#batman request

He steps over to you slowly. “I know. It’s alright.” He watches for a sign of fear as he steps closer to you. “Tell me if you’re uncomfortable.”

“Bruce…”

“Tell me.” The dark splotches under his eye make his eyes more vibrant and the pain underneath them easier to spot.

You nod and then keep yourself still to keep from doing something accidentally; you close your eyes as he gets closer.

He reaches out to slowly touch your shoulder and when he doesn’t sense any tension, he pulls you into his chest. He lets out a small sigh as you fold into him. He strokes a hand through your hair whispering, “you’re safe, you’re safe,” as your tears roll onto his suit.

….

It took a few days to get back out into the world, but you did. It was an afternoon artisan market. You wanted to see what the city had to offer to decorate your room.

It was a good excuse to spend more time with Bruce. After all, you liked being chaperoned around by him, and you knew he wouldn’t let you go somewhere that busy all by yourself. Plus, it gives you a chance to put the events of the other night behind you.

You needed some time to get away from the manor, just for a minute, to help your body reset and readjust.

You and Bruce hadn’t had a deeper conversation about what happened, but you suspected that he was just trying to give you the space to allow you to keep things private. He’d held you the whole night, only leaving to change out of his suit and take a shower before returning.

But he never asked you anything. And he still hadn’t asked you since.

You wanted to explain it, give him some picture of what’s going on. You trusted Bruce and you wanted him to at least have some idea of why you were so distraught, but you couldn’t find a good moment to tell him.

…

As soon as you arrived at the market, Bruce kept an arm tucked around your waist, always being something solid to cling to. He kept dipping down to kiss the top of your head and watched a smile of bliss spread across your face.

It felt good to just have this time with him. Batman has to fight and put himself in danger to save the city, but Bruce can just be a “normal” man walking through the city — ignoring that he’s a Wayne.

You decided to tell him afterward. After you had this normal time with him. You deserved to have some time to just be happy and enjoy what’s around you — who is around you.

The both of you spent your time peering through stalls, maneuvering around people, and letting your eyes stop on anything you found interesting. There were a few times you’d pulled Bruce over to a small setup or helped him work his way through all the people in a particular area to get to a small trinket or drawing, but so far nothing held your interest.

“(name), how about this?” He held you back from moving and picked up a beautiful drawing, framed in a wooden frame with a dark stain.

“Oh, Bruce.” You traced a finger around the edges, eyes opening in wonder. “It’s beautiful. It’s perfect.”

“Let’s get it.” He smirked over at you and you just tucked yourself further into his side, blushing. “It’ll look nice on the wall near the door.”

You turned your neck to smile up at him. “That’s a good place for it. I like it.”

“Good.” He pressed a quick kiss to your cheek, before pulling the two of you along to buy the painting from the artist.

After, after.

…

“Bruce?” You looked at him across the table from where you’d stop to dine for brunch. You’d been having such a good day together that you both figured you could stop for an impromptu meal. “Can we talk about what happened a few nights ago?”

His eyes widened for a second, before closing as he set his fork down. “Are you sure?” You could tell he didn’t want to pressure you into explaining anything about why you acted that way. He was open and ready to listen, but waiting for you to take the lead.

“Yeah.” You took a sip of water before clearing your throat to begin. “There was someone before you, someone who had a lot of problems. That someone had a lot of problems, problems that someone would take out on me.”

You looked up and watched for his reaction. His eyes were soft and sympathetic. Gently, he reached across the table and placed his hand on top of yours.

You took a shaky breath. “That’s why I have issues with loud noises. I really didn’t mean to scare you and I’m sorry for reacting the way that I did. It’s just, sometimes sounds get overwhelming for me.”

Bruce’s mouth pressed into a firm line of determination before he got up and took the seat next to you. He peered deeply into your eyes. “You do not have to apologize for what you went through. I’m just glad that you let me take care of you that night.”

