Chapter Text
The past few weeks had been exceedingly entertaining for Lily. She was stoking the flames of the rumour that Bruce and Tim were vampires and it was starting to pay off.
Alfred came up to her one day with a newspaper. He had the hint of a smirk on his face. She saw why when she saw the headline.
Popular Rumour That Waynes are Vampires Spreads: Cassandra Wayne the Next to Turn?
Lily almost snorted her morning coffee. She continued to read the article. There was a priceless picture of Tim stepping out of Alfred's car sipping what was likely some sort of fruit punch, but what the article claimed to be blood.
By the time Lily was done, she was laughing quite loudly, and even Alfred was chuckling to himself.
"Alfred, this is amazing," Lily said.
"Indeed it is Miss Lily," Alfred replied with amusement.
Then Bruce came downstairs dressed for work and raised an eyebrow at the two of them. "What's going on in here?"
Lily slid over the paper and watched Bruce read it.
"I... I don't have any words," he said.
Lily giggled, "Isn't it hilarious?!"
"This is terrible reporting, they're just using anecdotes from a strange online source named bat-mom and-" Bruce stopped and turned to look at Lily with an irked expression. "Why would you do this?" He asked, pained.
"Because this is maybe the funniest thing to show up in a newspaper about us I have ever seen?"
Bruce sighed, "Do we have any more of that fruit punch left Alfred?"
Alfred smiled, "Right away, Master Bruce."
Quickly, Alfred had put some in a clear plastic travel mug. It was dark enough that it really could be passed for blood at a glance to those not familiar with it.
Then Bruce went off to work, alongside Tim, who was still half-asleep. Alfred drove them, and the media mob that was waiting for them was not disappointed. Tim was wearing sunglasses and instinctively held up his hand in front of his face to shield his eyes from the flashing of the paparazzi's cameras, but it looked like he was cringing away from the sun. Bruce simply did the same thing and sipped his dark red drink.
"Mr. Wayne! Mr. Wayne! Do you have any comments on the recent vampire rumours?!" One of the reporters called.
"Mr. Wayne! Is it true you've recently turned Cassandra Wayne into a vampire as well?!" Another shouted.
Then Bruce and Tim had to pick up the pace as some people started throwing garlic at them.
Tim was breathing heavy when they got safely inside.
"What the hell was that?" Tim demanded.
"Your mother has had too much free time on her hands," Bruce said.
Tim just stared at him.
...
Lily was driving Damian to school and then Jason to university. She smiled at waved at Damian as he got out of the car and headed towards the school.
She looked over to Jason, "Are you doing okay, Jay?"
She started driving while Jason thought up his response.
"Yeah, I'm alright, it's just... I never thought that I could have all this back," Jason said quietly. "It's nice, to remember all the little things."
Lily reached over and grabbed one of his hands and squeezed it. "I'm sorry you ever forgot." They reached the university. "Have a great day, Jay. Call me if you need anything."
"Thanks, mom," Jason said.
Now Lily had some time on her hands, she'd had nothing planned for the day. So she started to work on her idea to surprise Bruce for his 45th birthday. She had contacted a few of the people who she would consider his friends but would never actually admit to calling friends. He was a lot like Damian that way.
Speaking of Damian, she needed to remember to get in touch with Lois to find another good time for Jon to stay over.
She managed to get in contact with everyone who she considered Bruce's friend, even Jim Gordon. They were all coming over to the manor in a week's time.
Little did Lily know, Bruce had some plans of his own...
Over the past few months, he had been going around to his kids, checking up on them in his own way, which of course meant stalking them and then appearing in their homes in the middle of the night. He had gotten Dick first.
"Holy privacy invasion Batman!" Dick said. "What's up B? Is something wrong?"
"No... but there's something I need to talk to you about," Bruce said. "Sit down."
Dick frowned, "Mom's okay, right?" He interrupted.
"Yes, this is about something else," Bruce said. He removed the cowl. "What are your plans, for the future?"
Dick raised his eyebrows, "My... plans? What do you mean?"
"What are your plans for the future of Nightwing?"
"I... don't know, I haven't really thought about it. Why?"
"Have you ever considered... taking over the mantle of Batman someday?" Bruce asked.
Dick looked at him, "Honestly... no, I don't think I want that. You... you told me that you took me in and taught me how to do this so that I wouldn't end up like you... and you did it. I'm not dark or angry or full of vengeance. I want marry Barbara, and I want to play with my kids, maybe go out a few nights a week, but I- I can't be Batman."
Bruce smiled slightly, "That's good, Dick. I... I don't say it enough but I'm very proud of you, very proud."
Dick then frowned, "You're okay, right? You're not sick or hurt or anything?"
"I'm fine, I just thought I should check-in."
The next night, Batman did the same to Tim. He appeared beside him on a rooftop during one of Tim's stakeouts.
"Red Robin, do you have a minute?" Batman asked, crouching next to him in a way that he knew was going to have his knees screaming at him in the morning.
"Yeah sure, I'm pretty sure they're not going to be doing anything tonight. What's up?" Tim replied.
"What are your plans for the future, Tim?" Bruce asked.
Tim raised an eyebrow, Bruce was usually very strict about using names in the field.
"Uhh... I don't know, applying for university is coming up. I still haven't really figured that out," Tim replied.
"And what about all this, Red Robin, vigilantism, all of it?"
Tim didn't really know what to say, "I... I like where I'm at now. I like being Red Robin."
Bruce smiled at him, "You know, out of all of my children, you're the most like me. Have you ever thought about taking the mantle once I'm done?"
Tim was clearly surprised about this, "The thought has crossed my mind." He paused as if he was debating something with himself. "I never told you about this but... once, when I was with the Teen Titans, we found an alternate version of me. I was... I had taken the mantle, I was an adult, I was... it was horrifying. I think that being Batman changed me, dad. I don't want to be like that."
