#Bruce wayne is a single father

[confused-wanderer]

Bruce never asked for this.

There’s an eight year old, staring at him with the most intent expression he’s ever seen.

“CAN WE SEE HIM??”

He sighs, trying to maintain his scowl but it’s gone. Batman has now melted to Bruce, who stares down at his ward.

“It’s twelve in the morning. You need sleep.”

“I was in a circus, we never slept at your times.”

Bruce. a voice in his head pipes up. This is a child. This is a fragile being entrusted in your care. You cannot expose him to the dangers, to anomalies that could threaten harm in the future. Even those with god like abilities who’ve sworn to protect.

Especially those with god like abilities who’ve sworn to protect.

But it’s been three weeks. Dick hasn’t slept a wink, Bruce has been on edge as a result, and they both needed to rest. And both were too stubborn to admit it.

You’re doing this for a greater cause, he reminds himself as they watch from the shadows.

You’re doing this for Dick.

“The air smells different doesn’t it? Even the noises and the darkness. It’s not the same.”

He looks over to Robin, currently pinching his nose and making a face.

“Why do you think that is?”

He watches Dick blink, reading between the lines before finding the challenge Bruce poses. The child puffs out his chest, body tense as his eyes scan the area, doing a little break dance in the process.

“We’re not in Gotham!” Dick declares.

On seeing the nod of approval, Robin’s eyes bulge as he stills.

“We’re not in Gotham?? Why aren’t we in Gotham? Are we chasing down a new suspect? A bad guy? Did you want to go sight seeing? Or shopping? Because you need better clothes. Oh or is it-”

Bruce winces. He should be used to the onslaught of noise. And hyper activeness typical of a kid vibrating with excitement. But he likes the chatter, and lets the babble continue until Robin finally realises what it means to be a human and takes a breath.

Batman lets his mind go blank before it warns him of how everything could go wrong, lets his hand hover over the wood and knocks.

It takes three seconds before it swings open, and the embarrassed smile on Clark’s face dissolves when it sees the guests.

He watches the reporter freeze, mouth opening and closing as if trying to find the right words before Bruce decides to save him the trouble.

“Robin. Meet-“

“The reporter. You’re Mr. Kent right?”

That gets both his and Clark’s attention. Robin is by his side, one hand behind his back and squeezing Bruce’s cape for reassurance while the other is clenched.

He knows that look on Dick’s face. He’s trying to assemble an invisible puzzle, trying to place Clark in his world and assessing him.

Batman clears his throat.

“May we come in?”

Clark’s eyes snap to him. They knew each others identities of course, had worked together on several cases. He knows the thousand silent questions Clark was biting back right now.

But guess what? Bruce was tired. So. Very. Tired.

The door is pulled back, and they both enter, Dicks grip on the cape tightening.

“Is anyone else here.”

“No. Is there something wrong Batman?”

He looks between Clark and Robin, and sighs.

“Robin. Meet Superman.”

Clarks eyes widen, and Bruce savours the last few minutes of blissful silence before Dick processes the information.

There’s silent squealing, and Dick starts vibrating again.

“YOU’RE SUPERMAN?! OH GOLLY I ALMOST DIDN’T RECOGNISE YOU OH MY GOD SIR GOOD EVENING HOW ARE YOU WHERE’S YOUR COSTUME CAN YOU FLY-”

Clark’s eyes widen, clearly taken aback by the energetic chatter and curiosity the child has before his eyes soften and he kneels down before Dick, unbuttoning his shirt just enough for him to see the logo peeling out.

It was a playful gesture of mock secrecy, and that, Bruce notes with satisfaction, was the last straw.

Dick launches himself at the other, asking thousands of questions and rambling on and on about the stories he’s heard and begging Superman to show him his powers.

It’s clearly getting a bit too much for Clark, who takes a step back and shoots a pleading look at Bruce.

“He’s all yours. Don’t do anything stupid.”

And then Bruce leaves them both, ignoring the spluttering protests and helps himself to a glass of wine in the kitchen.

It takes less than two seconds before Superman follows him.

“Batman-“

Bruce raises a finger to motion for the other to wait, before he takes a swing of his glass. It wasn’t nearly enough to even make him feel tipsy, but the taste helped him pretend he could.

“He hasn’t slept for weeks, and he’s not listening to me. He’s been wanting to meet you though, so good luck.”

That shut him up. And if it didn’t, Bruce didn’t care. He had crossed his limit, played tennis with it and shot it into the sun before venturing so far back that he couldn’t even see it anymore.

Dick drags Superman back, latching onto his arm and demanding answers to his questions. There’s only enough time for Bruce to see the panic in Superman’s eyes before he’s gone.

Clark wouldn’t do anything to harm Dick, he tells himself as he watches Clark take off his plain clothes and don the cape. He has contingencies in place, Dick has kryptonite he’s been instructed to use just in case, and there were hidden devices locked onto their locations ready to fire at him and alert Bruce if anything.

