Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dick looked out at the playing field. The bright stadium lights illuminated the players running around in a pattern he had no hope of deciphering.

If he was being honest, Dick would admit that he didn't even know what game they were playing. The only information the police Chief had given him, an hour earlier, was that there was some important game happening in Gotham that he was needed for.

While cops from Bludhaven weren’t normally called in for Gotham business, this was a special case. A recent Arkham breakout had left nearly a quarter of the Gotham force out of action. Large scale sports games, like tonight’s, with a stadium full of people were always enticing for rogues, so Detective Grayson was pulled away to stand outside in the cold for hours guarding the entrance to the stadium.

He was currently staring down some random street out the back of the stadium, a likely spot for potential attackers trying to enter. But, so far, the night had been quiet. Well, quiet for Gotham anyway.

The bat signal shone high in the sky, making Dick think of Bruce. He wondered what he was doing right now. Probably beating up some goons or, maybe, he was watching a drug deal, waiting to pounce.

Dick wished he could be back home in Bludhaven right now flying across the rooftops as Nightwing. He hated security jobs. The endless waiting, being constantly on edge for something that might not even happen. It was infuriating.

At this point he almost wished something would happen, if only to spare him from having to stand for five hours of nothing. Why was he the one stationed alone outside the boring alley? Why was he cursed to endure such a boring, quiet night?

Dick should have known better. Asking for trouble in Gotham was like... well, it was like asking for trouble.

As soon as the traitorous thought entered his mind, a shout echoed through the alley.

Dick could admit that he had seen his fair share of weird situations. Growing up in a circus, being taken in by a billionaire, becoming a vigilante and working as a detective in Bludhaven had led to many strange scenarios.

However, nothing had prepared him for the sight before him. A young boy – probably around twelve – was sprinting down the alley towards the stadium. Gotham’s shadows obscured most of his features. The only thing Dick could clearly see was a bright orange t-shirt. The boy didn’t seem like he had noticed Dick yet. He was focused on the old lady behind him. She was walking quickly for someone so short, and it seemed like she was yelling at the boy ahead of her.

The boy said yelled something backed to her and then was forced to abruptly halt his escape(?) when he found he was headed straight for the locked and guarded stadium. He muttered what sounded like a curse under his breath in a language that sounded vaguely Greek or maybe Latin, Dick couldn't tell.

Orange shirt boy turns back around to face the old lady. He reaches into his pocket and Dick tries to see what he’s reaching for, but it feels like some force is stopping his eyes from looking directly at the kid’s hand. When his eyes focus again, he sees that the Boy is now brandishing a baseball bat in the ladies direction. The lady doesn’t seem shocked and just smiles at the kid creeping closer.

Dick is pretty sure that neither of them have noticed him yet, standing in the shadows like he is. He takes a step forward, about to try diffusing the situation, whatever the situation is.

But he is stopped in his tracks as a sharp breeze flows through the alley. The smell of salty water and storms fills the air, a strange freshness penetrating Gotham’s usual smog, that makes the hair on Dick’s neck rise with a sense of wrongness.

The kid yells something at the woman in that same language that Dick can’t recognise but its partially muffled by the quickly accelerating winds.

Dick looked closer at the boy, something seemed of about him. He was young, but he held the bat in his hands a bit too confidently, stood in a stance a bit too professional. Dick shuffled slightly to the side to try and get a better look at the kid.

That's when he saw it. The kid’s sea-green eyes were glowing. And not in the, that shirt brings out your eyes, way. It was more like Kory’s, I'm angry now move before I blow you up, look.

So, the kid was meta then. That complicated things a bit. Metas weren’t allowed in Gotham which meant that this was a problem for Nightwing not Detective Dick Grayson.

Slowly, Dick pulled a small communicator from his pocket, he needed to contact Bruce. He sent a quick message to Oracle, Potential Code Meta at Gotham stadium, and waited for O’s quick response of, B enroute ETA 7 minutes, before he turned his attention back to the situation at hand.

He just hoped that whatever powers this kid had they wouldn’t get too out of hand in the next few minutes. Oh, how he was wrong.

From the now howling, hurricane level, winds and heavy rain he could guess that the kid had some kind of atmokinesis and/or hydrokinesis. Dick needed to get the old lady out of here, he had no clue how she was still standing in the storm.

The Old lady in question seemed to react to something the boy had said, starting to leap forward as if to jump on him. Before she had gone more than one metre the boy raised his hand and the water around them condensed to form four tentacles that held the lady in her spot.

The boy surged forward, baseball bat raised and hit her on the head. For what must have been the third time that night Dick’s sight seemed to double going fuzzy around the edges and when it refocused there was no old lady in sight.

At this point Dick was convinced he was losing it. The boy raised his hands again and made an action as if he was trying to reign the storm now hurricane, pulling ‘tendrils’ of the rain and wind towards his chest.

