I don't know the extent of Ivy's powers, so I gave her some a little cool ability because I think it's c u t e. Also, this chapter is long so... yeah! Enjoy!
"Right?" Selina added with a wink in Dick's direction. "Like, man. He should teach me a thing or two."
Ivy glanced at the boy with her calculating green eyes. "Well, I'm sure you could ask Dick to right now. Or should I say Robin?"
.
.
.
"What?" Dick breathed after his brain registered what Ivy had just said. No, no, no, no... she couldn't know. Oh gosh, no. Robin's enemy knew his identity. That meant she probably knew Batman's identity. First day on the job and Robin already revealed their identities?! Had he really messed up that bad?!
"Come on, I'm not an idiot," Ivy reasoned. "You guys have the same height, hair color, body shape, and terrible fashion choice."
"Hey!" Dick exclaimed, offended. "I mean- what? No! He's... taller. And I can't even fight!"
Selina sat between them, wide eyed. Dick shot her a desperate and accusing look. The thief raised her hands defensively.
"No, she didn't tell me," Ivy informed. "It was just obvious."
"I ain't no blabbermouth," Selina joked weakly. Dick didn't laugh.
"Ivy, please," he pleaded, tears threatening to form in his eyes. "You can't tell anyone. If anyone found out, then we'd all be in danger. Bruce would never trust me again. I-I-"
"Dick, calm down. I'm not telling anyone," Ivy interrupted, her expression one of annoyance. "Like Selina said about herself; I'm not one to reveal information either."
Dick swallowed thickly with his lips pursed in a wobbly line. He liked Ivy and all, but he didn't know her all that well, and he didn't know if he could trust her with something this secretive.
Selina wrapped her arm around Ivy's shoulder as she looked at Dick. "Hey, no worries. Ivy's trustworthy. And if you don't believe her, then at least believe me. Okay?"
Dick wanted to believe her. This was Selina, after all. She'd never do anything that'd put him or Bruce in harm's way. "...Okay."
The cat lover examined him as Ivy went back to her magazine. There was a gentle sadness in her eyes. "So, since Ivy knows, can we talk about... what went down last night?"
Dick shifted uncomfortable. "I guess.. What d'you wanna talk about?"
"Anything. Just tell me something. How's your head? How are you feeling? What exactly happened?" Selina listed, her voice laced with concern. "Bruce filled me in on some stuff, but he didn't tell me everything."
"My head's fine as long as I don't touch it or move around too much," Dick said as casually as he could. He pulled a hangnail as he continued. "I don't know what Bruce told you about the Joker part, but basically he had people tied up around a store while a timer went off to release gas. There was a woman. I think her name was Harley Quinn, and-" Ivy lifted her head and looked at him, suddenly interested "- she worked with him. To make a long story short, I... I made Batman miss with a batarang because I thought he was gonna hit them.., and then gas went everywhere. Someone breathed it in. He- he..." he trailed off, unable to bring himself to say the rest.
Selina and Ivy watched him in terrible silence.
"Holy shit," Selina muttered under her breath. "That's one hell of a first day..."
"Did Harley Quinn breathe any of it in?" Ivy asked quietly.
"No," Dick answered sadly. "We shared a rebreather, and then she got away with Joker."
Ivy let out a small, inaudible exhale. Selina glanced at her inconspicuously.
Dick bit his lip anxiously. "Ivy, does anyone else know that Robin was me?"
The green skinned woman offered an unsure shrug. "I don't know. It's unlikely, though. You have a reputation of being innocent and defenseless as Dick Grayson. Robin, meanwhile, is clearly a tough cookie. I think you'll be fine."
He hoped she was right.
"And what if it's someone that knows him well?" Selina questioned. "Who's seen him in action before?"
Ivy twirled a vine around her finger. "Well, then that's different. Who are you talking about?"
Selina eyebrows knitted together. "...Oswald."
Dick tensed.
