Hey guys! I decided to post this short update to remind you that I have not forgotten about this story in the slightest. It has literally taken me days to come up with this storyline and work has been crazy (the life of a waitress). I have also simultaneously been working on another chapter of this story. Anyways, my birthday is tomorrow so you won't be hearing from me until later this week. Also I have decided to dedicated this chapter to YoungJusticefan4ever. Thank you so much for your kind words :)
"NO NO NO NO NO!" Our little bird was screeching at the top of his lungs, on his back, arms and legs pounding at the floor. Bruce was sitting in the easy chair in the living room, groaning with his forehead in his palms. He didn't know exactly what set Dick off, but he did know that this was going on for 20 minutes straight and he had enough. This has been happening increasingly over the past few days and he was going to have to curve that behavior right now. Bruce stood up and walked over to the toddler, still in the midst of his tantrum, and promptly scooped him up. Dick gave a extra loud screech, showing his distaste at being picked up. He carried his screaming tot down the hall and up the stairs, away from the rest of the manor, and strode directly for the nursery. He entered and almost tripped over several toys strewn about the nursery. I thought I asked Dick to pick those up.
Bruce shook his head and focused at the task at hand. He calmly walked over to a chair in the corner and quickly flipped his bawling son over, pulling down his cute elastic waist shorts. Then he removed his diaper, careful to leave it on his lap just in case. Dick went silent, curious on what was happening, which make Bruce even more nervous than he already was. His hand shook in anticipation over what he was about to do, what he didn't want to do. There must be a better way to deal with this. He sighed, refastening the diaper on his son and pulling up his pants. He promptly walked over to the playpen in the corner and plopped his son into it, him landing on his padded rear. As soon as Dick was out of his father's arms, he screeched yet again. He didn't want to be put down.
"NONONONONONONONONO!" Dick sobbed loudly, while Bruce left the room silently. He was determined to get through this tantrum by just simply ignoring it, teaching his son that he can't just screaming and yell to get his way. He went to notify Alfred of his new strategy for dealing with Dick's temper tantrums, since he babysits while Bruce is at work. Meanwhile, Dick was an absolute mess. His chest heaving, he desperately tried to calm himself. But Dadi gone. He left me forever didn't he. He doesn't like me anymore. Still loudly crying, he yelled out for his father "DAAAAAAAADDDDDDIIIIIIIIIII!" This went on until Dick couldn't yell anymore. His sobs calmed down once he realized that he wasn't coming back for him. It was then he spotted his favorite toy elephant, dubbed Zika, after the his favorite elephant in the circus he performed with. He quickly grabbed it and hugged it to his chest and for a lack of a pacifier, started to gently suck his thumb, tears silently streaming down his face as he laid in his playpen, alone.
Bruce heard the loud cries stop and started heading over to the nursery. He walked over to his son and picked him up, walking over to the rocking chair and shushing Dick, gently wiping off his tears with the pad of his thumb. "Do you understand why I put you in timeout?" He asked in a hoarse whisper, almost like he been crying the entire time as well.
Dick looked up at Bruce with his big blue eyes, and innocently said, ""Cause me no listen to Dadi?" Bruce smiled, "Yes, Dick, that's why. Now what do we say when we do something wrong?" "Me sowie Dadi?" He pulled his son in for a well needed hug. This kid and the emotional rollercoaster he puts him through everyday was making him quite the softie.
"Let's go downstairs and get you some chocolate milk, hmm?" Bruce bounced Dick up and down a bit, trying to get Dick out of the funk he was in. It wasn't fun to be around a baby who was all frowny faces and rain clouds. "Zika?" Little Dickie pointed to his stuffed elephant, who laid abandoned in the playpen. "Why of course you can bring Zika. Now let's go." The pair set off for the kitchen, Dick resting his head on his daddy's shoulder, tuckered out from his little episode. Bruce set him down in the highchair, and he let out a little whine, but was quickly calmed by Bruce ruffling his hair and sticking a paci in his mouth. He yawned around it and sleepily watched his daddy make his chocolate milk, briefly wondering where Alfred was. Bruce glanced over and saw the tell-tale yawn coming from Dick's little mouth, his binkie almost falling out of his 'o' shaped mouth. He should've known, Dick gets very cranky if he's tired and it's way past his naptime. By the time he was finished making the chocolate milk, his son was slumped forward, obviously falling asleep in his highchair.
The next thing Dick knew, he was upstairs like magic, cradled in his father's arms suckling on a warm bottle of chocolate milk. He sighed contentedly and closed his eyes again, his daddy smoothing back his hair soothingly.
He was playing with Zika in his nursery when he turned into a real elephant! Dick giggled and ran around, playing with the baby elephant like he was a brother. He heard his mommy call him over for dinner. He ran to her and embraced her, "My little Robin. Look how dirty you are." He looked down at himself and saw his tiny chubby legs, hands and feet covered in mud. There was something different about him, but he couldn't tell what. He giggled happily and kissed her cheek and she picked him up and brought him inside. On the table sat a big steaming bowl of Ciorba de Perisoare. Oh, how he missed meatball soup, which was weird considering he had it yesterday when his mom made it. He settled into his mother's lap, his father sitting across from him and stuffed some lipie into tiny mouth. He did a double take and looked back up at his father. He wasn't Daddy...wait. Was he? His face looked completely familiar and yet completely different than what he expected.
He had a scruffy face, and bright blue eyes just like him. He was tall and very muscular and he had thin and very short black hair. He certainly looked like his father. He mentally shrugged and carried on with the very difficult task of feeding himself ciorba. By the time he was done he was slumping forward in his mother's lap, exhausted from the afternoon's events, plus from his training that morning. He could barely hold himself up as his mother shifted him onto her hip, standing and chuckling. "Such a precious boy, so sleepy from playing all day with Zika, hmm? Let's get you a bath so you could take a nap, alright my little robin?" He jerked his head in a sort of nodding movement, too tired to really care.
His mother carried him outside the trailer, to a smallish wooden tub and set him on the ground while she gathered the soap, washcloth and Dick's favorite rubber duckie. After she filled the tub, she set Dick into it. He lazily splashed at the water, preferring to instead chew on the plastic duck that his mother handed him. He was so relaxed and yet...something was gnawing at the back of his mind, almost annoyingly so. It just didn't seem right, it was almost too perfect. Mommy booped him on the nose, interrupting his internal dialogue. He giggled, being the happy little boy that he was, and let the thought go to later ponder on. After an enjoyable bath, his mommy snuggled him up in a fuzzy towel and carried him back inside to his room. Again, this room was completely familiar and yet completely different.
He walls were a light yellow and had a few scribbles of crayon on a small section of the wall. There were a few toys scattered around; a toy drum, a wooden stacking thing, and of course his favorite choo-choo. His mom make a bee-line for the small wooden crib in the corner and Little Robin whined slightly at this, wanting to be deposited onto the floor for more fun and activities. Even so, napping might actually be a good idea since he was literally falling asleep in his mother's arms. He fell asleep as soon as he hit the pillow, his thumb placed firmly in his mouth and his blankie on top of him.
Alright guys, sorry it was such a short chapter but I have been braindead with work and being tired doesn't exactly hone creativity. If ya'll have any ideas for this story, LIKE ANYTHING AT ALL, please don't hesitate to drop me a PM. I honestly have been struggling for good chapter ideas, but once I have one it practically writes itself, so if you give me an idea, expect a update from me within a day or two. Till next time, my Duckies.