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The restaurant’s outside wall was designed with a lose stone design. Dick had been staring at it for only a few seconds before deciding he needed to climb it. He missed the circus, missed climbing, missed that freedom from being in the air, and just wanted to explore and see everything.
Mr. Wayne and his adopted son weren’t the only family waiting outside. Mothers were telling off their children for trying to climb the wall. Maybe it just called to the kids there. All it took was one moment for Bruce to turn away for Dick to be two feet above the ground and making progress on the wall. He wasn’t used to climbing rocks, but it was still a thrilling adventure.
An older couple shrieked seeing him, which made Bruce turn back to see him. Dick didn’t care if he’d get reprimanded, and he knew right now his guardian wasn’t going to make a scene telling him off in public. But instead, the older man pointed at a rock near his leg.
“That’s a good foot hold. And if you move your hand there you’ll be able to get higher a lot safer.” He suggested. “Good grip, now see that next rock to the right, yep that one.”
Dick had reached his own, and began to see the pattern in foot holds and hand grips, what was a stable position and what he would fall from, it wasn’t a big jump in logic from what he’d done at the circus, and Bruce had let him get away with what the other kids weren’t allowed to. When he reached the top, he let out a loud laugh, the loudest sound he’d made in weeks. He felt it too, wasn’t sure he had that in him after all this time, but at the top he felt he achieved something. He’s been higher, sure. But he’d done something nobody else did, no matter how small.
He started climbing back down, retracing his steps, and following Bruce’s instructions to keep his chest close to the wall, and once he was within reach, Bruce picked him up and checked him for bruises or blisters, there weren’t any. Then he checked his nice clothes for dirt, and just patted off his jacket and called it a day.
He didn’t feel like being on the ground yet but knew his latest adventure was over, especially since the Wayne name was just called in. Bruce held the boy on his side, who wrapped his arms around, his hands clasped atop his shoulder on the other side from where he was.
“Had fun?”
Dick nodded, and really smiled.
“Good. When we get inside we’ll have to be more still, and you need to wash your hands before you touch any food.”
Dick nodded again. Totally worth it.
***
At the restaurant they sat with Bruce’s friends, a woman named Diana and a man named Clark. Dick had gotten to know them a little and they said they’d help him adjust to his new life. There were three adult menus and one kid menu with three crayons. He wasn’t reading the menu, just drawing over it, ignoring the designated drawing sections, not drawing anything specific.
He didn’t know what he was drawing, just following a feeling. Really it was more the motion that soothed him. He had to sit still but this was a secret motion that was just his, and he got away with it.
He didn’t even realize how much time had passed that soon he heard Bruce say, “do you know what you want?”
Dick froze, looked at the group, who all smiled at him, and he hung his head in shame.
“Alright let’s see." Bruce opened the part of the menu with the food options and pointed at the first meal, dick read and shook his head. The older man’s finger lowered to the next option on the list, dick read, considered, then shook his head. Another, and dick thought about it, and nodded.
“It comes with either fries or fruit, which do you want?”
Dick put up two fingers.
“Fruit?”
He nodded.
“Do you wanna try and order for yourself when the waiter gets here?”
Dick got anxious and looked again at the group, they looked kind, but he feared their reactions. Still he knew he couldn’t do it. His eyes got glassy with tears, and tries to make a sound like no, “mm-mm.”
There was real anxiety behind those eyes. That was the first time Clark had realized this kid had survived things most adults would never even think possible, he knew them all in theory but if he wouldn’t say what really happened, how could he get justice. It was the first moment Diana realized how much Dick needed Bruce, but even moreso how much Bruce needed that kid. He needed to be a caretaker, needed to restore the hope in someone so much like him, and that kid needed someone who’d been there, who’d be patient through all the best and worst moments. This was just one moment, likely one of hundreds just like it. Tons of moments where a cry for help transcended words but was just as loud.
“Alright, I’ll order that for you.”
The adults got back to talking, dick got distracted. A waiter came to ask for drinks, Bruce ordered water for Dick, but then considered.
“Richard, do you want lemonade?”
Dick nodded.
“He’ll have a lemonade as well.”
The adults all got sodas or iced teas, they looked the same to Dick, who didn’t really care. But the adults were talking and he started to find comfort in their voices, the restaurant was loud, but their voices were right in front of him, and they were right in front of him, so it felt safer.
“Two drinks?” Diana asked.
“If the lemonade is too sweet or sour the water is a palate cleanser, apparently. And he’s been running around all day in the sun, he needs to hydrate.”
She didn’t say it but it was strange seeing his solitary friend become such a father seemingly overnight. And clearly her smirk told Bruce and Clark exactly that.
The drinks came and they ordered their meals. The food arrived soon. All the adult meals were bigger, but looked overwhelming. Dick was happy with his kids meal.
Soon the dinner was over. They didn’t get desserts. Dick was okay with that, the lemonade was really sweet. And he was already in a climbing mood again, he held Bruce’s hand as they left but if he weren’t he would’ve gone straight for the rocky wall again. Instead Clark had picked him up and soon Dick was using Clark’s arm as a monkey bar. He giggled as he swung back and forth on the way to the car, and by the time they’d gotten to the car and he got inside waiting for the adults to say goodbye he heard a few of their parting words.
“This was a good idea Clark. Thank you both for helping with him tonight.”
Clark grinned. “Anytime, kid’s a wildcard.”
“He’s still a kid. Honestly, you were right. I think it’ll be good for him.” Diana said.
“I hope you’re right.”
Dick smiled. Things were starting to look up now, but maybe that didn’t mean things would turn bad again soon, maybe things would finally start to become normal.
On the car ride home Dick tried to sleep, he’d never been the type of kid to fall asleep in the car. But he wished he could. Once they parked at Wayne manor, Bruce opened his door. Dick really wished he were asleep, and of course Bruce knew. He wasn’t that good at fooling Batman just yet.
“Yeah nice try, kid.”
But he still unbuckled him and picked him up, carrying him to his room.
“Alright, play pretend’s over, go brush your teeth.”
“Hmf” Dick made a sound to mimic protest but immediatley headed to the bathroom and started brushing his teeth. He got ready for bed, including wearing PJs with a little superman logo on the pocket.
Bruce went back to the room to turn off the light and check on him. He knealed in front of him and said, “goodnight, chum.”
Bruce stood and began to leave, his hand about to turn the doorknob when he heard it.
“G’ni-” his voice going quiet at several points from lack of use, unaccustomed to forming words like that. But Dick felt he needed to.
Bruce internally panicked, if he made a big deal of it, the kid might shut down and never talk again, but he couldn’t ignore it either. Instead he turned back, smiled, what he hoped wasn’t too much but enough to show he was proud, and nodded. “Of course. See you tomorrow, okay?”
Dick nodded. Clearly that was all the speaking he’d do tonight, which was the most he’d done in months.
Bruce left. To Dick, it’d been a great day, he was excited for what tomorrow would bring. Meanwhile Bruce immediately went to Alfred, “he just spoke!”
“What did Richard say?”
“He said goodnight”
“My that’s quite the development.”
“Well he just said ‘g’ and ‘ni,’ but it’s progress.”
“Yes. progress.”