Whatever he did it seemed to be working, and the hurricane calmed down to normal Gotham storm levels. Dick let out a sigh of relief, that was one less problem for him to worry about.

Dick began to take a step forward towards the boy who now after a quick look seemed to be slowing his pulling motions. Another closer look and Dick was able to see the obvious exhaustion in his motions, his arms and legs were visibly shaking, and his knees were wobbling ominously.

Dick rushed forward and managed to catch the boy before he crumpled to the ground. Before he could ask a single question the boys' eyes fluttered closed and his heavy breathing evened out. Dick looked the boy over for any obvious injury. His skin was pale and clammy, the whites of his eyes were bloodshot, and his lips looked cracked and dry.

Now that he was holding him, he noticed how thin the kid was. Too thin for a boy this tall. Probably a street kid then. With his curly black hair and sea-green eyes, Dick could already feel Bruce’s adoption sense’s itching to take this kid in.

Maybe Dick had picked up more from Bruce than he thought because he felt strong urge to protect the kid in his arms. He just had to convince Bruce to take him to the cave and then they could figure out the whole water bender thing.

The swish of a cape behind him alerted Dick to the father in questions presence. Well, this was going to be a fun conversation.

Chapter Text

It was in fact not a fun conversation because there was no conversation at all. Batman had simply nodded at Dick, signalling to follow him back to the Batmobile. Dick had wordlessly followed Bruce to the car with the still unconscious boy in his arms.

The kid was shivering the whole walk and Dick was thankful for the warmth and seemingly endless emergency blankets in the backseat. Like a good little oldest child Dick had followed Bruce into the front seat without question and waited for him to say something. For Batman to ask for a report.

He didn’t. Not yet at least.

The silence in the Batmobile was deafening as it sped through the weaving labyrinth that was Gotham’s streets. It was starting to get on Dick’s nerves.

Dick sighed, looking down at the kid spread across the backseats. He was starting to regret his decision to call Bruce. All the batkids knew the protocol for meta related events, Call Batman. No ifs, no buts. If there was a meta you called it in.

But, looking down at the too thin, pale boy before him he could feel the guilt starting to pool in his gut.

What if Gotham was this kid’s refuge? The crime ridden streets his last hope? How could Dick move on if he was the one responsible for Bruce potentially kicking the kid out of the city?

Surely, Bruce wouldn’t be that cold, would he? Well, maybe Dick would have some clue about what Bruce was thinking if he wasn’t looking straight at the road with an emotionless mask of a face. Sometimes, Dick really hated when he did that.

Another few minutes of silence and it was too much for Dick. He needed to say something, needed to know what Bruce was planning to do.

“What are we going to do with him?” Dick’s voice was faintly hoarse from the long silence, and he winced slightly.

He turned to Bruce, waiting hopefully for a reply. To anyone else he would have looked just as emotionless as a second ago, but Dick could see the slight tightening of his hands of the wheel, the twitch of his lips. Bruce was thinking about how to reply, what to say and Dick didn't dare interrupt for fear of being ignored completely.

“I will run some tests, determine his risk level and decide what to do from there.” Bruce answered diplomatically.

But that wasn’t enough for Dick.

“What kind of tests?”

“Whatever are necessary to find out what he is.”

Dick internally started screaming. That was such an on-point Bruce nonanswer that he honestly shouldn’t have expected anything else. A part of him wanted to demand more but he knew he wouldn’t get anything else out of his father until they got back to the cave, so he just turned back to look out the window in silence.

Things weren’t looking good for orange shirt boy, but Dick just hoped that Bruce wouldn’t be too harsh on a kid. Well, he guessed he would just have to wait and see what happened (and try his best to damage control).

~

The Batmobile pulled into the Cave too soon for Dick’s comfort. Bruce – as expected – hadn’t said anything else on their trip back and, of course, he didn’t decide to break that trend now.

No, because that would just be too easy and Bruce loved making it hard for Dick.

Bruce, wordlessly, exited the Batmobile, walked around to the back doors and picked up the kid in a bridal carry. Dick inhaled sharply when he saw Bruce stumble slightly after overestimating the kids weight.

Dick rushed out of his seat to follow Bruce. No way was he leaving this kid alone while Bruce ran his ‘tests’.

Bruce placed the kid down on a cot in the medbay with surprising gentleness. Against the white paper sheets, the layer of dirt and grime covering the boy was even more obvious.

Dick watched from the side as Bruce grabbed a pair of scissors and cut open the kid’s shirt. The sight of his exposed chest made Dick gasp. His stomach and chest were littered in scars and bruises of different sizes, even more concerning was the protruding bones of his ribs.

“B,” Bruce didn’t show any reaction to being addressed but Dick continued anyway, “the kid is clearly malnourished, we need to give him some fluids.”

