The Birds Who Smile, a Batman fanfic by Raberba girl
Chapter 23.2 (rough draft 2)
The only reason Bruce didn't run off to Wayne Tower or something was because he owed his children some things. When Cassandra woke up and seemed more energetic than she had been in the past couple of days, he pulled her aside and asked quietly, "Cass, I've been doing something with the boys... Well, things got thrown off Tuesday night, but I- That is, it's your turn, if you're feeling up to it..."
She patted his arm, and he realized that all she was probably getting was something like, 'I feel awkward and uncomfortable.' He took a deep breath. "Cassandra, tonight is your...your Dad Night. Or tomorrow night, if you prefer. If there's anything you'd like me to do with you, tell me what it is, and we'll do it together."
She cocked her head. "Together? Batman and Orphan?"
"No, I mean - for fun. Play. You and me, tonight. If that's all right. ...What would you like to do together for fun?"
Her eyes lit up. "Yes?!"
"Yes. Whatever you like."
"Dance! I dance, you dance!" Then she frowned and looked down at her wheelchair. "No."
Bruce internally winced. "Well, we can certainly dance when you're healed up. Is there anything else you would like to do this time?"
Cass thought for a while. Then she said decisively, "Dance. You and Dick. I watch."
"You want...to watch Dick and me dance together?"
She shrugged. "Anyone. With you."
That was when he saw her point. Dick was the only one he could tolerate dancing with without dying of embarrassment. With his easygoing, openly affectionate eldest child, he would only be slightly incapacitated by embarrassment. "Ah. Dick and me, then."
She smiled.
"After dinner."
"Yes. I am happy." She patted him, and he gave her a small smile back.
o.o.o
Bruce was a little hesitant to ask because Dick had been in such a terrible mood lately, but the young man actually brightened up at the proposal. When he kissed the birds goodbye quite cheerfully and left them in the living room with the others, Bruce realized that he was glad to have a break.
"So, wait, Cass is getting a Dad Night, and Dami had a Dad Night, and Tim, and Duke? When's my Dad Night?" Dick demanded playfully as they headed for the ballroom.
"Tomorrow," Bruce mumbled. "Or the day after, if Duke's feeling better - I still owe him two motorcycles."
"Wait, I really do get a Dad Night?!"
"I am your father, too," Bruce said defensively. He'd never been successful in officially adopting Dick before the boy had reached adulthood, but Richard Grayson was certainly his son in spirit. Or at least...that was how he felt. He wasn't entirely certain of Dick's opinion.
To his relief, the young man simply gave him that 'My heart has been pierced by an arrow of familial love!' expression that was usually reserved for when his little brothers were openly nice to each other or otherwise made him proud. "Awww. Bruce. You mean you'd really go out and karaoke with me while we're dressed like Superfam cosplayers?"
Bruce made a strangled sound. At the look on his face, Dick burst into laughter.
"At somewhere like Akiko's," Bruce managed to say, "and I will not cosplay. You can wear whatever you want."
Dick stopped dead. "Wait, seriously? SERIOUSLY?! You'll really do karaoke with me?!"
"Japanese-style only," Bruce grumbled.
Dick's entire face lit up, just like Cassandra's had earlier (she was currently watching them with a wide smile on her face). This Dad Night thing had been a good idea. "Bruce! Bruuuuuce!" He glomped Bruce, who rocked back a step to keep his balance. "Aaawww!" Dick was all but skipping as they continued setting up in the ballroom. "Akiko's hasn't rebuilt yet, but there's a place in Blüdhaven that's the same kind of deal. Aw, this is gonna be so awesome, can I bring Dami, too? Can I bring Cass and Tim? Can I bring EVERYONE?!"
Because of course Dick Grayson's idea of spending time with his dad included as many other people as he could get away with.
Bruce sighed deeply. "Family only, and only the ones who want to. No wheedling or bribery allowed."
"Awwwwww, this is gonna be awesooooooooome!" Dick made a sharp clap with his hands as if to shift gears, and started undulating toward the laughing Cassandra. "But tonight's all about the li'l sis! I will dance for you so hard, girl~ Haha oops that came out a little dirty; gonna do the sliiide, gonna do the tango-o-o~ gonna do the hoedown or the Macarena or whatever the heck you want, boss!" He was dancing as he spoke, swirling around his sister's wheelchair in little demonstrations of each suggestion, and she was holding her stomach trying to get her laughter under control.