If Oswald knew, too... if he knew... what did that mean for Dick and Bruce?
He jumped off the couch. "I need to talk to him," Dick announced.
Selina rose off the couch as well. "No, you don't. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed; he won't know."
"I have to make sure," Dick urged. "And if he does know, well... then I need to talk to him about it."
Selina sighed. "I can't just let you talk to him now that Bruce knows- or thinks, I should say- that you stopped talking to him."
"You said you wouldn't snitch," Dick reminded, his heart in his throat.
"And I don't plan to," Selina assured, "but Bruce would find out if I left the apartment to go to the Iceberg Lounge."
Ivy let out a small, amused huff as she watched them from where she remained on the couch. "So the rich guy is Batman... it makes sense, but it doesn't make it any weirder. Especially after I came over to a party at his house."
"And played Mario Kart," Selina added with a smirk.
"He was awful at it, by the way," The botanist commented.
Dick crossed his arms. "He wasn't that bad."
"I guess," Ivy teased, "at least he could hold the controller the right way unlike Oswald."
"Yeah, well, about him, Dick," Selina said, getting back on topic, "Bruce is the-freaking-Batman, so if you could give us a way get to the club without Bruce finding out, be my guest."
"I could take him," Ivy suggested.
Dick grinned hopefully. "Really?"
"Really?" Selina asked, too, with a quirked eyebrow.
Ivy set her magazine to the side and got up to her feet. "Sure. Bruce didn't even know I was here. And if he finds out about Dick and Oswald, I'll cover for you and make something up. Or I'll confront him; I don't care either way."
Selina looked at Dick hesitantly. "I don't know about this. I mean, I'm in charge of him now, and if he leaves with you..."
"You said it yourself that I was trustworthy," Ivy reasoned. "And I'm curious if Oswald is smart enough to connect the puzzle pieces. I'll fill you in later."
Dick gave Selina a shy smile. "You did say that."
Said female groaned. "Fine, Fine. Want the car keys?"
Ivy was already at the door. "No. Let's go, Dick."
Dick waved goodbye to Selina and quickly followed the meta human out the door. Man, she moved quickly. The two of them walked along the sidewalk instead of taking the car for some reason.
"I really appreciate you doing this for me," Dick said earnestly.
Ivy spared him a glanced but quickly returned her gaze to the path in front of her. "I owe you. It's a small thing, really."
"Huh?" Dick uttered.
"Harley and I are..." she struggled to find the right word, "friends, you could say. Close friends. You helped her, so... I think it's only fair I helped you, too."
The raven haired boy watched Ivy in surprise. She and Harley... were friends? Ivy was so calm and collected and Harley was... well, the opposite.
Although Harley was a criminal, knowing that she had someone to return to that seemed to actually care about her made Dick feel slightly less regretful about letting her go.
"Oh," Dick said at last. "That's cool."
They spend several minutes walking in silence until thunder echoed from far behind them.
Dick looked up at the sky, which was far grayer than earlier. "Um, I think it's gonna rain soon. Do you think it was a good idea to walk?"
"I don't like to drive. Cars emit gases that harm the environment. I normally have other ways of traveling but doing it with you would be a little... tricky," Ivy explained.
Dick wasn't too sure he wanted to know what she meant. "Uh, okay."
As they got closer to the Iceberg lounge, he brought up the berries. "You know the seeds that you gave me for my birthday?"
The meta human hummed in response.
"Well," Dick continued, "I planted them. They made berries, but I didn't know if they were edible. Erm, don't ask how, but I found out that they make people fall asleep? Not that I ate it or anything."
Ivy smiled slyly. "Did you now?"
The child nervously nodded.
"You seemed to get yourself into a lot of trouble- following Oswald; getting kidnapped- I thought you'd find it useful," Ivy told him. "I hate spoiling surprises, so I'll let you find out what the other berries do if you're curious."
