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Dick Grayson could not believe how quickly his life had changed in the manner of a few weeks, he had just celebrated his birthday a month ago. But now his parents are dead, they had fallen to their deaths right in front of him. Because he did not tell anyone about Zucco and his threats towards the circus. He had spent days in a boys orphanage while the police tried to figure out what to do with him sense he was a gypsy and part of a traveling circus.
The police did not think they could leave a boy of six years old in the hands of circus freaks but they also could not speak to him. Dick was so far retreated into his mind over what had happened to his parents that he was only speaking Romanian and none of the Gotham police officers knew the language. So the child was all alone in a city he had never been to and with no way of communicating with anyone.
Currently little Richard was sitting on the bed he was given last night by the old lady running the orphanage. He had been sleeping on the floor because they did not have space for him. He had not slept at all in the night, the image of his parents bloody and broken bodies stuck in his mind. None of the other children tried talking to the acrobat sense he would not be able to speak with them anyway.
"Richard" called an elderly voice.
Still the boy stared into nothing not even acknowledging the elderly lady.
"I am sorry sir, but he is very traumatized. Maybe you would like to adopt a child that is not so damaged" suggested the elderly lady.
"No thank you madam. Excuse me, I think I will try talking to Richard" said a deep voice.
The young acrobat still did not notice anyone. Not even the man that kneeled down infront of him with sad eyes.
"Buna ziua Richard" greeted the unknown man. (hello Richard)
Dick was ripped out of his thoughts from familiar language. He stared up at the dark haird man questioningly but decided to not say anything.
The man gave a small smile, "Numele meu este Bruce." He said introducing himself. (my name is Bruce)
The acrobat gave a small nod in acknowledgment, why would this man be talking to him? He was very confused.
"Vrei să vii direct cu mine ?" asked Bruce as he looked around the room. (do you want to live with me?)
Still not sure what was happening Richard remained silent, he learned from the circus that you did not releave your hand unless you needed to. But think of the cricus had reminded him of his parents and he started to get sad. Slowly tears started to roll down his cheeks.
"Vreau ca mama și tata" sobbed the child. (I want mom and dad)
The man gave the boy a sad look, "I know Richard. Puteți vorbi engleza corect ?" he asked trying to change the conversation. (you know English right?)
The boy nodded slowly, "A little" he said.
"Come then. Let's get you out of here" Said Bruce standing a holding his hand out to the young boy.
Richard stated at this man. He felt a strange sense of safety from his mysterious attitude. Realizing that this man was going to give him safety the acrobat grabbed his hand and allowed the man, Bruce, to lead him to a waiting car and into a new life.
A few weeks later
The manor was huge and Dick had gotten lost a few times but thankfully the nice old butler always found him. Dick was currently sitting in the kitchen as Alfred made dinner. The old Englishman was very kind to the gypsy, way better than the kids had been at the orphanage. The acrobat still had a few bruises from them but the butler had bandaged him all up.
"Master Richard, dinner will be ready in a moment. Would you mind going to fetch Master Bruce?" asked Alfred as he pulled something out of the oven.
Dick looked up startled. He slowly got down from his chair and made his way to the study. Even though the man had taken him in Dick had not seen much of the billionair. He also did not know anything about Bruce Wayne. After all growing up in the circus that travelled all over the world and only being seven the young acrobat did not really pay attention to the elite.
When Dick reached the oak doors to the study he hesistated, he only seen the man all of three times sense he had arrived in the house. Bruce had mostly just avoided him. Granted Alfred was nice to him but the butler was still very strict on the way he acts towards his charges so he could never really have any fun with the elderly man. But he was a little scared that if he made Bruce mad that he would send him back to the oraphange so he did not try to bother the man.
The little boy knocked on the door hesitantly. He heard an annoyed reply and the boy gulped but he opened the door. He made his way in and saw the billionair hunched over the desk writing out reports. Bruce looked up when no one said anything and he saw the young boy that he had brought home weeks ago.
"Hello Richard" he tried to say pleasantly, he fealt so nervouse around the boy.
Dick just looked down at his feet feeling nervous, "Um… A-alfred…. Sa-ays that… dinner… is ready" stuttered the kid as he fidgeted.
Bruce let out a sigh and put down his pen, he hated that the boy was so nervous around him but he did not know how to fix that, "Thank you. Tell Alfred that I will be eating in here tonight."
The boy nodded quickly and dashed out of the room. Sighing again Bruce went back to his reports and tried to think of ways he could make the boy less nervous.
Several minutes later a disappointed butler came into the study holding a plate of food, "Master Bruce, you need to spend time with the boy."
Bruce moved his papers to the side to allow his dinner room, "I am busy Alfred." He said simply.
"Master Bruce, he needs your attention."
Bruce sent him an anooyed look, "Alfred, Dick is currently an eye witness for his parent's murder. I can't have peole seeing him in public. That is why we can't enroll him in school until next semester when all of this settles down."
