#smalltown!reader obsession

Bruce is already obsessed with Reader.

That was his baby. He knew about them first and only gave them up because he couldn’t be Batman with a newborn.

Plus, Momma wasn’t one of the worst women he dated.

Yes, she was petty, keeping Reader selfishly and never sharing Reader with Bruce. But, she loved Reader, was mentally stable, and she was not some uptight socialite.

(Bruce considered proposing to her after he found out about Reader, but tossed that idea to the side once he realized that wasn’t rational.)

Bruce is mostly struggling with his jealously over a dead man.

Daddy.

Bruce wants what he had with Reader. Wants that bond so desperately.

That unconditional love and respect a child has for their parent.

Totally missing the fact that he avoids Reader because he can’t stand the thought of Batman tainting them, therefore neglecting that bond he desperately craves.

In fact, when Jason died, Reader was part of the reason he kept being Batman.

He deluded himself into thinking he was making Gotham safer for Reader. (Gotham is too dangerous. And, after Jason ‘died’, Bruce couldn’t stand the thought of Reader suffering the same fate.)

Bruce would indulge in his obsession, occasionally out of paranoia.

Once a year, specifically on Reader’s birthday, he would go full throttle detective stalker mode on Reader’s life.

Every social media post, search history, school records, medical records, etc.

For one day a year he would hunt everything digital or printed desperate to know his child and make sure they were safe.

And after, he’d delete everything from the hardware on the BatComputer.

He wouldn’t save anything out of fear that someone could discover something about Reader.

Someone could hack his computers. There could be no links that would connect Reader to him, and especially not to Batman.

Alfred would encourage this occasionally indulgence. Bruce would verbally share and show Alfred everything before erasing it.

Alfred cares deeply for Reader.

To him, Reader is the part of his family that heals the old wounds and the loss. Seeing them thrive, even at a distance, fills him with hope and relief.

Now, when Reader’s parents died Bruce’s (and Alfred’s) first thought was not that he finally had a chance to have Reader to himself.

It definitely was the second, though.

Bruce feels even more connected to Reader, because they both lost loving parents.

But, Bruce is so damn jealous of one of those dead parents.

Bruce also is trying to help Reader fit in with the Gotham elite, since it seems like Reader wants that based off of their Gotham Academy friends.

Buying couture designer clothing, a fancy car, and other little things.

Don’t worry though, he realizes that’s not how it works.

First one obsessed with Reader, after Bruce and Alfred, is Jason. He’s pissed about it too. Initially, he made note to despise reader on principle.

Reader is Bruce’s favorite. Bruce cares so much about Reader that he would literally keep them away for their safety. While it seems everyone else in Bruce’s life Jason suffers for being close to him. Bruce obviously knows he destroys everyone he brings into his life. Yet he still keeps dragging people into it without any care. What if he does that to Reader, too?

But, the Smalltown charm mixed with a sweet smile instantly broke him. Instantly.

Problem is, Jason’s pit-madness triggers easily and sometimes comes out as cute aggression. And, to him, reader is fucking adorable. The darker thoughts in his head tell him to corrupt and break reader. But, his rational thoughts remind him how precious Reader is and how he doesn’t actually want to hurt them. He’s at a constant state of internal conflict.

Remembering how his father treated his step Mother also makes Jason feel extreme guilt over how he sees Reader. Pre-pit Jason would have found Reader cute and charmed them. But, Post-pit Jason finds reader cute and wants to fucking ruin them.

It doesn’t help that reader snarks back. Making them even more adorable in his eyes. And, making him want to pin them to the fucking wall.

When he finally blows up at Reader, that’s him channeling his frustration into his words. Slamming his fist into the wall, breaking things. He wants to slam Reader into the wall and fucking break them. Because if he did what his madness was telling him to do, Jason would never forgive himself.

