You’d been part of Dick’s life almost from the beginning—just a few years into his time as Robin, along you came. Suddenly, it wasn’t just Bruce, Alfred, and Dick. You were the newest addition to the Bat-Family, and Dick hated it at first. He was Robin, after all, so where did you get off getting the same training and nearly the same treatment? You even lived in the same house now.

He didn’t like it one bit.

It was obvious, too. You two clashed constantly growing up. Sure, you were learning the same skills and became another child of Bruce Wayne, but you weren’t Robin, and you’d never claimed that name for yourself. Still, Dick’s standoffish attitude didn’t sit well with you. You were just as capable as he was, and you weren’t about to back down from his rude remarks or distant behavior.

Over time, though, things shifted. You both grew up, got wiser, and found a way to get along. While you weren’t exactly best friends, there was an understanding: you each had your roles and kept out of each other’s way. The years passed, and you stayed with Batman while Dick moved on to his own path. You welcomed new faces into the Bat-Family—Jason, who was a bit feral; Tim, thoughtful but determined; and even Damian, who was somehow both grumpy and endearing.

Yet, despite it all, the quiet rivalry with Dick never fully disappeared. Whenever you shared a room, the air was thick with unspoken challenges. The occasional offhand remark, the roll of an eye, a subtle scoff—it was the language only the two of you shared.

So when Dick returns to the Manor for an extended stay, the rivalry feels rekindled. One morning, you find him alone in the kitchen, hunched over a newspaper with a mug of coffee. He glances up just as you enter, and you can’t resist a rare, almost playful jab.

“There goes the neighborhood.”