Bruce grunted in thought before answering, “We don’t know what he is yet or what is normal for him, we need to run more tests before we continue.”

Dick scoffed, “Bruce, come on. That’s insane, there is no way that is normal for anyone. How could it hurt. Please.”

Even though he was far too old for it Dick was not above using is 'blue orphan eyes' on Bruce. Bruce looked up at him, without the now discarded cowl Dick could see the exact moment that he caved. Of course, Bruce would never verbally admit ‘defeat’ like that, so all Dick got was a “hmph.”

After hooking the kid up with a bag of fluids, Bruce grabbed multiple small jars and devices and started collecting different samples from the boy for his tests. Dick wouldn’t deny that he had no idea what half of it was for, but he trusted Bruce’s detective skills. At least they would have a name for the kid by the end of this.

After a few minutes, Bruce seemed satisfied and walked over to the machines around the Batcomputer. He carefully loaded each sample and then sat down in front of the computer, waiting.

For the first time in the past few hours Dick had a moment to actually process the events of the night. Everything had happened so quickly, his whole plan to protect the kid – who he didn’t even know the name of – had basically stopped at get him to the cave and figure it out. Now he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t even know what to expect from the tests, what he wanted from the tests.

Dicks musings were interrupted by a loud ping from the Batcomputer. One of the tests results had come back. After a quick look at the screen, he saw it was a DNA identification test linking to a person's files.

Bruce opened the page in silence, the face of their mystery boy and his information filled the large screen.

Perseus Jackson.

Why did that sound familiar?

Chapter Text

Dick stared incredulously at the screen as Bruce continued to scroll through Perseus’ file. At least he knew why the name was familiar. Afterall, what kind of person wouldn’t recognise the name of an ex-suspected terrorist turned hostage escapee.

Now, according to the file, an orphan. There was no name down for his biological father. His stepfather, a man named Gabe Ugliano, had disappeared a few months ago and his mother had died shortly after.

The police report was inconclusive. According to her autopsy, Sally Jackson had been killed by electricity levels only possible from a direct hit of lightning, but she had been found in the middle of her apartment with no signs of being dragged there by anyone. It was a completely impossible scenario.

Dick thought back to Perseus’ seeming control of the storm earlier that night. There hadn’t been any lightning and Dick didn’t want to think a thirteen-year-old would do that but... he had seen firsthand how unpredictable a meta’s powers could be. Especially if they were new and didn’t have good control.

Dick forced himself to stop that train of thought. He didn’t even know yet if this kid was meta. He couldn’t condemn him of a crime that he might not even be capable of.

After all, the night had been filled with many confusing scenarios. Whenever Dick tried to think back to the nights events it was like there was a cloud covering his memories a haze that made every time he thought about the kid’s ‘powers’ fainter and fainter. He was starting to question what he had even seen.

Another beep from the computer startled Dick and he whipped his head up so quickly it was almost painful.

The meta gene tests, and the karyotype was displayed on the screen. Dick inhaled sharply in shock.

They were normal. No sign of the meta gene, no Atlantean, Kryptonian or other species were detected in his ancestry.

According to all the tests they had run, Perseus Jackson was completely normal.

Dick had to resist the urge to start ripping out his hair as Bruce slow turned in his direction.

“I need you tell me what you saw tonight, Dick, everything.”

“I..there was...he”

Dick tried to tell Bruce, he really did but it was like the words and memories were evading him. Images of the night slipping through his mind like water through a fishing net.

Bruce looked at Dick with concern as he floundered for the words.

“Are you feeling ok, dick?”

“I... it’s like,” Dick grappled with the words he was trying to say, “I don’t know, it feels like there’s something wrong with my memories, but I can't remember what I forgot and when I try to think about it, it just fades away.”

“Any recent head injuries?”

Dick thought about it for a second. He couldn’t remember anything but what if he didn’t remember getting a head injury because he had gotten a head injury?

“I don’t think so, none that I can remember anyway.”

Bruce nodded at his answer, apparently trusting his eldest, before he spoke again.

“Well, now that we know he’s not a meta, we can focus on helping him.” Dick didn’t really like what Bruce was insinuating, that he wouldn’t help him if Perseus was a meta, but to avoid an argument he just let Bruce continue.

“You were right, Chum. According to these results, Perseus is showing signs of malnutrition and severe dehydration. My best guess is that he ended up in Gotham after his parents' death and has been living on the streets ever since.” Bruce looked straight at Dick the apprehension in his eyes visible, “He needs a home.”

“You're taking him in?” The word tumbled out of Dicks mouth in relief. Finally, something was going right tonight.

“Well, we’ll have to talk to him when he wakes up and I'll have to inform Alfred and the others. But if Perseus is looking for a place to stay, we have the room.”

