New idea : time travel/magic where the Batkids actually see important events that shaped Bruce, feat. Alfred, and realise that Bruce is a cycle breaker who tries his best. - @superblyscentedflower
The spell seemed harmless enough, the batkids had returned in less then an hour. Bruce had panicked of course, he had began his search for them already (not that he would admit that), but they were unharmed.
Yet the kids seemed.. off.
They looked at Bruce like he was something to be pitied, like he was fragile.
"What's happened? Are you hurt?"
"I- No, no injuries."
"Good, good.." Bruce wondered if asking 'what happened' another time would be 'crossing another boundary', he decided he didn't want to risk it. If they wanted to tell him, they would come to him.. Probably.
"Let's go home, Alfred is just as worried as I am."
The kids stiffened, which would've gone unnoticed, but not by the world's greatest detective, not by batman, not by their dad.
The car ride was quiet and a bit tense, with looks being shared between the kids and then towards Bruce. Bruce has absolutely zero clue what happened for any of this to make sense but decides against prying.
They would come to him, they should come to him. But he can't help giving worried glances in the mirror, what has happened?
The kids stood up —after the dizzyness had faded and their vision had returned to normal— to check in on eachother and their surroundings.
They were at the manor, but something was off. It seemed too cold, too distant, too silent. Like no one had lived there in a long while and the only thing that suggested otherwise was the fact that everything was clean.
Not a spec of dust to be seen. Not a sound to be heard.
"Where... Are we?"
No one had an answer, it was the manor but.. it also wasn't.
"Shh, I hear something"
Scratching. And without communicating any more, the 7 of them moved in perfect unison. In perfect order, like a milatairy force if you will.
While they made their way towards the noise they could hear another, faint crying. Although they didn't really hear the crying itself, they heard the faint gasping for air.
The cries of a child who wasn't allowed to be heard. And maybe that hit some of them harder then the rest.
When the kids came close enough to identify where the noise came from —a cubboard— the noises stopped. Replaced by a hoarse voice,
"Alfred..?"
The kids weren't even near the door yet, how did this kid-
"I promise I won't run along the corrdors again, just let me out Alfred."
And while the safest choice was probably to back away slowely, Tim couldn't let this slide. So he made his way to the door, stopping in front & putting a hand on the expansive wood.
"We're not Alfred, little guy."
Tim could practicly hear the gears turning in the kid's head.
"Who are you?" The voice was not trembling anymore, but it was hoarse. Like he'd been screaming... Oh. Oh..
"We're just friends who want to help you," he wispered against the door, while his hand was testing the lock. "I'm going to open the door, okay? Get yourself out of the door's way."
He'd felt the door oppened inwards, and the lock was fairly easy to open, harder then the average lock, but he was done in under a minute.
The door opened and Tim stared at a little boy, no older then 10. He stepped back when he saw the icy blue eyes examining him.
He'd seen those before, they were in every portait in the manor.
"What are you doing with that boy?" A stern voice echoed down the hall and the boy flinched. Actually flinched.
Tim turned his head towards the new voice, the man was Alfred, but much younger and with eyes that looked 10x as old as their Alfred.
He oppened his mouth to form a response but before he could do so the blinding light returned and for a second they felt weightless.
When they felt solid ground under their feet again they nearly tumbled over.
"What the fuck was that about Red?" Jason asked, suprisingly calm for how he was feeling. He'd seen the expression on Tim's face when opening the door and he wasn't quite happy with what that implied.
"That.. I.. That was Bruce.." Tim mumbled, a feeling of familairity creeping its way into his chest. The kid'd had bloodied nails and red eyes from crying, that was nothing he expected Bruce to go through.
Jason was about to ask what he was on about when a child sneaked around the corner.
Oh. That was Bruce.
He looked around the same age as before, although he had a much different vibe about him. Where he'd looked scared and sad earlier, he now looked like he had accepted the situation and tried his best.
Jason expected the kid to see them and freeze, but he didn't. In fact the mini-Bruce didn't even seem to notice them.
The kid looked around to see if no one was watching and then hid some kind of snack or candybar inside a vase. And that's when Jason froze, because he remembered Bruce, his Bruce, letting him leave his hoarded food in places all around the manor.
Why did Bruce have to do that? He was a billionair, why was he hiding away food?
The kid turned towards them and ran. Not the other way, but towards them & before anybody could fully get out of his way he passed trough. Like a ghost Bruce ran trough them & down the hall, towards the stairs.
"..."
"What in the.."
Without another word they all followed the smaller version of their father. They watch as he hides a few more foods in various places around the manor, checking for somebody watching everytime.
Every single time Bruce revealed an hiding spot it was like Jason got punched in the stomach, most of those he'd used himself. They weren't original.
Someone used them for the exact same reason years before.
Once evening hit they waited for Alfred to call for dinner like he'd always had. But it never came.
They had seen Alfred walking around doing various chores, but not a sign that he was taking care of Bruce in any way.
The sun set. Nothing.
It neared midnight. Nothing.
1 in the morning. Nothing.
At 3 there was a change, Bruce came downstaires and grabbed something from behind a book.
The light returned and dissapeared, a lot quiker then last time. They also didn't feel as weightless or disorentated anymore. It was improving.. Whatever 'it' may be.
This time they didn't even get the chance to ask questions, there was yelling just on the other side of the wall.
"You do not get to fool around like this, young man!"
"This is my house, is it not!?"
"Master Bruce, you ruined the furniture with the stunt you just pulled, go outside and do not come back before you've calmed down!"
"Fine, I will! But not because you told me too"
The next thing the kids knew the door slammed shut.
And then the door locked.
