If anyone told Bruce five years ago he'd be a family man, he would laugh and direct them to Arkham. It was an unexpected and strange turn of events that led him to this place. But he didn't regret a thing. Even the fact that his ancestral home was ruined. It was for the better, the burden of revenge and responsibility was crushing him to the ground.
Now, with kids and new responsibilities he had st enough to keep him busy, keep him useful, but still was free enough to enjoy life.
Plus, Alfred was ecstatic when they adopted. It all turned out suspiciously well…
Jogging down the stairs he smiled to himself. Life was good.
The fridge was wide open, as was the back entrance to the house. He shook his head.
"Ace, close the door," Bruce commanded the dog. "Kids, Bane is upstairs, so remember our talk yesterday, okay? No one but Mommy, him and me can enter the study," he took a bottle of juice from the boys straining hands and poured him and his sister a drink.
"Ok, Dad," said Tim. Cassie nodded.
"Sel should be here soon with your aunt. I need to make dinner. Would you guys help me?"
"Yes!" the boy shouted. His sister smiled and nodded fervently.
"Let's wash our hands, then."
They were in the middle of preparing the ingredients for the sauce when Bane came down to join them.
"May I be of any help?"
Cassie patted the stool beside the one she was sitting at, gesturing for him to join her.
"Would you cut the vegetables?" Bruce asked without turning and looking.
"But of course." Bane gallantly bowed before the girl and winked at her before he took the offered seat. She giggled, noiselessly, and went back to peeling carrots.
It was a pasta dish, one that didn't require much work. They were done in a flash, just in time to hear the car pull up the driveway when they let the sauce to simmer.
"Mommy's home!" Tim shouted excitedly and ran out of the kitchen to the yard. Ace and Cassie closely followed.
"Showdown," Bruce muttered, going after the kids. Bane trailed him, without a word, stopping at the threshold to survey the scene before his eyes.
The dog was ecstatic, running circles around the group, stopping from time to time to lick Selina's hands or to bark with excitement. He even sprinted to Bane once or twice, trying to engage him as well, begging to be pet.
Selina's cousin chatted pleasantly with the family. Bane noticed she crouched to greet Cassie, who nervously bit her thumb and kept shyly peeking at her new aunt from under the lace of her hair. Tim talked animatedly, no doubt mouthing about everything that happened from the moment Selina left to the airport. Bruce unpacked the suitcases from the trunk of the car.
When everything settled a bit, Bane decided to greet the new guest as well. Descending slowly towards the group, he took the chance to get the last look at the woman, unmarred by her words or actions.
She was Selinas height, so quite average for most, and small for Bane. Her dark hair was short, cropped close to the skin at the back, flaring into a wavy fringe at the top of her head. She had an easy smile and an air of brazen confidence around her. The cockiness was perhaps, just an act. He saw defeat in the slump of her shoulders, a flaw she tried to hide.
But when she turned towards him, the impression was gone.
"Bane, meet my cousin," Selina introduced.
There was a glint of surprise at his name, but Bane was long used to that. He took the palm the woman offered and took care not to squeeze her too tightly.
"Victoria Childers," she murmured.
"Bane," he murmured back.
She frowned momentarily and glanced at Selina.
"Just 'Bane'?"
"I have other names, but none as neutral as this one."
"Okay…" Victoria let her voice trail out, underlining her doubt at his words.
"Let's get you settled, shall we?" Bruce interjected. "Dinner will be ready soon."
oOo
While the sauce was simmering, Tim set the table under Bane's watchful eye, and with a little help from the man with heavier dishes. Selina took Victoria upstairs, Bruce and Cassie stayed in the kitchen to feed Ace.
Domestic bliss, Bane thought.
Once upon a time, he was Wayne's greatest rival. They competed on opposite sides of the law, always trying to outsmart the other. But then it turned out, they were both manoeuvred into being enemies. Their mentor pulled all the strings.
When Wayne Manor burned, Bane knew there was nothing left in the organization, that he wanted to be a part of. Not even Talia, Ra's-al-Ghul's daughter, could convince him to stay. He left and focused on himself, for the first time in his life.
To his surprise, Wayne did the same.
Perhaps it wasn't that unexpected, seeing why Bane was staying with his family… The results of the test should turn up in a fortnight or so, and then all would be clear.
"Uncle Bane?" Tims' voice brought him back to the present. "Help me with water? I can't reach."
He took the jug and filled glasses on the table. Just when he was finishing, Wayne came in with a big salad dish.
"I have dressing on the side, especially for you."
Bane paused mid-pour and narrowed his eyes.
"Are you saying I'm fat?" Bane asked flatly.
It was stupid, but the familiarity and domesticity weren't both of their fortes. The tension broke, and Bruce laughed out first.
"Well, there is some gym equipment in the garage..."
"I shall peruse it then if you don't mind."
"Oh, by all means. You look like you need it."
Bane snorted and went after Bruce to the kitchen, to fill up the jug again. Just when he left the dining room he nearly crashed with Victoria, who was jogging carelessly down the stairs.
"Watch out," he warned, putting out a steadying hand on her arm.
She hissed. The muscles beneath Banes' palm spasmed and she jumped away as if burned.
"Are you injured?"
"None of your business."
With her head ducked low she skirted away to the living room.
Bane looked after her for a second. There was no need to rush, all questions he might have about her would be answered eventually. He had enough time to untangle every thread of her being and examine it, lined up neatly before him.
It was a bit curious though, that he already had some cogs working on who was Victoria Childers.