Dick noticed the faint unease as Bruce spoke and realised that his quick response could have been read as agitation. He rushes to smooth Bruce’s worries.

“I’d like that, if it’s what Perseus wants.”

Bruce smiled softly at Dick. The brief bubble of contentment that surrounded them was broken when footsteps echoed down into the cave from the stairs. Dick could guess which sleep deprived, workaholic would be coming into the cave this late. Tim. He was probably trying to do some more work on a case without Bruce seeing him. Looks like his plans wouldn’t work tonight. (Not that they ever did, Bruce always knew when Tim was ‘sneaking’ into the cave.

Tim stopped at the caves entrance his raccoon eyes fixed on Bruce, who was looking disappointedly at the very full cup of coffee in his hand. Ever the detective, Tim’s eyes flicked around the scene before him landing on Perseus.

“You got another one Bruce.” Tim smirked, eyes quickly flicking to the Batmobile “What did he do? I see the Batmobile still has tires.”

Dick snorted and turned in his chair to face Tim.

“His name if Perseus Jackson, I found him tonight while I was working and Bruce agreed to take him in, if that's what he wants.”

“Sure. No problems here.” Tim seemed completely unfazed by this possible addition to the family and simply walked over to one of the worktables, taking a swig of his coffee before opening his laptop and starting to scroll through some file.

Bruce looked over to Dick with a dumbstruck expression creeping onto his face. “That was easy.” he stage whispered to Dick, Tim didn’t even react too focused in his work already. Dick new Tim probably wasn’t going to talk to anyone for the next few hours, unless they took his laptop or coffee but no one other than Alfred dared to, even Damian wouldn’t get between Tim and his caffeine.

“Master Bruce.” Dick and Bruce both flinch at the somehow boomingly soft voice that fills the cave. Looking over to the medbay to see Alfred standing over Perseus. “Could you please inform me why I found Master Perseus lying shirtless on the cot without his wounds properly treated.”

Bruce winces at the scolding, but it isn’t missed by anyone how Alfred has shown his acceptance of Perseus’ stay.

Alfred is working efficiently, finishing up bandaging Perseus’ abdomen. “I have seen to his injuries, but we will have to conduct a full work up once he is awake and conscious.”

Dick perked up at that idea. “Do you know when he’ll be awake Alfie?”

“My assessment is that Master Perseus just needs to catch up on some rest, he should wake up within the next few hours.”

Dick sighed hauling himself up from his seat next to Bruce. He may as well go shower, change into some comfier clothes and try get a few hours of sleep himself. Dick had a feeling that it was going to be a pretty interesting day tomorrow, he was going to need all the sleep he could get.

Chapter Text

Dick was, rather rudely, awoken an hour later when one of his younger brothers barged into his room. Before he even opened his eye’s Dick knew that it was Jason. Anyone else would have knocked, but not Jason, no he deemed knocking and privacy as vague recommendations.

Because of this Dick wasn’t very stressed about Jason’s urgency and was very content to remain in bed facing the wall. Well, he was until Jason decided to grab his ankles and hold him up like some dead bird. He really hated how Jason was taller than him now.

Dick flailed in the air until Jason, ungracefully, dropped him on the floor. Dick groaned before sitting up to glare at his brother.

“What was that for?”

“Who’s the new kid?”

It took Dick a few seconds to process that question, he was still groggy from sleep. “New kid? You mean Perseus?”

“If ‘Perseus’ is the random kid in the medbay then yes,” Jason said Perseus’ name with air quotes around them mocking Dick’s still scratchy voice. “Who is he?”

Dick sighed before sitting down on his bed and quickly explained the events of the night. When he’d finished his story Jason was staring at him confusedly from the desk chair he had colonized since Dick started talking.

“So, you’re try to tell me that you thought you saw a powerful meta make a hurricane but then realised that you didn’t see one later? Jeez, that sounds believable.” Dick wilted slightly under Jason’s scrutinising tone. Of course, after saying it out loud he realised how ridiculous it sounded. “Look, Dickie, I understand if you’re trying to protect the kid from Bruce or something, but don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not! I swear the tests proved he’s completely normal. I’d had a long day Jay, and it was raining I probably just thought I saw something that was never there.”

“Dick,” Jason looked at him incredulously, “I’ve seen my share of meta’s hiding in the alley and you and I both know that those tests can be rigged, quite easily. I don’t believe for a second that you were just ‘tired’.”

“I don’t know what to tell you Jay, ask Perseus when he wakes up if you want but there is nothing special about him. Ok?”

“Fine.” Jason grumbled, “let’s go see if he’s awake.”

Dick scrambled out of his bed to follow as Jason abruptly turned and stalked out of his room. He had a feeling that Jason was going to do something if Perseus wasn’t already awake that wouldn’t be very pleasant, and he planned to save Perseus from any of his younger brothers plans.

