"Father we are going to be late." Damian was not happy. Squished in between Dick and Jason in the back seat of fathers Mercedes was unpleasant at best. Especially with all sorts of sports equipment shoved under their feet due to a lack of trunk space.
"It's not like you're the only with an important places to be, my state qualifiers are next month, Jason's got the playoffs and Dick has a class to teach. There's nothing anyone can do about traffic, if you're late then you're late."
"We know." Jason grumbled, kicking the back of Tim's seat. Tim was seated up front so he and Damian wouldn't be near each other because if the car ride across town could be any worse that would be the way to make it happen. Jason would rather be uncomfortable in the back seat than have to listen to Tim and Damian bicker the whole drive.
"Jason, feet off of the upholstery, what would Alfred say if you left shoe marks on the leather, you know better than that. And Damian, we won't be late, I'm dropping you off first at the studio because it's the farthest away. Then we'll go to the aquatic center, then the rink and last the gym."
"Aww man, I'm last. I wanted to get there early and try out the new high wire, c'mon Bruce it's the next exit you could just drop me off I'll do extra chores or whatever."
Bruce sighed, being fencing, swimming, hockey and gymnastics dad was a full time job in itself. Not that he didn't enjoy it, he loved seeing his kids find things that made them happy, that they were good at. However logistically it was a nightmare trying to get four boys to different places at nearly the same time almost every day of the week. Competition season was not friendly to schedules. He pulled up in front of stop one.
"See Damian, we aren't late. Is your stuff in the trunk?"
"No it's in buried under Todd's big feet. Todd get out of my way, I'd like to get out of this car." Jason grunted as Damian shoved him in the shoulder hard and inadvertently kneed him in the ribs climbing over him out of the car. In retaliation Jason grabbed Damian's fencing bag and threw it at him making Damian stumble a bit.
"Boys! Cut it out, Damian I'll be back at eight o'clock, behave yourself and have fun."
"It would be more fun if you let me stab Todd." Damian slammed the door hard in Jason's face and stalked into the fencing studio.
"Did you hear that, he threatened to stab me! The brat is a menace to society, why we let him loose on the general population baffles me."
Dick snickered. "Um Jason, you're hoping to make a career by running into people with excessive force on ice skates, if we're talking about menaces to society I hope you put yourself on the list too. At least fencing has grace and finesse to it, you more often than not run into walls at high speeds." Tim snorted.
"Just because all of you play pathetic, fancy sports doesn't mean hockey requires any less finesse," Jason turned to glower out the window, "when Tim gets out I call shotgun."
Bruce pulled up to the aquatic center, Tim jumped out with his duffel bag and Jason also got out to move to the front seat. "Tim, I'll be back at 8:30."
"Got it, later."
Thankfully Gotham Ice Arena was only a few blocks from the aquatic center so Dick and Jason didn't have time to start arguing again. "You did you get tickets to Saturdays game right?" Jason asked.
"I thought there wasn't a game until next Friday night?"
"Um no, I told you two days ago we're playing Metropolis Saturday afternoon, you and Oliver even made a bet on the game.
"Shoot, I forgot. Is the ticket window open at this time of night?"
"Uh ya it should be."
"Alright then. Dick do you want to wait in the car or go with me to the ticket office?"
"Sure I'll go with. But you know Tim's swim qualifiers are also on Saturday right?"
"Really? Hmm, we can make both it'll be busy but there's time for both if Alfred takes Jason to the game we can all go to Tim's qualifier and then from there to the hockey match."
"If you think we can, sure."
"Jason, do you need help carrying anything?"
"Nah, I got it, see you guys at 9, right?"
"Yup. Alright let's go get those tickets then." Jason started off the other way with his huge bag of gear slung over one shoulder and his skates draped over the other.
After getting after getting a box seat to Jason's game, enough room for the boys, Alfred and also Oliver (he had to win the bet in person), Dick and Bruce got back in the car, Dick sitting shotgun now.
"Don't tell me you have something on Saturday as well."
"Well sort of… how would you feel about going to the circus on Saturday night? I mean I'd understand if you didn't want to since we're already doing so much, but Haly's is back in town and Jack asked if I would do an act in the show for just one night."
"Of course we'd go to see you. Are you sure you're ready to do that? It's going to be tough."
"I wasn't sure if I wanted too at first…there were to many bad things I had tied up with the circus, things I didn't want to think about, it reminded me about my parents and I initially said no when he asked."
"No one would blame you for that, it was an incredibly traumatic experience Dick, it's amazing you still do gymnastics and circus arts after all you've been through. What changed your mind?"
"I remembered all the good things. You're my family now Bruce, but I remembered my family at the circus, how much I loved that place as a kid. I want to do it to honor that memory, all the good things I remember from being at the circus. And anyways you know I can't resist putting on a show."
"Yes always the showman, but Dick, that's incredibly brave of you." Dick smiled and shrugged.
"Not brave, I kinda feel like I need to do it, sort of like closure I guess."
"Whatever you need to do, the boys and I'll be happy to go to the show. Now don't you have a class to teach?"
"Oh right!" Dick realized they'd been sitting in the car outside the gym for the whole conversation. "Thanks Bruce, see ya later." Dick grabbed his stuff from the trunk and waved at the kids waiting for him at the entrance to the gym for their lesson.
Bruce smiled and pulled out of the parking lot to drive back across town to watch a bit of Damian's practice before it was over and then go pick up all the boys. He couldn't be more proud of his boys, being a dad had its ups and downs but all the same he loved it. He was also seriously considering buying a minivan.