meow meow bitch

There were some benefits to living with the Wayne's that Dick focused on to pass the time. One is that he was taught English so he could communicate better. It was still difficult when he couldn't get the translation in his head to be fast enough but he was making progress at a swift rate. It was nice understanding the jokes that weren't some kind of inside reference that Jason made and he could actually read some of the books in the library to pass the time. "So how do you know the English that you do know?" Tim had asked. He was watching the boy finish up matching up words to the right tenses, surprised at how quick he was able to do it. 

"Mama taught me. I know bits from everywhere," he explained, throwing his hands in the air enthusiastically to show just how far his language capabilities could go. The older chuckled at him but it didn't feel demeaning. He liked Tim though he usually didn't see him all that often. The same could be said with Damian and Bruce. They were hardly around and he found himself finding the most time with Alfred or Jason when he wasn't at school. That was another part. Alfred would tell him stories about everyone and he'd always give him sweet treats if he did a good job cleaning. The butler was the only one who could pet him without asking too. He didn't know what it was but there was something about Alfred that always put him at ease. Jason was cool too. He taught him how to play Mortal Combat but preferred when they played Mario Kart because he always won. Damian was a different story entirely. Dick hardly saw him and when he did, the guy wanted nothing to do with him. He was always busy with something and acted as though everyone was a bother. Still, he intrigued the young acrobat. Had he the confidence, he'd probably make the effort to ask him what his deal was. "Hey Dickie, I was thinking about how you've been living with Selina for a while," Tim began, grabbing the boy's wandering attention. 

"What about it?"

"Well, would you want to live there once she's better? I mean it mustn't be very fun."

"Of course it is! We play dress up and play robbers. I know how to pick lock every door in the city pretty much," he replied happily. "I can't wait to go back. I'll take good care of her too!" He finished his task and looked to Tim expectedly. The older hummed and glanced over his answers. 

"Check your past tense." He scowled at the paper and thought hard. "I'm not saying you can't see her again but it might be better to live here. With us." Dick paused what he was doing and looked up to meet the others eyes almost fearfully.

"Does Selina not want me anymore?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh God no no- I was just- you know what forget I said anything. You've done enough work for today, how about you go see if Alfred has any treats for you?" The younger nodded, perking back up before skipping out the room. Tim sighed and put his head in his hands. He really needed to work on his wording. 

"That went down like a lead balloon," Jason commented, strolling into the room. Tim hummed in response and began packing up the class supplies. "Why'd you even bring it up to the kid? He and Selina are like this," he continued, crossing his fingers. He snatched up the TV remote and laid on the couch as he waited for a response. 

"I know she means well but she'll only bring that boy into a life of crime. It's not like he'll be able to go to school with a known criminal as a guardian. He'll be trapped in the circle-"

"Let me stop you there Timbo. You have no room to talk," he interrupted. "Think about it, Bruce brought us in, trained us and then we fought crime. We'll never have normal lives and you can't say your schoolwork has never been effected. Not to mention Damian croaked at one point." He flipped through the channels as the older sulked. "Look dude, let him stay with her. She's not exactly the worst person to be around and you can pop round to lecture him or some shit." Jason thought about where Tim was coming from and sat up immediately. He narrowed his eyes at him. 

"What?"

"You better not be thinking of bringing him into this shithole legacy," he barked. Enough people got dragged into this crime-fighting business. Besides, they could do with a kid villain. It would be more fun than fighting adults all the time. Plus they'd actually get the jokes he was making. It got annoying explaining pop culture references and it totally ruined the punchline.

"I wasn't!" Tim defended.

"Good! Besides, it's my title now and he's not having it. Got that nerd?"

"Yes, street rat."

"Replacement."

"THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!"

Dick wandered the halls looking for the butler when he heard talking. Talking that wasn't coming from the level of the house he was on. Or on the level above him. It was below him. He raised an eyebrow at that. He hadn't been told about a basement but he was sure that the noises were coming from somewhere like that. In fact, now that he thought about it, he'd heard noises below him all the time when he was on the ground floor. Like a whirring sound of machinery. He paused and knelt down, putting his ear to the floor. There was certainly something down there but even with his great hearing, he couldn't quite make out the voices. He didn't know what they were saying but it seemed like a normal conversation since no voices were being raised. "Master Dick, what're you doing on the floor?" Alfred asked with a chuckle. 

