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• Dick
It wasn’t often that Dick slept at the manor, it was really more of a recent thing.
And everyone in the family knew it was all because of the adorable nine year old they saved from the league, who turned out to be Bruce’s biological daughter. Dahlia Wayne, their brand new baby sister, and so far all three brothers were enjoying fretting and doting over someone.
Personally, Dick likes to think that he was the girl’s favourite. How did he come to that conclusion? Well, he’d gladly tell you. He was the first person she hugged after they saved her, as he was the one who carried her to the jet, and the way she snuggled closer to him every time someone was being too loud. He was the one who she smiled at for the first time, giving him every right to brag about it to his siblings.
He was the one whose hair she keeps braiding, placing pink and purple clips to his hair, and as the favourite brother, he obviously went outside with the clips still in his hair.
Therefore, he had every right to claim the title, effectively stealing it from Jason and Tim, who were just as smitten with their baby sister as him. That little girl had everyone wrapped around her tiny finger, and she doesn’t even realise it.
Which brings Dick to where he is right now, in his bed at the manor, looking around frantically, his heart still racing from the grotesque images he saw, still fresh in his head. He groaned, pulling at his hair to keep himself from spiralling, failing to notice the small figure that peeked through his door.
He only noticed the other presence in the room when he felt a small hand resting on his, looking up to see his little sister, dressed in her disney nightgown, with a stuffed cat tucked to her chest. Dick smiled softly at the sight, already beginning to calm down at the sight of her standing there, concerned green eyes staring back at his still shaking form.
“C’mere, darling.” He beckoned her over, pulling her to his lap as she wrapped her arms around his neck, making sure she feels warm enough by pulling the covers back on both of them.
“Safe.” Dahlia mumbled, looking up at him with determined eyes, her small hands cupping his face as the stuffed animal fell to the floor.
"Yeah, sweetheart. You're safe." He muttered, bringing her closer to him when she buried her face in the fabric of his shirt.
"No," She shook her head, lifting her head to look at him properly. "You're safe."
Dick let out a chuckle at the determination etched into her face, kissing her forehead gently. "Thank you, baby."
They stayed like that for a while, Dick holding her in his arms as he rocked the both of them to sleep, feeling himself calm down at the feeling of his baby sister resting against him.
"Love you, honey."
• Jason
Jason loved Dahlia. He'd known her the longest, of course. He was the one who raised her until she six years old before Talia sent him back to Gotham.
The little girl was the reason he recovered from being in the pit. He still remembers the little infant given to him after he woke up, feeling all confused, all he used to focus on was making sure the baby was safe and comfortable. As the days went by, he returned to his old self, gaining his old memories piece by piece.
He was the one who used to play with her, feed her, change her, get her to nap. He used to make all her favourite foods, making sure it's not very hot as to not burn her tongue. He made sure she went to bed smiling and giggling every night, curling projective around her to make sure she's safe in his arms while she's sleeping.
So when they saved that same little girl from the League, and she looked like she was about to burst into tears at the slightest gesture, Jason didn't want to overwhelm her with anything from their past.
So he kept his movements light around, and refrained himself from pulling her to his arms every time he saw her, because she looked a little scared of him at first. She hid behind Bruce's legs when she first saw him, looking up at him with familiar green eyes. Bruce only smiled at her at the time, crouching down to introduce his new baby to her older brother, unaware of their history.
Jason made sure she wasn't left alone with him, not wanting her to feel scared or any sort of discomfort, but also he didn't want to hurt her if he accidentally had an episode. It was all going well, really, until Bruce asked Jason to babysit her for the night.
The older man had to go to an important gathering, taking Tim and Alfred with him. Dick was busy in his own city, and as much as the man would want to watch over his little sister, he has his own duties to tend to.
So that left Jason, who was currently wincing at the feeling of his side bleeding from the stab wound he gained in his patrol the night before, and didn't get the chance to get fixed up yet. But that wasn't the only thing that left him feeling anxious, it was the little girl standing next to him in the elevator, looking at down at her shoes as they reached the floor where his flat is on.
"C'mon, kid." He grunted, smiling a little at the way she has to run to catch up to his larger steps. He opened the door, letting her in first before locking it with a grimace when his side bumped into the door.
He'll get it fixed up at night, when his little sister is asleep, away from all the blood and the wounds.
"Hungry, kiddo?" He asked, already heading to the kitchen to fix her some dinner. Maybe he should make something he used to make her, would that make her feel more comfortable around her?
