YJ: Bedtime
As mature as Robin is, he is still just a kid. This fact is even more evident to Kaldur as he watched the boy fight a losing battle with exhaustion as he tried to beat Wally at Marvel vs. Capcom III for the seventy-eighth time that night.
"Ha! I win!" Wally cheered as his Captain America knocked Ryu across the screen. Poor Robin was too out of it to even notice. Kaldur went to step in but Conner beat him to the punch.
"It's bedtime." Conner said taking the game controller out of Robin's hand.
"Hey… I am still using that." Robin protested sleepily.
"No you are not. You were drooling on it." Conner said scooping the tiny boy into his arms.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Robin gasped a little more awake now trying to squirm out of Conner's arms, but the older boy held on tight.
"I am putting you to bed." Conner replied plainly.
"I am way too old to be put to bed." Robin pouted. "I can put myself to bed thank you very much."
"But you don't." Kaldur said falling into step beside Conner.
"I am not sleepy yet…" Robin's voice trailed off as he realised how childish he sounded. "You guys are all still awake."
"We didn't wake up at six to train this morning." Kaldur said as they reached Robin's room. Lucky for them Robin was too tired to really protest anymore. Conner placed the exhausted boy on his bed and Kaldur tucked the boy snugly into the blankets.
"Good night Robin." Kaldur said as he and Conner turned to leave turning off the light.
"Night Mom and Dad." Robin said with a teasing giggle catching the older boys off guard. Before they could rebuke Robin's words the kid was already fast asleep.
Megan had woken in the middle of the night to use the washroom and on her way back to her room she noticed that the kitchen light was on. Curious the Martian peeked into the kitchen to see their youngest sitting on a kitchen stool swinging his legs back and forth.
"Hey." Megan said announcing herself. "Can't sleep?" Robin looked up at her and nodded. Megan could sense that Robin was uncomfortable. "Nightmare?" Robin flushed slightly and nodded again. "Want to talk about it?" Robin paused for a moment then shook his head. "You know I read that a cup of warm milk and a touch of honey helps you go back to sleep." Megan said as she began gathering the ingredients.
"You don't have to." Robin said hoping off the stool to stop her.
"I insist."
Ten minutes later the two sat next to each other sipping the sweet warm milk. Megan's green cheeks slightly flushed in embarrassment. Robin had ended up making the milk to make sure Megan didn't burn the pot.
"Thanks." Robin smiled as he finished his milk and placed the mug into the sink. "I think I feel better now." Megan smiled. Robin headed back to his room, Megan followed him and he let her. Megan gently tucked the small boy in once Robin climbed back into bed.
"Thanks again." Robin said with a small smile. Megan smiled back before leaning down and planting a soft kiss on Robin's forehead.
"Good night Robin."
Dick had just changed into his pyjamas when a soft knock sounded at his door.
"Come in." At Dick's prompting his bedroom door opened and Alfred stepped in.
"How was patrolling tonight?" Alfred asked as Dick climbed into bed. The old butler began pulling the comforter over the boy.
"Alfred don't you think I am too old to be tucked in?" Dick protested as the old man pulled the blanket up and tucked it under Dick's chin.
"How old do you think is too old to be tucked in?" Alfred asked.
"I don't know." Dick pondered. "Thirteen. I am thirteen now and you and Bruce are still treating me like a little kid."
"Well I guess you are right." Alfred said straightening up. "Thirteen is plenty old enough."
"Really?" Dick asked surprised.
"Yes." Alfred replied curtly. "I guess you are too old for a bedtime story as well."
"But we haven't finished…" Dick's words died at his lips. The butler smirked slightly. "I guess I am not too old yet. Fourteen would be way too old. Can we keep this a secret? Just between you and me?" Alfred nodded, turned and sat down on the bed next to the boy.
"So, where did we leave off? Ah, right, the young heroes headed towards the mountains…."
Dick has never felt so cold in his life; he could feel his life slowly slipping away from him with his consciousness. The metal handcuffs were frozen painfully to his wrists. Dick wondered if his teammates had made it out of the warehouse. Dick had allowed himself to get caught so they could get out, stop the bomb, and get help instead of all of them being trapped in the industrial freezer freezing to death. It was the best plan, but the chance of success was only nineteen percent. Dick knew they would prioritize the locating and deactivating of the bombs that could kill thousands over his rescue, and he was prepared for that. Of all the ways Dick had thought he would die as Robin, freezing was definitely one of his least favourite if he had a choice. Through his blurred sense he could hear the door opening; a few blurry figures approached him, then only darkness.
As Dick began fading back into consciousness he could feel himself being changed out of his uniform into his pyjamas and his wounds being dressed. Dick was still so very cold so he was gratefully when Bruce wrapped him in a thick blanket and held him close. It was warms and Bruce's strong heart beat told Dick that he was safe. Dick groaned softly at the lost of Bruce's body heat as Bruce placed him on the bed. Dick could vaguely tell that he was not in his own bed but in Bruce's bed. A hot water bottle was placed near his feet and warm blankets pulled up around him. Dick blinked and opened his eyes.
"It's okay." Bruce said as he noticed Dick wake.
"Th…the b…bomb?" Dick asked weakly still shivering.
"It was deactivated." Bruce said tucking the boy securely into the nest of blankets and pillows. "Another minuet and you may have frozen to death." Through his still blurred vision Dick could see the worry on Bruce's face. Bruce sat down on the large bed beside Dick and stroked the boy's hair gently.
"You know I am getting too old for this…" Dick said after a while on the edge of sleep.
"I know. But today will be an exception." Bruce said softly. Dick couldn't tell if Bruce was making an exception for him to stay in the comfort of Bruce's bed or if Bruce was asking Dick to make an exception to let him keep Dick nearby. Dick couldn't bring himself to care as he drifted off to sleep feeling safe and warm.