"Wait, Alfred, what are you doing?"
"Outside is all the room for you to fool around in, I will let you in ones you've learned your lesson."
"Alfred, it's raining and it's already dark-"
But the older man was gone, the key hanging in front of the window. Teasing. Threatening.
Dick walked up to the door, placing a careful hand on the old wood at around the height Bruce's hand was aswell. But he passed through.
His hand passed through in the same way Bruce had done earlier. Like a ghost.
So he stepped through, sub-conciously still preparing for a thud but it didn't happen, instead he was standing behind the small version of his dad.
Bruce looked older, older then last time anyway.
It was cold, really cold. Too cold for Bruce to be outside without a hoodie. Not in the Gotham winter.
To Dick it feels like he's under-reacting to the fact that Alfred, their loving butler, just locked a child outside in the Gotham-winter-night. But there've been a lot of discoveries about Alfred and Bruce's childhood, could you even call it that? in the past.. it felt like days.
Bruce took a step back, not a single ounce of anger or sadness on his face. Just.. Acceptance.
'He accepted it? He accepted the fact that he might freeze here? Or starve? This boy looks like he hasn't aten in days!?'
And Bruce just sits down under the nearest tree. Cold, wet & hungry. Dick sat down next to him, arms around the little boy like Bruce, their Bruce, had done countless times to him. To them.
His siblings neared them, sat with them, trying to give the littlest bit of warmth to Bruce. The rain slowely turned into snow as they sat with him, not touching but hopefully close enough for the boy to feel the slightest bit loved.
12 hours. 47 minutes. 23 seconds.
In the snow, underneath a tree. Not a word spoken, just the quiet humming of a boy. A boy much too young.
And then the light returned, a bit sloppier this time.
They returned to the manor, the warmth welcomed with open arms.
At this point they knew the drill, although they really wished it'd be over soon. It's been about 24 hours, and the kids really can't stand how familiar the boy's face is.
"Master Bruce, don't you think you're being childish?"
No response, that's new.. Odd.
"Very well, suit yourself then."
Cassandra checked if they could touch stuff again, she could. Good, the last 12 hours where horrible.
And then they all saw Bruce, much older at this point but still young. Sitting at the end of a dinner table, no food, no people, just plates & cutlery.
And the silence Alfred left him with.
Speaking of Alfred, it didn't look like he could see them as he'd just walked past them without batting an eye.
They weren't sure if the residents could hear them and therefor stayed silent, comunication consisting of looks & nods.
They moved again, but as soon as they stepped in eyes view of Bruce the boy looked up, eyes wide, still silent, hand grabbing the first thing he could throw; a knife.
They all ducked, years of training seen in a fraction of a second.
But this kid hadn't gone to training yet, Bruce was way too young to have gone already. But the knife penetrated the wall behind them, moving a bit from the sudden stop & then staying there, halfway in the wall.
Bruce opened his mouth but there were no words, just the quiet breathing and his stance that indicated that he did not trust them.
"We're safe, we won't hurt you."
He seemed to relax a tiny bit, still on edge but not about to throw a fork anymore. Cass started making her way to his side, slowely, trying not to scare him or make any sudden movements. Kind off how you would aproach a scared cat.
"What's happened?"
No response,not verbal atleast, but the way his body tensed tells her enough. She slides over a notebook and a pen, which she carried with her in case she went non-verbal. Maybe in the back of her mind she also kept it in case someone else needed it.
"How can we help you?"
The boy's pale hand reaches for the papers carefully, checking for any chamge of mind before scribling down 'Just stay, please'.
She nods before passing the note down to Jason who eyes it suspiciously.
They could wait, it's not like they had much of a choice anyway. Whatever spell that had been, it's been quite clear what the point was.
The note made it full circle and landed back with Bruce who's blue eyes had followed the strangers with a suspicion that could rival Jason's.
"Would you like to tell us what happened?" Dick asked, pointing at Bruce but nothing in particulair.
The younger Bruce eyes them suspiciously before writing down a single word.
'Bullying'
"Almost forgot that'd happened.." Duke whispers somewhere at the end of the circle they'd created.
But before anyone could start comforting Bruce the blinding white light returned, for much longer and completely fucking up their balance.
As they returned to reality they all stumbled fir a bit, their balance gone to shit & the light had been much brighter this time.
They checked their surroundings and came to the conclusion that Bruce was no where to be seen and took the oppertunity to make conversation.
"Right. So, what the fuck's going on?" Jason exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.
"This-" Duke huffed "This is Alfred?"
No one had an answer on either of those questions. It's not like they really wanted an answer, not really.
"You really haven't changed, have you, master Bruce?" Alfred's voice cut through the air like a bullet.
"Alfred please, I don't think I can handle this right now." That was 100% Bruce, he sounds much older & much more tired. Not yet The Tired Dad Voice(tm) though, they supposed that happened later.
"Always so emotional, master Bruce. You're home now."
"That's not the point, Alfred. They were my friends."
The kids all looked at eachother in unison, they all knew where this was going.
Bruce was sitting hunched over, head in his hands, clearly upset. If they could tell, why couldn't the older man who was standing behind him, cleaning some older-looking vase.
No one said anything after that, Alfred just finished up and left, leaving Bruce alone with his thoughts. Bad idea, especially if this was after his training-years.
Damian clearly remembered how supportive Bruce had been during the transition from the LoA to the manor, he'd been very understanding. He thought him slowely how to be a child, a son.
They carefully made their way around the corner, a lot more careful with the fact that sometimes they can get percieved.
But Bruce didn't seem to notice, not when they coughed either so they took the chance to gather around him. A cuddle-pile subconciously formed around their dad, they'd hugged the kid version, younger version and now they just needed to hug their dad.
