#new chapter!

He would never get used to the speed of Clark's flight.

It takes them less than a minute, and they're at the farm, Clark fussing behind him about his neck's whiplash, as Bruce tries to get to his sons. He can already see them both. Tim is frantically calling Damian's name, running around. Jason sees him first, stopping on his tracks, wide eyed. Bruce has to literally duck Clark's hands to run towards Tim, before the man can enter the Kent's corn fields.

"Tim!!"

Tim turns his neck around with such speed, Bruce is about to tell Clark to shut up about his neck and worry about his baby's. But Tim is already running. Bruce can't see his face, the sun at his son's back making his eyes sting. He decides that closing them was a bad idea, when Tim tackles him down to the dirt, burying himself on Bruce's chest.

Soon enough, Jason and Clark are looking over him, both with equally concerned expressions.

He takes the hand his son is offering him, hugging Tim's head, and lifting them both with Jason's grunt.

"Don't you worry too much, old man. He's just bein' his usual dramatic self"

Bruce knows it's bad when Tim doesn't bother to respond to Jason's remark.

"Tim?" Tim only shakes his head against his chest "Sweetheart?" Nothing. Bruce looks at Clark, tilting his head towards the house. Clarks nods at him and tries to move Jason away.

"No, no! Wait!" Jason scurries around, and Clarks looks at his hands. Bruce feels guilty. Getting avoided twice in less than ten minutes, by two different people? Can't feel good. "We need to find the toddlers!" Kon scoffs as he joins the group. "They could be in trouble!"

Clark sighs next to them. "Jon" He remains quiet. Bruce sees the way his eyebrows slowly start to frown. "Jonathan. Samuel. Kent. Where are-? WHAT?!" Clark turns around with an awkward smile, one finger lifted. "Excuse me one second." He turns around and flies up. Bruce manages to hear a "Why the heck-" before the Kriptonian vanishes.

Kon flinches, sucking air through his teeth. "Oh, yeah. He messed up."

Clark is back before Bruce or Jason can question Kon. "They'll come back"

"Where-?"

Clark bleaches, looking to the ground. "Gotham"

Tim turns and straightens so fast, Bruce has to tilt his head to avoid collision. The siblings "WHAT?!" and "WHERE?!", makes poor Clark look small and conflicted.

It takes a bit of convincing, but he's finally alone with Tim. Kon had tried to remain with them, but after some soft mumbles from Jason, he had paled and backed away.

Bruce sat down with a grunt. They were to wait the kids in the porch, so he was using the entry wood stairs as his seat. He sighed, eyes closed to the night sky. Next to him, he felt Tim's soft movement as he sat down.

He doesn't open his eyes. Not when Tim clears his throat, nor when his son lays his forehead on his shoulder. He lets him talk.

"Sorry" He waits for his son to feel comfortable. He keeps himself in the dark, but allows his hands to travel to Tim's, grabbing them, pressing his thumbs over the knuckles. "Sorry, dad" Tim continues "I- I think I should do a list and start apologizing in order..." Bruce smiles, finally opening his eyes. He cleans the tears he can see falling on Tim's chin.

"Ok. Start with your most recent apology." He cuts Tim before he could blame himself over Damian. "Parent," he points to himself "child" he presses a finger on Tim's chest. "And if I won't take blame over Damian's misdeeds, his brother shouldn't neither"

Tim frowned at him "What kind of magical therapy had the Kents given to you?"

"Farm life is amazing, son" He laughs, giving a soft kiss over Tim's head.

A while passes in complete silence, before Tim had his ideas in order.

"I'm a bad brother"

"Tim-"

"No, listen." Tim shakes his head, turning fully at Bruce, hugging him from his waist. "Not because he got lost... But because I... Couldn't care less that he got lost"

Bruce frowned, he didn't push to see his kid's face. He just stared front "Tim, you were about to dive in and get lost in the corn field, what do you mea-?"

"It wasn't Damian I worried about, dad... I thought: Damn. Dad's going to hate me." Bruce blinked in surprise, trying to look down without pushing Tim away. "I thought: Oh no, dad is going to be so disappointed in me." Tim's hug tightened. "I wasn't worried about Dames. He can handle himself... I- I'm a really bad older brother"

Bruce scoffed. "No, son. You aren't"

"How did Dick do it?"

"Dick?"

"Mhm. With Jay"

"Son... Please don't ever let Jason hear you say that" Bruce fondly pressed his cheek on top of Tim's head. "He doesn't have the best memories of Dick as an older brother..."

"Why?"

