Fic: A Father's Right (Dick/Roy)
Title: A Father's Right
Author: milleniumrex
Characters: Dick/Roy, Lian
Rating: PG
Words: 750
Author's notes: Written for the Dick/Roy Valentine's Day Challenge, using the prompt "b. Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense. ~Mark Overby". This takes place about ten years in the future, when Lian is Robin and Dick and Roy are semi-retired as crimefighters.
Roy groaned as Dick kneaded his fingers into his back.
"Have I told you you're an idiot yet?"
A grumble could be heard from the pillow Roy's face was buried in. "Really, Short Pants? We're going to do this now?"
"Yes, we're going to do this now! I know you're angry, but you could have been killed out there! How long has it been since you patrolled?"
"Six months, give or take. Since the last time they called in the reserves."
"Exactly! You're lucky you just pulled a muscle. And from what I hear, you tried to single-handedly take on half the criminals in Gotham tonight. I mean, I know how you feel - "
"She's my daughter, Dick! I had to do something."
Dick frowned. "She's my daughter too. And we don't know what happened yet. How many times did you and I get hurt on patrol when we were kids?"
"It's different now." Roy sighed. "God, how did Ollie and Bruce deal with this? I mean, we've been putting the next generation out there for so long now, and it never seems real until it's your own kid who's in danger. What were we thinking?"
"We were thinking that Lian had been training for this since she was nine, and if we didn't let her do it, she'd never talk to us again." Dick grinned. "This kind of thing happens. She wasn't seriously hurt, she'll heal and be back out there with the experience to avoid this next time."
"Or, for an alternative, we could move out of Gotham and become sheep farmers. She can't get hurt shearing sheep."
"I don't know, those rams can be ornery." Dick kissed Roy on the back of the head. "Rest up, okay?"
"Getting old sucks. How does Bruce keep doing this at 45?"
"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he's been sneaking dips in a lazarus pit at some point." Dick snuck a quick look at himself in the mirror. He was still pretty well-preserved, but the first hints of grey could be seen sneaking into his long black ponytail. He and Roy had definitely aged well, but there was no denying they weren't young anymore. Being a vigilante was a young person's game, and it hadn't been easy to make the decision to retire except for emergencies. But every second you were slower was one more chance for Lian to lose a parent. It hadn't been an easy adjustment, but there was really only one choice.
"You're still as gorgeous as the day we met, you know. Grey hair or not."
Dick spun around, snapped out of his thoughts. "Same to you, Speedy. Same to you. Just promise me you won't try to beat up half of Gotham without my backup again? If you're going to have some ill-advised fun in defense of our girl, at least let me help."
"Sounds like a deal. Tell Lian I love her?"
"Sure thing." Dick ran his hand through Roy's red hair. "She's lucky to have someone who cares so much about her. We both are."
As Roy drifted off to sleep, Dick stepped out the door. Walking down the hall, he could see Lian awkwardly making her way to her room while balancing on her crutches.
"Hey, Kiddo. What did Alfred say?"
"Hairline fracture." Lian motioned to the cast on her foot. "I'll be back on the rooftops in a month. Bruce is going to be pissed, though."
Dick laughed. "He's going to come up with 'alternative training'. Consider that fair warning. Unless he's changed since I was a kid, injury is no free pass from Robin training."
"Joy. How's dad?"
"He'll be fine. Just pulled something in his back. He wanted me to tell you he loves you."
"Did he...really beat up half the escaped criminals in Gotham trying to find the one who hurt me?"
"Maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much."
Lian winced. "So, the fact that I slipped while doing a victory dance....that's just between us, right?"
"Our little secret." Dick ruffled his daughter's hair as he helped her to her room. Lian definitely took after her father in impulsiveness, but she also had his heart. Roy may have been a bit overzealous in defending his family at times, but he'd walk through fire if anyone tried to hurt them. And Dick knew that minor physical wounds aside, their family and love was as strong as it had ever been. Gray hairs and all.