"I'm listening. Someone is under the floorboards," he answered. "And there's this other noise like whrrr or like vvvzzz." The older let out another low chuckle and bent down, holding out his hand. Dick took it and let himself be stood up. "Can't you hear it too?"

"No, although my hearing isn't what it used to be I very much doubt you're hearing voices let alone what sounds like some sort of construction site," Alfred told him. 

"But I'm sure of it."

"Young lad, I have lived in this house for many years and I can assure you what you're hearing is quite impossible," the butler told him. Dick sighed. He supposed he was right. After all, it could just be his hearing messing with him and the others never talked about sounds coming from below. It was probably just him. "I assume you're done with your English lesson for the day?" He nodded. "Good, just in time for hospital visiting hours." The Neko tilted his head to the side in confusion. What did hospital visiting hours have to do with anything? Then he realised and grinned brightly, already jumping up and down with excitement. "I thought you'd be excited. Master Bruce is just finishing up in the library but he'll be out in a moment. Why don't you go get your shoes on then we can get going right away once he's done?"

"Okay!" Dick exclaimed, running off. He didn't need to run everywhere but he certainly did anyway. It proved a real problem when Alfred waxed the floors but he learned pretty quickly to associate the smell with no running. They usually had to coax him down from the top of the cupboard when it was safe for him to run around like a madman. 

The entire car ride Dick was fidgeting like so tomorrow. He couldn't wait to see Selina in person. The screen was nice and all but it couldn't beat the real thing. He hoped she was being treated well in the hospital and that she wouldn't be in there for much longer. Living with her was so much fun and he couldn't wait for things to go back to normal. Well, not normal. Normal had been his life with his parents so he supposed it was the new normal and where he was now was the new new normal? That got too confusing. "Now you must stay close to me in the hospital Dick. It's very big and I don't want to lose you. Not to mention Selina will have my head if that happened," Bruce stated although he mumbled the last part. Dick giggled upon hearing it but nodded all the same. He'd be on his best behaviour for the next year if it meant he could spend some time with the woman he adored like family. Once his door was opened, he jumped out and raced over to Bruce's side. He impatiently waited for the billionaire to get out and thank his butler, rocking on his feet. Everyone was so slow when he wanted them to be fast. He would say for them to hurry up but he felt that'd be rude. Luckily, the older picked up on his impatience and sped his pace up as they entered the hospital. It was an immediate assault on the senses inside. People were talking, there were thousands upon thousands of beeps, and there were cries somewhere far off in the building. The shock of going from a quiet car to a busy ward was enough to make Dick jump. He grabbed onto the billionaire's hand for comfort but immediately released it when he felt the man tense underneath his grip.

"Sorry!" he exclaimed. 

"It's alright, what's wrong?"

"So loud," he whimpered. 

"Oh-OH! Sorry yes, it will be. One moment." Bruce rooted through his pockets before fishing out some earbuds and putting them in the boy's ears. "How's that?" The earbuds didn't block out all the noise but it helped. It muffled his hearing to the point where he could hear the man before him but could no longer hear the sound of the maternity ward. He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. 

"Better. Thank you."

"It's no problem, I should've given you them in the car. You're allowed to hold my hand too. In fact, I'd prefer you to. It'll be much harder to lose you then." Dick didn't waste any time wrapping his tiny fingers around the other's calloused hands. He let himself be led through the waiting room of people. Some gave him glares and he heard whispers of children asking what he was. He wondered how many Nekos were left here. He knew it wasn't a lot and most emigrated as soon as they could but they must have been seen at one point. He shook his head. That thought would only lead to ones that were much bitter and then to ones that made his chest grow tight. It wasn't worth his time. He focused on the conversation Bruce was having with a nurse. She gave him directions to Selina's room since she'd been moved to a lower risk ward and they set off through the maze of corridors.

Eventually, they found the right room and Dick excitedly pulled on the billionaire's hand. "Go on chum. I'll let you have a few minutes alone with her," Bruce told him. He opened the door and let the younger in. Dick shuffled in, a sudden sense of nervousness taking over as he moved into the room. What if spending all her time here made her rethink having him around? What if she didn't want to see him? Those worries melted away when he actually met eyes with Selina. She smiled and opened her arms which he didn't hesitate to run to. He clambered up onto the bed and wrapped his arms around her tightly, softly purring as he snuggled up against her. 

