(Not So) Sweet Sixteen

by seby

(Batman/Robin slash, PG-13)

How does Bruce handle his discovery? Denial, methinks... Thanks as always to the World's Best Beta, nw's chick.

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



^.^ Chapter 9 ^.^

Bruce stormed through the foyer on the way to his study, nearly crashing in to Alfred. Taking one look at Bruce's face, Alfred expressed his concern.

"Good Heavens! What on Earth has happened?"

"Cancel the reservations, Alfred. And take the rest of the night off," Bruce snapped as he fumed past Alfred, stalking into the study.

Alfred turned to follow Bruce. "Is anything wrong?" he questioned. "Is Master Richard... all right?"

"It seems Richard is just fine," Bruce spit out the words, slamming the door shut in Alfred's face. He paced the study, trying to regain control. He struggled to get the image of Dick and Babs out of his mind, to shut out the sounds of their pleasure from his ears. What was happening to him? Why was he so angry, so undone? It wasn't just because of what they had done, was it?

Of course it is! How dare they disregard the law so blatantly, behave so wantonly in my house! Barbara knew better! Dick was underage. Bruce couldn't really hold Dick responsible, could he? Hadn't he been saying all along that Dick was irresponsible, reckless, foolish? But after yesterday, after the punishment from today? What was Dick thinking? No, I should say 'Why wasn't he thinking?' And what about Barbara!? Bruce wanted to demand she leave immediately. But he had assured Commissioner Gordon, Jim, that he would take care of his little girl.

Some 'little' girl, he thought furiously. She seduced Dick! Bruce knew Dick had said it was a mutual choice, but he couldn't accept that. Dick wasn't old enough to be able to resist her charms. The words echoed in his head again. "We didn't do anything wrong! This was my choice!" Bruce shook his head, sighing, and collapsed at his desk.

Wasn't Dick always complaining that Bruce didn't treat him like an adult? And if Bruce really felt that Dick was too immature to know better, why had he punished him so hard for yesterday? And why was he so upset with Dick today? And why had Dick tried to take responsibility? When everyone else was too stricken with shock and shame, Dick was the first one to move, heading toward the towels, defending Barbara... Bruce suddenly felt even more miserable. As if that was possible.

As best as he could, Bruce tried the unemotional, analytical approach. Maybe Dick was right. Maybe he wasn't a kid anymore. And maybe Bruce didn't really think he was, either. That would explain his reaction today. And why he expected so much from Dick. He wouldn't really expect an immature teenager to think about the consequences of yesterday, nor today, would he? And hasn't Alfred been saying as much to Bruce the last several months?

Bruce sighed again, dropping his head into his hands. Now what? Bruce couldn't figure out why he didn't know what to do. He always had a plan, always had a nearly automatic response to every situation. But this -- This was really throwing him for a loop. He thought of Alfred's face, and his words, as he and Bruce collided in the hall. Indeed, Alfred. What has happened? Bruce wondered, sadly.

^.^

Babs, too, had been frozen where she crouched in the water as Dick had begun to stand. She watched, stricken, as Bruce stormed out of the gym and Dick climbed up the stairs, heading for the towels. She cast her eyes downward as he wrapped one towel around his waist before reaching to get one for her.

He held the other towel open for her and turned his face to the side. "Here, I won't look," he said quietly.

She felt like crying as she stepped out of the Jacuzzi into the towel, wrapping it snugly around her body. Dick walked toward their suits and gathered them up as Babs shifted uncomfortably, trying to think of what to say. She looked over at him, taking in the broadness of his shoulders, the smoothness of his back. Strangely, she felt a new, inexplicable strength emanating from him. It made her want to hug him.

"Dick. I'm so sorry." Her voice caught in her throat. "I..."

Dick spun around angrily.

"Babs. Don't go there. What we just did was fan-fucking-tastic and I am not going to let his tight ass ruin it."

She smiled sadly; his true feelings belied the strength of his words, creating trepidation in his voice. She watched his face as he walked toward her, stopping inches from where she stood. Cupping her chin gently with his hand, he leaned down to give her an almost platonic, yet comforting, kiss on the lips. She slid her arms around his waist, resting her check against his broad chest and succumbed to her earlier temptation to hug him. Dropping the suits, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her back. They stood together, quietly, gaining strength from each other.

Babs hated to break the moment, but her ultra-logical side was beginning to rear its head. She leaned back and looked up into his eyes.

"Dick. Listen. I agree. It was wonderful. But... Well, I also understand how we must have made Bruce feel. Can you imagine what would have happened if my dad had walked in on us?" she shuddered involuntarily at the thought.

