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“Well, well, well.” Dick cooed into the darkness, stroking the little Zitka plushie on his lap only to reach and turn on the lamp to confront Bruce and-
“Master Dick?” Alfred asked, confused, carrying a tray of tea and sandwiches.
“Oh. Hi Alfie.” Dick chirped. He liked Alfred. The man was nice and not a vampire. Dick had seen him in the gardens plenty and he made the best food ever… and Vampires didn’t eat food so why would they know how to make good food? Unless… What if it was a cover?
“Are you quite alright, Master Dick?” Alfred asked, placing the tray down on the table, the items clearly for Dick. Dick narrowed his eyes. Was Alfred a vampire too? Surely, otherwise, the older man would have noticed by now, about Bruce and said something-
“Oh no, it all makes sense.” Dick whispered to himself, still slowly stroking through the soft fluff of the elephant's fur. Alfred must be Bruce’s sire, he must have bit his master so they could be together for eternity- was he going to bite Dick too? Dick didn’t want to be a vampire, he liked playing in the sun and eating sandwiches and cake and-
“Master Dick?”
Oh right.
“I’m great Alfie, thanks. When will B be home?” Dick asked, because he was waiting for Bruce, he’d thought, in the dark, that Alfred had been his new caretaker.. Because calling him Dad was weird. Dick had a Dad. Bruce was Bruce.
“I should imagine in an hour or two, shortly before your bedtime, Young Master.” Alfred mussed, not eating anything from the tray. Suspicious. Maybe Alfred really was a Vampire too and he was just better at blending in that Bruce was… hm..
“Okay! Thanks Alfie.” Dick hummed and tucked into the sandwiches eagerly. He had time.
Alfred shot him a smile, “will that be all?” He asked and Dick nodded around his food, making a motion to wait while he chewed and swallowed because his mother taught him not to eat with his mouthful, thank you very much.
He ate the food (it was really nice, like always) and then turned the lamp off again to wait for Bruce to come home.
He woke up in his bed, tucked in with Zitka under his arms and his shoes neatly beside the bed.
He’d fallen asleep instead of catching Bruce in the act! No!
“Morning… I was late home… work was very…” Bruce trailed, as if looking for an excuse… an excuse for his blood drinking perhaps!? “Busy.” He finally finished, which was suspicious. His job was hardly busy… didn’t he pay people to do everything for him?
“I uh- Yeah, I must have fallen asleep.” Dick fumbled, when he’d sat himself at the table for breakfast, Zitka sitting beside his plate. He didn’t go anywhere without her.
“I’m…sorry.” Bruce spoke softly. Dick found it kind of funny that the man was bad at talking sometimes. Dick felt smart.
“It’s okay B! Thank you for carrying me to bed.” Dick grinned around a slice of toast. Bruce was nice, really nice and Dick wanted to make sure the man knew. Dick still really missed his parents, he always would, but Bruce was nice too. He was a good not-dad-dad.
The second time, Dick really tried to catch Bruce sneaking off to drink blood or curl up in his coffin-bed or something… but Bruce had vanished. He hadn’t left the manor, Dick was certain, and yet he’d been in the study one minute and the next he was gone and now Dick couldn’t find him. He didn’t want to play hide and seek, he wanted to confront Bruce. He didn’t mind if he was a Vampire anymore... Really. He just wanted to let Bruce know so he didn’t feel like he had to sneak about and hide it from Dick. Dick didn’t want Bruce to think he couldn’t be himself because Dick was around- He didn’t want to be a burden-
“Master Dick?” Alfred asked curious as to why the usually rather cheerful boy was sat slumped against the hallway wall dejected and quiet.
“Bruce is hiding.” Dick pouted, “I wanted to talk to him.” Dick continued softly, mad at himself for letting frustrated tears well in his eyes, he didn’t mean to cry but Bruce...
“I’ll find him for you, I promise.” Alfred almost seemed angry. Dick didn’t want to make Alfie angry. What if he hid from Dick too?
“I’m sorry Alfie-” Dick sobbed, angrily scrubbing his eyes with his palms. He didn’t mean to cry or make Bruce feel like he had to hid or make Alfred angry or- or-
“Good heavens whatever is wrong, Master Dick? You’ve nothing to be sorry for, my boy.” Alfred crouched to meet his eyes and shook his head. “I’ll find Master Bruce for you, would you like to come with me or wait in the kitchen? I’ll make you hot chocolate once I return with him.” Alfred offered. Dick dabbled the choices before he stood up, brushed his pants a little (though the floor wasn’t dirty) and looked the way the kitchen was. Alfred seemed to realise, even with Dick’s silent answer and nodded.
“I will meet you in the kitchen then, Master Dick.” Alfred’s tone seemed less angry which made Dick feel a little better. Alfred wouldn’t make him Hot Chocolate if he was mad at him, would he? So he couldn’t be mad…at Dick?
Dick waited in the kitchen, sitting up on one of the tall stools, legs swinging. Zitka had been waiting for him in the kitchen so he'd pulled the stuffed elephant onto his lap to cuddle it close. Bruce almost looked flustered when he rushed in, followed by Alfred. He was instantly beside Dick, squatting down a little, eyes wide and fearful.