~

Luckily, for Dick, Jason wouldn’t have to resort to any tactics to wake Perseus when they got to the cave.

Because Perseus wasn’t there. Jason stopped short in the medbay, scanning the beds and turned to Dick.

“Where’d he go?”

Dick shrugged, “I don’t know, but we have to find him.”

Both boys looked around the cave and mentally groaned, this could take a while if the kid was hiding somewhere in the cave. The place was massive. They both new, a little too well if you asked Bruce or Alfred, how many good hiding spots there were in here.

About twenty minutes into the search Dick heard a short shout from Jason. He looked up expecting to see him with Perseus in hand but instead Jason was standing in front of the Batcomputer looking down with a startled expression.

Jason seemed to be staring at a lump on one of the desks. Dick walked a few steps closer so that he was standing behind Jason. The ‘lump’ in front of the desk looked up at him and Dick involuntarily flinched back.

Tim’s icy blue eyes stared at his two elder brothers. Dick noted the liquid stain on his shirt and after a cursory look at the desk deduced that it was the remains of his fourth can of Redbull. Dick really needed to have a talk with the kid about his caffeine intake.

“Dick, Jason, I didn’t see you guys walk in,’ Dick guessed that Jason had literally run into Tim during their search for Perseus. Which reminded Dick, they still had to find the kid.

Jason seemed to get over his initial shock and turned on the Red Hood interrogation glare. “Where’s the new kid gone, replacement?”

Tim continued to stare at them with wide eyes, Dick could almost see the sleep deprived gears in his head trying to turn. He wondered how long it had been since Tim had slept.

It took nearly a full thirty seconds for Tim to find the brain power necessary to speak, “I think Alfred took him to one of the guest rooms. Something about keeping him out of the cave?”

“Thanks, Timmers,” Jason was already halfway to the stairs before he seemed to think of something and turned back, “and go get some sleep for you keel over.”

Dick barely heard Tim's not committal grunt as he raced after Jason towards the manors guest wing.

~

As the two brothers tumbled into the guest room they looked up to find a pair of bright sea-green eyes staring straight at them. Perseus Jackson had arisen.

~

Percy Jackson woke up in an unfamiliar room. He was tucked comfortably into soft sheets on a mattress that felt too soft. A look around revealed the obvious wealth of the room.

High ceiling, floor length windows with gothic style arched tops that Percy was sure Annabeth could have talked about for an hour.

After growing up as a demigod, constantly in danger, and completing his first quest Percy liked to think that he had become pretty good at assessing his injuries. He could feel bandages around his chest, but it didn’t feel like anything was majorly broken or injured, just the scratches and bruises that came with his life.

Nothing some nectar or ambrosia couldn’t fix, if he had any that is. His supply had run out about four weeks ago now and the loss was starting to show.

Other than the superficial wounds Percy could feel a pounding headache trying to compress his skull, parched lips and the echo of a faint tugging in his gut. All obvious signs that he had overused his powers.

He forced his stiff elbows beneath him and started pushing himself up. Wherever he was he didn’t plan on staying. His escape was paused when he heard the faint pounding of footsteps heading his way.

A few seconds later two young men barged through the door. The one in front was taller, with murky green eyes, scars that covered his body, a streak of white in his black hair and a muscular build that reminded Percy of Ares, he immediately disliked him.

The other man was shorter but something about him gave Percy the impression that he was the older of the two. He had bright blue eyes, slightly wavy black hair, and a thinner build like a swimmer or an acrobat would have, he immediately like him more.

A thick silence filled the air as the three stared at each other. Percy had to remind himself to keep a tight rein on his powers he didn’t want to reveal them in some stupid staring contest.

The blue-eyed one took a miniscule step forward, “Your awake.”

“Astute observation Dickface.” The way the younger insulted the older man with a smile reminded Percy of Annabeth with her sibling and, considering the similar appearances, Percy assumed the two were brothers.

However, Percy was still wary he had met multiple monsters who ‘worked’ with their siblings. He tried to think of what Annabeth would tell him to do in this situation, stall probably, learn as much as he could about where he was. He could do that.

“Where am I?” Sadly, it seemed the fates were out for him because he couldn’t even ask his question in peace. As soon as he spoke an itch crawled up his throat and he started to cough uncontrollably.

The older brother rushed towards the bed grabbing a glass of water from the nightstand and passing it to Percy. He quickly emptied the glass the water sliding smoothly down his throat. He immediately felt some of the exhaustion lift, sometimes he loved having magical mermaid powers.

He looked up to find the older man staring at him with concern and the younger still halfway across the room looking him up and down suspiciously. That wasn’t a good sign, he’d have to watch his powers around that one then.

He was still waiting for an answer and looked at the acrobat in front of him expectantly.

