There are many things that Jason had to be taught to be so that he could Robin. There would also have been many things he would need to know to be Bruce Wayne's ward. No reason why the family couldn't have fun teaching though.
I own nothing that belongs to DC.
Jason Todd, the newest Robin, Bruce Wayne's ward, sat on the floor of the ballroom of Wayne Manor with his back against the wall his eyes wide with wonder. When Bruce had informed him that there would be dancing at the Wayne Foundation's Winter Gala in a few weeks and that he would be expected to dance he thought it was a huge joke. Unfortunately, it wasn't.
Dick had informed him that it wouldn't be so bad. Dancing skills would help his fighting skills. He couldn't imagine that they would. Sure, Babs and Selina seemed to use them but he wasn't a girl. It didn't matter though he was here, in the ballroom, for the first of his dance lessons.
It wasn't quite what he expected so far. Bruce was late coming back to the manor and he was picking up Barbara so it was just him, Dick, and Selina in the ballroom. Dick had pulled Selina out on to the dance floor when they had first entered the room declaring that they were going to warm up while they waited for Bruce and Babs to arrive. Now the room pulsed with music and the dancers on the floor spun wildly around one another.
To say Jason was impressed was putting it mildly. Everything they did seemed timed to the music and yet completely effortless. He was so engrossed watching the performance in front of him he didn't notice Bruce and Babs come in.
"Showoff." Jason jumped slightly at the sound of Babs' voice.
"Which one?" Bruce questioned with a small smile.
"Both of them." Barbara shot back.
"Care to dance, Miss Gordon?" Bruce held out a hand.
"I would love to, Mr. Wayne." Babs placed her hand in Bruce's and he led her out to the floor.
Jason had suppressed the snicker at the thought of Bruce on the dance floor next to amazing couple he had been watching up to that moment. He was sure that Bruce could dance fairly well for his playboy persona but it would be sad in comparison to what Dick and Selina could do.
Jason's jaw dropped as Bruce snapped Barbara out into a spin and brought her back tight to his body. They settled right into the beat of the song without missing a step.
"Hey!" Dick was indignant. "Stealing my girl!"
"Stole mine first." Bruce shot back.
"You weren't here and she was lonely." Dick grinned. "Besides, she likes me."
Selina and Babs rolled their eyes as they passed each other.
"Why do we put up with them?" Babs questioned.
"They're pretty and we like to dance." Selina laughed.
"Oh yeah. I knew there was something." Babs laughed with her. "Trade?"
At Selina's nod the men spun their partners out toward each other. Jason was sure they would crash together but they simply twirled past each other and into the arms of their new partner continuing to dance.
Alfred came in a few moments later with a tray of bottled water placing it on a small table next to where Jason sat.
"Are you enjoying the show Master Jason?" The butler arranged things to his satisfaction.
"They're amazing, Alfred! Who knew Bruce could do that?" Jason gestured to the dancers.
"Are you really paying attention? What do you see when you watch them?" The old man watched the young boy's face patiently. Jason stared at him confused then looked back at the dancers.
It took him a few moments and then he began to see it. Bruce lifted Selina up but she jumped slightly first and her core muscles clenched. She balanced herself properly while she was in the air. It wasn't Bruce's strength alone that kept her there. She spun in the air as he brought her down and landed somehow on her feet. His eyes moved to Dick and Babs. Dick flipped Babs up and over his shoulder, caught her as she fell down his back, and pulled her around his side. It looked she hadn't done anything but Jason had caught the bracing of her arm, the clench of core muscles, and the swing of her legs. It was teamwork and trust. The dancing, the flashiness was for fun, but it was still about teamwork and trust. Each of them knew their part, counted on their partner to know his or hers, to make the dance fun and not dangerous. They also had to communicate with body language; the men letting the women know what they were going to do next with only a second or two of notification. Even when Selina and Babs traded places they had to be aware of exactly where the other was because there was virtually no room between them. All of this translated into the field.
"All of this is a training exercise?" Jason looked back up at Alfred.
"No. Not at all." Alfred smiled at the boy. "This is fun. This is for family. Anything that translates to the field is merely a side benefit. However, I wanted you to take note of them. I thought perhaps if you could use the training you already have and adapt it to dancing it might help with your lessons."
Jason nodded slowly. The dancers abandoned the floor at that moment headed straight for the bottles of water.
The dance lesson was much more fun than Jason had anticipated. Taking Alfred's advice he was able to use his skills and lessons as Robin to help learn the basic dances that the others felt he needed. Breaks were taken during which he got demonstrations from the others. Dick and Babs did an amazing Salsa. The Tango that Dick heckled Bruce into doing with Selina was a thing of beauty.
When the afternoon ended Jason was pretty happy with day. He still had to practice but both Babs and Selina would take turns making sure he did. He wouldn't embarrass the family at the stupid gala. He had fun, though, just fun. Bruce had laughed and relaxed. Bruce, The Batman, could Tango. Who knew? There had been family time. Now everyone was getting showered and changed to go out for dinner at the restaurant of his choice. It was a pretty perfect day.
MOUNT JUSTICE
TWO MONTHS LATER
Robin sat on the couch trying not to fall asleep. He was exhausted from the mission and just wanted to go back to the Cave. If Nightwing and Batgirl would just finish up whatever they were doing they could leave. He kept zoning in and out on whatever Wally was saying about old movies he'd seen on TV recently.
"-so he tangos! Schwarzenegger tangos! I couldn't believe it."
"Why not? Batman tangos. Why can't Schwarzenegger?" Robin mumbles.
"….Dude. Batman does not tango." Wally broke the stunned silence in the room.
"Yep. With Catwoman. It's amazing." Robin yawned and promptly dropped off to sleep.
Nightwing and Batgirl walked into to the lounge of the mountain to find the rest of the team gaping at Robin. Wally turned to Nightwing both hands clasped in front of him as if he was praying.
"Please tell me it's true. Please." He begged.
"Ummm, tell you what's true?" Nightwing felt an uncomfortable itch between his shoulder blades and just knew whatever that it was had something to do with his sleeping brother.
"That Batman tangos." Wally sounded like he'd found the ultimate prize at the bottom of his cereal box.
Nightwing wanted to strangle Robin. It wouldn't solve the problem but it will make him feel better. It'd probably be a less painful death than what Batman would have in store for the kid anyway. He looked past Wally to the eager faces of the Team, so not feeling the aster. Batgirl stepped in to handle the problem just at that moment.
"Sure he does." She smirked. "He meets up with The Joker during the full moon on the tallest skyscraper in Gotham and they go wild."
The faces of the Team fell in disappointment. Nightwing walked to the couch and hauled his still sleeping brother to his feet. Robin twitched and mumbled but wasn't fully awake as he stumbled in front of them towards the Zeta Tube. It was Batgirl who jarred him fully out of sleep.
"You are in so much trouble." She hissed in his ear.
Robin snapped awake. His head whipped around to look at her. "Wha? What did I do?"
"The Batman tangos ring a bell?" He felt the glare through her lensed mask.
"No. No I wouldn't." He protested weakly but the glare didn't stop. He looked at Nightwing who gave a small shake his head. Robin groaned. Nightwing sighed and pushed the teen into the Zeta Tube.
The kind of dancing that the family engaged in for Jason's lesson is not the kind they would do in public. While they would all be better than average dancers because it fits their public personas there is very little reason for Bruce to be doing the tango in public. Certainly not the caliber of tango he and Selina would have put on for their demonstration.
