Young Justice: Robin Centric

Just Eat

Categories: Angst/Daddybats
Warning: Eating Disorder

***

The smell of the gravy that drizzled over the steamy vegetables, mashed potatoes and pork sausages made Dick's empty stomach beg for food.

"It looks really good Alfie! But I promised the team that I'd eat with them." He lied.
"Well you should have told us before Alfred made you food. Sit down." Bruce ordered.

Dick gulped and did as he was told. There was no getting out of it now. He'd just have to take a trip to the toilet after he'd finished.

He hung his head over the toilet bowl after he'd finished emptying the contents of his stomach. It started about a month ago by accident. He was sleeping in, which resulted in no breakfast. Then there was lunch. The school bully decided it was time to steal the smallest kid's money. He could've just asked for a packed lunch. But he didn't want to hassle Alfred anymore than he did.

He started to like that gnawing feeling in his abdomen when he didn't eat. And when he did eat, it felt disgusting. So he'd quickly vomit it back up. But it was getting hard to hide. His stomach didn't exactly agree with his decision and growled all the time.

The weekends were the hardest. If he didn't bring any money to school, he couldn't eat. But being stuck at home all day with a kitchen full of food was hard.

"Would you like me to prepare dinner Master Richard?" Alfred asked.
"No thanks." Dick replied, not looking away from the TV.

Alfred stood in front of the flat screen. "Master Dick, have you eaten anything today?"

He couldn't escape the eye contact. "Um... no. Okay... maybe I will have something."
Alfred smiled and left to prepare a sandwich.

Dick picked at it and only ate small bites while the butler watched.
"Did you need anything?" He swallowed a piece.
"No," Alfred paused. "I just want to see you eat."

"What?!" He tried to act like he didn't know what he was talking about.
"I haven't seen you eat in a few days."
Dick pushed the plate with half a sandwich left to the side of him. "Why's that strange? I've been out for dinner and I've ate snacks for lunch. Which was what I was going to do today Alfie. I'm perfectly fine and whelmed."

***

Kid Flash was talking to Robin at a hundred miles per second. But he wasn't taking any of it in because of his painful headache. He was thankful for when Batman walked in and debriefed them.

But he didn't hear any of that either.

Robin felt like he was standing on that bottom of the seabed. Everything around him moved slow. Batman's deep, monotone voice was nothing but a muffled noise. He tried to focus on his mentor. But the more he tried, his vision blurred.

Suddenly it was like gravity got 10x stronger.

"Rob!" Kid Flash caught him before he hit the floor.
"Urgh," Robin grunted and let KF sit him down.

Everyone gathered around the dazed teenager.

"Give him some space," Batman told the team who had created a claustrophobic circle around the Boy Wonder.

"Robin, are you okay?" Batman crouched down.
He relaxed into KF's arms. "I just got a little dizzy, that's all. M'fine."
"Dude are you sure?" The speedster asked. "You look like death."

Robin nodded and asked him to help him up. KF stood up first, then grabbed his best friend's boney wrist.

He frowned at him, but didn't say anything.