When Bruce stared sniffing and hiccuping all of them tried their best not to cry with him, but when Damian started taking shuddering breaths they all broke.
How could have Alfred looked at their dad like this and leave him? How could Bruce give them the support he never got, even when he needed it most?
The white light was really flickery this time, and the only reason they didn't fall over was because they were holding eachother.
When they opened their eyes they stared right into the icy-blue eyes of Bruce. Smaller again..? So much younger. Why had they gone further back in time?
"Master Bruce. You can't let your education go to waste like this." His voice was raised. Alfred actually raised his voice, he did that?
"But Alfred, he made fun of my parents!"
"That is no excuse young man, one more call from the school and there'll be consequences." Bruce looked down, nodding his head.
"What was that?"
"Yes, Alfred.." Bruce's voice was barely above a whisper but Alfred looked too tired to fight the boy on it. "Go to bed, master Bruce."
Duke really wished he could punch Alfred, but he was physically unable, he also couldn't because it still felt wrong deep in his bones & he didn't think he'd win the fight.
His time at school after his parents' "death" wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows either. He'd really struggled, he wanted to spent all his time looking for them, school wasn't the priority.
And Bruce'd had the same problem. Except he saw his parents die, he saw it happen. And now his only parental figure didn't understand, not realising the affects that can have.
The following transition of white light was really dim now, still disorientating but less blinding.
"You are doing what?" Alfred's voice was the closest to normal it had been in a while, the kids would sigh in relief if they weren't focused on the tone of his voice.
It was mocking, Alfred was mocking someone. Bruce probably, why would he-
"Dress as a bat and run around, fighting muggers?"
Oh. What the hell. They'd imagined this conversation plenty of times but witnessing it..
"Did you hit your head, master Bruce?" Alfred's voice seemed genuinly concerned, except for the way he said 'master Bruce' as a swear. Like it disgusted him in this moment
"I can't let anybody go through what I did, Alfred. You don't have to help me," Bruce inhaled, "But you can't stop me either."
Alfred really wasn't supportive of Batman, was he? They hoped it was mostly out of concern, please let it be out of concern.
Them it hit Steph, she also needed to prove herself to Bruce. It took a while and she hadn't been very happy with how dismissive he'd been in the beginning but..
He'd given her a chance.
Alfred had not.
Bruce had given her chances and time to prove herself, he'd been suspiciois —but really, who wouldn't have? Her dad was an enemy of Bruce— but she'd had a chance.
Then they were suddenly back in the open air, no light, no weightlessness, no dizzyness. Just a quick teleportation.
Green Latern had the alien —who'd cast the spell— in a ball, the magician furiously banging against the green orb.
As soon as Batman spotted the kids he ran walked over, barely containing the urge to hug them. Maybe when they were back at the cave, if they'd allow him.
You see that puddle ? That's me. I melted from reading this angsty piece of art <3 That was so beautifully written, I need to know how the Batkids will interact with their Dad AND Alfred ! Bet they will give hugs with the strength of a thousand suns <3
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I love the idea of the kids using their other surnames and it annoying Bruce in a way that it shouldn't and he knows it. He still gets a little stroppy when some account that Tim has drops 'Wayne' and keeps him as Tim Drake. He gets moody when Dick has to chose another surname for an incognito trip and he chooses 'Kent'? Even Cass, his dearest daughter, she signs cheques on her other bank account with 'Cain'? Bruce is heartbroken but says nothing. He's just about stomaching Damian signing his signature with Damian Wayne-al Ghul but he nearly has a meltdown because Jason sends a business letter to him signed Jason al Ghul and Bruce is like 'the hell?' and Jason just goes, 'you ruined my sourdough starter', now I'm going by mom's last name? The man has had it.
Bruce, sobbing into Alfred's lap: The dynasty is dying, Alfred.
Alfred: Well, it's not like you didn't try, my boy. One of your many many many children might still take the Wayne name.
And let's make it angst (English isn't my first language, first time I really really write, hope it's good ! I dedicate this to @occasionalauthoring @loomingspector and @nikiexe0, you are the Reason that I love making my boi Bruce suffers 🥲 )
Thomas Wayne and Martha Kane Wayne were beautiful souls : kind to a fault, selfless, and beautiful inside and outside. They were the treasure of Gotham. Their murder destroyed the best thing coming from Gotham. As their bodies are now resting in their final beds, the city is looking towards Bruce, the last of the Wayne.Â
He has the look of a Wayne, but is nothing like a proper Wayne should be : a feral child, too angry, too intense who evolved into a debauched airhead. His only redeeming quality is his bleeding heart, and even that is questioned.
Everybody knows that the true brain of Wayne Enterprises is Lucius Fox, a good man and a good friend of Thomas. So, even his "kindness" may come from Lucius, in order to sell the Wayne "Image".
All Bruce has left of his parents are their fortune (their hard-work), their physical traits (Bruce is always "like Thomas" or "like Martha", he is never him) or their name (simple luck of birth).
Bruce blames himself for their senseless death, why did he ask them to go to the theater, why walking through the street. Why. Why. WHY.
Bruce Wayne is broken, but maybe the Wayne name can live in better people. Bruce knows with all his scared heart that his children are the best things that happened to his life, that despite his mistakes, his children are still good people, still beautiful people Inside and outside. They are truly people worthy of the Wayne name.
Not like him, a faker wearing his Father's skin and Mother's eyes.
However, all good things have an end like Mom -like Dad.
In the beginning, it was Tim that dropped the Wayne name out of his name account.