Dick pulled away. "Oh, Jeez, not you, too!" The anger and exasperation in his voice was tinged with hurt. "He is not my Dad! Not now, not ever! I keep telling him that! I'm not some God-damned little kid he can send to his room! He can't treat me like one!!"

Babs shook her head. She smoothed her hands up and down his arms, wanting to be close to him, reassure him. She knew he wouldn't want to hear what she was about to say.

"Yes, he can, Dick. OK. So he's not your Dad. And maybe sending you to your room is a little much. Still, he is your legal guardian. It doesn't mean he thinks you're some stupid little kid. It means he is legally responsible for you until you're 18. I know enough about Bruce Wayne through my Dad to know he takes that responsibility very seriously. He's felt responsible for you ever since... well, ever since you came here. And now I'm staying in his house, too. That means I should have considered what he wanted. We must abide by his rules. And by the law."

Dick snorted. "Well, he didn't make any rules about you and I, did he? So we didn't break them."

Babs couldn't help the wry smile that escaped her lips. "I'll bet he'll make some now," she retorted. She paused thoughtfully. "Besides, he didn't really have to make any rules about us. We both know its wrong."

A pained look flashed in Dick's eyes. "I don't know that." He pulled away from her completely. "Why? Why is it wrong? At the circus, I'd be considered old enough to get freakin' married if I wanted. I could start my own life if I wanted. Why can't I be with you, if I want?"

Damn. I wish life were that easy, Dick, Babs thought. "Oh Dick. That may have been accepted in the gypsy culture, but you're not living that life any more. And Bruce isn't a member of that culture, either. When you came to live with him, you know that you gave up that lifestyle, don't you? Besides, my Dad would arrest Bruce if he just let you "run free," which is what that kind of lifestyle would be considered as, outside of the circus environment. I mean, even if you were more independent, you still had a huge, extended family watching out for you, whether you realized it or not. That's not the way things can be for you, now. Surely you understand that?"

Dick stared blankly at Babs. Yeah, he guessed that maybe he did know that. He was old enough to be an adult in his old life, but that life was over. It didn't matter what he felt, and now Babs was saying it didn't even matter what Bruce felt. It was society's rules that he had to follow now. Welcome to the real world, Richard Grayson. You knew today was going to suck. He had continued to withdraw from her while getting lost in his thoughts. Suddenly he felt bone-weary. Turning his back to her and heading back toward the swimming pool, he mumbled, "I'm really, tired Babs. Let's just go get this thing over with."

Babs started to respond, but then stopped. Give him a minute, she thought. She bent over to pick up her suit. Pulling the bottoms on, she watched him retreating to the pool room. She turned her back and slipped her top on, quickly, before wrapping the towel back around herself. She had almost reached the gym's doors when she saw Dick coming back. He had pulled on his sweatpants and was just pulling his tshirt back on over his head. Seeing him carrying her tshirt, she held out her hand as he tossed it to her. She pulled it over her head, sliding her arms into the sleeves as she released the towel from her body and bent over. Wrapping the towel around her hair, she flipped it up, twisting it into a turban around her head.

"Well, let's go," she said. "Um, you do know he only wants to talk to me..." she began.

"No." His voice was quiet, but firm. She cast a sideways glance at him. When had he found that confidence? It wasn't there before, was it? Or maybe she just hadn't seen it before. He seemed to be very definite. So calm, almost like he'd shut out all emotions, focusing only on the task at hand. Oh! Maybe that's how he used to deal with pre-show jitters during his circus days. But what else did he remind her of? She cleared her throat.

"Um, what do you mean, no?" she asked.

Dick stopped walking. They had reached the door and he put his hand on the knob, ready to open it. But first he turned to face Babs.

"I mean that we're going to face him, together. I have some issues with Bruce that can't go on any longer." The curt, businesslike tones to his voice made her breathe in, sharply.

If he weren't so young, I'd swear he was Batman! she thought. That was exactly how she had heard the Bat talk to her dad. And that's how he acted, too. Focused. Calculated. Unemotional. Controlled. Jeez, you'd think he was taking lessons from the Bat or something, she mused.

"Um, I can appreciate that, Dick, but maybe we should talk to him one at a time."

Dick had opened the door and was holding it, waiting for her to go out first. "No, Barbara. We're going to discuss what happened today together. If necessary, the issues can come later. But I am not going to my room. Not any more." As they walked together down the hallway toward the study, Babs thought. Maybe the gypsies are right. Maybe their boys do become men on their sixteenth birthday. At least, it seems this one has.



To be continued...