Dentist
"But I've never had a single cavity, like, ever!" The little acrobat protested weakly.
"You still have to go to the dentist, Dickie," Bruce said good naturedly. He was in an exceptionally good mood today, Dick had just shown him his A+ on both his biology and chemistry tests. He was aware that the boy was just trying to get out of going to the dentist, but his mood was brightened anyway.
"Come on please. I really don't think I have to go. See?" Dick tilted his head back and opened his mouth to show Bruce, making an 'Ahhhh' noise as if he were at a doctor's office. Alfred raised an eyebrow from where he was standing in the doorway at the sight. Bruce tried to hold back a chuckle, but failed.
"You have a lovely smile, Master Dick, but the dentist just needs to take a look. It's similar to how Dr. Thompkins gives you regular check-ups even when you are not ill," Alfred pitched in.
The nine year old pouted, "Ya, but this doctor isn't going to be Leslie."
"Maybe not, but we're going to a children's dentist. It is specifically built to make you feel comfortable. It'll be fine, I promise," Bruce reassured Dick. The Billionaire made the mistake of looking at the little boy directly as he shrugged his coat on.
Dick was giving him the most wide-eyed-and-innocent pout he could manage, he was quite the actor. He even got his eyes to water slightly.
"But, Bruce, I really don't want to go." Bruce looked ready to break as he bent down to cosole the boy, but before he could give in, Alfred broke in.
"I believe I had the same problem with Master Bruce at your age. It took a lot of... pursuation for him to give in." Alfred tried using the tactic he had been saving. He knew Dick would go along with the plans if he thought Bruce would do the same. Bruce gave Alfred a knowing look as he recognised the strategy.
"Bruce had to go to the dentist?" Dick curiously asked.
"Yes, and I remember being in this very situation, however you happen to be much better natured than he, so I hope you will be more... cooperative." Alfred's words held no threat, but he seemed to be remembering the event as he drifted off. Bruce seemed to remember as well, as he gave out a small chuckle.
"But you did go?" Dick asked Bruce.
"Of course. Even if Alfred had to drag me to the car, and it wasn't bad."
Dick looked hesitant, but nodded his head after a short pause.
"Then I'll go. But I'd just like to point out that I hate the dentist." This statement earned one of Alfred's eyebrow raises.
"I assure you, you do not hate someone you have not met before, and you shouldn't hate anybody for any reason regardless." Unless it's Tony Zucco. Alfred added in his head.
"Have you ever been to the dentist?" Bruce added out loud. Dick opened his mouth to answer but then closed it, stopping to think for a moment.
"Well... no," he touched his hand to the back of his neck, "I mean, well, gosh, Bruce, it's not like the traveling circus had dental..." Dick mumbled the words with a slight joke in his tone as well as irritation at being forced into the dentist visit. This earned a laugh from both his guardians, even if Alfred's was much more refined.
"I promise this visit won't be to bad, alright kiddo?" Bruce looked into the trusting eyes of the small boy, who nodded at him after a moment's pause. Bruce, now with his coat on, made sure to give the boy his own coat, before heading towards the garage, with the Butler and the acrobat following behind.
"I heard the dentist pulls out kid's teeth if he doesn't like them," Dick stated seriously to Alfred as they trailed behind the Billionaire.
"Now where on Earth did you hear that, Master Dick?" Alfred couldn't quite keep the baffled amusment out of his voice, or off the expression on his face.
"Frank Thompson, he had to leave school early because he had a dentist appointment; he got all pale and nervous when they said his mom was there to pick him up, and when someone asked what was wrong, he said he hated the dentist because the dentist pulls your teeth out if he didn't like you," Dick explained with an mixed expression of innocence and nervousness in a tone that implied that the Butler should know such things about the dentist.
"Mr. Thompson was not in possession of correct knowledge of the dentist, Master Dick. You don't think Master Bruce and myself would put you in direct harm on purpose, do you?" The boy looked thoughtful for a moment before tilting his head and pursing his lips.
"I s'pose not."
"Suppose," Alfred corrected.
"I suppose not, Alfred," Dick amended, "But what if the Dentist doesn't like me, maybe he or she won't pull my teeth out, but they're still going to be the one with tools in my mouth..."
Alfred nearly laughed outright at the seriousness still written on Dick's face, but years of practised stoicism allowed him to refrain himself. He opened the rear door of the car Bruce had selected (one of the more simple selections of the garage) and allowed Dick to crawl inside. Bruce went around the other side of the car to sit in the seat next to Dick, however he had obviously not heard the conversation between the other two members of the Manor. Alfred consoled Dick while he buckled the boy in his seat.