Bruce shook his head. "Not my place to say, Tim. Just knows that nobody has all the answers, we all have to learn as we go. As we fail. Trial and error, if you might"

Tim hums.

They stay like that. In silence. For a long time.

When there's still no signal of the kids, Bruce softly pushes Tim away, ignoring the pained expresion on his son. He grabs his face between his hands, and stares. He can't help but smile. He adores those eyes.

"Why are you here, son?"

Tim blinks, tries to avoid him, looking away. But Bruce's hands keep him in place. He grumbles, closing his eyes, and grabbing Bruce's hands with his own. Not trying to escape, but to anchor himself.

"We... Came to apologize" a beat "... For everything" Bruce nods as Tim opens his eyes. "You know... We-" the swallow is loud, Bruce gives him a reassured smile "We went to the manor. We thought you would be there... And then... Dick... We're sorry" Bruce nods once more. "So sorry, dad" he can't catch all of Tim's tears with his fingers, his son's sorrowful expression destroying something inside himself. "We miss you so much, dad. We are so sorry. We fucked up, sorry. I'm sorry"

Bruce is pressing that lovely head against his chest, trying to absorb him, to make him feel his love. He knows it's absurd, but he tries anyway.

He doesn't get to tell Tim he's forgiven.

"Don't forgive us... But allow us to do our best to gain your love back"

"I won't ever stop loving any of you"

"We don't deserve it. Let us deserve it"

Bruce can only sigh, showering with kisses over his son's head.

Not even ten minutes, and Tim is nodding against Bruce. He smiles, trying to lift his sleepy son. Tim wakes up, pushing away, and mumbling how he's an adult. How he's capable and what not. Bruce just stares as Tim fights the tiredness away.

"You just smeared snot all over my shirt." Tim grimaces, Bruce just chuckles. "Come. Be a grown up in Gotham. Let me have my baby, here"

He's calculating how to open the door without waking Tim up, when the front opens. Puffy eyes, red snotty nose. Damian stares, moving away and letting them in. Bruce just nods at him, letting him guide him towards Tim's bedroom.

Jason is sitting on the bed next to Tim's. He only bites his lip when he sees them both coming in, Damian having quickly left as soon as they reached the room.

Bruce watches him leave the book he had on his hands over the side table, helping him throw the bed cover away. Slowly, carefully, Bruce lays his son in bed. If Tim was awake, he will forever be thankful for allowing him this moment. Once Tim is fully tucked in, he places one last kiss over his head. He ignores the youthful smile.

He debates a second if just leaving, but decides best.

He turns to Jason. The man is sitting on his bed, frowning at the floor. Bruce sees him flinch and look up when he walks to him. Big green, scared eyes look up. When Bruce leans, he closes his eyes as if getting ready for impact. It pains Bruce, but there will be another time to dwell on it. He grabs Jason's face with one hand, and presses his lips on his son's forehead. He sees how Jason's eyes open in surprise, filling themselves with tears.

Bruce steps back, the softest smile he can muster with the way his chest is crushing. "Good night, Jaylad" Once his son nods at him, he retreats from the room.

Damian is standing against the wall, arms behind his back. He slowly lifts his head when Bruce closes the bedroom door.

"Baba..."

Bruce shakes his head and walks to him, combing his hair away from emerald eyes. "I'm not mad, dear. I know my sons."

"But-"

"We'll talk about it tomorrow." Damian nods "Though... I'm curious."

He tilts his head. Damian swallows, cheeks tinting red as he looks away. "Kent heard us entering the house. He... Scolded us."

Bruce can't help the laughter. He covers his head at the betrayed expression of his son. "Is that why..."

"It was humiliating" the teen grumbles "But incredibly fair"

Bruce nods, and pushes his back.

"We... Are still leaving together?"

Bruce can only stare in disbelief "Damian!" He kneels down "Of course we are! Whet do you think? That I'll leave you behind?"

Damian shrugs "No, but..." He smirks "It feels nice to hear you say it"

Bruce rolls his eyes, standing up. "Move, little troll. Let's get some sleep"

Damian starts quickly walking away, suddenly stopping and turning around.

"He's a good dad" Bruce blinks at him. A mischievous smile on the kid's face "I approve of him"

Bruce is left gaping at Damian's back. The kid passes a completely red faced man, entering the shared room they have.

He is about to apologize, when Clark finally looks up, and Bruce can't help to think he looks adorable all flustered over a teen's words.

Quickly, before regrets hits him, he surrouds Clark's shoulders in a hug, inhaling once, before pushing himself away.

"Thanks" he smiles, moving away.

He opens his door and enters the room. Leaving Clark outside to arrange his thoughts, alone with the walls.

--

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