Just a Lurker

(this was only supposed to be a paragraph or two i swear to god)

1. first things first, duke is a hardcore gryffindor. don’t let the yellow color scheme mislead you, okay. and while most of the time he’s depicted in fanon as “omg this family is crazy and i’m the only sane one,” it’s actually pretty much the opposite? if anything, i think the other batkids would be like “oh finally, someone who can match our level of chaotic energy. HEY DUKE WANNA BUNGEE JUMP OFF WAYNE TOWER—” and an hour later they’d all be in the batcave getting lectured by bruce for leading poor sweet innocent duke astray when really he was already planning on doing that this weekend.

listen, this is the kid who once jumped off a bridge to escape police. this is the dude who decided to fight criminals while they’re still eating their wheaties at 6am in a bright yellow suit. and while duke seems to be the best at following bruce’s command at the moment due to having been trained by him most recently compared to the others and is still figuring out how to be a hero, i’m positive that if bruce weren’t here to guide him, duke would be running around gotham taking down criminals anyway. i mean, he literally did do that with the “we are robin” kids. plus there was the whole thing when he was like ten years old and decided “i am going to singlehandedly stop the riddler in my light up sketchers and pikachu backpack. try and stop me.” 

duke is headstrong and has a strong drive toward heroism. he’s an extremely enthusiastic and passionate person in general, and i try to capture a little of that when i write him, even with mundane things like trying to beat his siblings to the last cupcake. 

2. another thing i noticed is that duke swears like a sailor in comics? seriously, this boy could give jason a run for his money with how many “@#!%” speech bubbles there are. i don’t know if this is just a trend the writers added in the comics i’ve read of him, or if it’s a genuine trait throughout every comic he’s in, but that’s something to make note of when writing dialogue for duke. after all, he did grow up in the narrows, so it makes sense that he’d use a lot of swearing and slang in his everyday vernacular.

Damian is utterly distraught because he realizes his Baba was present at all of his other kids’ weddings but won’t be for his. It's not fair, it's just not fair

He barely keeps himself from crying when Bruce stays silent as he gets walked into the venue, still only halfway done, and questions where he was and why there were so many people

Damian has to be pulled away from his Baba to get ready, while Bruce gets led to a quiet place to relax and not be put under any stress

One thing Damian has never compromised on is having a big reveal with Bruce. He wants his Baba to be the first person to see him fully dressed up in his wedding garments

He sits beside Bruce and just holds his hand, gazing out at the vast, opulent scenery of the wedding venue, softly talking about anything and everything just to fill the air

Then, Bruce turns to his baby boy, a familiar sparkle in his bright blue eyes, and he smiles

"Oh, habibi... Damian, you look so pretty..." Bruce rumbled softly, putting his other hand on top of Damian's and squeezing. "My baby, my sweet baby, so pretty for your wedding..." his face crinkles into that ever-familiar smile that Bruce would give him, something he hadn't seen in so long

And Damian bursts into tears because his Baba remembered.

And Bruce is able to slowly walk Damian down the aisle, just as he had with all his other kids. Bruce stays aware for the entire wedding, and Damian barely leaves his side, unable to bear the thought of not being there every second Baba can remember him

Damian makes sure Bruce is in every picture and video

omg I'm flattered, I'd love to share some fic recs.

You know, I've actually been debating sharing my ao3 account and making my bookmarks public but I kinda decided I would only share it when I posted my first fic and I've been putting that off sooo...

This is the first time someone has asked me for superbat recs (like outside of comments) so I went all in. This is going to be really long so be prepared.

Now onto the recs, here's some fics I like. Many of them are smut and bottom bruce, so warning for that. I don't remember many of the fics' tags since some of them I read a long time ago. I don't think any of them will have anything crazy but still read the tags. I hope you like them!!!

Long time friends who know they're in love with each other and getting together is just a matter of time:

There is no guarantee I will ever write these elseworlds into a bigger fic, though I do have plans for some, but they are fun to explore here.

Bruce is packless and agonised by it

5 parts on JL becoming Bruce's pack

(?) part on Rogues helping omega Bruce

Bruce confronts the kids

Bruce lives in the penthouse

Hanahaki -- actual

Omega Protective Services -- Bruce and Damian

De-aged Bruce -- even younger

Pregnant Bruce -- (different) Bruce miscarries

Clark intervenes

The Waynes return -- Alfred and Leslie

AU scented bruce visits

AU mated Bruce

Bruce dies

AU non-a/b/o Bruce

Batlantern

Alfred dies

Lost in time -- precursor

Subvocal purrs

Hen Bruce

Bruce and Jason

Truth spell

Bitched prime alpha Bruce -- and then -- then

Bruce takes a hit on a mission. He goes down, and instincts Clark didn't even know he had are screaming for him to go to Bruce, but Diana stops him. He tried to push by, but it quickly turns physical, and he has to consciously force himself to listen to what she's yelling at him beyond the desire to get to Bruce drowning out everything else.

That he can't go to Bruce, because he can't handle more pain right now. Being near Bruce will only make it worse for him.

Clark protests, he's Bruce's alpha, he won't hurt him, but Diana pins him to the ground. In the background, he can see J'onn picking up Bruce, and doesn't expect the wave of jealously that crashes through him, the growl that rips through his chest.

Diana pins him to the ground even harder, the concrete splitting underneath him as he's driven into it, and she forces it into him that he cannot protect Bruce right now. He needs to focus on the fight, not make it worse. If he wants to protect Bruce, he'll let J'onn take care of him.

He growls again, it's a new development, the growth of a new voice box that had rendered him silent for days until he lingered in Bruce's presence enough that it finished growing.

Arthur arrives, and helps Diana keep him down, keeping Clark's neck trapped between two spokes of his trident, until he agrees, bitter, and they retreat to guard J'onn's retreat with Bruce, in case he tries to follow.

But Clark throws himself back into the fight, his jealousy and rage and desire to protect consuming him, and when he finally comes to, the battlefield is decimated. He's taken down what was left of the enemy with a ruthless efficiency, a brutality he didn't think himself capable of, but the evidence is burned onto his mind, and he flees the scene, eyes still burning red, like they have been since he saw that blade slice through Bruce.

No one likes wearing blockers. It feels deeply, intrinsically wrong, to completely eliminate your own scent from yourself. That's why he and Bruce are still struggling, because they can't just take pheromones out of the equation, it's unfair to both of them.

Clark is used to wearing shifters. They change his pheromones enough that no one will question the fact he smells like ozone.

But he still zips to a shop and buys blockers. Sticks them over his scent glands, and flies up to the Watchtower. It feels horrible, he hates it, he wants to tear them off his skin. Hal steps up to him, when he enters the medbay corridor, a green film sealing off the hallway behind him, intent on stopping Clark, but his nostrils flare, his eyes widen, and pity takes over the stern expression on his face.

"Clark," he breathes. "Man..."

"Move."

The construct disappears, and Hal walks ahead of him down the hallway. He cracks open a door, Bruce's heartbeat is bouncing around Clark's skull. "I've got Clark... okay."

He steps aside, waving Clark in, and another growl has him hopping right back out, slamming the door closed. Bruce is curled up on the bed, and looks up at him through slitted eyes. He hates to look vulnerable, that much is clear, and the animosity is coming off him in waves.