It takes three hours of talking, flying and games of tag across the city before Dick’s eyes finally grow sleepy. The kid stubbornly refuses to admit it, and when Clark makes a comment about being tired he almost has a heart attack when Dick dives into the freezing water and then gives a thumbs up to say he’s not anymore.

Yep. Clark figures, swooping up the shivering kid before going to someplace warmer. just like his father. Too damn stubborn they might just escape fate just because of spite.

The minutes tick by, and as Superman carries Robin and flies above the city, silencing the noise and the bustle it isn’t too long before the chatter ceases, and Robin slumps.

Clark breathes a sigh of relief.

It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy the boy’s company, or that they weren’t having fun. But Batman had always kept his distance, always been closed off and refused help, or even assistance when the situation was dire. Yet here he was, barging into Clark’s apartment with his child in tow.

Clark dared to hope.

Was it a sign of trust? of the beginning of an actual friendship? Or was it a test?

They silently enter his apartment just as the morning light starts to peak through the shadows, and Clark freezes.

Batman, feared protector of Gotham, cold, paranoid, vigilant batman who didn’t let anyone near him, who never showed his wounds or vulnerability, was fast asleep on his couch.

The mask was off, and the normal grimace on his face was gone, replaced by a calm, peaceful look that Clark didn’t want to disturb.

Dick mumbles in his sleep, awoken by the lack of movement and makes grabby hands towards Bruce. Clark chuckles. Bruce really did have a soft spot. Who would’ve thought?

He gently placed the kid next to Bruce, who stirs when Robin latches onto him but just grumbles before an arm protectively covers Dick and promptly falls back asleep.

They don’t acknowledge it the next day, and by the time Clark gets home from work they’re both gone, with a note from Robin demanding Superman meet them again.

Superman jokes about it years later when they partner for a case, saying that Dick saved Bruce from a lifetime of solitude and loneliness. He never expected the other man to have a fond look on his face before he agrees.

And even now, years later when Robin has now become Nightwing, the entire league at some point has seen Batman dump an overly energetic Nightwing onto Superman before leaving.

Flash even commented that it reminded him of a grumpy cat tired of her kitten and dumping it on the golden retriever to take care of it for a while.

[frownyalfred]

fic idea: because of the circumstances around Clark’s birth, he’s hardwired into a lot of Kryptonian instincts that have been dormant in the previous generations of Krypton. namely, those aligned toward the protection of children (bred out long ago because it was too “distracting” and “painful” on Krypton, where fewer and fewer children were being born).

Superman always saves children first because of this, but he never fully recognizes the instinct until he watches Batman protect and calm down a child after a fight. Kryptonian instincts flare fully into life, as a mature adult with a prospective mate within the vicinity.

cue Clark following Bruce around starry-eyed, unable to help himself around a man with 8+ children he clearly, quietly, adores and a penchant for encountering injured and scared kids in his line of work. and as Bruce Wayne, who seems to have a kind of magnetism to him that leads kids at galas to him and sullen pre teens dragged along to cocktail hours to his side during networking.

[sweet-as-petrichor]

The batkids superpower is getting away with absolutely anything by calling Bruce 'dad' in the smallest voice imaginable.

He knows it's blatant manipulation. He doesn't care.

[littlefankingdom]

DC must not want money because if they did, they would have made a Batman & Robin movie or show centered on Bruce getting Dick. Currently, people are all about "disgruntled man suddenly has a child he is not blood related too and becomes a father", if DC just use the recipe with Bruce and Dick, people would eat that shit up. Especially because Batman's story is about hope, and what better way to deliver that than by giving him a kid?! Especially as it is the goal of the recipe, to give hope to the disgruntled man! Instead of trying again and again to sell Batman had this "misery 4ever" story (which it is not supposed to be) to please the edgelords.

I don't know wtf DC is doing, don't they have people analysing the market??? How can they miss that???

[puppetmaster13u]

Mini Prompt

You know what i love

Villian not-redemption. Where they go to another world, or the timeline shifts, or whatever, and find the person or people they lost And instead of getting better

They get Worse Like they continue to be nihilistic assholes to everyone But said person/people (bonus if it's a younger sibling or something similar) And they are still an irredeemable evil person They are not redeemed, in fact they've gotten MORE unhinged because they Can't Lose this Person Again

[dragonpyre]

I think Battinson should go straight to two robins

Commission info ko-fi

[nenehyuuchiha]

Batman is the epitome of male power fantasy

[cunstantines]

Milf Brucie vs Dilf Ollie should be a real thing

[cigamfossertsim]

batman: why werent you and your father close??

spoiler: youre the detective. detect

[334iwatchshit]

the grip single father centered media has on me is crazy

[talia-kane]

the most realistic thing they ever did for Bruce Wayne was making him a bad father, he tries but he still fucking sucks

[olailamajnoon]

Bruce, after nose surgery: Anyone makes a single comment, I will fry you.

Dick: *giggles, trying to contain himself*

Jason: *unable and unwilling to resist his urges* So you finally got a nose job.

