Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Martha Wayne had a little bit of a gift.

It wasn't very much, but sometimes when she dreamed or looked into a mirror she could see things that later came to pass.

When she was younger she saw the reflection of a man she met 4 months later.

Of his boisterous laughter and kind heart.

Thomas Wayne was even brighter than his reflection showed him to be.

She knew long before he was born that she was going to have a son and that she would love him with all her heart.

And she knew.... One day her son was going to have children of his own and fill their house with their wonderful laughter.

.... And she knew for some reason neither her nor her husband would live to see it.

----

When Martha was a very young girl she inherited a long ethereally sparkling necklace from her grandmother.

You couldn't wear it, it was broken, but for some reason no matter how many pearls were lost off of it's thread it just seemed to have more.

Martha created a tradition with this necklace and it's odd quirks.

Everyone she loved dearly she gifted a pearl.

Her husband she had given a pearl in exchange for her engagement ring.

"I don't see why the gift-giving must be one-sided when an engagement starts." She had told him.

He laughed that boisterous laugh of his and kissed her hand. "Right always my dear, right as always."

He had sent the Pearl into a splendid cufflink which he always wore. It didn't matter if the shirt was meant for cufflinks he would wear his wife's Pearl.

Alfred. Loyal caring Alfred of course received a Pearl.

It had been 10 years since he had been in their service when Martha placed it into his hand and closed it.

"You are as dear to me as family Alfred. Please, please take it."

Alfred's Misty eyes looked at her and he smiled surely. "Of course Miss Martha, and I.. consider you my family as well. Master Thomas too."

They had hugged quietly and said no more.

----

It was growing time she knew.

She was seeing less and less these days.

Try she might to prevent it for she did not want to leave her son.

Still, just in case.

She called her son into her dressing room.

Her sweet shy boy opened the door.

"You called for me mama?"

She smiled seremely at him and tucked a loose piece of hair behind his ear. He was almost 8 years old and such a sweet boy.

"Yes my dear. I have something I want to show you and a tradition I hope you will keep up for me."

Her son perked up. He looked excited, he always did like a mystery.

Maybe one day he would be a great detective.

The shadows of bats she saw in mirrors certainly gave her a hint.

Martha opened an old jewelry box with a key from around her neck.

When it was open she placed the key around her son's neck.

"Keep that safe for me will you Bruce?"

Bruce looked in awe down at the key. "Yes mama."

Martha smiled at him.

She delicately removed the long pearl necklace from where it's sat in the old silver box. She brushed for some around the Velvet interior and glanced at the inner foggy mirror.

She saw a reflection of a family photo and smiled.

She turned to her son and she placed the necklace on her vanity.

"This was given to me by my grandmother. It's a special necklace it's been broken for as long as anybody can remember but it never for some reason loses all of its pearls no matter how many you take. I like to give the pearls to the people I love. To the people I consider my family or who I want to be my family. I would like if you could if you would continue this silly little tradition of your mother's."

She said this taking a beautiful iridescent Pearl off the string and holding it out to her son.

Bruce took it his eyes shining with awe.

"Of course mother!" He looked down at his feet considering then looked up at her.

"Could I give them to my friends too? Or is it just... Just for people I love like you love Daddy? Or how you love me?"

Martha chuckled. Always so inquisitive.

"You may give them to whoever you want to my dear. And there are many different ways to love somebody. Apart from your father and now you, Alfred also has one. And if one day you have children of your own I would certainly think it would be good to give them a pearl as well like I'm giving you one now."

Bruce's eyes shined and tackled his mother in a hug. "Okay I promise. If I love somebody I'll give them a pearl and tell them what it means. And I'll keep this one extra safe." He nodded determined.

Martha kissed her son's forehead. "Good. I should think you will find many you will love and who will love you in turn my dear son. For you are very lovable."

She squeezed him tight in the hug and tickled his sides. He shrieked with laughter.

Martha glance at her vanity mirror and saw reflections of people she had not met yet.

Yes, her son would indeed have many people to love him and that he would love dearly.

She could see that in their eyes.

Chapter Text

Dick had been an orphan for 6 months now.

A ward of Bruce Wayne for 5 months.

And Robin for all of three.