Dick abruptly straightened and then bowed like a gentleman. "My lady, may I have this dance?"
Cass nodded, grinning in anticipation, and Dick grinned back as he hoisted her into his arms. He began humming as he spun and twirled, and Cass laughed in delight, particularly when he dipped her. He finally came to a stop and posed, prompting appreciative applause from his 'dance partner.'
"Good! Love you, Dick!"
"Love you too, Cassie~" he crooned as he set her back in the chair.
She smiled and pointed. "You and Bruce."
"That's right, old man!" Dick said brightly, straightening. "This is a team effort, here!"
"Just start the music," Bruce said in resignation, wishing he could just enjoy watching his children dance together without having to ruin it.
Dick picked the first song, and a swift, insistent beat started pounding out of the hidden speakers. Cass watched admiringly as Dick waved his arms in the air and moved his body as if his joints were made of silicone.
Bruce slowly raised his arms and started to twitch his hips. One second later, he dropped his arms again and said flatly, "I can't do this."
Cassandra looked at him in concern, then raised the remote and clicked the sound off. Dick stopped dancing and looked around in confusion.
Bruce stood there for a minute, concentrating mostly on trying to keep his body language from broadcasting any undue distress. He wanted, genuinely wanted to make his daughter happy, but this...he couldn't do it.
Dick approached and set a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry," he said gently. "I should have let you pick."
Bruce eyed him.
"I should have known, you're being so awesome lately, but you still have your limits. I'm sorry," Dick said sincerely. "Cass, you don't care how we dance, right?"
She silently indicated with her hands, "You and you that I love, together. Good."
When Bruce still hesitated, Dick smiled and set Bruce's hand on his waist and took up his other hand so that they were in a traditional ballroom pose. "Don't worry, I'll be the girl."
Bruce tried very hard not to laugh. When he made a small, experimental nudge, Dick readily bowed to his lead. Although it was silent, Bruce felt the tension easing out of his body as they waltzed, Dick so comfortable with the situation that Bruce almost forgot he was dancing with a grown man to no music in front of a (tiny, but existing) audience. He focused instead on the familiar steps, the kind of dancing he had learned from his parents so long ago, the kind he could do in his sleep.
"4/4," he murmured, and their steps shifted seamlessly. He began to sing, and Dick went from affectionate half-smiling to outright beaming. "[*censored because FFN is stupid*]..."
Though Bruce was leading the actual dancing, Dick somehow seemed to be leading the mood, and through their combined efforts, the performance was friendly and playful - Bruce didn't even feel like he was singing a romantic song. Dick showed off, pretended to flirt, exaggerated, mimed, and basically had the time of his life. Bruce opened up in response, his voice growing in volume and enthusiasm, and...and he hadn't had this much simple, innocent fun since Dick had been a child. He could feel how big his own smile was, it was a little disconcerting.
Dick was singing along now, at least whenever he wasn't laughing. "[*censored because FFN is stupid*]...!"
o.o.o
She is excited. Bruce has never given Her the gift of Her own time before. His time, occasionally, teaching Her things or learning from Her and practicing with Her, patrolling with Her. But tonight, he says, "[This time-to-come, yours and mine, whatever you wish.]" It is very precious, and She loves him very much.
She worried at first that Dick would be unhappy to shoulder yet another burden, yet it is the opposite - his frustration/fury/grief slips from him at once, and he comes to them eagerly. A bit of that sadness remains, but he hides it, buries it under the relief of being wanted, of getting to play without poor terrified little ones constantly telling him how inadequate and useless he is. (They don't say it on purpose, but from how he reacts, She knows that's what he hears.)
They go to the huge dancing room, the one She wishes She could fill with happy people on those loud, glittery nights, rather than the bound-tight, fearful, vicious, cold ones Bruce always has to invite instead. Tonight, it is Her dancing room, and there are not many to fill it with, but the ones She does have are happy and sweet. This room will be filled with joy the way it deserves.
