Robin one shot part 3!

At least I still have you pt 2

See, Clark understood him better than a lot of adults in his life. He got those little hints of things that Bruce often missed or ignored depending on how spiteful Dick felt when thinking about it. Clark offered tactics to calm down that didn't refer to maintaining the goal of a mission, he offered noise-cancelling headphones and sunglasses when things got too bright. He brought weighted blankets and when they didn't work he wasn't afraid to give plenty of hugs. He reminded Dick of his father. They were almost similar in stature aside from the whole added alien muscle thing Clark had going on but what mattered most was how similar they behaved. They were both kind and loving, neither of them needing a lexicon or years of experience to decipher because they spoke through glances and three-word sentences. Dick found himself wondering if any of this would've happened if he'd been adopted by the alien in the first place. Had the circus landed here rather than Gotham, would he have been taken in by Clark? Would they have been closer than he already was? Then he'd remember that the only reason Jason was fostered was thanks to him. Had Bruce not taken him in when he had, he definitely wouldn't have brought in Jason. He hoped the kid would be alright without him. Hell, maybe he'd feel better with him gone so the fighting would stop. Perhaps he'd been the problem more so than anything.

The first night Dick stayed at Clark's apartment, they'd spent the whole time together squashed in his single bed. That was okay though. He hadn't realised how horribly touch-starved he was until he was wrapped up in that warm hug only the kryptonian could offer. For the first time in a while, he felt safe. Wanted. He teared up just at the thought.

"I think I was always his charity case so he found it easy to pass me up," Dick whispered, his voice low and impossibly childlike. He sounded so innocent like the nine-year-old he'd once been but his words were far older than that. He didn't raise his gaze to meet Clark's because he frankly couldn't take it. "Maybe I made too many mistakes. Maybe he just never really liked me."

"No, it's nothing like that," Clark insisted. Although he would sooner throw the man into the sun than defend his parenting, he had the decency to make Bruce's intentions clear however convoluted they may be. He'd known the caped crusader for years both before and after Dick's arrival and he knew there were glimpses of a good father underneath it all. The potential of a good father was all that kept Clark from declaring him a villain most days. It stopped him from insisting on cutting off all contact. "Bruce, for lack of a better word, struggles. Usually due to his own stubbornness and pride. He genuinely thought this would all blow over and that you'd be fine with the arrangements because everything he does, he's sure of. It works when it does and it fails when it doesn't."

"So whose fault is it?" Dick asked. "Who do I blame for things turning out the way they did?"

"I can tell you to blame a lot of people. I can tell you to blame Bruce for not stepping up and acting like the father you once knew. I can blame Alfred for not doing anything sooner. You could even blame me for not getting you out of there sooner."

"I'm not your responsibility," he croaked. 

"You are. I have the same responsibility to you as I do every other hero. As I do to Jason although between you and me he seems to like Diana a lot more than he does me." The acrobat chuckled softly, leaning into the hand that began to card through his curls. His hair was still damp from the much needed shower he had taken once getting there. 

"You're my favourite if that's any consolation."

"Dickie, it means the world." God, he hadn't that nickname said so fondly in so long. 

"What does Lois think about all this? I doubt she's very excited to take in a teenager."

"Oh stop, she loves having you around. She'll be back from her trip and you better prepare yourself. I'm pretty sure she's going to smother you all day." Dick smiled and let out a sigh of relief. Yeah, he could really get used to being wanted.