(Technically. Bruce won't allow him out yet until he was quote 'ready' whatever that meant.)

Most days Dick was filled with so much anger at the man who had taken his parents away from him.

And anger at the Foster system for claiming that the rest of his family couldn't possibly take care of him.

But...

He was feeling, happier these days. Guilty as he was to admit it even to himself.

Tony Zuko could rot in hell and the Gotham Foster system was full of idiots and assholes.

But, he could admit that Bruce and Alfred were...nice.

Alfred tried to learn as many Romani recipes as he could to make sure that Dick didn't lose the comfort that they brought or the link to his culture.

Bruce had promised to bring his parents murderer to Justice.

...

And neither of them had gotten particularly mad when he had used the chandelier as a makeshift trapeze... And then proceeded to topple the entire thing to the ground.

More concerned about him than angry about the chandelier's utter destruction.

Sure Alfred had huffed and tutted but he had checked Dick over with such gentle hands and had repeatedly asks over the next few days if Dick felt any strange aches or pains especially in his head.

Bruce had completely ignored the shattered chandelier and had held him close after he had fallen and continued to pet his hair long after Dick had recovered from the shock of falling.

And by the next week two fully equipped trapeze gyms were constructed.

One in the cave below and one in a manor above.

"To make sure you can practice whenever you want." Bruce had muttered quietly.

So yeah, he liked it here.

---

Dick was confused when he was called into a small sitting room/study that to his knowledge had always been closed, locked and completely off limits.

Wayne Manor's veritable West Wing.

Dick entered with some trepidation.

He trusted Bruce and Alfred.

But the situation was still strange.

Alfred had told him that Bruce wanted to see him up here while smiling with a little knowing smile and fiddling with a pearl cufflink.

Other than that fond smile Alfred was the epitome of mystery, as always.

The door pulled back slowly with Dick's hesitation. He had never been in here at all, and it felt like he was walking on hallowed grounds.

It felt kind of wrong to be treading here.

Dick looked up to see the face of his foster father smiling softly at him.

... Which was weird.

Bruce was nice sure, but he was also 6'4 and the Batman. An imposing wall of mystery, muscle and intimidation.

The man just...didn't do soft very often or well.

So Dick was very weirded out.

But he was ever curious.

"What's up B? Thought this place was off limits."

Bruce kept that fond smile on his face, his soft eyes looked on Dick. "This was my mother's private sitting room. I didn't mean to give the impression that you weren't allowed in here it's just," Here his smile gained a bit of a sad tilt and he looked lost in fond remembrance. Dick could understand the feeling intimately. "Force of habit I guess to keep it closed and awaiting her arrival."

Dick could understand that. Even though he now resided in a mansion sometimes it felt like he was just waiting for his parents to walk in the door, or when he was on the trapeze he waited for them to suddenly appear and catch his hands.

He didn't think that feeling would ever go away.

Bruce moved his eyes back to Dick's face. His smile was again filled with softness and warmth.

It was still really freaking weird to see on B's face.

"And a promise to my mother is actually why I called you in here. Come here chum there's something I'd like to show you." Bruce motioned a little with his hand.

Dick tilted his head curiously wondering what promise Bruce could have made to Martha that involved him. Dick wasn't even alive when Martha was!

Still he trusted Bruce, he had seen the file that Bruce tirelessly updated on Tony Zuko. He was someone who kept his word.

Dick ambled casually up to Bruce and observed him as he did.

But Bruce didn't move just simply kept smiling that fond little smile, it honestly reminded Dick of his mother's indulgent smiles when he perfected a trick.

And didn't that shoot a shock of pain through his heart.

When Dick finally moved close to Bruce's side he took in the antique vanity Bruce was sitting in front of. Not a speck of dust was to be found on it.

Bruce slowly but confidently moved his hands to a little box on the table that looked like it had been worn down over the years with touch and careful care.

It opened to reveal... A broken necklace.

Ok.. odd.

Before Dick could do more than cock his eyebrow questioningly Bruce spoke. "My mother had a little bit of a tradition she liked to do with this necklace."

He slowly, reverently took the beautiful pearl necklace out of its home in the velvet lined box and Dick noticed that the pearls look strikingly similar to Alfred's Pearl cufflink or Bruce's lucky Pearl button.