Even before they reach it, Bruce starts saying, "[Awkward shy I love you, want to give to you]," and Dick shrieks, "[EXCITED SO HAPPY I LOVE YOU SO MUUUUCH!]" It's beautiful. She asked for the right thing.
"FOCUS," Dick orders himself, then dances around Her in anticipation. "[I give I give I give~ What do you want, beloved?]"
Then they dance, and it's wonderful. Not what She expected, but She can feel in Dick's body, the affectionate way he holds Her and the joy in his movements and on his face, that he has laid down his burdens for a little while and is happy to be free, happy to share his delight with Her. She feels cherished, and She feels like part of something bigger than Herself, that She's not alone, that She will never be as long as She is close to those who love Her and are loved by Her.
It finally ends, and the wheelchair doesn't feel as confining as it did before. She's too full of emotion to try to speak, but Dick understands when She says, "You're supposed to dance together with Bruce-him, silly!"
They get it wrong at first. She and Dick are so happy, they forget that it's more difficult for Bruce. He's so disappointed with himself, he feels like a failure, She is horrified that She asked more of his gift than he was able to give, but Dick understands.
Dick calms, reorients. She sees a small glimpse of that hidden sadness, and of relief that at least here, he is not useless, that this bit of brokenness is one he is able to mend.
The next bit She doesn't quite understand, when Dick prompts Bruce to hold him a particular way. Yet it is a silent communication of some sort, because Bruce relaxes a little. Dick says, "See? We will do this instead, I know you like it better," and Bruce does.
They dance again, and this time it is not one person crying out exuberantly, it is a conversation.
"Submit to me?" Bruce asks, very quiet and hesitant, and Dick's affirmative is instant and comfortable.
They move, Bruce gaining confidence, and nostalgia touches him. Dick's new slight boredom is covered with affection, and they dance on in the brimming silence.
"Yes, this is good, steady and understandable and friendly, it was good then, and it is good now..."
"Bored~ bored~ Love you, Bruce, I could do this in my sleep~"
Then Bruce murmurs something, and their dancing shifts as smoothly as a seal sliding into water. Dick's interest is piqued, "Something? More interesting~? Curious, happy!"
There is a very, very slight hint of mischief in Bruce. And then...and then he opens his mouth, and makes his voice BEAUTIFUL.
Dick is not astonished like She is. She has never heard Bruce sing with his mouth before, but Dick must have, because he's not surprised. Yet he is delighted, and all trace of boredom has vanished.
They dance together like two halves of a whole, Bruce leading, hinting, nudging, Dick catching each direction instantly, no matter how small. He whirls each move into his own, he and his father swaying and bending and twirling (well, it's Dick who does most of the twirling). Bruce's strong, steady grace matches perfectly with Dick's joyful expression.
"So happy, so happy," Bruce is crooning with his body now, all weary sadness forgotten, bits of playfulness and color in his bodily voice that She had not known were ever a part of him. Dick's sadness- or, maybe not sadness, but something very like it, is fighting more strongly now for some reason, but he is so euphoric that he ignores it. He dances on, throwing care to the winds as he trusts his father to direct their communion, just like he flings himself off buildings to fly without worrying first about how to catch himself. This symphony of love and partnership is one of the most beautiful things She has ever seen.
It draws to a close at last, and Her happiness and contentment are reflected in Bruce. Dick smiles back, delighted but very tired. He goes to sit down, and Bruce brings some water for then all to drink, then he sits down himself and pats Her hand. "Did you like that, Cassandra?"
"Yes, very," she tells him gladly.
"It was a good idea. Thank you for ~~."
They talk a little more, Bruce is saying something about songs She does not know, and then there's a thump. She realizes, horrified, that She was wrong, so wrong. It was not sadness fighting to steal Her brother's delight, it was illness, and he now lies where he fell at their feet, not quite conscious.
TBC
A/N: Japanese karaoke is cool because you can book a private room with your friends and have a little party, so it's not nearly as embarrassing and stressful as having to sing to strangers in a bar.
It was bothering me that in the previous draft, Cass wasn't really directly involved in her own Dad Night. Then breezy-cheezy sketched a comic for this fic where Dick was managing to dance with Cass despite her injured legs, and I decided to use it as inspiration to fix the story.