I do not own Batman or it's characters because if I did, the story would be all about the family.
Logically, Bruce knew that this day would come eventually. He'd just hoped that it wouldn't be today, or tomorrow or any other day if he was being honest. And yet here he was, surrounded by the stunned faces of the Justice League. It had been a mistake, just a random series of events coinciding to reveal one of the Batman's most carefully guarded secrets. The reactions varied from Wonder Woman and Flash's surprised, but smiling, faces to Martian Manhunter's quiet understanding. It seemed everyone was more than a bit shocked to learn that their darkest member, who didn't make a secret of his ambivalence towards them and played by his own rules, had a young child in his care.
Bruce brushes off their stares, their lingering questions and does his best not to show how uncomfortable he is. He feels vulnerable to people he's only just beginning to grudgingly appreciate. Over the past few months, Batman has grown to understand them, as people and heroes, and has slowly come to trust them. That does not mean he wanted to reveal details of his civilian life to these supposed allies, to potentially expose Dick and Alfred to danger.
It should have been simple. The League had gone off on one of it's longer missions. Dick had been exhibiting flu like symptoms just before he'd left, but there was trouble on Mars and the team was needed. Sure enough, when he'd checked in later that night; Dick was in bed with a high fever and cough. During the four days they spent completing the mission, Batman found himself distracted and unusually impatient. The feeling only seemed to intensify every time he called the Manor only to hear Dick whimpering for him the background. Regardless, the task had been successfully completed and they were finally able to embark on the long journey back to the Earth.
On the way back, Bruce contemplated his young charge. Dick had now been living with them for the last six months and Bruce found himself... oddly fond of the boy. It had been a slow process, and certainly not an easy one, but despite everything, he felt lighter with Dick around. Suddenly there was more to life than the mission, now he had other things to worry about like satisfying Dick's ravenous curiosity or trying to get him in bed at a decent hour. He admits to feeling a bit guilty that he had been pulled away by work just as the boy came down with his first illness since coming to the Manor. The anxiousness he feels is unexpected and he decides to reflect on this later while he's making sure Dick is alright. It was these thoughts that keep him preoccupied during the trip when, near the end of their flight, the console phone rings. He frowns, there was only one location has this number. He could just ignore it, but Alfred would only call if there was an emergency.
"This had better be important," he says curtly answering the call. "Is it possible I can call you back in half an hour?" He asks, hoping to end the call quickly as he noted the others leaning forward in anticipation. Usually Alfred was the one who placed calls so he wasn't expecting Dick on the other end of the line. And he certainly wasn't expecting the boy to be crying.
"When are you coming home?" Bruce froze as the childish whine sounded throughout the ship not only startling the other passengers but himself as well. Dick was normally a resilient child, for him to act so out of character his illness must have worsened. He gripped the steering wheel tightly at the thought.
"Are you alright? Are you still feeling unwell?" He questioned, where was Alfred? Why wasn't Dick being taken care of? On the other end, Dick sniffled pathetically and Batman marveled at how much that small sound made him ache. He'd had gunshot wounds that hurt less. Until he'd taken in Dick, he'd never known how much pain children could cause.
"I'm dizzy and my head hurts and I feel sick and achy all over. Alfred said my fever came back but I feel awful and you said you'd be back soon but it's been days and I miss you. When will you come here?" Dick moaned, his lament cut off by a series of wet coughs.
"Shh, you need to calm down," Bruce replied in a soft voice ignoring the surprised expressions on the other Leaguers' faces. They weren't his concern right now. "I will be home in an hour, don't worry. You just need to be brave and wait a little longer." He answered quietly. Luckily, the call had ended shortly therafter when Alfred found the boy and apologized for the interruption before quietly putting him back to bed. But the deafening silence behind him had the more paranoid side of him calculating all the ways the League could hurt him with such damning information.
Naturally, it was the Flash who opened his big mouth first. "Wow, congratulations Bats. Can't wait to meet the wife."
"Really though, how could you leave the poor boy when he was feeling so bad?" Wonder Woman lightly chastised, but she didn't look particularly mad. In fact, she was giving him an almost respectful look.
"I agree, you could have easily conducted your investigation from your home. Young ones need their fathers around to take care of them, especially when they are sickly." Martian Manhunter replied sagely.
They continued to throw out little comments for the final leg of the flight. Once they realized that he wasn't going to answer back, they began to talk amongst themselves. Lantern, who had previously been in something of a stupor, had by now recovered and was chatting loudly with the rest of them.
"Yeah, it's tough enough being a hero, I can't imagine taking care of a little kid on top of that, I can't even keep a house plant alive." He joked with the Flash as the Watchtower came into view and they began their landing procedure. "But kids require care and attention and it seems like Bats is always working on some case so I doubt the kid gets any." Against his will, Bruce's shoulder tensed while Jordan just kept on talking, turning even to address Batman.
"I mean really, what kind of lousy parent leaves their sick kid alone like that? You just dropped him off with a babysitter who can't even watch them properly? I know you're the Dark Knight and everything but kids need love and, buddy, that's not really your-" Batman didn't know or care how the man planned on ending that sentence but Bruce had ended it himself, with his fist. He was breathing heavily from the brutal punch he'd just delivered to the Lantern's jaw feeling a kind of righteous energy in his bones. As the rage faded, he observed the now unconscious hero. The pilot was always trying to rile him up by calling him nicknames and trivializing his lack of powers. But, as much as he'd wanted to, he'd never laid a hand on him before now. So what was different about this time?
Diana moved from her seat and looked over Jordan and not too kindly either, in fact, the entire League appeared to be glaring at the prone Lantern. This was surprising considering he'd just decked the man for seemingly no reason.
"Well, he's unconscious. He might have a jaw fracture but that will heal in time. Maybe it'll teach him to keep his mouth shut next time." She said looking up and giving Batman a small smile. "That was an impressive hit." Flash nodded.
"Yeah really, everyone knows you don't bad-talk someone's kids and you especially don't criticize their parenting. I'd rather fight a legion of villains than deal with a parent accused of treating their kid badly." Martian Munhunter stepped forward with an understanding look. Batman recalled that J'onn once had children of his own on Mars who had been killed in the war. Bruce found himself vaguely uncomfortable that the alien was looking at him with comradery, as if their situations were in any way comparable.
"We can take it from here Batman, I believe you have an important appointment to keep."
A part of him wanted to stay and argue with them. He wanted to explain that they had it all wrong, that Diana should stop sneaking him proud little smiles and J'onn stop looking at him like he's finally found someone who understood. But they did have a point. Regardless of what they believed, Dick has been suffering for days and was now patiently waiting for Bruce to return home and make him feel better. He'd be sure to set the Justice League straight... once Dick was well again.
"We'll do the mission wrap-up in the morning, for now, get that idiot out of my sight." The others just smiled as he opened the door and stalked off of the plane.
"No need to come in tomorrow, a video call will do just as well. And be sure to bring your boy up once he's feeling better. I don't even know him and I like the influence he has on you." Superman called out but Batman didn't respond to his childish baiting. Dick was waiting for him after all, he didn't have any time to waste.
Okay so this was my favorite chapter to write, one because it's the turning point for Bruce realizing his affections and also I love writing the League, like a lot. They're fun to write for, each with their own distinct personalities. So Bruce is finally starting to realize how important Dick is to him and allowing his paternal instincts to surface. But how much further will he go? Tune in next Monday to find out.