"You see for some strange reason no matter how many pearls you take off this necklace, they'll always be more." Dick raised his eyebrow in suspicion at Bruce.

He had heard of magic before, heck there are a few magic users in Haley's circus.

And metropolis was now protected by a guy who flew and shot lasers out of his eyes for Gods sakes.

But still, the story was still odd.

"What did she do with the pearls?" Dick asked quietly.

Thomas and Martha Wayne weren't brought up very much, even though their presence lingered all throughout the manor.

Every small instance of their mention was a special kind moment, one Dick never wanted to break the atmosphere of.

Bruce smiled at him, soft eyes steaming to go even softer.

"She would give one Pearl to each person she considered family. She gave one to my father who wore it proudly as a cufflink. She gave one to Alfred who made it into a cufflink too. And," Bruce fondly touches a little Pearl button brooch on his shirt. "She gave one to me which I turned into brooch, and asked if I carry on the tradition for her. She died one week later."

An immense sadness fills Dick's heart. He knows how comforting but how weighing traditions and connections to his parents can feel.

He's broke down crying more than a few times on those trapeze sets Bruce got him.

"I'm sorry about that," Dick says sorrow and sympathetic grief lining his voice. "But..." He hesitates. He doesn't know if he wants to know the answer. "Why did you call me in here? Why did you show me this?"

He asks anyway.

His mother always said he was persistent.

"A little flying Robin always eager to get the first form of the day."

Bruce seems to hesitate himself seeming almost...nervous.

And of seeing the Batman be soft was disconcerting, seeing him be nervous is downright unsettling.

Something in Bruce's eyes solidifies and he nods his head a little to himself.

He opens his mouth confidently but hesitantly and says. "I know I could never replace your parents, and I'm not trying to. But..." He hesitates even more nervousness and uncertainty bleeding into his expression but he seems determined to say what he wants to say.

Dick is unsure on how he'll feel once the entirety of his words are out.

But he feels, nervously excited.

Even if he does still feel guilty about it.

"I want to honor my mother's tradition and make sure that you know you'll always have a safe place here and that me and Alfred will always be here for you, no matter what."

He seems almost anxious with his words but his jaw is set in a strained determined line.

As soon as he has said his whole piece he looks at Dick and then looks away.

Yep Batman being nervous is a whole lot worse than Batman being soft.

"You don't have to accept it and I know you haven't known us, me for long. But..." He shrugs. "I wanted to make sure that you knew I consider you family now, even if you don't right now or ever reciprocate."

His peace fully he turns into a stoic-like statue.

Looking Dick straight in the eye, as if a waiting him to pass judgment.

In that moment Dick's heart felt the lightest its been since his parents died.

So Dick does the only thing he can think of.

He tackles Bruce in a big hug.

"Thank you." He breathes.

Bruce stfiffens at his hug but nods and pats his back and hair.

Dick pulls his little head back from Bruce's neck and looks up at him expectantly.

Bruce hums a little and delicately removes one of the pearls from the broken string and places it in Dick's outstretch hand.

It feels warm in his grasp.

It feels like it was always meant for him and that he's never going to be apart from it now.

He smiles at the Bruce bright and wide, and Bruce returns his smile with that soft fond one he had before.

It's actually kind of comforting to see now, still a little unnerving but Dick thinks that will go away.

He's still angry and he's still sad.

He thinks he'll be for a long long time yet.

But he's not as guilty as before, he thinks his parents would be proud of him for the new family he's found.

He knows his parents would have loved them to pieces.

So he'll just have to show Bruce and Alfred love and gratitude on behalf of the entire Grayson family.

It's what his parents would have wanted after all.

Chapter Text

Batgirl had been working with Batman and Robin for about a year now.

It was fun, running around Gotham with her best friend and his dad and making sure justice was dealt.

...And helping out her dad in what little ways she could, even he didn't know it was her.

She was sparring with Dick down in the cave while also observing Bruce.

He had been... weird the last few days.

She knew it was nothing serious, because Dick knew what was up with Bruce and had spent the last few days laughing at his father about whatever was bothering him.

