Trapeze

Frank was over again, because really, why go to the gym when he had a friend who was perfectly willing to let him use his totally awesome personal gym? Plus, Dick was an excellent personal trainer, even if it seemed like he was only doing it when he forgot to stop himself from giving Frank orders, which was okay with Frank because a Dick who was really working to get him to work out would be scary. Frank had seen Dick stretch, and people shouldn't bend that way. Dick's cell phone rang while he was doing pushups, and really it shouldn't have surprised Frank that he continued doing one-handed pushups while he answered it. Or that his pace didn't slow at all.

"Hello?" Dick said, sounding like he was just sitting around and hadn't been going through a strenuous workout for the past hour. "Hey Jay. Yeah, I'm at the gym…sure, come on over." He hung up and clipped his phone to his waistband again, still not pausing. "I think you're going to get that trapeze demonstration today."

Frank was taking a break and drinking water when the door opened, and it really doesn't surprise him that Dick's friend had an entry code; after all, he'd given Frank one too. Dick yelled a greeting and walked the newcomer over with an arm draped over his shoulders in that no concept of personal space way he had.

"Frank, Jason Todd. Jay, Frank. My partner."

"I wasn't aware you were batting for the other team now," Jason leered, shaking Frank's hand.

"My partner on the force." Dick swatted at Jason, but he ducked. "Frank wants a demonstration of the trapeze."

"Oh hell no," Jason said, backing away with his hands up. "The trapeze is your thing, not mine."

"Well if he has to wait for me to demonstrate he'll never get a demonstration." The hell? Frank thought. Dick mentioned his knee so rarely that it was the next thing to never, and he never did it this casually.

"C'mon, Dick, why can't Tim or Steph demonstrate?" Jason whined. "Or you could take him to a circus."

"You know Tim and Steph never leave Gotham."

"Yeah, 'cause they're freaking scared that you'll make them do the trapeze," Jason muttered.

"Oh, are you scared of a little bit of height?" Dick mocked. "Don't worry, I'll put the net up for you."

"Don't you dare!" Jason exclaimed. "I'm not some kid that you have to watch out for."

"Oh yeah?" Dick challenged. "Then why don't you show us?" Jason was already stalking towards the locker room. Dick smirked at Frank and took a seat on a balance beam.

***

None of the former Robins put up very much resistance to going on the trapeze for Dick any more, even if he was always such an ass about it, conducting the performance via yelled orders, some of them not even valid ("Do a barrel roll!" Dick ordered) and manipulating them into doing it. But it was worth it to see Dick's expression turn to joy, even if Jason knew it was only secondhand as Dick remembered what it was like. Even if Jason knew that Dick would cry himself to sleep again tonight.