He goes in, finding Bruce hopped up on painkillers, and is beckoned closer, looms over him. Clasps Bruce's hand like a lifeline, bowing over, pressing his head to Bruce's hands, assuring himself his mate is alive.

He sees Bruce's shock, the surprise when the proximity doesn't do anything, and can't help his offence that makes him shrink back. His mate thought he would hurt him. His injured mate thought he would hurt him, and come in here to put him through more pain.

He shows the excessive number of blockers layered over his scent glands, still rumbling a quiet growl, and Bruce apologises. He didn't want Clark to struggle with his new instincts alone, Clark doesn't want Bruce to sacrifice his own comfort. They both have to back down from a fight. It's habit now, fighting.

Clark slides onto the bed, not asking, not wanting to be told no, a smaller part of himself resenting the lack of permission before he just does it, adjusting Bruce so he can curl around him without aggravating any injuries, and he's too tired to stop him. The alpha holds him protectively, tightly, but not too much, and Bruce—some small part of him—resents himself for melting into the hold.

The translator worked slowly to correctly put the words into the English language from the alien’s. A second or so passing before the electronic voice assisted their conversation.

“No thanks needed, we’re happy to help.” Batman stood at the forefront of the still remaining team, Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman had been the best choice for this mission.

“It was the right thing to do.” Superman offered, always the one to make sure the people didn’t feel bad for needing help. He clasped a hand on Batman’s shoulder, smiling brightly, even with a half torn suit.

Wonder Woman stepped up on the other side. “Yes, you’ve even given Batman a title it sounds like, respect goes both ways, and we are also very thankful for the resources you’ve given us.”

Hearing that, the alien seemed to do its own version of a head tilt, but tilted its entire body. “Mølyc?” The robotic voice offered helplessly.

Diana smiled and nodded, it was clear the title carried respect and dignity, the aliens had only started called Batman by it when the war was over. Bowing when they heard their leader introduce Batman as such, it was clearly a mark of esteem.

“I was under the assumption that you were the official Mølyc.” The word was still the same, it seems it meant more than simply a title.

Hal floated down, sensing the need for a retranslation. The ring could certainly do.

He held it up, and a messenger bubble popped up. “Please repeat the sentence.”

The alien tilted to the other side, but came closer and repeated again. “I was under the assumption that you were the official Queen Mother.”

When the two words pop up on the green bubble, it took all of 3 seconds before Hal doubled over in screaming laughter. Diana quickly covering her mouth to hide her shocked laughter, while Clark barely hid his amusement at all.

Bruce’s eye twitched under the mask, feeling the dried blood on his cheek crinkle against his skin. “I am not a ‘mother queen’.” He said to the original translater, seeing that Lantern was barely able to breathe on the ground from laughter.

The alien listened slowly to the words, its purple glazed eyes shimmering as it finished. It straightened and its gaze swept over them again. “I apologize for my assumption, their intense effort in securing you seemed to have caused me to misunderstand.”

Diana and Clark both coughed awkwardly, and looked away, while Hal choked loudly. An awkwardness settled over them as no one wanted to confirm or deny anything.

“You would be a wonderful mother queen, if you ever ventured into that direction.” The alien finished, followed by a loud chittering sound, apparently hoping to offer a compliment.

But!

I really like the idea of the kids turning completely obsessive with Bruce. Not in a weird way. In the sense that, since legit every other parental figure in their life is dead/incapacitated/murdered. They only have Bruce.

So as they finally find solace in Bruce (in this hc it’s WetCatBattinson, cause he’s pathetic and l love him so much). They go completely insane with the idea that he could be killed, or even so much as hurt.

The first time they each see him stumble into the cave, and collapse onto the floor calling for Alfred, they all lose their minds. This is their new family and they can’t even protect it. They have to protect him. Protect him. Protect. Protect. Protect him.

Dick starts it of course, his family died in front of him, and he goes on a revenge spree. When he finally calms down and accepts Bruce’s genuine care for him, they go after him together. But when the worse villains then come on the radar. And Bruce gets severely hurt, Dick completely shuts down, he’s even more feral than before, screaming and yelling that he’ll kill everything, and he’s even freaking out at Alfred because Bruce seems uncomfortable in the treatment he’s doing. (he was resetting his dislocated shoulder).

Jason as well, he’s a street kid, and never really had true comfort, ever. And suddenly his life is a fairy tail, he has a strained relationship with his brother, but his new guardian seems to love him. It’s less sudden as it was with Dick, but no less than. It’s a gradual obsession, with everything he does, everyone he interacts with, goes to galas with, what is he doing when he’s not with Jason.

It certainly can’t be more important than him, certainly Bruce loves him more than anything, they’ve been fighting with their lives on the line together for so long now. Bruce loves him, more than anything right? Right?

He has to.

Jason loves him more than anything.

So Bruce has to love him just as much.

When Dick sees this child standing still, but absolutely seething when Commissioner Gordon put his arm around Batman when he was happy a case was finally over. And a small smile, was ever so slightly visible, on the otherwise emotionless Batman.

Dick recognizes that look, a look of deep possessiveness, one he saw in himself, before breaking off on his own in Blüd, but was sitting just beneath the surface. Bubbling up whenever he sees Bruce get hurt.

He pulls Jason aside, maybe making sure he doesn't go too far like he did, and lash out at the people near Bruce. He has to play this carefully if he wants to keep being right by his side. And to make sure Bruce is still happy. It would make him sad if his children went too far for him, even if they think it would be better for that scumbag who was flirting with Bruce, to die. They can't do that, not in public at least. They can uncover the scandals and make sure they're no longer on the guest list, but they can't go too far.

Bruce can't be sad.

Not because of them.

When Tim enters Bruce's life, his deep obsession has already been festering for so long. This is his idol, and he needs help. He needs Tim's help.

He needs him.

Like how much Tim needs him.

When he takes up the mantle, and Bruce is in his fragile mindset, worrying about Tim all the time, since he can't fuck up another time.

This is completely different from what Tim is used to. His idol worries about him, about what he eats, how much he sleeps, if he gets hurt and how he feels at all times.

This only fuels Tim's obsession even more, he's not just a hero, he's Tim's and Tim's hero alone. And Tim won't let anyone break him when he's spent so much time trying to build him up again. Nothing will get in the way of Bruce being happy, not the villains and certainly not some second rate annoyance at a gala, who's company Tim can make disappear overnight if he looks at Bruce that way again.

When Jason then comes back and the Titan's tower incident occurs, it goes a little differently.

Tim lets it slip that Bruce is his now, he doesn't need anyone other than him. He won't let anyone or anything make Bruce break down like that again.

Jason, like Dick, sees it. Sees this child become what he too was, and he ends up talking to him about what he means. Jason realizing that everything Talia told him, maybe wasn't as true as he thought, maybe Bruce really did care.

Tim might recognize this as a chance to make Bruce even more happy, so he doesn't have to read pride and prejudice while crying to the grave anymore. Won't have that shimmer of sadness in his eye anymore when he looks at the display case in the cave anymore. That Alfred decided was a good idea. It had been an interesting week when Tim uncovered that little titbit, but had shelved it when it had made Bruce sad that they were fighting.

