Okay but bruce being so against touch is like- enormously hilarious to me- especially because in canon he hates touch; except when its from his family. So just imagine-
Brucie Wayne at a gala, awkwardly going for a handshake instead of a hug. The crowd is cringing
Brucie Wayne, half running backwards in an attempt to get away from a woman who is trying to get handsy at a dinner
Brucie Wayne, tripping a waiter into another man who tried to wrap his arm around bruce (jason and dick will never let him live it down. Neither will alfred, but for different reasons)
Batman, ignoring Hal jordan when he asks for a high five
Batman, dodging supermans super speed hugs like they're the plague
Batman, glaring at anyone who gets too close at meetings and not so subtly moving away
But then….
Bruce, walking into a gala with one or many of his kids sitting on his shoulders
Bruce, not hesitating to pick up his shorter kids when they are at an event and cant see
Bruce, strolling into a WE meeting with two kids latched onto each leg
Batman, on a mission and Nightwing uses his shoulders as a spring board. Despite not giving warning and coming from behind, batman doesn't even twitch
Batman, working side by side with Red Hood, when the vigilante laughs and elbows him in the stomach. Batman just smiles faintly and keeps working
Batman, sitting and talking in a meeting when Spoiler limps in and unelegantly flops into his lap. He doesn't even flinch, just situates her better and keeps talking
Batman, chatting with wonder woman when orphan just appears behind him, so quietly superman doesn't detect her, and taps batmans shoulder. Instead of jumping away or breaking her arm, he just pats the hand back absentmindedly. The league watches wide eyed
Batman, calling Red Robin in for information and the young vigilante refusing to leave until the bat gives him his goodbye hug
Batman, slinging an arm around Batgirls shoulder to whisper in her ear during a mission that makes her laugh
Batman, walking into a JL meeting with Robin attached to the front of his suit like a koala, wrapping a supporting arm around his sidekick.
Bruce, a walking junglegym for any and all of his kids
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Kintsukuroi
'What if I put a clock pendulum in my torso' was the sort of question Bruce had come to expect when visiting Oracle.
"Pendulums are dependant on a stable base," he replied, because the last time he'd assumed they were being unserious Tim had tried to fit a chemistry test lab in his mouth and accidentally leaked the fumes through his mask.
"It'd be so aesthetic though," said Barbara, not looking up from the dozen screens she was surrounded by. "Listen. It would look so cool - Spoiler, robbery on fifth and main - Especially if I put a clock face over my heart."
"I thought you were trying to fit a super computer in it?"
"I was, but progress is slow. It's hard to fit it and enough padding to protect it plus leave enough room for ventilation. If I add the pendulum I might at least get inspiration." She gave a heavy sigh and pushed away from the desk, gliding in her chair to where her doll body was resting on a table, the glue separating the two halves of the smashed torso still glistening. Bruce followed, peering over her at the many scanners and wires hooked into it, flashing and beeping.
"Any luck?" he asked, and they both knew he wasn't talking about the computer anymore.
"Nothing."
He squeezed her shoulder, and she leant into it. They stayed there for a long moment.
"I just don't understand!" Barbara finally burst out, hands clenching on her chair arms. "I glued nearly every single piece back together! I made sure every splinter I could find went exactly where it should! I know the contract is still there. She's worked with more missing pieces before. But she's just not responding!"
"It's not you," Bruce soothed. "You've more than enough determination and strength to puppet, and we know the human body's state doesn't affect performance."
"That's the thing!" Barbara threw her hands up angrily, nearly smacking Bruce in the face. There was a chatter over comms, and both reached for their own. "One second," she said tightly, and wheeled back into the glow of the monitors. "Copy. BW, you're nearest? Thanks. Try and avoid the sniper this time. Wing, backup is in five."
She muted again and spun around, pinning Bruce with a heavy stare. "Is there anything, anything you can think of? We've - nothing I've tried has worked."
"Well...." He trailed off, one hand coming up to rub at the chin of his mask - a quiet night meant the opportunity to forgo the practical but muffling gas mask for his favoured plain black.
It was far from the first time a doll had been horrifically damaged. The incident with Bane came to mind - Batman had been in a very similar condition, body shorn clean in two and tossed to opposite corners. It was an awful memory, but the expression on Bane and the audience's faces as his bloodless body fell apart like a rotting tree trunk and then kept moving was a silver lining he'd always treasure.
But he'd been repaired and back on his feet in weeks, if bearing the incandescent fury of the doll for several more. It had been months for Barbara, and still nothing was happening.
"There's something we're missing, and I doubt it's on your side."
"I know THAT-"
"Listen," he demanded, and her jaw clicked shut mutinously. "There's something we're not seeing. Batgirl is in no shape to demand it herself, it seems. So its inaction is something we can't fully rely on."
"You've got the most experience with the dolls of all of us. Can you.. I don't know, sense anything?"
