Kind of my take on how Robin became a hero and stuff. Reviews are always appreciated.

X

The first time Dick ever considers being hero is in the garden in Wayne Manor. It isn't even his idea.

Bruce crouches down next to Dick, his hulking, broad body covering all of Dick's view of the sun. "How would you like to be a hero?"

Dick had always been small for his age, and at eight he stood unashamed at four foot nothing. Dick still knew the acrobatics his parents taught him and trained religiously, practicing until he knew that his parents would have been proud of him. His eyes were large - too large for his face - and people often compared them to robin eggs. He liked that, and often compared his gymnastics to flying. Dick's favorite colors were green, red, and yellow, and he often wore a mix of the three, to Alfred and Bruce's distaste. His hair was black and messy, mostly because he never bothered to brush it.

"You mean like Batman?" Dick asked, eyes wide and star struck.

"Yes. Exactly like Batman," Bruce lead the small boy to the Batcave and to where the rest of his life would begin.

X

His lungs burned with every breath and everything positively hurt. But Dick plowed forward, because he wanted to be a hero, he wanted to help people. But he wavered on his next step and Dick felt his knees buckle and he collapsed from exhaustion.

Batman - watching from the shadows - walks over to him and cradled the small boy to his chest. Dick was doing better than he had thought, never whining or complaining. Batman knew he made the right choice.

X

"Why can't I patrol with you yet?" That seemed to dominate most of the conversations recently. Why did you teach me these moves if I never get to use them? Why did you tell me I could be a hero if you didn't mean it? Bruce, why are you so lame?

"Because you're not ready yet."

"What? I train everyday, I've studied all of the tactics, all of the moves and I know how to hack. How can I not be ready?"

Bruce turned around and gave him a hard glance, but Dick didn't back down. "You don't even have a design for a costume yet."

"Yeah I do!" He handed Bruce a paper. Paper folded and the edges were frayed, it was obvious that Dick had drawn it a long time ago and carried it around everywhere. The drawing was messy and some colors went out of the lines, but Bruce could see the general picture.

"No."

"What? Why not?"

"The costume is too bright. The idea is to blend in with the darkness,

not stand out. "

"But those are my parent's colors," Dick said softly.

"... Fine."

A grin spread over Dick's face. "Thanks Bruce! You won't regret it!"

He plucked the picture from Bruce's hand and ran to Alfred, saying something about knowing he'd come around and when they would be getting the costume because they ordered it three days ago.

Bruce's lips quirked. No regret, indeed.

X

The first fight that Robin is in, he immediately freezes up when the gang member jumps at him. Then everything slows down, and he suddenly knows what to do and how to block. Robin punches his jaw mid lounge and delivers a sharp kick to his head that throws him into an alley wall and knocks him unconscious.

Bruce had already taken down the other five members and nods at Dick approvingly. He shoots his grappling hook at a nearby building, and they're off into the night.

X

The first time Robin thinks about being a solo hero is when he's in the middle of a fight. He was alone in a wing of the building, taking care of some goons while Batman took out the mastermind behind the situation. Robin knocks away one of the few remaining people and thinks, This is so easy I could do it myself. The thought is so foreign that he drops his guard for a second, giving one of them just enough time to deliver a blow to his side. Robin is immediately back on track, and quickly takes care of the last one.

Months later, even when he forgets about the fight, Robin still thinks about being a hero.

X

The first time Dick brings up being a solo hero, they're eating breakfast.

He had turned thirteen a couple weeks earlier and almost always felt awkward in his new, lanky body. Dick shovels in another forkful of Alfred's waffles. "I should probably learn some new one man tactics," He shrugs in what he hopes is indifferently. "For when I become a solo hero."

Bruce's gaze drops to Dick's. "What?"

"More tactics," Dick says slower. "For when I become a solo hero."

"I let you patrol with me, and I let you fight with me," His glance turns harsh. "Isn't that enough?"

Dick feels an ashamed flush forming on the back of his neck. Shouldn't this be enough? "It's not like I'm going to be living with you forever," Dick stumbles through his words. "I may not be in Gotham forever."

The silence is heavy as it weighs down on Dick's shoulders. "I wouldn't mind you becoming a solo hero," Bruce says, finally breaking the silence. "I will miss you when you're gone, though."

Dick's smile is wide, and Batman knew he made the right decision, all those years ago.