Author's note: I do not own Batman or any of the characters involved. They are owned by DC, and their other respective creators and owners. This story is purely for entertainment purposes only. I do not wish to gain profit from this.
I wanted to add a general caution for themes of loss and grieving. Please be mindful while reading if such material is distressing to you.
That's all for now, I hope you enjoy!
Batman: Warmth Among The Storm.
A strong thunderstorm rages over Gotham city. The evening is shrouded with thick, gloomy clouds. The news had advised that everyone should stay indoors due to the powerful winds, heavy downpour and frequent lightning strikes.
And Wayne Manor was no exception.
Inside, The master of the house, Bruce Wayne, stands in front of the large window in his bedroom and watches the storm with his hands behind his back. Lightning flashes across the black sky and thunder roars shortly after, He can feel it's rumblings in his chest and takes a deep breath when it stops.
He then hears a knock at his door. "Come in." He says.
A gentle orange glow begins to fill the room. He looks over and sees his faithful butler, Alfred Pennyworth, enter. The older gentleman is carrying a candle with him.
"Watching the weather, sir?" He asks curiously.
Bruce draws his attention back to the window. "I can't sleep."
"Are you worried about Gotham?" He asks.
Bruce nods.
"I assure you, sir, even if an insane villain attempted to conduct wrongdoing in this weather, nature would provide the appropriate punishment." The orange glow gets brighter as Alfred joins him by the window.
Bruce frowns. "I suppose."
Lightning strikes and thunder rumbles, almost shaking the house with vibrations.
"Quite a ghastly storm..." Alfred comments.
Bruce hums quietly in acknowledgment. He suddenly has the mental image of his Ward, Richard Grayson, scared and alone in his room during the storm. Unease begins to grow inside his chest.
It must be showing on his face, because Alfred arches an eyebrow. "Is something wrong, sir?"
"I should check on Dick..." He turns to leave, but stops when Alfred speaks again.
"I checked on him before I came to see you, sir."
He's ears perk and he looks at Alfred. "How was he?"
"He appeared to be sound asleep."
Bruce breathes a quiet sigh of relief. "That's good..."
Alfred tilts his head. "Were you concerned about something, sir?"
Bruce slowly nods once. "We haven't had weather this bad since he started living here...I didn't know how he would handle it...If it would scare him..."
"Oh, I see..." Alfred says calmly.
"But if he's asleep, then he must be doing okay..." He looks aside and sighs. "I shouldn't get so worked up like that..." He shakes his head.
"It's natural to be concerned, sir. I remember how you were for a while when the weather got bad after the loss of your parents. It's possible the same could be true of our newest addition."
"That's what I'm afraid of...It's been five months now, but the fears and insecurities can still persist...I don't want him to feel alone with those..."
"I understand, sir...I'm sure there would be no harm in checking on him again soon, If it would bring you peace of mind."
His features begin to soften and he gives Alfred a small smile. "Thank you, I think I will."
Another flash of lightning tears through the sky, forcing their attention back to the window.
Bruce waits till the thunder has stopped to speak again. "How soon is too soon?"
Alfred breathes a small laugh. "Maybe a few more minutes, if you can wait that long, that is."
Bruce smirks. "I think I can wait."
"Good..." He smiles. "Is there anything that you may need assistance with before I retire for the evening, Sir?"
"No, I should be fine for tonight...Thank you."
"Then I will be in my room catching up on some reading. If you should happen to need anything, please don't hesitate to ask." He bows respectfully. "I bid you a good evening, Master Bruce."
"And to you as well, Alfred. Enjoy your reading."
Alfred then leaves the room and closes the door behind him. The room grows darker without his candle light. When Bruce is alone, he turns and watches the rain strike against the window harshly.
He glances at the clock. "Just a few more minutes..." He whispers to remind himself.
Richard Grayson lays on his side and holds his arms, Shaking underneath the covers with tears in his eyes. A while ago he heard someone knock on his bedroom door, open it and then close it again not long after. it sounded like Alfred's footsteps, but whoever it was, he was hoping to give the impression that he was already asleep. He just wanted to be left alone at the time…
Another flash of lightning lights up the room. The suddenness of it made him jump. The roaring of the thunder shook the room enough to make loud vibrations along the old walls. Dick could feel it inside his chest, taking his breath away. He curls in on himself tighter. The last time he heard and felt these things was a couple of years ago, Before…
…Before he was left all alone…
He sniffles and wipes his eye with his pajama sleeve. He misses his parents. Things are just so different now…Before, If he ever felt scared or sad, he knew he could tell his mom or dad and they knew what to do or say to make him feel better…But now they can't…And because they can't, he feels the need for comfort even more.
