Chapter Text
When Bruce found out he was in love with Hal Jordan, it was as if he had walked straight into a brick wall; hard, surprising, and not at all pleasant. So it was not without dread he confessed his feelings to the man while getting dressed after sex.
They had met years before, when magical threats to their land were becoming more extreme. Bruce, vying for the good of his people, decided to travel to gather resources and allies in order to defend his home. His journey was fruitful, as he met Barry, Clark, Diana, Oliver and Hal, fellow knights who vowed to protect their own villages and were as worried about magical conflicts and abuse of power as he was. Together, they formed the Justice League.
Over the years, their coalition only grew, but so did the attacks, which became increasingly coordinated. While they combated such attacks together, Bruce could see there was a pattern there, one no one had uncovered yet but was possibly dangerous.
Hal and Bruce never had an easy alliance but, as the years went by, they formed a comfortable partnership and a satisfying sexual relationship. Gradually, their relationship moved from never ending arguments and hot angry sex to slow conversations in the morning and sneaking away to watch the sunset on the beach.
So while Bruce wasn’t expecting a love confession when he said, “Hal, you and me… is there anything more?” he wasn’t prepared for Hal to be cruel.
“No, of course not.” Hal turned to the pillow and stared intently at it. “We’re hardly friends right? There’s nothing.”
Bruce could only look at him in response.
He did not think love would go well for him, the realization of that feeling came with a certainty of hurt, yet somehow, Bruce still hoped. But hope was the eternal knife against his heart, twisting and turning every time he made a movement. Hope killed him once again.
Hal noticed his silence and slowly turned his head towards Bruce, meeting his eyes. As he watched Hal’s expression transform from blank to worried, Bruce realized he should leave.
“Bruce…”
“Ok.”
“No, listen—”
“It’s fine. It’s just that I quite love you, I’m sorry,” Bruce said and all but ran away from the room.
He needed to find Jason. The League’s annual summer summit was ending anyway and, while they were only supposed to leave in the morning, the sun had just set, it was still early enough in the evening that they would arrive in Gotham the same day. It was for the best, he told himself; Dick had sent him a letter the day before begging him to come back sooner, there was trouble brewing in Bludhaven and Dick wanted to be of help in case they needed it.
“Get your things Jaylad, we’re leaving,” Bruce announced when he found his son.
“What? No! Roy was planning on teaching me bow and arrow tricks.”
As much as Bruce wanted to incentivize Roy and Jason’s friendship, hoping maybe having a friend in common would bring Dick and Jason closer, Bruce could feel anxiety creeping in each moment they were still inside Hal’s home.
Realizing Bruce wouldn’t budge, Jason asked, "Can't I stay, you go on without me?”
“That is dangerous Jay, I can’t protect you if we’re apart. I won't just leave you to come back to Gotham alone.”
Jason sighed exasperatedly, “I don’t need you with me, I can protect myself.”
“Just get your stuff right now and let’s go. Meet me by the horses in five minutes.”
Bruce rushed to find Clark and explain Dick’s letter, finding that the best excuse to be the truth, even if it was a half truth. He needed to let someone know they were leaving even if, as he suspected, Clark would insist on accompanying them.
“I can handle on my own,” Bruce said testily, trying his best not to emulate his teenage son.
“We always come back together, Bruce. The rogues are getting more and more violent; you are powerful, but you’re not a magic user. Please, let me escort you.”
Bruce was about to point out he has been able to protect himself, his sons and his village for years now, when Jason arrived carrying his bags. Unwilling to waste more time, Bruce sighed and mounted his horse; Hal Jordan could appear at any second and try to talk, or worse, ignore what Bruce just said and wish him a good trip.
It’s not that Bruce had anything against Hal, he had every right to not like Bruce, but he truly didn’t want to see or talk to him at that moment, humiliation still burning bright on his chest.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Aren’t you getting your stuff?”
“I’ll come back one day to pick it up. I’m sure Hal will take good care of it in the meantime,” Bruce said and started the journey back, to Clark’s alarm.
“I still have to let the others know we’re leaving!”
“Well, do that then, catch up with us later, ok?” Bruce didn’t stop. He could hear another horse moving so he knew his son was following him.
“Bruce…” Clark started but perhaps sensing Bruce wouldn’t compromise again gave up midway through. “Fine. You’re a piece of work, I hope you know that.”
“Well aware,” Bruce answered as Jason snickered.
They rode in silence for a while, but Bruce broke it as they approached a path near a rock formation. “I apologize for spoiling your plans with Roy, Jaylad. I’m glad you’ve made a friend.”
“Thanks.” They were side by side now so Bruce could see the small smile on his son’s lips. He could also notice something was missing on the teenager’s neck.
“Jason, where is your charm?”
The teenager’s smile became mischievous. “Hmm… must have left it back at Hal’s…”
That charm was their best protection against magical and physical attacks. It took Bruce years to perfect. He was sure he had explained the importance of the damn thing on multiple occasions and warned his son several times not to take it off, not even for sleep or bathing, and the kid just… took it off. And went on a journey in the nighttime without it. Out of spite.