Bruce confronting him allowed him to change outlets and get the rage out. Yelling at Bruce and destroying the room helped ease the madness. But, after the incident, he takes to avoiding reader or only being around when he has someone to hold him back and take the heat off Reader.

Damian is so similar to his father and Tim in the way he sees Reader, his blood sibling. But, only after he realizes his mistake in pushing them away. He is one of the many that refuse to like reader on principle, yet the one of the quickest to fall into the obsession after the realization hits.

Damian has always thought of himself as the blood-son. Though, he’d grown less fanatical than he once was about it. It became his way of reassuring himself whenever he falls short of being Robin, or he can’t seem to live up to his own high standards. He’s the blood son, he is family. Bruce won’t abandon him. He’s worthy. He has a cemented place here.

His training and time with the League of Assassins caused him develop this need to constantly proof himself. Which still influences his behavior despite the family working to pull him from that unhealthy mindset. It’s still there, buried deep, and the fact that he was Bruce’s only biological child helped him keep that mental state at bay.

Finding out about the existence of Reader made that believe falter. Worse yet, Reader coming to join the family ripped that coping mechanism right out of his hands.

Bruce didn’t even know Damian existed until Thalia just dropped him off, and everything he and Bruce had took effort and time and so much work.

Yet, Reader instantly got it all. With no work, no fight, no blood, no sweat, no choking back tears because god forbid he cries. Reader had Bruce first. Reader had what he fought so desperately for.

That’s what stung. Damian was less concerned about being replaced as Robin, he had earned that title. But, he was concerned about being replaced as Bruce’s child. He no longer felt he had that exclusive connection to Bruce.

Damian can’t help but take it out on Reader. Yes, he has grown a lot of a person since coming to live with Bruce. But, Reader was just so fragile and weak and frustrating. It brought back a lot of old negative feeling he had thought he moved past. It didn’t help that Reader seemed to always be trying to squirm their way into his life. What more did they want to take from him? They’re nothing like him, or Bruce. Or anyone in this family. They don’t belong.

It isn’t until that night in the Kitchen, when they offer food the peace-offering to Damian, that he realizes he may have been wrong. That expression, that cold look, that had appeared on Reader’s face had look startlingly like Batman Bruce.

And, when the stopped attempting to talk to him, to wriggle their way into his life, he could shake the wrongness of it. Of course, his pride told him he had won and, for a while, he felt satisfied.

Until that phone call. Reader was always talking on that damn phone. Clinging to it like a lifeline. A weakness.

Damian overhead the conversation Reader was having with their other half-brother. The gentle reassuring tone. The unconditional love and care. Things he had craved. Things he sees other people have that he’ll never admit he wanted.

At first, he assumed it was a lover they were talking to. That love between family members still being a slightly foreign concept to him. But, when Reader confirmed it was their brother, something in him clicked with realization.

He wanted that. And, worse yet, he could’ve had that. But, Reader was now giving him that blank look. One of a stranger. Their walls had come up. They were no longer allowing Damian access to what they had previously offered him. How dare you withhold it? That affection is mine.

Of course, he’s disappointed. In himself and with Reader. He finally realizes that Reader had just been offering that love to him and he’d stubbornly foolishly refused. It’s not his fault, he didn’t know. It’s not his fault.

Ironical enough, Tim was the second to fall into obsession with Reader. Even after he made mental note to ignore everything about them.

As someone who felt like his place wasn’t secure in the family and had to deal with Damian taking up the Robin mantel, he was not happy about their newest member. Especially after he concluded that they were already Bruce’s favorite and with no damn effort on their part. Tim wasn’t even his parent’s favorite and he was an only child.

Tim was intent on ignoring them, that he forewent researching them or their background. They weren’t worth the trouble, the time, the effort, the attention. He had more important things to focus on. Like Gotham crime cases, patrol, staring up at his ceiling and counting the lint flying through the air. Much more important things than Reader.

