The Phantom Robin

9: Long Night

The smaller twin gave a shaky smile to the two older men, warily watching the older of the two. He trusted his twin, but the unknown man was something else, even if he vaguely felt safe. Like being back in the Ghost Zone in a strange way.

"Danny." Dick stood up, his smile falling into thin lips into a deep frown.

The smaller twin looked down, hugging his middle. He felt scared. Was Dick going to scold him? Yell at him? Hit him?! He deserved all of it, he was sure of that, but that didn't mean he wasn't less scared... He didn't want to lose his brother again... He was just about willing to do anything to keep from losing him again.

A firm hand was placed on both his shoulders, making him flinch, his body tensing for a fight. He forced himself to keep calm. He knew there were only two people in the room. He had no reason to fight his brother. He would take whatever he gives and apologize properly for not questioning the long silence between them.

"What did they do to you, Danny..." The whispered words were sad, but there was a hint of anger, of brewing resentment. Resentment not for him. It confused the young Halfa.

Tilting his head to the side, he looked up to his much older-appearing twin.

"Nothing? Mo-Maddie and J-Jack did nothing..." His nose wrinkled. He needed to not call them Mom and Dad. Not in front of his brother.

Dick's eye twitch, the anger for his Aunt and Uncle growing by the second. He had almost called them Mom and Dad! They had to have known what happened to their parents, they had to! This clearly was intentional!

Gulping down the rage, he crouched a little to look his brother in the eye. He needed to see his eyes. They were always so truthful to him. So easy to read and understand. Even to strangers.

"Danny, please tell me... Tell me everything that you can comfortably talk about... Please..."

There was desperation within the First Robin's voice, blue eyes gazing into blue eyes. Neither one was backing down, they both were so stubborn. Then came a solid knock and they looked away to the door.

The middle-age man opened the door and nodded to the butler, who walked in carrying a tray of hot soup and lightly toasted bread.

"Do I have to eat that?" The tiny twin mumbled, his eyes focused on the plate of toast.

"You do not, but it is good to start your stomach on some light foods." The butler dutifully responded, setting the tray on a desk that Danny hadn't noticed before.

The room went silent as Danny began to devour his soup. He tried multiple times to eat it in one gulp, but Alfred only had to lightly clear his throat for him to calm down. Then there was the way that he ate it... He kept tapping it and stirring it in a strange manner. It was as if he was expecting it to suddenly become hard. Or become alive.

"Danny, where have you been?" Dick sat the closest to his blood brother, leaning to be even closer. Close enough that even if the answer was whispered, he would be able to hear it.

"Amity Park." Swallowing the last remaining spoonful of soup, the softer twin looked to the older men in the room. "It's... It's a pretty hidden place in Minnesota, the most haunted place in the US." He gave a chuckle, rolling his eyes like he made an inside joke.

"I have heard of that place. I heard it's a tourist trap?" Bruce stepped forward, keeping his voice low and as gentle as he could manage.

The small boy laughed at that, his face looking soft with mischief and humor. A humor they didn't know what for.

"Tourist trap my ass. Ghosts there are as real as aliens. The only reason everyone thinks it's a tourist trap is because of the resident hero." He leaned back in his seat, his humor suddenly gone, and his nose scrunched. "Maybe hero is too... something..." Instantly he looked to his brother for help. Dickie was always good with words. He really liked exploring the meanings of them.

"Heroic?"

He nodded, continuing on. "He's more like a vigilante than a real hero. He's pretty nice, just causes a lot of messes." He shrugged at the end.

Dick glanced at Bruce, who gave a subtle nod of his head. Danny tensed when he saw that. He wasn't very fond of not being in the know, but he was willing to behave... At least till they gave him a reason not to.

"You have a high opinion of him?" Bruce took a step forward, watching as the boy's tense body went rigid and those eyes narrowed on him.

"I guess. I kind of helped him out a bit. So did my friends."

The two of them were going to continue to talk with him, when there was a familiar heavy knock on the door.

"Come in, Alfred."

The grey-haired butler entered the room without hesitation and walked over to the tray of dirty dishes. With cool eyes, he examined the room and its occupants.

"Master Bruce, Master Dick, don't you both have activities for tomorrow?" 

The two winced, both having long meetings to deal with, one in civies and one in costume.

"Got it, Alfred." Dick mumbled, standing from his seated position. He turned to look to his twin someone he never thought he'd see again after so long. "Get some good sleep, Phantom."

Danny's eyes widen before a lopsided smile formed on his face. "You too, Robin.

The two smiled at each other before the two Waynes and butler left. Despite how calming the talk was, and seeing that his brother wasn't physically upset, Danny doubted he'd be able to get much sleep that night in general.