joanna19957 wanted the batfam to find out so here we are

I will repeat that this is not a kink but a genuine activity that is used to cope with stress/trauma

The secret of Dick's coping mechanism remained between him and his boyfriend with whom he was quite happy. Wally was incredibly supportive and even took to picking him up small things he saw that reminded him of the acrobat. He also soon learned the signs of when a regression was needed or wanted and he got used to playing a caregiver role. Sometimes he found it hard since he'd sort of forgotten how energetic Dick was when he was younger and admittedly there were a few times where he lost his cool because for the last time the bookshelf is not a climbing frame this is the fifth time this month what is so interesting up there- but it was worth it. Dick was happier now that he didn't have to hide everything in a box under the bed and was free to slip into it when he was at home. However, he was in the Batfamily and secrets had an awful habit of being found out. It was a miracle it lasted that long. 

A case had fallen into Batman's lap that stretched across Gotham, Bludhaven and even involved a little bit Central City so, after realising he couldn't be in three cities at once, he begrudgingly invited Dick and Wally over. Mostly because he could stand Wally more than he could Flash and Dick usually kept him in check. Dick accepted the request so now here he was trying to cope with his brothers constantly arguing and Bruce being the worst conversationalist ever. He was making plans without telling him and then when he tried to tell him hey let me in on the plans Bruce pointed to his emails. Yes, he had emailed all the updates to the plans. When they sat right next to each other. He was on the last straw and Jason was about to take that straw. "Hey Dickhead, how's the golden child doing?" Jason asked. Before he could answer, he was cut off by the younger. "Don't care. What I do care about is you being the little bitch you are and ratting me out to bitch boy over there." He thumbed to Bruce but Dick was still left confused. "Don't act stupid. You're as stupid as the other man whores who worked in that seedy little strip club you used to work in but you're not dumb enough to think you can get away with this shit."

"Jason," Bruce said in a warning tone.

"Shut it old man. Y'know I'm getting really sick of your 'we're family' bullshit because as soon as I do something you disagree with you run back to grandmaster prick over there like the little brat you are to tell him all about what I did."

"I didn't do anything!" Dick argued, standing up. His nose wrinkled upon smelling alcohol on the other's breath which was probably fuelling this outburst but he was still very confused about where this was coming from. He hadn't been talking to Bruce or really any family other than Damian before coming here. He wasn't going to be talked down to like that, especially with the day he'd been having. He just wanted to go upstairs and be with Wally to make him comfortable. He had a few things stashed here like some sort of emergency comfort plan and he already knew they were going to be used. 

"Oh, are you getting upset goldie because I called you out for being the conniving little snitch that you are? Or is it because I reminded you that you don't have a family you just stick people together in some shallow attempt to fill that hole in your life that you're never gonna fill because wake up call Dickie, we all fucking despise each other." 

"Shut up! You don't know anything!" He was tearing up. Shit, he was tearing up. He knew what was going on. Usually, he could take all this on the chin and he wouldn't even be responding to it but it was getting to him. Jason said these things to get a reaction but he might just be getting the wrong reaction because Dick couldn't take it today. 

"Oh, I don't know anything? I've been in this stupid family against my will for long enough to know the dynamic. Your Brucie's little lackie who likes to say he's detached but you're a sidekick desperate for someone to follow because what else are you gonna do? Run to mummy and daddy?"

"Stop it!" Dick screamed. Jason went quiet. The whole room went quiet. He pushed past the younger and rushed to the stairs. He needed to go now. "You suck and you're the worst brother ever! I hate you!"

Wally was hiding in Dick's room. He had been for most of the day, just filling his time with playing the retro games or doing some reports. He wanted to get involved with the family stuff but just five minutes down there and he was already done. They were all in that bitchy mood and unlike Dick, he couldn't put up with that for very long. Alfred was nice though. He occasionally brought up snacks and helped proofread some of the things he'd written. Since he typed so fast, he often made mistakes plus it was nice not being so lonely. Right now he was trying to decipher a playthrough for one of the games he found stuffed at the bottom of a drawer. How people played these games without the internet would be a mystery to him. "That's...that's just broken mechanics," he mumbled to himself as he read through. He was interrupted by Dick bursting into the room before slamming the door shut and locking it. "Hey, Dick-" he paused before continuing. Dick had sunk to the floor and brought his knees up to his chest where he held them tightly. The taller sighed to himself and walked over to him. He sat down beside him and put his arm around him. "I'm guessing work didn't go too well?"

