(Not So) Sweet Sixteen

by seby

(Batman/Robin slash, PG-13)

Hmmm. Dickie's 16 now and things are heating up... And let's throw Babs in the mix. She's getting naughty! Special thanks to the World's Best
Beta, nw's chick.

Disclaimer: I don't own the boys. I just play with them.



^.^ Chapter 6 ^.^

Dick stared at the empty gym and sighed. Might as well get going, he thought. Plopping the boom box onto the floor, he cranked up the tunes. Then he sighed again. Well, this still sucks, but at least it's not so quiet, he thought. He knew Bruce wouldn't like the music, but he hadn't said "No music," had he?

Still, the day ground by. Dick hated performing the intricate Eastern martial arts moves that were no fun when he usually perfected them while sparring with Bruce. He found himself wondering what had happened to their usually close relationship. When had this started? His mind drifted to one night when they had come back from a patrol of Gotham and Dick was feeling particularly energetic. Bruce had suggested a round of fencing to unwind and they had ended up having a great time, laughing and teasing each other, battling into the early morning hours. It had been nearly perfect, until Bruce had ruffled Dick's hair on the way to breakfast, saying, "I didn't know having a son could be so much fun."

Dick had stopped dead in his tracks. He had just been thinking how good of a friend Bruce had become, and thought he had been feeling some respect from the older man, so the comment surprised him. And hurt. So, naturally, he angrily shot back before thinking.

"I'm not your son, Bruce! I'm your partner, your *soulmate*." Seeing the confused and hurt look in Bruce's eyes, he had added, "Bruce, I respect you as my mentor. I love you man, like a brother, like a friend. But not like a father. You're not my Dad, you never will be. I have a Dad. He's right here," he had said softly, touching his heart.

Is that when all this started? Dick wondered.

Dick remembered Bruce's _expression was still one of hurt when he had nodded, saying "I'm sorry, Dick. I know I can never replace your parents. It's just that I feel *responsible* for you now. And sometimes that makes me think or act like a parent."

Yep. That's when all this started, Dick thought grimly. Even then, Bruce hadn't accepted Dick as an equal. Well, maybe I'm not an equal, really, but I'm not some stupid, untalented tag-along sidekick kid, either! When am I going to get the respect from you that I deserve? A nagging voice arose in the back of his mind. When you respect him.

"Shut up," he said out loud to the silence. He realized the CD was over and he hadn't programmed the changer to continue. He stopped his routine and lined up the next several sets of thought-numbing music.

"Dick."

Unfortunately, Bruce chose that moment to come down to the gym. Dick thought that maybe Bruce had realized he was being a jerk and had come to talk, or at least work out with him. He looked up at the three-piece gray Armani suit and promptly saw red.

"What, don't trust me?" Dick spat. Bruce's anger had flared when Dick's blaring music met his ears before he even entered the gym, but he had struggled to maintain his composure. Now, the moment Dick turned to face him and his diamond earring glinted in the light, Bruce lost it.

"Why should I? Have you given me any reason to?" he thundered. "I told you to take that earring out!"

"What the hell is your problem, Bruce?" Dick shouted back.

"What's yours?" Bruce shot back. Bruce's emotions scared him as no criminal ever had. He felt trapped, betrayed... he had to get out of there. Hurling "You've just added 25 laps to the bottom of the list," Bruce whirled on his heels and stormed out.

"Love to!" Dick hurled back before grabbing a stack of CD's and flinging them against the wall. Furious, he broke from the routine and snatched the boxing gloves, pounding the bag until the sweat flew from his skin. He was rebelliously putting off returning to the schedule, but eventually he angrily returned to it - he'd had too many years of obedience to Bruce to disregard the punishment.

The day was finally beginning to take its toll on his body and he regretfully welcomed the peaceful reprise of yoga. Sheer determination pushed him through the session of kickboxing and stubbornness edged him on through, until at last he found himself stripped to his swim trunks and resting at the side of the pool, dangling his feet in the water and wishing he could convince his body it didn't feel as bad as it did.

