Forgotten Bonds

Thirty-Six - Renewed Wings

March 12th, 2009. Thursday, 8:03 pm. 

Four days. 

That was how many days Dick had been a son and that was how many days he now had a father. 

Yes, he was keeping track. He loved the very thought of it. There were nagging thoughts in the back of his mind that reminded him about what Bruce would say and what his friends would think, but he did his very best to push those thoughts away. He just wanted to bask in the wonderful moment, the wonderful feelings. 

It was strange at times to think about Slade as his father. After so many years of not having one, Dick wasn't exactly sure what think any more or how to act around the man. It'd only been four days and he wasn't exactly ready to call Slade anything other than 'Slade' just yet. 

But he found himself more comfortable with the man. He no longer felt the need to be reserved or hold himself back. If he wanted to be close to the man, he could be. He realized that during his time here, Slade had been the one to extend himself and offer the physical affection or reassurances. Dick hadn't really once ever been the one to initiate it besides those impulsive hugs of his – and those were huge things, not simple gestures of a touch on the arm or otherwise. 

Somehow, the adoption unlocked his reserved feelings; completely allowing himself to be like he always was with his friends – but, of course, that also fully showed respect to the man that was now his father. A father was to be revered, respected, and obeyed. But it also meant a comfortable familiarity that was specially available to father and son. 

And Dick latched onto it with all his heart. 

While he had begun to get used to being stuck here, it was the adoption that changed Dick's thought process completely. He didn't view this place as his prison in a capture any more, but viewed it as a home; a real home that he could claim as his own. 

There was a soft feeling in his heart that told him that he was no longer a captive. He knew it. He also knew that change took time and it would probably take Slade some time before he'd let Dick go out and perhaps visit his friends. He wasn't sure when that'd happen, though. 

Just somehow, he knew it would happen. 

But in some ways, after seven months of being hidden away from the world, there was a frightened feeling inside Dick's heart. He was nervous about his friends and what they would say about this whole thing. He really didn't feel like arguing with them or trying to explain everything to them. That was what the letters were for, after all. And Dick didn't even want to think about what Bruce would berate about it – since the man would berate, not say. 

He almost felt like a little child who wanted to hide behind his father's legs; a child who would hide and peer out from behind the safety of such strength. But that was so silly, feeling that way. Wasn't he supposed to be Robin? Wasn't he supposed to be all brave and stuff? But to be honest, he wasn't 'Robin' any more. He was just 'Dick' now. After so many years of burying that boy, he had risen to the surface and returned full force. 

There were still parts of Robin inside Dick, but generally, that boy was gone in many ways. Or rather, melded the best qualities into Dick. He still liked to joke around with silly puns, still loved to play mischievous pranks, still loved to hang out with his friends, still enjoyed video games, and still could kick bad guy butt like no tomorrow – actually even better now through Slade's tutelage. But the driven, fully focused, determined, reclusive, serious, hardened boy that was Robin had long disappeared. 

The boy that was left in his place was Dick; the highly sensitive, shy, timid boy who loved hugs and affection, who wanted to please, who always wished for normalcy – who always wished for a family. Compared to Robin, Dick could rely on others better. He was more balanced when it came to his decisions. Dick was fully sure that if he ever returned to the Titans, he'd be a much better leader now. Yeah, so he was a bit of a softy at times, but in a way, he liked the feeling of letting his tears fall compared to the feeling of that tightened lump in his throat that completely held them back.