in his Superman coloring book no longer captures the acrobat’s attention as he pads over to his guardian.
“Will you take me to see the new Despicable Me movie?”
Bruce Wayne wants nothing more than to run and hide. But he can’t. Bruce Thomas Wayne has never been more terrified in his entire life. He literally has to remind himself to breathe.
Dick grows impatient as he reaches up to tug on Bruce’s sleeve. The eight year doesn’t care that he literally wrinkled a ten thousand dollar suit. “Bruce?”
Bruce barely even hears him. He’s too busy having a flashback of the last time he stood outside a theater. Dick huffs before launching himself right onto the man’s lap. Tiny hands press themselves against Bruce’s face as Dick whines, “Bruce! Pay attention to me!”
Reaching up to gently pry Dick’s hands away, the man fully prepares to tell his son that he will have Alfred take him. Yet, the man immediately falls victim to those big, blue puppy eyes.
“Alright.”
And that’s how they find themselves back at the Monarch Theater a few hours later. Dick is still bouncing in his Gotham Academy uniform as he clutches at Bruce’s hand. The man is on high alert as he scans the crowd around them. Desperately looking for any sign of attack.
None come.
There are a few teenaged couples around them, some families, and a few singles. Everyone is too stunned to say anything as they watch the richest man in all of Gotham waiting in line with his new ward.
Dick is still chattering away about school, Superman, bunnies, ice cream, and anything that just happens to pop into his head. A few of the parents send a couple of warm smiles their way as they watch the billionaire being led to the ticket counter.
“One child and one old man for Despicable Me,” Dick chirps cheerily.
The disgruntled teenager behind the counter passes them their tickets before turning to get the extra-large popcorn and slushies. Dick ordered Bruce a plain coke while requesting every color of the rainbow for himself.
Bruce is too busy scanning the room as he absentmindedly passes his card across. It looks completely different. Modern and full of lower- and middle-class families. Everyone seems to be having a good time despite there being two faded outlines of his parents in the alley outback.
The moment Dick lets go of Bruce’s hand to gather up his soda is the moment Bruce snaps back to reality. Taking his own popcorn and sugary slushie in one arm, the man can’t help but settle a hand against the small of Dick’s back.
The boy smiles up at him before asking, “Can we play some of the arcade games before it starts?”
Bruce melts yet again as he nods. He follows the boy’s leads and soon they’re squeezed onto plastic motorcycles street racing. Then they’re playing Pac Man and finally Bruce is tossing a few quarters in a machine to try and win Dick a new stuffed animal.
Naturally, Dick has him aim for the elephant. A few minutes go by, along with muffled curses, before Bruce is handing his new ward the elephant of his choosing. Bruce can’t help but genuinely smile back down at the boy.
Dick tucks the elephant under his arm before wrapping both hands around his giant slushie before leading the charge to find the best seats in the theater. Bruce thinks they’re probably the worst choices possible but oh well. Who is he to judge?
People are laughing and having a good time. It’s about halfway through the film when Dick finds himself wrapped up in Bruce’s jacket and curled into the man’s side to escape the frigid air of the dark theater. If Alfred were here, he’d instantly wince at the buttery fingerprints on the expensive suit jacket.
Bruce finally puts away the Batman and forces himself to relax.
.
“What was your favorite part! Mine was the minions! Let me guess yours!” Dick chatters away as he skips through the sidewalk towards the parking garage.
They made sure to avoid the alley. They’ll go the long way. Bruce can’t seem to stop himself from glancing down it as they approach the entrance of Crime Alley.
Time seems to stop as a man stops right in front of them. With reflexes that could rival the Flash, Bruce wastes no time in yanking Dick behind him. He’s seen the man’s shifty eyes high on God knows what. He’s seen the man reach into his jacket pocket going for a weapon.
Batman could break every single bone in this man’s body. He could stop him before he even went for a gun. He could incapacitate the man in thirty different ways in the matter of moments. Yet, right now he could only find himself staring down the barrel of a gun on the very cusp of Crime Alley.
“M-money,” the stranger demands.
Dick lets out a gasp as Bruce pushes Dick more securely behind him. He no longer sees his parents going down. All he can see is the body of an eight year old hitting the ground.
The man shifts his gaze to attempt to peer around Bruce. But, Bruce won’t budge. The billionaire finds himself saying, “I’ll give you whatever you want. Take what you want.”
Dick’s hands tighten against Bruce’s suit jacket. He can hear muffled sobs coming from the boy. Dick crying is the only thing keeping Bruce grounded against the hammering of his heart in his own ears.
“How much is the brat worth to you?”
The man only manages one step towards Dick before he’s on the ground unconscious with the gun lying several feet away.
.
Dick’s still holding Bruce’s hand the moment they walk through the doors of Wayne manor. He’s silent which is something Bruce hasn’t seen in a while.
Bruce looks at the portrait of his parents gazing down at him before he adds, “That was the alley my parents were murdered in.”
Dick’s eyes grow wide as he looks up at his guardian. “I’m sorry.”
“I couldn’t let the same thing happen to you.”
.
Dick’s in his Superman pajamas. He’s safe. He’s lying there curled into his guardian’s side with his beloved elephant in his arms. He’s safe. He’s wrapped up in Bruce’s expense bamboo sheets. Safe. He’s snoring softly. He’s safe.
He’s alive.
They both are.
Bruce slowly detaches himself from the boy and practically tiptoes out into the hallway before shutting the door behind him. He’s clutching his phone like a lifeline as he dials the only person who’d understand.
No words are able to form the moment Alfred answers. Bruce really doesn’t even need to say anything because Alred merely replies, “He’s safe. You’re safe. You did well.”