Dick Grayson one shots

Believe me just this once

She's done yall

Being back at the manor was almost as painful as being abandoned at spyral had been.

Dick hated the mistrust his real and subsequent fake death had caused between him and his brothers.

He wanted to explain, to tell them everything... but would they even believe him? Probably not... their trust was shattered.

Part of Dick felt just a bit bitter... Bruce had forced him to lie to them... literally beat him until he complied.

And he'd just gone with it... why had he gone with it?

He'd just been beaten and unmasked in front of the entire world... soon after that he'd been killed...

He'd only been gone for a minute or so... nothing like Jason or Damian... but it still hurt.

Some part of Dick had been broken that night in the cave... when instead of receiving a hug and reassurance from the mentor who'd nearly lost him he'd been shoved away again... abandoned... again.

It shouldn't be his responsibility to explain what happened. He shouldn't have to tell his siblings what Bruce had done and pretend like it was okay... pretend like it hadn't hurt to be hit by the man who was supposed to protect him... to always have his back.

But no... the responsibility was left to him... and he didn't want to have to go through the pain of not being believed again.

—

Dick slouched on the bench at the park where Bruce had agreed to meet him for their annual father son outing.

He knew it was just a ploy for good press... something to show the world that good old Bruce Wayne still cared about his original orphan charity project.

Despite knowing the outing had nothing to do with actually caring about him, Dick desperately hoped that maybe this year it would be different.

He could really do with something more than tough love.

Bruce waved as he approached.

Dick stood, feeling underdressed in his simple t-shirt and jeans.

Bruce shifted, pulling Dick into an awkward hug.

Dick stiffened against Bruce's pressed suit. 'He's doing this for publicity,' his brain whispered.

"Hey B," he greeted, forcing a fake cheerfulness to cover the pain.

"Hey," Bruce echoed.

"How's life?" Dick half heartedly asked.

"Good," Bruce replied, following Dick's lead and sitting down on the bench.

Dick swatted at his neck as he felt a brief stinging pain. Probably a bug.

"It's been a while," he mumbled.

Bruce grunted in agreement.

Dick sighed, a sudden exhaustion weighing on his limbs. He didn't want to do this today.

Bruce twitched, rubbing at his own neck. "Stupid bugs," he mumbled.

"H-hey B?" Dick asked, his voice unsteady and just a bit uncertain. "Have you told them about Spyral?"

Bruce tensed. "Why would I talk to them about that? That was your thing," he replied.

Dick felt as if he'd been slapped. His thing?

Tiredness weighed on his limbs, and he found he couldn't hold back the tears that trailed down his cheeks.

Bruce seemed shocked to see him crying. "Uh... what... what's wrong?" He asked.