It took the man a second to realise what Percy was asking before he rushed to speak. “You are in Wayne Manor. My name is Dick Grayson, I'm a Detective with the Bludhaven police department,” Percy’s reassessed the man suspiciously, he’d had a few run ins with police back in New York and during his stay in Gotham and some of them hadn’t been very pleasant, “I found you passed out last night in an alley and took you back here with me. You are free to stay here for as long as you need.”

The younger man scoffed and walked closer to the bed, “Jeez Dick, could you make it sound like more of a kidnapping if you tried.” Percy found him reassessing the other man as well, maybe he wasn’t as bad as he seemed, “My names Jason, I'm Dick’s younger brother. Look, kid, I've been where you are right now and I know that you probably think we brought you here for some nefarious purpose or something,” Correct, “but I promise you no one here will hurt you, you’re safe.”

Percy stared at him trying to find some hint of a lie in Jason’s words, but he couldn’t find any. He seemed completely genuine as far as Percy could tell. But he had put is trust in the wrong person before. Images of Luke and his Father swirled through his head, but he pushed them away.

Both the older boys were looking at him expectantly, but he didn’t know what to tell them. He couldn’t just trust some rando’s who had abducted him that quickly but still he wasn’t feeling any demigod warning bells in his brain and plus, he could do with a few days off the streets.

He had come to Gotham of his own choice, and he knew that he wasn’t going to be on the streets forever. But still he hadn’t expected being abducted by one of the richest men in the world.

Then again it seemed to make sense in the confusing chaos that was his life. Maybe this wasn’t the worst that could happen. He hadn’t been eaten by monsters yet so that was a good sign.

Maybe the fates were offering him an olive branch, he could imagine them watching as he made his decision.

“You guys got good food?”

The brothers beamed at his answer.

Yeah, Percy thought, he could make this work.

Chapter Text

Percy watched as Dick walked out of the guest room. It had been one day since he had woken up in the manor, one day since he had agreed to stay at the manor.

The power induced exhaustion was basically gone at this point, but Dick still insisted on doing everything for him. Like now, Dick was going to get a snack for him because he deemed the walk to the kitchen too risky. Dick struck Percy as the protective older brother. It concerned him slightly, bringing up memories of a certain sandy haired son of Hermes.

He didn’t know how many times he’d had to remind himself that Dick wasn’t Luke, that this room wasn’t his cabin, that the voices outside weren’t other campers. Even though he hadn’t been at camp long, with the quest and all, he had grown accustomed to life at camp.

Now, he didn’t think that he would be able to go back. After what Zeus had done. He knew, though, that as soon as the king of the Gods needed him again, he would be called, expected to drop his life for the ‘almighty Gods of Olympus”.

Percy shook his head, Gods, he needed to get out of this room. He wasn’t too keen to sit with his thoughts right now, not after what had happened. Plus, he had never been good with staying in one place for too long.

Annabeth would probably say something about the ‘sea in his veins’ or Poseidon would say that ‘they did not like to be restrained’ but Percy could tell you that he was just really, really bored. He had always been like that. If he was inside for too long it felt like his skin was crawling, his blood in his veins pushing against the layers of his skin.

Now that he was focusing on it the uneasy feeling under his skin seemed to heighten and he felt the inescapable urge to move. Before he had fully registered it, he was standing next to his bed, stretching his aching muscles.

He didn’t know if he was allowed to leave the room by himself yet, every time so far Dick had been with him. But he felt like he needed to do something, the urge to run, to fight filling him so suddenly it was overpowering.

One step towards the door was all he had before he felt a slight shift in the air. The hairs on his neck raising, giving him half a second of warning.

He rolled to the side barely dodging a kick to the back of his head. Percy whirled around to find a boy staring at him with venom. The kid didn’t look older than 10 years old but after spending time at camp he wasn’t too phased by the young age.

He was more focused on avoiding the kids next attack as he leapt forward. Percy twisted to the side, avoiding another high kick, and grabbed the kid's exposed ankle. He threw the kid over his shoulder and slammed him into the ground. Using his knees to pins down the kid’s arms as he squirmed on the ground.

“Unhand me, trespasser!”

Percy had stifled a laugh at that. The kid spoke with a pride that reminded him of Annabeth, and he had a feeling that if he wasn’t on top of him right now, he would be holding his chin high and trying to look down at Percy. (Even though the demigod was way taller)

“Who are you? And why did you attack me?”

The kid completely ignored his first question and jumped straight to the second, “I will not allow a potential threat to infiltrate my home without checking his combat skills. You have proven yourself sufficient by overpowering me.”

Percy just stared down at the kid confused. That sounded like a surrender/apology and the kids slight look of awe told Percy that he hadn’t been expecting his skills.