"Fine then do something here. You could use a break from your extracurricular activities anyway"
Bruce just decided to ignore that last remark and started to eat his dinner signaling and end in the converstation. Alfred huffed one more time and left, but he knew that he got his charge to condisder his words. With a small smirk the butler made his way down stairs to the check in on his newest charge. He was disconcerted to see that the boy was eating at the giant table by himself and barely eating his food.
He hoped Bruce would hurry and figure out that this child is in need of him.
Later that night Bruce found himself laying in bed and wide awake. He had come back home after patrol early when there was no new leads in his case. He was a little confused as to why he was suddenly woken up. Suddenly he heard a scream and he was out of his bed and down the hall in seconds.
Alfred stood outside the door with a sad look on his face, he had arrived seconds before, "He has been like this every night sense we brought him in"
Bruce's chest constricted at this, he knew what it was like to loose your parents. The ngihtmares and the guilt was torture. He couldn't believe that he had not thought about this when he had been out in the city for every night. He entered the room and saw the young acrobat tossin and turning on his bed with tears running down his flushed cheeks as he screamed out in his first tongue.
Without relizing what he was doing Bruce wrapped the boy up in his arms and was trying to calm him down, "Shh Dick it will be alright" he kept repeating.
Slowly the sobbing died down and the boy started to wake up, "Bruce?" he asked confused.
The billionair gave a relived sigh and put the boy back down on the bed and tucked him back in.
The boy started to tear up again and he pulled the covers over his head trying to hide, "I'm sorry" he kept repeating.
Startled Bruce did not know what to do. He looked behind him to the butler who had disspapeard from the doorway. The billionair turned his attention back to the shaking sheets and tried to calm the boy down again.
"Why are you sorry?" he asked softly as he rested his large hand on the boys head.
The boy continued to shake, "I woke you up. Now you're going to send me back" he cried.
Bruce sighed again. He should have known that his ignoring of the child would not be good for him. But he did not know that he was having these kinds of thoughts. He would never send Dick back to that aweful orphanage. He had made a promise to himself to protect this child and he was going to keep it.
He softly pulled the blankes back and looked into water blue eyes and gave him a small smile, "I would never send you back. Do not worry about that"
Relief and hope seemed to floor though those sad eyes and the child launched himself into Bruce's chest and began to cry again.
That night Bruce made another vow, he would never leave this boy alone. The next day Bruce took Dick out into the city and showed him around. They had managed to avoid the paparazzi by going in disguise, sunglasses and hats, and went to the park and movies.
After that day it became a regular even for the two to go out and do something fun together or to spend a night at home doing a puzzle or watching tv. Needless to say Alfred was very proud of Bruce's ability to change for the child's sake.
4 months later- August
"Mastered Richard, please get up you must eat before you go to school" came a crisp and accented voice.
With a low groan the covers on the bed folded down, "Thank you Alfred" called out Dick to the ever loyal butler.
Yawning the seven year old got out of bed and put on the green uniform for Gotham Academy. After brushing his teeth and doing his hair he grabbed his back pack and slid down the banister to the kitchen.
"Master Richard please refrain from using the house like a jungle gym" came Alfred's voice from around the corner in the kitchen.
"You did not even see me" complained the youth as he sat down in a chair to eat.
"A butler knows his masters tendincies" said the butler with a small smirk as he placed a plate infront of him.
Dick rolled his eyes started to eat his eggs, "Where is Bruce? He is normally here before me" observed the child.
"Master Bruce had a long night and will be sleeping in a little later this morning" Said Alfred.
"He has had a lot of late nights lately, why does he not get work done during work hours" grumbled Dick.
Alfred have another smirk, "Master Bruce runs a very large company and has a lot of work that he must complete and has an image that he needs to maintane."
The acrobat rolled his eyes again and jumped up from the table, finished eating and went to wash his face before having Alfred drive him to school.
Later that week.
It was a Saturday and Dick was enjoying his day off with no homeowork. But Bruce was not home to play with him, he was over in Star city meeting with another business man. It was only the afternoon and little Dick was already bored.
"Alfred, can I play outside?" Dick asked the always present butler.
The Englishmen looked outside at the sunny weather and smiled down on his little master, "Of course Master Richard. But please do not wander to far" he said as he made his way back into the kitchen.
The young ward quickly ran out the doors after getting permission and ran to the trees, sense he was little he has always loved heights. Even after the death of his parents most people would think that he would hate being so high off the ground, but Richard loved being in the air like he was flying.
He was jumping from tree to tree doing flips and stunts while always making sure that Alfred could see him from the kitchen windows. He was not particularly high in the trees when he did another jump but was caught off guard by a yell from down below him.
"What are you doing?" called an unfamiliar voice.
Startled by the intruder Dick missed the landing and started to fall. Lucky the fall was only about ten feet and he landed on his back. After a few moments to catch his breath that got knocked out of him the young boy flipped up to his feet to look for the person that messed him up.
