How would you have Bruce stand up for himself against the way Dick has convinced himself they fell out?
Bruce basically tried to protect Dick like a good parent after nearly losing him twice.
Dick definitely characterized Bruce as overly controlling and stealing his mantle at certain points. Maybe not later once the fallout from Jason's death and Tim taking up the Robin mantle pushes them back together, but it's something he's said to multiple vigilantes and allies over the years.
If Dick's words spread into the wider opinion of the Bat, especially after the contingency plans come to light, and Jason starts venting his own grievances (mixed bags of imagined, exaggerations, misunderstandings, and the few truths sprinkled throughout) to the Outlaws.
What would Bruce say against the poison that his own sometimes estranged children have spread about him.
That's probably not even counting Tim probably venting about Bruce and the Bats to his own little group. He actually has a few incidents that do look pretty bad even if Bruce was trying to push Tim to quit Robin of his own free will for a bit.
The 16th birthday incident comes to mind.
Just Bruce forced into a situation where he has to voice his point of view about several incidents to his oftentimes reluctant family.
Hm. Barely-canon as I am, it's hard to say. (I'm not okaying some of the dodgy stuff abruce has done, but what I see the scale of response to be is disproportionate.)
It'd probably be something that happens over time. He doesn't quite understand why someone approaches him antagonistically, or seems surprised when he's polite, when he sees people have to recalibrate when he takes on suggestions/ideas for tactics.
But after it happens enough times, he'd look into it. Probably trace it back, and find a pattern of behaviour his sons sit at the centre of.
He dismisses it, if slightly hurt, now that he understands it.
I feel as though he might pull it up when it starts putting lives in danger.
The younger heroes, the subsequent teams keep defecting, questioning his orders mid-mission. Maybe there's casualties. Maybe it was a close save, but everyone's still shaken. Maybe Bruce had to account for their hesitation, and throws himself in the way.
Dick storms into the meeting room, ready to tear Kon a new one for not staying in position, being the reason Bruce's entire chest is wrapped in bandages.
"What the hell were you thinking?" He hisses, watching the kid curl in on himself even more.
Tim is close behind, radiating anger at one of his best friends. "Kon, you—"
"Enough." Bruce's voice is a whisper as he limps into the meeting room from another door. Kon whips towards him, mouth opening, a hand twitching towards him, then shrinking back and staying quiet. Clark puts a hand on his shoulder, but says nothing. "Leave him alone, boys."
Dick glares at Bruce. "He abandoned position. He had no regard for orders."
Tim's own glower does not leave his close friend. "He did not obey the chain of command in a combat situation, that—"
"Is understandable, given the circumstances, no?"
Dick pauses. Exchanges a glance with Tim, hearing the undercurrent of pissed-off Batman threading through Bruce's tone, that similar radiating disapproval emanating from the other Founders towards them and the other Titans members scattered around the room.
Notably, Kon is excused from the ire, as Bruce hooks a finger under his chin and tuts, signalling to Barry, who produces a small sun lamp and sets it down in front of the clone, prompting the gash across his temple to slowly knit back together.
"What circumstances?" Dick asks hesitantly, matching Batman's stance.
Batman glares out across the sea of younger heroes. "The fact that Nightwing, leader of the Titans, and mentor to the Teen Titans, has disparaged my decisions as a tactician and vigilante to anyone who will listen."
Dick's cheeks burn, and he stares at Bruce.
"The fact that Robin, on many documented occassions both in spoken word and mission reports has disagreed with and found unstantiated bias with Batman's lead as a Justice League tactician.
Clark squeezes Kon's shoulder, and lets go, stepping towards the other two members of the Trinity.
"The fact that a similar rhetoric has been sown with other heroes by Red Hood."
Hal crosses his arms, leaning his hip against the table. "Personal issues with League members, especially Founders, are taken seriously and will not be policed. Personal dynamics cannot be allowed to interfere with field work, especially the avenue of casting doubt as petty revenge."
J'onn's face is stony as he looks out. "As a result of this incident, there will be elevated monitoring and training of the Titans and Teen Titans, to ensure everyone understands the level of professionalism this work demands, and that members can meet the demands of this position, lest their alliance with the Justice League be reviewed."
"This cannot be allowed to happen again," Barry warns. "We came close to losing several personnel members, and nearly two dozen souls."
"Is this understood?" Arthur checks, trident held proud by his side as he supervises petulant agreements and mortified mutterings of assent.
"I didn't meant for this to happen," Dick tries, hours later, when the act has dropped and Bruce has downed a handful of painkillers and been confined to the couch. "I was just... venting."
Bruce doesn't look at him, staring blankly at the ceiling. "I was just... trying to keep you alive," he sighs, and closes his eyes.
Dick stays there, watching him, stomach swirling, but eventually leaves the room. He passes Tim's on his way to his own, and catches hia brother's gaze on his journey.
The lock eyes, then Tim slowly looks away, turning over in bed, sliding headphones on.
Dick swallows, and treads back to his own room, steadfastly not looking at Bruce's closed bedroom door.
