Now, here's Roy's time to shine! Just so you guys know, this is mostly going ot be the red heads being all big brotherly to Dick. That's how I like it.
When you're being bullied, a good friend will say you should tell someone...
Richard Grayson was about ten. He had been fighting crime with Bruce for a year as Batman and Robin. He could fight bad guys that were three, sometimes four times his size...but when it came to Liam Brown, and his gang of elementary school misfits, little Dick was helpless. He was just minding his business at recess, talking to his friend Barbara Gordon. She was two years older than him, but during recess they hung out a lot. They were each other's safe haven during Gotham high class functions. Anyway, while talking to Barbara, a football crashed into Richard's head. He fell to the ground, ears ringing.
Barbara crouched to the ground next to him. "Dick! Are you okay?" Dick nodded as he tried to blink away the tears. He wasn't going to cry.
"Aw. Poor wittle baby Dickie. Is he gonna cwy? Does he need his mommy?" Liam mocked Dick, then smiled. "Oh wait. You don't have a mommy. She's dead!" Liam's goons all laughed along. Barbara glared at them.
"You know what, Liam? You're a jerk. Go pick on someone else." the red head said with a scowl.
"Oh, we're really scared, Gordon." Liam laughed. He was a good three inches taller than Barbara since he had been held back...twice. So, when he met Dick, who was a genius, he decided this kid would be his ticket to finally make it to the fifth grade. Dick, however did not want to cheat. This was why he got beat up...everyday. Barbara backed up a little as Liam towered over her. A couple of his friends pulled her away from Richard's prone form.
"Dick, run!" Barbara yelled. Dick started to get up, only to be kicked in the stomach. Then, he was roughly pulled up by his hair and Liam decked him in the jaw. Jesse, one of Liam many followers, pinned Dick's arms to his sides as Liam beat the kid up. Barbara got tears in her eyes. "Stop it! Stop! Leave him alone, Liam. He's just a kid!"
Liam walked over to the Commish's daughter with an ugly smirk. "So? He's a kid that could have avoided this if he had just done my homework. Too bad." Liam and his friends kept beating up on Dick. Even pulled a knife and cut his arm. Finally, a teacher came around to see what was going on. Before she could see them, the gang all ran. Miss Clementine came over and helped Dick stand up.
"Dick, sweety, what happened to you?" the young woman asked. She had long blonde hair and kind grey eyes. Dick gulped. He wanted to tell her, but he knew that Liam would just beat him more.
"Um...A bunch of us were wrestling. I took it too far." Dick lied. Miss C didn't seem to buy it, but she couldn't press him for answers he didn't want to give.
"Well. Just try and be more careful, okay?" She asked. Richard nodded. Barbara scowled.
Dick flinched at the daggers his friend was sending him. "What, Babs?"
"Why did you lie?"
Dick looked at his shoes. "They'll just get madder if I tell. Besides, the teachers can't do anything anyway."
"They could suspend him! Or at least have more teachers watching. Dick...Richard, you need to tell someone. At least tell Mr. Wayne." The bell rang and Barbara and Richard went back to their classrooms. After school, Dick saw his friend, and kind of older brother standing by the front gate of the school. Dick just stared in confusion until he remembered that it was Friday. Since it was a weekend, Bruce would let Roy or Wally, or sometimes both, spend the night at Wayne Manor. Since Wally and Roy were older, they got out of school sooner and were there to walk home with Dick. Richard smiled and ran to his adoptive big brother.
"Roy!"
The older boy smiled and picked Dick up. "Her there, Dickie. How's it...whoa. Who did that to your face?" Roy frowned as he saw the many bruises and scrapes on his little brother's face. Richard bit his lips together. He didn't want to tell anyone. He was scared of what Liam might do. But...Roy was one of his best friends. He could trust him with this, couldn't he?
"I...Um...Roy, you have to promise not to tell Bruce." Dick said quietly.
"Promise," Roy said in a heart beat. He had a feeling he already new what it was about. Roy set Dick down and they started walking to the younger boy's house. Richard was silent for a few minutes. Roy didn't want to push the boy, so he let the ten year old get his thought together.
"There's this kid at school. His name is Liam. He got held back in fourth grade twice 'cause he's really stupid," Richard started. Roy nodded. "Well, apparently, I'm a genius. At least that's what adults keep telling me." Dick wasn't just being modest. He really didn't comprehend that it wasn't normal for a ten year old to be able to do early algebra. Which was something most kids didn't learn until middle school. That, and he reads giant books while his friends all read things like Captain Underpants. Getting on with the boy's story, "So he wanted me to help him cheat. He acted like he was all cool. But, Bruce and Alfred said that you aren't supposed to cheat. Plus, Wally said something about epidemic dysentery and that you can get in a lot of trouble for it."
Roy chuckled. "No, Dick. It's academic dishonesty." Dick frowned. He didn't like getting words wrong.
"Right. That. Point is, I didn't help him cheat...and now he and his gang of like six other kids beat up almost everyday at school." Dick hung his head down.
"How long has this been going on?" Roy asked. The fifteen year old had a feeling that Speedy would be knocking some heads tonight.
