Dick knocked on the WatchRoom door. Bruce sighed, this was the third time he'd came to the door asking for crayons or paper. When is Barry going to see that i need him to actually watch the boy when i ask him. Bruce opened the door, Dick stood there with his hands behind his back and looking down. He never does that unless he wants something that Bruce is probably going to say no to.
"Yes Dick?"
"Umm..."
He looked up at him with innocent eyes,
"Can i...uh..."
Bruce could tell he was trying to make sure he was using the right words.
"Uh...maybe...barrow one of your masks?"
Dick smiled the biggest smile he could make. Bruce thought for a moment then got an idea,
"Ok, but next time when you need something go to Uncle Barry ok?"
"REALLY!"
Dick ran up and hugged him,
"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!"
Dick squeezed him again then ran off into the guest room where Bruce's extra mask was. Bruce smiled then went back to work.
Dick looked down at his hands, One of Batman's actual masks, he thought. Dick looked around Flash's room. Barry said that he could play there while he went to get a snack, which means Dick has about an hour and 30 minutes before Flash comes back. Dick had built a large pillow fort in the corner of the room with a bunch of origami buildings in front of it. He took some of Barry's "action figures" and placed them around the paper town. Dick slipped on one of Bruce's empty utility belts. Bruce would not give him a loaded one and for good reasons. Dick clinched the mask as he started to climb the fort, when he got to the top he put the mask on, Woah, even though the mask was a little big the eye part held on to keep it from falling.
"Hey Dicky, you want something to eat?"
Barry walked in making Dick jump, when he did the fort broke apart and he feel to the ground,
"Dick!"
It was less then a second before Barry was at the destroyed fort, Bruce is going to kill me, he's going to kill me, he's going to KILL me, was all Barry could think as he dug through the pillows. Barry scooped Dick up after he found him and set him on the empty couch.
"Are you ok?" Barry said as he looked for bruises.
"I'm ok," Dick shrugged.
"Good" he sighed
"For a moment there i thought you might have hurt your noggin,"
"Noggin..." Dick felt his bare head, "My mask!"
Dick started digging through the pillows till he found it, his smile turned into a frown when he saw it had fallen into an old box of pizza,
"Ewwwww" Dick made a disgusted face as he pulled it out of the gooey cheese.
He stuck out his tongue when he held it up for Barry to see. It had a big grease stain on the back of it. Dick laid the mask down.
"Daddy's going to be so mad at me," He frowned.
"I bet we can fix it, here let's go wash this off."
Barry picked it up and went down the hallway with the boy behind him. Every time Barry would make a comment of a face about the smell Dick would start laughing, He was starting to feel like the kid was actually starting to like him. When they got to the washing room Barry dropped it in the nearest machine and guessed which buttons to push,If i press the wrong button then what's the worst that could happen, right? After a few minutes the washer started making a weird sound, then some bubbles started coming out of it, that's when Barry started to worry. When the soap start pouring out of it he started to really worry.
"What's happening?" Dick asked
"This never happens when Alfred washes!" Dick had to yell over the loud noise coming out of the machine.
"Uh...I think this means it's done."
Barry opened the top then was buried in bubbles, Dick had to hold his breath not to laugh. Barry got up and dug through the pink mess. When he finally found the mask he tried to pull it out but it was caught on something. Barry pulled and pulled till he heard a long cracking sound and fell to the floor. Dick ran up to the washer and found the off switch, when it was off he ran back to Flash.
"Uncle Barry are you ok?"
"Ugh...yeah...fine..." He grunted
When he stood up Dick gasped, Barry looked down to see it, the ears and mouth part of the mask had been fully ripped off. All that laid there was the shredded eye part with the back attached to it.
"Daddy's going to be super mad at me now."
Barry felt so guilty, and he knew if he didn't fix this Bruce would rather blame him then the boy. What do we do? Better yet, what do i do? He ran up to the washer and found the missing pieces. When he got them he pick Dick up a ran back to his room.
"What are you going to do?" Dick asked.
"Going to try and fix this,"
"How are you going to do that?"
Honestly i have no idea. Barry thought
"Uh...welding?"
He put the ears on top of the eye piece and tried to heat them together by vibrating his hands along it. When he let go it melted making the eyes slant downwards. When he tried the bottom it also melted, then he tried to do it slowly but ended up melting the entire back. All that was left was the eye part of the cowl.
"Oh no..."
Dick picked up the 'mask' and looked at it.
"What do we do now?"