Alfred just smiling fondly at them all while fiddling with his cufflinks really sealed that nothing *bad* was going on.

But he still acting strange....even for him.

He kept looking like he had something to say but would seem to think the better of it and turn around to do something else.

And he had been weirdly...shuffling lately.

Fiddling with his hands, his cape, and one notable occasion doing it with a batarang and giving himself a pretty bad cut.

Lastly he had been weirdly insistent about her staying for dinner the last couple of days.

She didn't mind, and neither did her father.

Her father had been in Bruce's life since he had been a little boy and Barbara had known Bruce all her life.

Not as well as she did now, but still.

Honestly she wished he would just come out with it already.

She knew it had something to do with her and she would really like if Bruce just got on with it.

Honestly it was getting annoying.

---

He finally SAID something after dinner that night.

"Barbara? Would you come with me a moment there's something I would like to give you."

She nodded, fighting back the urge to raise an eyebrow at him. She wasn't going to do anything to spook him now. She was finally going to get a clue until what he's been so weird about lately!

She followed the fidgety Bruce up to a quiet office space she's never been into.

But that was fair, there were a lot of rooms in Wayne Manor she'd never been into.

Bruce cleared his throat and sat down at a chair in front of an antique vanity.

It was pretty and well maintained, very nice detailing on the sides of the mirrors.

Bruce seemed to fidget a bit more before finally clearing his throat.

"I..." He spoke hesitantly.

Barbara breathed out a sigh. "Come on, Bruce out with it. I'm not going to bite" she said half annoyed half fond, folding her hands in front of her chest.

Bruce stiffened at her words but then chuckled as he relaxed his shoulders. "Right, sorry Barbara." He rubbed the back of his neck.

She shrugged. "It's no problem. I just would like to know why you been so weird lately sometime before I turn 40."

That caused him to relax even more and he let out a breathy chuckle.

Bruce gave her a fond little smile, like the ones he had given her when she was small and had done something particularly clever, or just sassed him.

He always found that funny.

And she always thought he deserved it.

Bruce slowly carefully opened a small silver antique jewelry box. A broken pearl necklace was sitting inside the velvet interior.

He moved his hand towards it, then away, then look back towards her.

"I..." He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders. "My mother had a tradition she passed down to me. Where she liked to give these pearls to people she considered family."

He looked at her with ernest eyes. "I'm not trying to butt in between you and your father's relationship. I would never do that to you or Jim. But..."

He shook his head and had a fond little look in his eye. "You're both family to me." He looked at her with sincere eyes. "And especially recently you've become like a daughter to me."

Barbara felt her chest swell. The Waynes were always a part of her life, but Bruce was right they had grown especially close lately especially after she became Batgirl.

She held her hand out and said. "And you're like a second father to me Bruce. I would be honored to be a part of this tradition."

She giggled. "If you want, I could give one of the pearls to Dad for you and explain what it means or you could even invite him over to dinner and give it to him there." She smiles at him.

"I know dad views you as family too."

Bruce smiled a small and bright little smile back at her.

"I think that's a good idea, thank you Barbara." He said gently as he placed a singular pearl into her outstretched hand.

She closed her hand around it. It felt warm and she thought she heard a soft little lullaby vibrating in her hand.

It was hers forever now, just like her place in this family.

"No problem Bruce, you know it's my job to come up with the good ideas for you."

They both descended into laughter and Barbara felt warm.

Yes, being Batgirl was definitely the right decision

Not just for Gotham.

But for her, as well.

---

And if Gordon cried a little when Bruce presented him his little iridescent pearl...

Well that was a secret kept between Bruce, Jim and Barbara.

Just the three of them, like it had been for so many years.

After all, they worked so well together.

In both comforting each other's grief and in protecting the city.

Now that was awesome teamwork.

Chapter Text

Jason was of a mind that he might be favored by fate.

Or at the very least it had decided to give him a break for once.

He hadn't thought, when he was jacking the tires off the batmobile, that that event would lead him to residing in the place he did now.

Mostly he had been thinking that it might score him some half decent food for a while.

He was definitely going to get that now.

A couple of weeks ago he was a scrawny dirty little street rat whose dad had died in jail and whose mom had sadly perished from an overdose.