"Chum? Whatever is the matter?" Bruce rushed, none of his typical awkwardness present, only worried and panicked. Dick sniffed and let go out Zitka to hold out his arms. Bruce didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around Dick in the silent hug he'd asked for. Dick snuggled as close as he could into Bruce's chest, Dick's forehead pressed onto Bruce's shoulder, trembling a little as the onslaught of tears returned.
Alfred watched on for a moment before he moved to the stove to begin making the promised hot chocolate, pausing to pick Zitka up from where she'd fallen onto the floor, placing her carefully onto the countertop. Later Dick would find a way to thank him.
For now, he was content holding onto Bruce closely, because the man hadn't left him, he wasn't hiding from Dick and he wasn't going to leave... He wouldn't lose another parent-
He forgot all about the confrontation.
Eventually though, Dick had gone back to his original plan, he had sat in the comfy chair in the dark, clinging to Zitka (he wasn't scared of the dark, shut up…) until he heard footsteps sneaking towards the study. It was always his study Bruce snuck into before he vanished, maybe he had a secret room behind a bookcase where he kept his coffin and blood and Focus Dick.
He reached across to flick on the light beside him, dramatically flooding the room with light. Bruce, who'd been just about to pull the door open, froze in panic.
"Hello Bruce…" Dick started, watching as Bruce flinched and turned to look over his shoulder hesitantly. Dick steeled himself, he finally caught him, he wasn’t going to mess this up. “You know.. I’ve been wondering lately…” Dick continued, making a point of stroking Zitka’s back on his lap, one hand remaining on the string of the lamp for effect. He wanted to look like a bond villain okay?
“You’re never home at night…you hate the sun.. and most of the time you walk around with sunglasses on.” Even in the house was the unspoken end of that sentence because who wore sunglasses inside? Bruce Wayne. Nobody else ever. Bruce looked nervous, turning more to face Dick who finally let go of the light, moving to rest his other hand on Zitka’s head.
“I’ve never seen you eating and when you’re awake during the day, you’re always tired!” Dick accused Bruce had fully turned to him now, having let go of the study door to stare in unrestrained panic and fear. Dick felt a little bad about scaring Bruce but he needed to confront him, needed to let him know he knew and that he really didn’t mind. As long as Bruce didn’t suck his or Alfred's blood… Okay maybe he would help Bruce find alternatives to sucking anyone's blood later because it sounded nasty-
“I think I finally figured it out.” Dick tried to keep his face blank for effect but he could feel a smile battling to show itself. He let the words hang, dramatically as Bruce stared down at him, expectantly, arms crossed and waiting for the revelation he was certain Dick had figured out.
“I’m Batman-” Bruce sighed. “You’re a Vampire!” Dick beamed, proud of himself.
They spoke, overlapping. A moment of silence befell them. Dick’s smile vanished, his eyes widened and he stared in shock, taking in the words. Bruce panicked, a hand coming to his mouth to mask the noise of regret he wanted to let out. Oh God he should have just let Dick say his piece-
“You’re Batman?!” Dick yelped excitedly, Zitka falling to the floor as he shot up and dashing into Bruce, grasping at his jumper with his hands, jumping excitedly.
“No I-I’m a Vampire.” Bruce flushed, embarrassed at outing himself when he could have just pretended to be a Vampire. He buried his face in a hand, God he was an idiot.
“Bruce! Really? Are you B! Bruuuuuce? Really are you? I want to see! Please! Pleaaaase. Please, Please!” Dick begged as Bruce wanted to melt into the carpet. Dick didn’t let up, jumping excitedly, when Bruce didn’t answer he continued to pull on his jumper, attempting to scale the man, getting as far as koala-cuddling his stomach, little legs wrapped around Bruce’s. Bruce looked down at him in shock because this child was attempting to scale him like a tree, still babbling little excited pleas.
“I-I’m definitely a vampire.” He choked out, cheeks flushed with embarrassment that really didn’t sell the whole ‘Vampire’ look…because he couldn’t have blood to flush his cheeks-
“Nu uh! You’re Batman! You gotta show me! Do you really have a Cave? Do you? Is there Bats in it? Are you part Bat? Oh my god will you have Bat Babies? Can I have a brother bat? I promise I’ll look after him? I- Can I try on your costume?” Dick babbled as Bruce carefully reached to cling onto Dick better, pull him up so the boy rested on his hip and wasn’t clinging to him but held safely in Bruce’s arms. It was probably a mistake because now Dick was level with his eyes and eagerly asking more and more questions, tiny hands grabbing at Bruce’s cheeks to shake his head.
“Can we go see, please, please! I wanna see!” Dick urged and Bruce sighed.
“Fine. But no touching.” Bruce ordered, trying to regain control. Dick nodded frantically and then turned to look at Zitka, pouting. Bruce followed his eyeline and dipped down to pick up the Elephant, handing him to Dick who cuddled her close.
“Thanks B!” He beamed. Bruce would never get the kid to bed now, despite the time, he was higher than if he’d inhaled two cups full of sugar. So, cave it was.
“Remember, no touching.” He repeated, pulling the door to the study open.
Dick would break that rule in exactly 0.1 seconds and they both knew it.