Tim: Congrats, you're finally a Kardashian.

Damian: What is that? A kind of otter?

Jason: yes.

Stephanie: Many women find a broken nose attractive!

Bruce: I'm not talking to you, Stephanie. *gives her a cold mackerel look*

Stephanie: If this is about the Wonder Woman thing...

Bruce to the rest of his kids, pointedly ignoring Steph: If anyone asks, Bruce Wayne is damnably vain and insecure about his looks.

Cassandra: Your body language suggests you're telling the truth.

Everyone: ...

Bruce: The best lies have a hint of truth.

Cassandra: But...it was none of it a lie. I can read you, remember?

Jason and Dick: *trying to stifle their laughter*

Bruce:...fine, I hated the shape of my nose after it was broken for the seventy-seventh time. Sue me.

Jason: You could stand to tuck your chin in a little.

Dick: You're getting a receding hairline.

Tim: Your crow's feet have crow's feet.

Cassandra: I googled DILF and got you.

The Batkids: ...

Damian: Father, being your biological and genetic son I think I need to start saving for cosmetic surgery.

Bruce: ...

Bruce: I hate all of you.

[aingeal98]

Cass's civilian identity being paper thin is so important to me actually. Barely anyone on the street knows Bruce Wayne's daughter and any of the press who are interested can't uncover a single thing other than him adopting her when she was 19. It leads to a whole lot of speculation but no actual facts.

Meanwhile you have assassins who are the best of the best, the cream of the crop, and anyone who is someone in the evil assassin underworld knows all about David Cain and his daughter who turned rogue and became Batgirl.

Which means most of them see her with Bruce Wayne and are like ohoho a clever plan by Batman indeed! Putting Batgirl undercover as Bruce Wayne's daughter to guard and protect Wayne, who's a key part of all the recent projects to improve Gotham City. Masterful gambit Mr Batman sir, you also get a spy who reports on everything Wayne's doing whenever you need it.

This gives Cass the freedom to not even try to hide herself behind some sort of helpless civilian persona. Attempted kidnappings of Bruce Wayne and his kids have dropped by 90% since she got adopted, as the first one to try and take a fancy party hostage got the shit kicked out of him by Cassandra Wayne while her father watched proudly.

The next attempt brought a gun and she disarmed him then broke his hand. Finally they sent a whole squad of mercenaries to kidnap Bruce and Tim on the way to a W.E business meeting only to find Cass in the car with them. The kidnapping did not go as planned and the goons have several questions as to why the fuck Bruce Wayne's daughter is a metahuman who dodges bullets. They never get answers.

She's the only batkid who never has to fake her abilities. Damian is highly indignant about this but she just pokes his forehead and tells him it's a skill issue when he complains.

[littlefankingdom]

I prefer how Bruce met the League of Assassins originally over the more recent one where he trained with them, because of Talia.

So, originally, Batman and Talia Al Ghul, daughter of the Demon's head and student in medicine, get both captured by a commun enemy, an ex-member of the League who took a bunch of followers with him. That's how they meet. Together, they escape and fight their enemy. Well, it's the 70s, so Bruce is doing most of it. But, Talia saves Bruce by shooting their enemy, which pushes him in front of a train and he gets run over. Talia, acting all traumatized by what happened, run into Bruce's arms.

At the time this is written, they mean nothing about this. But, Talia was raised as an assassin, she grew up in a cult of killers, there's no way she is actually in shock or anything over killing a man who has betrayed her family and was planning of hurting her. She does just that in the Batman main comic, a couple of issues later. So, she's acting like this to shoot her shot, and that's funny af. He's a silly man who dresses as a bat to fight criminals, she's a silly woman who falls for that and fakes not feeling well to be held in his arms.

The next time she appears, it's when Ra's Al Ghul is introduced. He kidnapped Dick to test Bruce's skills, and reveals at the end it's because his daughter is in love with him. Bruce is exactly what Ra wants as a heir, except that he refuses to kill.

What I like about this is that Talia was the one to see the potential in Bruce first. She doesn't meet Bruce because he is training under Ra, she doesn't feel in love with him after her father has already seen his potential. No, Talia is the one to meet Bruce first, to find how great he is and to fall for him BEFORE Ra can even have a say. Ra has to thank his daughter for finding the heir he wanted, and she bagged that man before he could lay eyes on him. It's important to me because Talia is put aside by Ra, sexist mf that he is, but she is the one to find the perfect heir, the greatest fighter. And also, she is the one to find the man she falls in love with. She doesn't meet him because he's here to see her father, it didn't happen because her father or Bruce made it happen by meeting each other.

Anyway, it's also funny af to imagine Talia seeing her father after being captured, being like "Father, I am in love with a white man that dresses as a bat", and making him believe this Batman has potential. Like, she is a queen, she is slaying, but she is also a bit silly for falling in love with such a weirdo this fast. Bruce's autism rizz stricks again.