So Tim will entertain the idea of Jason also getting space in Bruce's life, if it resulted it him being more happy. Like it did when Dick was there.

And Jason will take the time to uncover what truly happened while he was gone, maybe his parental love for Bruce wasn't as shallow as he had thought, while he was presumed dead.

So while Jason still finds fault in Bruce's methods, now it also has the undertones that if these scumbags continue to walk. They'll continue to hurt Bruce. And if Tim sends a list of people who needs a good scare for making Bruce uncomfortable, then nobody has to know.

When Damian makes his appearance, it seems to rock everything once again.

Damian has had to listen to both his mother and grandfather talk about this almost perfect specimen. How he was going to be the truly perfect one.

How could he not be obsessed with this man, he's supposed to be him perfectly, and then be even more.

When he finally meets him, he might start out wondering what was even special about him, but slowly he also starts learning why not giving in to killing is almost harder.

He starts seeing who he truly is as a hero, why people look to him as a beacon of hope.

While his obsession started extremely high, falling a little flat, but then taking on a new light, that almost makes it hard for it to not become even stronger than before.

Tim is now the one to see it, how Damian eat the same, trains the same, talks, and walk the same way as Bruce. Almost trying to entirely engulf Bruce's existence into his own. But it's also tittering on too much, it's worrying Bruce. And Tim can't have Bruce become sad because the new child, and if his disappearance would make him even more sad, he'll just have to show him the right way to go about this.

Tim talks to Damian about how it might not be a need to become Bruce, but because Bruce has now become what Damian has always needed in his own life, a strong force that would be the good for the many, taking not the easy way out, but the right way. An existence that sees Damian for what he is, and not what he needs to become.

Cassandras obsession is almost overflowing after a few weeks after being welcomed into the family. Never feeling safe, but now having a place that she can return to and call home. And people who accept her and her past. Working with her to make it better.

She strives to be better in the way her new parent wants her to. But also sees how this life is breaking him down, how he bleeds and hurts for the city, for the city to then still treat him like a criminal.

She saw how it was breaking him down when he couldn't be there for his family, and when the newspapers were speaking badly of his choice as CEO. And the sadness in his eyes when he's too late to a disaster, putting the blame on no one but himself.

Tim and Damian both see how she lingers in the shadows, how she'll put herself at risk to make sure more people get out safely, and how she doesn't seem to care about her injuries until Bruce would pull her to his side to protect her, which only seemed to distress her even more that he's focusing his time to protect her when she could protect herself.

They both sit her down, trying their best to explain how their health is absolutely essential to keeping Bruce happy, if they get hurt he'll be sad, so they cannot get hurt unless absolutely no other option is available.

They explain how to keep Bruce happy, what to avoid with him, how to get him out of situations he doesn't like in public. And how best, to make sure no one harms him.

No one will harm Bruce Wayne

not if his kids have any say in it.