Then Dick (it hurts but the Graysons were good people, unlike Bruce), Jason (why choose the Al-Ghul, are they a better family than me ?), even his Cassandra (is Cain a better father than him ? Is he so horrible, so disgusting that she prefers to keep the name of the man that made her a living silent weapon ?)
Damian is still keeping the Wayne name, almost as a middle name, but it's only a matter of time before it's dropped.
Bruce is tired.
Tired of disappointing Alfred (his adopted father)
Tired of disappointing his children, adopted or biological.
Tired of disappointing Gotham.
He's just tired.
And Bruce realises that the root of the problem is him. He is the poison that ruined the good name of his ancestors, of his parents.
Maybe Bruce never deserved to be a Wayne.
Maybe if he's gone for good, everyone will be happy. No more Batman, no more Bruce Wayne. No, no more Bruce.Â
Like a ghost, he walked to his room.
Like an empty shell, he opened his medicine cabinet.
Like an empty husk, he emptied a whole bottle of drug.
And he went to sleep. Hopefully forever.
But Bruce forgot.
He forgot that his broken heart still beat for someone.Â
He forgot that, miles away, Clark Kent is spending time with his parents and family.Â
He forgot that his best friend can hear Bruce's heartbreak.
Bruce didn't remember when Superman broke his windows.
He didn't hear the Man of Steel's scream, full of despair.
He didn't feel when Kal forced his body to purge itself of the drug.
He didn't feel when his brother-in-soul took him, far, far away from Gotham.
He didn't feel when Ma Kent kissed his scared and ugly hands, unfit for a Wayne.
He didn't feel when Pa Kent kissed softly his forehead, silently asking him to get better, son.
He didn't feel when Lois ran her hand through Thomas's hair, and talked about the Daily Planet, about her work, about anything but Gotham and the Not-Wayne (they still are his family are they ?)
He didn't feel when Jon hugged him in the waist, gently narrating his adventures with the animals at the farm.
He didn't feel Martha's tears when brokenly, he asked in a feverish outbreak for his mama and his papa.
The Kents saw that poor boy and decided to understand how Bruce did try to kill himself.
Of course, between the investigative talents of Clark and Lois, they discover the truth (between Bruce's feverish talks and the names taken by the Batkids, they were quick to solve this mystery).
Meanwhile, in Gotham, everybody is gossiping about Superman's kidnapping of their local billionaire. Must be PR, must be his latest conquest.
The Batkids failed to contact Superman on his phone. They decided to go to Smallville, to find the root of the problem.Â
When they showed up to the porch, they were welcomed by the frostiest look they ever seen on Martha Kent and Jon Kent.
She said, in a slow manner "If you refused to take the Wayne name, maybe his name should disappear for good.". Then Pa Kent added "Or maybe I should adopt your father's name, and we will become Kent-Wayne, so he will have a family that accepts to share his parent's legacy".
For all his mistakes, for all his wrongs, for all his bad traits, Bruce never failed to try. Try to reach them. Try to teach them. Try to love them.
Bruce is a bleeding heart that tries for his city, for his family.
The children were heart-broken ; what began as a joke ended as a quasi-tragedy.
And they hurt him. Badly.
Thomas Wayne, Martha Kane Wayne and Bruce Wayne were beautiful souls : kind to a fault, selfless, and beautiful inside and outside. They were the treasure of Gotham.
And now maybe the Wayne legacy will definitely be gone for good.Â
-----------------------------------------------
And voilà , hope you enjoyed ! Now I return to crying to Bruce Wayne Angst (and yes, I love Bruce Wayne)
#Bruce Wayne angst #Bruce Wayne #Each time I read the Batkids doing a prank to Bruce, I feel sad :( #Batman
"Ma," Dick tries, and gives up when she points a finger at him.
"Mrs Kent, to you. Since you have no respect for names, you get no privileges of them either." Dick closes his mouth, nodding miserably. She's been Ma for him going on twelve years now.
"Mrs Kent," Tim smoothes over. "Why, may I ask, are we being kept from Bruce? I don't see how us using our legal names we have offended him? Certainly not enough for him to need to seclude himself in Kansas."
Jonathan eyes them sternly. "Forgive my mistake, I believed Bruce had adopted you. That must not be the case."
Cass' eyes flash with anger. Tim holds back a hand before she gets too incensed. "Mr Kent. You know very well Bruce adopted us. What are you hinting at?"
"In America, adoption is a complete renouncement of your biological parentage." Damian crosses his arms. "Your birth certificates have been revised to read Wayne. Yet you all use any name but. I'd wager that Father took that to mean exactly as it comes across; you don't want him to be your father."
"You're not innocent either, young man," Jonathan reprimands, and Damian flinches.
"I am a Wayne—"
A thud interrupts his words, and Clark doesn't spare any of them a glance before turning around and going back inside. Damian's protests fall quiet as he looks at the stacks of school assignments with the name Wayne conspiciously absent.
Cass looks at her checks. Tim looks at his various social media and bank accounts. Dick looks at his small mountain of fake documentation. Jason looks at his various sarky letters and emails to Bruce.
"We didn't..." Cass' voice falters.
"But you did." Martha's voice is sharp. Final. "That's all that matters."
"And what do you expect us to do?" Dick snaps. "Using 'Wayne' now will just look trite."
Martha turns away. "That isn't my job to figure out. My job is looking after the man recovering from an overdose in my living room." She slams the door behind her, leaving them alone with her husband on the porch.
"Overdose..." Damian gulps. "He wouldn't." Jonathan raises a brow. "He wouldn't! Not over a name. Al Ghul is my name too, he is the one that encouraged me to continue embracing my mother's side of the family, to not forget it."