[timmydraker]

Tim begins to distance himself from his family after Damian becomes Robin.

It was obvious in the way he ran off to rescue Bruce, but that was more of a physical thing at the end of the day. He was desperate and had lost any kind of safety net and support he had after Dick threatened Arkham and how badly he hurt Alfred with his instance that Bruce was alive.

Either way he was going to get Bruce back, if not because he felt like he was an aimless, nothing human being without Batman then there was that he wanted to be believed.

Then Dick handed over Robin to Damian who at that point genuinely despised Tim, though there was also a level of jealously in the young Wayne’s mind at the intelligence and analytical Tim.

It was then that Tim decided he would bring Bruce back and then do his own thing, outside of Robin and outside of Batman.

He clearly had done his job hadn’t he? Sure Bruce was dead, but Dick was acting as Batman and that Batman had a Robin, so his reasoning for being Robin was extinguished.

Tim brings Bruce back and the older man praises and thanks him for several days and then, like everything else, the attention moves away. It goes to him connecting with Damian on a vigilante level and catching up on the last several months of him being ‘dead’. It goes to Jason who, now that he’s lost his foster father has decided that maybe he could try a little harder after all.

It goes to everyone and anyone other than Tim and this time? That’s actually the plan.

Tim isn’t as good of a hacker as Barbara, but she’s basically a god at it so compared to others he might as well be master level, just not against her. This he uses to shift around peoples schedules so Alfred has no choice but to let him go to school on his own (Tim may have also invented an early morning ‘club’ that was totally legit and not at all a fabrication). He makes it so when Dick is over or Jason takes the rare opportunity to visit he had to work at WE or DI, something important he can’t neglect.

He never has to walk Ace or Titus because he’s busy with his team mates.

Team mates who think he’s busy helping out Batman.

Tim still does work as a hero, but it’s entirely through his businesses after a while. A few times he has no choice but to go out in a boring black suit with a full face mask and hoodie. It’s got nothing on it, no symbols or gadgets. Nothing to connect him to anyone.

He starts with the homeless, dishing out vaccines like candy without even doing a campaign to showcase it.

Then he changes Bruce’s rather naive approach to orphanages and makes it so every single child who is put through is given a small amount of funding. He makes it so kids have more chance to stay with siblings, makes sure everyone who even so much as enters the ground of a orphanage have a real background check and sure the adoption rate drops, but so does the missing kids and DV cases.

Tim steals over fifty million from people like Luther and Penguin and all kinds of corrupt rich assholes for the majority of the funding and not even a cent of it is traced back to Wayne or Drake businesses. Whiles he’s digging into Lex be manages to get enough evidence to put a sizeable dent in his reputation, even if Lex manages to smooch a fair bit of it back.

He’s manages to take out a large sized trafficking ring and helps get the victims into a real recovery home that he hand picks out security for.

Later, as in a few days afterward, he discovers a dog meat farm and everyone medical veterinary student suddenly finds themself free of student loans and debt and with multiple work opportunities available and volunteer work being down right pleased for.

Tim knows he’s being noticed but given that he basically lives in his office in the heart of the city, he isn’t there to hear his old teammates and ‘family’ talk about the mysterious Dread.

Dread who was named that after a report came out about a theory of an unknown hacker or ‘cyber vigilante’ who was stealing money and information from rich folk and giving it to the poor, giving all of the 1% dread that he would hit them next.

The exact quote was ‘Those with money deeper than their pockets dread the hackers next moves. And they should feel that dread as a warning for this Robin Hood like legend seems to be getting braver.’

Dick was sure the hacker would have been called Robin if he hadn’t chosen that name already, to which Barbara responded with grumbles and growl because she couldn’t find anything other than holes and traps left by the hacker. It was like they knew her every move before she even made it!

Tim, obvious to his growing reputation until it fully took off, hadn’t even considered that his actions would be framed a threat by Batman. He would say it was because he didn’t think Bruce would ever really target him like that, but in actuality it’s because he knew Bruce was one of the few good rich folk. Surely he would be on the side of a secret vigilante hacker trying to use horrible people to do good? He embraced Dread quickly and was happy he make the rich squirm and brought a sense of hope to people, it was just like Robin but instead of them being safe and given light they were given a peace of mind in a mix of revenge and justice.

What Tim doesn’t know is that Bruce is still too far into his whole image of black and white, good and evil, that he tends to forget there’s grey areas.

At least Jason is on the side of Dread, even if he still thinks the myth of a story is just that, a myth.

It’s when Tim blows up a bank when everyone has gone home for the night just so people will find the underground money ring that and he visits the manner to get a few things that he hears them talking about it.

By that point it’s been around two years since he dropped Robin and as usual Dick always greets him with a look of a desperate puppy, “Tim! Hi, you’re here. I haven’t seen you in months, how have you been?”

Tim smiles at Dick even if he hasn’t gotten over his anger at his oldest brother and moves to sit at the breakfast table with everyone (Alfred, Bruce, Jason and Damian).

