Chapter Text
A lot changed after Batman officially joined the Justice League. The first monthly meeting was filled with at least an hour on how he had changed everything. And honestly, it was impressive. The previously clunky way of running things was streamlined with scary speed. Batman apparently was so incredibly proficient he had managed to sort out all their issues in the few weeks he had, and still had time to go on missions AND patrol Gotham.
So now with all the paperwork and legal issues sorted the money was starting to go places it was actually needed. The break room was stocked with proper food, Barry would often be seen in this room crying as he stuffed his face with whatever strange protein bars Batman had prepared. When questioned he simply called them ‘An experiment’. The outdated tech was slowly replaced over time with little user manuals for anyone unused to modern technology. But best of all, the toilet had that nice toilet paper!
One other major change from Batman joining the league was the protests. The first day it was officially announced there was nothing. After all, who bothers to check the online league roster for new members every day? But slowly, after he started to join them for missions, things started to change. Word spread across the internet like a wildfire. People stood outside with signs calling Batman a monster, a danger, a threat to humanity. Never mind all he had done was try and protect them. Sure he was a bit gruff and standoffish but that was probably just social awkwardness.
So now the league sat in the meeting room, fully decked out with proper tablets and comfy spinny chairs that didn’t squeak when you tried to roll them across the floor. It was two minutes until the meeting and Batman still hadn’t entered the building. Clark would know, he was listening for the tell tale near silent footfalls of Batman’s boots. Outside the yells of the people were louder than normal. The Justice league didn’t hide when their monthly meetings were so it was easy to find with a quick google search and a reddit user who went off on an all night hero hunt.
30 seconds till meeting start time and Clark perked up when he finally heard the sound of the Batplane landing on the roof. The people outside got louder and he had to quickly focus on just the room he’s in to avoid a migraine. Others must have noticed his change in posture as people hurried to their seats for Batman’s second official meeting as a member (and manager) of the Justice League.
The door slid open soundlessly before shutting behind the man as he moved to the head of the table in quick even strides. Clark smiled as he spun in his seat to greet Batman before he went into full meeting mode, but paused. Batman’s armour had changed over the roughly a year he’d known him. The bulky design became sleeker, using different materials and darker capes. But right now Clark was certain something was off. Batman swept past him and pulled a tablet out of his infinite storage cape and started to pull something up on the large screen behind him. Clark tilted his head and frowned, listening to the tiny heartbeat hammer away on Batman’s shoulder. As Batman started to talk about the monthly budget Clark focused on his shoulder, frowning when he watched something small and fuzzy shift on the thick shoulder armour just by his neck.
“Superman, do you have an issue with my reports or is there just something on my face?” Clark startled slightly at being called out, giving a sheepish smile as he put a hand on the back of his neck to hide the blush.
“Gee I’m sorry Batman, I was just curious what’s on your shoulder.” Batman stiffened slightly before his whole body seemed to deflate. The thing on his shoulder wiggled slightly before a head popped out from the small mound of fluff. The small creature looked around the room with startlingly blue eyes before they locked onto Clark, and a familiar sinking feeling settled in his stomach. “Is that…”
The small bat chirped, turning around clumsily until he was now standing facing the man of steel, mouth grinning in an uncanny way that showed off a little too human teeth. Clark could feel himself rapidly pale as he recognised the strange black marking that covered the face of the small brown creature. The almost reddish brown that covered its body and the paler nearly blonde colour running down its back. Batman sighed again and scooped the small bat into his comically large looking hands.
“This is Robin, I’m babysitting.” Robin turned to face Batman and started to chatter at him, waving one of his wings dramatically before miming falling down on his back, his other wing covering his face. Someone suppressed a laugh that sounded deafening in the near silent room. Batman simply rubbed the little bat’s head and safely deposited him back onto the shoulder he had been perched on earlier. “Now if that is all I have a few mission reports I would like to go over. Hal, what does, ‘She tried to breast boobily but I’m too alpha’ mean?”
Clark watched Hal attempt to sink into his incredibly comfortable chair as Arthur and Barry exchanged worried glances. But Clark was too busy spending the rest of the meeting keeping a watchful eye on the little bat, whose crystal blue eyes were staring holes in him as he licked his lips like the evil little gremlin he was.
The meeting ended an hour later with several members of the league leaving with their tails tucked between their legs after the verbal beatdown Batman had just given them. Many swore in their mind to write strictly facts in their future reports. Batman followed after them all, walking out the doors from the meeting room into the main museum hall where a few permitted reporters were allowed to stand around and wait to catch a glimpse of the many heroes that walked these halls, and the many more that would soon come.
Bright lights flashed as people took photo after photo of the league, who all quickly perked up and pretended they hadn’t just been lectured on the proper way to format their reports. You’re a reporter Clark for fucks sake, know the difference between a colon and semi-colon. People shouted questions and shoved their microphones uncomfortably close to Clark’s face as he attempted to smile and placate whilst also shielding Batman from the worst of it.
