The first time Batman noticed that everyone else thought he was an adult was after a successful mission against Count Vertigo.

"Hey, Bats, want to go out for drinks?" Because of course, it'd be Green Arrow who said something that would force Batman to admit to being more of a well, Bat-adolescent?

"Yeah, it'll be fun; we're going on Greenie's dime!" Added the Flash. Batman sighed in the most put out way that he was possibly capable of.

"No." he left it at that, stomping away in frustration. It was no surprise to him that GA and Flash hadn't figured out his age yet but what really frustrated him was when the blue boy scout himself, Clark Kent asked,

"Why not?"

"If you are uncomfortable with the prospect of becoming inebriated in the presence of other warriors, fear not, I have met many a close ally in varying states of inebriation!" added Diana, less than helpfully.

"I have to go take care of my kid." He pseudo lied, backing into the zeta tube while continuing talking to the league. "I promised to read to him before bed if the mission was successful tonight." Yes, better to show weakness than to allow others to discover that he wasn't quite as old as they thought he was.

"Sir," began Alfred as Bruce stepped out of the tube, peeling off his cowl, "Young master Dick is most worried that you've not tucked him in yet, he is concerned for your safety."

"Tell him that I'll be right up after a quick shower." Bruce responded wiping a hand through the sweaty mop of curls that had moments before been covered by his cowl.

"Indeed."

Tucking Dick in was always Bruce's favorite part of the day.

Bruce smiled, peeking into Dick's dark room on his way down the hall. Tiny eyelids fell heavy over the sleepy blue eyes of his adopted little brother. Dick's tiny form somehow looked even smaller under his thick blue comforter.

"You didn't –yawn- come read to me!" The little boy complained, tiredly holding up a worn copy of David Copperfield, which had been cradled in his arms.

"Sorry, I got a bit caught up with the league." The older boy replied quietly, tip toeing into Dick's room. "How was your night?"

"It was fun; Alfred let me look at your Chemistry textbook after I finished my homework."

"Did you master AP Chemistry in just five hours?" Bruce joked, sitting down next to Dick on the bed.

"No, I got distracted by a deer in the back yard," Dick sighed desolately, "And I just couldn't get a hold of ions."

"Nobody has a hold of ions, don't worry about it kiddo."

"You can't call me kiddo! I'm almost as old as you!"

"You're half my age."

"You're only eight years older than me."

"You're only eight years old."

"Humph. Whatever." Dick grumbled, turning away from his older brother and refusing to accept defeat in their argument.

"Hey, c'mon, you can't just ignore me." Bruce lamented, stretching out next to the smaller boy.

"Firefly attacked again tonight while you were out saving the world."

"Where?" Bruce asked, no more alert than moments earlier.

"One of the old office buildings downtown that hadn't had the computer stuff moved out yet. He stole some files off of the old servers." Dick answered, still not looking at the other boy in his bed.

"I'll look into it, figure out what he stole." Bruce replied with a yawn.

"You know, if Robin had been there…"

"Hey, I told you, I'll start taking you out on your ninth birthday, if you're even still interested in three months."

"I will be, I'm sure of it!"

"Ok, get some sleep kiddo; we've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Don't call me kiddo."

"Ok, good night, buddy."

"You can call me kiddo."

"That's what I thought."

"Good night."

"Good night."

Really, if the league hadn't figured it out with the alcohol, he was positive they'd finally get it when they saw the morning news. The league was doing a 'grand opening' for the public. Statues of the league had been put up in the hall of justice just for the occasion. It wasn't his statue likeness that concerned him though. It was his likeness in the paper the next morning. He looked… different from the leaguers. Superman looked like a mountain of muscle. Martian Man hunter was equally strong. Both Green Arrow and Green lantern had to be at least 6'5" and weren't weak by any means. While they weren't as obviously strong as other members of the league both Wonder Woman and The Flash were lean and strong. Everyone looked like a strong, tall cohesive unit… except Batman.

Bruce knew he was still growing. Seriously. No matter what Dick said, this wasn't vanity; this was a matter of blending in with the adult heroes. But this picture made it plainly obvious that he was significantly different that the others not just in color scheme and attitude but also because he was so small.

No, seriously, for a dude who could deadlift 200 lbs. Bruce looked like a child sitting at the adults table compared to the other leaguers. Alfred said he was just being paranoid about it and that nobody else could tell but Bruce wasn't so sure. After all, he was able to convince four hundred classmates every day that he was a scrawny, pale, orphan so who was to say that wasn't actually what he looked like.