(even if that someone is himself)

~~~~~~

This is a very rambling idea, but I really like obsessive characters. And it fits in my head that the kids absolutely have the potential of turning entirely obsessed with their new parent, since at this point, they don't have anything else.

I did the characters I'm familiar with most, since I'm not entirely clear on Steph/Barbara/Duke. And Duke/Barbara still have parents. Steph also had the potential for obsession when she wants to become Robin, but I'm not sure enough to write it out.

This might also be my more calm version of this take, so tell me if you want a little more feral one too hahahahah

my idea for this was also inspired by this post, by @siriusly-dc

Steph, once he and Stephanie patch up their relationship will follow the same intensity as the rest of the batkids me thinks. Cause this man pays for her anything without even batting an eye. Oh, her mother is a drug addict??? Talk to her and give her rehab. Also Bruce will want to do right by her cause the way he treated her when she first became Robin back when he was drowning in his grief, horrible, he feels so guilty. They're dynamic is so hilarious. Steph and Jason have an interesting parallel so there's that. She's just as bad as the rest of them. This girl will eviscerate any Bruce bad mouthers on site. Bruce doesn't care but she's petty as hell

For Babs I think it wouldn't be so obvious from the outside but she has the potential honestly. Cause obviously Jim Gordon doesn't want her to fight crime and Babs have to hide this side of her from him. It must feel so lonely. And then Bruce came and saw her wanting to help, wanting justice so how could he not help and guide her. That must her made her felt so seen. So now as Oracle, she releases all the blackmail that she got and destroys them.

Duke Thomas is a menace cause his first reaction to having his parents jokerized was to start his own version of a vigilante team and just beat people up. Once he masters his powers, it's on sight. This man has blinded so many people. Like Bruce help him, gave him the means to fight for what he believed and not to mention, a whole pack of siblings to keep him company - a new start. It's insane how much this emo man changed all of their lives. Of course they're gonna be a little insane about him (aside from the fact that they're all also very traumatized and that pain manifested into motherhenning Bruce)

I’ve thought this out quite a lot so just hear me out. I’m gonna write out this hc and it’ll be long and sad but I think it’s worth it.

Keep in mind this is still my hc so “Good Dad Bruce Wayne”, “Batfam Love Bruce”, “Superbat”, all that good stuff but I digress…

It’s not completed because it got extremely long but if someone wanted to take this as a guide for a fic plz be my guest just tag me and give credits ◡̈

•

So I think it would start out with everyone giving Bruce shit for different things that he’s done. Nothing to crazy but everyone’s just annoyed and kinda tired of dealing with him. And he feels that, he doesn’t let it show that it hurts him because he’s Bruce but it’s wearing him down.

In his head he’s saying all the things that needs to be said.. But it’s always stuck on the end of his tongue, so he tries to show it through his actions.

During a battle with the JL he ends up taking a hit for Clark, because there’s a magic user; and it knocks him out cold.

They wrap up the battle and take him back to the med bay, and physically he’s fine.. but he’s not waking up.

Eventually the Batfam comes up to the Watch Tower because the hit of magic messed with Bruce’s sensors in the suit. So they think something’s wrong.

But they come to realize that he’s okay but just like the rest of the JL, they don’t understand why he’s not waking up so they decided to leave him in the Watch Tower for the time being. Everybody stays because even though he’s physically fine. They’re worried as to why he’s not awake yet.

A little bit of time goes by and Clark is sitting with Bruce and a white flash comes out of nowhere. Startling Clark as he yells out causing everyone to come see what’s wrong. The white keeps flashing until they find themselves to be in a room that’s just white. There’s no walls, no ceiling, no doors, it’s just nothing. All of them are just standing there along with Bruce who’s still unconscious on the bed he was laid in.

They all start trying to figure out what just happened but no one can come up with anything and then they hear… laughter? A child’s laughter?

They all turn and there’s an image playing almost like it’s being projected but nothing’s playing it. It’s just appeared. As they pay attention to what’s being shown to them and who the child is laughing. They hear two other voices calling the name of the child… “Bruce”

They all turn to Bruce still laying in the bed, out cold and unmoving. As they turn back to the video playing they see a happy, care free Bruce playing with what they come to realize is Thomas and Martha Wayne..

It goes through many of the happy memories that Bruce has with them. They get to see Bruce with a full gleaming smile on his face. They see Martha, Thomas and a Young Alfred love and dote on Bruce. They watch as Bruce attends a gala he does not want to be at.

Hiding behind his father with misty eyes, and Thomas picks him up to console him.

They see Bruce helping Martha and Alfred in the gardens rose bushes, and he pricks himself on a thorn and Martha kisses his finger all better.

They hear all the affectionate names all three of them call Bruce spanning from, “Babe, Bunny, My love, Chum, Darling and etc.” The kids all turn to look at there father knowing where some of there endearments come from.

Diana comments on how adorable Bruce was as a child. Everyone is enjoying themselves watching Bruce’s memories and getting to see a Bruce they’ve never seen before, and Hal makes the joke.. “He was so sweet, what happened to him.”

Theres some laughter, but the ones who know Bruce just look at each other, and the next memory starts.

They see Bruce, Thomas, and Martha walking home from the theater. The kids and Clark freeze instantly. They know what this is, what’s about to happen. The rest of the JL see them tense, looking at them questioningly, but not asking anything.

They watch as the three walk down an alley and hear a gun cock behind them. They turn and there’s a man pointing a gun at them, telling Martha to give him her pearls.

Nobody’s moving at this point as they understand what’s about to happen.

They hear Martha asking the man to take anything but the pearls, and they see Thomas going toward the man and getting shot in the head.

They hear both Bruce and Martha scream. They see Martha moved toward Thomas and getting shot as well. They see Martha’s blood splatter on Bruce’s face.

They watch the man reached down and yank Martha’s pearls off her dead body, the pearls falling to the ground. They see Bruce, staring at his parents bodies and blood everywhere.

They watched as Bruce moved towards his parents, trying to get them to wake up but they’re unmoving. They see Bruce just sitting in their collective puddle of blood holding both of their hands, with eyes that were just so full of light completely dead with nothing behind them.

Nobody says anything, everybody’s stock still. No words, no thoughts.. Completely in shock of what they just witnessed. Because they’ve all known that Bruce watched his parents die, but it’s different from knowing that’s happened to him and watching it happen.

They watch as person after person walks by Bruce in that alley and doesn’t help him. Until finally a patrol officer happens by him and calls it in. The cop doesn’t try to move Bruce, doesn’t even acknowledge him.

Even as more and more cops show up nobody tries to help Bruce. Until a young Jim Gordon arrives at the scene. Jim moves him and tries to talk to Bruce, but he doesn’t respond as if he doesn’t even hear him. His eyes are trained on one of his mother’s pearls.

They watch as Alfred arrives and holds Bruce close. They watch as Bruce still doesn’t move, doesn’t respond, doesn’t cry, doesn’t make a sound. Eyes still trained on his parents who are now in body bags.

They hear Alfred ask how long Bruce has been out here, and Jim reluctantly tells him that Thomas and Martha have been dead for hours, but it’s only been called in 30 minutes ago.

Everyone’s horrified by how long it took for someone to get to Bruce.

The memory jumps to Alfred washing Martha’s dried blood off his face. Bruce is still in the same state that he was at the crime scene. They hear Alfred ask Bruce question after question getting no response.

Until finally, Bruce’s eyes connect with Alfred’s; but they can no longer see the little boy that they saw merely minutes ago. Alfred asks Bruce another question but Bruce just looks down at his hands, caked in dried blood. He lifts them towards Alfred and asks

“Alfred.. Whose blood is this?”

No emotion behind his question, no life in his eyes. Alfred immediately starts crying and Bruce just stands there once again unresponsive.

The memory jumps again to Bruce laying in bed, Alfred trying to coax him to eat. “Master Bruce it’s been four days. I need you to eat something, please.” and Bruce just looks at him, but not seeing him.

It jumps again to Bruce laying in his bed at night. Still motionless, no hint of cognizance behind his eyes. Alfred sitting on the edge of his bed looking so exhausted.. so worried.. And Bruce suddenly inhales so loud that it startles the man.