"I have yet to meet a single person in this world who has not taken an immediate liking to you, Master Dick. I am positive that they will be no different." After hearing the click of the seatbelt and seeing a slight grin on his young charge's face, Alfred closed the door and took his place in the driver's seat of the car.
The ride to their destination was uneventful, but as the car ride grew in length, Dick knew it would reach it's inavoidable end, and that he would have to face the Dentist. Sure enough, after a short time Dick could make out the words Children's Orthadontic Care written on the side of a building.
He sighed and absent-mindedly twisted his hands together on his lap as they came to a stop in front of it. Bruce noticed the anxiousness in the child and shot him a reassuring look. The boy gave a half-smile back that didn't reach his eyes, and unbuckled himself from the car. A moment later Bruce came around to open Dick's door and let him out. Both he and Dick waved to Alfred as they went inside and Alfred even gave an uncharacteristic wave back along with his reassuring smile to the young boy.
Bruce held the door for Dick and watched the expressions play out on his face. Bruce could tell Dick had been using his recently taught knowledge he learned as Robin in every day life (discreetly of course) and this was one of those times. Although Robin was only let on patrol a small number of times on relatively routine routes, he was still being taught inside the cave. Observation was one of the things Batman stressed. It was always good to know your surroundings well.
Dick's eyes quickly darted around the waiting room and a completely stoic look took hold of his face. Bruce couldn't help the proud parental smile that appeared on his own face when he realised that this was a look he often wore when he was surveying an area as Batman. The boy had only been observing for a quick second, although the moment his bright blue eyes returned up to Bruce's face they held no fear.
"Ready?" Bruce took the nearest hand of his ward when he saw a determined nod from the boy, and lead him to the front desk. He checked in with the secretary and made sure to flirt with her a bit to keep up appearances.
When he was done he lead Dick to one of the brightly colored chairs in the waiting area. The building was designed for children of the wealthy Gothamites, so many books and games and general kid friendly time passers were scattered across the waiting area.
Dick wasn't eager to pick up any of the things the few other children also in the waiting area were playing with, instead being content to observe and sit beside his guardian. He pulled his legs up to cross them underneath himself and turned to face the Billionaire at the same time.
"How long did she say the wait was going to be?"
"15 minutes or so," Bruce replied. Dick nodded back and continued to study the stimuli around them until a woman with a clipboard came out and called his name.
"Richard Grayson?"
"Uh-huh." He gave her a shy smile and let her lead him to the back, Bruce following behind.
"Dr. Morgan will be with you shortly. She gave him a smile that looked incredibly genuine and Dick couldn't help but give one back. He decided he liked her, of course he liked most everybody.
A giggling boy came out of the room they had stopped outside of, an older woman, who Bruce assumed was his mother, followed shortly, and after her was a man in scrubs, obviously Dr. Morgan.
"Have a good rest of your day Mrs. Dooly, and you too Dalton!" Dr. Morgan waved to the two leaving customers and they both smiled and waved back. Dick felt relief as he faced this kind looking man who most certainly wouldn't pull any of his teeth out without cause.
"I believe this is my first time meeting you... Richard, is it?"
"You can call me Dick," he smiled at the kind looking man, as he and Bruce followed him into the room. The dentist nodded and turned his attention to the Billionaire.
"And Mr. Wayne?" The words came off more as a statement than a question, anyone in Gotham was likely to know the Billionaire.
"Bruce is fine," The Billionaire smiled to the doctor.
The rest of the visit occured very pleasantly, much to Dick's surprise. The doctor had obviously had a great amount of love for his work, as well as an ability to interact with children, and Dick's fears soon dissapated.
Alfred found a smile creeping onto his face when he glanced in the rearview mirror to see Bruce buckling in the chattering boy.
"And it wasn't scary at all and Dr. Morgan was really nice and he let me have a sticker for being good, Alfred!" Dick excitedly exclaimed in one big run on sentence.
"I'm glad your experience with the dentist was much better than assumed, Master Dick."
"And no cavities," Bruce added after he walked around and buckled himself in his own seat.
"But the best part was, he didn't pull out any of my teeth!" Dick exclaimed happily. Bruce and Alfred simultaniously shook their heads with smiles on their faces at the little acrobat.
Author's Note: I have kind of a soft spot for seeing stories of little Dick Grayson acting like a cute little kid, so I decided to write one! Haha hope it was fun for you all to read:)