It’s a quiet day in the ocean, and a certain flying fish mer was drifting about lazily. Bruce had taken up patrol around the Reef today, leaving Dick a bit bored out of his mind. Usually, he would occupy himself by bugging his siblings, but most of them were out doing their own things.

Jason was out brooding—like always—Damian was flora hunting, Cass was out with her friend Stephanie, and Tim was on the search for more human items. Even Barbara wasn’t here!

Nothing was going on inside the Reef, with most merfolk who passed through either stopping for a hunt or talking with their pods. Otherwise known as Dick has nothing to do.

With a sigh, he swims faster, heading out from the main square and into the outskirts of the Reef. He weaves in and out of the coral, webbed hands brushing against the rough textures absentmindedly.

But he’s quick to pause when he catches a flicker of motion in the corner of his vision. He turns, eyes narrowing as he searches the dense sea flora around him. When he doesn’t see anything, he shrugs, assuming it was just a fish.

The flying fish mer continues his lazy swim, taking solace in the silence despite the boredom. But there—he sees the motion again.

Yeah. There was definitely something following him.

His lips purse, and he drifts through the flora. This time, he’s more aware of his surroundings, as if he were on patrol around the Reef. There’s a little figure swimming close behind him, hiding behind corals and kelp.

A pup, he realizes. There’s a little mer pup following him around.

Dick has to bite back the trill that threatens to leave his lips, his fins flaring out subconsciously. Was the pup just curious? Do they have parents? Pups shouldn’t be out here alone! It’s dangerous, especially this far out from the nursery area of the Reef, where pods leave their pups with volunteer caretakers to go hunt.

He pushes the thoughts away, choosing to instead play along with the curious pup. He wants to test the water first, see if they’re only curious instead of nervous.

Pretending he hasn’t noticed them, the mer begins to twist and turn through the Reef, turning the following into a small game of chase. He doesn’t go too fast, but just enough to see if they were curious enough to follow.

Turns out, the pup certainly was. They kept up with him, and he decided to finally greet the little thing.

Dick stops in place, knowing that the pup was hiding behind some coral behind him, “You’re a curious lil’ fella, aren’t you?” He calls out, keeping his tone light and friendly.

Who knows why the pup was out this far alone… It worries him, to say the least. His mind distantly drifts back to his time as an orphaned pup, after his parents were poached and before Bruce had taken him into the pod. He hopes this pup hasn’t gone through the same thing he has.

“C’mon, you can come out from behind there,” The mer turns around, drifting to the sandy floor and into a sitting position, “I won’t bite.”