A True Grayson

What It Means to be a Flying Grayson

Disclaimer: Characters and images do not belong to me.

   And side not, it's been ages since I've seen "Performance," so events may not line up exactly. But that's the fun of fanfiction, because anything goes...
.....

Dick was honestly hoping no one would notice as the team got dressed in their undercover circus costumes. He had already called the mission without Batman's approval, and he didn't need another problem added to the list. But it seemed like fate wasn't on his side.

He bit back a whimper as he tightened the brace secured around his torso. It was uniquely designed Wayne tech, made especially for him and his...medical issue, as Bruce oh-so-kindly called it. He held his breath and patiently hoped no one had noticed as he slipped his costume top on. But his suppressed cry wasn't as quiet as he hoped because Superboy jerked his head in his direction.

"Robin? You okay?"

That caught everyone else's attention. They were dressed and ready to go; the show was in less than five hours. Robin really thought they should already be outside practicing, but it was clear he had bigger problems to deal with.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied a little too quickly. The half-Kryptonian's eyes narrowed as he heard his heartbeat speed up.

"You're lying," he stated and crossed his arms.

"I said I'm fine," he replied through gritted teeth. They didn't have time for this. They needed to prove Pop Haley's innocence, not get into his personal business.

    Artemis, seeing the tension rising between the two ebonies, tried to break the tension. "Why're you covering up, Boy Wonder? I never thought of you as the bashful type," she teased, poking at his red and white form-fitting tunic. Robin blushed and rubbed his arm subconsciously.

    "I have a lot of scars from Gotham, it's nothing," he fibbed. In actuality, the brace was resistant against most blades, and it was bulletproof. Artemis nodded in understanding, but Connor didn't want to let it go.

    "You're still lying."

  "Why do you even care?!" he demanded, "There are more important things to worry about here!"

    Robin felt his breathing shorten, as his chest struggled to expand against the material. He had tightened it too much, but he had to if he was going to perform without looking suspicious. The fact that he had caught whatever bug was going around certainly wasn't helping matters.

     "Rob's right. We really don't have time for this," Roy agreed before he laid a hand on Dick's shoulder, "Are you feeling well enough to perform tonight?"

     Robin made a face that suggested he had asked a stupid question, "I'm good."

   "Just be careful, okay?" M'gann asked gently, and he nodded.

    The older archer's eyes narrowed, making it clear he didn't believe him. As he moved to pull his hand away, Dick could feel him brush against a small bulge in the brace where one of the straps looped over his shoulder. He mentally prayed that he wouldn't notice, but again things weren't aligning in his favor.

     "What's this?"

        He could have said anything. He could have said it was his utility belt, or even the knot of a bandage from an imaginary injury he got in Gotham. But the shock of his most important secret possibly being noticed had temporarily paralyzed him. His identity was already at stake on this mission, since it was the definition of personal, but this was something no one outside of the batfamily was supposed to know, with the exception of Wally. Best friends were technically family in his opinion.