What happened during those two weeks in his universe.
Dick reappears right by Batman's side. It takes him a few seconds to understand where he is and what's happening, he's in his old uniform again, and -- Batman is trying to take care of Catwoman. He can't leave, not right now, not in costume. Catwoman is in danger and he helps people when they're dying, even when they're thieves. He couldn't just leave even if that was not the situation... since he'd accepted his Batman hadn't been perfect, he's wondered if maybe he had... exaggerated how Batman was. He hasn't seen in in nearly a year, he could have altered his memories to blame someone else for the way he was and it had fallen on someone. The human brain does that, play with memories when you want to forget --
And where would he go, anyway? No, he -- he has to --
Christ, he has to stop thinking and get into Robin-mode before it becomes obvious what's happening. Does Batman remember the time he spent in the City? Why does he remember? Is it -- was it even real? He feels older but it's not as if he'd grown enough in the last year to judge on that and he is wearing the wrong costume.
No, he has nowhere to go and some memories he can't prove happened are making him think Batman is abusing him. He has to stay, both because he has nowhere to go and because he has to make sure.
It takes him a week of denial and trying his best to be Batman's partner and being forced to train on a twisted ankle to realise his brain was not, in fact, amplifying anything. But then he gets scared -- what would happen if he left? He can't say he's being abused... Even if that Batman shouldn't have a partner, Gotham still needs him, he doesn't want to be trouble --
He doesn't want to risk Batman looking for him and forcing him back and being angry at him. Really angry.
Batman blames him the next time a target manages to flee from them. Dick tells himself he will leave that night and never does.
A case is not going forward as well as it should and Batman makes Dick spend an entire night up looking things up without telling him why, making him miss school the next day. And Dick knows that a year ago, he would have been happy about this, about Batman needing him and sacrificing school... But it's negligence, isn't it? It's not good for him in any way. He tries convincing himself that he should leave soon, but it doesn't work.
And then, they take on a whole gang together and he gets stabbed to the shoulder -- it could be worse but it still needs stitches. Batman tells him it's his fault and does the stitches himself. He's not careful and it's -- probably the way he wants it. Dick shuts up through it and doesn't cry. He thinks about Tim that is too young to go to if he exists in this universe. Wally and Roy -- maybe he could try and find Roy, try and see if he's somewhere. Maybe he hasn't started taking heroin anymore, maybe they can run away together. Even if it's vague and nothing even remotely like a plan, Dick has... some objective. He can leave tonight with an objective.
And where would he go, anyway? No, he -- he has to --
Christ, he has to stop thinking and get into Robin-mode before it becomes obvious what's happening. Does Batman remember the time he spent in the City? Why does he remember? Is it -- was it even real? He feels older but it's not as if he'd grown enough in the last year to judge on that and he is wearing the wrong costume.
No, he has nowhere to go and some memories he can't prove happened are making him think Batman is abusing him. He has to stay, both because he has nowhere to go and because he has to make sure.
It takes him a week of denial and trying his best to be Batman's partner and being forced to train on a twisted ankle to realise his brain was not, in fact, amplifying anything. But then he gets scared -- what would happen if he left? He can't say he's being abused... Even if that Batman shouldn't have a partner, Gotham still needs him, he doesn't want to be trouble --
He doesn't want to risk Batman looking for him and forcing him back and being angry at him. Really angry.
Batman blames him the next time a target manages to flee from them. Dick tells himself he will leave that night and never does.
A case is not going forward as well as it should and Batman makes Dick spend an entire night up looking things up without telling him why, making him miss school the next day. And Dick knows that a year ago, he would have been happy about this, about Batman needing him and sacrificing school... But it's negligence, isn't it? It's not good for him in any way. He tries convincing himself that he should leave soon, but it doesn't work.
And then, they take on a whole gang together and he gets stabbed to the shoulder -- it could be worse but it still needs stitches. Batman tells him it's his fault and does the stitches himself. He's not careful and it's -- probably the way he wants it. Dick shuts up through it and doesn't cry. He thinks about Tim that is too young to go to if he exists in this universe. Wally and Roy -- maybe he could try and find Roy, try and see if he's somewhere. Maybe he hasn't started taking heroin anymore, maybe they can run away together. Even if it's vague and nothing even remotely like a plan, Dick has... some objective. He can leave tonight with an objective.