“Master Bruce?” and that seems to finally get through to him. Bruce slowly turns his head towards the butler. Looking directly at Alfred he asks in a whisper, “Alfred?..” Theres a pause before Bruce speaks again

“It’s my fault..”

Alfred gasps and holds Bruce’s face “No, Bruce. This is not your fault!” “Yes it is. I’m the one that wanted to leave the theater early, If we.. If we hadn’t left they would be alive.”

Tears are forming in the butlers eyes. “Listen to me Bruce. This is not and never will be your fault. It’s that man’s fault, do you hear me!”

Bruce is looking into Alfred’s eyes and whispers.. “I wish he had killed me to…” And after days of no emotions, Bruce starts sobbing. Finally letting go of everything that’s been trapped for days.

Alfred clutches onto Bruce. Holding on to him. “No, please god no. I can’t lose him to. Please don’t make me lose him to.” So low they could barely hear it.

The memory stops for a moment giving everyone a chance to look around. and every single person is in shock. Clark is crying. The kids are emotionless.

Nobody knows what to do. What to say. They all look back at the unconscious man still lying on the bed. Not knowing how to continue after watching all that.

Clark puts his hand on Bruce’s cheeks and just looks at the man he loves. No words are spoken before the next memory starts…

And it goes through all the major memories that makes Bruce.. Bruce. They see him go through school depressed and alone. They see all the things the other kids do and say to Bruce that pushes him to be more and more of a recluse into himself.

Getting into more fights than they can imagine. They see a Bruce who has no control over himself or his anger. They see a boy who is broken and so stuck in his grief, with no one but Alfred trying to help him.

They see the numerous attempts on his own life. Hating himself more and more each day.

They watch him be alone throughout all of high school and college. Being followed and hounded by the media. Not being left alone to grieve in peace. They watch him dropout of med school and leave Gotham and Alfred.

They watch as he trains with the League of Assassins. See him fall in love and be betrayed by Talia. They watch all that he’s endured to become Batman. The beatings, The torture, The control…

They watch him come back and see Alfred again after all those years. They see him put together the Brucie persona.. They watch him as he first dawns the Batman suit.

And then they finally get to the memory of the night that he meets Dick. Meets Jason.. They watch Jason die and the aftermath of the Bruce that became afterwards.

Watching Tim be the only reason Bruce didn’t kill himself, watching him slowly become as functional as he could be after that.

Seeing everything.. All the trauma, the suffering and pain he’s been through over and over again and still pushing through.

They start to understand the person that his Bruce Wayne, Batman.. and grow to respect him just a bit more..

It was too sudden, too gruesome, and nobody could move fast enough to prevent it, somuchbloodthebatonhischestisred; they mourn him, cry for him when they find his corpse among the rubble.

Nobody envies Clark when he offers himself to the task of communicating it to his family.

He should have reached him but he couldn't.

The kids' screams still raw in their minds.

They go to bed that night finding comfort in the shadows for once, wishing blissfully that a certain member would still be hiding in them.

The next day they all suit up at first hour in the morning and go straight to the Watchtower, looking at each other's faces and knowing instinctively that nobody bated an eye all night thinking about today's work.

The last protocol stablished by the Dark Knight himself:

Clear Batman's room and take his belongings to his family.

Update the files.

And eliminate their friend's access code to the Watchtower.

They are debating about who should do each task when the zeta tube suddenly comes down, signalling the arrival of a member.

Everyone's confused, because... they're all already there.

"Imminent arrival, code B001-T" said the system.

The air in the rooms seems to suck everyone's breath away when a dark figure appears at the centre of the teleport area, the dark cape falling into waves at the feet of the newcomer.

Blue eyes piercing into everyone's hearts when the man takes the cowl off.

"You're early" Bruce looks as incredulous as them, but for different reasons, "don't know what made you appear here at seven in the morning but since you're all suited up we can start today's meeting immediately".

He walks beside a wide eyed Superman, looking concerned at the way Barry is clenching his jaw, or how Green Arrow is one second away from jumping over the console to get him.

"Are you all okay?" He asks sitting down slowly, looking strangely at the flowers that Clark had placed that morning in front of his usual seat, "are these for someone?"

"Bruce..." Hal whispers incredulous.

The man looks up from his notes, "yes?"

Nobody answers.

What do you say to a man who was dead less than ten hours ago? And who is now suddenly very much alive and talking as if nothing had happened.

"You're acting really strange today" Bruce observes with squinted eyes, "do you have something to tell me?"

Superman is still gaping like a fish.

And Wonder Woman is looking through the window strangely.

Bruce sighs when he receives no answer, pinching his brows and preparing himself for the upcoming headache, "I'm not going to push you to tell me what's wrong with you all today guys, but we have a mission in Star City and I must know if it's going to suppose a problem" he finishes patiently.

Barry is the first one to break the silence, voice high-pitched, "S-Star City?!"

Bruce eyebrows furrow even more, "yes? Did you not read the files I gave you?" He types something in his console before a patchwork of reports appear over their heads.

Very familiar reports.

"There's someone threatening to level up the centre of the city and the mayor has asked us to find who and save the civilians if anything goes wrong..." Superman disconnects from whatever Bruce is saying, eyes dancing frantically from one word to another, hope carving a place deep down inside his chest until finally landing on the date of the last update.

Today.

14th of March.

Also the day Bruce Wayne was supposed to have died.

His eyes connect with the ones of the rest of the League who seemed to have also noticed it, and a sudden hopeful thought crashes against their mind at once.

'We can still save him' they think unanimously ignoring Bruce's tired grumble.

How about superbat getting accidentally married on a mission, but they didn't know about it until a few days later.

The rest of the team knew, but kept silent because it was hilarious. And about time.

Only these two could do something like that and not notice, I swear.

This was fun to write, thank you for this ask!

---

Nobody could've predicted it.

Maybe Oliver.

He knew Bruce, he knew that man couldn't hold his alcohol despite all that Tibetan monk training bullshit he liked to talk about when asked about his abilities.

But it was fine. It was just Bruce - a soft, mellow drunk that liked to sob into your shoulder after two beers or giggle nonstop.

Oliver just didn't take Clark into equation.

Who could've known the locals on this planet the League came to save, had wine strong enough to knock a powered Kryptonian off his feet?

And who could've guessed Big Blue was terrible at holding his liquor as well?

Both him and Bruce just had two drinks and they were gone, draped over each other, giggling, laughing way too loudly at their own jokes, and being just overall embarrassing in front of their hosts.

Not that the guys seemed to mind, they looked quite fond of the two.

"How long have they been married?" one of the locals asked, pointing at Bruce trying to contain Clark's famous lock and failing, causing them both to giggle like two schoolgirls.

"Not long enough," Diana sighed into her fifth wine, still standing.

Someone was supposed to keep an eye on the two at all time to make sure they wouldn't cause interplanetary scandal or kill themselves accidentally, but it's hard to keep track of people during a celebratory party and when you're having fun.

And Bruce, even drunk, was still Batman and apparently could disappear just as good as when sober, and took Clark with him.

Or Ollie was just shit at keeping an eye on them, but he would deny it later.

When they finally realized the mom and dad of the team were gone, and went looking with a few locals, they found the two relatively quickly.

In their state, they didn't wander far. They sat in the palace gardens, drinking water from some bird fountain and reading alien words written on a stone tablet near it.

"Thank God, they just got thirsty," Ollie sighed in relief.

Because if they fell of a cliff or something, Diana would've had his ass for not keeping an eye on them.

It was his turn.

"They're recitating marriage vows, actually," the local explained. "And drinking from our blessed fountain. Congratulations, your friends just got married."

Silence fell upon the Justice League. And Clark and Bruce, who fell asleep on that fountain with content smiles on their faces.

"Well..." Hal broke it, watching the two with an impish grin. "About damn time."