"And that is a good reason," Jonathan grouches. His flinty gaze lifts to Jason. "Using names to spite the man who's known weakness is his family is not. Deliberately renouncing him over petty reasons like sourdough is not."
"Let us see him," Cass demands.
He doesn't react to the physical intimidation, and leans against the wall next to his shotgun. "No, Miss Cain. This is the closest you will get to Bruce until he is coherent. Fight that, and I'll have Clark drop you off in Iceland and you can swim back."
He slips inside, not bothering to lock the door as it swings closed. He knows they won't enter.
They watch through the window as he walks to Martha and tucks her under his chin, similar to the scene on the other side of the room, where Clark has Lois wrapped tightly in his arms as they both look down at Bruce where he writhes unconscious, his body still trying to purge the medication.
I love the idea of the kids using their other surnames and it annoying Bruce in a way that it shouldn't and he knows it. He still gets a little stroppy when some account that Tim has drops 'Wayne' and keeps him as Tim Drake. He gets moody when Dick has to chose another surname for an incognito trip and he chooses 'Kent'? Even Cass, his dearest daughter, she signs cheques on her other bank account with 'Cain'? Bruce is heartbroken but says nothing. He's just about stomaching Damian signing his signature with Damian Wayne-al Ghul but he nearly has a meltdown because Jason sends a business letter to him signed Jason al Ghul and Bruce is like 'the hell?' and Jason just goes, 'you ruined my sourdough starter', now I'm going by mom's last name? The man has had it.
Bruce, sobbing into Alfred's lap: The dynasty is dying, Alfred.
Alfred: Well, it's not like you didn't try, my boy. One of your many many many children might still take the Wayne name.
And let's make it angst (English isn't my first language, first time I really really write, hope it's good ! I dedicate this to @occasionalauthoring @loomingspector and @nikiexe0, you are the Reason that I love making my boi Bruce suffers 🥲 )
Thomas Wayne and Martha Kane Wayne were beautiful souls : kind to a fault, selfless, and beautiful inside and outside. They were the treasure of Gotham. Their murder destroyed the best thing coming from Gotham. As their bodies are now resting in their final beds, the city is looking towards Bruce, the last of the Wayne.Â
He has the look of a Wayne, but is nothing like a proper Wayne should be : a feral child, too angry, too intense who evolved into a debauched airhead. His only redeeming quality is his bleeding heart, and even that is questioned.
Everybody knows that the true brain of Wayne Enterprises is Lucius Fox, a good man and a good friend of Thomas. So, even his "kindness" may come from Lucius, in order to sell the Wayne "Image".
All Bruce has left of his parents are their fortune (their hard-work), their physical traits (Bruce is always "like Thomas" or "like Martha", he is never him) or their name (simple luck of birth).
Bruce blames himself for their senseless death, why did he ask them to go to the theater, why walking through the street. Why. Why. WHY.
Bruce Wayne is broken, but maybe the Wayne name can live in better people. Bruce knows with all his scared heart that his children are the best things that happened to his life, that despite his mistakes, his children are still good people, still beautiful people Inside and outside. They are truly people worthy of the Wayne name.
Not like him, a faker wearing his Father's skin and Mother's eyes.
However, all good things have an end like Mom -like Dad.
In the beginning, it was Tim that dropped the Wayne name out of his name account.
Then Dick (it hurts but the Graysons were good people, unlike Bruce), Jason (why choose the Al-Ghul, are they a better family than me ?), even his Cassandra (is Cain a better father than him ? Is he so horrible, so disgusting that she prefers to keep the name of the man that made her a living silent weapon ?)
Damian is still keeping the Wayne name, almost as a middle name, but it's only a matter of time before it's dropped.
Bruce is tired.
Tired of disappointing Alfred (his adopted father)
Tired of disappointing his children, adopted or biological.
Tired of disappointing Gotham.
He's just tired.
And Bruce realises that the root of the problem is him. He is the poison that ruined the good name of his ancestors, of his parents.
Maybe Bruce never deserved to be a Wayne.
Maybe if he's gone for good, everyone will be happy. No more Batman, no more Bruce Wayne. No, no more Bruce.Â
Like a ghost, he walked to his room.
Like an empty shell, he opened his medicine cabinet.
Like an empty husk, he emptied a whole bottle of drug.
And he went to sleep. Hopefully forever.
But Bruce forgot.
He forgot that his broken heart still beat for someone.Â
He forgot that, miles away, Clark Kent is spending time with his parents and family.Â
He forgot that his best friend can hear Bruce's heartbreak.
Bruce didn't remember when Superman broke his windows.
He didn't hear the Man of Steel's scream, full of despair.
He didn't feel when Kal forced his body to purge itself of the drug.
He didn't feel when his brother-in-soul took him, far, far away from Gotham.
He didn't feel when Ma Kent kissed his scared and ugly hands, unfit for a Wayne.
He didn't feel when Pa Kent kissed softly his forehead, silently asking him to get better, son.
He didn't feel when Lois ran her hand through Bruce's Thomas's hair, and talked about the Daily Planet, about her work, about anything but Gotham and the Not-Wayne (they still are his family are they ?)
He didn't feel when Jon hugged him in the waist, gently narrating his adventures with the animals at the farm.
He didn't feel Martha's tears when brokenly, he asked in a feverish outbreak for his mama and his papa.
The Kents saw that poor boy and decided to understand how Bruce did try to kill himself.
Of course, between the investigative talents of Clark and Lois, they discover the truth (between Bruce's feverish talks and the names taken by the Batkids, they were quick to solve this mystery).
Meanwhile, in Gotham, everybody is gossiping about Superman's kidnapping of their local billionaire. Must be PR, must be his latest conquest.