He reached across the table, taking your hands in his and pulling them into his lap. He gave them a light squeeze. “I love you. I want to do everything in my power to make you feel safe. What can I do?”

Tears welled up in your eyes as you reached over and ran a loving hand across his cheek. “You already do so much.”

His eyes looked sad. “If that ever changes, if you ever feel in danger or uncomfortable around me, let me know. I never want to hurt you.”

“Okay.” You managed to get out.

He nodded, before leaning in to press a soft kiss on your cheek. You blushed as he drew away.

He sighed before looking at your plate and chuckling. “You better eat those blueberries before I eat them myself.”

You gasped in fake shock. “How dare you?” You pulled your hands out of his grasp to put them over your chest. “To someone you said you would never want to hurt?”

“A few missing blueberries wouldn’t hurt.”

“You don’t know that. Oh, I think I feel faint now.” You pressed the back of your hand against your forehead as Bruce chuckled.

“Okay, fine. No blueberries.” He slid an arm around your chair and drew you in a little closer. “I’ll spare them because of you, only you.”

You giggled before plopping one in your mouth. “Thank you. Glad to know my love for you gets me somewhere.”

He rolled his eyes jokingly as you elbowed him gently in the ribs. He laughed louder than he expected. You watched his eyes sweep over the restaurant before shyly turning to the plate in front of you, folding into your body further in embarrassment.

You smirked at him, before eating another blueberry. “Thanks for listening, Bruce.” You pressed a kiss to his cheek and giggled as he tucked another one into your neck.

“Always, (name).” He slid a bit of your hair back, leaving a hand on your cheek, thumb rubbing affectionately across your skin. “Always.”

“You don’t know what that bastard did!”

While he managed to evade your sudden crouch and swipe at his feet, your continued momentum twirled you back around and up, and your shoulder slammed into his stomach. It wasn’t enough to cause damage, but there was enough force to send him stumbling backwards. You took full advantage of that split moment, and Batman found himself flat on his back.

As if understanding you would not be able to take much more hand-to-hand combat against the vigilante who has easily handled multiple gang members, you swung around and headed for your firearm again. As if Batman was going to allow that. He threw a Batarang spiraling towards your gun, earning your screech as your weapon slid even farther away. He hopped to his feet and made a dash for you. Wrenching your arm behind your back, he shoved you face first into a wall with most of his weight to pin you in place.

“I know exactly what he did,” he scowled into your ear.

The door leading out of the warehouse banged shut. Your target had finally fled the scene.

You snarled, desperation laced in your anger, “No… No, you don’t understand!”

Batman grunted against your fierce struggle.

“I understand more than you think.”

“Then, why?! Why let him go free?! He’ll only kill again! Destroy more families!”

He could hear your voice starting to break as your walls crumbled. That was something he had admired about you in school before he left Gotham. You were always so passionate. It was one of the reasons he asked you out on a date despite how you had punched him the ribs, nearly cracking one, only moments before for being in the one percent.

“So you don’t become a murderer like him,” Batman breathed, his voice juxtaposing how roughly he was restraining you.

Your movement stilled as your breaths grew slow and hoarse. When your limbs were lax, Batman loosened his grip and turned you around to face him. He was greeted by a rare teary sight that shattered his heart. If only he had been able to take you with him when he left to learn from Ra’s al Ghul. Maybe you wouldn’t have gone down this path.

Without thinking, he pulled you forward, cradling your form against him. “Just let it out,” he whispered.

That was when your emotional mask fell away. He held you even tighter as your arms wrapped as much as they could around him. The only time you had ever done this was in one of the backrooms at the funeral home holding your family’s wake. Bruce was the only one to see you cry. And just like then, he would hold you for as long as you needed.

He didn’t dare speak again until your sobs calmed.

“I will ensure he is brought to justice,” he said as he rubbed your back as soothingly as one could with gloves.

You pushed back and shot him a half-hearted glare. “Justice did nothing when he killed my family. What makes you think this last family will make a difference?”

