Archive of Our Own

The decision to keep Nightwing’s connection to Batman a secret was nothing but a tactical one. There was nothing personal about it. It was just convenient. Everyone already believed that Red Hood was his oldest. (How that happened, Bruce didn’t have the slightest clue.) It didn’t make sense to correct the mistake, because from Bruce’s perspective it was a protective measure. The people in Batman’s vicinity always got hurt. That was the main reason he fired Dick from Robin in the first place, though he definitely didn’t go about it the right way. It was something Bruce still struggled to come to terms with: the fact that everyone around him was constantly in danger because of him. So no it wasn’t personal. Even though for some reason every single one of his kids thought it was. 

Sighing Bruce pushes himself out of bed and heads downstairs. “This marks 2 weeks since Dick stopped talking to me. I really need to do something about that. But what?” Bruce sits down at the dining table.

“Morning Master Bruce.” Alfred sets down a cup of coffee. 

Bruce just hums in response. 

“This coffee smells delicious. But Dick. Right, Dick refuses to set foot in Gotham. I’d have to catch him in neutral territory. The Watchtower would work. I have to go up there anyway.” 

Alfred walks in again with pancakes. “I’ve always loved Alfred’s pancakes.” 

“I assume the pancakes are to your liking then?” Bruce can hear the smile on his face. 

Bruce hums another happy hum. “Absolutely divine. Fluffier than clouds. Are clouds actually fluffy though? They’re made of water vapor and that can’t be fluffy at all.”

“I’ll leave you to it.” Alfred leaves Bruce alone to his thoughts. “I wonder where Damian is? Right. The Clocktower. I didn’t think he would still be so mad about it. None of them understand. HOW do they not understand?”

“Master Bruce I’m afraid you got a message from the Watchtower. They’re running simulation drills and want you there.” Alfred calls from the kitchen. 

“Ugh. Can’t even eat breakfast in peace.” Bruce takes his plate and walks over to the kitchen sink. “Why do they need ME for this anyway? Any shithead with combat experience could watch the drills.” 

He doesn’t see Alfred’s wide-eyed look as he exits the kitchen.

“Batman! Glad you could make it!” Clark smiles at him. “He smiles like a sociopath.” 

“What?” Clark looks at him blankly, his smile dropping off of his face.  

Bruce doesn’t say anything. “I wonder if Red Robin is supposed to be here. He’s due anyway. Though if I’m here he might try to avoid it.”

“Batman are you sure you’re okay?” Clark asks, “Yes I am you moron.” Clark looks at him as if Bruce just slapped him. 

“Fine.” Bruce scowls, “What’s his problem?”

To Bruce’s surprise Red Robin’s team is the one that comes in for drills. “Kon can’t even fight back against Luthor? That’s just fucking sad. Is he even Superman’s clone? Or is he pulling his punches because Lex is technically his dad? Does Lex even count as a father? I wonder what Luthor put on his birth certificate if he doesn’t know that Clark is Superman.” 

“What did you just say?” Clark’s voice breaks Bruce out of his thoughts. 

“Nothing.” Bruce scowls, 

“He really has a hearing problem.” 

Clark opens his mouth to speak again when the door to their observation room opens. 

“Oh. You’re both here.” Jason walks in, his helmet tucked under his arm.

“What are you doing here?” Clark asks before Bruce can formulate the thought. 

“I was supposed to be Batman’s replacement.” Jason replies, “Replacement? He’s 30 minutes late.” Jason gives him an annoyed look. “Not all of us are free all the time Batman.” 

“I never said that.” Bruce retorts, Jason just gives him an odd look. “He needs to stop staring at me like I’m an exotic zoo animal.” 

Bruce turns back to watch the drills so he doesn’t see Jason’s jaw drop, or the look he exchanges with Clark. “How much longer wil these fucking drills take? It’s the same thing every time. Maybe I should’ve just stayed home and let Hood do it. So what if he’s ½ an hour late. It’s not like anything’s miraculously improved in that time.” 

In front of them Tim steps up to the simulation. “Finally. Hopefully this will be interesting at least.” Bruce thinks to himself. In front of him Tim was going against a simulation of Blue Beetle. “His form is still a little sloppy. He should work on his hand-to-hand combat a bit more. He won’t always have that stick of his. He’s never been good with close combat though. I wonder if he’s ever tried archery. But that would be awful in Gotham. You’d never find the arrows again. Unless they had a home beacon of some sort that could bring it back to the user. Now that might be worth considering… Oliver probably has tons of those though.” Tim does an impressive takedown of the simulation. “Not bad. Maybe he doesn’t need long-distance.” 

“As entertaining as this is… I think I should get going.” Jason says, there’s an amused undercurrent to his tone.

“Tell Red Robin to meet me before he leaves.” Bruce orders, 

Jason looks like he’s about to argue but decides against it. “Huh so he can listen. Who would’ve thought.”

