Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Don't ask Harley why she agreed to look after Dick for the night. Batman just seemed like he was in a jam and needed help. Alfred was out of town and Bruce needed to go to the Watchtower. Even though Dick was Robin, Bruce didn't want the team to meet him yet.

So here she was sitting on the couch in the living room with a hyperactive kid. Dick was doing cartwheels across the room. Harley was very much impressed. 

"Sweetie," Harley called. Dick looked up at her, "let me show you something."

Harley got up and did three cartwheels in a row. Dick smiled and laughed while clapping his hands. He followed Harley's lead and did cartwheels with her. It seemed like the perfect time until bedtime hit.

Dick went to sleep well. It was only in the middle of the night when Harley was woken up by crying. She was confused at first until she remembered that she was babysitting Dick.

She quickly got out of bed. Ignoring her red and black slippers, she ran down the hall to where Dick was staying in a spare room.

Harley hesitated at the door. Not knowing if she should walk in or knock. The question was quickly answered when she heard a loud sob.

Harley carefully opened the door and saw a sight that broke her heart.

Dick was curled up in a ball on his bed. His blanket was wrapped around his shaking form. Harley sat on the edge of the bed and carefully placed hair black nails into Dick's black hair and ran her fingers through the locks.

Dick flinched at first not hearing Harley walk in but he quickly recovered. Leaning into the touch while he cries calmed down.

"What's the matter, Sweetie?" Harley asked softly.

"N-nightmare." Dick sniffed.

"Aww. That's no fun," Harley thought about what to say next, "wanna talk about it?"

Dick sat up a bit but made sure he was still close enough to get Harley's hand in his hair.

"A-about my p-parents." Dick stuttered.

Harley sighed. Ever since Harley first met Dick, Bruce made sure to tell him about Dick's past and triggers.

She hated how the world had already treated this little ball of sunshine this badly. Stupid nightmares.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" Harley asked.

Dick nodded. He moved out of the way making room for Harley in the bed.

Harley gave Dick a soft smile as she laid down and gave Dick a quick hug. She put her hand back in his hair where she continued to play with his black locks of hair.

She waited until she could hear light snoring before breathing out a sigh of relief. Normally should have left to go back to her own room, but she didn't have the heart to leave Dick. 

What if he had another nightmare and woke up alone?

Dick would be scared and she didn't want that for him. He should feel loved and cared for. Lucky for Dick he had Bruce, Alfred and even herself in Dick's corner to help him. 

Harley would always be there for Dick for anything.

Chapter Text

Of course Jason found out about how when Dick was Robin he would have sleepovers at Harley's. Jason only found it fair that he was part of it as well. He was Robin now after all. The issue was he still hadn't been at the manor for a long time after Bruce found him but that didn't stop Jason from wanting to do this.

Harley didn't hesitate to say yes when Freckles asked to sleepover.

Harley also enjoyed having the little birdies around, doesn't matter if it was Dick or Jason she always loved their company.

After having dinner, Harley and Jason watched a movie. Soon enough Harley noticed that Jason kept yawning.

“Why don’t you go to bed, Freckles,” Harley.

“Okay,” Jason agreed, as he got up and headed to the guest room that quickly became the Robins’ rooms.

Harley was shocked that Jason agreed. When Dick had sleepovers he would put up a fight and argue even if Harley agreed to 5 for minutes. The thing with Dick it was just 5 more minutes.

Deciding to be a good role model, because sometimes someone has to be, Harley went to get ready for bed too. Doesn’t mean she would be sleeping though.

Half an hour later, Harley put down the book she was reading and was about to go to sleep but stopped herself. She decided that she should go and check on Freckles, just to see if he was sleeping okay.

Walking down the hall, Harley saw the bedroom door was open just a crack. Carefully sticking her head through the gap, Harley was shocked to see that no one was sleeping in the bed.

He couldn’t have ran away right? Harley couldn’t help but wonder.

It seemed like the perfect time as well. He was away from the helicopter that was Bruce Wayne and with someone that cared but didn’t have the same security measures as Bruce.

Wondering what she was going to tell Bruce, she almost missed the small lump on the floor.

Walking closer, Harley saw that it was actually Jason.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Harley went out of the room and grabbed her phone, where she called Bruce.

The phone didn’t ring for long until he answered it.

“Is everything okay?” was the first thing Bruce asked.