It was getting harder to breathe around the tightness in his chest. The tears that leaked from the corners of his eyes just didn't feel like enough to relieve it.
He sighs as he feels defeated…He thought he was getting better…But right now, the pain refuses to let up, it's digging further and further into his heart and he can't think of how to stop it.
He sits up in his bed and tries to breathe slowly. He sniffles again. He doesn't want to stay in bed anymore, He needs to do something. He slides the covers off and lets his legs dangle over the edge of the bed. He then puts on his slippers, exits the bed and heads out of his room.
As he steps into the hallway, The cold air saps the heat from his body, Causing him to shake further. The draftiness seems to serve as a reminder of how lonely this huge house can be at times...
He then looks over and sees the door to Bruce's bedroom…
"Bruce…" He whispers to himself.
He wonders if the man is still awake…He's usually pretty understanding about this kind of thing and he always makes good company…And right now, Dick feels like he could use some good company...
Bruce looks over at the door when there's another knock. it sounds softer and lower on the door this time. He immediately knows who it belongs to, and it concerns him. "Please, come in." He says in a welcoming tone.
The door opens a little. Bruce isn't surprised to see Dick when he peeks his head in partway. "Are you busy?"
"No, not at all." Bruce assures him.
The boy steps in, there's a light pattering sound when he walks. As the boy gets closer, Bruce is alarmed to see that he appears to have been crying.
Dick stops, his head is downward but he looks up at Bruce. "Um...H-Hi Bruce..." His voice is quiet as the words sound focused out...
Bruce kneels down to be at eye level with the boy. He speaks softly "Hey...Is everything okay?"
Dick didn't respond right away, he looks down. He holds his left arm and fiddles with the sleeve fabric by his elbow. Bruce gives him some time to gather his thoughts…
Lightning flashes and the following thunder was loud between them. Dick looks surprised, then covers his mouth with a shaking hand. It was hard to hear over the thunder, but Bruce was sure he heard a small gasp escape the boy.
It hurts Bruce to see him like this. His face softens."Is the weather bothering you?" He asks quietly.
"Well, Umm…" He nods a little. His whole body is starting to shake. "It…It also reminds me of times when I was scared of thunder and lightning growing up and my Mom and Dad would help me through it." He pauses. "But...But They're...not around anymore." His takes a breath. "And the thought that I can't go to them when I'm scared anymore…it just…I Just…" He pauses, taking a deeper breath. "I-I hate it, I feel like I can't breathe…" Tears glisten as they run down his cheeks. He wipes them away and sniffles. "I…I miss them so much right now, Bruce, I don't know what to do with myself!" He covers his face with his hands and lets out a few painful sounding sobs.
Bruce's heart aches and he groans with sympathy as he listens. He sees now that Dick isn't just scared…He's also deeply hurt…He reaches out and carefully puts his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Dick..." He says in a kind, hushed tone.
Dick slides the heels of his palms to his eyes. His bottom lip quivers. "A-And I…I feel so…So childish! Being afraid of a little thunder like this! I...I thought I outgrew all of that the day I decided to become Robin!"
Although Dick doesn't see it, Bruce gives him a reassuring smile. "I understand…I really do...I've had bad days too...When I feel more vulnerable and easily startled. It's nothing to be ashamed of, Dick. It's natural to have off days, Especially after what you've been through." He whispers.
Dick makes a small, shaky gasp as he tries to breathe. "R-Really?" He peaks a watery eye open at him.
Bruce nods with a gentle hum. Seeing the pain in Dick's eyes is making his chest feel tight, and it's hard to breathe.
"Then um...What do you do when you feel like this?" Dick wipes his eyes so he can look at Bruce with them both.