“You’ll just have to trust me,” he echoed words from the past, back when you were convincing him to sneak onto Gotham Academy’s roof when the full moon was reaching its peak.

He must have spoken just right. Your eyes widened, mouth hanging agape, though only for a moment. “You…” you trailed off. 

As if coming back to your senses, you suddenly straightened and smacked his chest, hurting yourself more than anyone. 

“I’m coming with you,” you demanded.

You headed towards the door, pointedly ignoring your firearm on the floor. Were you actually going to do this his way?

Batman’s hand gently curled around your wrist. “How do I know you won’t try to kill him again?”

“You’ll just have to trust me.”

Triggers happen when you least expect them. It can be a touch, or a song sometimes even a smell. 

For you, it was a watch. 

You were helping a man up from an attack by Mr. Freeze’s men. One of Wayne’s enterprise’s workers. He had ended up falling down during the attack on the robotics lab. Poor guy had gotten turned around trying to grab his work on his way out and almost got his head blasted off by a gun if it wasn’t for you swooping in taking out the baddie. 

Turning around you held out your hand for him. Reaching up he took it his sleeve falling down slightly. That’s when you saw it, the gold watch. 

It glinted in the light of the red alarms lights for a moment. The shadows of the room casing seemed to close in for a moment, converging around you. 

You felt your chest close up the world tilting slightly, everything getting brighter and yet darker all at once. Taking a deep breath you helped him stand before pointing to the exit quickly moving away trying to get as far away from the man as possible. Heart pounding so fast you couldn’t’ breath. Your brain kept telling you that wasn’t him, that wasn’t the man that had hurt you. But your heart wouldn’t listen. The sound of the alarms filling your ears drowning out all logic. 

You couldn’t think, you felt like you were about to throw up. Curling to the floor you tried to make yourself as small as possible. Like back in those days. Tried to lock yourself up away.

Away from him.

Dick was the first the find you. You hadn’t responded to the team calling you over the headsets so he hunted you down fearing the worst. 

What he found was you very much alive wishing (to an extent) you weren’t. Curled up in a corner trying to breathe, trying to calm yourself down. 

Bruce and the others were not far behind Dick. Freeze already taken out. 

“Just breath Y/N” Tim said kneeling in front of you, “Whatever it is it’s gone now. Just breath.” 

You nodded focusing on his face. “It can’t hurt you,” Tim said taking deep breaths with you showing you how to do it. “We will keep it away. That’s it, deep breath in a deep breath out.” 

“If you can breathe that means your alive.” Dick whispered at your other side brushing your hair away from your face, “So just breath ok?” 

Nodding you continued to match your breaths with Tim’s. Your eyes flickering to Jason and Bruce who were standing behind their partners. Your eyes finding Bruce’s face expressionless as always. But you knew, you saw it. A flicker of true concern. Worry. 

What had happened. 

“Can you tell us what happened?” Dick whispered his voice gentle. 

“I…” You broke down again crying, words jumbled up through sobs. You honestly weren’t even sure if it made any sense but it was all you could get out. “I was young, I don’t remember his face but, he… he hurt me” 

You could feel Dick’s arms around you pulling you close while Tim rubbed your back. Once you had finally calmed yourself down you pulled away. 

“Sorry” you muttered gulping salty air through your lungs. 

“Don’t” Dick whispered helping you up. “We all have moments.” Jason, who had been silent through your breakdown nodded holding a hand out before pulling you in for a hug kissing the top of your head. 

You turned, noticing Bruce standing next to his batteam. Nodding he slowly started leading them out of the building “Let’s go,”

“We’re going to take him down right?” Jason asked Bruce once they got home. You were curled up on the couch with Tim watching a silly movie with a warm drink courtesy of Alfred. “Find that guy and kill him.” 

Bruce shook his head looking into the living room where you were giggling lightly at the screen, “No, we are going to be there for our family member.”  slowly he walked into the room, “And then we are going to take him down.” 

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