The Batkids failed to contact Superman on his phone. They decided to go to Smallville, to find the root of the problem.Â
When they showed up to the porch, they were welcomed by the frostiest look they ever seen on Martha Kent and Jon Kent.
She said, in a slow manner "If you refused to take the Wayne name, maybe his name should disappear for good.". Then Pa Kent added "Or maybe I should adopt your father's name, and we will become Kent-Wayne, so he will have a family that accepts to share his parent's legacy".
For all his mistakes, for all his wrongs, for all his bad traits, Bruce never failed to try. Try to reach them. Try to teach them. Try to love them.
Bruce is a bleeding heart that tries for his city, for his family.
The children were heart-broken ; what began as a joke ended as a quasi-tragedy.
And they hurt him. Badly.
Thomas Wayne, Martha Kane Wayne and Bruce Wayne were beautiful souls : kind to a fault, selfless, and beautiful inside and outside. They were the treasure of Gotham.
And now maybe the Wayne legacy will definitely be gone for good.Â
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And voilà , hope you enjoyed ! Now I return to crying to Bruce Wayne Angst (and yes, I love Bruce Wayne)
#Bruce Wayne angst #Bruce Wayne #Each time I read the Batkids doing a prank to Bruce, I feel sad :( #Batman
This was on a post about BRUCE having all sort of connection around Gotham, be it as Batman, Bruce Wayne, Matches Malone, or any other identities of his. I liked the original comment, because I myself have an hc that Bruce has engaged some sex workers to come at the manor and lie to the police that they had sex all night long. And knowing how irl sex workers do not trust the cops, no way Gotham sex workers trust their scummy pigs.
Anyway, I wouldn't be making this post if it wasn't for that answer about Jason. Reminder, this is a post about BRUCE, and here we are, making it about Jason and how he is the hero of Crime Alley. They are telling someone that their hc is wrong, based on FANON bs about Jason. Because, in the comics, Jason was a pimp (see: Under The Red Hood). That's the only interaction with sex workers he had as Red Hood I know of. Wait, he also used a girl trauma from being forced into prostitution against her (see: Green Arrow: Seeing Red) He also started a gang war and a drug war (see: Under The Red Hood and Green Arrow: Seeing Red), so idk when he helped people into rehab.
I don't remember him doing any of that. You know who I know did that? BRUCE WAYNE. (And other characters, but this was a Bruce's post so we are only focusing on him) Batman protects sex workers, cries them when they die and brings their killers or abusers to justice, when cops normally turn a blind eye. There is even a Batman: Black and White issue where he calls Superman to help to save a sex worker's life. Bruce is the one to help people get into rehab, to help people get better job, to leave the life of crimes. He is the one financing community centers so the kids have somewhere to go (See: Red Hood and Arsenal), and he is the one who come see these kids so often just to listen to them and help them (see: Gotham Knights). Bruce anonymously supports financially some shady businesses in Crime Alley so they don't close (see: Batman: Black and White). Matches Malone has many friends in Crime Alley.
Where did Jason did any of that? Where the fuck did he became the "ever competent Duke of Park Row"??? I'm going to tell you: NOWHERE.
Jason doesn't own Crime Alley or Park Row, the place where BATMAN WAS BORN. He is not their protector, and they do not prefer to snitch to him than to Batman, Bruce Wayne, Matches Malone or any other identities of Bruce!
Some examples of what I talked about under the cut.
~ Under The Red Hood - Red Hood is killing everyone fighting in the gang war, and he is taking huge cuts in drug trades, racketeering and prostitution. If the boss takes bigger cuts, that means the price rises, because the guys under him still need to make money themselves. However, with prostitution, it means the sex worker is likely getting less.
~ Green Arrow: Seeing Red - Jason killing his own guys
~ Green Arrow: Seeing Red - Jason using Mia's sexual trauma against her to get her to rally with him, after he kidnapped her and while fighting her.
~ Gotham Knights - Kids defending Bruce because he comes to the teen shelter every month and listens to them
~ Red Hood and Arsenal - Jason visiting the community center he used to go to and discovering an amnesic Bruce Wayne there. Jason thinks about how Bruce is the mysterious benefactor behind the center.
~ Batman: Black and White - Bruce giving money to a bar in Crime Alley so it stays open. As you can see from the art, sex workers work there.
~ Batman: One Bad Day - Mr Freeze ~ Matches Malone hanging out with some friends, and having a karaoke
~ Batman: Black and White - Batman finding the man who ordered the kill of a sex worker and dragging him to justice, because the system will not do it itself as he is a politician.
batman #664. he is the kindest man i know
batman #665. the kindness he gave came back to him when branca beat the fuck out of him and roxy and her friends found him in the alley and she drove him to safety
We cannot forget his first meeting with Selina where he beats up their pimp after seeing child prostitute Holly Robinson.
We also cant forget Haddie McNeil [the daughter of a socialite who "sleeps with" (is raped by) older socialite men because she wants the feeling of a father who cares for her] whose death he feels very responsible for because he turned her down harshly. He is the only person at her funeral who cares that a 13 year old died. Her own parents are disgusted by her and accuse Bruce of only caring about her because he slept with her (he didn't).
And that's not the only instance he cares about a girl more than their own parents do.
Her own father, instead of grieving her, tries (and succeeds) to get batman hooked on venom. Bruce is the only one who cares about Sissy, as usual.
He cares about women and girls so much when even their own parents don't.
Wait, if I'm not mistaken, his first meeting with Selina is before he becomes Batman, while he is searching for a way to fight crime. So, his first act toward fighting crime in Gotham is punching a pimp.