However, when he has to see Reader interact with their Childhood Crush, something sparks. Maybe it’s the initial challenge. That this guy knows something he doesn’t. Maybe it’s the way Reader was so grateful to see this guy. Maybe it was because Tim was finally seeing Reader after ignoring them so long. Maybe it’s because he was curious. Or maybe it’s because he desperately wants.

But, what made it stick is the drive. That simple drive to the airport.

All his life, Tim has felt like a voyeur to other people’s lives. And, he’s accepted that. It’s something he’s grown comfortable with. Almost everyone he has interacted with he has studied and researched. Trying to find the best way to approach them and intergrate himself into their lives. It’s just how he cares. Always the observer. Always wanting.

Reader, a person he deemed unworthy of the efforts and one of the few he didn’t bother to study, instantly makes a place for him. All he had to do was jump in the back of a truck and it was like he belonged. A spot was instantly made for him. No extra research needed.

Of course, Childhood Crush tried to exclude him, he could tell what the guy’s plan was the moment he got in the truck. But, Reader still didn’t ignore him. Still chatted with him. Asked him what he thought. Personally shared their thoughts and feelings. Without him having to study the answers or the right things to say.

It’s was gratifying to be included and have a Tim shaped spot so easily made before his eyes. He got a taste of what it’s like to be willfully included. And, he’s not planning on letting it go.

Cassandra, being the first of the family to introduce herself to reader, surprisingly doesn’t fall into obsession with Reader right away.

Of course, she’s charmed by them. Noting how raw and open they are in top of being easy to read. Even though she can sense the grief in them.

But, they’re just a normal friendly person to her. They give her space when she needs it and is always happy to see her when she does come around. It’s a nice friendship.

She hardly had any negative feelings towards Reader joining the family. It was easy for her to accept. Just another person in their life. Besides, Reader was physically harmless, even if they did have an apparent secret. Which they do. But Cassandra has learned that people need to have their secrets. She isn’t really as paranoid as Bruce about things.

She actually happy with how much love Reader supposedly gets from Bruce. She can tell Bruce loves his child and cares deeply for them. She’s, surprisingly, not envious. Being more of an observer herself, it gives her some satisfaction to see Reader be loved.

Cass’s obsession starts later into Reader’s time at the manor. More specifically, when her and Duke get back from that long mission.

She can almost instantly tell Raader suspects them for having a secret. It’s the fact that Reader decides it’s not to press the issue because they’re more concerned with Cassandra’s well being, that touches her.

It’s also completely different from how Bruce and some of the other’s treat her. Instantly jumping solving whatever mystery there is. Unable to let things rest, even for a moment. Always suspicious, always suspect.

Cassandra just wants a moment to breathe.

Duke was one of the few in the family to not be pissed about Reader joining. He doesn’t see Bruce as a Father figure and knows Bruce doesn’t want Reader involved in things. Initially he wanted to be the first one to introduce himself to reader.

He’s a Gotham native and was curious.

Cassandra, however, beat him to it.

But, he and Reader, when finally introduced, just click. Reader is approachable and willing to converse, and talking to them feels like he’s back to how things were before he got involved in vigilante work. They remind him of the rare moments of peace Gotham sometimes has amidst all the insanity and chaos.

Reader is also finding themselves in a situation where they lose their parents and everything they’ve previously had. While being left to cope on whatever way they can. Similar to how Duke’s parents were taken Jokerized and his whole life being turned upside down.

It’s just, coping in a Gotham usually involves putting on a costume or a Kevlar suit and punching someone in the face. Which no one of the family is going to allow Reader to do. Duke also agrees with this mindset, wanting to keep his new friend safe and understanding how difficult this life can be.

Especially after Cassandra and him get back from their long mission.

It’s nice to be welcomed back by someone normal. Reader checks on them him, but when he doesn’t want to talk about it they jump right into what he missed at school. The upcoming dance. Everything drama related. It’s nice. It’s normal. It’s a brief moment of respite.