The next morning, Clark just needed a bit of sunlight to get back to his normal, chipper selfr. Bruce suffered a massive hangover, but he hid it with practiced precision.

They didn't seem to remember what they did while drunk.

After another set of appreciation from the locals, the League went back to Earth.

No one said a word about World's Finest marriage, even though everyone was tempted.

Watching those two idiots still dancing around each other while literally married was too hilarious to pass on.

So everyone kept their mouth shut in front of Bruce and Clark, but made sure to tell everyone else.

Literally, everyone else.

Bruce couldn't understand while his kids watched him while snickering and even Alfred began smirking at him.

With all his detective experience, he still couldn't figure it out. He even ranted to Ollie and Diana about it.

They had a very hard time keeping straight faces while telling him it was probably nothing.

Just a day later, Ollie heard Clark complaining to J'onn that Lois was throwing weird innuendos at him, and his parents keep asking him when he's bringing his husband home.

"What husband?!" he exclaimed with hands thrown in the air with confusion.

J'onn gaslighted him into thinking it was nothing, and then walked away with a smirk.

Clark and Bruce continued to pin for each other during this whole mishap.

Watching each other when the other wasn't looking, smiling fondly, casual touchingh that lingered just a bit too long. Hugs that looked too tender to be platonic, hushed conversation on monitor duty, and bringing coffee only for each other during early morning briefings.

The whole League has seen it thousand of times already, but now when Clark and Bruce were technically married under an alien law, it was even more obvious how much in love they were.

It was unbelievable they couldn't see it themselves.

The League started to take bets when they would figure it out on their own. If ever, but their fun was suddenly interrupted.

The delegate from the planet they helped to save and on which Bruce and Clark got married on, came to visit, and she brought gifts.

"It's customary on our planet to give the newlyweds a gift for the start of their union," she explained Bruce and Clark with a smile as she handled them a gift basket.

The two idiots blinked blankly at it, no thoughts behind their eyes, just emptiness.

"We wanted to give it to you back then, but you left in such a hurry," the alien woman kept going. "But we wanted you to know we wish you all the best in your marriage. May the love shine bright between the two of you."

She left as if nothing happened after that. Her ship was long gone from their sight and Bruce and Clark still held the basket together, staring at it, staring at each other, then at the basket again.

Oliver had no idea who finally couldn't handle the pressure and laughed, but it ripped the two of them out of their shock.

Everyone was sure that when they would find out about the marriage, Clark and Bruce would laugh it off. Maybe get a little annoyed the League got some fun at their expense, but ultimately, they would be happy and finally make out sloppily to release years worth of sexual tension.

No one expected them to turn around slowly, Clark's eyes glowing bloody red and Bruce's murderous bat glare on. The type that would even make Joker think twice about pissing him off.

Ollie had to admit, he got a little scared then.

"So um..." Barry spoke first. "Congratulations on your marriage?"

They got him first.

The fastest man alive couldn't escape a man in a bat costume.

The League was right about one thing.

Clark and Bruce did made out sloppily, but only after they kicked everyone's ass.

Put whatever baby is crying or throwing a tantrum in his arms and they will immediately calm down, looking into the cowl with big owl eyes. Some even start giggling adorably at the stone-faced hero, to the confusion of the police officers and first responders.

At first they thought of taking the baby back before Batman lashed out accaidentaly and hurt the fragile thing but the guy just extended a gloved finger to the kid's face and let them play with it until help arrived.

And it's as normal as Gotham can be they think, babies must sense his good faith or pure soul or whatever it's behind those black-rimmed eyes.

So they let it be.

What they find strange however is how Bruce "resident reclusive billionaire" Wayne somehow has the same effect on them, (on the rare occasions he goes out to take the Sun, which is not a lot in Gotham, per orders from Alfred).

He looks like a wet cat.

Always carries that frown and downturn lips.

And seems on the verge of crying when people get closer to talk to him.

But when you put a baby in his arms it's like a switch has been flipped; his cold icy blue eyes melt into soft glaciers; his face looks younger, less tense by grief and anxiety; and they have never heard him talk more than when he was commenting his latest charity event with a three year old who had lost his parents in a gala.

It's quite endearing.

They assume that Batman has been teaching the Wayne heir the ropes of handling a kid.

And when three years later the latter announces that he has adopted a new ward, nobody is really surprised, but they suspect that the father is Batman.

Hi there. This isn't my usual kinda post I know, but I think this is something people should be aware of. I'm sure a lot of tumblr users, specifically people who are Bruce-centric or write Bottom Bruce content (or people who follow those people), have been seeing mentions of a mysterious anon who has been sending people explicit asks (example posted by @/brucewaynedefender4eva's). This isn't something new, in fact people have been receiving messages of this sort for years. Many of the people I know have been sent asks like this, and I myself received two.

Well, recently this behaviour seems to have escalated drastically, and in horrid ways. There's reason to believe that twt/X user greenteapinko is this anon, and they've moved towards harassing content creators with nsfw bottom!clark (and more) content on twt and in ao3 comments. Not only is this unsolicited sharing of nsfw content to unsuspecting individuals, the art being shared is STOLEN, with no credit added. Some of it is even patreon locked by the creator, which makes their sharing of said content even more disturbing.

They've also taken to commenting on ao3 fics with bottom Bruce (I think they are targeting fics/writers that sometimes portray a darker au version of Clark, but I am not sure) insulting the author and being very vulgar.

I'm sure I don't need to explain why this behaviour is horrid and disgusting. This is not top/bottom discourse. This is harassment, sharing of content (and I stress that this content is nsfw) without credits to others with no warning, and plain old rude.

Of course, I wouldn't make claims without evidence, I'll be attaching screenshots of some of their interactions with people. I've censored profiles on twt, except for the posts with fanart posted by the artist. I'll also add the asks I myself have gotten from the anon.

I'm gonna warn everyone: the following pictures contain mentions of explicit content of multiple ships (including batcest), really explicit asks, extremely vulgar language, and harassment. I'm reiterating that this post is not meant to be t/b discourse, I do not care for ship discourses. This is purely to highlight their behaviour and to warn people.

Clark, who adores Bruce, has seen every part of him and adores him, who realizes that his boyfriend's love for his children isn't always reciprocated.

Clark, who sees how everyone has a way of hurting Bruce, and does so without much thought.

Clark, who finds it inconceivable to say "I hate you" just because someone was worried about you and tried to help you, without even apologizing afterward.

Clark, who admittedly had biases for a while about how Bruce raised his children, realizes that Bruce wasn't always perfect, but a perfect parent is an oxymoron, and those kids seem to have made it their mission to make their father pay for every little mistake.

Clark, who decides, after a very bad fight, that he won't stand by and watch, and that until now none of them has had any opposition.

Do the boys want to continue being like this? No problem. But now he'll be there, and a change of perspective will only do them good.

(Not to mention the beef between Clark and Alfred, and Alfred finding himself a loser for the first time.)

Just, a very good boyfriend who love so much his lover.

They finally get the two out. And Damian the second he’s able to starts screaming and thrashing in Jason’s arms as they try to help Bruce. But he doesn’t move. His chest isn’t rising or falling. They all freeze in disbelief. Damian rushes over and starts to shake Bruce asking for him to wake up. That the jokes not funny. And to please stop sleeping. He crying that it’s not fair as they all break down. If only they’d gotten there sooner. But they didn’t and now their dad is dead.

:)

Ohohohoho

I'm gonna try writing smth bout this (not promising tho :'))

But that's so delicious actually <3

The “pacing” of a piece of media comes down to one thing, and one thing only, and it has nothing to do with your personal level of interest. It comes down to this question alone: Is the piece of media making effective use of the time it has?

