Young Justice Trash

Deaged (Part Four; Bruce and Dianah)

-Shout out to @alyssa579437744 for letting me hound them for ideas. If you have ideas (For this series or for something else) please leave DM me or them in the comments-

-Also, HAPPY PRIDE MONTH-

It was only six-thirty, so having two adults was helpful. Dianah could handle the kids after dinner while Bruce tried to get his kid to sleep.

The team had been up for over 30 hours, but that ten minute nap last night while the poison kicked in must have done... something. Still, Dick was now three and apperently had several meltdowns throughout the day, so he was going to bed early.

All six kids were all getting tired and grumpy, but Dianah quickly discovered that they were very undersupplied. So, she left Bruce with his kid for a while, and undertook the struggle of managing five kids at the store.

So now Bruce was alone with a stubborn toddler, who was (obviously) refusing to sleep.

The only thing he had to do was ensure  that there would be available bedding for four of the six kids. So, Dick was allowed to stay up until that was done.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Okay. Let's lay down some rules;" She stopped the wave of kids before they could enter. "One: no superhero names. Two: I want you  five on your best behaviour, please. Three: don't run off, especially you, Wally." He groaned exaduratedly. "Do you guys understand?" They murmured agreements.

"Excuse me, Black-" M'gann stopped, unsure of what to call her.

"Yes, M'gann?"

"Should I change me skin?"

Dianah had gotten so used to the team's oddities, she hadn't realized she was in a target parking lot with five kids who look nothing alike, Nevermind the one  with green skin. "Yes, please do."

M'gann grabbed Wally's forearm and focussed hard on mimicking the colour. "Is it good?" She asked hopefully.

Wally stared back at her. "You look like me."

"Ugh, I need to try again!" She groaned.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You're tired."

"No I'm not."

"Dick, don't argue with me."

"I'm not!"

"Dick." His adopted father silenced him. It's hard enough to deal with Dick as a thirteen year old, let alone as a stubborn toddler. "You're going to bed, I don't know why you think this is debatable."

"I don't want to!" The kid had been thooroughly wound up by the older kids, and could NOT go a minute without wondering what they were doing. "I Don't Want To! I DON'T-"

Bruce swept him off the floor and carried him towards the bathroom to ready him for bed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wally didn't nessisarily run off, but he did run around the cart excitedly, off his head to be out in public. Kaldur was trying to help push the cart, which Artemis was riding on the side of, while Conner and M'gann were alternating between lagging behind and jogging a few paces ahead to talk.

The shopping list was relatively vague: another set of Clothing, diapers (just in case), pyjamas,  Shoes, and 'etc'.

There were a lot of people around for seven pm on a saturday evening. Dianah tried to avoid crowds of people, there were too many variables, too many things could go wrong. 

"You've got your hands full!"

"Huh?" She blinked, distracted by how badly she wanted the team to be teens again. 

"A lot of kids, huh?" The woman was about thirty and looked like a suburban first grade teacher. She spoke again. "I've got two girls around the same age." She explained. "They look very... diverse! And you do look awfully young."

"Oh." Dianah said, desperately wanting to escape. "They're not mine." That sounded pretty suspicious. "I'm a... nanny?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Stop pouting. You're tired."

"No I'm not!" He whined, arms firnly crossed. He looked exhausted. For lack f pyjamas, he'd been changed into a way-too-big Wayne Enterprises warehous teeshirt. It would have to do for now.

"Richard." Bruce scholded. He was stuck in the habit of talking to his son as if he were still a teen. "I will sit here all night if I need to. You will sleep."

"No..." Dick tried to argue, forcing himself awake to prove a point.

"Look at yourself, you're exhausted! Now sit down."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Things were looking grim; Dianah couldn't think of a casual way to get out of this one-sided 'conversation', and the kids were getting less conspicuous by the second.

"Speaking of which, we've actually got a young one back home..."

"Aww, really? How old?"

SHIT! ABORT MISSION!

"About three now. My coworker is watching him."

"Oh! They're still so obidient at that age." The woman's rose coloured glasses had incredibly thick lenses. "You know, I can't think how you manage, taking care of five of them AND a toddler!"

"Nope, well there's too of us. but, I don't want to leave them alone too long..."

"I understand!" The woman replied. "I ust refuse to let anyone watch the girls for more-"

Dianah felt a tug at her sleeve. "Should I take them to the next aisle?" Kalur asked her, leaning on the cart.

"HURRY UP!"  Wally called, yanking on the front bumper. Conner and M'gann had gotten bored of talking and were dodging around racks of little girl's sweaters, and Artemis was climbing around the cart.

"Well, great talk. Good luck with the girls. But we need to get going, don't want to wake up the little one when we get in. Have a nice day!" She practically tore off. As she passed Wally, she lifted him by his arm, also dropping him in the cart and reminding the other three to hurry up.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

"What happened?" Bruce asked as she layed out the haul.

"A mother of two wanted to make conversation." The blonde woman repliad. "But, we were  really well behaved, right?" She reffered to the swarm of children skipping in during a sort of chill game of tag. "Guys, let's be quiet because Robin is trying to sleep, okay?"

Once the two adults were alone, the real disgussion could commence. They confirmed sleeping locations for the kids (Artemis would share M'gann's room, Wally and Kaldur would share Conner's for maximum efficiency, and Dick would be nearby, but seperated), as well as exchanging notes on the more personal aspects of he kids they were watching. 

"Was it hard to get him to sleep?"

"It wasn't easy. Do we have any clue as to an antidote?"

"Not yet. Their blood showed them as normal, relatively healthy children. Do you want coffee?" She prepped the french press. The older teens had good taste.

"Fine. I should go make sure He's still in bed."

"Okay." She agreed. "I'll go hound the others to brush their teeth." 

-You guys like this series, huh?-