Finally, he slid into the pool and floated on his back, thinking. Willing himself to go on. Slowly he turned over and pushed himself to the bottom of the pool. He pressed himself against the bottom; exhaling and feeling the weight of the water settle his body against the tiled floor. He lay there until his lungs began to ache, then, pulling his legs underneath him; he shoved against the bottom, shooting up toward the surface.

Gasping for air as he broke the water's surface, he felt as if he'd left his anger, resentment, fear, frustration, sorrow, all emotions, at the bottom of the pool. Instead, he felt a void of emotions coming into his body as his lungs welcomed the fresh oxygen. He rolled to one side and smoothly stroked to the far end of the pool.

And so begins lap one.

He forced himself into a rhythm, not thinking, not feeling, as he concentrated on moving one arm after the other through the water. With every fourth stroke his face would break the surface and he'd pull a fresh breath into his lungs.

Two more laps down.

He concentrated on breathing, sounds, the temperature of the water, anything to take his mind off the fatigue gripping him.

That makes seven. Momentary panic struck. Oh God, I can't do this, he thought. A stronger inner will - developed over the years of pushing from himself, and then being pushed even harder by Bruce - rose up. I can, and I will. He touched the edge of the pool ending the next lap and gasped for his next breath.

"Hold up a minute, Baby Blue!" It was Babs. Dick had been concentrating so hard; he didn't know how long she'd been standing there. "Can you take a breather for a sec? I want to say something."

Oh no. Not you, too, Babs. Dick started to push away with his feet. "Did Bruce send you down here to make sure I wasn't cheating?"

"No, you grouch. Although I hear he's regretting adding the laps. But he's as mule-headed as you are and won't take the first step to say so."

"I'm not nearly as stubborn as him, Babs. If you think any differently, he's got you fooled."

Babs huffed impatiently. "Look. I wasn't going to say anything but you have got to know that he's right, Dick. Skipping school like that violated his trust in you. Trust is the most important thing there is. More important than love, forgiveness, tolerance... more important than anything else that matters in a relationship. Add to that the fact that you scared him, and you hurt him. I know he hurt you, too. But besides that, what? Why'd you do it? Were you just pissed off? You started this, Dick. You need to finish it. Can't you just pick up the pieces and move on?" Her words stung Dick.

"What, tell him 'I'm sorry' so he can say "that won't erase what you've done, Richard.'?" He pushed off again, dragging himself through another lap. That makes nine.

Barbara sat down on the edge of the pool and put her feet in at the edge where Dick would complete his next lap. She waited. As he touched the edge, she leaned back on her elbows and sighed. "Actions speak louder than words, Dick. Just let that angry baggage go. It's not doing either one of you any good. And you can't control how he acts toward you. You can only control how you react to him."

Dick pushed off again, beginning his next agonizing lap while mulling over Barbara's words. Exhaustion was wearing down the last of his resistance. He thought of the few times when Batman had actually complimented Robin. It had rarely been on his performance, as Batman was more apt to say "You should have moved a little quicker there," or "Your jump was sloppy. You could have been hurt." It had been in Batman's actions. How he had allowed Dick into his private life as Bruce and his even more private world as Batman. He thought how clearly Bruce said "I trust you," by letting him become Robin and how Batman had echoed that by letting Dick 'watch his back,' on patrol. He thought about how warm, welcome and comforting that trust felt.

Damn. He hasn't abandoned me; I've dumped him! He's been obsessing over the break-ins and I've been whining about my birthday. Shit. He hasn't changed at all. I'm the one that's been a real pain.

He pushed himself to the edge near Babs. He sighed as her eyes watched him thoughtfully. "Yeah, I know I screwed up. Now what?"

She flashed him a smile. "Why don't you come on upstairs? We can still make the reservations for your birthday dinner."

"Shit, Babs, if I finish these laps I don't think I'll even walk, let alone eat. I don't really care about that anymore. Really. I just want this day to be over. Hell, I just want these laps to be over."

"So stop. You know you can. Bruce..."

"No!" Dick said more firmly than he expected. "I'm doing 25 laps. Period." He pushed off for the next round.

"Jeez, are you sure you're not more stubborn than Bruce? I'd say it's a toss up," Babs said, standing up and walking along the outer edge to follow Dick down the length of the pool. "Come on, Dick, how many more?"