That’s it.

So, for example, things which are NOT a example of bad pacing include a piece of media that is:

A slow burn

Episodic

Fast-paced

Prioritizing character interaction over intricate plot

Opening in medias res without immediate context

Incorporating a large number of subplots

Incorporating very few subplots

Bad pacing IS when a piece of media has

“Wasted” time, ie, screentime or page space dedicated to plotlines or characters that are ultimately irrelevant to the plot or thematic resolution at the cost of properly developing that resolution. Pour one out for the SW:TCW fans.

The presence of a sidestory or giving secondary characters a separate resolution of their personal arc is not “bad writing,” and only becomes a pacing issue if it falls into one of the other two categories.

Not enough time, ie, a story attempts to involve more plotlines than it has time or space to give satisfying resolutions to, resulting in all of them being “rushed” even though the writer(s) made scrupulous use of every second of page/screentime and made sure every single section advanced those storylines.

Padding for time, ie, Open-World Game Syndrome. Essentially, you have ten hours of genuinely satisfying story….but “short games don’t sell,” so you insert vast swathes of empty landscape to traverse, a bunch of nonsense fetch quests to complete, or take one really satisfying questline and repeat it ten times with different names/macguffins, to create 40 hours of “gameplay” that have stopped being fun because the same thing happens over and over. If you think this doesn’t happen in novels, you have never read Oliver Twist.

Another note on pacing: There are, except arguably in standalone movies, at least two levels of pacing going on at any given time. There’s the pacing within the installment, and the pacing within the series. Generally, there’s three levels of pacing–within the installment (a chapter, an episode, a level), within the volume (a season, a novel, a game), and within the series as a whole. Sometimes, in fact FREQUENTLY, a piece of media will work on one of these levels but not on all of them. (Usually the ideal is that it works on all three, but that’s not always important! Not every individual chapter of a novel needs to be actively relevant to the entire overarching series.)

Honestly, the best possible masterclass in how to recognize good, bad, and “they tried their best but needed more space” pacing? If you want to learn this skill, and get better at recognizing it?

Doctor Who.

ESPECIALLY Classic Who, which has clearly-delineated “serials” within their seasons. You can pretty much pick any serial at random, and once you’ve seen a few of them, you get a REALLY good feel for things like, for example…

Wow, that serial did not need to be twelve episodes long; they got captured and escaped at least three different times and made like four different plans that they ended up not being able to execute, and maybe once or twice they would have ramped up the tension, but it really didn’t contribute anything–this could have been a normal four-episode serial and been much stronger.

Holy shit there were WAY too many balls being juggled in this, this would have been better with the concepts split into two separate serials, as it stands they only had four episodes and they just couldn’t develop anything fully

Oh my god that was AMAZING I want to watch it again and take notes on how they divided up the individual episodes and what plot beats they chose to break on each week

Eh, structurally that was good, but even as a 90-minute special that nuwho episode feels like it would have worked a lot better as a Classic serial with a little more room to breathe.

How in the actual name of god did they stretch like twenty minutes of actual story into a four-episode serial (derogatory)

How in the actual name of god did they stretch like twenty minutes of actual story into a four-episode serial (awestruck)

If you’re not actively trying to learn pacing, either for literary analysis or your own writing…honestly? Just learn to differentiate between whether the pacing is bad or if it just doesn’t appeal to you. There’s a WORLD of difference between “The pacing is too slow” and “the pacing is too slow for me.” 

“I really prefer a slower build into a universe; the fact that it opens in medias res and you piece together where you are and how the magic system works over the next several chapters from context is way too fast-paced for me and makes me feel lost, so I bounced off it” is, usually, a much more constructive commentary than “the pacing is bad”. 

This is a very specific rule that has been taken dramatically out of context and is almost always used incorrectly.

“Show, don’t tell” applies to character traits and worldbuilding, not information in the plot.

It may be easier to “get” this rule if you forget the specific phrasing for a minute. This is a mnemonic device to avoid Informed Attributes, nothing more and nothing less. 

Character traits like a character being funny, smart, kind, annoying, badass, etc, should be established by their behavior in-universe and the reactions of others to them–if you just SAY they’re X thing but never show it, then you’re just telling the audience these things. Similarly you can’t just tell the audience that a setting has brutal winters and expect to be believed, when the clothing, architecture, preparations, etc shown as common in that setting do not match those that brutal winters would necessitate. 

To recap:

Violations of Show Don’t Tell:

A viewpoint character describing themselves as having a trait (being a loner, easily distractable, clumsy, etc) but not actually shown to possess it (lacking friends, getting distracted from anything important, or dropping/tripping over things at inopportune moments.)

The narration declaring an emotional state (”Character A was furious”) rather than demonstrating the emotion through dialogue or depicting it onscreen.

A fourth-wall-breaking narrator; ie, Kuzco in The Emperor’s New Groove directly addressing the audience to explain that he’s a llama and also the protagonist, is NOT the same! This actually serves as a flawless example of showing rather than telling–we are SHOWN that Kuzco is immature and egotistical, even though that’s not what he’s saying.

A fictional society or setting being declared by the narrative to be free of a negative trait–bigotry, for example–but that negative trait being clearly present, where this discrepancy is not narratively engaged with. 

(For example: There is officially no sexism in Thedas and yet female characters are subject to gendered slurs and expectations; the world of Honor Harrington is supposedly societally opposed to eugenics, yet “cures” for disability and constant mentions of a nebulous genetic “advantage” from certain characters’ ancestry are regular plot points that are viewed positively by the characters and are not narratively questioned.)

A character declaring that their society has no bigotry, when that character is clearly wrong, is not the same thing.

The narrative voice declaring objective correctness; everyone who agrees with the protagonist is portrayed as correct and anyone who questions them is portrayed as evil, or else there is no questioning whatsoever. For example: in Star Trek: Enterprise, Jonathan Archer tortures an unarmed prisoner. What follows is a multi-episode arc in which every person he respects along with Starfleet Command goes out of their way to dismiss the idea that he should bear any guilt, or that his actions were anything but completely necessary and objectively morally correct. No narrative space is allowed for disagreement, or for the audience to come to its own conclusion.

NOT Violations of Show Don’t Tell:

A character explaining a concept to another character who would logically, within that universe/situation, be the recipient of such an explanation.

An in-universe explanation BECOMES a SdT violation if the explanation fails to play out in reality, such as a spaceship being described as slow or flawed in some way but never actually having those weaknesses. Imagine if the Millennium Falcon was constantly described as a broken-down piece of junk…and never had any mechanical failures, AND Han and Chewie weren’t constantly shown repairing it!

Information being revealed through dialogue, period. Having your hacker in a heist movie describe the enemy security system isn’t “telling” and thus bad writing. Having information revealed organically through dialogue is what “show” means.

The “as you know” trope is technically a Show Don’t Tell violation, despite being dialogue, because it’s unnatural within the universe and serves solely to let the writer deliver information directly, ie, telling.

Characters discussing their own actions and expressing their motivations and/or decision-making process at the time.

The existence of an omnipotent narrator, or the narration itself confirming something. Narration saying “there was no way anyone could make it in time” is delivering contextual information, not breaking Show Don’t Tell. 

Keep in mind that “Show, don’t tell” is meant to be advice for beginning authors. Because “telling” is easier and requires less skill than “showing,” inexperienced authors need to focus on getting as much “show” in as possible. 

However, “telling” is also extremely important. Sometimes, especially in written formats, the most appropriate way to deliver information to the audience is to just say it and move on.