Bruce makes a steady inhale as he thinks about how to answer. "I…Eventually...Learned to accept that my feelings were simply a part of me," he puts a hand over his heart. "Something inside that was telling me that the pain shouldn't be buried or ignored…but it needs somewhere to go, so it's not locked up inside." He tilts his head downward to the side and looks at the floor. "It's...still not easy for me, but there are times when I need to talk with someone I trust, Like Alfred or Leslie and express what I'm feeling...Other times I might want to be alone, and sometimes I just need to cry." His eyes are drawn back up to the boy, who is listening carefully, but still teary eyed. "I'm not going to be disappointed if the answer is no, but if you need to cry, I'm here for you."
Dick immediately wraps his arms around Bruce's neck and sobs again. He trembles as he begins to cry into his shoulder.
Bruce is surprised at first how quickly Dick took him up on his offer. His face softens and then wraps his arms around the boy and holds him close. Bruce pats him gently on the back and moves one of his hands to the back of his head.
Dick starts to raise his voice as he cries to relieve the pain. The sheer intensity of the boy's plight strikes at Bruce's heart. He sighs and closes his eyes, A tear falls down his face. He gently rubs his hand up and down the boy's upper back. When more tears form in his eyes, he decides to let them fall freely.
The two stay like this for an unknown amount of time and Bruce didn't plan on moving an inch until the boy was calm again…
Once Dick feels calmer, he slumps sideways into Bruce's chest and sighs in relief. He then takes a series of deep breaths to regain his composure. Once he does, he seems to find the strength to speak again. "T-Thank you, Bruce…" He whispers.
"Anytime…" He says in a strained, half whisper. He wasn't sure if the boy was aware that he had cried with him. He then makes a small sniffle of his own, likely shattering any doubt of that. Dick looks up at him curiously before smiling at him kindly. Bruce returns the smile.
it's so quiet that the only sound is the rain constantly hitting the window. After a while of listening to the rain, Dick starts shivering.
Bruce takes notice of how light Dick's pajama fabric is. "Are you cold, Chum?" He asks quietly. Dick nods with a little hum.
Without really thinking, Bruce carefully rubs his hand on Dick's little arm to try and warm him up. He hums as he thinks back to what Alfred and his parents would do when he was cold or scared...Then it hits him. "Would you like something warm to drink?" He asks.
The boy seems to perk up a little. "Oh, Like what?"
The small shift in tone makes Bruce smile. "Tea, warm milk, anything really. What sounds good right now?"
Dick presses his lips together as he thinks. "Hot chocolate would be nice…" There's a small hint of excitement underneath the surface.
Bruce glances at the time and finds that it's still early enough to have the dessert without it keeping either of them up too late. He and the boy stand up. "Alright, let's go down to the kitchen and see what we have...But grab a sweater first."
"Okay." The boy patters over to his room and picks up a sweater from one of his drawers. He puts it on and meets back with Bruce in the hallway.
While on the way to the kitchen, Dick grasps Bruce's hand as they walk. As sweet as it is, Bruce also finds himself very uncomfortable during this...His hand is much bigger than the boy's and his pace doesn't quite match. He doesn't want to hurt him by gripping his hand too tightly or to pull on his arm as they walk.
But while he's considering these things, A flash of lightning comes suddenly. Dick flinches closer towards Bruce and squeezes his hand tightly. When Bruce glances down, he sees a worried look on the side of the boy's face. Bruce squeezes his hand a little to assure him that he's there and won't let anything happen to him. The boy looks up at him and they catch each other's eyes.
Dick smiles at him. Bruce feels warm inside just seeing the security and trust on his face. As The Batman, He's used creating fear and terror in others, So he's a little surprised when a small gesture on his part produces that kind of expression. He's not used to this...But he sure likes it.
Once they reach the kitchen, Bruce brings over a tall chair by the kitchen island so Dick can sit down and still be near by while he begins to look through the cabinets. While doing so, he keeps muttering things like "No" and "Not here" under his breath.
Dick quietly watches his own feet dangle off the seat. After another cabinet is closed, he looks over in Bruce's direction. "Um…Bruce? What are you looking for?" He tilts his head at the man.
