Just Robin Oneshots pt 4

i have no son pt 3

After finding out about Dick's insecurity in the family, the little things he did that showed his feelings of displacement were suddenly glaringly obvious. Really, it should've been obvious for people who prided themselves on their ability to pick apart body language when investigating. Hell, they could find tiny details in cold cases older than they were but they couldn't see what was right in front of them? If it were anyone else, sure, but it shouldn't have gone over their heads and it definitely shouldn't have done so for this long.

It was all in the way Dick inserted himself in the group or rather how he didn't insert himself all the time. He'd always stand just ever so slightly out of the way. They hadn't noticed how often he did it, perhaps because his personality was so big that it effortlessly filled the space between them, but now they couldn't unsee it. He kept using the equipment in the gym that was a few more paces away than necessary, taking the chair when using the computer that was closest to the exit even when other seats were available and would get comfortable on a loveseat before he took the open space on the couch. They knew it wasn't out of wanting some personal space, that was obvious from how when they invited him to come closer he'd practically leap at the chance and remained comfortable in their space only to tense when he left it.

There was also the way he held himself. Literally. You'd be hard-pressed to find a memory where his hands weren't shoved in his pockets or remaining by his side as he was a fidgety person in general but they'd begun to notice times when he was holding himself in a certain way. Whether it be folding his arms across his chest and squeezing his biceps or rubbing the back of his neck and twisting his hair, he always held himself at least a third of the time they spent together. He didn't do it half as much when he was with friends he'd known for years. Friends often touched him in some way, tapping his arms when he picked at his skin or redirecting his hands when his fingers clenched on his skin.

Part of why Dick was so dependable was how he nearly always said yes to any activity they did together. He would come to galas despite hating how people kept trying to set him up with their kids (which wasn't uncommon for any of them even Damian was getting courting suggestions), he'd happily take Damian for the day even at short notice and the moment a group patrol was suggested he was right there hot on the heels asking for all the details. They'd taken it as an expression of his care for the family, it still was, but now there was an element of desperation for being needed and having proof of it. If they invited him to places or needed him to do things for them then surely he had a place within the family, right? 

The fact was that the signs were all there. They'd been there for years in plain sight. Ever since his place in the home was taken, ever since Bruce allowed him to think that he was completely replaceable and there as a luxury, not as a requirement. 

So they knew what the behaviour was and why he was displaying the behaviour but now came the thing they had no idea how to approach. How do they target the feelings behind the behaviour instead of just dealing with the symptoms of the real issue? This wasn't as simple as telling him that he was wanted, although saying that more would probably help. They needed to change their behaviour and they had no idea where to start so why not ask Dick's favourite superhero? 

Clark was immediately intrigued when he received a call from Bruce's number on his lunch break. Despite working together on various projects over the years, they didn't communicate all that much during the day nor as their civilian personas. At most, he'd get a heads up about a gala he was attending in Gotham being a target for some attack or other. If he was particularly lucky, he'd get a call to be the first person to interview the family on a topic or help introduce the newest member. He couldn't help but dread what he was about to hear yet he still picked up the phone and answered with a friendly hello.