Alfred caught him two days later, pushing himself to his mental and physical limits and had to lock Bruce out of the Batcave not just for the teen's safety but also for his younger charge's mental state.

"I don't know what's set you off but you need to tell me or get over it yourself." Alfred finally told Bruce after almost a day of the boy moping in his room.

"I'm inadequate."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Have you seen the picture on the front of the paper? I look like a child next to Gods. Everyone is going to know soon that I'm a teenager and I'm going to lose all ability to fight crime because nobody is going to be scared of me anymore and not only that but someone is going to figure out my identity and it's going to put Dick at risk and I'm going to have to send him away and he's going to hate me and my whole life is going to be ruined because of one stupid picture where I look tiny."

"Sir, you're the only one who can tell."

"Really?"

"Yes. If you need confirmation, just ask your precious league."

"Really?"

"Yes, seriously, you need to get out of the house anyway; you're starting to look pasty."

"Thanks, Alfred!"

"Any time, Sir."

For all that Bruce had been worried about the rest of the Justice League figuring out his identity, he was honestly kind of disappointed in their detective skills for not even noticing anything.

"Hey dude, where've you been?" asked Green Lantern, casually reclining in the chair surrounded by computer consoles looking out over the planet.

"Busy."

"Ok, grumpy pants, Diana has invited us all to a feast or something in Paris."

"When?"

"I don't know, you'd have to ask her."

Batman sighed, gripping the bridge of his nose and trying not to stab Green lantern. "Fine." He stalked off to the gym, certain that's where he'd find Diana if she was at the Watchtower.

"Diana!" He called into the cavernous space that contained everything from a jungle gym to an archery range.

"Over here!" She called back from the general direction of the boxing ring.

Walking up to her, he said, "Green Lantern told me to ask you about a feast."

"Yes, but I do not think you will want to come."

"Why not?" he asked.

"We're going in our civilian clothes and from what I understand; you would prefer that we do not know who you are under your Kevlar and cowl."

"Well, you're not wrong. What date is it, I'll take watchtower duty."

"Thank you for understanding! It's next Sunday."

"Ok, thanks."

And just like that, he was sure of the fact that his identity, and therefore his age was secure. For now.

Batman, on watchtower duty while the rest of the league was putting their identities at risk found himself face timing with Dick.

"Ok, have you tried finding the apothem instead of just guessing?" he asked, slightly laughing at the boy on the screen.

"No, that'd take too long."

"Well by not doing it, you're taking longer because you keep messing up don't you?"

"Fine."

"Good, see, now you've got the answer!" He laughed at the younger boy before something pinged. Batman's demeanor instantly changed.

"Go down to the Batcomputer and tell me where it was that Firefly broke into last!"

"Yep." The young boy ran down the stairs, stopping in the elevator. "What's up?"

"Reports of a glowing, flying burglar are coming in from Paris."

"Wait, isn't that where the league is?"

"Yes, but they can't risk their identities by suddenly appearing in Paris, any villain with half of a brain will figure them out within minutes."

The younger boy stepped out into a dark cavern and ran over to the huge computer console on the wall. "Atlantic Security Corp."

"Crap, Dick, I may need help, I know you technically still have two months until you're nine but I'm going to put you into the zeta system and I want you to come up to the watch tower."

"Ok! What's special about ASC anyway?"

"They run security for a bunch of next generation technology warehouses based in Paris. Most of that technology is scheduled for incineration because it was too dangerous to meet many of the EU and UN's regulations and standards."

"Crap."

"Watch your mouth."

"You said it first!"

"I'm twice your age."

"Not for long, gramps."

"Focus."

"Right. Do you think Fire Fly is working with someone?"

"No doubt about it, that's why I want your help."

"Awesome!" Batman heard a zeta tube firing up on Robin's side of the connection. A streak of yellow and red blurred across Robin's screen."

"What was that?" Hissed Batman quickly.

"Hi! I'm Wally West, Kid Flash!" Batman schooled his expression into the most 'I am so done with this' look that he possibly could. "I want to help! I heard the alert come into Star Labs!"

"Wait, Wally?" Asked Robin.

"You know this kid?" growled Batman.

"Yeah, he was Central City's competitor in the Science section of the Academic Olympiad." Robin looked him up and down. "Wait a second, that means your dad, no, your uncle is The Flash doesn't it!"

"Um, yeah..." The taller boy trailed off.

