Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Didi." A little hand was tugging on his sleeve. "Didi."

Dick lifted his head, blinking blearily at the child tugging at his sleeve. It took him a few minutes to register it was his kid. Elowyn stood, two dark braids down each shoulder. She was wearing one of his shirts, which practically swallowed her whole, and she had her head tilted slightly as she looked at him. Her eyes were sleepy and blearily just like his were and he noticed she was looking pale.

He sat up properly, reaching and pulling her onto his lap. His mother had always called him Robin, and he wanted to pass down a bird nickname to his children as well. So, Elowyn was his little starling.

"Hey, star," he mumbled. "What's up?"

"You fell asleep at the table. I was going to your room to wake you and Momma up, but you were out here instead."

Dick rubbed his eyes for a moment, grabbing his phone with a sniff to check the time. 3:28AM. He didn't really remember falling asleep, especially not at the table, but he sure had woken up here. He'd been feeling under the weather most of the day before, but brushed it up to tiredness and stress. Seeing Elowyn looking pale, though, changed things. Evidently, they'd both caught a virus of some sort.

"Yeah? What did you need to wake us up for?"

Elowyn was only small, but he knew there was a lot going on in her head. She was observant, always watching, always thinking. Elowyn noticed when Didi disappeared in the night or when Momma worked extra in the nights. They told her what they could without telling her too much. She seemed to know there was more, but she didn't ask. She never did.

"I feel sick."

"Oh? Do you feel sick in your tummy, or in your head?"

Elowyn seemed to think about this for a moment, rubbing her eyes.

"Um, both."

"Well, that's no good, is it?" He sighed, scooping her into his arms as he stood.

Here was to hoping Babs hadn't also caught this mystery illness. He walked to the bedroom with Elowyn in his arms. She had her head laid on his shoulder, tufts of her hair curling around her face- her chubby cheeks rosy and warm. He reminded her so much of a doll. Stepping into the bedroom and sitting on the bed, he carefully laid Elowyn between himself and Barbara.

"No, it's not good," Elowyn said, "cause I've got kindergarten tomorrow."

"What's this about kindergarten tomorrow?" Barbara mumbled, turning over and moving her legs with her hands to get comfortable. "Oh, goodness, a birdie in my bed."

"Me and our little starling," Dick began. "Seem to have caught a virus going around. So I think we are both having a day off tomorrow, cause someone's tummy doesn't feel good."

Barbara reached a hand over, gently rubbing Elowyn's stomach. Elowyn giggled a little, kicking her feet out as she squirmed. With a yawn, Dick turned onto his side and reaching an arm over to Barbara, effectively trapping Elowyn in the middle of them. It wasn't often that Elowyn slept in their bed- they'd sleep trained her a while ago, but if she was sick, he wasn't going to deny her the comfort he knew she'd need. He could remember being small and sick and craving that comfort.

"You're squishing me!" Elowyn giggled.

"Hmm? Did you heard something, Didi?" Barbara asked.

Dick smiled. "I don't think I did."

"You're cuddle trapping me!"

Dick leaned, giving Elowyn a kiss on the head.

"No cuddle trapping if you're both sick," Barbara scolded them. "Germs, remember, El? Plus, if you throw up and you're cuddle trapped, we can't get to you quickly, huh?"

He reached, pulling Elowyn to lie on his chest.

"I'm not cuddle trapping her. We're just calming down for some sleep."

Sure enough, Elowyn was knocking out as he rubbed her back. He looked over to Barbara with a tired smile and a sniffle.

"You guys are adorable when you're sick," she yawned, reaching over and wrapping an arm around both Elowyn and Dick. She reached up, lacing her fingers through his hair and gently scratching his head. "Should've known you were sick."

"Nobody can know everything, Babs," Dick mumbled, half asleep himself.

"Really? Try me. You two are gonna fall asleep in three... two…"