He closes another cabinet and opens the pantry. "When I was little, Alfred would sometimes make hot chocolate from scratch and other times he would put a packet of powder in hot milk. I was hoping we could use one of those…But it doesn't look like we have any." He closes the pantry and turns to look back at Dick, supporting his lower back on the counter and laying his hands on the edge of it. "I'll be honest with you, Dick…I can't remember the last time we made it in this house…"
Dick feels sad for Bruce at the last sentence and frowns. "Should we ask Alfred for help?"
"Perhaps, but he went to his bedroom to read a while ago, I don't want to disturb him if he fell asleep. He does so much around here, I want to make sure he gets his rest."
Dick nods in understanding. "Well, If he made it before, maybe there's a recipe in one of his cookbooks?"
Bruce makes an uncertain, lopsided smile. "We can...But as a fair warning; I'm afraid I'm not much of a cook…I can't guarantee it'll turn out good."
"Oh, that won't be a problem." The boy says. Bruce tilts his head. "Back at the circus, we all would make some to celebrate a particularly good show. My parents even let me help measure out the ingredients when it was our turn. I'm sure the two of us can figure it out."
Bruce smirks a little more confidently. "Alright then." He starts to check the bookshelf in the kitchen.
After looking through a few books, Bruce smiles to himself triumphantly. "Ah! Here we go." He closes the book and walks over to the counter, showing Dick the cover. "This one looks promising." He says. He puts it on the counter by Dick so they can look through it together. He flips through a few pages and stops at the section on for homemade beverages.
"Does anything look good to you?" Bruce asks.
Dick studies the pages carefully. "Oh, that one!" He points to it.
Bruce scans over the ingredients that are needed. "Do we have all that…?" He quietly asks himself.
Once they get started, however, it goes rather smoothly. The instructions are detailed and yet written so that it's simple to understand. There are a few pages that explains methods of measuring and the meaning of terms used for baking and cooking.
Once all the necessary components are found and measured out, they assemble it in the pot on the stove as directed and put heat underneath it. Bruce provided a step stool for Dick so he could reach better and they could take turns stirring the ingredients in the pot.
Eventually, there are quiet footsteps that enter the kitchen. The Dynamic Duo look over to see a pleasantly surprised Alfred. "My! What's happening in here?" He says in a light tone.
"I thought you were reading," Bruce says as he looks up from the pot he's stirring with a smile. "Did you get to sleep at all?
Alfred shakes his head. "No, I'm afraid I was rather engrossed in my reading...I was actually on my way to retrieve the next book from our collection, But I heard the sound of someone rummaging through the kitchen and thought I should investigate…" He then looks at Bruce's hands, as if there was something strange about them. "What are you making?"
Bruce opens his mouth to answer, but before he could, Dick happily replies, "We're making Hot chocolate!"
"Ah, I see…" Alfred looks at Bruce. "How did this come to be?"
Bruce glances at Dick as he wonders what to say. Dick seems to advert his eyes from Alfred. So Bruce subtlety puts a hand on Dick's shoulder and gives it a little squeeze. "Dick's been having a rough evening, So he came to my room to talk. After a while it was getting chilly, so we decided to make something warm to drink."
Alfred glances at the boy. Bruce is sure Alfred would notice that Dick wore the remains of an emotional outburst and pieced together what happened.
Alfred's features soften and his mouth forms into a warm smile. His eyes meet Bruce's again as he starts to roll up his sleeves. "Is there anything I can do to assist, Sir?"
Bruce glances at the pot of ingredients. "I…Think we have this covered…But a third opinion would be appreciated."
Alfred steps over to inspect the pot's contents and the book. He seems relieved. "This appears to be going smoothly. Good job, my boy." He puts a hand on Bruce's back and Bruce looks pretty proud of himself.
"However, There is one thing that seems to be missing…" Alfred walks over to the refrigerator and opens it.
Bruce frowns as he watches him. "And what's that?"
Alfred pulls out a canister and closes the door. "Whipped cream, of course." He holds it up.
There's a slight shade of pink on Bruce's cheek. "Right, How could I forget…?"
Dick eyes the can in Alfred's hand with his mouth slightly agape.
Alfred is amused at the boy's obvious interest. "Would you like to be in charge of it once the drinks are ready, Master Dick?"
Dick nods with an excited flare. "Yes please!"
A small smile can be found on Alfred's lips. He then glances at Bruce out of the corner of his eye. Bruce is shaking his head with a smirk while he concentrates on stirring the pot. Alfred then walks over to one of the cabinets. "I will gather a couple of mugs for you two."