“Yeah sure. No need to be snarky about it.” Jason mutters before exiting the room.

10 minutes later...

Bruce finds Tim in the locker room with Kon and Bart, mid-change. 

“Shit Batman what the hell.” Tim curses, the other two shriek in surprise. Bart and Kon were already dressed. “This isn’t even the top 10 most embarrassing situations I’ve seen you in.”

“I need to talk to you.” Bruce says, 

“Yeah but RIGHT NOW? Right HERE?” Tim insists glaring behind his domino. 

“I’m not really in the mood to hunt you down when you try to disappear. So yes. Yes right now.” 

“Yes.” Bruce says out loud. Kon and Bart still hadn’t left. “Clearly they don’t know what social cues are.” 

“Batman are you—”

“I’m tired and I probably need another coffee. Actually… Red Robin probably has coffee somewhere. He never shares though. The coffee hog.”

“…Okay.” Tim finishes. 

Bruce just stares at him. “I’m as okay as you are without your weekly photography nights.” 

“Batman what.. God. oh  my god. Just spit it out. Why are you here? What do you want to talk about?” Tim’s face was furiously red. “What’s he so embarrassed about?”

“Is Nightwing up here? I need to talk to him.” Bruce asks, 

“You came to ask me.. About him… while I was in the middle of changing? SERIOUSLY?” Tim shrieks, 

“God how can Kon’s ears stand his screaming?”  Kon chokes on air. “Is he okay?” 

“Batman just. God please leave. He’s here. Somewhere. I’m sure you can find him.” Tim sounds like he wants to die on the inside. 

“But WHERE is he?” Bruce insists, “I don’t have time to go on a scavenger hunt. I have a meeting later and I need to clear this up with Nightwing before I see him at that meeting. The last thing I need is his attitude on top of all of this.” 

“Have you thought of just asking him?” Tim retorts, “Of course I have. For somebody so smart how can you be so dumb.” 

“You’re wasting my time. I expect you at the meeting later.” Bruce turns and leaves without another word, ignoring Tim's sputtering “Children.”

“Robin.” Bruce says, “Does he really think I don’t know he’s there?”

“So it is true, everyone’s been talking about it.” Robin drops down in front of him from the ceiling. “He spends way too much time with Dick.” 

“What are you talking about?” Bruce scowls, 

“I’m talking about the fact that—” Damian starts talking yet Bruce can’t help the way his mind wanders. “He’s getting so much taller. He’ll need a new suit soon. I wonder if he’ll be taller than me. Talia is on the shorter side though. Though not as short as Selina. Damian’ll definitely be taller than Tim. Taller than Dick? Maybe? It depends on which genes he gets. I wonder if in the future there’ll be a way to determine all of that. Is that possible? To specifically tailor which genes are activated from which parent? That would be terrible though. Or would it? It would definitely cause problems that’s for sure. Would the kids even have their own identities or would that change depending on what genes are expressed?” It takes Bruce a lot longer than he’ll admit to realize that Damian had fallen silent. 

“Robin?” Bruce asks. Damian is just staring at him. “Well… okay then…” 

“Let me know if you see Nightwing anywhere.” He grunts, 

“I think it might be better if you don’t see him right now.” Damian replies, hesitantly. “If I don’t talk to him before that meeting, it will be 10 times more awkward than it already will be.” 

“Just tell me where he is.” Bruce demands, 

“You’re not.. Speaking at the meeting are you?” Damian asks cautiously. “What does that have to do with anything?” 

“No.” Bruce grunts, 

“Good. That’s good. Um… I don’t know where Nightwing is. You might just end up finding him at you know.. The meeting..” Damian gestures lamely. 

Bruce just nods and starts walking away. “What was he trying to say earlier about everyone? Shit. Maybe I should’ve listened. It’s hard to listen. He talks exactly like his mother. It’s a little scary.”

He doesn’t hear Damian’s muffled laugh.

A couple hours later… 

Bruce’s headache was getting progressively worse. It was probably growing at the same rate as the weird looks were. “People are staring a lot. But then again they always stare at me. I’m Batman.” 

“Wow, talk about a humble guy.” Hal Jordan jokes, sliding up next to Bruce looking like he just won the lottery. “Great. Just what I needed. The walking-talking migraine inducer.” Hal blinks at him, a look of pure shock crossing his face. “It’s like watching a video glitch.” Bruce suppresses a smile at the thought. 

“Is there a reason you’re here?” Bruce asks, 

“Just wanted to see for myself what all the talk was about.” Hal grins, “What talk? He pays way too much attention to gossip. If he paid more attention to his work he’d definitely not be living in that shoebox of an apartment he has.” 

Bruce just glares at him. 