He smiled softly at her when she followed him into the kitchen, looking nervous as he opened the fridge.
"What do you wanna eat, hon?" He asked, turning to her when she didn't reply. He glanced down to find her staring at him with a frown, a pout on her face.
"You okay?" Clearing his throat awkwardly, Jason picked her up and sat her small figure on one of his chairs. Maybe she was tired of standing.
"Hurt." She finally said. The word was spoken in a soft yet clear tone.
"Hurt? You're hurt? Did someone hurt you? Are you hurt right now?" Her brother was quick to ask, laying his hands gently on her shoulders to look her in the eye.
The little girl shook her head, petite hands reaching out to his wounded side. Jason watched her with wide eyes as she slowly placed her hands on, making him wince in turn.
"You're hurt." She muttered, wrapping her arms around his neck, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. She yelped when she felt muscular arms wrapping around her body, her face heating up when she felt her big brother kiss her forehead.
"Yeah, princess. I am hurt." Jason mumbled to her, pressing his lips to her hair as he stood up, his little sister still in his arms, looking up at him with a bewildered look when he placed her on the couch.
"You wanna help patch up your big brother, munchkin?" Jason asked, enjoying the way she pouted up at him at the nickname.
He chuckled, placing her on his knee while he pulled the first aid kit from one of the drawers under the table.
Just as he was about to start stitching his wound, nimble fingers stopped him from doing so.
"I want to do it." She whispered, taking the bandages from his hands.
"Yeah? Okay," Jason swallowed the lump in his throat, burying his face in her hair. "You can do it, baby."
• Tim
It was a known fact that Tim Drake was absolutely smitten with his baby sister. When she first arrived, a little girl in the arms of an assassin from the League, her mother giving her up to her father, Tim only had to take one look at the shaking body of this adorable nine year old, emerald green eyes staring back at him, and he immediately fell in love with the little sister he always longed for.
Tim was the one she runs to when the nightmares don't leave her alone. He holds her in his arms, braiding her long hair into two braids. Two braids that she immediately shows off to her Father, shyly gazing up at him so he can marvel at the beauty of her brother's skills.
Tim knew that this little girl, the shy adorable child, would be the reason any of them kill and break the 'code'. Not that they didn't already break it. The three brothers could forgive anything, but to intentionally or unintentionally cause harm to their baby sister?
The assassins sent by Ra's already faced the consequences of attempting to snatch their baby sister from her new school. Some were left for dead, some are still alive, lost, but somehow alive.
Tim snorted at the thought as he sipped on his coffee, as if they'd let those assassins live had they not tortured the shit out of them. There were a couple of them that surrendered, making Tim send a couple of them as spies in the League.
He sighed as he stared at the window of his office, the city of Gotham shining at night. He was still wearing his suit, and it was getting late, as he promised Dahlia he'd be back early tonight. It was his turn to put her to bed, and he only needed to feel his little sister in his arms, instead of the stupid pen he was using to sign the stack of papers in front of him.
Just as he was about to send a message to Bruce, thinking of postponing his night with Dahlia, a small figure entered his office.
"Love?" Tim asked, seeing his little sister coming his way, and opened his arms for her. "What are you doing here, honey?"
"You were getting late, so I asked Mister Pennyworth to bring me. " She whispered, playing with the buttons on his suit jacket. He smiled softly at her, kissing the top of her head multiple times when she giggled.
"Is that so?" At her little nod, her hummed and sat her on his lap, spinning the chair for a second.
"You wanna help, sweetheart?" He asked, carding his fingers through her hair when she nuzzled into his neck. At the nod he recieved, he gave her a pencil, asking her to write the number of the paper he gives her on top.
After a while of going through the papers, Tim felt his eyes closing while he was signing one of the last papers. He was about to jolt himself awake, only to feel small hands cupping his face, the three sensation of a quick kiss on his forehead.
Tim smiled internally to himself, burying his head in the shoulder of the little girl on his lap, feeling her lean into him. Dahlia was also closing her eyes, feeling safe in her brother's arms.
"Sweet dreams, darling." Tim cooed, patting his sister's bum to soothe her to sleep.
'Love you.'
• Bruce
At first, Bruce struggled to bond with the little girl he recieved not so long ago.
She was quiet, too quiet at times, and from Bruce’s perspective, she looked scared of him. He knew he wasn't a very friendly looking man at times, especially in the cowl and the mask. To a little girl like Dahlia, her first impression of him might've been that he was intimidating. Not to mention the numerous unknown things Talia told her about him that would've only added to the girl's fear.