“Good. Busy, we’ve had a lot of donations lately.”

Jason snorts, “No shit. Isn’t Wayne Enterprise one of the few ones not hit by Dread?”

Bruce grumbles and shakes his head, “I wouldn’t say that. They’ve managed to get into our system and completely changed the Jason Project.”

Jason grins and laughs happily, “you mean improved! Crime Ally is doing great now. Not the best, but still a fuck of a lot better.”

Smiling at the man who once beat him to an inch of his life, Tim takes a sip of his tea and casually says, “You’re welcome.”

The whole table goes quiet as Tim continues to casually sip his tea.

The silence carries for a total minute before Bruce puts down his cup and leans forward with a slight growl in his voice, “Explain.”

“Explain what?”

Bruce stands over his son even from halfway down the table and very obviously tries to calm himself with a deep breath, “What do you mean ‘you’re welcome’?”

Tim makes an ‘oh’ expression before cocking his head to the side in confusion, “I was the one who fixed the Jason Project? Wait, did you guys not realise I’m Dread?”

Damian shouts out a ‘what?!’ That makes Titus jump and Tim laughs under his breath, “What did you think I was doing?”

“Running the business! Not stealing from people and black mailing politicians!”

It’s Tim’s turn to growl now and he stands up himself with a glare at Bruce that is as close as any of them have gotten to the famed Bat-Glare, “Are you fucking kidding me? Like are you a Tully kidding me with that horse shit?”

Bruce looks stunned and Alfred doesn’t even tell him not to swear.

Tim slams his chair into the table.

“What the fuck else would I be doing, Bruce? I’m not Robin, that was taken from me, so what else was I gonna do? I finished my job, not only keeping you from killing anyone but bringing you back, so I had do pick something else. I’m not stealing from the rich, I’m stealing from selfish cunts who ruin peoples lives for no reason and giving it to people like Jason. So, don’t you fucking yell at me and don’t try to make me feel bad for this, not when I’ve done more in two years than you ever have and- don’t you fucking speak Dick, not when you were the one who took my place here away from me! Now, I have a trafficking ring I need to expose so good. Fucking. Day.”

Jason is the only one who follows him.

[nikovraskol]

crack baby ; three

wc ; 3745 masterlist after dying, you expected to be greeted with the open arms of the void swallowing your body, mind and soul. what you didn't anticipate is waking up sixteen once more with a chance to change your fate -- but something strange is happening, why are the locks changing and why are all eyes suddenly on you ?

tw ; brief mention of death, cursing, neglect

prologue, one, two, three, tbc..

Sometimes it feels like there is someone puppeteering you into the worst scenarios possible.

It started when finally, after days of contacting every single landlord in Gotham and Bludhaven, one kind old man reached back. The house he was willing to rent you wasn’t half bad either, certainly no Wayne Manor but a small apartment about a convenience store would suffice.

After regressing, you were stuck in a loop of tears and anger and whatever strange, uncomfortable feeling you got whenever you were reminded of your weird interaction with Dick.

But finally, light at the end of the rainbow! You could cry (of joy this time), but you’ve no time for tears. Not when you’re faced with a big, overpowering problem. Leaving the Manor.

Now, in the past, you could just get up and leave, however after your run-in with Damian and Dick, you’re apprehensive to leave your room. What if you’re ambushed again? By Tim? Or Jason? Or heaven forbid, Dick again? Terrifying! You don’t have time to dilly dally, not when Mr. Kim is waiting in your future home.

So, you’re very on edge, looking around every corner with apprehension, bracing yourself for anything and everything. When you finally reach the door, unharmed, you let out a deep sigh, only to hear a voice behind you.

“Master (Name).”

What now? You whip your head around, a sense of deja vu hitting you, oh, it’s just Alfred. You let out a sigh, glad it’s not Dick with his strange shenanigans. “Alfred, is everything alright?” You smile, out of everyone, Alfred is the one you love most, the one who cradled you close in those agonizingly lonely nights, when you’d call out for your mother, for your father, for anyone.

He was there.

“You’re heading out?” He asks, assessing you with an uneasy feeling in his stomach. A few days ago, Dick had informed him that you were acting strange, you had run away from your older brother. His mind raced, the implications of what that might mean has been weighing on the butler’s mind for days. It was uncharacteristic of you, up until about a week ago you would jump for joy if any of your family would glance at you.

But after that day, that day where you had skipped breakfast .. What changed? Why are you suddenly so uninterested in your family? It’s unnatural. Your whole life had always been dedicated to them, you’d do anything to be apart of them, to be seen. So why? When you finally had the chance to be centre stage, were you walking away? Something about your demeanour was off and he didn’t like it.

“Yes, I’ve–” You pause, should you tell Alfred? I’m going to move out and never speak to anyone from this house again! No, you’ll wait until you’ve secured a place before letting him know. You’re not prepared for that conversation. “I’m going to– for a walk.” The lie is stale on your tongue, you’ve never lied to Alfred, not besides petty ones to get out of trouble. But this feels different, a heavy knot tying in your shoulders as you watch the butler’s confused expression.