Keep in mind that a viewpoint character in anything but…a portal fantasy, essentially…is going to be familiar with the world they’re in. Not every protagonist needs to be a raw newcomer with zero knowledge of their new world! In most cases, a viewpoint character is going to know things that the audience doesn’t. Generally, the ONLY natural way to introduce worldbuilding in this situation is to just have the narration point them out. (It makes sense for Obi-Wan to have to explain the Force; it would make no sense for Han to explain the concept of space travel to Luke, who grew up in this universe and knows what the hell a starship is. So, if you’re writing the novelization of A New Hope, you need to just say “and so they jumped into hyperspace, the strange blue-white plane that allowed faster-than-light travel” and move the hell on.)

For that matter, in some media (ie, children’s cartoons) where teaching a moral lesson is the clear intent, a certain level of “telling” is not only appropriate but necessary!

The actual goal of “showing” and “telling” is to maintain a balance, and make sure everything feels natural. Show things that need to be shown, and…don’t waste everyone’s time showing things that would feel much more natural if they were just told.

Martha and Thomas Wayne struggled to have a child for years and Thomas meets a shady man who tells him that a child will come to them soon

Thomas just ‘??? okaaaaaay’s him but in a week, Martha bursts into his office looking frazzled

“We’re being haunted.”

“….”

“Don’t give me that look, Thomas Wayne. The Manor. It’s haunted. Alfred! Tell him we’re being haunted!”

And Alfred comes in, also looking frazzled but to a lesser degree.

The two explain that things are moving around the Manor without any kind of explanation, but Thomas doesn’t believe them. Until he notices things in his office also being moved. The weirdest event is when they start hearing a child’s giggles. No explanation. None.

Not until Thomas, sleep deprived after going over paperwork for one too many hours, pops into the kitchen and…there is a child. Sitting on the kitchen counter.

The child, a boy, turns. Grins. Waves.

“Hi, daddy.”

—

Bruce, they name him, can melt into shadows. He finds it hilarious. Martha thinks she’s going to go grey at her young age. She adores him. Thomas adores him. He’s their son now.

The Waynes have a mysterious child, but they keep their private lives very private, so maybe they just successfully hid a pregnancy? And then a child. For…three years. They think Bruce is three, at least.

Despite how odd of a child Bruce is, they love him dearly. He’s some kind of miracle. A…very weird, possibly magical(?) miracle.

—

Dick thinks his adoptive father is strange. Extremely strange. Bruce makes absolutely no noise when he moves. He doesn’t cast shadows but he seemingly is able to *blend into them*. His smile, whilst genuine, seems a little too sharp.

He thinks he’s a vampire.

Bruce laughs so hard, he doubles over.

“No, but I am the Batman, so I guess you’re not far off.”

“…is this a joke?”

“Nope.”

“A dream?”

Bruce pinches him and Dick yelps.

Bruce doesn’t explain to Dick what he is, because he doesn’t have a clue himself. He just…is.

—

But when Jason comes along, he has a million and one questions. Bruce blinks at him.

“How did you do that? You literally *melted* into the shadows!”

Bruce shrugs.

“No. *No*. Explain.”

“I…can’t.”

“You said no secrets, B!”

Bruce puts his hands up defensively. “It’s not a secret! I really don’t know! It just…kind of happens.”

Jason stares at him. Bruce stands there. He seems to flicker? The edges of his body go a bit transparent and Dick knows he only does that when he’s stressed.

“Leave him alone, Jay. He’s telling the truth. He’s just…like that. But he’s still Bruce.”

It takes Jason two months to accept it. By then, his questions are more from genuine intrigue and wonder. He hides under Batman’s cape and somehow it’s spacious? It can even fit Dick at the same time. No one (but Bruce) can even hear them when they’re under there.

And then one day, when he goes to take a nap under Bruce’s cape, someone else is there.

“….B?”

“…”

“You know what I’m going to ask.”

“…”

“*Bruce*.”

“No real names, Robin.”

“No one can hear me!”

“…I didn’t kidnap him.”

“What his name?”

“Timothy Drake.”

“FROM DRAKE INDUSTRIES?”

And Tim wakes up, rubbing his eyes. He looks exhausted and way too skinny, and all of a sudden, Jason understands why Dick has cooed at him the first night Bruce brought him home.

“Um…hi.”

“B, we’re keeping him.”

Jason doesn’t need to see Bruce’s face to know he’s smiling.

—

Damian just…appears. Bruce suddenly understands his parents’ reactions to his first appearance because nearly the same exact thing happens. Bruce wakes up from a nap. He doesn’t need to sleep very often, something Tim finds incredibly annoying, declaring it to be *unfair*. He wakes up, and curled against his chest is…a boy. Who looks a *lot* like him.

“Uh.”

The child wakes up, blinks at him w striking green eyes.

“Hello Father.”

What the fuck.

Dick slams his way into Bruce’s office, followed by Jason and Tim, who are bickering with each other.

“DAAAAAAAD, THEY WON’T SHU- oh. Steal another kid?”

“…he just appeared.”

“That’s the excuse you used for Jason.”

“No. Literally. I fell asleep. No kid. Woke up. Kid.”

“My name is Damian.”

“That’s no fair. You came pre-named?”

Damian is as odd as Bruce. Actually, he’s weirder. And stabby. Bruce finds him *delightful*. He adores him.

—

Dick is Nightwing, Jason is Red Hood (no death, he just thought it was a cool name), Tim is Red Robin, and Damian’s Robin.

Bruce is Batman. Despite being in his late 30s, he still looks like he’s in his mid 20s.

—

Batman stands in front of a bank robber who’s going on about their evil bank robbing plans. Nightwing pops his head out from beneath Batman’s cape.

“Can you get to the point?”

Red Hood pops out next.

“I’m getting bored.”

Red Robin follows.

“This is sad.”

Damian.

“Scum.”

Batman sighs.

“Why are all of you here?”

“Missed you.”

They all chime in.

The robber.

“How…how the *fuck-?*”

“Language. There are kids around.”

“B, I’m 23.”

“Says the boy taking a nap in my cape. And I was talking about Red Robin and Robin.”

“…’s comfy.”

“I’m eighteen???”

“F- Batman! I am not a child!”

There’s some shuffling sounds, no doubt Red Hood moving over to ruffle Robin’s hair.

“Whatever you say, Tiny Demon.”

And then Red Hood shrieks.

“No stabbing your brothers, Robin.”

“He called me small!”

“…you are.”

“This is insulting, F- Batman. I will grow to be as big as you. No. *Bigger*.”

The robber watches in confusion, mild amusement, and horror.

Batman sighs.

“We’ll talk about this later. Now, you were saying? Blowing up the bank, terrorizing the people.” Batman yawns. “Anything else?”

- Gotham is sentient. She is the one who gifted the Waynes with Bruce (and later Bruce with Damian). She even took the form of the old creepy man who talked to Thomas

- Bruce adopts all his kids but Dick early. He finds Jason actually stealing the tires off of someone else’s car (Bruce doesn’t really…need a car), and just scoops him up and feeds him and takes him home. He finds Tim early as well and realizes he’s being stalked almost immediately

- Crime in Gotham is still bad, but not canon levels of bad. Bruce deals w major threats maybe once a month

- Bruce still joins the JL, but he’s not a founding member. He actually just…appears in their headquarters one day and it scares the shit out of all of them

- Bruce does not have a heart beat

- Clark can sense two heartbeats from Batman. And then one day, it’s three. He is very confused. And then four colourfully clad teens/children come out from Bruce’s cape. Five people. Three heart beats. *What the fuck is going on?*

- Bruce’s Batman costume isn’t physical clothing. He’s literally just draped in shadows that he can control at will

- Batman has an extremely positive reputation in Gotham, to the point that when negative rumours first started to crop up outside of the city, Gothamites got nearly violent in defense of him. Bruce is genuinely touched

- The Waynes *do* die but it’s when Bruce is in his early to mid teens. It’s entirely an accident and not the spark for his eventual decision to become the Batman

- The decision is actually made a year before adopting Dick. He gets involved in a bank robbery and accidentally scares the shit out of the robbers. After that, he decides it’s a pretty good idea, and the ‘costume’ happened because he was quickly trying to think of something scary as a way to disguise himself. He picked bats

- Bruce and Damian have no idea what the fuck they are. Damian, still young, struggles w the thought of him not being truly alive due to his lack of heartbeat, but Bruce comforts him. His shadows, like Bruce’s, are warm. Other shadows are cold, but theirs are warm and comforting. It’s proof they’re alive in their own way

- Gotham (the sentient city) adores Bruce, and if she was a physical person, she’d be shouting, “THAT’S MY BOY! THAT’S MY SON!” whenever she sees him. She is very proud of who he’s become

- Bruce needs sleep less and less as he ages. Since Damian is young, he sleeps for longer, but still not as much as a normal human child. Bruce takes naps during the day and Damian usually joins him, cuddled against his father