"…Nightwing?" Speedy said cautiously as the leader of the Titans tapped away at their computer.
"Yea?" He said distractedly, evidently not noticing the really confused team of heroes clustered awkwardly behind him.
"You said you were bringing reinforcements. You know, for brother Blood and all that…?" The red head prompted pointedly, only just managing to remain patient.
"I did say that." Wing admitted thoughtfully. "And he will be here shortly. But first, there are rules." He spun in his chair and gave them a stern look, and they all took a step back on instinct at the suddenly address. "Rule number one: no one is to know he is here."
"Wait, back up a minute, you mean he as in a singular he? You do realize how big this issue is, right? What is one extra person gonna do?" Bumblebee spoke up testily.
"Rule number two: I do know him, but I don't know him, got it? Anyone asks, you've never met him in your life either." Nightwing continued on in a chipper tone, completely ignoring her.
"This sounds a bit precarious." Aqualad pointed out off-handedly. "I mean, Brother Blood's sure gonna know we know him if he's helping us."
Wing waved uncaringly. "That's not your issue to worry about." He flashed a mischievous grin that they sort of felt wasn't directed at them. "And rule number three—and please, this one is pretty important, the entire Titan system depends on this one." He warned, and they all found themselves leaning forward a bit to hear it. Wing half-smiled a bit at their seriousness.
"…When he leaves here, you will forget everything you learn while he is here. You will not think about where he comes from, you will not think about who he is related to, you will not think about his skills or his training. The Titans are in no way associated with him, and for all the world need to know, the Titans actually hate him and avoid him and people like him at all costs—which we do, at least that last part. You've never met him and you never will, ok?"
He gave them all a warning look, and they blinked solemnly back.
Abruptly, he grinned. "Great! He'll be here in two minutes."
"Who is this guy?" Speedy exclaimed as Wing swung back around to return to his typing. Usually when he did this, he ignored everyone else in favor of getting whatever work he was doing done as quickly as possible, so they didn't really plan on him listening to them anymore. More than that, he wasn't one to just drop information willy-nilly, and the fact this mystery person was arriving so shortly would've given him all the excuse he needed to just keep quiet and let them figure it out for themselves—the playful side of him probably preferring it that way, actually.
But then:
"My little brother." Came the unexpected reply, and Titans East froze solid.
One second passed, and then four more.
"…you have a little brother?" Bumblebee's voice said, a fraction higher than was natural.
"More than one actually," Nightwing offered up with alarming freeness—and yes, they were quite alarmed. He didn't even turn around to see them stare with their mouths wide open, just continuing to type along. "Just pray you never meet the other one. He's not exactly a team player, if you catch my meaning." He hummed more to himself than them, and they spluttered.
"Does he have powers!?" Mãs y Menos chorused excitedly.
"He has the same abilities that I do." Wing answered cryptically, and the twins deflated and exchanged curious looks.
Speedy took the bait first. "Do… you have powers?"
Nightwing spun in his chair and grinned unhelpfully at them.
"Hello there Birdie!" He suddenly called to apparently no one, and a little 'humph' from directly behind them caused the entire Titans East team to nearly jump out of their skins as they spun around, half slipping into defensive positions in alarm.
But instead of some sort of threat, there was a boy of about maybe twelve or thirteen standing at the top of the stairs that led down into their main sitting area where they'd clustered around the Titan founder. He actually looked a lot like Wing in a way, with the same dark hair hanging in his domino-masked eyes in the same shaggy manner. He stood the same way—casual and yet still poised for action, back straight with a regal, defined air about him—his lips twitched in the same blank style that Nightwing had when he was keeping things under wraps, his weapons were near identical to his older brother's, and placed in the same exact places with identical utility belts holding god only knew what.
But instead of a full black and blue suit, he had black pants, sleeves, and army boots, a red and yellow vest, and a fine cape over his shoulders that was a bright yellow underneath and an unnaturally impenetrable-looking black on top. His suit looked to be made of the same material Nightwing's was, stocked with Kevlar and protection and functioning as more than just a costume.