It began drizzling slightly as Dick and Ivy got closer to the club. Ivy strayed away from him for a moment to walk over the grass. She squatted down and ran her hands through the dirt. A second later she held a mushroom in her hand. Another couple of seconds later, that mushroom began to grow and grow until it resembled an umbrella.
"Woah...!" Dick exclaimed with his jaw on the ground. Ivy ignored the reaction and gestured for him to get closer to her and under the mushroom umbrella. The nine-year-old tried not to squeal.
So cool! He thought goofily in his head.
They finally paused when they were in front of the club. It wasn't too busy; the lines shorter than usual, actually. Still, Dick knew that he wouldn't be allowed in without the VIP card Oswald had given him long ago. Good thing he always had it with him. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and pulled it out of the case. Lying in between was the card.
"You're a prepared one, aren't you?" Ivy noted.
Dick shrugged with an embarrassed smile on his face. "I get it from Bruce, I guess."
Ivy allowed a soft smile to settle on her beautiful face. The action made Dick's heart skip a beat. She looked up at the Iceberg Lounge sign. "Well, we're here. Want me to come in with you?"
Dick considered it, but shook his head. "No, he doesn't really like you."
"I thought so," Ivy said. "Okay. I'll wait here for you. Try not to take long. Though knowing Oswald, he'll either shut you out or talk a storm."
Dick chuckled quietly. "Yeah, probably. Okay, bye." He quickly ran into the rain and then under the protection of the club's roof. He nearly ran face first into one of the guards.
"Get lost, kid," The guard grunted with crossed arms.
Dick held up his VIP card and straightened his spine. "I need to talk to Penguin, please. I'm a VIP so I don't need to wait in line, right?"
The guard lowered his black sunglasses to get a closer look at the card. "Fake," he declared.
Dick let out an offended puff. "It's not fake!" He then realized the issue and suddenly inspected his nails in a prissy manner, his whole demeanor shifting. "Look, I'm kinda in a rush. I haven't been here in a while, and maybe that's why you don't know who I am, but I'm Oswald's friend. He personally gave me this so that I don't have to wait in line and get questioned like I am right now. If you want to ignore the purpose of this ID, then fine, but I'll tell Oswald myself, and he won't be happy."
The man turned his head to look behind himself and into the club as if Oswald were listening right now. He shifted uncomfortably as fixed his glasses. "Yeah, okay, whatever. Just go in."
Dick smiled. "Thank you," he said, pleased, and strolled past the guard. He'd been getting better at acting like a snob. He had to practice acting that way when he was training to become Robin so that he could use the persona in the same way Bruce did when he acted like a dumb playboy. It also came in handy for adapting in moments like these.
As the boy walked in the Iceberg Lounge, he observed the place, trying to spot Oswald. He didn't see the man in his usual spot, so he walked up to a stranger and gently tapped his shoulder. The young man, who looked like a teenager and was sitting at a table alone, looked at him.
"Um, hi. Sorry if I'm bothering you, but do you know where Penguin is?" He asked politely.
The male suddenly grinned. He leaned closer to Dick and whispered, "hi, Boss! It's me: William!"
Dick stared at him in confusion. Then it clicked. Boss. "Oh... are you one of... those gang members from Crime Alley?"
William nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Oh, we never told you our names. I forgot. Anyways, we did what you asked. We cleaned all of Gotham streets from litter. It took forever, but I'm glad we did it. I already feel like a better member of society. You're a good boss, Boss."
Dick awkwardly scratched his head. He had sorta forgotten about the gang that he'd become the boss of. "Oh, um... thanks? What are you even doing here?"
The gangster looked around for eavesdroppers before quietly muttering, "I came to spy on some criminal underworld stuff, but the priority is one of Two Face's gangs. The others are waiting outside in case anything happens. Hidden of, course."
"Do you know where Oswald is?" Dick questioned as he took the seat across from the teenager. "I need to talk to him, and it'd be really annoying if I came all this way for him to not be here."