Dick had tears in his eyes now. Barry could tell the boy was completely helpless, Bruce is going to kill me. Barry looked at the big bright blue eyes. He's right, what do we do? He thinks Bruce is going to kick him out of the house or something, the worst thing he would is give him a big hug and say it's no your fault it's you Uncle Barry's and Excuse me son i have to go murder you uncle now for making you cry. Barry could tell that the boy looked up to Barry, he believed in him, i have to fix this for him first, then try to save myself from Bruce's wrath. Barry knelt down.
"Look, it's my fault ill just tell him that."
"But then he will be mad at you when i was suppose to be in trouble and then..." Dick started sobbing,
This kid is really sensitive, Wally would be like, 'ok do you have anything to eat?' But he actually CARES about what his dad/uncle feel, wow... Barry instinctively raped his arms around the boy.
"Dicky it's fine, Bruce won't be mad at you, your the most precious thing in the world to him. I don't care if he beats me senseless as long as your ok."
Dick grinned.
"Now let's wipe those tears and go tell your Daddy what happened ok?"
Barry pulled up one of his sleeves the wiped one check while Dick wiped the other with his tiny soft hand. When Dick looked up he gasped, Barry turned around to see Batman standing by the door.
"Daddy, we-i-i didn't mean to-it was an accident- it was all-"
"My fault," Barry interrupted.
Bruce just squinted at him.
"Look we- I didn't mean for this to happen and whatever you do it wasn't Dick's fault, i messed it up."
Bruce looked at his son. Dick just looked down.
"Dicky, come with me and bring the mask."
Barry let out a sigh of relief, Bruce never called Dick, Dicky if he was in trouble. He looked up at Barry and nodded then fallow Bruce with the mask behind his back. When Barry was sure that they left he peaked out just in time to see Bruce shut the door to the guest room. Barry walked up and sat down in front of the room. Waiting for them to come out.
Barry didn't know how long he had been out there but a long long time later the door opened. Barry jumped to his feet as Dick and Bruce walked out of the door way. He could tell Dick was having trouble trying to not smile, Barry could hear little bursts of laughter coming out of his mouth every time he tried to cover it. Bruce stood in front of him with one of those stares that make you feel like you a bad dog that just ate the Thanksgiving turkey.
"I heard what happened." Bruce looked right in Barry's eyes.
"Yeah..."
"And i don't care what happened."
"What?"
"I have over 5000 masks, i think i can live without one,"
"B-b-b-b-but you-then you-"
"And besides,"
Bruce held up the mask and slide it over Dick's eyes,
"I think this works great for Dicky," he smiled
Dick started jumping with excitement.
"I get to KEEPit! Wait till Aunt Sharon hears about this!"
Dick ran down the hall yelling for Hawkwoman. Bruce smiled and turned to Barry.
"Ok, why aren't you mad at me?" Barry was specious now.
"I was mad at you at first till a certain some told me the real story, even through it was really your fault i was happy that you stood up for him so i let you off the hook."
"Thanks's Brucy."
"Yeah don't get used to it, and don't call me that."
"Ok, thanks Daddy Bats!"
Before Bruce could say anything Barry raced into the living room and plopped down next to Superman, he was laughing.
"What's so funny?" Barry asked,
"The way you almost peed your pants when Batman was talking to you,"
"Don't be ridiculous, i feel that way every time he talks to me."
"Ha ha, how about the way you were vibrating?"
"Vibrating?"
"Yeah, at first i thought you where going to vibrate through the walls so you could get out of there,"
"How'd you see all this? We were in the other room."
"X-ray vision."
"Ah, i got yea."
Bruce cradled snoozing Dick in his arms. He was sitting in Flash's room with the mess of paper and pillows. Bruce looked at the mask that hung from Dick's face, Besides, i think this works great for Dicky. Bruce replayed what he said to Barry in his mind. His eyes wandered from the mask to the cape, no, i won't let it happen, i won't put his life in danger ever again. Bruce took the mask off and put it in his back pocket. He wrapped his arms around Dick and stood up. When Bruce got back to the cave he slid off his cowl, changed Dick back into his footy PJs and laid him up in his bed. Dick snuggled up in his arms as Bruce read some work files, after a while he slowly started to nod off until he fell asleep. A few minutes Dick rubbed his eyes and saw that the lamp was turned on with Bruce asleep. Dick scooted out of the covers and picked up all the files, then placed them on the nightstand next to him. He climbed back in bed and turned out the light,
"I love you Daddy,"
He whispered before snuggling back up in his arms,
"I love you too," Bruce mumbled as he reached over and squeezed Dick closer.
"I love you too."
THE END