“Is that so? Because a few days ago, Master Dick–” You were out the door before he could finish his damn sentence. You are not in the mood to discuss Dick right now! It’s going to ruin your chipper mood.

The click of the door had Alfred’s eyes narrowing, his eyes trained on where you once stood. He believed that the small push he gave Bruce would be enough, but it’s just driving you further away. How troublesome, he doesn’t want for you to end up hurt.

“Wow! This is a really great place? And I get the first month free?” You are convinced whatever deity sent you back in time is responsible for the saint before you. The small, chubby old man who speaks to you in such a paternal voice it makes you want to cry.

“Of course, it’s no problem, I just need to speak to your guardian to agree on your emancipation, plus they’ll need to sign some consent forms.”

“What?” You blink dumbly, your heart momentarily stopping before the damn organ speeds up so quickly it could power a small village, you try to convey your thoughts but all you can manage is a few dumb noises. “Are– Are you sure?”

“Apologies, since you’re only sixteen – you must have a guardian’s consent, this is a legal rental after all,” he smiles apologetically, before adding, “if you want to live somewhere without your parent’s consent, it’ll have to be illegally – which can be dangerous, ‘specially for a youngling such as yourself.”

Oh, right. You’re sixteen. The fact slipped your mind once more, you’re so foolish. So damn foolish, nothing will ever be so easy, nothing in your life will ever be handed to you like this. “Right, I’ll– let you know.” You smile, your eyes scanning over the small apartment once more. It reminds you of the place you stayed with your mother, the small space encapsulating those memories you hold dear so perfectly that if you light a few ciggerattes and close your eyes, you'll go back in time.

“I’ll keep this off-sale for you, please let me know as soon as possible.” Mr. Kim, so nicely adds, his small face – wrinkled with age, softening at your disheartened expression. You so desperately want to beg for him to rethink, to make an exception, but you don't want to get him in trouble, not since he’s been so kind.

And so, with a heavy heart, you walk out, walking with effort since your feet don’t want to leave. Don’t want to leave a future that could be, that should’ve been. Ugh, how disgustingly sentimental.

You don’t feel like returning to the Manor, not yet. The air outside is nice, it’s nice to breathe in a taste of something other than the suffocating walls around you, even if it’s just some dingy back alley. It’s nice to see what could’ve been, that is until a large hand clamps down on your shoulder.

Oh, great. So the one time you leave the Manor you die again. Maybe you’ll regress to when you’re eleven next, you muse.

“What the hell are you doing around here?” You recognise that voice and immediately you don’t want to turn around. What is he doing out? During the day? You thought vigilantes only patrol during the lunar hours, so why? Your heart squeezes in your throat, desperate to claw its way out, to escape your pitiful body.

After a tense moment of silence, you turn around, there he stands. Red Hood, your older brother. Well, older brother is a stretch, you’ve never really interacted with him – much like the rest of your family. You were brought in when he was still Robin, but he died shortly after. A small, vengeful part of you blamed him for your neglect. That was until Bruce brought in Tim, and you watched bitterly how Tim was embraced immediately, he didn’t have to fight for any attention, he was accepted by everyone and you were forced to swallow the thought that it wasn't Jason's fault -- but your own.

When Jason was somehow brought back, you selfishly hoped you would be able to bond with him, that he’d be the one to look back at you, to get to your level and hold you close.

No such thing happened, the only time you saw him was when he was walking through the Manor to the Batcave, and even then, he gave you a bone-chilling glare. You didn’t think of him so optimistically after that. Now, with his hand clutching your shoulder, his expression covered by his menacing red helmet..

You’re ready to be shot 5 times again.

“I asked you a question.” He says, his hand tightening on your shoulder, you snap out of your stupor immediately, your fear morphing into frustration. You shove his hand off of you with more effort than you’re comfortable with, and even then you’re sure he’s the one who dropped his hand to not embarrass you any further.

“I’m allowed to go outside.” You huff, your nerves practically fighting against the restraints of your skin, a cold, overbearing feeling rushing over you. This was..– Everything was wrong, this is not how this is supposed to go, not at all.

“You were talking to Mr. Kim, why?” He asks bluntly, your heart stops beating for a moment, the only thing you can hear is the ringing in your ears, your brain trying to block this all out, trying to block out everything. “Actually, nevermind, I think I know why.”

You want to cry, why was this happening? You were so happy, so content. Why do you bump into them every time you leave your room, can’t you have one good day? Will you need to become a hermit? Will that get them off your back?

“I can drive you back to the Manor–”

“No, I’m fine.” You cut him off, your voice not masking any of your fear, it has Jason blinking under his mask. Why were you so on edge? What’s going on with you?

“I insist– Gotham isn’t safe for you to just be–..” He watches the downright terrified expression on your face before sighing and signalling for you to go, his stomach churns in an unfamiliar way as you scurry away.