William straightened in his seat. "Well, that's part of why I'm here. We got word that Two Face's gang also wanted to talk to him. We want to make sure that they're not allying. It'd be unlikely, though, considering Penguin and Two Face are enemies. But you can never be too cautious. But about Penguin- no, I haven't seen him since I've arrived. He might've left with the gang to talk privately."
Dick sighed through his nose and watched a water droplet from the rain dribble down the window. Well, he thought, if he's talking to criminals about business or whatever, at least it means that he isn't thinking about Robin, right?
"Boss, if I may ask," William said, slightly timid, "why are you here? Erm- I know you said you needed to talk to him, but about what?"
Dick pursed his lips. "It's personal. Also, you don't need to call me boss all the time. My name's Dick."
The corners of William's lips twitched. "Okay, Boss- I mean, Dick. You can call me Will for short if you like."
Dick would've smiled back but he heard the familiar sound of an umbrella hitting the floor. He turned his head around to see three men being escorted by two guards. As they walked past them to get to the exit, one of the men halted momentarily to get a good look at Dick. The guard pushed him forward, and with that, they were gone.
"That's the gang members!" William hissed subtly to Dick.
Dick turned around again to look at Oswald. The criminal was looking back at him, his face unreadable. He made a small movement with his hands that gestured for Dick to come to him.
"Gotta go, Will," the boy said quickly. He rapidly got up from his chair and made his way to Oswald. William watched from where he was still sitting in his chair.
Oswald didn't say anything as he brought Dick to a side room. The one where Dick had gotten patched up by Leslie Thompkins months ago, he realized. Oswald sat on one of the Lounge chairs, but Dick just stood beside the one he was supposed to sit on.
"So, uh, hi," Dick began inelegantly.
Oswald pulled a pocket watch from a pocket in his suit and inspected it. "Good afternoon, Dick," he finally said, "is there a reason that you're here and not in school?"
Right. Dick was supposed to be in school like every other normal child his age. He also had a couple of suspicious bruises and scabs on him.
"I didn't feel good," Dick said. "I'm already feeling better, though. Since I didn't have to go to school, I was able to sneak here." He was proud that it technically wasn't a lie. Then he realized that he probably shouldn't be proud about sneaking out.
"I see," Oswald commented. "However, that doesn't explain why you're here."
Dick could've sworn that his heart spasmed for a split second. "I can't say hi to my friend?"
"As touching as that is, Dick, most people don't come just to greet me. Also, this meet up will need to be on a time limit. I have a busy schedule today," Oswald explained with a sigh.
"Oh. Sorry, I'll text next time," the blue eyed boy murmured. Now he felt like he was just bothering Oswald. This was stupid; he didn't know anything. He hadn't come just to say hi, which made things worse.
"It's alright. I've just had a rough day," Oswald conversed. "There's been trouble with certain gangs lately, and now people are questioning my ability to remain stealthy while there's a new hero out there. Batman's sidekick for Pete's sake. How lucky am I? I had a couple of men sent to rob a bank, and the child had them knocked down just as they were about to get away with the money."
Dick gulped. So Oswald had been the one in charge of that theft. Could the world get any smaller? "Wow, that... sucks."
"It's certainly frustrating. I've been debating on whether or not to scare him away from crime fighting," the man informed. He looked up at Dick. "Sit down. Why are you standing?"
Dick lowered himself onto the edge of the seat uncomfortably. "He's Batman's partner. You'd think he'd be trained well enough to not get scared by anything, right?" Well, that wasn't true, but still.
"He's about your age; I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to frighten him enough somehow," Oswald stated.
"Yeah, but he's just trying to help people. Maybe you should leave him alone," Dick hesitantly suggested. "Anyways, maybe he only did it as a one time thing. You shouldn't worry about him ruining your plans anymore."
Oswald rubbed the bridge of his nose with two fingers. "Perhaps. Anyways, let's talk about you. How have you been? Have you encountered the meta human again?"