Dick furrows his eyebrows. "Aren't you having some, Alfred?"
Alfred stops and turns to look at the boy. "I was under the impression it was planned for the two of you."
"It doesn't have to be for just me and Bruce." Dick says.
Alfred looks at Bruce for his thoughts on the matter. Bruce shrugs. "I know it's not your preferred type of drink, but you're more than welcome to have some."
He looks between the two of them. "Very well, if you insist, Sirs." Alfred then pulls out three clear mugs from the cabinet and lays them on the counter. "How about I start a fire in the fireplace while you two finish up here?" Alfred suggests.
Dick's eyes seems to light up a little. "Can I help you with it?"
"Oh, That won't be necessary, Master Dick."
"Pleeeeeease? I want to know for future reference." He says in a pleading way.
Alfred arches an eyebrow, but seems to relax his features. "Very well, Come this way."
Dick looks back at Bruce. "Is that okay if I go for a little bit?"
Bruce nods. "Of course, I'll bring them in when they're finished."
Dick smiles and hugs Bruce around his waist. "Thanks Bruce!" He hops off the step stool to go with Alfred.
Bruce watches them even after they leave the room. He smiles as he can still hear the boy's banter. He looks at the pot as he continues stirring it, as he watches the light shimmer on the chocolate, something inside him seems to melt too.
Alfred is situating the fire wood that the boy hands him onto the grate. He puts some paper underneath the grate and lights a match to burn it. Dick watches him intently.
"Alright, please go to that small hole in the wall with this." Alfred hands Dick a small key looking object and the boy goes where he's told. Alfred places a screen in front of the fireplace. "Okay, now please insert the key into the hole and turn it this way." He gestures which way to turn it. Dick nods and does so.
There's a little burst sound and small flames come out of the holes in the pipe underneath the grate. Dick goes over to Alfred and watches. Alfred looks at him and gives him a kind smile. "Thank you, my boy. It looks good."
Dick smiles back at him. "Thank you for showing me." He hugs him without touching his clothes with his dusty little hands. Alfred seems to appreciate the consideration.
"Looks like you two make a good team." Bruce says as he walks in holding a tray with three mugs of hot chocolate, a can of whipped cream and some napkins on top of it.
Alfred and Dick look over at him and stare for a moment. The image of Gotham's dark hero holding a tray of hot chocolate and whipped cream feels like a sight to behold.
"…Is something wrong?" Bruce asks.
"No sir…" Alfred says as he gets up and dusts himself off. "Just a change of pace is all."
Bruce tilts his head a little. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"It's certainly a welcome thing to be sure, Master Bruce." He smiles warmly.
Bruce lets out a small laugh. "If you say so." He sets the tray down on the table and then sits on the couch while Dick and Alfred wash their hands from fixing up the fire.
When they return, Dick picks up the can of whipped cream and looks at Alfred for an indication of how much to use.
"You may add as much as you wish, sir. However, I caution that you shouldn't have too much sugar before bed." He says kindly.
Dick nods. "Okay. Thank you, Alfred." He beams.
He shakes the can a little and adds it to his own mug first. He makes a swirling motion till it makes a small mound. He does the same for the other two mugs. It turns out pretty.
"I didn't realize you were so artistically inclined, Dick." Bruce says with a smile as he inspects his cup.
"It's supposed to be the top of a circus tent." Dick says fondly. "We would always do that back home."
"Quite charming." Alfred responds warmly.
The warm glow and heat from the fire is comforting as the three settle down. It crackles every so often. Dick starts to lean into Bruce's side and breathes a small sigh of contentment like he could stay there for a long time…
While waiting for the drinks to cool enough to not burn their mouths, Bruce realized the gas is still running. "Oh, The gas has probably been on long enough. I can-" Bruce says as he's about to get up.
"I'll do it, Sir." Alfred gets up immediately.
Bruce studies him a moment. Alfred glances at the boy sitting comfortably against him, hoping Bruce gets the message. He does and settles back down. "Alright, Then. Thank you, Alfred."
Alfred then starts to tend to the fire.
When Dick tries some of the hot chocolate, he smiles with a hum and then giggles. "Hey, it's good! And you said you weren't a good cook."
