A/N: I completely forgot it was Thursday... Anyway here's a slightly longer Short from me!
The Naruto Effect
"Hey, uh, Bat's?" Batman turned from the blood test to see Naruto pulling at his butt. "I think I have a wedgie…." The bright suit sat tighter around the blonde's hips and legs than it ever had Richards, the cape dragged behind him on the ground, to the point where Naruto nearly face planted as he walked towards his teacher. It was clear the pant legs had been rolled up and the arms and upper body were far to loose. Naruto had always excelled where Dick hadn't and dragged where Dick flourished.
"Plus, these colors look horrible and are way too noticeable. What if we just make it orange?" The blonde put his hands on his hips, it was clear he thought it explained everything.
"If you don't mind me saying mater Naruto, orange doesn't suit your cause either." Alfred concluded, it seemed Naruto was far too predictable. Which was funny seeing as one never could tell with the boy. Alfred huffed, looking at the spot he'd previously cleared minutes ago for the tray of tea he brought down in contempt. It was cluttered again, with tinkerings and notes Master Bruce never seemed to keep in order when onto something.
"Ah, but orange is different see-" This speech was a long time in coming. Orange afterall was a large part of Naruto's life. It encompassed his soul, it was his very being.
"We'll get you a new suit." Batman stated cutting off the speech he'd heard for the past four years. He was getting somewhere with this cure, and there would be hell to pay if he couldn't finish it tonight.
"What? You can't give him a new suit! The Robin suit is iconic! It needs the colors, you can't just up and change the symbol." Dick whined as he appeared on the veranda above.
"And blue isn't a big change?" Dick scoffed at his father's remark, turning his head away.
"Dick!" Naruto yelled he ran towards his elder brother, making it about five steps before he face planted. He picked himself back up, finding himself, seconds later in his brother's arms; cape fluttering to the floor behind him. Richard spun Naruto around in circles, equally excited to see his younger brother again.
"Hey buddy, what's up?" Dick ruffled the blonde's hair, glancing back up to Batman he started down the rest of the stairs. Richard had decided to start stopping by once a week from now on, after what happened two months and a half ago. He had been more than happy to follow up his father's actions, Jason doubly so. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the bullies had been taught a lesson.
"Oh! You'll never believe what happened yesterday!" Naruto shot off on his rant with his brother's full attention. Granted he only caught about half of what was actually said but when you joined the list of Naruto's precious people you learned to piece it together.
Batman sat back and let his son finish his first paragraph, cutting him off as he took another deep breath of air readying for the second. "Naruto is about to start practicing in the new Robin suit. However is would seem he needs a new one. It's time for the Robin suit to use black and gray."
"What!?" Nightwing squawked. He was not about to let Batman single-handedly break Robin's reputation, the colors stood for something! Thus begun the inevitable fight between Nightwing and Batman. The two could fight for hours, and while Naruto wasn't fully recovered, he still had it in him to stop the two before they began to pull at strings they'd regret, lately there had been an edge that wasn't usually there. But he would do his very best to steer them away from the nearing abyss. They were after all, his precious people.
"I'll settle for a suit that fits, maybe with dark red and black." Naruto rushed out, talking loud enough to be heard over their arguing. "But at least one thing needs to be orange." He added as an afterthought. He still had moral standards when compromising.
Bruce stopped to look at his youngest son who stood, fists clenched and eyes worried. There was still a visible bruise creeping up his neck, out from under the suit. A heavy sigh escaped his mouth, quickly drawing all attention in the room. Lifting off his mask he allowed himself to relent just this once. Relenting, he seemed to be doing a lot of that with Naruto around, the boy pulled at his every heart string and simultaneously his nerves.
"Tonight we'll take off." He stopped. "I expect double from you tomorrow Nightwing, and even more training for you Naruto. Now go." Turning to go he felt a sudden pressure at his back. Glancing back revealed a closed-eyed blonde. Opening his eyes he gave Bruce the biggest smile he could.
"Stay." It was obvious Naruto had always seen past Batman, to the man who picked him up, dusted him off and gave him a family. The blonde had a way of making people throw caution to the wind, rethinking the principles their whole life had been built upon. It seemed he had his father figured out from the start. There was a long pause as they watched each other
"Alright." Naruto let go, stepping back and running off to go change, slipping on the cape that was on the ground. Whining he stood up, gathering up the fabric. Fighting in this suit was going to be pain in the butt.
Bruce changed, heading into the living room Richard and Naruto were avidly playing games in. Noticing him his elder son held up a third controller. "Come on Dad, you know you want to." Bruce froze at that. Richard had a soft smile on his face, silently communicating an entire speech. Giving a rare smile he let go.
"Why the hell not?" He joined his sons, slowly becoming entranced in the game. They played for hours, and for all three it was over far too soon. Naruto found himself yawning into sleep and Richard soon after.
Bruce wondered if Naruto had even realized he'd seen through the front his father put up most of his life. His youngest son never seemed to stop smiling. Never stopped caring. Never gave up. Never stopped driving him up a wall and through the roof, but Naruto did that to people, and that was why he utterly loved his son.
