"I'll be home late today" said Bruce as Alfred finished helping him fix his tie, while walking to the door. Dick padded along them quietly wearing his tiny bat footy pajamas, clutching a fuzzy blue blanky in a tiny fist, while his other was at his mouth suckling on his thumb. It was so early in the day that even a morning person like Dick was having trouble whipping the sleep from his eyes. As they neared the door, Dick latched onto Bruce's leg and said "I wanna come too" in a sleepy but determined slur over his thumb.
Bruce sighed and picked the child up from under his arms and gave him light kiss to his temple before handing him to Alfred. He exchanged his black slippers for shined shoes and pulled on his coat. "You need to get more sleep" he said, petting the little guys head softly "you hardly got enough last night and today I have to stay focuse on a very important meeting. I won't have time to be with you at work" sighed Bruce.
"I'll sleep at the office and I can be very quiet..." whispered the little boy, a sniffle sounding in his voice. "It is better for you to stay here with Alfred. That way you can play and make all the noise you want" smiled Bruce. Dick just stared at him with those innocent, wide and slowly blinking, blue eyes with a sad expression. Looking into them, Bruce could swear that the where asking "Why are you leaving me? You're coming back to me, right?" And it tore his heart out seeing his baby bird like that.
He opened his arms up and Alfred handed his little master over. Dick wrapped the arm that he wasn't using to suck his thumb and wrapped it securely around his father's neck, nestling his little head under the man's chin. "How about this then" tried to compromise Bruce in a soothind voice "I'll work strait through lunch to get home sooner and then, we can go to the watch tower together. Does that sound ok?" he asked his son, smiling when he felt him nod against him. "I'll see you tonight" he whispered into the boy's raven locks, before handing him back to Alfred, sighing with relief to see him asleep once more, before leaving.
Farmers Market
"How about some strawberries?" asked Alfred to Richard as they passed by a stand to check the fruit. "I like them in fruit salad" said Richard giving older man a soft smile. The poor boy was still a bit sad at his father's earlier departure that morning. Alfred had hoped that this little trip would cheer him up and so far it seemed to be going smoothly.
They walked around for a while more looking at many stands and sampling many delightful items. "Alfred what' that?" asked Richard intrigued at an old fashioned farmers well. "Why it's a well" said the British man following Richard to it. Dick climbed on it and leaned in to see water and coins at the bottom. "It's got money inside" gasped the little boy "it's so full like a treasure spot" he exclaimed. Alfred chuckled and pulled him back slightly to keep him from leaning too far in. "In a way it is a treasure" said Alfred pulling out a shiny coin and handing it to Richard "you see people toss a coin in and then make a wish" he smiled.
Richard fiddled with the coin for a thoughtful moment. He closed his eyes and whispered "I wish I had a friend..." and tossed it in. He waited in that spot till he heard a satisfying splash before turning to Alfred and asking "do you think it'll come true?" "Without a doubt" smiled the older man taking the child' hand and started to head back for the manor.
It was early evening when Bruce came back from work. He was exhausted, being true to his word, working through lunch in order to get back to his little boy sooner. He walked through the door a bit surprised to not have been tackled in a hug by said little boy. "Alfred...?" the billionaire called out. Alfred immediately materialized next to him from who knows where with a soft smile on his mustached face. "I see that you have had a rather busy day" he said, taking Bruce's coat and briefcase.
"I did" sighed the man in exertion "where's Richard?" he asked walking to his room for a change of comfortable clothes. "Down in the cave with his new friend" smiled the butler. At this Bruce stopped dead in his tracks and turned on his heal to look at his longtime friend. "Someone has infiltrated the Batcave?" asked Bruce trying to stay calm. "I assure you master Bruce, that there is no danger in this friend being down there with master Dick, rather a positive factor" stated the butler following Bruce down the stairs of the cave.
Half way down, both men could hear the laughter of Richard. "Get the Joker back in Arkham" called Robin jumping and cartwheeling. "I'm gonna need some back up" he said rolling to the computer with something in his arms. "Cover me from this position" he said to the object placing it on the council. When he moved away it was revealed to be a teddy bear. A fluffy, brown furred, Batman masked teddy bear, complete with cape and gloves. It was only when Robin turned around did he see his father and Alfred. "Daddy?" cried the bird, bouncing over to Bruce and tackling him in a hug.
'I missed that' smiled the dark knight hugging back. "Look, look, look, daddy" said the boy retrieving his teddy bear and bringing it back to present to his father. "Me and Alfred made him today" he smiled "we cut out the fabric, stuffed him with cotton and I even got to put a little heart in his chest. Alfred helped me with the sowing" he finished hugging the bear to him. "Well he's defiantly handsome" laughed Bruce "kneeling down to examine the bear. "Uh-huh" nodded the boy in agreement "and guess what else" whispered the boy. "What?" asked Bruce. "He's got a secret identity too" he said pulling the mask off lightly from the bears head revealing a cute teddy, with black eyes.
"Can I take him to the Watch Tower?" exclaimed Dick, bouncing in excitement "I can show him to aunty Diana, and uncle Clark and Arrow and Lantern's and we can all play together" ranted the little kid, bearly taking time to breath "can I? Can I? Can I, tati?" "Why not" gave in the Bat with a sigh. 'There's just no saying 'No' to this angle' thought Bruce with a content smile at seeing his child so happy.