Why were you so nervous? Could it be that you're scared of him?

That’s understandable, you’re not a vigilante, you’re just some average kid. But when he saw you walking alone, he detests himself for the way his heart swelled with happiness. In his Robin days, he loved watching the normalcy of your life, the way you would live free of any strings to the ghastly occupation he had.

He was scared to get closer, scared to shatter that illusion you had.

The fear amplified when he came back to life, he was relieved to see that you were still unaffiliated with Batman, but fuck, he was too cowardly to reach out, that day when you looked at him with gladness, he was hit with a paralysing fear of you getting too close, of you getting hurt. He replays the crushed expression that dawned your face like a damn broken stereo.

So when he saw you sulking about a few moments ago, he saw his chance to reach out, to get a taste of your normalcy, he took it, however selfish it may be.

“Whatever.” He grits, climbing up the roof to tail you, he’s content with watching from afar, for now.

The whole way back to the Manor felt like a fever dream, you can’t brush these oddities off as coincidences, why the hell did Red Hood approach you. Was he trying to pull a Damian? Was that a simple reminder of how pathetic you are? Why did he do that?!

Why was everyone acting so strangely?

The Manor offered you no comfort, it’s looming walls did nothing but remind you of your own shortcomings, you were afraid, you were perplexed but above all you were furious. Why now? When you’ve finally accepted your position in this family, why are they all turning their heads. Well damn them! You’re sick of this whole stupid charade, you won’t be that small child anymore, a child who knew only loneliness. You’re going to become your own person outside of the surname which has held you back for so long.

“We need to talk.” A voice calls out as you reach your room, what now? You’re sick of these damn conversations. You just want to move out, why is it so damn hard?

Oh, it’s Bruce again. Your lips press into a thin line as he stands before you, you can hear the soft humming running through the Manor walls. When you were younger, that sound brought you so much comfort, yet now it’s different. Like a warning.

“Talk? About what?” You try to smile, but it comes out as more of a grimace. You’re distinctly aware of the way his brows furrow at your pitiful expression. Oh hell, you hope this won’t be another walk down the Manor where you awkwardly fumble in silence.

You don’t say anything as he leads you away from your room, a sullen quilt draped over the Manor, a strange foreboding sense that something’s going to happen. Something bad. You’re utterly perplexed as your father guides you to a part of the Manor you’re somewhat familiar with.

As a child, you used to lurk around the corners of these very walls, watching your family, itching to reach out and join in but fearing ruining the delicate painting they created. Fearing rejection, the cold glares and sneers as they pushed you away. So you trailed silently, waiting, hoping that someone would look back, smile at you and maybe hold out their hand. But it only ever happened in your dreams, a pale illusion of a reality that should've been true.

“Where did you go?” He asks, his eyes boring onto you with such intensity you can distinctly feel the way your blood begins furiously to pump through your veins, why did he care? “Alfred said you went out.”

“I just wanted some fresh air.” You’re not sure why you’re lying, it’d be easier to tell Bruce that you went to go see a house, the consent forms are folded in your pocket, waiting for his signature. It’d be so simple, so easy. Just a dip of pen on paper and you’ll be out.

So why do you feel such dread? A dread unlike anything you’ve ever felt. When you were in that alley, bleeding out helplessly, even then this oppressive feeling, which tightens your ribcage, forcing your organs into a tight space until you couldn’t breathe, until you couldn’t comprehend if it was your heart pounding so heavily or your lungs, wasn't as scary.

“You’re only sixteen, you need to let someone know where you’re going.” His voice is so unbelievably despotic that it made your very core tremble with anxiety, with a looming sense of doom.

“It’s never been a problem before.” You mumble, your voice a lot quieter than you would’ve liked, your vocal chords burning with each word passing through it, your nerves invading each of your senses, as if warning you to stay quiet.

Bruce says nothing, and the moment the air grows stale you wish you could take your words back. You can see the way his brows crease, the way he looks at you as though you’re some sort of criminal and not his own flesh and blood, the soft humming in the walls has disappeared, left behind in your area of the Manor. Though it’s odd, when you would lurk around the Manor as a youthling, there was always some sort of background noise in this area, where everyone hung out. The silence unnerved you, another thing that’s changed, another thing you couldn’t have predicted.

“If you’re going out, make sure to let me know.” He sighs, his expression softening as he looks down at you with what you interpret as belittlement, a burning hot rage boils in your stomach, and once more, you’re hit with the knowledge this isn’t how things are supposed to go, Bruce isn’t supposed to care that you go out without telling anyone, he’s not supposed to care about you.

‘You don’t get to tell me what to do!’ you want to say, you want to scream, to ask what rights he has to treat you like a child? How dare he? It makes your very being tremble with frustration, your hands clenching with barely contained anger.