Dick shook his head. "No, and hopefully it'll stay that way."
"I agree," Oswald said. "If she steps another foot near you ever again, I'll be sure to have a henchmen with a loaded gun shoot her between the eyes."
The boy almost choked on his spit. "U-uh, thanks," he managed to stammered. Although the threat was violent, it was Penguin's rare way of being nice. Like he was trying to make Dick feel safe.
"I don't like rouge villains who think they're the greatest thing because they have a couple of magic tricks. Especially if those magic tricks are used against me or my allies," Oswald confessed. "Well, in this case, I suppose I should use the term 'friend'."
Dick had to bite his lip to suppress his smile.
"Anyways, I've noticed a couple of minor injuries on you. Is there anything going on that I should know about?" The man asked, his eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'm fine. I just got these bruises from a.. a fight." Dick answered.
Oswald's eyebrows reached his forehead. "A fight? When did this happen?"
Darn it. Maybe he should've made something up, but he didn't like lying to Oswald more than he had to. "Yesterday. It was over something stupid, don't worry."
As if understanding that Dick didn't want to go into detail, Oswald offered a small nod. "Did you at least win?"
Ah, that was a hard question to answer. "I'm not sure," Dick truthfully muttered as he looked at the floor sadly.
He saved all those people in the store but one. Did that count as a win? He and Batman made it out alive. Did that count? It was hard to think so when he had also let Joker and Harley run free. When that man's broken laughter still rung in his ears.
Dick glanced up at Oswald, who had been observing him as he stared downwards.
Dick didn't like the look on Oswald's face. Mainly when it was directed to him. It was concerned and maybe even suspicious, his eyes narrowed as he quietly tried to figure out what was going on in Dick's head. He didn't like how he knew he deserved to be looked at that way when he was keeping a secret from his friend.
Oswald cared about him. If.. if he told him that he was Robin, he might be a little mad- surprised for sure- but then he'd get over it because they were friends. Bruce would kill him if he told Oswald their identities, but he'd forgive Dick if he saw that Oswald really was trustworthy. That he wasn't an awful person. Doctor Thompkins would realize that she was wrong about him, too. Dick just wanted to make things right, and maybe this was the first step in doing so. After all, if Ivy knew, then Oswald deserved to know, too. They'd work something out.
"Oswald... I need to tell you something," he stated slowly.
The criminal glanced at the pocket watch in his hand again before stuffing it back in his suit. "Yes?"
Dick swallowed as his heart thudded against his chest. He wiped the sweat glistening on his hands from anxiety on his pants and declared, "I'm Robin."
The club owner stared at him, wide eyed. For a moment, the only sound that Dick could hear in the room was his own worried breathing. Oswald closed his eyes and let out a shuddering exhale. "That wasn't funny, Dick."
Dick's lips were beginning to chap from the amount of times he'd pursed them in just that day. "It wasn't supposed to be."
No response. Only deafening silence.
"Oswald," Dick said emotionally- almost a plead. For Oswald to give some sort of reaction. "I mean it; I'm Robin."
After a few moments of shock, Oswald clenched a fist on the armrest and another around his umbrella. "Explain. Now."
"I-I found out that Bruce was Batman when I accidentally found his hidden compartment in the manner," Dick stammered apprehensively. "I was mad at first but then we agreed that I could get Zucco myself if I trained and didn't talk to villains anymore. That's why I had to hide stuff from Bruce. But of- of course if he didn't want me talking to you; he wouldn't want me telling you about our top secret. I really wanted to tell you- really! I was worried-"
"-that I'd snitch?" Oswald snapped. He ferociously shot up from his seat, and Dick mirrored the action fearfully. "You took me for a goddamned fool!"
"No!" Dick protested as he raised his arms up- partly to reach for the man and partly to protect himself. "I just didn't know what to do! I needed to listen to Bruce, and I didn't know if it would be a good idea!"