“Wow.. you’re.. Wow okay then.” Hal sounds lost for words. “Is it even possible to permanently shut someone up? You’d have to rip their vocal cords out wouldn’t you and—”

“Woah okay uh..woah there buddy. I’ll just. I’ll see you at the meeting Batman.” And just like that Green Lantern is gone. 

“Weirdo.” Bruce thinks.

The End of the Day... 

Bruce had tried, and failed to find Dick all day. It was a little frustrating how long his eldest managed to elude him. It was also commendable. Didn’t make it less annoying. Bruce enters the meeting room, it was a regular meeting. Hal was supposed to talk about the logistics of their strike against Sinestro next week. Apparently Sinestro and Scarecrow and a few others were trying to find a way to administer a fear toxin to most of the cities so that Sinestro could control those people. Since it was a wider scale attack they had decided it would be good to talk it over with the JLA. 

When Bruce walks in, almost everybody is already there. Diana, Clark, Oliver and Barry are all sitting around the table. Hal is up and a 3D model of Sinestro’s lair where all the toxin was being stored is projected on the table. “I can bet good money Hal forgot about some of the structural exits.” Bruce doesn’t see the sharp glare he gets from the Lantern. He also doesn’t notice the way everyone exchanges looks around him. When Batman’s in his own head, very little can drag him out of it. 

Tim was standing by the wall. “What are Red Hood and Robin doing here?” Bruce brushes the thought aside. Dick still wasn’t here yet.  

“Where’s Nightwing?” He asks, 

“Right here boss.” Dick brushes past him and sits down in one of the remaining seats. Bruce gives him a long-suffering look. “Longest day of my fucking life and he just wants to make it longer. Though maybe not as long as the day of Hood’s funeral.” Dick’s domino eyes widen. Bruce turns away. 

“Just start.” Bruce demands, “Just start please. Ugh. Alfred would have a field day yelling at me for not being polite.” Hal looks around the room hesitantly but starts his presentation.

For the first 20 minutes Bruce can confidently say that he was completely paying attention. His brain had finally stopped talking and it felt like everything was quiet. The others were a little shifty, glancing between each other and not really paying attention. It was starting to get distracting. “Do they not realize how important this is?” Bruce glares around the table. Everyone suddenly looks back at Hal who was raising an eyebrow at Bruce but was still talking. Hal starts going into specifics, which Bruce already had memorized. 

“He’s actually doing a pretty good job at presenting all of this. It sounds like he knows what he’s talking about for once. He’s a good presenter. I should pay him to do my presentations at WE. He’d at least be able to make it interesting.” 

“Uh…excuse me?” Hal breaks through Bruce’s thoughts. 

Bruce just stares at him. “Why is he looking at me like that?” 

“Anyway… So.” And Bruce’s brain is gone again. “There’s no way that exit is there. The structural alignment of the building would crush it if it was actually there.” 

“Can you stop interrupting me?” Hal snaps, Bruce looks around the room. “Has he lost his mind? No one’s talking….” 

Hal just gapes at him. “Are we.. are we seriously going to keep ignoring this?!” 

“Somebody needs to start ignoring him.”

“EXCUSE ME?!” Hal shrieks, 

“Okay. Woah there Lantern. It’s alright. Just wrap it up quickly. Everyone’s tired and it’s been a long day. Most of us already have the plan, this is just supposed to be a quick rundown anyway.” Dick’s voice is calm and unaffected. Hal takes a deep breath and nods. 

“Yeah. Yeah, Nightwing's right. Sorry I didn’t mean for this to go so long. I’ll be quick now.” Hal apologizes, 

“Wow. Never would’ve thought I’d live to see the day HE of all people apologizes.” 

Next to him Oliver goes into a coughing fit. Bruce gives him a look. “What did he even choke on? He’s not even drinking anything?” 

“Oh my god.” Tim groans, his face in his hands. Along the other wall both Damian and Jason looked like they were in a losing battle against laughter. “Those 3 really need to go to bed. When was the last time they slept? They all look exhausted. Jesus christ. Father of the year award definitely doesn’t go to me.” Bruce grimaces, Jason wheezes against the wall. Bruce glances around to the other people in the room. Everyone was staring at him. “What the hell is wrong with everyone?” 

“Um… Lantern.. I.. I really think you should just.. Just finish up.” Dick’s grinning at Bruce. It’s filled with mischievousness and genuine amusement. 

“Alright. So to wrap up I was just explaining that—”

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen him smile like that. Nightwing’s grown so much since he was Robin. He was such a cute kid with his cartwheels and flips. If only he would stop being so stubborn. But then again I guess I’m to blame for that. Though technically maybe not since Alfred raised both of us and—”

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?” Barry shrieks, breaking off all of Bruce’s thoughts. 

“Huh?” 

“You… Nightwing’s your kid? He was Robin? SINCE FUCKING WHEN?” Oliver shouts, 

“Since he was 8.” 