But she was sweet. So incredibly sweet and tender. Such a gentle soul he got in the form of a daughter. A little girl with a certain fondness for animals and colours. A little girl forced to grow up so fast, raised by ruthless assassins who taught her things no child should know. She was only nine, not yet a teenager, a small child who only wants to be loved and protected by her family.
And Bruce was trying. He really was. From the paints and sketchbooks he bought her once he found out about her love for painting. And the cat he brought home after finding her during patrol, whom his sweet daughter bestowed upon the name 'Alfred' to honor the butler she loved very much.
And the time he dedicates to her, making sure to take her out at least once every week. He started coming home for dinner more often instead of going straight to patrol. He sure her room was decorated however she liked, watching from afar as she painted on her walls after watching Tangled for the first time.
He loves his daughter so very much. So tonight, sitting on one of the medical cots in the cave, sporting a fixed dislocated shoulder in a sling after a run in with some of Ra's assassins, all he wanted was to hug his daughter, and smell that sweet strawberry shampoo she uses.
He looked up when he heard Alfred speaking from a far, seeing the older man walking towards him. The man was holding the hand of his daughter, who looked as if she just woke up.
He smiled softly when his little girl ran to him, climbing up on his lap up hug him.
"Hey sweetheart," He cooed, hugging her back with his good arm. "Shouldn't you be asleep, my darling?"
"Wanted to see you," She mumbled, looking at his sling with a concerned expression. "Okay?"
"I am okay, baby. It's just a minor injury,," He soothed her, pressing a kiss to the inside of her palm when she pat is cheek. He chuckled, standing up with her in his arm, and headed to his bedroom. "You wanna stay with daddy tonight, darling?" He asked, humming when he felt her nod into his neck.
Bruce reached the bedroom, placing her on the bed before settling down next to her. He pulled her into his chest, smirking softly at her giggles.
"I like your dress, honey." He stated, noticing the little mermaid themed sleeping dress.
"Timmy bought it. He said I am a princess too." She mumbled shyly, turning red at the compliment her father so casually gave her.
"Well, your brother is right. You are a princess, aren't you? Our little princess," He rubbed their noses together, pressing one last kiss to her forehead before pulling the blankets over the both of them. " Go to sleep, sweetheart."
"Night, daddy."
• + Dahlia
It wasn't often that all three brothers were gathered in the manor, but since the arrival of the adorable creature they called sister, it was only right to be with her most of the time.
This time though, the brothers and their father, were sitting on the floor in the hallway, as they waited for their little sister to open the door for them. It wasn't a normal reoccurrence that their sister didn't greet them at the door, because they were all in such a hurry after Alfred called them to come.
He called all three of them, telling them how Dahlia left the school crying when he picked her up, and all that he managed to understand from her was that some of the kids in her class are picking on her. Which led them to waiting outside her door, anger simmering inside of them as they sat on the floor.
"Honey?" Tim called out, a sad look on his face as he knocked one more time. "Can you open the door for us now, darling?"
The four men heard a muffled 'No', making Jason clench his fists tightly, and walked over to the door.
"Kiddo, you open that door right now. I am not asking this time." Jason firmly said, ignoring the scolding look he got from Dick. He glared right back, their little staring competition over when the door cracked open.
Bruce entered first, expression softening when he saw his little girl curled up on herself next to the door.
"Hey, baby." He smiled, gently brushing the hair out of her face as she cried into her hands.
"Oh, sweetheart." Dick cooed, bringing her into his arms as he looked her over, rubbing her back in comfort. He rocked her back and forth, rage growing bigger with each tear his little sister shed.
Tim frowned at his sobbing sister, stroking her hair while Jason held her hand in his.
"You wanna tell me the names of the little shits who bother you, pipsqueak?" Jason asked, ignoring Tim's quiet 'Language'.
"Mean ones!" Dahlia cried, rubbing at her eyes with her fists, Bruce catching one of her hands to stop her.
"Shhh, baby. I'll find out who they are. Then we can deal with them. But you need to calm down, love." Tim soothed, kissing her forehead as he cupped her face. Dahlia hiccuped, tears streaming down her face as she calmed herself down, snuggling into the chest of her big brother.
"You'll be alright, munchkin. We'll make sure of that." Jason smiled sadly at her, ruffling her hair lightly.
"You're my little girl," Bruce started, smoothing his daughter's pyjama shirt. "No one gets to make you feel any less than the princess you are."