"I have questions for you but those can come later. You and Robin need to come to the watch tower right now, he can brief you on the way here."

"Ok, Cool!" they said in tandem. Batman just face palmed.

The Justice League was not expecting a huge glowing insect to drop out of the sky during their dinner. Luckily, Diana had the good sense to call Batman over the tower's direct com link before anything could get out of hand.

"Batman!" she whispered urgently into the link as the other leaguers at dinner started escorting people out of harm's way.

"Already on it. Be aware, I'm bringing in back up."

"Back up?" she questioned, "Who else is there besides the league?" Before Batman could say anything, a yellow and red blur zoomed past the window and slammed into the insect thing. "Barry!" she yelled to the man in the back of the restaurant while pointing at the blur, "What is that?"

He looked out the window and did a double take, mouth dropping open. "My nephew." he cocked his head, "Wait but how did he get here if he was in Central City, no Zeta tubes have been set up in Paris yet." Barry was answered shortly as a black jet set down just feet from the window and another boy in red, black and yellow dashed out, immediately disappearing into the throngs of people, cars and debris on the city streets.

"Batman, are you seeing this?" asked Diana over the comms again.

"No, I'm orchestrating it." he snarked back. "Seriously, do you think Robin piloted the jet?"

"Robin?" Diana questioned.

"The kid, or more aptly, my kid who just ran off of the jet."

"You know I can hear you, right?" asked a third voice.

"Robin, less talking more fighting." Batman responded.

"Yep, cuz that's totally what you're doing." the third voice replied again. Batman just sighed and cut the link.

Diana watched as he jumped off of the jet behind the two other fighters. The younger boy ran at him yelling some sort of fight pattern while the yellow and red blur distracted the overgrown bug and Batman cupped his hands as a spring board for the small boy and launched the smaller fighter into the air before throwing down a smoke bomb and disappearing into the murk of a dirty street and clouds of smoke. Occasionally the gloom was lit up by some sort of flash and Diana found the whole scene surreal due to the sound proof glass of the restaurant making the entire battle seem quiet and serene. Eventually she became aware of the rest of the league and other people from the restaurant coming up to the window and staring at the fight as well.

The smoke slowly dissipated to reveal Batman and Robin fighting the bug while little flash ran around moving civilians away and keeping debris from hitting the fighters or other buildings. Robin flipped up onto the bug and cut some sort of tube coming out of the thing's neck which effectively stopped the bug from fighting back. Batman opened up a hatch in the thing's exoskeleton revealing not organs and blood as Diana had been expecting but rather a pale, scrawny man who smiled sheepishly up a Batman.

Robin and little Flash grabbed his armor and piled it into the Jet while Batman locked handcuffs over the guy's wrists and locked him into the jet.

"I can't believe that just happened." Barry said, breathlessly. "C'mon, we need to go to the watchtower."

When the league arrived at the Watchtower, Robin and little Flash were goofing off in the big hall that looked out over Earth.

"Hi uncle Barry!" announced the boy in yellow and red, as the zeta tubes announced the arrivals of the Justice League.

"Wally." replied Barry Allen dryly. "Do I want to know how you ended up in Paris earlier this evening?"

"He hacked into the Batcave's zeta tubes after the alert came into the watchtower about Fire Fly being in Paris so Batman let him come to the watchtower with me." Robin replied for the taller boy.

"And who are you?" asked Martian Manhunter, voicing what the rest of the league was wondering themselves.

"That's Robin, he's my kid." Replied Batman, walking into the hall from the direction of the prison cells. "You've heard of him before, I'm sure."

"Yes but we figured he'd be a bit younger." Superman replied.

"We have a lot to talk about. Come to the meeting room." was Batman's response as he turned on his heel, Robin skipping to catch up with him.

Everyone sat down around the U shaped table with a few extra seats to spare, after all, the League did plan on expanding eventually. Wally pulled off his cowl, allowing his shock of red hair to go even crazier than it had been before. "Everyone here knows each other's identities except for mine which is less than conductive to us being a team. I have fought with and trust all of you and following the discovery of even younger superheroes tonight, I'm willing to finally tell you my identity." Batman announced, pulling off his cowl. Everyone except for Robin gasped. "You too, Robin." Batman said. The little boy pulled off his domino mask, eliciting yet more gasps.

Somehow, it didn't surprise anyone that Green Arrow would be the one to ask a stupid question. "So if Robin's your kid, what were you, ten when you became a dad?"