Dick Grayson Trash

After an Unexpected Confession (Sequel)

-Requested by TheSamonShiper and crun_chie , Both of whom requested this part- 

-3-

"Dick?" Bruce asked through the door. "If your not going to sleep, can you at least tell me what's wrong?"

Here was a grumble from the other side of the door. "Go away." Dick had stopped crying about an hour and a half ago. Now he just lay on his bed in the dark, physically and emotionally exhausted.

"Can you tell me what's wrong first?" His father asked. "Dick, I'm not going away until I know that you're safe."

"It's nothing!"

"It doesn't seem like nothing." There was a whimper from inside the boys bedroom. "Dickie, I'm coming in, and you're going to tell me what's wrong." He pushed the boys door open, ever glad he hadn't let Dick have a lock yet. The boy was curled un on his bed, where he'd been for a few hours, looking crumpled and dejected. 

"It was my fault!" Dick muttered.

"What was? Did it happen on the mission?" Dick shook his head, turning further away. "Dick, I'm not leaving until you talk to me."

They sat in silence for a couple minutes, the older resting his hand on his son's ribcage. "How quickly have you destroyed a friendship?" Dick asked quietly.

Bruce wasn't sure what to say. "Well, I don't have many close friends... but, I don't know, a day?" He looked down at the boy. "Why?"

Dick sniffled a little. "I finally beat you at something." He forced a chuckle. "I just ruined a relationship with my best friend in under a minute!"

His foster father patted the boys side a little. "Why? With Wally? What could you do to ruin your friendship with Wally?"

Dick turned away from him. "Have you ever told the truth and regretted it?"

"Why?" Bruce asked. 

"Have you?"

Bruce nodded a little. "Yes. Have you?"

Dick curled up against his father's leg. "Yeah."

"Tell me about it."

"I know why you hate Love." He muttered. "It ruins EVERYTHING!"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because it does! You get too close to someone and you start to think you're in love with them, and then you come out and tell them you love them! and you ruin Everything!"

Bruce sat there quietly for a few minutes. His parenting skills didn't extend this far. He didn't know if Dick was saying what he thought he was. "Dick, just to be clear, are you saying that you professed your love to someone, and now they hate you?"

The boy sniffled a little. "what does it matter? They hate me now. I'll just join you and never fall in love again!"

Bruce nodded a little. He patted the boys hair gently. He genuinely didn't have a clue what Dick was talking about.