Chapter Text
A cold shudder ran down Billy’s back. For the past three or so weeks, ever since the day the League found out about his secret identity, Billy had felt like he was being watched. The feeling was constant. No matter what time of day it was, no matter where he went, they seemed to follow. Who ever they were, Billy didn’t think that they were dangerous to him. He couldn’t explain why but he felt quite the opposite, he actually felt safer with his stalker(s?) around. They unsettled him nonetheless.
His eyes searched the shadows around him as he walked. Billy was in the poorer part of Fawcett, no one here would look twice if they saw a child walk around this late at night.
Billy carefully peaked around the next corner as he heard a scuffle in the alley. He really hated that he couldn’t interfere in stuff like that, because right now he was just little Billy Batson. Becoming Shazam would be way too overboard for a normal street fight between drunks. He knew that he couldn’t do anything but he still watched the small group of men fight. He would step in if it got any worse. He grimaced with every hit that met flesh but he kept watching. Billy had seen how fast a situation like this could escalate.
Then Billy’s eyes went wide. He heard one of the men exclaiming a “What the fuck ?!” as he spotted the shadow as well. The ‘shadow’ that was definitely a person. A person Billy knew, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief but the guy easily subduing the drunken men was definitely and without a doubt, Nightwing.
As the last body hit the ground, Nightwing righted himself and Billy had to admit that he found himself admiring the man in front of him. The skin tight suit made no mystery about how well built the older hero was. It was night and day compared to himself. Nightwing stretched lazily as if he had just woken up. Then the blank, white lenses of his domino mask snapped to look at Billy. The boy flinched, it felt like he was prey, stared down by a predator. Unable to escape them and at the mercy of their next move. Neither of them moved for a long breath, Billy knew he wasn't in danger but he also couldn't help his body tensing and his instincts screaming at him to run for the hills. But all tension suddenly dissolved, as Nightwing’s face broke out into a wide and charming smile.
“Billy, it is great to see you !” the vigilante exclaimed in a warm tone as he crossed the distance between them. It was hard to tell but Billy was certain that, as he was approaching him, Nightwing was looking him up and down like he was checking him for injuries. Once the vigilante stood before Billy, strong and reassuring hands landed on the boy's shoulders as the older hero clasped them and then he was pulled into a hug that Billy could only describe as octopus like. Billy felt himself tense for a moment before he allowed himself to accept the embrace, as he did so all the exhaustion, stress and worries of the past few weeks seemed to simply melt out of his frame. His brain was blissfully quiet as he savored the hug, because wow, Nightwing was a really good hugger. For a brief moment, Billy wondered if the other Bats got these hugs all the time, Nightwing seemed like the type of guy who would hug you any chance he got. Billy quickly squashed down the tinge of jealousy he felt bubble up in his gut.
He tried not to but his mind wandered to the stack of papers that was now stored securely in a box under the bed in his foster ‘home’. The place he barely spend any time at as he just didn’t feel like he could, with the whole secretly being a super hero. And not just any, he was part of the Justice League. He at least assumed he was as he hadn’t actually been any where near the Watchtower or another hero in about three weeks, ever since the whole identity reveal fiasco. But could you blame him ? Everyone now knew that he was actually just a ten year old child, parading around as a much older hero. He couldn’t imagine seeing any of them would be anything less then extremely awkward, in either form. Then there was the whole thing about Batman offering to adopt him. Just right there, moments after the guy had found out about Billy’s actual identity. And there had not been a doubt in the man’s actions, he had meant the offer.
It’s just- well, Billy didn’t feel like he deserved it.
He was just scrawny little Billy or giant, too old to be adopted, Shazam. Billy just couldn’t picture it. He felt like in either form he would without a doubt stick out like a sore thumb in the Batclan. He wondered what the Batclan was like out of their suits. What where their civilians lives like ? Billy honestly wondered if they even had civilian identities. He just couldn't picture them in everyday life.
His mind went wandering as he imagined what Batman did as a day job, did he even work ? Maybe he was crazy rich ? He didn’t know why but Batman being filthy rich seemed kinda funny to him. Though, he supposed, it would make a lot of sense.
“Say, what are you doing out here so late ?”, Nightwing asked as he pulled away from the hug he had still enveloped Billy in while said boy had gotten lost in his imagination. Billy snapped back to reality and heard himself whimper a little at the loss of touch.
At the small sound Nightwing gave him a warm and soft smile.
'I- I just went to get some fresh air.'', Billy lied easily.
