Chapter Text
Robin? Robin, are you listening to me? Kaldur’s voice reverberates through their heads, imploring and slightly annoyed.
The boy jerks upright from leaning idly against his keyboard of the bioship, his dazed expression slipping to reveal his exhaustion underneath.
Sorry. Um. You were saying?
The leader resists the urge to sigh and sees M’gann and Artemis steal puzzled glances at the boy. Wally, who is seated across the cockpit from Boy Wonder, rolls his eyes and proceeds to explain for Kaldur.
He just told you that we are to split into two recon teams, and you’re leading one of them. Pay attention, idiot.
Robin’s mouth forms a comprehensive ‘O’ as Kaldur continues, Team A, which you will be leading, Robin, consists of you, Conner and Artemis. They will get you to the central core, Robin, where you will retrieve the information needed while Team B, M’gann, KF and I will lead a distraction. Is that understood?
Understood. four voices intone simultaneously.
Understood. Robin echoes, a little late; He’s rubbing at his eyes so furiously it looks as if he’s trying to scrub out his eyeballs.
“Robin? What’s wrong? You seem rather distracted.” Inquires Kaldur aloud, his cool voice stark in the silent cabin. The others are all facing different directions but he can tell that they’re listening.
“Nothing, nothing. Just a little—” the child stifles a yawn. “Just a little tired, that—that’s all. Been up all night doing Gotham stuff.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, Kal,” he seems to regain his edge and turns back slightly to throw him a mischievous smirk. “Don’t worry.”
Somehow, Kaldur can’t help but do just that.
And as it turns out, he had the right to.
“A collapsed building, both of your team members shaken, one injured. What were you thinking, Robin?”
The youngster stares determinedly at his feet as Batman reprimands him. His mentor is beyond angry, he’s livid. Kaldur just stands silently at the side, waiting for his debriefing. Even in the face of Batman’s (the Batman’s) anger, the boy does not draw back.
The rest are in the infirmary with Artemis and Conner, but the metahuman seems overall fine; a little deafened by the explosions, but he’ll recover soon enough. Artemis got a little roughed up, a few bruises here and there and has a slight concussion, according to M’gann who is still transmitting mental messages to him and the rest, excluding Robin. But other than that, the archer and the team are okay, nothing overly serious.
Robin, M’gann thinks worriedly. The others send waves of their concern too, How about Robin, Kaldur? How is he… holding up?
Wally interjects before he can say anything, Batman’s butchering him, right? Oh man.
It’s not his fault, none of us expected that security system was so complex and the core to have a self-destruct mechanism— Conner says slowly, still sounding a little dazed.
Artemis piped up; he could feel her worry, despite the distance, Yeah, and besides, our injuries aren’t even serious, please Kal, can you tell Batman that? Please?
I am very sorry Team, but I cannot. I have tried, but Batman just told me not to make excuses for him. I am also afraid I might harm Robin’s situation more, if I were to interrupt—
They knew we were coming, they seriously did! How then were they able to intercept our teams so fast?! Why is he solely blaming Robin? Cries Wally, outraged. The others seem rather exasperated too. But given their position, there was not much that they could do.
Kaldur watches as Batman paces about Robin like a panther, his comments puncturing the air and breaking through his mental bubble.
“Lack of discipline, carelessness, complacency. These were the three mistakes you committed. You placed your teammates’ lives in danger tonight, Robin. And that is not acceptable. Did you even contemplate the consequences before dragging them into that situation? Did you try to even prepare back-up plans or emergency strategies in case you all were ambushed? Have you forgotten everything I’ve taught you?”
“No, I haven’t.” Robin replies as he looked up, straight into his mentor’s eyes. His voice is steady but Kaldur is shocked to see how pale and exhausted he appeared from both the mission and the scolding. He looks like he is on the verge of collapse, but this only seems fuel Batman’s anger.
“Then why didn’t you apply it? No excuse is enough to compensate for what you have done tonight. This mission may have been a success, but you,” The Dark Knight straightens up, expression grim and darkened by shadows. Robin does not falter.
“You have failed.”
The last three words fall like stones in Kaldur’s stomach and a lump rises to his throat. The words he’s just heard echo unintentionally across the mind-link; the mental murmurings of the others are suddenly gone and he can feel their shock and incredulity.
The guilt on Robin’s face is obvious now, and that, coupled with fatigue, makes the young boy look completely helpless.
Batman seems to have finished his lecture as he turns to Kaldur and says in a cold, stern tone.
“When your Team is recovered, I expect 5 full-length reports on the mission. Do not include Robin’s; I will deal with him separately. As for you,” he turns back to his protégé and gives him a severe look.
“I expect you at the Batcave at no later than 3am. You will give me a full-length, verbal report and your punishment will be decided then.”
With a swish, the Bat sweeps out of the cave and strides into the Zeta tubes, with the machine blaring his identity and number designation in his wake.
The sound rings in empty cave and Robin deflates with a sigh. He seems to have forgotten that Kaldur is there and proceeds to shuffle off the electronic floor, limping slightly.
Kaldur suddenly realises that he’s probably been hiding his injuries from them and Batman this whole while, but maybe, maybe the infallible Boy Wonder has finally reached his limit.
He goes up behind the boy as silently as possible and without warning, scoops the boy up into his arms. He hears the teen yelp, “What the—Kaldur!” but ignores it and starts walking.
Robin pushes weakly at the older boy, begging him to let him down.
The others start jabbering again and he shuts them out this time. “No, Robin. I’m not going to let you down.
The younger falls into sulky silence as they walk down the corridor leading to the medical bay. Kaldur sees him grimace when he shifts him into a more comfortable position.
“You’re injured. Why didn’t you say so?” The boy scowls and looks away, expression inscrutable under his domino mask.
“Didn’t want Bats to see. And you.”
Idiot— ow! Wally whines as someone, presumably Artemis, slaps his shoulder. But anyway, Robin isn’t linked, so he can’t hear.
He shakes his head at his young friend’s stubbornness and sighs. “Just sleep, Robin.”
“But—”
“Sleep. That’s an order.”
Robin grumbles a little, muttering something about ‘everyone ordering me around,’ but eventually, the white slits of his mask starts to narrow and his head tilts slightly, breaths evening out. Kaldur spares himself a small smile and moves the teenager so that his head is able to lean on the leader’s shoulder.
By the time they reach the Medical Bay, Kaldur’s arms are sore and aching from the weight, but Robin has his eyes closed and his face is that of a peaceful child's.
Finally.