"I missed you so much!" he exclaimed, almost crying with relief. She still wanted him. He could tell and it made this whole ordeal worth it in some way. He felt silly for even thinking that she wouldn't want him anymore. Selina laughed quietly and kissed his forehead, gently petting his unruly black locks. "I learned more English too! Listen, I'm much better now."

"Aren't you my smart kitten?" she praised. "I missed you too. Oh, once we're home I'll take you out with me, won't that be nice? I've missed going outside. They have me cooped up in here all day and night. How horrible is that?" He giggled at her overdramatic tone and continued to purr under her touch. He hadn't felt so relaxed since before she got sick. "How've they been treating you? Are they feeding you enough? You seem rather light." He laughed at her fretting to which she tutted. "Excuse me for caring about my little one."

"They've been nice," he assured her. Selina raised an eyebrow at him.

"Just nice?"

"Well they helped with my English, I had my own room and they fed me but...but their house is funny and they always smell like smoke. Sometimes I hear them talk about going out at night but I don't know where they go. They can be creepy and then they just poof! Disappear! I followed Damian to see but he turned a corner then he was gone." The older went quiet and thought about her response. He watched her quietly, waiting for her explanation. There were a lot of things he didn't understand and she usually cleared everything up for him. 

"You know how I told you that Catwoman and I are the same person?" she asked. He nodded. "Think about how many Waynes there are and how many heroes come from Gotham." She didn't want to give him the answer right away but he caught on to what she said. He sat up a bit and glanced to the door. On the other side, Bruce was waiting. Bruce had to be Batman. Batman had sent him to the shelter. He glared at the door. "Dick?"

"He sent me to the shelter. Him and Robin. Then-then they just take me in? Why didn't-" He turned back to her. "Did you tell them to take me in?"

"I did."

"So they would've left me there," he whispered. "I don't understand Selina. If they could've taken me in before then why not? Tim offered to make it uhm stick."

"Permanent?" Selina asked. 

"Yeah, that word. Just today he was talking about me living there all the time." 

Her eye twitched for a moment. So they were going to go behind her back and try to convince him to stay with them? He wasn't their kid. Bruce didn't find this little boy, she had. This one was hers and she was taking good care of him. Were her morals the best? No, but neither was his! No doubt they were trying to pump his brain full of what justice meant. Bruce would be the little ringmaster too and start filling his mind with images of having fun running around as Robin sacrificing his life for everyone else in some endless game of cat and mouse. Well, she wouldn't have it. In this world, they had to live for themselves and she'd teach Dick all about that. She sighed, pressing down her anger for the benefit of the younger. He wouldn't be the object of her anger, Bruce would but for the minute she was focusing on the Neko before her. She cupped his face in her hands to bring him some comfort. "Kitten, you pay them no mind. You and I are going to look after one another and those stupid bats can stuff it."

"Cats before bats?" Dick suggested, smirking. 

"Cats before bats," she repeated with a laugh. "Tell you what, you pack up anything they got you that you like and I'll pick you up tonight. Which bedroom are you in?"

"The one near Bruce's. Left one."

"Perfect. Don't tell a soul about my plan okay?"

"Okay, but should you really be climbing and stuff?" he inquired worriedly. 

"I'll be just fine. I've been patched up just right. Do as I said and we'll have no problems. Now let me have a good look at you, there's something off," she replied. He raised an eyebrow as she inspected his features. "Jeez, you've got more bags than a girl named Chanel in first class. Haven't you been sleeping?"

"Not really," he answered quietly. "But I can catch up on sleep when we're back together, yes?" 

"You can start now kitten. You'll need your energy for tonight." He went to object but she'd already pulled him back down and cradled him. Plus she was warm and cuddly and everything he needed right now. "Besides, that Bruce will only annoy you. You may as well sleep the day away." 

"Okay, Selina."

And that's where the story ends. My new book called Kitten is inspired by this but won't be reverse batfam nor will it have this back story so if you liked this then you might like that. If enough people ask I might be guilt-tripped into doing another part but for now I leave it up to you!!