"You- you-" Oswald fumed, unable to find words for his anger. His body shook with untamed rage. "AHRGH!" He struck a hand over the coffee table between them, causing a glass cup and flower pot to hurl at the floor and shatter. The force of the action echoed in the room so loudly that even Oswald jumped slightly at the sound. He quickly cocked his head in Dick's direction and let an ugly flash of teeth tarnish his features. Dick yelped and took several shaky steps backwards.
"You ungrateful BRAT! I have done so, so much for you- much more than I would others! And you repay me with BETRAYAL?! You knew our sides would have to clash! Because the "heroes" and the "villains" are always enemies, correct!? So you didn't give a shit if my men might be working for me, because you're a HERO!"
Tears were already pouring out of Dick's eyes as he endured the actual screaming that Oswald was directing to him. "Let me explain, please. Ozzie-"
Penguin let a cold, twisted laugh escape his throat. "You don't get to call me that. You're smart, you know that? I'm almost proud of how cunning and deceitful you've become. Acting like you actually trusted me. HAH! An act! Tell me, Richard. Who else knows about your identity other than Bruce and I? WHO!?"
"Oswald... Oswald... please," Dick sobbed, his eyes glossy with overwhelming tears, and his face red around the eyes, nose.
"Tell me this instant, Richard Grayson," Penguin commanded, each word enunciated with pure venom.
"Selina," Dick blubbered. "And... I-Ivy."
A vein in Penguin's throat throbbed violently. "You told Poison Ivy..." his voice was dangerous quiet. "You trusted Ivy more than me."
Dick shook his head hopelessly. "No..." he croaked, "no... she found out in her own. I promise, Oswald. I promise."
"Promises," Penguin hissed, "are another one of your LIES. It never existed. I can't believe you actual got me to believe your STUPID ideas on trust and friendship!"
"It was never a lie!" Dick yelled, his voice tremulous but powerful. "I would never lie about that Oswald. Never!"
"If that were true, you would have told me about Robin, Richard! YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BETRAYED ME! I never gave anyone the slightest opportunity to be able to betray me because they couldn't! Not if I never trusted them in the first place! But for you- for you I put my guard down, and let myself trust you! I TRUSTED YOU! And apparently, that trust means NOTHING TO YOU!"
Dick didn't think his heart could break more than it already was now. "I-it meant the world t-to me," he cried, "I r-really just wanted you to b-be happy, and- and I thought that if you learned to trust, then y-you'd be able to be ha-appy-y."
If looks could kill, Dick genuinely believed he would have died right there and then. "I should kill you. I should grab my goddamn umbrella and stab you IN THE HEART WITH IT! YOU TRAITOR! YOU LIAR! I should have left you to die on Gotham's filthy streets in that wretched Juvie uniform!"
To be honest, Dick could hardly see at this point through all the tears. He wished this were a nightmare that he could wake up from again. He wished that Oswald, who was supposed to his friend, wasn't telling him these awful things.
"I'm sor-rry," the child apologized, his words almost incoherent. He pressed his back against the wall. Anything to get away from the pain; to get away from Penguin. "Sto-op yelling. P-please."
Penguin gripped onto his umbrella. Like- like he was literally considering stabbing Dick with his tool. Perhaps he really was a monster.
"You have exactly 5 seconds to leave before I kill you," Penguin growled.
Dick wasted no time. He let out a broken sob as he got up and avoided the shards of broken glass. He didn't bother looking back as he threw open the door and ran out. His only focus was the exit. He shoved past the guards and ran out of the Iceberg Lounge and into the rain.
The boy fell to his knees once he thought that he was far enough from the club for comfort. The rain mercilessly drenched his clothes, hair, and skin, but he couldn't have cared less. The only thought running through his mind was pain.
He had just lost the first friend he'd ever made in Gotham.
You guys have no idea how long I've been waiting for this scene to come. I hit myself in the feels hard while writing it :'D