Shoot, he just had to go and reveal his freaky demigod reflexes and throw a kid to the ground didn’t he. Based on the kid calling the manor his home Percy could assume this was Damian, the youngest of Dick’s brothers.

He didn’t imagine Dick would like the idea of Percy hurting his brother, even if it was in self-defence. He was about to stand up off Damian but froze as the sound of the door creaking open filled the room.

Percy turned around to see not just Dick but Jason and Tim as well looking into his room.

Oh, he thought, he was totally done for.

~

(A few minutes earlier)

Dick walked down the stairs. He neared the kitchen, intent on getting Perseus – no Percy, the kid had insisted he use his nickname – something to eat. It had only been a few hours since breakfast, but Dick had noticed the younger boy had a large appetite.

He didn’t know if it was from spending time on the streets or if this was normal for Percy. But he was happy to provide either way. It wasn’t like there was a risk of burning through Alfred’s bordering on apocalypse ready food supplies.

As he entered the main kitchen he was greeted by his two eldest younger brothers. Jason merely grunted, without looking up from the sandwich he was making.

Tim on the other hand looked up from his food – well, coffee, but still – before speaking.

“Hey Dick. What brings you here?”

“I was just coming to grab something for Percy.” He replied as he walked over to the large walk-in pantry.

Dick heard Jason scoff from where he was standing, “I’m sure the kid can walk downstairs himself Dickie Bird, Alfred gave him the all clear.”

“I know Jay, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do something nice for him. What’s so wrong with trying to build some trust?”

Jason’s eyebrows pinched together slightly, “If anything he should be the one building trust with us. I still don’t believe that he’s completely normal.”

Sighing at his brother, Dick turned to the other of his younger siblings in the room. “What about you Timmy, any thoughts on Percy?”

Tim looked up from his coffee. Eyes slightly wide as if he hadn’t expected Dick to ask him his opinion on the possible newest member of the ‘batbrood’.

“I... I haven’t talked to him yet, but he seems fine. If Bruce and Alfred trust him its fine with me.”

Dick grinned, “See Jay, even Tim approves.”

“We both know that doesn’t prove anything Dick. Tim would agree with anything just to get under my skin.” Jason huffed.

Tim squawked at Jason but didn’t deny it.

Dick wasn’t going to just stand there while Jason openly protested Percy’s stay. “Come on Jay. He was on the streets he needs a safe pla-”

Dick was abruptly cut off by a loud thud from upstairs, in the direction of the guest room. All three brothers froze, looking between each other.

They stayed still for a few seconds before they all sprinted upstairs.

Dick had been closest to the door and was at the front of their charge followed by Jason and then Tim at the back.

He reached the guest rooms door and didn’t bother knocking before throwing it open.

Dick froze one step into the room, and he felt the air shift behind him as Jason and Tim did as well. All three of them stunned by the sight in front of them.

Percy was on the ground pinning a squirming Damian beneath his legs. Both of the younger boys turned towards the door.

Percy looked up at the three older boys and then down at the youngest beneath him. He quickly jumped up and pointed down at Damian.

“He started it!”

Chapter Text

Dick slowly lowered himself into the armchair beneath him. He tilted his head towards the sofa in front of him, signalling Damian to take a seat as well. Tim took a seat on the other armchair leaving Jason to sit next to Damian on the larger couch.

Shortly after Dick, Jason and Tim had found Damian in the guest room Bruce had appeared. The brothers had ushered out an uncharacteristically quiet Damian while Bruce stayed back to ‘smooth things over’ with Percy (interrogate him about how he managed to pin Damian).

Due to Bruce’s current occupation Dick was left with the task of questioning his youngest brother. Dick turned to the child in question – because Damian was still a child, even if he acted like an old man sometimes – and noted the look of faint embarrassment on his face. Probably from being beaten by a homeless kid.

Though, he would admit that he was curious how Percy had managed to overpower his younger brother. Sure, the kid was taller and older, but Damian had years of training. It was highly unlikely that some kid, even a kidnapping escapee, would be able to beat him. Especially if Damian had used his normal tactic of ambushing the kid when he was most comfortable. Well, as comfortable as someone who had been freshly taken into a new place could be.

From the still stunned looks on his elder brothers faces Dick knew that Jason and Tim were wondering the same thing. However, due to privacy, the guest rooms were some of the few without surveillance so the only way they would find out was asking Damian and Percy and hope that they told the truth.

“What happened Damian? Tell me everything.” Dick tried his best to sound non-judgemental, hoping Damian would tell him if he wasn’t fearing punishment.

“I was going to the trespassers room-”

“His name is Percy, Dami.” Dick corrected before allowing his brother to continue.

“Fine, I was going to Jackson’s room to test his combat skills and ensure he was not too comfortable in our home.”

“So, you attacked him.” Jason interrupted. Damian scowled at his older brother before continuing his story.