The boy shrugged. "I guess since the year started."
Well, it was March now. That wasn't so bad. "Why did you wait three months to tell anyone?"
"Huh? No, not this year, Roy. I meant the school year," Dick said, understanding his friend's meaning. Roy stopped and put a hand on Dick's shoulder so he wouldn't keep walking.
"You mean that you have let these guys beat you up for the past seven months?" Roy asked in a low voice. Dick nodded and bit his lip. *He's really mad,* Dick thought.
"Dick, why didn't you tell me or Wally? Have you even told Bruce?" Roy asked, trying to understand why the young boy was letting these punks treat him so badly.
"Liam said that if I told anyone, he would...he'd.."
Roy knelt down so he could be closer to eye level with the boy. "What did he say he'd do to you, Richard?"
Tears welled up in the bright blue eyes. "He said he'd kill me if I ever told anyone." Dick nearly whispered. Roy clenched one hand in a fist.
"He's dead." Roy said. Dick gave his big brother a questioning look. "Anyone that beats you up is already in trouble with me. But someone that threatens your life? That is going way too far." Roy hoisted the boy up onto his back and piggy-backed him the rest of the way to Wayne Manor. Luckily, Bruce was still at work, and Alfred was running errands. Roy carried Dick to the bathroom and cleaned up the cut on his arm, since apparently, public school teachers are too stupid to think about that themselves. When that was done, they went back downstairs and Roy found his bag containing all overnight necessities. Including a stash of candy, since Alfred and Bruce didn't let Dick have too much. Roy and Wally always brought a supply of candy with them when they came over. Dick hoarded it all in a floor board under his bed. Most kids didn't start that until they were teens. But Dick was a fast learner in everything. Including rebellion. That was what Bruce got for not getting Dick some friends his own age. The boys were playing video games when the old butler got home.
"Hi Alfred," Dick beamed. He loved his grandfatherly butler. He was the nicest man that the boy had ever met.
"Hello Master Richard. Master Roy." Alfred said.
Roy smiled. "Hey, Alfie." Roy didn't get the whole formal stuff. He and Wally laughed out loud the first time Alfred had called them both "Master." They weren't used to the rich lifestyle. Richard had smiled and told them, "You'll get used to it...I hope." If you spent enough time with Alfred, you did get used to it. The whole thing was if the boys would want to come over a lot. That was what Dick had meant by "I hope."
Bruce called and said he had to work late, so the boys had dinner alone. After much begging and puppy dog eyes on Dick's part, Alfred allowed the two to eat in the living room while they watched TV. On the condition they wouldn't tell Bruce. When Alfred left, Dick smirked. "Funny. That's exactly what Bruce says when Alfred's not around." They ended up falling asleep on the couch watching a movie. Well, Dick fell asleep. Roy was just laying back on the couch with the younger boy on top of him. Bruce Wayne walked through the door looking like a dead man. He saw the TV still on and made his way over to see if the boys were actually watching, or both unconscious. Roy poked his head above the couch.
"Hey, Mr. Wayne," Roy said with a smile. He like the man. He wasn't as scummy as Ollie. Not that Roy didn't love his...father, it's just that Oliver Queen wasn't exactly the most...attentive parent. Bruce tried.
"Hi Roy. And I told you, call me Bruce." Bruce smiled. He liked this red head a lot more that Wally. True, Wally wasn't a bad kid perce. It's just that the thirteen year old wasn't nearly as responsible as Roy was. Alfred and Bruce could be gone for hours and the house would still be standing. You can't say the same about Wallace West. The speedster was insane. And Dick tended to follow his lead. Bruce looked down to see his son sleeping on top of Roy's chest. Unfortunately, Richard's face was facing the back of the couch, and Bruce. So the billionaire had a good look at the black eye and huge bruise on his boy's jaw. Bruce clenched his teeth together. "What. Happened?"
Roy looked down at the sleeping boy. *I promised I wouldn't say anything...Screw that. I am not leaving Dick to the wolves.* "He got beat up at school. He's been getting beat up since the beginning of the school year. Some guy named Liam Brown."
"Why didn't he tell me?" Bruce asked. He thought that after a year of him living at the Manor, that Richard trusted him. *Guess not.*
"Hey, I had to weedle it out of him. The kid threatened him. Said he'd kill Dick if he told anyone. Dick's only ten, so-"
"So he believed Liam." Bruce finished, nodding. Roy nodded along with him. Looking down at the sleeping boy, Roy realized something. Richard was also Robin. The Bat-cave was just below his feet.
"Bruce...I know that this is totally crazy to ask, but...You think we could look up where they live in the super computer you got in the Bat-cave?"
Bruce did something unexpected. He smiled. "I think that could be arranged."
The two went down to the Bat-cave and found where Liam Brown lived. Roy smiled evilly. "Oh, I have plans for you, William." Roy growled. "Too bad I can't go hero on this punk's butt. If only you guys lived in Starr, or I lived here. That would solve our problems."