"Jason is a big meanie," he huffed. His voice sounded a little younger and judging by his choice of words, Dick was regressing. This wasn't exactly the best place for him to do so but he was stressed. Too stressed. 

"What did he say?" Wally asked.

"Stuff about B but I didn't do it! 'M not a snitch!"

"Inside voices Dickie. Shouting isn't going to be much help, is it?" He kept his tone caring yet affirmative, something Dick had told him before was comforting. He said it was nice to feel like someone knew what was going on all the time.

"Not fair," the acrobat mumbled. 

"I know it isn't." He glanced around the room before setting his eyes on the bag they brought. It was sort of like an emergency regress bag that they brought whenever they were staying over somewhere for situations like this. This was the first time they were using it and it seemed somewhat fitting that it would be used because of Dick's family. They could get problematic, this being evidence of that. Wally grabbed it after spying it out and pulled out a soft bear, handing it over to the other. Dick seized it with a smile and hugged it tightly, snuggling the soft toy. The texture was soft and made him feel warm inside. "What do you want to do next? We can either go home or we can stay here."

"Um um if we go home, can-can we watch Big Hero 6? I like that movie." Wally nodded with a smile. "Home please."

"Okay, how about you help me pack then? If you do a good job you can have ice cream."

"Ice cream!" he exclaimed in delight. 

"Uhm, I think you broke him," Tim stated, thumbing to the stairs. Everything had been next to silent since the outburst since Dick hardly blew up like that. Even when he did, it never sounded so childish. He sounded like a scolded little kid. He may as well have shouted you're not invited to my birthday party. Still, the guy was upset and the reason why was beginning to sober up. 

"Took the apathetic act rather far Todd. You have no right bringing up familial matters to an orphan," Damian scolded. He understood how the goody goody act the eldest had compared to the rest of them could be considered aggravating but even then there were limits to how far you could go with that. The limit was usually a few minutes before they stormed out because you upset them so much. 

"Yeah well, the guy deserves it. He ratted me out," Jason huffed though it seemed rather half-hearted in comparison to his passionate insults just moments ago. In all honesty, it was a little unnerving making the guy cry. Sure, he'd love to punch him and was intending on ending with a good right hook but making someone cry was another thing. He'd rather give a black eye than make someone cry. It wasn't his style he supposed. 

"Jason, I saw you kill those three people. He was in New York when it happened," Bruce stated, not even looking away from his computer screen. The siblings turned to their guardian with dumbfounded looks. "I suggest you do your research next time I catch you out. I don't appreciate your drunken yelling either way."

"For future reference, you're supposed to say that part whilst the argument is still going on," Tim said. "Like before the other person storms off on the brink of tears." The older hummed which they assumed meant the comment was noted and continued with his work. "Shouldn't you like...check on him?"

"Wally will fix it."

"Another stellar act of parenting." Tim turned to the anti-hero who was now annoyingly feeling the effects of making someone cry without the justification to do so. Granted, that justification was shaky in the first place but it was a justification nonetheless. "You should probably go apologize." Jason gave him that look of 'do I have to' which made him roll his eyes in aggravation. "Do it like an Alford plea, you ass."

"Ugh fine! You're so whiney when you want to be."

"Says the man who went on a rant because he got caught out."

"Shut it Replacement," he growled but still he stomped over to the stairs. He was during this purely for peace of mind and not because he cared about the dope. 

"Great job Dickie! You did that whole suitcase by yourself," Wally congratulated, gaining a bright smile from the acrobat. He clapped excitedly before yawning loudly. The ginger chuckled to himself as he finished closing the suitcases up. "Tired?" He wouldn't be surprised. Crying usually tuckered Dick out at the best of times and with how high energy he usually was, he was bound to crash soon. He just hoped that the crash didn't come whilst they were in the car. It was getting a bit too suspicious to carry this 5ft 10, 175lbs guy up the stairs to their apartment. 

"Nuh-uh," Dick replied adamantly but his stance was contradicted by another big yawn. It was accompanied by him rubbing his eyes which really didn't seal the deal. That and his eyes kept slipping closed. 

"Are you sure?" Wally teased. He tutted when he received an eager nod. "I'll take your word for it. Now I wonder if there are any strong acrobats around to help me with these suitcases." He hummed and looked around, purposefully ignoring the hand waving in front of his face. "I wonder."

"Pick me! Pick me!" Dick exclaimed. 