Leaving not a person left in the world to give a shit about him.

Now?

Now he resided in the manor house of one of the most famous and wealthy men in Gotham.

He was Bruce Wayne's adopted son.

Christ, he's still not wholly convinced that he didn't freeze to death a couple of months ago and this is all just a nice dream based on one of the books he had read in the library.

… At least he didn't have to worry about food anymore.

Alfred didn't even mind when he snuck into the kitchen to take some food to hide in his room.

Just simply told him, "Young master Jason please let me know if I can pick you up some non-perishables for your selection. And remember to rotate any perishables you might have." With a kind understanding gleam in his eye.

Bruce had simply grunted and bought him a mini fridge for his room.

So it seems like he didn't care either.

It seems like the only person he hadn't met yet was the first born son.

Dick Grayson.

---

He had the *unique* pleasure of making his acquaintance a month after he had moved into Wayne Manor.

Dick came through with the front doors with a cacophony of noise and excitement.

Showboat.

When he locked eyes on Jason it seemed like he was assessing him, scanning him.

It made Jason feel small and weak.

He *hated* it

So he squared his shoulders, puffed out his chest and glared at the older boy.

When Dick had seemingly finished his weird assessment he cocked a questioning eyebrow, though Jason couldn't possibly figure out at what, smiled brightly and stuck out his hand.

"'Sup Little Wing. I'm Dick Grayson, your older brother."

His charming smile *seemed* genuine.

Welp, Jason decided, he had already taken a chance on a weirdo in a giant bat suit, why not take on this loud showoff?

Jason firmly shook Dick's hand. "Jason Todd. Nice to finally meet you I guess."

That seems to be the correct answer because Dick just smiled even more brightly at him, (Seriously how the hell was that even possible?! It's like he had the sun behind his teeth.) and ruffled Jason's hair, which caused Jason to squawk in protest.

That only made Dick chuckle as he turned to Bruce and acknowledged him for the first time since he came in.

Dick wrapped his father in a gigantic hug and chuckled as he said. "Miss me B?"

Bruce grunted and Dick seemed to take that as an answer as he chuckled and pulled back.

He looked at Bruce questioningly and slightly touched the one simple Pearl earring he was wearing. "What no continuing the family tradition yet?" He teased.

Bruce simply grunted again and said quietly. "Was waiting for you to meet him first."

Dick smiled softly at his father and said. "Thanks B." But then he affected a wide bright smile. "But now I've met the little gremlin, and I like him! So now you have no more excuse to put it off." He sing songs teasingly at his father.

Bruce grunted and seemed to look anywhere but at his two sons.

"... I'll give it to him by the end of today."

Dick grinned impishly and patted Bruce on the shoulder wandering off to go greet Alfred.

"You do that B."

Just as he was about to disappear behind the corner Jason swore he heard Dick chuckling to himself as he said. "The fear and nightmare of all of Gotham's most hardened criminals... And he gets nervous about telling his kids he loves them, Ha!"

Jason stood in the foyer completely confused and feeling like he had definitely missed something.

What the hell was that all about?!

---

He found out as Bruce had promised Dick later that evening.

They had just finished up dinner with Dick seeming to bounce in his chair and grinning impishly at Bruce the whole time.

Jason had a freaking weirdo as an older brother.

... But he was all right...

He guessed.

Bruce motioned for Jason to follow him, and Jason definitely wanting to know what the fuck was going on by this point, eagerly trailed behind his adopted father.

They arrived at a quiet little study.

Jason had seen Bruce sitting in here sometimes, real quiet and contemplative.

Jason knew that look, so he mostly left to this room alone.

Everybody deserved to have a little peace and quiet when they mourned.

Alfred and Bruce certainly granted him that whenever he needed it.

So it was only fair to return the favor.

Treading the floor in this little office space it felt like he was walking on holy ground, like the times he had wandered through churches and graveyards some of the time.

Bruce sat on a little chair in front of an antique vanity. It looked very well taken care of, shiny and new looking as if it had just been made despite it's clearly aged appearance.

"What's up B? Is this about that family tradition thing Dickhead was on about?"

Bruce smiled at him softly and that helped Jason relax a little bit.