Bruce smiles. "I had a good partner." He then takes a sip of his own drink. it's very rich in flavor, it's a balanced mixture of bitterness and sweetness with a deep chocolate flavor. It feels warm and comforting as it runs through his system and settles in his stomach. He can see now why Dick requested it, It's quite enjoyable.
When he lowers the mug from his mouth, Dick is looking at him and has the expression like that of someone restraining a grin.
"Is something funny?" He asks.
"Well…You have a little…" Dick points to his own upper lip.
"Oh, thank you." He thinks to grab a napkin but he glances at Alfred tending to the fire and instead, For Dick's amusement, quickly swipes his tongue over his upper lip. The motion being over and done with in a blink of an eye, this causes Dick to giggle quietly.
"Master Bruce, You better not be teaching the boy sloppy manners…" Alfred cautions without looking at him.
Bruce presses his lips together, making Dick giggle once more.
Alfred returns to his seat. "I'll take your silence as confirmation…" He says with a sigh.
"Guilty as charged…" Bruce holds up his hands jokingly.
As the evening goes on, Dick eventually starts to tire out and leans against Bruce with his eyes closed and breathing softly.
Bruce looks at the boy and sees that he's resting. He chuckles under his breath. He looks over at Alfred. "Hey, Alfred." He whispers to get his attention.
Alfred is tiredly resting his chin in his hand while observing the fire. He hums as he raises his head to look over at him. His eyebrows raise as he sees the scene before him. "Ah." He says in a volume that matches Bruce's. "Do you require some assistance with him?"
Bruce shakes his head. "No, it's alright." He looks Alfred over and thinks about how tired he must be. "You should get some rest, Alfred. I can handle it from here."
Alfred eyes him for a moment. He takes a deep breath as he stands up. "If you are certain, Sir, than I will do just that. Good evening Master Bruce." He puts his hand to his chest and bows before leaving.
"Good evening Alfred." He whispers as he watches him leave.
The two are now sitting quietly on the couch. The thunderstorm seems to be leaving as the sound is getting farther and farther away, But it seems like the heavy rain will stay a while longer. Bruce enjoys listening to the sounds of the rain, the quiet crackles from the fire and the soft breathing of the child next to him. He takes a deep, slow breath. The Dark Knight Of Gotham rarely has moments like this, so he's going to take it for all its worth…
Later, The fire has died down and the rain continues to pour. Bruce has already dozed off a couple of times, only to be awaken again when his head drops or the wood in the fireplace shifts suddenly. After a few times, he stretches his neck to avoid cramping. He sighs when the muscles are loose again.
He feels a small shift next to him. He looks to his side to see the boy stirring. Dick looks up at him while he's still half awake. "Hi Bruce..." He smiles very tiredly.
Bruce smiles and speaks softly. "Have a nice nap?"
Dick nods and hums as he sits up on the couch. He wipes his eyes with the side of his hand.
Bruce chuckles. "Alright, how about we get you to bed, huh?" Bruce glances at the stairs and ponders the potential dangers of having Dick climb so many of them while he's still sleepy. "I could carry you, if you want."
"Huh? Oh, sure." He gives him a smile before he yawns.
Bruce gets up from the couch and gently picks up Dick, supporting the boy by having him sit on one arm underneath his legs and putting his other hand on his back, letting his head lay on his left shoulder facing behind him. Dick wraps his arms around Bruce's neck absentmindedly. "You ready?" He asks the boy, who tiredly hums in agreement.
He was about to start walking, but stops when he notices something while the boy lays against his chest...
Bruce can feel Dick's little heart beating next to his own, His chest moving as he breathes, his weight in his arms. He feels so heavy, so warm...so...
...Alive...
...He's just...so alive...Bruce thinks to himself.
It feels like his breath is taken away, His eyes start to feel damp. He gives the boy a gentle squeeze while he's still in his embrace.
...And He's been through so much...
...Pain and heartache...
...Just like me...
He closes his eyes and takes a deep, shaky breath to calm his rising emotions.
...I want to keep him safe...
...As safe as I can...
...Safe in my arms...
A couple of stray tears escape his eyes and he takes another deep breath. His hold on the boy only becomes more secure.
Once Bruce manages to compose himself, He opens his eyes again and begins to walk.
