Cracking the Robin's Egg

A.N.: Ahem. Remember when I said that I'm probably not going to be writing a de-aging chapter and that we should leave Dick's DNA alone for a while? Screw that.

The guest going as Guest suggested this with a bit more context than just 'Dick gets de-aged,' so I finally decided to write it. Since no one gave me anything on her from last chapter, I've decided to keep Edna. I'll probably keep her around for a while. Regardless, please let me know what you think of her, since she's a little in-the-air right now. Shout outs to Rockin' Robin02, .357284, Hyper-Blossom Z,and everyone else who've been wanting a de-aging chapter.

Also, I did some quick math, and Nightwing is now, at this point, 20. The timeline along this story has been tricky, so just ignore it if in the more recent chapters I've said he was 19. It's summer by now, so he's 20. Enjoy!

Dick woke up quite comfortably in his bed. He spread his limbs out in an attempt to stretch the sleep out of them. It was when they barely slipped out from under the comforter that he knew something was very wrong.

Sitting up, he found that he had significantly decreased in size, meaning he was drowning in the large, fluffy covers. As he continued his observation, he noticed that he was also leaner and stringier than he had been before. Exactly like he'd been when he was thirteen.

Crap.

He honestly wasn't surprised. He and the team had been fighting Ra's Al Ghul, Who'd found another Lazarus Pit and was willing to destroy Happy Harbor to get to it. He'd probably gotten sprayed by some of the liquid during the fight; liquid that, they'd quickly learned, was being modified to act more like the fountain of youth than a simple get-out-of-death-free card.

So he really wasn't surprised to find that he was going to have to go through puberty, again.

"Son of a bit-" the cracking of his voice cut him off, making him rub and clear his throat. He quickly decided that this would not be fun.

Hopping out of bed and taking a long look in the mirror, he deduced that it could be worse. He wasn't unattractive as a teenager, despite a few patches of breakouts. They seemed to be the same trouble areas he still had at twenty. Long bangs covered about half of his face, making him swipe them to the side and, using the few bobby pins he'd bought as Dixie (the ones he'd yet to lose, anyway), pinned it in place.

Throwing on a shirt and pair of pants (that were quickly cuffed up and tied on with a belt as tightly as possible), he left the room, remembering at the last minute to put on his shades, which still didn't fit quite right.

He wasn't ugly, but he was rather small.

He managed to make it to the kitchen without being seen, for which he was very thankful. The team members that stayed in the cave were on their summer break from school, and had taken to sleeping in for hours, unlike the early rising bird.

There was a flutter of wings, and Dick mentally made bird into birds.

A raven landed on the counter on his left hand side, just next to his booting computer. He ruffled its glossy feathers, taking a glance at the small ring around its ankle, reminding all who saw it that its name was Tell. It always amazed him how Poe recognized the birds that preceded her on sight.

Just as he'd brought up his least favorite fanfic, the girl herself made an appearance, another black bird on her head. Briefly, she paused in the threshold, taking in the small boy before her. Dick, in turn, took the moment to study her.

The second raven, with its head cocked to the side, was probably Heart. He loved to sit on her head. Edna was wearing off-black shorts and a slightly ratty, loose, crop top t-shirt, revealing quite a bit of her collarbones. It was the fact that she quickly pulled her wings around her, paired with the uncomfortable, obvious, and embarrassing tightening of his jeans that made him look away, focusing again on Blushing Bluebirds.

Recognition seemed to dawn on the woman like an epiphany, because her mouth opened slightly, before turning into an evil grin.

"Hey, Nightwing. What'cha readin'?" she asked, leaning in with her hands clasped behind her back, making the feathers that still modestly covered her look like a shawl.

"Fanfic, and it's written about me!" he explained, dropping his head onto the counter. Since his last visit to the page, four new chapters had been uploaded, all of them containing his latest, humiliating misadventures.

Edna giggled as she brushed through If I Were a Girl, casting a quick glance at his thirteen-year-old face. Her black eyes caught on something, just above his eyes.

Mentally filing away the bobby pin, she observed "This actually happened to you, didn't it?"

"So, now, you see my dilemma," he sighed. The twenty-one-year-old stood fully, allowing her wings to settle behind her again, making the boy wonder fidget and try to look anywhere but at her chest. Regaining his composure, he continued "Things have been happening and someone knows enough about to my life to write a full story on it."

"Either that, or it's happening because they're writing," she mumbled.

"Come again?"

"Nothing."

Her curiosity getting the better of her, she pulled up chapter 38. However, before she could begin scrolling, Dick slammed the computer shut, possibly cracking the screen.

"That one's about now," he informed. "We can't read into the future, or the time stream could be altered."

"Whatever," she returned. "I'm going to go see if I can get Tale out of his nest. He wasn't leaving it earlier." With that, she retreated to her room, undoubtedly to change clothes, for which he was very thankful.

But was this the end of his torture? Oh, no. A mere two hours of solitude passed before M'gann appeared, who couldn't help but squeal at the cuteness of the boy whom she immediately hugged, much to the displeasure of the boy.

"Hey, Miss M," he drawled out, resignation lacing his voice. Pausing his show, he turned to address her, wanting the encounter over with as soon as possible.

"Oh, you look so cute," she babbled, ruffling his long hair and damaging his delicate handiwork beyond repair. He gritted his teeth at the slight sting as the movement tugged on the follicles.

"Please stop," he requested, already annoyed with the unwanted contact, and with her cooing. His hands automatically travelled to his head, readjusting the strands and pins, ultimately pulling them out and once again sweeping his long bangs to the side.

With another giggle, she mercifully retreated to the kitchen. Karen and Cassie arrived soon after, reacting similarly with squeals and hair ruffles.

Finally, and probably most awkwardly, Robin arrived.

The boy had come walking through the door, expecting not to find out that he now had a little brother, and he found that he was sorely mistaken.

"Just bought a Delorean, didn't you?" he quipped, sitting down next to the younger. The air was so think you could've cut it with a knife.

"I think it was the crap from Ra's' fountain of youth that turned me like this. I must've gotten sprayed," Dick finally explained. "With any luck, it'll wear off soon."

"And without luck?"

"Puberty take two."

The rest of the day passed predictably. He was far too short to reach the upper cabinets in the kitchen, and his face looked like a pizza. Also predictably, the girls would not leave him ALONE! Seriously, what was it with girls and thirteen year olds?

Still, and for this he was thankful, the effects of the pit only lasted for a few days and he was quickly back to normal. Much to the displeasure of the all too nurturing girls.

A.N.: Sorry if the ending feels rushed. I've been neglecting this story in favor of another fanfic I've been writing called Tooth and Claw. (PM me if you would like a synopsis of everything I have so far). Also, I notice that this fic is dying out quite a bit. I've got a few chapters left in my mind, but if you have anything you still want to see written, then now is the time to ask, otherwise I will be forced to finish this story on my own. Thank you for your time, and GOD BLESS!