Just Robin Oneshots Part 2

He's not my son

Young!Dick and Old! Damian is a vibe for angst and I'm going through it so someone is getting tortured

EDIT: TW BRUCE'S DEATH//BLOOD

"Would you just listen to me for five seconds?" Batman asked, his expression taut with frustration. Robin huffed at him with his arms folded across his chest. "You're not my dad so why should I?" he asked pointedly. "My dad is dead so whatcha gonna do? Tattle on me to a grave?"

"Don't you dare bring Father into this you defiant brat! If you won't listen then you can go back home and be the mopey little prick you're being now," he snapped back. The younger rolled his eyes for what had to be the fiftieth time that night. He wasn't listening and any insult that was thrown his way went over his head with little effect. He didn't care for Damian and Damian didn't care for him. Their touching moments as siblings were often overshadowed by times like this. Times where if they didn't have the no kill rule, one of them would be found dead and the other would be running to Mexico to become El Batso. "Screw you! You're just jealous because I'm a better Robin than you'll ever be!"

"Is that so Grayson?"

"Yeah, it is, dickhead!" He turned on his heel and stormed off. Batman knew he didn't have anywhere to go other than home so let him leave. After all, what could go wrong?

A few hours went by and patrol had ended, Batman knew that he was going to come home to an apology. The younger always apologized first then he'd give a sort of apologetic look. It was their thing and it worked for him. Maybe it worked for only him. At the end of the day, there was an apology and they made up. Only when he entered the cave a rather worried Alfred came up to him. "Where's Master Dick?" he asked.

"Did he not come back?" Damian replied.

"Evidently not sir. I've been trying to contact him just for check-ups but he hasn't responded to any of them. I naturally assumed you two were together," the butler answered. Damian paled. No. No, he couldn't have lost that kid. He couldn't have let his anger get the best of him and put him in unneeded danger. "He hasn't been with me since midnight. We got into an argument and he stormed off."

"And you didn't go after him?"

"Why would I go after him? He was the one who started it!" he argued.

"And you're the adult who ends it. He's immature and lashes out because he's a child. You have to take responsibility and be the one to calm him down," Alfred responded in a disappointed tone.

"He's not my son!" Damian snapped.

"But he's your little brother. You have a duty to protect him even if he's being difficult with you because you're one of the only people he has left." Damian glanced down at his feet and scowled at his boots. Of course, he knew the responsibility he had to Dick. He knew the moment news came that his father died but he just didn't expect it to be so hard. Or so soon. Dick was so easy with Bruce but now he seemed like such a handful that he had to fight with every second of the day to get somewhere. Every topic was an argument. Eat your breakfast - no you're not my dad, don't tell me what to do. Do your homework - no I'm too tired. Stay with me - no I want to do it on my own. He couldn't remember him ever acting like this around Bruce. He felt a hand rest upon his shoulder and glanced up. "Master Bruce made the same mistakes with you. You've got the advantage of the boy's forgiving nature. He probably didn't come back because he was still angry so we mustn't fear the worst."

"We mustn't fear the worst." Those words echoed through Damian's mind as he got to the third all-nighter. He did check the tracker and found that it was near the port. So when he went there he expected to see Robin dangling with his feet over the edge and maybe throwing rocks into the water to burn off frustration. What he found was a broken utility belt, ripped fabric from Robin's suit, a tracker and drops of blood. There were drag marks caused by the crimson liquid so he tried to follow them but the drag marks ran out. Then there was nothing. No trace of his little brother anywhere. He tried and tried but there was nothing. No tire marks, no CCTV, no witnesses, nothing! Had this been a civilian he would've gone in with no hope. He'd be ready to file this under a cold case and leave it for the police to solve twenty years from now. But this wasn't a civilian. This was his little brother. He had to protect him and by losing him, Damian failed. So he spent the next three days working nonstop. Eventually, he beat up enough crooks and broke into enough places to get a hit. "Pennyworth, prepare for Grayson's return and contact Dr. Thompkins. Judging by the information I've been given he will be in the need of medical assistance," Damian announced as he pulled down his cowl.