“He’s not my—” Bruce is cut off by the shouts. 

“8??? YOU’VE KNOWN HIM FOR THAT LONG??” Clark’s jaw is on the ground. 

“I never said that.” 

“YOU JUST DID!” Diana retorts, 

“They’re reading my mind.” The thought is horrifying in its certainty. 

“How long have you been reading my mind?” Bruce demands, 

“Reading your mind? You're saying this OUT LOUD, why would we need to read your fucking mind??" Hal retorts incredulously

“Oh” 

“YEAH OH!” Barry snaps, 

“This is bad… this is really really bad.” 

“Batman you need to—” Bruce vaguely hears Dick’s voice coming from very very far away. “Every single thing I’ve said in my head. I’ve said out loud. All day. Holy fucking hell. All those weird looks. All the weird behavior. They weren’t. OH my god. I need to stop. I’m speaking this out loud too aren’t I. Fuck Me. Fuck THIS. How do you stop thinking? Is that even possible? Can you actually stop—”

“BATMAN! SHUT UP!” Dick shouts, 

“I can’t.” 

“Yeah but-” 

“Stopping speech requires stopping thought. Stopping thought is impossible.I can't stop talking because I would have to stop thinking and that's impossible. Why would Nightwing say something that stupid?”

Dick just gapes at him. 

“Oh my.. Oh my… fucking god this is…is hilarious.” Jason was completely on the ground wheezing. 

“No it’s not.” Bruce thinks, and apparently says with building panic. 

“Jesus Christ Bats. What the hell.” Hal sighs, 

“Shut Up Lantern! You weren’t the one broadcasting your BRAIN to everybody all day! Why didn’t anybody tell me?” Bruce snaps, 

“We just thought you were being weirdly honest.” Clark replies, gesturing to him and Diana. 

“I honestly thought you lost your marbles.” Barry pipes up, 

“Yeah Arrow and I are with Flash on that one.” Hal agrees, 

“And you 3??” Bruce whirls on his 3 younger sons. 

“I tried to tell you father. You started ranting about my growth spurt and then somehow got into genetic experiments.” Damian retorts dryly, a smirk on his lips. 

Bruce is speechless. His brain is not. “Oh my god.” 

“So like.. Since its all your head. That stuff about Nightwing is true too then?” Diana asks, 

“What stuff about Nightwing?” Bruce asks, he can’t even remember what he was thinking, saying? He had no idea. 

“You know all the poetry you waxed.” Jason snickers, 

“I did that.” Bruce swings his eyes over to Dick who’s grinning. 

“You kinda did. Not quite Shakespeare but it was getting there.” Dick chuckles, 

“I’m going to kill myself.”

“Please don’t kill yourself B.” Dick snickers, 

“I said that out loud didn’t I?” 

“You never really stopped.” Dick laughs, 

“How did this even happen?” Diana asks, and that was Bruce’s question too. “How did it happen? It must be a spell of some sort—” 

“You know you could just TELL us instead of thinking about it. You’re literally speaking anyway.” Tim points out. Bruce takes a breath. 

“I was hit by a magic user a few weeks ago with a spell. I ran tests but nothing was out of the ordinary. It was such a long time ago but it must have triggered late. This is the aftereffects of that spell.” 

“So basically the spell made you unfiltered?” Dick asks, 

“Yeah. Basically.” Bruce sighs, 

Silence fills the room. 

“So.. you were lying to us about Nightwing being your kid? Why?” Clark asks curiously. He wasn’t the only one who was curious. Tim, Jason and Damian also seemed invested in the answer. Dick wasn’t quite looking at him, instead tracing absent patterns on the table. Bruce kinda wished that Dick’s brain was being broadcasted so he would know what the younger was thinking. 

“I thought it would keep him safe.” Bruce admits, “It was convenient. The people in Batman’s vicinity always got hurt. That was the main reason I fired him from Robin in the first place. It wasn’t smart then and what I did now wasn’t smart either. It wasn’t personal. Just—” 

“Tactical.” Dick finishes, finally looking up from the table. The silence is pulled taut. “I really didn’t expect to have this conversation with an audience.” 

“I personally think the audience makes it more cinematic.” Jason calls, 

“Right. Stupid brain speaker.” 

“I’m still mad at you.” Dick says, even though he’s smiling. 

“I wouldn’t expect anything less. After all, good things have to be earned in life.” Bruce replies, 

“You know Bats.. you really should talk more often.” Hal says, 

“Yeah and a little more honesty in your life won’t hurt anyone either.” Jason walks up from the wall with Damian and Tim. 

“Hey maybe this spell isn’t that bad.” Barry exclaims, 

“It absolutely is.” Tim scowls, Bruce is suddenly reminded of his encounter in the locker room. He suppresses a laugh. There was time for all of that later, once he got this spell lifted of course.