Just a Kid

What's another night all alone when you're spending every day on your own? And here it goes… I'm just a kid and life is a nightmare! I'm just a kid; I know that it's not fair! Nobody cares 'cause I'm alone and the world is having more fun than me…

The world assumed that sense Robin wore a mask, wore a cape and had a symbol on his chest, not to mention that he walked alongside Batman that he had to be all that, as brave as everyone else in the Justice League. They assumed that because he could hold his end in a battle that he could save the world by pulling some random object from his utility belt. They decided that sense they didn't know who he was that he had to be some amazing teenager who saved kittens from trees and babies from burning buildings in his free time, base and tandem jumping in his free time just because he was that adventurous. Well, they were all wrong.

He was only 13. By America's standards, that still made him a kid.

The team knew how young he was and often assumed him to be stupid and behind in 'grown-up' matters, saying "we'll tell you when you're older" just to irk him. It made him mad because he knew that in his life time, all short 13 years that he had suffered through so far, he had seen more stuff than they had. He had been living their nightmares for the past 4 ½ years: he had seen the people he loved most get murdered under circumstances that he could've prevented and he was ripped away from doing the only thing he truly loved, only to be adopted by a random stranger that for some creepy reason paid for his loved one's funeral, and he had to take on two new lives as an orphan and a hero.

He was more alone then they could ever be.

Sure, Bruce tried, but how do you love a stranger? He barely even trusted his mentor, let alone loved him. He couldn't even refer to Bruce as his father yet. He knew that once he learned to let go of his parents, he'd be able to accept him, but he didn't see himself letting go any time soon. Besides, Bruce didn't even have the courage to officially adopt him! He was just going to be babysat until he turned old enough to leave the nest and find some other tree to invade and make his own. Alfred was nice too, but he was just a butler. He was paid to be nice to him. That was paid family, and it didn't count. Robin didn't want to think that way, but when your heart is ultimately broken, it's impossible to think happy or positive.

Every night, he just wished everything was back to normal.

He loved his friends, but he wanted a family again. He wanted to be tucked into bed every night. He wanted to have someone kiss his forehead and whisper, "I love you Dick," only after he squirmed uncomfortably and laughed at the affection. He wanted to have someone to come home to that would wrap him in an unnecessary hug and bombard him with a million annoying questions about his day. He wanted someone to scold him about his grades and someone to joke with over dinner. He wanted to fight with someone in the kitchen about who got to cook today. He wanted to sit on the couch with someone every Sunday, rooting for his favorite team, a huge bowl of popcorn between him and that someone, the bowl spilling when their team won.

He wanted someone to notice the cuts on his arms when he came home and have them run to his side, taking his hand in theirs and fussing over him, worried out of their mind and then some, pressing a delicate kiss to every one, telling him that it's so stupid to hurt yourself when you have a life that's so fortunate as this one. He wanted someone to sit on the bed next to him on those days that he was sobbing because he thought the world couldn't possibly get worse and he wanted them to pull him up into their lap and hug him tight, nestling their nose in his hair and whispering words of nonsense to him to calm him down. He wanted someone to poke his door open on nights that they didn't feel good, only to find that he was awake, and have them take one of his extra pillows and fall asleep on his floor, holding his hand until he had to get up for school.

He wanted someone to bicker with lovingly and someone to claim that he hated at school to his friends, but when he got back home, he wanted to wrap them in a hug. He wanted to have, "I Love You" screaming fights with someone to see who dared to scream it the loudest. He wanted someone to try to hold his hand in the middle of the department store, despite his squirming and grunts of protest. He wanted to have someone to sit next to in the big black leather love seat, looking through the old family photos, laughing at old and fun memories that are long gone, amazed at how much people have changed. He wanted someone to reach out and slam his phone down on his fingers as he's texting someone and chase after them trying not to laugh as they run down the lawn, giggling merrily to themselves.

He wanted to be a son again. He wanted to be normal again. He wanted to hang up his dumb costume and just run away, back into the land of his dreams and nightmares, back into his parents' arms. He couldn't though.

He was just a kid. What could he possibly do besides close his eyes and dream hopeless dreams?

*Cue bad mood* Whatever though. Sorry if this was stupid. I'm just… Rawr. Not in the mood.

-F.J.