"There's no guarantee that you would be," Bruce said.
Tim shrugged, "I like what I'm doing now, I like being Red Robin, I like my team. I don't really want that to change."
Bruce nodded and squeezed Tim's shoulder, "There's nothing wrong with that. I'm proud of what you've become."
"I... thanks Batman, thanks dad," Tim said.
Bruce then went off into the night. A few days later he approached Damian when he was out with Titus in the yard.
"Father," Damian acknowledged.
"Damian, having a good afternoon?" Bruce asked.
"It has been pleasant," Damian replied. Bruce smiled at his youngest, he watched with a small smile as Titus came running back with the ball Damian had thrown. Damian threw it away again and Titus took off. "Do you need me to do something?" He asked.
"I can't just spend some time in your company?" Bruce asked wryly.
"You can, you just don't," Damian responded.
Bruce's smile faltered. Did he really not spend that much time with his children? "I'm sorry, about that. I should." Damian looked at him strangely but made no reply. "I just... I wanted to tell you something."
Damian's eyes then quickly flicked to him, "Something's wrong. I knew it. Grayson and Drake had been saying you'd been behaving strangely."
"No, really, there's nothing wrong. I just-" Bruce stopped. "I just have been thinking a lot about the future. And I wanted you to know that you don't have to be Batman." Bruce gauged Damian's reaction. It was surprised, very surprised. "I know that that is what Talia raised you to be, my successor, your grandfather's successor, but you're your own person, Damian, and you can be whatever you want."
Damian stared at him for a moment, "I... I understand. Drake or Grayson would clearly be better choices and-"
"No, no, Damian, I'm not saying that I don't want you to be Batman someday," Bruce said quickly. Damian was now confused, "I just... you don't have to be, if that's not what you want."
Damian considered this, "But... that's my purpose to you, isn't it? To be your successor."
Bruce frowned, "No, Damian, you don't-" Bruce stopped, he had to be careful with how he said things to Damian. "I love you because you're my son. I would still love you if you didn't fight at all, I would still love you if you wanted to give this all up." Damian was frozen, staring at Bruce. Bruce knelt down and hugged Damian.
"So... if I do not wish to take over your mantle... you will be okay with that?" Damian asked. He sniffled a little, and Bruce knew he was hitting something he probably should have dealt with a long time ago.
"I'd be more than okay with it Damian," Bruce said.
After his heart to heart with Damian, it was time to talk with Jason.
"Jason," Bruce said as he passed him in the halls of the manor. "When you have a minute, can you come down to the cave?"
Jason looked at him strangely, "Uh, sure."
About 15 minutes later Jason went down to the cave in sweats and a t-shirt, he saw Bruce wearing training clothes.
"What's up B?" Jason asked.
"Just wanted to spar with you," Bruce said.
Jason looked at him and could tell that there was definitely more to this than that, "Alright, whatever you want, old man."
"Don't hold back," Bruce said with a grin.
"Don't worry, I won't," Jason said.
It started off light, and Bruce didn't want light, he wanted to see exactly what Jason was capable of. He increased the tempo, using skills he knew he had never taught Jason to see how he would react. And to his surprise, Jason responded with a move Bruce had never seen before. This was very interesting.
They traded blows, they were shockingly evenly matched, which was a surprise to Bruce, who thought that he was going to have to hold back. In no way was he going full tilt, but then, neither was Jason.
Bruce's train of thought was cut off by a punch right to the face. He staggered backward and looked up at Jason with confusion.
"Oh shit, B, I'm sorry, I thought you-"
"No, Jason, it's alright, you got me, I didn't see it coming."
Jason blinked. "So... you weren't...?"
"Holding back? No, I wasn't."
Jason took a step closer to Bruce, "What's this about, really?"
Bruce looked at him, "It's a surprise for your mother... call it an early anniversary gift. I'm going to- going to retire. And I need someone to take over the mantle." Bruce looked at Jason seriously, "And you've just shown me that you're the right man for the job."
Jason was frozen in place, "What?" He whispered.
"I'm offering you Batman, but it's your choice," Bruce said.
"Why me? Why not Tim? Or even Dick? And don't even get me started on Damian, the brat it going to be furious that you're giving this to someone else," Jason started. "And you don't want me there, you don't. I've killed people, remember?"
"Jason, you're a good man, I have complete faith in you."
Jason studied Bruce closely, "You're only asking me because everyone else said no, aren't you?"
"No. Jason, you want me to be honest, and I'm being honest. You were my first choice, I just had to make sure that the others wouldn't be... offended by my decision."
Jason looked very shocked, "I was your first choice?" He echoed.
"Yes, and you don't have to say yes, but I wanted you to know that the position is yours if you want it."
Jason looked up with a small smile on his face, "I do, want it, if you're being serious, that is."
"I am, there are a few things I'm going to need you to do first," Bruce said.
Jason rolled his eyes, "Alright, hit me with it."
"You and me, we're going to train, hard, every day."
"Of course."
"You and Cass are going to train hard, every day."
"Sweet."
"And you are absolutely not going to tell your mother."
"Okay, I take it you want to surprise her?"
"And the others, so this is just between you, me and Cass."
Jason nodded. "Have you... thought about what Damian might feel about this? Will he still want to be my Robin if it's not you under the cowl?"
Bruce shrugged, "What Damian wants is up to him, I'm not going to force him to stay, and I'm not going to force him to leave. When the time comes the two of you can discuss that."
Jason nodded, "Bruce... this, this means a lot to me. Thank you."
Bruce clasped Jason's shoulder, "No, Jason, thank you."