"Nothing more than the usual, with the Patriarch Doll, but we might get more if we return to the doll house -"
"No." Barbara interrupted again, but Bruce did not take offence. "She's not going anywhere. She doesn't want to head back to the cave."
Oh?
"She doesn't want to, or she doesn't care to?"
"I say she doesn't."
Interesting. This was likely a case of the doll exerting its will. The bats were well versed in avoiding the few lines their wooden bodies drew in the sand, treating them with the wary respect one would give a favorite blade or a highly trained attack dog. They could work together, share the highs and lows of life with them, but never get complacent. The dolls were forever a foreign, inhuman presence, and as with all wild creatures they would never be so arrogant as to assume full understanding. For Barbara to so strongly decide for the doll meant she was most likely not the only one deciding.
Which meant the solution would not be found in the cave.
"Perhaps there are upgrades she wishes to have?"
Oracle paused.
"Maybe," she conceded. "But there's practically a limitless amount of things I could do, and I wouldn't know where to start. And I could more easily do them when she's up and walking."
Not that then. If the doll wanted something to change but not receive upgrades or heal, than what?
... Not heal.
Batman hurried to the table. Oracle watched him with hawk eyes, but another call on the comms turned her away with a final warning glance.
Recovering every single splinter from a damaged wooden object and perfectly reattaching it was nigh impossible on a good day, never mind in the dead of night with a moving target. The dolls always returned to the cave to regenerate scratches and nicks they couldn't buff out, or accepted plaster to transmute with whatever supernatural power guided them.
The batgirl on the table, divested of all covering and armour, was still as chipped and scuffed as the day nightwing recovered last splinter.
The pieces fell into place.
"She doesn't want to be perfectly rebuilt," he realised. "She doesn't want the damage to disappear as it normally does... She wants it to remain visible. A different type of repair, then."
Oracle spun in her wheelchair to face him.
"Why?" she asked, something sharp in her eyes. Bruce chose his next words carefully.
"Perhaps she thinks such damage doesn't need to be hidden away," he said, slowly, and didn't comment when she turned away. Though she put on a strong face, and the doctors had recently released her full time, it would be a long time until the young hero was able to truly heal her mind.
"She doesn't need to do that for me. She's just causing me trouble."
"I don't think she is," he tried. "Dolls tend to reflect their puppeteer even after they accept us. You can't deny your trajectory has been changed."
They both sent a significant look to the enormous super computer taking up the wall.
"You've said you almost feel better able to protect Gotham now, with your reach and skills. Do you really feel that way?"
"I - I don't -" her mouth worked silently, and Bruce waited. "I mean I guess... But a part of me always assumed it'd be temporary, you know? Once I fixed batgirl.. It'd all return to normal." Her voice wobbled, and Bruce didn't hesitate to crouch before her, wrapping her in a long armed hug. She buried herself in his chest, regardless of the chilled metal.
"It's okay if you don't," he whispered into her hair, and held her as she shook. "I'm just throwing ideas around."
"I do though," she rasped. "I think I do feel that way. There's so much that can't be solved by violence, and it feels good to be out there but... I think I can help even more people, this way."
"That's good," he praised, "that's good. You can do whatever you set your mind to."
"You stole that from a parenting book verbatim."
"It's applicable to the current situation."
"Fine," she sighed, and pushed him away to roughly scrub at her eyes. "I'll give the doll another chance. Find some glitter glue or something, I don't know."
"Any materials you need will be provided," he promised. "I wouldn't recommend glitter glue or our usual tar."
He moved to pat her on the hair as the emotions of the moment faded, making sure to keep his unsheathed claws out of her hair.
"Once you fix her, though, I would recommend you puppet the doll during night hours still," he told her. "It wouldn't be good to put your body through twenty hour days."
"I've got a good system set up for now, but thank, B-man."
The computer dinged with another alert, and oracle spun to squint at it with a muffled curse, typing furiously. Batman escaped to the other side of the room, where the folders he'd originally come looking for lay. She waved, distracted, as he left, and although the doll could not smile, he could feel it on his face all the same.
