Hi! How are you? I hope you're well. 😊 You don't feel obligated to answer my question, but here goes. I apologize if this seems confusing or strange in any way; using an automatic translator always complicates things.
How do you imagine Bruce and Diana's relationship in your no-packless AU? They're probably not that close, but I'd like to know their perspectives on each other.
I've written a lot about their friendship, and I can't shake the feeling of how much potential they've missed out on (both in canon and in the fandom). I like to imagine that Diana wouldn't meddle in Bruce's affairs, but for me it's hard to imagine a Diana who wouldn't feel compassion.
On Themyscira, she certainly lived in a very large pack, surrounded by the love of her sisters and family. The idea of someone living alone without a pack would hurt her, because how is that possible? Who would choose to leave their relative so far away? To the point of not forming a bond?
Primarily Bruce, one of her oldest friends in the world of men. Their relationship is always one of great respect and admiration, and she wouldn't hesitate to include him, So what made Bruce's family leave him like that?
If you liked the idea, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it! I know it's specific, but your AU on Packless got me thinking about it. 💛💛💛 I always enjoy seeing your posts on my timeline, regardless.
Mm there was someone else that asked this and it did make me realise Diana is quite lacking in the main fic. While I do plan to rectify that in elseworlds, I have some chapters left to write and revisions to so and I'm hoping to give her a bigger role.
She and Clark sit quite similarly on the issue. They both knew Bruce first, and saw his love and devotion to his kids, before their sidekicks grew up and started demanding Batman face consequences for how he treats his kids.
They still see how dedicated he is to their love and happiness. They see how he grieves them when they're killed, how he mourns them when they leave the manor and go out of their own, how he sits there and mopes and sulks because he loves them so much. How he wraps all of that up and keeps it tucked up underneath a mask, flinching back whenever someone gets too close to seeing underneath.
I do think Diana worries considerably about Bruce, but he hides everything behind a wall of spikes and whenever she tries to pry for his own sake, Bruce lashes out and it doesn't end well, so she's learnt to suppress her instincts to help her friend and watched sadly from a distance as he suffers.
Because he is suffering, she just can't tell why.
And he won't let her help, which hurts more than any attack he tries to distract her with.