"Yes Jason, we have a little family tradition here passed down from my mother. And I was waiting for just the right time to continue it with you..." Bruce chuckled and rubbed to the back of his neck.

"Dick called me out for taking too long," Bruce straightened his shoulders and moved to remove the lid of a small antique jewelry box. "And he was right."

Jason moved closer to try to look into the box and he saw a broken glistening pearl necklace.

That was weird.... But he was adopted by a rich billionaire who runs around in a bat costume beating up criminals so who was he to judge?

"Before she died my mother entrusted me with a tradition and this necklace. "Bruce spoke in a nostalgic tone, removing one of the glistening pearls from it and holding it out to Jason. "This necklace is special it always has more pearls to give, and my mother loved giving these pearls to the people she loved and considered family."

"And now," He breathed out. "I continue the tradition in her stead, and I present you, my son with this pearl. This is a symbol of how much I care about you and that I love you as my family and as a symbol that you will always have a place here."

Jason delicately cupped the pearl in his hands and held it close to his chest.

It felt warm and safe.

He was never going to lose it, he knew that.

Just like he knew he would never lose Bruce Alfred and even Dick's love.

He barreled into his father's chest and Bruce chuckled and wrapped he's strong safe arms around him cradling him close like he did the pearl in his own hands.

"Love you too dad. Thank you." He said with a quiet shaky voice.

They sat like that for a while just being in the moment.

And Jason knew without a doubt that he belonged.

He was loved.

Chapter Text

Jason crept through the darkened hallways of the tower. He was hunting.

Hunting a Robin.

Bruce told him he was family, gave him a pearl, made him feel special.

Ha! He should have known.

Bet he gave the brat a pearl within a week.

And yet he couldn’t throw the damn thing away.

It made the pit quieter.

He didn’t know why that mattered.

Talia had shown enough evidence to even sway Barbie, but he had to know.

Had to see it.

He finally got the squirmy bird.

Bit difficult, the brat’s a feral little fuck.

Keeps trying to bite him, almost bit through the damn glove.

Christ what do they feed this kid in Bristol!?

“All right you little twerp, where is it?” Red Hood said as he struggled to stay in place straddling the pretender.

“The exit Buckethead? Have you lost your way?” The twerp chirped at him.

At least he had all the sass of Robin, even if he was in a stolen death shroud.

Dickhead must be so proud.

“The pearl you little snot! I know you didn’t lose it in our tussle, you can’t lose them!”

The little birdie tilted his head like an actual little chick in confusion, but still struggled. “What are you on?! Why would I have a pearl? The fuck does a pearl have to do with anything?!” Confusion evident in his voice,

He had no idea what Jason was talking about.

But that couldn’t be.

He was robin.

Bruce had given him his pearl before he became Robin.

When he was just a sticky little street kitty scooped off the street.

What the fuck was going on!?

The pearl meant more than even the suit did.

So where was it?!?

“The pearl that Bruce gave you!” Jason shouted in anger and desperation.

It was then that Robin stopped in his tracks, pure confusion on his face.

“Why would Batman give me a pearl?” He said in honest bewilderment.

He had no clue what Jason was talking about.

That caused to Jason to freeze as well.

And in that moment, the pearl that had been neatly tucked in the helix piercing of his right ear burned.

Burned with a pure white light in his mind.

Burning away the pits influence completely.

His mind cleared for the first time since he had woken up in that godforsaken grave, and he stared down at the boy in the robin suit with no pearl anywhere in his possession.

No knowledge even, of its existence.

Jason felt deep in his gut, the wrongness of that.

His voice cracked as he whipped off his helmet and stared at his little brother. “The fuck is Bruce doing?!” He cried.

The baby bird chirped a shocked, “Jason!?!” But Jason had other things to catalog other than the baby bird apparently already knowing who he was.

The kid looked vaguely familiar, but he could figure that out later.

With his head finally clear, he cataloged all of the obvious red flags that the pit had blinded him too.

Why did the baby bird ask why Batman would give him a pearl?

He should know what the pearls are!

Batman didn’t give the pearls.

Bruce did.

Dad did.

Something was very wrong, both the pearl in his ear and his stomach burned with it.