Author: milleniumrex
Characters: Dick/Roy, Lian
Rating: PG
Words: 750
Author's notes: Written for the Dick/Roy Valentine's Day Challenge, using the prompt "b. Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense. ~Mark Overby". This takes place about ten years in the future, when Lian is Robin and Dick and Roy are semi-retired as crimefighters.
Roy groaned as Dick kneaded his fingers into his back.
"Have I told you you're an idiot yet?"
A grumble could be heard from the pillow Roy's face was buried in. "Really, Short Pants? We're going to do this now?"
"Yes, we're going to do this now! I know you're angry, but you could have been killed out there! How long has it been since you patrolled?"
"Six months, give or take. Since the last time they called in the reserves."
"Exactly! You're lucky you just pulled a muscle. And from what I hear, you tried to single-handedly take on half the criminals in Gotham tonight. I mean, I know how you feel - "
"She's my daughter, Dick! I had to do something."
Dick frowned. "She's my daughter too. And we don't know what happened yet. How many times did you and I get hurt on patrol when we were kids?"
"It's different now." Roy sighed. "God, how did Ollie and Bruce deal with this? I mean, we've been putting the next generation out there for so long now, and it never seems real until it's your own kid who's in danger. What were we thinking?"
"We were thinking that Lian had been training for this since she was nine, and if we didn't let her do it, she'd never talk to us again." Dick grinned. "This kind of thing happens. She wasn't seriously hurt, she'll heal and be back out there with the experience to avoid this next time."
"Or, for an alternative, we could move out of Gotham and become sheep farmers. She can't get hurt shearing sheep."
"I don't know, those rams can be ornery." Dick kissed Roy on the back of the head. "Rest up, okay?"
"Getting old sucks. How does Bruce keep doing this at 45?"
"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he's been sneaking dips in a lazarus pit at some point." Dick snuck a quick look at himself in the mirror. He was still pretty well-preserved, but the first hints of grey could be seen sneaking into his long black ponytail. He and Roy had definitely aged well, but there was no denying they weren't young anymore. Being a vigilante was a young person's game, and it hadn't been easy to make the decision to retire except for emergencies. But every second you were slower was one more chance for Lian to lose a parent. It hadn't been an easy adjustment, but there was really only one choice.
"You're still as gorgeous as the day we met, you know. Grey hair or not."
Dick spun around, snapped out of his thoughts. "Same to you, Speedy. Same to you. Just promise me you won't try to beat up half of Gotham without my backup again? If you're going to have some ill-advised fun in defense of our girl, at least let me help."
"Sounds like a deal. Tell Lian I love her?"
"Sure thing." Dick ran his hand through Roy's red hair. "She's lucky to have someone who cares so much about her. We both are."
As Roy drifted off to sleep, Dick stepped out the door. Walking down the hall, he could see Lian awkwardly making her way to her room while balancing on her crutches.
"Hey, Kiddo. What did Alfred say?"
"Hairline fracture." Lian motioned to the cast on her foot. "I'll be back on the rooftops in a month. Bruce is going to be pissed, though."
Dick laughed. "He's going to come up with 'alternative training'. Consider that fair warning. Unless he's changed since I was a kid, injury is no free pass from Robin training."
"Joy. How's dad?"
"He'll be fine. Just pulled something in his back. He wanted me to tell you he loves you."
"Did he...really beat up half the escaped criminals in Gotham trying to find the one who hurt me?"
"Maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much."
Lian winced. "So, the fact that I slipped while doing a victory dance....that's just between us, right?"
"Our little secret." Dick ruffled his daughter's hair as he helped her to her room. Lian definitely took after her father in impulsiveness, but she also had his heart. Roy may have been a bit overzealous in defending his family at times, but he'd walk through fire if anyone tried to hurt them. And Dick knew that minor physical wounds aside, their family and love was as strong as it had ever been. Gray hairs and all.