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I think it’s so fucking weird that when people make fanfiction, specifically Jason Todd-centric fanfiction, people of Crime Alley hate all vigilantes except for Red Hood.
That’s the biggest bullshit I’ve ever heard.
Batman, the creature that has been patrolling and helping all of Gotham's citizens, no matter what part of Gotham, suddenly isn’t allowed in Crime Alley because of this new vigilante??
I understand if the people there get used to Red Hood because he is only for Crime Alley, unlike Batman, who is for all of Gotham, but cmon.
Mr. Head's in a body bag or The Dark Knight, who I’ve seen bleed to keep a child safe and then comfort that same child successfully?
Mr. Crimelord or The Caped Crusader, who helped my Grandma and bought groceries for our entire family before referring us to the Wayne directive and securing us stable jobs, so we wouldn’t have to fall back on a life of crime?
Let’s weigh the options here.
And even if you don’t add the whole Jason murdering people thing, why would they turn on Batman when all he’s ever done is try to help the city?
I hate when people try to make an argument that regular people are scared of Batman because he just ‘beats up mentally ill people’.
What??
Bruce’s entire shtick is helping people who are struggling physically, mentally, or even financially because he believes in second chances to a fault.
He doesn’t go after civilians. Bruce would destroy himself if he accidentally went after an innocent person. Then he would probably make it up to them.
And he doesn’t! Because he’s Batman, and he’s very meticulous in what he does, and he waits until he’s absolutely sure.
99.8% of the time, he’s right. Cause he’s the World’s Greatest Detective.
Bruce went to the bedside of his parents’ killer and held his hand while he passed away, ultimately making a huge personal sacrifice and forgiving him. You’re telling me that his kindness and compassion aren’t felt by the citizens that he’s been protecting for years?
I think it would be fine if people instead portrayed this arrangement as Batman giving Red Hood a place to protect that is entirely his own and more manageable than all of Gotham.
But having the people of Crime Alley refuse to be helped by Batman or insult him and actively drive him away is so strange to me. There's no logical reason why they would ever do something like that.
Weird tangent I went on.
Anyways! Even if we don’t address all of that and we love Jason Todd (because we do love Jason Todd / all the batkids in this household), why would Crime Alley only accept Red Hood?
I think this trope also plays into how DC writers and fanfic writers refuse to allow Jason to grow and change from the grief that has shrouded his character ever since he came back from the dead.
In the end, no matter how they individually get there, all of the vigilantes in Gotham (plus Blud) want the same thing. They want to help their city.
Yes, there is a large difference in how Jason and Bruce feel about how they could best help the city, but they can come to a compromise on a lot of different matters.
And some people try to write it as if Gotham citizens see Red Hood as more ‘down to earth’ and more like them.
Which I think is stupid because they don't know a single thing about Batman, so why would they view him as being above them?
If you say, "Well, maybe it's the gadgets?" Red Hood uses a bunch of gadgets and expensive stuff as well. It's a total cop out. Bruce had been Batman for years and years before Red Hood came along.
If anything, Crime Alley would be more receptive and comfortable around Batman and Robin being there to help them. I'm sure they were scared of the Bat, but then he showed he just wanted to keep the streets safe and got Robin, which made him even easier to approach.
There’s this one little thing that most of the fandom agrees with that I sort of have a problem with. Not talking about the comics, only the fandom.
A lot of people rag on Bruce for not being more sympathetic to Jason after coming back from the dead. Specifically talking about how different Jason is personality-wise.
They say they feel bad for Bruce, but it’s worse for Jason because he lost himself while Bruce lost him, but ultimately got him back.
But with the way people write, Jason never being able to grow or move on from dying, Bruce didn’t get Jason back at all. Not his personality, not his being, not his love.
He lost Jason completely and yet still sees him from time to time, with their relationship being mostly antagonistic.
Bruce acknowledges that Jason is now a completely different person from the little boy that he was before. That much is painfully obvious. But that also seems to be a problem because people who write Jason being angry at Bruce treat him a lot differently, and do not know how to interact with him.
Either Jason is angry at Bruce for trying to go back to how their relationship was before they died, or he gets mad at Bruce for having a strained relationship with him.
It’s more of a fault of comic writers, show writers, and fanfic writers.
Most of the time, as people have pointed out, Jason doesn’t have much going on that doesn’t somehow tie back to the Batfamily.
He doesn’t have his own friends, his own villains, his own love life. Everything about him ties back to his family, which is how people equate Bruce not seeing him as his own person when, really, it’s the entire narrative built around him that makes it seem as though he is nothing outside of them.
I personally won’t be writing any Jason-centric stuff cause this is a Bruce-centric page only, but I have noticed it.
In the same vein, when fanfic writers make the people of Crime Alley also hate Bruce Wayne??? Not Batman, but Bruce Wayne.
Like, the man who goes out of his way to donate to charities, orphanages, and other sources that will help all people of Gotham?
The man who experienced the tragedy that Crime Alley holds firsthand while still a young child?
The man who happily hires goons, thugs, and anyone down on their luck at his company because he needs to help those around him?
Why would they hate him?
He's a bright light in Gotham's gloom, the way he pretends to be a ditz and is mostly unproblematic in his scandals. He's all about doing good, and the public knows that. The entire Wayne legacy is full of people who have only done good for Gotham, and the public knows that Bruce Wayne, no matter how stupid he presents himself, plans on continuing that legacy.
And don’t say it’s because he’s a billionaire, because I think that's another cop out. This specifically only happens in Jason Todd-centric fanfiction, where they hate Bruce.
I don’t like any fanfic where they decide that the general public hates Bruce Wayne or views him in some evil light. That's stupid and goes against what most comics present, since some of y'all are obsessed with things being comic-accurate.