@puppetmaster13u I summon thee dear mutual ^^
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These Aren't Guards-
“Bruce? Your phone is ringing.” Dick Grayson called, not bothering to move from his place on the couch. Bruce sighed, but ambled downstairs, picking up the phone. “Yello?” he asked, pressing the phone to his ear. “Now?” dick frowned, setting his own phone down and glancing over. Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yes. yes of course ill be there in a bit.” he sighed, hanging up. “Dad? Everything alright?” DIck asked in concern. Bruce waved him off. “Clark called. Theres a League meeting. Lantern needs some help with these-” he waved a hand, trying to find the words. “This other alien species i guess, and the other Lanterns are refusing to help because its not technically a threat. yet.” Dick frowned. “Huh. need backup?” Bruce cocked his head. “You don't have anything better to be doing?” Dick shrugged. “Not today not really no.” Bruce shrugged. “Okay. You’re welcome to join me if you wish chum. At least then the meeting wont be a complete waste of time.” Dick laughed and stood, following his father down the stairs to the Batcave. “Hey B. Dickwad.” Jason greeted, sitting on the table, cleaning his guns. “Is that my rag-?” bruce groaned. “You know what? I don't even care anymore.” Jason grinned, dropping the rag, and whispered in a staged voice. “I finally win.” Bruce rolled his eyes, moving to his suit ti get changed. “Woah whats going on here? A daytime patrol? I thought we have duke for that.” Dick laughed. “We do. B has a League meeting and i volunteered to come along.” Jason jumped off the table. “Wait- for reals? I wanna come.” Bruce arched a brow, slipping on his suit. “You do?” Jason nodded. “Hell yeah. I haven't been up there since i was robin.” Bruce shrugged. “Alright. Suit up.” Jason grinned. “For real old man?” Bruce shrugged. “The meetings probably going to go in circles for a while, useless bickering, getting nowhere and achieving nothing, if you want to provide me with some entertainment while we’re there, then by all means.” Jason laughed. “Bet.” They suited up quickly and Bruce led the way to the zeta tube. “Jason, you made a fair point. Neither one of us has been up there since we were last robin. And most of the heroes don't know us.” Jason grinned as Bruce groaned. “Oh this is gonna be fun.”
“I called Batman, he should be here shortly.” Superman informed the other few members of the justice league that had arrived at Lanterns call. Wonder Woman nodded. “Good. then we can begin-” “they just showed up in the tube.” Flash informed them. “They?” Lantern asked, walking over. Barry frowned, but nodded. “Yeah. They.” The other JL members frowned, leaning over to see the monitor and what Barry was looking at. To their surprise, Batman was accompanied by two other men, both around his height, flanking him. “Is there a new bounty on Bats head we don't know about?” Green Arrow joked. “Whats he need bodyguards for?” The others shrugged. Before they could discuss it further the doors slid open and Batman walked in. “Is everyone here?” he asked without greeting. (although technically that was his greeting) “Yes. We can begin.” Superman nodded, and his eyes drifted behind him questioningly. Batman ignored all of their inquiring looks and took his seat, the two men taking their places behind him. “Um, we can get more chairs, for your um, guests.” Diana offered. Batman shook his head. “They'll stand. Its fine. Lets begin shall we?” The JL exchanged glances, but shrugged.
“My legs hurt.” Jason murmured into the comm. Dick huffed a laugh. “Shut up jason.” he muttered. “Code names dickie.” Jason twittered back, his moving lips hidden by his red hood. (who'da thunk it) “Not super necessary.” Bruce murmured, without moving his lips. “I've designed all of our comms to be unhackable, and managed to make it so Clark can’t hear us through them.” Jason raised his eyebrows, though neither of his companions could actually see that. “Impressive daddio.” Bruce fought hard not to roll his eyes and settled instead on casually flicking his leg. Jason smirked. “Both of you focus.” Dick hissed at them, but they could hear the smile in his voice. He was enjoying being here. And, bruce found in spite of himself, he was enjoying himself too. It had been far too long since he had brought his kids with him on League things, for good reason, but seeing as he shared everything League related with them anyways, and meetings rarely ever had direct danger, there really wasn't any reason not to bring them more often. “What do you think Bats?” Oliver asked, his hand landing on Bruces shoulder. Bruce felt rather than saw Dick and Jasons contempt for the action, so much so that he truly didn't know how he felt about the casual touch. Jason stepped forward and in one move had wrenched Olivers hand back, pushing him away. “Back. off.” he snarled. Dick was at his side, none of the Nightwing ease in his stance, no easy smile. No, it was all Jason, Red Hoods anger seeping into his posture, making him glower rather than grin. “Okay.” Oliver lifted his hands in surrender, taking a ste back. “Geez.” he added. “I just wanted to know what you thought Bats. You didn't need to sic your dogs on me.” “birds.” Bruce muttered. He felt Jason's anger flicker slightly. He had amused his second son. Bruce fought his grin. “Its a solid plan.” he admitted. “I think if you use Superman instead it would go over better though. He has the reputation as Earths defender. That will earn him respect.” the others nodded. “Okay. So its settled? Kal will fly out with Lantern?” The league all murmured their agreement. “Good. Then i hereby declare this meeting adjourned.” Bruce stood, and Dick and Jason backed up a few steps, allowing him to move away from the table. “Is that all?” he asked. The others nodded, watching him and his birds with curious eyes. “Good. Ill see you at the next meeting.” He turned for the door, Jason and Dick falling into step behind him, when Barry spoke. “You know we’d protect you Bats. You didn't need to bring your own guards.” Bruce could feel Dick and Jason's glee. He fought his own smile, turning back. “Guards?” he frowned, looking at Jason, then Dick. “oh. These aren't my guards.” he smiled, knowing how unnerved it made the others. “These are my kids.”
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