“I was able to get into the room without him noticing me. After observing him for a few minutes I had decided to test his reflexes. However, when I went to attack from behind, he dodged me. We had been fighting for less than a minute when he managed to pin me. He must be trained. Even before I had struck, I saw him tense, I do not know how he sensed my presence. His fighting was a mix of different styles that I couldn’t completely recognise, not just simple street fighting as one might expect from an alley stray.”

Damian’s last sentence was punctuated with a sharp glare in Jason's direction. To which the older boy retaliated with a sharp elbow jab to his younger brother’s side.

“Damian.” Dick addresses his youngest brother before a full fight could break out, “Are you sure that Percy has had training? I mean, you could have been a bit of your game. Having someone new in the manor is a big change.”

Dick new that Damian probably felt threatened by having another boy under the Wayne roof. Considering how he had acted around Tim for the first few weeks of his stay, it wouldn’t be surprising if his fighting had been affected by his emotions.

“I know what I saw Richard.” Damian’s voice was bitter with indignation, “I would not have been overpowered so easily otherwise. Even if I was motivated by emotion as you are implying. You all know I would not allow something as small as emotion to impact my capability.”

“It’s ok to be influenced by your emotions Dami.” Dick stated, making sure to look the youngest in the eyes to show him he was being sincere.

A few seconds of tense stillness passed until Jason broke the silence.

“So,” he drew out the sound, “there is a trained fighter in the house, using techniques even the brat doesn’t know. What are we going to do?”

“Nothing.” All three of his younger brothers turned to him incredulously as Dick spoke. “We don’t know yet where or why Percy was trained. He needs a place to stay and Bruce can provide that. Plus, all of us were hiding something when we first came here. Whatever Percy’s past is, if Bruce doesn’t think he is dangerous to us, it’s our job to give him that safe place until he feels he can tell us what he is hiding.”

Another silence filled the room. Each of the brothers thinking about Dicks words.

Jason thought back to when Bruce had found him in the alley. He still sometimes questioned what made the man take in the street rat who tried to steal his tyres and attack him when he was discovered. In the weeks that followed he had constantly tried to test Bruce’s limits. Destroying every expensive item he could find, breaking into his study and burning important documents, yelling and swearing at both Bruce an Alfred. Despite everything he did and the constant lying about his past Bruce had always been patient. By no means did he trust Perseus Jackson, but he guessed he could consider giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Tim thought about when he had first started spending time with Bruce. He had lied about knowing his identity for years. Keeping his knowledge a secret to continue his childish nightly photography expeditions. When Bruce had found out about his ‘extra curriculars’ he hadn’t reacted in any way that younger Tim had expected. He didn’t put him in prison or ship him off to the watchtower for containment, instead he had given him a chance, given him Robin. Tim had never expected his lies to be rewarded but that’s just what Bruce was like. So, if Bruce said they could trust Percy Tim would trust him, give him a chance to share his story the way Bruce had for him.

Damian thought of his initial introduction to his family. The disrespect he had shown towards Alfred, treating his grandfather as a mere servant. The way he had attacked Drake both physically and mentally trying to punish the elder boy for his own childish insecurity. How he had adamantly refused any of Richard’s attempts at connecting with him out of a fear of change. With his history there was no way he could judge Percy for defending himself. Despite the original animosity between him and his sibling they had since learnt how to treat each other as close to normal brothers as they could. Why could Damian decide to treat Percy with hostility when each of the people in this room had been excusing his behaviour from the start. Damian decided he would trust his father, if he decided to allow Percy to stay, he would too.

Each of the brothers were pulled from their thoughts as Bruce walked through the doorway. He walked across the room settling on the large couch next to Damian.

The siblings turned to their father waiting for him to speak.

“I have talked with Percy about what happened. He did not seem very upset about Damian’s attack and said that he would be happy to stay here as long as we would still have him. If anything, he seemed more worried about how I would react to him defending himself.”

“Did you ask him about how he can fight?” Tim cut into Bruce’s explanation.

“He said that it was a combination of naturally good reflexes, self-defence training from New York and street instincts from the alley.”

It was clear from each of their expressions that none of the brothers or Bruce believed Percy’s obvious lie. But they all silently agreed to let it pass.

“Alfred helped him to move into a permanent room.” Bruce continued, “Percy picked the third one down with the blue trim on the door, facing the harbour. He’s settling in now.”

So far, Percy hadn’t done anything obviously hostile towards them, Alfred had made his approval of the boy obvious by letting him pick a room and he did have black hair and blue-green eyes. By Bruce’s standards he was a perfect fit for the family.

They could worry about his patchy history and the suspicious way Dick had found him when they knew more. For now, the Wayne’s unanimously agreed to provide Percy with the same place each of them had needed in the past.

Dick smiled softly from his chair. He had a new brother.