He was too distracted to hear the whispering just near the end of the room, or to hear the snapping of a lock as something was opened. But he definitely noticed when several fuzzy brown shapes suddenly swarmed around them, circling and screeching as more cameras flashed and confused the poor creatures. Reporters were chomping at the bit to take a photo of the supposed Vampire surrounded by his ‘brethren’ as one reporter called them. Just then Robin shifted from his place on Batman’s shoulder, his eerie eyes staring down the two people near the door holding the wooden box before he stood up and faced the swarm of terrified bats.
Taking a breath the little batling opened his mouth and screeched, calming the frenzied animals into swooping down and attaching themself onto Batman’s cloak like strange decorations on the world’s darkest Christmas tree. There was silence for just long enough for Batman’s sigh to be audible before he gently patted the little bat on the head.
“Thanks son.” The little bat puffed out his chest and started to chatter away happily as the reporters lost their minds. Batman had a son? Who was also a bat, or possibly even a vampire like him! The people screamed their questions, clambering over each other like sharks smelling blood, each trying to get the controversial Cryptid to say something, anything to them. To their dismay Batman ignored them, walking through the crowd with incredible grace for a man covered in bats before disappearing down a darkened corridor Clark swears used to be lit. Taking a breath to steady himself he also quickly rushed out of the room. If this was what people felt like being questioned by a reporter, Clark had to send personalised gift baskets to anyone interrogated by Lois. Being on the other side of the paparazzi was terrifying.
Bruce walked up to the Bat-wing and sighed, reaching out of his cloak to scoop up the little bat on his shoulder that huffed at him indignantly.
“I know chum, but your friends should probably head home now.” Dick deflated slightly but quickly started to chirp at the bats that had hooked their little claws into Bruce’s nice new cape. Alfred would have his head if he found the tiny little punctures in the brand new kevlar lined fabric he had just finished making. Slowly one by one the little bats unhooked themself from Bruce and flew off into the evening sun, back to who knows where. Dick looked off into the distance until the last one disappeared and chirped sadly. Bruce smiled and took the boy into his hands, opening his mouth to say something when there was a sudden puff of smoke and the small thing in his hands became a much heavier and wrigglier pre teen boy.
Both stared at each other for a moment, processing the curse undoing before the boy grinned brightly. The small cloud of smoke blew away in the roooftop breeze and took with it whatever spell had been cast. But Bruce didn’t care because his boy was back to normal. When he had seen that ball of light hit Dick on patrol and had been left with a small bat with robin coloured patterns Bruce had feared it could be permanent. the mage that had cast the spell had escaped after all as Bruce was too busy fussing over his now extremely small and fragile child. He had been planning to ask Wonder woman if nothing had changed after a few days, Vampire cover be damned, he didn’t care about a secret identity if it meant Dick had to spend the rest of his days stuck as a bat. Bruce was also slightly concerned by the wizarding population’s desire to turn people into bats, seeing as they had done it to him barely a month ago.
“Gee whizz Batman, I’m me again. It sure is nice to have an actual voice.” Bruce chuckled as his ward clambered all over him, getting out his manic energy after having sat so well for the meeting earlier. He continued to clamber all over the man until he finally finished sitting on his shoulders, each hand grasping an ear of the cowl for support as he swung his legs in thought. Bruce let the boy think as he prepared the plane for the trip back to Gotham. Eventually the boy spoke up, his voice nearly a whisper.
“Do you remember what you called me earlier?” Bruce paused for only a second, but he knew Dick had seen it. The very training Bruce was giving him ingrained into his tiny mind.
“Remind me.”
The silence that followed wasn’t quite heavy, but there was definitely a nervous energy to the way Dick’s hands drummed against Bruce’s cowl for a few minutes.
“You called me son. Was that on purpose or…” Bruce stopped his fussing over the plane and reached up to grab Dick. The boy went easily, allowing Bruce to put him on the floor before the man knelt before him. He wasn’t sure this was the best place for this conversation, but Dick was 12 now and he felt it may be time to mention it. See what he thinks.
“Robin, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable by saying that. But know that I think of you like a son. I don’t have to be your dad, I know you had one, I’m happy to say as B forever if you want me to. If you want me to stop just tell me and I will ok?” Bruce waited anxiously as he watched Dick go completely still. No shuffling feet, no taping hands, not even a head tilt. Like a picture he stood frozen. Bruce was starting to worry it may have been too soon when Dick surged forward, wrapped his arms around Bruce’s neck and squeezed tightly.
“I’m ok with having a dad now B.” Bruce held the boy, his boy, and continued to hold him the entire way back to the manor. All the way until the two had sat down with the adoption paperwork and gone over it a million times. Until they had curled up in one of the drawing rooms with cups of hot cocoa and had fallen asleep all over each other. Because now the bat and bird really were a family. A broken, messed up but loving family.