Robin one shot part 3!

You'll find him at the circus

What if? has inspired me (and also broke me) so here is my idea of what if Dick rejoined the circus when he was sixteen?

This was it. Dick signed the contract to rejoin Haley's Circus and he'd been told that he'd start the next day. He'd only been given the next few hours to get his affairs in order as they'd be moving the day he joined but Dick enjoyed that. Haley had been delighted to see he was coming back, especially when his family had been such headliners for the show. He neglected to mention the reason he was coming back was that he'd been fired from his Robin position. This decision had been a long time coming though. He never belonged in Gotham, not that Gotham wanted him to belong there. They made it very clear with the headlines rubbing his name in the dirt and conversations he overheard at galas calling him a charity case. Clearly, the only thing they wanted from him was the inheritance. He was insurance for others to remain in the higher classes of Gotham and nothing more. He was replaceable in that way but Graysons weren't meant to be replaced and Haley knew that. He didn't immediately fill in their spot as soon as he could or even attempt to put out a call for someone to do what the family had accomplished because there was no one better than the Flying Graysons. It was nice being wanted. 

Haley's excitement had passed onto him and he packed his bags with a small smile, ready for the prospect ahead of him. He already had a routine planned out for his first show and he could already hear the crowds fawning over him. Finally, he'd be appreciated by an adoring audience and all the people in the circus who was just happy that he was back. His phone had been blowing up with various people adding him to groupchats and saying their hellos. Some reminded him of who they were as though he could've ever forgotten whilst others introduced themselves for the first time. This was exactly the fresh start he needed. The only thing he was feeling bad about was leaving Alfred and Barbara. Those two always had his back and it wasn't fair that Bruce was making him feel the need to do this but maybe he could keep in touch with just them. He already invited Barbara to help him pack under the guise of homework. He doubted that Bruce bought it but he was leaving tonight so there wasn't much he could do about it. "You're leaving as in you're not coming back?" Barbara asked. He nodded solemnly. It wasn't like he wanted to leave her behind but this was the final straw. This wasn't his home. He needed to go back to the place where he was happiest and unfortunately, that meant he was going to be moving around the world far from Gotham. "Like you're never coming back?" she clarified. She picked up some clothes and folded them before passing them over to him.

"I might come back if the circus comes here or if I find the need but I guess it's a possibility," he answered. In reality, he didn't want to come back for a long time and he'd probably find a way to avoid coming here as much as he could. He hoped that it would be years before he came back. Not like anything would change. Bruce never did change and he used to take comfort in that but now it hung over him like a black cloud. 

"What's going to happen to Robin?" she asked quietly. That was the million-dollar question. He didn't think he could leave the vigilante life behind him but he couldn't use Robin without the sting anymore. There'd be something for him, he was sure about that. Dick was smart and would come up with some way to have the best of both worlds.

"Replaced I think," he said just as quietly. The ginger frowned at him and put a hand on his shoulder. 

"He won't replace you, Dick. He'll miss you and maybe then he'll want you to come home. Then you can come home and we can pretend this never happened," she offered. He took the lot of folded clothes from her and shoved them deep into the suitcase. He wasn't taking half as much as she thought he would. Perhaps he thought he'd get more on the road or simply didn't need as much.