Nightwing angled his head like a bird might, he clearly didn't believe the boy's words but he also didn't push for the truth. He just gave Billy a knowing look. The older hero placed a gentle hand on Billy's shoulder as he suddenly tensed. He placed his left hand on his ear, probably listening to his comm. He grunted a small sound of understanding before returning his attention to Billy.
''We should get out of here, seems like the cops are almost here.'' the vigilante informed Billy quickly before simply pulling the boy into a side hug. Before Billy could even really process Nightwing's words, they were in the air. Billy let a surprised squawk escape as they were pulled towards a roof by the vigilante's grappling hook. He felt more than heard the chuckle that his reaction had gotten out of the vigilante.
Flying as Shazam was one thing, but right now he was just Billy. Billy who was not in any way equipped to suddenly be air born. His legs were still shaking as Nightwing planted him securely on the top of the roof. The older hero regarded him for a moment with a bemused smile, before sitting down on the ledge of the roof. He swung his legs over the edge so they hung free with a familiar ease and let out a laugh at Billy’s panicked face. Remembering that the man in front of him was a Bat, Billy carefully walked over and lightly punched Nightwing’s arm.
The vigilante just laughed again and motioned for Billy to sit down next to him. Billy did so but much slower and much more careful than Nightwing had.
The two of them sat in comfortable silence for a long breath. Together they simply watched as the sky started to tint a lighter shade of blue. Way down in the alleys Billy hadn’t even noticed how early it had gotten. He turned to look at Nightwing who was leaning back on his arms and seemed to have his eyes closed. It was hard to tell with the domino mask over his eyes.
Billy’s mind started to drift as he wondered who Nightwing was behind the mask. He wondered who the protector of Blüdhaven was without the suit. Was he like Billy ? Was the divide between his lives as big as it was for Billy ?
Billy was broken out of his thoughts by a finger lightly tapping his brow.
“As adorable as it is, what got you frowning so hard ?” Nightwing asked in a gentle voice. He crooked his head, a soft smile on his lips as he waited for Billy to answer.
“Nothing really, just- just wondering what’s behind that mask. Like nobody I know has seen you without it. Just made me wonder if you even have eyes, or is the mask actually your eyes ? Or like are you blind and use echolocation but hide your eyes to disguise that ?” Billy quickly rambled out, hoping the vigilante would buy his lie this time.
Nightwing’s face wrinkled in a bemused grimace at Billy’s question, then he broke out in a loud laugh.
“I- I do have eyes,” he got out between his laughter ,”I am human, you know ?”
“I’m still not quite buying that.” Billy stated as he crossed his arms in mock defiance. That brought the older hero over the edge as he started to full on belly laugh. Billy couldn’t help but smile as the air was filled with the sound.
After another moment Nightwing’s laughter started to die out and the two of them found themselves once again in a companionable silence.
A few moments went by before Nightwing spoke, “You know,” he paused and regarded Billy for a moment, “We have the same eye color, you and me.” A warm and, Billy almost dared to think, fond smile spread on Nightwing’s face.
Billy felt his eyes go wide. He couldn’t help but try and picture the vigilante with blue eyes. Before he could stop himself he whispered out, “They fit you.”
The older hero’s smile grew infinitely bigger. He gently placed a hand on Billy’s shoulder, “They fit you too. Th-“
Nightwing suddenly moved his fingers up to his ear as he, again, seemed to listen to his comm. He grunted an affirmative and said in a slightly annoyed tone, ”ETA 30 minutes, you owe me for this.”
Nightwing gave Billy an apologetic smile as he stood. The Bat ruffled the boys hair and then pushed himself over the ledge with trained ease that Billy could only dream of. With an impressive somersault in the air, the silhouette of Nightwing disappeared into the remnants of the Night.
As Billy's eyes lost the vigilante they turned to the raising sun. The sky had continued to lighten but the sun hadn't quite broken past the horizon yet. Then Billy suddenly realized two things, 1) How was he supposed to get down from the roof without turning into Shazam and 2) Why had Nightwing been in Fawcett ?
The Bats were usually very territorial, this meant that they didn't like others doing hero work in their city as much as they liked doing hero work for other cities. It was always quite the task to get a Bat to help, as they were very busy with Gotham alone. The JL had been hopeful that it was a unique trait of Batman but they soon had to realize that the rest of the Batclan was just as bad. Some of them, namely Red Hood, were even worse.