It didn't take long before the man came running over. He was dressed in a blue suite and he was large in build. He also had on some glasses that Dick could clearly see where just for looks and not prescription.
"What were you thinking? Are you alright?" the man asked as he looked down on the boy.
Richard glared at the man, "I was playing in the trees to answer your first question and second, I was alright until you threw me off"
The man seemed caught off guard by the boys words before he narrowed his eyes on him, "Well you should not even been up in the trees to begin with. Now why are you here? Bruce does not have any children" he observed looking the boy over.
Before Richard could answer Alfred came running out of the house, "Master Richard are you alright? I saw you fall. What happened you are not normally one to fall?" he questioned looking the boy over.
"It's that guys fault. He distracted me" grumbled the child.
Alfred just then noticed the other man's presence, "Oh Mr. Kent. To what do we owe this visit? Master Bruce is out of town for the weekend in Star City"
"I had a meeting with him for this afternoon" answered the reporter with a smile.
Alfred let out a small moan, this seemed to be a constant game with Bruce and Clark, Clark was always trying to talk to Bruce. But Bruce never wanted to talk to the overly happy man.
"You might have to reschedule he is not due home until tomorrow night" said Alfred.
All the while Dick watched the two adults, but he quickly grew bored of the conversation and climbed another tree.
"Great" groaned Clark, he then looked around, "So what's up with the kid?"
"That kid, is Master Richard and is Master Bruce's ward." Reported the butler.
Clark seemed surprised, "Wait Bruce adopted a kid? Wow wait til the others hear about this" he chuckled.
Alfred glared at the stronger man, "I would recommend that you keep this information to yourself Mr. Kent. Master Bruce has his reasons for not telling you."
The reported seemed to agree and rubbed the back of his neck nervisouly, "Your probably right. Does he know about-"
But before he could finish the question Clark felt an acorn hit him on the head followed by a chuckled. He looked up to see nothing in the trees but knew it was the boy he had just met.
"I don't think you made the best impression with Master Richard" chuckled the butler.
"Why do you let him play in the trees? It is not safe" said the reporter as he tried to look for the little acrobat.
Alfred seemed to grow serious again, "Master Richard was raised to things like that. He used to be in the circus but after an accident Master Bruce took him in."
Clark grew sad at those words, "I see."
Suddenly the young child jumped down from the trees right in between the two men, startling Clark but not the amused butler.
"Alfred when can we eat lunch?" the boy asked and punctuated with the growl of his stomach.
The Englishman chuckled, "It is ready now. Mr. Kent will you be joining us?" he asked raising an eyebrow.
Smiling his reporter smile Clark nodded and followed the two into the house. Over the course of the afternoon Dick and Clark decided that they could get along. They played several games of hide and seek and watched movies while Alfred cleaned the giant mansion. It was getting close to dinner when Clark got a phone call.
"Kent here"
Dick could hear the conversation because he was sitting next to the reporter on the couch.
"What are you doing at my house?" asked the familiar gruff voice of Bruce.
Clark chuckled, "Well I was here to get my interview. But someone seemed to have forgotten"
A growl came across the line making Dick giggle a little, "Get out Clark."
"But Alfred invited me to dinner and I can't say no to Alfred's cooking" replied the amused reporter.
"Clark!" came the irritated voice of the playboy.
Before Clark could reply his phone was pulled from his ear by the young boy next to him, "Bruce can Mr. Kent please stay for dinner? I had a fun day playing with him. Pleeaaasssee" begged the little boy.
There was a moment of silence then a deep sigh, "Fine. Dick give the phone back to Clark and go help Alfred set the table"
"Thank you" exclaimed the boy happily and then he jumped from the couch to the kitchen.
Clark laughed at how easily the boy was able change Bruce's mind, "He is an adorable kid"
Bruce chuckled, "Yea. Now why are you at my house? We did not have anything scheduled for today."
Clark stood up and went to a window to look out to the dark woods surrounding the mansion, "Well I thought I would check in on you. You have changed a lot in these last few months. There was a rumor that there might be a kid involved so I came to check it out. Do not think it was actually true though"
"How did you hear about that?" came the growled reply.
"Please Bruce I am a reporter. But don't worry I will not be reporting on it. Your mayor is throwing a pretty big party tonight so I thought I would check into that."
"Good. I don't want Dick to be exposed to too much media so suddenly." He sighed.
"That's understandable. But it might be easier if you announce it yourself than having some reporters turn it into a scandal. Oh yea J'onn wants us to get together on Monday."
"Right I will be there."
"Good. Alfred has dinner ready. See you on Monday Bruce."
The line went dead.
Clark made his way into the dining room and enjoyed an energetic dinner with the young acrobat. After that night Clark made a point to come by a least once a week to hang out with the loveable child and to check in on him for Bruce when the billionaire had to make appearances in other cities.