"Um. Fifteen. If I don't die, first." He was doing the backstroke this time, so he could hear Babs, but also because it was easier on his exhausted body.

"You can make it, you know," Babs said, pulling off her tshirt and revealing her bikini underneath. She dived in smoothly, breaking the surface at the far end of the pool shortly before Dick reached it and flipped, heading back the other way.

Swimming alongside Dick, offering occasional words of encouragement or sometimes teasing him, the next several laps went by a little quicker. Dick was grateful for her company, knowing the pace she set next to him was slower than her usual one, but not willing (or able) to complain. By the time he finished his 21st lap, both had slowed considerably.

"Let me take a breather, Dick," Babs said, knowing he needed one desperately. She began to talk immediately, so that he was forced to stop.

"Are you sure we haven't done 50 yet? I swear it feels like it! And I thought four hours shelving books at the library was bad," she slowed her breathing consciously, noticing Dick was using a relaxation breathing technique to channel his energy into the task. This kid has had some amazing training for only being a 16-year-old former circus performer, she thought curiously. He seems so much older than his years... more experienced. I wonder if that goes for everything?

"Wait for me, I'm getting a drink," she said, pulling herself out of the pool and heading toward the cooler. "Want one?" she said as she opened the lid. "Dick! This cooler's full! Haven't you been drinking any water? You know you can get dehydrated doing that! You want to cramp up and drown?! What if I hadn't of come down here?" She saw the angry look on his face and decided to add a little humor to the lecture before he tuned her out.

"Besides, if you drown, I don't think I could drag your sorry butt out of this pool! Here." she threw him a bottle of water. Dick caught it and drained it. Then he stuck his tongue out at her.

"Ready, powder puff?" he grinned.

She felt herself melt as she flashed her teeth back at him. "Ready, girlie-man." God, he's gorgeous.

They pushed through the final laps with steadfast concentration. Babs was trying to remember when she had seen such a body as Dick's. Never, she decided, except for a few times when she caught Batman with her father. Even then, the Bat's body was covered by his costume. Although "complimented" would have been a better description that "covered."

But now, Dick's body was practically naked. And oh, what a body it was. And Dick was so much more attainable than Batman was. Forbidden fruit or not, Babs was definitely feeling very hot for the guy. But more than that, Babs knew Dick. Beyond the lust was a yearning for a connection to Dick's soul. And Dick's current state of vulnerability only added to her desire. He seemed so insecure about everything, including his relationship with Bruce. She wasn't sure why, but thought maybe it was because he was still insecure with himself. She knew it had to be a difficult situation. They seemed such an unlikely pair, the rich, debonair, cosmopolitan man and the sweet, funny, sincere orphan. Well, really, they were both orphans. And they both seemed so... lonely. How could that be? Dick was so gorgeous. Maybe he was just waiting for the right woman.

And I just realized how mature he is. Maybe the high school crowd doesn't interest him. Maybe he needs (wants) someone more, I don't know, MY age? She glanced surreptitiously at him.

Dick was simply trying to finish his laps without sinking to the bottom of the pool. His heart was beating so roughly he thought it would burst from his chest. His ears were pounding and his legs would not have supported him had he attempted to stand. Instead, as he reached the edge for the last time, he dragged his body from the water and collapsed, face down, gasping for air. Barbara pulled herself out and grabbed the towels she had lain next to her clothes, using one to wrap around her and spreading another to cover Dick's back. Unable to resist, she gave him an affectionate swat on the butt.

"You made it, Baby Buns. Now comes the fun part." She heard an unintelligible grunt from the prone form beside her.

"Do you know English?" she asked sweetly.

"What fun?" he mumbled, only slightly more intelligible.

"The Jacuzzi, of course."

"I'm already soggy enough, thanks. Just let me die in peace." The misery in his voice fueled her desire.

Without thinking, Barbara stood up and pulled at his arms. "Come on, you jelly fish. It's exactly what you need. Your muscles will cramp up if you just stop now. Besides, I'm getting in and don't you know it's more fun with two?"

Dick rolled over. "Huh?" He stared at her bemused face. "Did I hear you right?"

Babs turned and started to walk toward the Jacuzzi, giving her butt an exaggerated wiggle in reply.



To be continued...