He feels aware of every little bounce as he walks through the house and up the stairs, He doesn't want to disturb the boy too much or make him sick from the movement. But Dick doesn't make any sounds of discomfort, so Bruce continues going…
...Just carefully…
He eventually reaches Dick's room, He lays the boy into his bed and makes sure he's well tucked in. "Do you want anything before I turn in?"
Dick seems to think about it. "Do you think you could stay till I fall asleep?" He asks.
Bruce smiles "Yes, I can do that." He pulls up a chair by his bedside and sits down.
"Thank you…" Dick says quietly. He slides his hand out from under the covers and holds it towards Bruce.
Bruce gently grasps his hand…The boy's hands were little, but they were strong too. A result of being an acrobat, no doubt. The thought made Bruce sentimental, He made a bittersweet smile. At this moment, a part of him wishes he didn't eventually have to let go...
After a short while, Dick speaks in a very sleepy voice. "Um…Bruce…? Thank you for doing so much this evening, I had a good time with you and Alfred."
Bruce smiles softly at the boy and rubs his thumb over his smaller knuckles. "I'm glad to hear it. I enjoyed spending time with the both of you, too."
Dick smiles. He struggles to keep his eyes open, He closes them and yawns. "Good night Bruce…I love you." He manages to mumble out.
A shiver runs through him. His face softens and then he whispers, "I love you too, Dick...Sleep well."
Eventually, Dick falls asleep. But Bruce continues to sit with the boy's hand still in his own, admiring how at peace he seems now compared to when he came into his room earlier this evening. Thinking about it makes Bruce thankful that he was available to talk. He wouldn't have wanted to pass up the opportunity to help this special boy if he could. He just hopes his efforts were enough...Hoping these good memories could last him a lifetime.
When deciding to take him into his care, Bruce never imagined himself having such strong parental feelings like this. But now that he's felt them, he doesn't know how he could do without them.
After some time, He carefully puts the boy's hand back underneath the covers. He gets up and walks to the door. He takes one more look at his ward sleeping peacefully. There's tenderness in Bruce's smile. He then exits the room and quietly closes the door behind himself.
Bruce is now alone in the hallway. He listens to the rain and wind. He reasons that it's still heavy enough to keep people indoors, (Including the dangerous ones.) So with that, He decides to get some sleep for himself.
He steps into his bedroom and closes the door, he leans his back and head against it. He closes his eyes and feels a smile forming on his lips as he reflects on this evening. It felt so warm and familiar, like time with his family…
He opens his eyes and his smile falters in surprise.
"…Family…" He whispers.
He can't remember the last time he thought about that word without feeling like someone was gripping his heart. But right now, the word feels so…Soft. For years it's just been him and Alfred, And although the two of them certainly felt like a family, it somehow didn't feel quite right to call them that either…
But tonight, with the three of them sharing these tender moments together...It was all starting to seem like something that could honestly be called a family…
His family...
This idea makes his smile return...A little bigger this time.
He steps away from the door. He climbs into bed and gets under the covers with a sigh.
He closes his eyes and listens to the sound of the rain continually pound against the house. Despite the harsh weather outside, He feels this deep inner warmth settle in his chest, And from there, it spreads across his skin.
Keeping him warm amongst the storm.
The End.
Author note 2.0: I'm back. :)
When I think of homemade hot chocolate, I think of prussian hot chocolate, as it's the kind my mother makes from scratch and I imagine it being the kind that Alfred would have a recipe for. I could be wrong on that, But the idea makes me smile, so into the story it goes.
Also, I have no hard feelings towards the powder kind from a packet. The reason I wanted it to be homemade in the story was mainly because Bruce and Alfred don't strike me as the kind to drink it, so they probably wouldn't buy any until Dick came around and expressed interest in it. But I believe the ingredients are fairly common, so until the weather clears, they could still make it.
I do want to apologize in case anyone felt out of character. I had the idea to write this shortly after watching the 2004 cartoon series "The Batman" and was left with a lot of fuzzy feelings, and I wanted to write something cozy, so this was the result.
I'm hoping the information is general enough so you could imagine whichever version of the characters you prefer or could see in this situation.
Well, that's about it. Thank you for reading and I hope you have a good day.
-GlassFlower98