"Oh, how could I have forgotten you? You'll definitely be able to handle these bags," he stated. "Why don't you take down the one you did and I'll take the other one?" The younger nodded and pulled up the handle on the blue suitcase. He put his stuffed animal in the side compartment, keeping its arms out so it was comfortable. He went to open the door but stopped when someone knocked. He glanced at Wally since the older had always told him not to answer the door without his permission and moved away from the handle. 

"I swear to God if you two are raw dogging it, I'm gonna scream," Jason huffed. Wally immediately glared at the door. That guy had some nerve. 

"Dickie, can you go check if we've left anything in the bathroom?"

"Okay!" He waited until the other was in the bathroom before answering the door with a sour expression. 

"What do you want?" he snapped.

"Cool it speedy, I'm here to talk with Goldie," Jason replied. "Just let me in before I change my mind." He attempted to push his way through but the ginger blocked him and harshened his already pointed glare.

"No way. You really hurt his feelings and he's under enough pressure as it is," he snapped. 

"Ugh just move it will you? I'm attempting to apologize." Now that was unexpected. Jason Todd apologizing. Who knew that was even possible? Certainly not Wally who was now stuck on what to do. He knew the apology would do Dick good but currently, he was regressed and none of his family members knew. He might get upset if he was found out. 

Unfortunately, the puzzle took his attention off of Jason who, sick of waiting, barged past him. "Dickhead, I accused the wrong person so I guess I should say sorry for going off on you. Bats saw me do it so I should've yelled at him," he announced. Dick peeked out from the bathroom with a nervous expression and fiddled with his fingers anxiously. He went to say something but stopped which seemed to make him even more anxious. "What? Cat got your tongue? Or do you want something else because you won't be getting anything else?" His tone was harsh but that was just how he spoke to his siblings. Usually, that would be okay but right now Dick couldn't figure out why he was speaking down to him and was desperately trying to wrack his brain for what he did wrong. It was a scolding voice but he didn't know what he was being scolded for.

"Stop talking to him like that," Wally snapped. 

"Like what?"

"Like that!" He grabbed the stuffed animal that had been tucked into the suitcase bag and handed it to the acrobat. He put an arm around him too to help him calm down. Jason narrowed his eyes at the scene playing out in front of him. "It's alright Dickie. He said sorry for before, that's good, isn't it? What do we say when someone says sorry?"

"We-we say I forgive you n then we say sorry for what we said," Dick answered. He turned to the taller but didn't make eye contact with him. "I forgive you. I'm sorry for saying I hate you n saying you're the worst brother ever." Jason raised an eyebrow at him. That same childish voice. Wally was treating him like a child too. He started sounding like that when he was shouting. A trigger maybe? A trigger for...oh. OH. 

"It's alright Goldie," he replied, his voice softening. He turned to Wally and asked, "Why didn't you say he regressed?" The ginger stared at him blankly until he managed to actually comprehend what he said. 

"You know?"

"Now I do. Plus makes sense. One big traumatic event in his childhood followed by continuous trauma throughout his life and the fact his life is usually in danger, I don't see why he wouldn't use this to cope," he replied plainly. "This is just his version of dealing with things. Tim's is coffee, mine is guns, and the Demon Spawn's is something I couldn't give less of a shit about. You should've told us he does this because God knows he never would."

"Dude, I think this is the most brotherly I've ever seen you," Wally said, unable to form any other words.

"Don't start," he snarled. 

"Walls are we still going home?" Dick asked, rocking on his feet.

"It's up to you Dickie."

A good hour had gone by and they were starting to get worried that Jason had murdered the eldest out of simplicity. Then the anti-hero came running down the stairs and frantically looking around. "None of you saw me, got that?" he barked before running into the shower room. The family watched him with confused expressions that weren't aided by Dick running down the very same stairs, cackling to himself. He jumped over the last two steps and hummed as he looked underneath them. He turned around with a puzzled expression. 

"Have you guys seen Jay?" he asked. It was that same childish voice he'd had on before. Damian thumbed to the shower rooms. "Thanks, Dami!" They then watched him dash into the room.

"He seems...perky?" Tim commented.

"Drugs?" Damian suggested.

"Dick doesn't do drugs," Bruce stated. They heard Dick yell and a few seconds later, Jason was running out of the room with the acrobat close on his heels. 

"I'm gonna get you!" Dick shouted as he chased the other back up the stairs. 

"Yeah right, Goldie!"

"So we're just not gonna question that?" Tim said.

"Pretty much. Unless there's the prospect of murder I doubt there's a need to interfere," Damian responded.