idk how many people know that one dude who walks around with disposable cameras and gives them to random people he finds and has them catalog their lives and then shares it with the world to like showcase humanity but anyway- that as BatLantern
Bruce and Hal who have been vaguely orbiting each other for Two Robins now and then Hal who is visiting the Cave in order to check on something that he needs Bruce's conference help on
Bruce who is aching and still freshly grieving Jason and his Robin death and as a result Hal has been pulling away a little to give him space and Bruce is rebuffing him a little bit more and both of them are just taking a break for a moment from Whatever They Had Going On since his losing a child is a great deal more important and serious than their flirting and messing around
Little Tim who is freshly Robin and stumbles into the cave sleepy and holding a small disposable camera
And Bruce tries to shoo him away and Hal is endeared but trying not to act too much because he had a good relationship with Jason and that's partly why he and Bruce are taking a break because every time Bruce looks at Hal he sees his son grinning up at him and Hal making little constructs for him
But Little Tim is insistent and refuses to leave until Hal takes his camera. "Take pictures for me!" He insists, because Tim wants to see the cosmos and he's been giving every League member a camera because he will never outgrow his curiosity and hero worship, so Hal agrees and takes the camera
Tim leaves again, but now its just Hal and Bruce and theres a silence between them thats...
"He really cares about the pictures, sorry." Bruce apologizes quietly, and Hal shrugs, waves him off.
"I don't mind. It's really cute. I probably won't remember to take that many pictures so it might dissapoint him, but I'll try my best."
Bruce nods, grateful, and theres a look in his eyes that hasn't been there since Jason. "You could just take a lot of pictures now, while you're still thinking about it."
Hal thinks thats a great idea- since he's always wanted to be a photographer and the Thing they're working on needs a minute to load anyway so he flies around the Cave snapping pictures and dips out of the Cave and into the sky for a second to snap a really good picture
and then he returns and without even thinking about it goes "Okay Spooks! Smile!"
And Bruce does. Without hesitation. Without thinking too hard about it. His lips stretch automatically and Hal snaps the picture and it isn't until the flash has faded and Hal is slowly lowering the camera that they realize what's happened.
Bruce hasn't smiled for Hal since Jason died. He's smiled for Tim. Even for Clark and Diana, a few times. It used to be that only Hal could really make him smile. Now the opposite seems true.
Hal swallows hard. Sets the camera down.
"Can, uh. Can you give that back to Tim for me?" He whispers. "I think I'd better go." And he flies out.
He comes back a week later and asks Tim for the picture. Just the one. Just... he wants one memory of how it was. Wants one smile for himself.
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