“Hi, to you too,” Harley started, “yeah, everything is okay but Freckles is sleeping on the floor. should I be worried or move him to the bed?”

“Nah. He does that sometimes. He says that sometimes the beds are comfortable for him. When we do try and move him, he will wake up and not go back to sleep. So, best to leave him,” Bruce explained.

“Okay, if you are sure,” Harley replied back.

Putting the phone down, Harley headed back to bed but not before taking on last look at Freckle’s door.

Chapter Text

Bruce had trusted Harley to look after the new Robin as he went after Joker. Bumblebee seemed great, he enjoyed spending time with Harley but it all went bad when it was bedtime. 

Harley thought Bumblebee would go to sleep as easily as Freckles did, even if that Robin did sleep on the floor but that wasn't the case. Sure, Bumblebee went to bed when he was told to and after Harley heard his bedroom door closed she went to her own bedroom for her own goodnight's rest. But after an hour she couldn't get to sleep. She had a nagging feeling in the back of her brain. Almost like a little voice telling her something was wrong but what could that be?

Quickly getting out of bed, Harley headed straight towards Robin's room. She stopped outside the door and knocked. Even though she is in a panic she knows that kids deserve privacy time to themselves but after a while of not hearing anything Harley opened the door and walked in to see Robin halfway out the window.

“Robin!” Harley shouted.

She ran up and grabbed his arm, pulling him back into the room. Robin lost his balance and fell to the floor. He got up and faced Harley, his chest puffed out as if he was trying to size her up and seem bigger than he was. 

“Why are you trying to stop me?” He asked, stomping his foot in anger.

“Where were you even trying to go?” Harley asked.

“Batman needs me. He needs Robin,” Robin explained.

Harley was thinking of him as Robin because at this time he wasn’t Bumblebee, he was Robin and Robin needed to be dealt with. 

“Okay. Robin, you need to understand that Batman is going after the Joker. He left you here because he wants you safe,” Harley tried to explain.

“What about keeping Batman safe?” Robin asked, “He will kill himself without me and Gotham needs Batman. I need to keep Batman alive!”

Tears leaked from under Robin’s mask.

“Do you real believe that you need to be on pretty much suidice watch for him? That's a lot for a small kid. Even Robin.”

“I did it once. I can do it again,” Robin said.

Harley’s face dropped in shock and sadness. This couldn’t be true but she had a horrible feeling that it was and that it had something to do with Bruce. She is going to have a big talk with him when she sees him next when no robins are around.

“You know, Bruce is tough. Why don’t we go to bed, and in the morning, and yes it can be at 5 am or even 4 am, we can call Bruce and I promise he will be okay,” Harley explained.

Robin, no Bumblebee rubbed at his eyes and pulled off the mask, which turns out wasn’t even on right.

“Can I sleep in your bed tonight?” Bumblebee asked.

“Of course. Just get in your jammies and you can even bring your little teddy bear.”

Bumblebee nodded, then Harley left the room, trusting that he wasn’t tricking her and wouldn’t make a run for it. Harley didn’t think Bumblebee would do that though. He was a good one, even if being Robin made him a little rough around the corners. In the end though it doesn't matter what type of Robin they were, Harley loves all three of them. Dead or alive.

She made her way to her bedroom, where she jumped straight into bed and happily waited for Bumblebee to join her. It wasn’t long until she heard the quiet footsteps of a small Robin coming into her room. He didn’t say anything as he jumped into the big queen sized bed and went under the blankets

Harley was almost half asleep when Bumblebee spoke up.

“Thank you for everything.”

“That's okay, Bumblebee. I'll always be here for you,” Harley told him.

He let out a smile before letting it drop. Harley was worried until he spoke.

“You know how I'm sad?” Bumblebee asked.

Harley hummed, not knowing what to say.

“You know, I need so many cuddles and love to make me feel better. So, you better call in Bud and Lou to help.” 

Harley chuckled to herself but still called her hyenas into the room.

Bud and Lou were quick to arrive and jumped on the bed. One happily laid next to Bumblebee, while the other rested his head across Bumblebee, probably making it feel like a weighted blanket.

He let out a sigh as his eyes finally fell shut.

Harley let out her own sigh but it wasn't one of comfort it was one of stress. She will really need to have a word with Bruce about how he treats his Robins. Especially if they think this.