"There's still the part where a hero is exacting revenge on a child for bullying a civilian.." Bruce added. Still. He really liked Roy's idea. Shoot a couple arrows into that brat's hide. The JL form of Scare Straight. Roy wrote down the address and went back upstairs before Richard woke up alone. The next day after Roy supposedly went back to Starr City, he went to Liam's house and waited. When the punk finally came out, Roy followed him to the park. *Perfect,* Roy thought. He could corner the kid. Roy did just that. He dragged the kid to a secluded part of the park, in a little grove of trees on the walking trail that ran through.
"L-l-look, man. If you want money, take it. Fine. Just don't hurt me," the little bully squeaked. The nerve.
Roy got an idea from this, though. "Aw. Is wittle baby Wiam gonna cwy?" Roy asked as he shoved Liam up against a tree. Liam's eyes widened as he recognized his own words.
"You're friends with that Wayne charity case. I've seen you waiting for him on Friday's. What are you? His nanny?" Scoffed Liam as he tried to act all tough.
*Wrong move, moron.* Roy through Dick's tormentor to the ground. "No. I'm worse. I'm his big brother."
"You're not even related! I've never seen you in the tabloids with him or Way-" Roy cut off the younger boy's air supply. If anyone saw this, they didn't try and stop it. *On second thought, maybe it's a good thing Dick lives in Gotham. This is a daily occurrence.*
"So we're not blood. Who cares? I love him like my little brother. And you haven't been very nice to him, have you Liam?" Roy asked angrily as he leaned over the choking boy. Roy loosened his hand a little so the boy wasn't totally choking. Liam shook his head. "Good boy. I'll go a little easier on you for telling the truth. But just barely." Liam's eyes widened in terror. Roy punched the kid in the face. He let go of the punk so Liam had a small fighting chance. He really couldn't win against an over protective big brother. However, Liam did manage to wriggle out from underneath Roy. Then, he fought harder. The kid actually got in some good punches. Like two. Finally, Roy was bored. So, he just spun around and kicked Liam in the head. Not knocking him out, but leaving him dazed. The ginger grabbed the brunette by the throat and pressed once again to the trunk of a tree.
"I'm gonna make this as simple as possible so that you're sure to understand you illiterate. If I ever hear that you are picking on my little brother again...heck, you even look at him the wrong way, and I will come back and end you. Got it?"
Liam shook his head and whimpered, "Yes."
"And you are going to tell all of your little friends to leave Dick alone too. Understood?"
Again, Liam whimpered, "Yes."
"Don't think that this is an empty threat. Or that it's just for school. No. You ever touch him again, I don't care where you are. I don't even care if it's an accident. He will tell me, and I will come after you like a bat out Hell. There won't be anywhere for you to hide."
Liam gulped. "O-o-o-kay. I promise. I won't ever hurt him again. Never. And all my friends are gonna leave him alone too. C-can I go now?" Liam begged.
Roy narrowed his eyes. "One more thing. You and I are gonna take a little trip." Roy grabbed a tight hold on Liam's arm and together, they walked over to Wayne Manor. When Roy knocked on the door, Alfred answered.
"Hello, Master Roy. Did you forget something here?"
Roy shook his head and smiled. "No, Alfred. I just brought a friend over to say hi to Dick. Is he here?" Alfred nodded and showed the tow boys in, then went to go get Richard. The small ten year old boy looked even smaller when he saw Liam.
"Roy?" He asked with fear clearly written on his face. How could his brother do this? Roy walked over and picked him up.
"It's alright Dick. Liam just had something he wanted to say to you. Liam?" Roy smiled at the brown haired boy, but if you looked at his eyes, you could see the threat that Roy was silently giving him. It said, "I dare you to not say it. I dare you."
Liam gulped. "Um...I j-j-just wanted to...to s-say that I'm really sorry for what I've been doing to you. It was wrong for me to ask you to cheat, and it was wrong for me t-to b-b-beat you up after. I won't be doing that anymore. My gang and I will leave you alone from now on. I promise." Dick glared at him.
"You made my entire fourth grade year miserable and all you have to say for yourself is that your sorry?" Dick looked at Roy and whispered, "Do I have to forgive him?"
His big brother laughed. "No, Dickie. You don't have to forgive him. He was a jerk. But are you happier now that he promises not to hurt you anymore?"
"But-but what if he doesn't mean it?" Dick asked fearfully. Roy smiled.
"Oh trust me. He means it. We had a little...chat today. We've reached an understanding. He won't be bothering you anymore. Because if he does, you'll tell me. And I won't be so nice to talk to a second time. Understand, Liam?" Roy glared at the younger boy who at this point was so terrified, he wet himself. Dick's jaw dropped and he started cracking up.
Liam looked down and ran out of the Manor. Dick was still cackling madly. "You...are the best...bit brother...ever!" Richard managed between his laughter.
"I just wish you hadn't waited so long to tell me. I would have done something. And you will tell me if he or anyone else give you trouble right?"
Dick smiled. "If you can make them do that-" Dick pointed to the puddle on the floor "-every time, then I most definitely will tell you."
...but a best friend will put the fear of God into them and quite possibly make the bully wet themselves.