But you don’t. Why? Is it the natural response from your mind? The fear of disappointing him? The fear that if you speak up, you’ll be kicked out and left to rot? Or perhaps it’s the fear of confrontation you gained through his negligence, the weakness he moulded. But still, you’re not sixteen anymore, not really. Mentally, you’re twenty-one, you’ve been through each stage of your life, and maybe, sure, the day you died, you were content for them to walk all over you in exchange for a single glance at your direction.

But you’ve died and come back (in time)! You shouldn’t let them walk all over you anymore, shouldn’t be content as an afterthought. So– you open your mouth and–

“What’s going on?” Another voice speaks out, great, because this is exactly what you needed, another clown to join the circus. Oh.

Is this a joke? Is the person responsible for your misfortune giggling at your despair, is it amusing to see you suffer?

Damian, Dick, Jason and now Tim.

Why is Tim walking up to you? Why is he looking at you? A rush of dread, a sensation you’ve grown familiar with in the past few days, washes over you. You’ve never had his eyes on you, never for so long. It’s unnerving. You thought the calculating look in Bruce and Damian’s eyes was scary, but the way Tim looks at you now? His eyes zeroed in on you? It has your insides melting into liquid, the urge to cover your face, to hide in the corner and bury your face in your knees is overwhelming.

You don’t want his eyes on you, you decide. Years of clawing at your own shortcomings, of desperately trying to appeal to him, to have him look back – you would do anything at that time for him to look at you the way he is now.

But now? You don’t like it, he wears a neutral expression, but the look in his eyes makes you feel vulnerable, like he’s picking you apart one by one, each twitch, each mannerism.

“It’s about what we talked about.” Bruce says, his tone completely natural, like he’s discussing the weather, you don’t know the specifics but you have a nagging feeling that you know what he’s speaking of.

“Ah. Really? You’re still on that?” Tim tuts, his head tilting ever so slightly as he studies you. Just as you’re about to ask what the fuck does he mean by that, he turns his attention to Bruce. “I told you, they can’t do anything without your consent, they’re 16.”

How dare they? How dare they talk as though you’re not here? This is disgusting, what loathsome, egotistical dickheads! Your hands itch, the anxiety in you speeding all over your body like a livewire, mixing with your anger to create an overwhelming feeling of terror.

What was the point of Bruce bringing you here? To mock you? Show you how great they have it? What you’ve been missing out on? Well, screw him. You need to get away before you lash out, you’re better than that. Better than this.

The pair watches as you walk away, your whole body tense. For a moment, there’s a prolonged silence which is broken by Tim. “Did we do something wrong?” He asks, genuinely confused by your little display.

When he came back from a particularly tough mission, the last thing he was expecting was everybody collectively freaking out. Bruce, Damian, even Dick were all tense, looking around each corner – searching for something, someone. 

It was weird for a multitude of reasons, firstly – Dick was supposed to be gone by now, his stay at the Manor was for a few days only. Why is he here? And secondly, nothing particularly stressful was happening in Gotham, so what was with the gloom and doom?

When Bruce sighed, telling him about your plans to move out, well, to say Tim was confused was an understatement. That did not deserve such a reaction, but then he really thought about it, and, if this is how they react to you threatening to leave..

If you were to actually step out that door, to alienate away from them, to discard your last name. His head begins to throb at the implications, he’s acutely aware of how selfish it is for him to wish to keep you around, to keep you in this Manor all to keep himself happy.

But then the thought that, really, he’s doing this for you! If you thought it was so easy to just get up and leave, that at sixteen you’d just be able to pack up and go. Well, with that stupidity, you wouldn’t survive outside, in Gotham no less. He was able to placate Bruce’s stressing, thankfully, because the man looked three minutes away from a heart attack.

You wouldn’t be able to go without Bruce’s permission, so long as they had that – you’d stay with them. But that’s what led him to seeking you out now, if you had ideas about leaving that meant you were unhappy.

He was hoping to talk to you, to ask if you wanted to hang out – that’s what you want, right? When he thinks of you, his mind conjures up the slightly annoying, slightly endearing child that you were. He’ll hang out with you, destroy those silly notions and everything will go back to how it was.

So why did you stomp off? That’s not how you’re supposed to act. That’s not how you are.

“I don’t think so.” Bruce replies to his earlier question, his eyes still trained on the spot in which you were. How could you walk off?

Why were you so off during that conversation? He couldn’t…– This belies everything Alfred had told him about you, it's left Bruce conflicted. He had hoped that by bringing you here, he could ask which room you liked best. But you walked off, why? Why do you deny his affection? He was worried when he heard you left, a small, vulnerable part of him was afraid that you wouldn’t come back, that you had left for good, slipped through his fingers before he could hold you close.

So, when he saw you walk in – oh, he was elated. He just wanted to convey his worries, but you seemed to have gotten the wrong idea. He really doesn’t want that, you don't need anymore reasons to leave.

He doesn’t want the terrified expression on your face, he wants that dazzled look you used to carry around, he wants you – not this restless part of you, but the real you.

He'll get it back, he's sure he will.

ugh i hate the misunderstanding trope i say as i write the misunderstanding trope

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