There was also this fanfic where Oliver ruins Bruce’s reputation after they switch bodies or something because Bruce is horribly abusive to his entire family, and I couldn’t even bother clicking on it. I was so tempted to block the person who wrote it, but I just scrolled on by.
Both Oliver and Bruce have their faults, especially with their children, but their both good people who deserve to be recognized for the good that they’ve done for their city while they’re rich.
I just think it’s ironic how Jason Todd fanfic writers constantly write about his desire to move past his death when they’re never letting him move past it.
There’s also the huge, annoying problem with the constant parentifying in the fandom. Tim isn’t that much younger than Jason, and yet everyone wants Jason to adopt him?
Jason can never be his own person.
He’s entire childhood was stolen away from him, and yet they want him to take care of another person who is, again, not that much younger than him.
Tim is constantly and consistently infantilized by the fandom. They make sure every bad thing in the world will happen to him, and either he can’t defend himself at all, or he is the all-powerful all all-knowing guy who doesn’t need the Batfam and is only staying around because he knows they need him as an emotional crutch.
In most fanfics like this, they make Bruce absolutely useless. Tim knows all of his secrets, and Batman knows nothing because Tim is oh so mysterious and the world's greatest detective and completely unbeatable in every single way.
Like, yeah, because of how Bruce trained his kids, they will eventually surpass him, but the way people write the Batkids, it's like Bruce is completely useless. He can't order them around, he can't order the Justice Leauge because they don't respect him, Gotham doesn't respect him, he can't figure out electronics, all of his kids keep secrets and he can't figure them out cause he's too stupid and they're so much smarter than him, he's always left in the dark, they make jokes at his expense.
Because Dick is constantly seen as being close to Damian, people make Jason close to Tim to balance it out. Or, if someone portrays the relation between Tim and Dick as being close, then Jason is super close with Tim and is basically his second father, and is the only one who truly knows Damian while effectively icing out the rest of the family, specifically Bruce, and taking that father figure role as well. Because once again, if Jason isn't potentially parentified for Tim, he's gotta be parentified for Damian instead.
Both Jason and Dick never get a break. They can never just be older siblings that occasionally have to take care of their younger siblings, like in the real world. No, the moment they show any care, they are automatically designated as the parent, even though Bruce is right there.
They'll disguise it as jokes, but use their jokes as a means to bash Bruce and make Damian or Tim rely on any adult that isn't him for some reason. Or they'll hold their love and affection for him as a means to control him. Now if Bruce did that, we'd be having a whole different conversation cause ya'll would downplay it.
Anyways, this started off as a small rant about how some Jason fans treat Bruce and the rest of the family like trash while glorifying everything that he’s done.
If you wanna write it, whatever. I go by the philosophy of don’t like, don’t read. But stop pretending that’s how everyone should write their relationship and start tagging your fics correctly so I can avoid that shit
I've been searching through ao3 and I'm saddened by the absurd lack of omega absolute Bruce fics, that's like unacceptable ðŸ˜
So I've been thinking about hunk Bruce being insecure about his appearance, he's very big and looms over every alpha and he hasn't had many alphas pay attention to him because of that. I like believing that although he's very brutal as Batman, he's a soft omega civilian at heart and he wants to be wooed and to have pups so very bad 😠So idk, intimidating omega angst? Like, every time he tries to be omegan and flirt, alphas are just scared shitless of him, or make fun of him?
Probably the perfect person to write this yet also the worst because 1. cant flirt 2. flirts constantly with my friend and neither of us are even remotely good at it 3. can't write flirting
I love an insecure omega Bruce who doesn't fit the mould and looks down on himself for it when his partner is actually drooling over him and thinks he is hot shit.
(English isn't my first language so sorry in advance for any mistake. Also first repost, kinda)
Imagine being an absolute tank of a person. You can protect what's important to you, but at the end of the day, when you see young parents with their children, you can only mourn and drown your sorrow eating vanilla ice cream in your nest (strangely, Bruce makes prefect nests, but have no one to share with except his mom)
Then suddenly, you hear of an alien one day, and the rumor mill speaks about a liberator, a superman fighting against injustice ans tyranny. You begin to plan against him (he could be a menace to humanity, but especially mom and friends), and then you are faced with a smaller, looking weak (you know apparence can deceive) beautiful long haired man with the most perfect Alpha scent in the world. It's love at first sight (and smell).
Our Bruce, with an absolute zero experience in dating and romance, has for only guide his parents relationship and Selina (the greatest wingman to ever exist, secretly thriving on chaos )
Kal-El, hiding from the Lazarus organization, learns from Sol his portable companion, that this planet is strangely compatible with Kryptionian and has a similar caste system ; it seems that he is the equivalent of an Alpha, the dominant caste. Back in Krypton, castes are judged archaic and for lowly animals, however Kals parents believed that suppressing a part of ourselves is deleter for the development of young children).
Kal cannot stand the loneliness anymore, and went looking for his one and only.
His steps lead to Gotham City, a place full of corruption and crime.
Kal has heard of Batman, a Vigilante protecting Gotham who must be an Alpha, since he protects.
Kal plans to meet him (curiosity kills the cat, Kal) but suddenly, he is faced with a tank of a human begin, strong looking (good for guarding pups), with a delicate face and intense eyes hidden by white lenses, and, cerise sur le gâteau, the most perfect Omega scent in the world.
It was love at first punch (and sight. And smell. And -)
Our Kal, with an Absolute zero experience in courting and romance, has for only guide his parents relationship and Sol (aka the Fi [the sword spirit in Zelda] of the Absolute Universe)
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