Billy still remembered the day when Hal came stumbling into the Watchtower, covered from head to toe in bruises from rubber bullets. And all just because he had taken a wrong turn in Gotham while looking for Batman. Hal had recounted the day with great reverence as if he was a village elder warning youngsters. He had told them how he had found himself in an area of Gotham that looked about ready to be demolished, when he stumbled upon a small drug trade. Just four dudes exchanging goods really. He hadn't really done anything just told them to go home but the men had tried to attack him and so he had just knocked them out. Suddenly he was hit by, what felt like and judging by the bruises probably was about forty bullets, all hitting him perfectly in the most painful areas. Hal had quickly spun around ready to fight the threat, just to find Red Hood standing about two feet in front of him. The Ex-Crime Lord had then scolded Hal for almost 10 minutes about how he had 'no business in Crime Alley' and how 'he just destroyed two weeks of surveillance work'. The lantern had just accepted the scolding, afraid it would turn into another five hour lecture. Hal was lucky though and got away before the scolding could drag on longer as Red Hood was called away for something over his comms, or possibly telepathy. Hal swore on his life that the Batclan could use telepathy and were actually shadows come to life.
Billy chuckled to himself at the memory. He took a long breath before he walked around the edge of the roof looking for a way down without turning into Shazam.
He almost let out an audible cheer when he found a fire escape he could use. He carefully treaded on the metal construct, trying his absolute best to not make any sound. Billy was proud to say that he was pretty successful at that, at least for normal human standards. He opted to not drop the ladder at the end and rather carefully lowered himself down. After his feet hit the ground he paused for a moment. He hadn’t noticed while Nightwing was around but the eyes he had felt following him weren’t there right now and it unsettled him deeply. The gaze had been so constant that it’s sudden absence made him feel… alone and unsafe.
The constant feeling of being watched was more a constant feeling of being watched over. Like a guardian that protected him from the shadows.
Billy let out an anxious sigh as he started to walk back to the foster ‘home’. He was glad that the sun was starting to rise and was painting his city in a warm gold. The warmth of its rays soothed him a little.
—————oOoO🌑OoOo—————
Billy knew he fucked up as he heard the all too familiar sound of Mary clearing her throat. He carefully shut the window he had just climbed through and turned around, internally preparing himself for the impending scolding.
“Do I even want to know where you were ?” she asked sounding tired. Billy noticed the quite obvious dark circles decorating her eyes and winced internally. He felt extremely bad. Knowing her, she had probably stayed awake while he had been outside.
“I don’t think you do.” he admitted, he sheepishly scratched the back of his neck.
“I know for a fact you weren’t out being a hero, I hope to god that I don’t find out your doing something sketchy while you’re out there.” She rubbed her face tiredly and sighed. “Please, just tell me you’re not doing anything dangerous Billy.”
“I’m not,” he assured her. She didn’t look like she believed him. She sighed again before getting up of off Billy’s bed. Mary walked over to the closet and pulled out an old green hoodie. She seemed to consider her choice for a moment before simply throwing the piece of clothing at Billy. It hit him right in the face before he could move to catch it.
“Put that on and get ready for school. We have to leave in thirty minutes and that thing-“ she gestured at the red hoodie Billy was currently wearing- “needs to be burned or something. It looks like you threw it in a wood chipper.”
Billy sputtered for a moment at the blatant disrespect for his favorite hoodie. “It’s still perfectly fine and wearable !” he declared loudly, knowing full well that she was right. Despite his words he did comply and took of his favorite hoodie as Mary left the room. He gently placed the bundle of red fabric on his chair and pulled the green hoodie over the T-Shirt he had been wearing underneath for added warmth.
He then quickly gathered his stuff for school, completely forgetting the homework still on the desk, and then leaving the room to go downstairs. He faked a yawn and stretched as he walked into the dinning room. With a mumbled greeting he joined Freddy and Mary at the table. Freddy simply gave him a knowing look and Billy silently thanked him for not asking questions.
A plate with breakfast and a glass of chocolate milk was place before him by his foster ‘mother’. She looked like she wanted to say something, clearly aware that Billy was out the whole night again but she just turned around with a grimace. She went back to packing them their school lunches. She threw, like always, a few half hearted questions over her shoulder like ‘how was your night ?’ and ‘Did you sleep well ?’. Billy, like always, answered them with lies while eating his stale bread covered in, even for his ten year old tongue, way too sweet jam.
He kept thinking back to his interaction with Nightwing and he wished himself back there. He sighed as he ate the last bite of his breakfast and chugged his glass of chocolate milk. He then got up to go to school with Freddy and Mary.
As he left the apartment he was glad to note that the gaze was back. His heart calmed as he felt safe again. He really hoped they wouldn’t leave him again. Whoever they were.