“Are you kidding me?”
“Best to come back and get it, huh! Magical attacks are getting more and more common these days.”
Bruce was about to stop his horse to get his own charm out of his neck to give to Jason, when they heard a familiar voice.
“Clark told me you were leaving,” Hal said, hovering over them.
Of course. Bruce was going to kill Clark; what was the point in pressing him to accept his escort if he was just going to pass up the job to somebody else.
“Hey Hal!” Jason called happily, “Yeah, don’t worry we’re coming back right n—”
A thundering sound interrupted him. The ground started shaking and rocks were falling from all sides, causing the horses to run. Unfortunately, they took the wrong path, going further and further into the canyon.
White shadows came from everywhere, swarming Hal and knocking him from the sky. The shadows followed their attack on Bruce and Jason, who were trying to control their horses as best they could at a ridiculous velocity. Bruce did not get as far as he did fighting rogues without a few tricks up his sleeve though, or rather, in his belt; he reached into it, got a little black ball and threw it on the ground, releasing a tranquilizing powder that would only affect animals. He also flung against the shadows a few gadgets designed to electrify his opponents, which gave him and Jason a little breathing room to get off their horses without further assault when they came to a stop. But the respite didn’t last.
Bruce fought, trying to shield Jason as best as he could. “Hal—”
“Little busy at the moment,” came Hal’s distant reply. Bruce couldn’t even see him, there were so many of them.
“We’re fine Hal, don’t worry,” Jason said, hauling freeze grenades at the shadows.
Bruce couldn’t help but disagree. When he was about to voice his concern though, his worst nightmare came to life.
In a moment that would forever haunt him, Jason was flung against the canyon wall as a green sword pierced through his chest.
Time stood still for Bruce as he watched his son’s lifeless body.
Suddenly, he felt someone take him by his waist and his brain kicked back into gear. Bruce knew that sword carved into his boy, knew that revolting bright green seeping into his son’s body. Bruce ripped his charm from his neck and hurled it at Jason.
It was a desperate attempt; while the charm could take away the poison the sword was dousing into Jason’s body, it was too late to protect him from a physical attack that already happened. Bruce could only watch his son lie there with a sword firmly attached to his chest and a charm on top of him as whatever got Bruce moved further away from the ground…
He felt strong hands holding his jaw and turning his head towards a face that he hoped he’d never see again.
“You— Jason—”
“You’re mine,” Ra’s Al Ghul replied and injected some green liquid into Bruce’s neck.
Bruce screamed in a way he never had before, a roar filled with grief, rage and pain as white light encompassed him and he fell unconscious.
When he woke, nothing was right. His vision was at an odd angle, to the side of him rather than the front, and the world was different, brighter, everything a kaleidoscope of shades and colors. There was something weighing on his neck, an iron collar leading to a chain connected to a rock wall. His body was different too, non-human and tinged in a tone he’d never seen.
Bruce tried to be quiet as he struggled against the collar and chain, but somehow he was still noticed.
“I see you’re awake,” he heard Ra’s Al Ghu’s voice. Bruce turned and found the spellcaster with his hand hovering over a pit, letting droplets of blood from an open cut fall into a bright green liquid. Ra’s hand healed as soon as he was done. Then, he came to Bruce.
Bruce did his best to avoid him but Ra’s caught a hold of his chain, pulling hard towards him. He held Bruce, who tried biting and headbutting Ra’s to no avail, and dragged him to a lake with waters so clear they reflected the surface. As soon as Bruce saw what the water mirrored, his breathing stopped.
There was Ra’s holding a swan. Ra’s holding a swan. A swan with an iron collar on. Ra’s was holding Bruce. Bruce was a… no. No.
Bruce struggled, tried yelling and bucking and fighting, but all that came out were distressed honks as the swan in the lake, him, flapped about while Ra’s held him fiercely. “This is what you are now. For me. My knight is now my black swan.”
Ra's started petting Bruce's neck as if calming a scared animal. Suddenly, he pulled a bloodied feather from under Bruce’s wings.
“My black swan,” Ra’s said, as he dropped Bruce on the ground of the cave and walked towards the pit. “You might have fooled yourself into thinking otherwise, but you are doing the human race a disservice with your League. How can the species go forward if the weak don’t die? Seems hardly fair to stop the advancement of humanity for the idiotic emotional reasons your so-called Justice League fights for.”
Bruce raged, pulling furiously on his chains, dreading what would happen once Ra’s got to the pit with his blood.
“When The Light defeats your League, we will unite all lands under a single power. A grand, strong kingdom, in which you will participate as a pet. As well as, of course, the unwilling mold from which I built my weapon and my empire.”
As soon as the feather touched the liquid, the entire cave was filled with a golden light, the potion underneath burbling. Bruce watched horrified as Ra’s Al Ghul submerged his arms into the liquid.
“I present to you,” Ra’s said, as he pulled out a toddler from within the pit, “my heir.”