But most importantly, there was a very distinguishable 'R' symbol emblazoned on his vest, right above his heart.
Titans East choked on air.
"Don't call me Birdie." Robin huffed a little when it was evident no one was going to break the stretching silence.
Nightwing just shrugged, his grin still plastered wide on his face and seemingly not concerned with his Titans' reactions. In fact, the troll seemed to be enjoying it immensely.
"Robbie, this is Titans East." He gestured calmly to the heroes standing in some sort of shell shock around him. Tim just sighed, realizing he wasn't going to get anything serious done until his brother had had his fun.
"I know." Tim clipped, walking forward a bit and nodding to them as he approached his older brother. "You were less than forthcoming about why I needed to be right here in less than an hour, and the Bat will not be happy when he finds out I'm not at summer camp." He said coolly, and Dick waved him off.
"Leave that to me. So far as anyone knows, you're having the time of your life camping in the wilderness with Babs." He cheered.
Tim lifted a brow at him. "And how many deals with the devil did you make to get her to agree to that?"
"Nine. Anyway, you will be helping Titans East fight Brother Blood and you can't let Blood know you're here, ok? Great! I'll give you a lift home at the end of the week!" He stood and took one step before Tim had his arm and nearly flipped him back into the chair.
"NO—that is not ok—what the hell Wing!?" He half shouted, half growled at the older boy, who just rolled his eyes.
"Call it practice."
"Practice for WHAT!? My FUNERAL when evil super-villains start blabbing to dad and he MURDERS me!?"
"Oh my god."
The brothers turned their heads as one, realizing the Titans had gotten over themselves. Well, Bumblebee had at least, and she spoke with a dazed tone as she got back into the rhythm of speaking. "The Boy Wonder is your little brother…!?" She gasped.
Tim flushed. "For god's sake Bird Brains, you introduced me as your little brother?"
Wing tisked impatiently. "Just because you are embarrassed by this fact does not make it any less true, little bird." He grinned at the strangled noise that came from the boy across from him and continued pointedly. "And in any case, I've decided to start being more forthcoming with my team. You want to know what sort of practice this is, then fine: it's practice for you to start becoming more of your own hero, bro." He stood again, and now every eyes was locked onto him in shock, especially Robin's.
He ruffled his little brother's hair playfully. "You can't be dad's crutch forever, little bird. I got out, and you gotta start learning to stand on your own too without him everywhere at all hours so that someday you can too. However, since I'm not cruel enough to toss you into the criminal world without backup, I've got you the best back-up I know." He flashed a grin and gestured to Titan's East—who both paled and puffed up a little bit in pride.
Robin just looked shell-shocked.
Nightwing left it at that as he turned to face his Titans, and his grin vanished into a most frightening warning look they thought they'd ever seen.
"Do not mess my little brother up, got it? I've only got one mentally stable sibling left, and if you screw him up I will be pissed." He declared, and his presence seemed to get bigger as they shrunk back a little.
And all of a sudden, it made perfect sense. Because even as shocking as it was to put all the puzzle pieces together and figure out who these two previously mysterious heroes were… no one else could have taught Nightwing to look as terrifying and insurmountable as he looked now but the Dark Knight himself.
And just like that it was gone, and he was grinning that playful, Nightwing grin.
"See ya! Play nice, catch the bad guys, don't die!"
And like that he was out the door before anyone could breath in to call him back or ask another question.
Tim sighed heavily and looked around at the five older teens staring wide-eyed at him as if at a loss of what to do or say next. He cursed his older brother out in his head silently before giving in and straightening up. If Dick wanted him to practice being independent, then challenge accepted.
"First of all, the Boy Wonder title is a hand-me-down thing and it's all Nightwing's fault. Oh, and if you call me little bird at any point in time, I will make it so you can't sit down for a week."