Jason was going to get to the bottom of this.

He scooped the baby bird up in his arms like you would a fragile kitten and started marching determinately to the zeta tubes.

The boy in his arms protested the entire time, how he was alive, what was going on, and why he was so obsessed with some pearl.

But Tim wasn’t struggling anymore.

That worried Jason about his survival instincts.

(but that was a problem for later, when everything wasn’t wrong.)

They both disappeared from Titans tower in a bright flash of light and appeared in the sullen and silent Batcave.

It wasn’t silent for much longer.

“BRUCE! What the fuck are you doing? Why doesn’t the kid have a pearl? Why doesn’t the kid know what the pearls are?”

And then he came face-to-face for the first time since he returned to the land of the living with his father.

“….Jason?”

Chapter Text

Tim was very confused.

A rare experience for him. Sure he could be puzzled by a mystery or some such other thing, but usually he understood the basics of what was going on.

Right now, he had no clue what was going on.

Jason was alive. Jason had wanted to kill him….Maybe? Jason got very mad about a pearl and kept trying to find it on him, even though he had no clue what he was talking about. The weirdest thing was he seemed to get even more mad when he figured out that Tim really didn’t know what he was talking about.

And Bruce looked ashamed for some reason.

Dick when he got here was very happy to see Jason, but very angry at Bruce when he heard about the pearl situation. For whatever reason.

He had left to the family in the cave to reunite.

The worst part about his confusion is he doesn’t know what his role is going to be going forward.

He became Robin because it was needed, because it was what Batman needed.

Because Jason was gone.

Jason wasn’t gone anymore.

So, where did that leave Tim?

——

Alfred, Bruce, Jason, and Dick had all come up the stairs. All smiling and laughing. Though Jason and Dick seemed to be joking at Bruce’s expense about something.

Tim has been sitting on the couch in one of the family rooms. Not wanting to intrude, but… not wanting to leave.

He loved it here. The warmth, the company, the purpose.

He probably should’ve left, let the family reunite (They were probably gonna call Barbara soon if they hadn’t already.) but he just couldn’t.

The first person to notice Tim when they walked in was Jason. He locked eyes with Tim and Tim swallowed. He honestly didn’t know what Jason thought of him.

Given that the last two interactions he had with the man had been attempted murder by Jason and then rage on Tim’s behalf it seemed also by Jason.

Tim’s inner detective did not know what to do with these clues. Tim’s inner fan boy was just glad his hero was alive and looking at him.

Then Jason marched over to him with determination, Tim tensed up but was very shocked when Jason kneeled on the floor in front of him. He looked up at him with a sheepish and apologetic smile.

“Hey baby bird, I know I’m gonna be making up for this for a while and that’s OK, but I’m really really sorry for attempting to kill you. I don’t want to do that anymore. I genuinely don’t think I wanted to do it at all. But the Lazarus pit messes with your brain. But either way I did what I did and I am so so sorry. I’ll do whatever I can to make up for it and prove to you I can be a good big brother.” Jason looked at him with apologetic and gentle eyes. For a second, Tim was back in time sitting on a roof with a Robin he had accidentally jump scared sharing apology ice cream.

Tim genuinely didn’t know what to do with any of that information yet or what it meant so he just quizzically nodded his head. “Okay, I forgive you.”

Jason snorted and got to his feet. “No you don’t baby bird, at least not yet. I’m not gonna let you, but I’m gonna let you process. B don’t you have something you should be doing?” Jason addressed his father.

Bruce jumped at the address and then sheepishly rub the back of his neck. “Am I ever going to live down that you boys had to tell me to do this twice now?”

Jason smirked at his father and Dick cackled at him. “No way in hell old man, maybe for the next kid you’ll grow some emotional intelligence and do this in a timely manner eh?”

Bruce looks like he was about to protest but shut his mouth at the looks from both of his sons and Alfred.

Bruce smiled over at Tim. “Tim, sweetheart. I need to show you something.”

Completely on instinct, Tim nodded his head and stood up following his mentor. “What is it B?” Tim asked.

Bruce chuckled roughly and glanced back at his sons as they made their way to the door. “Something I should’ve given you a long time ago. And I apologize for my delay.”

Tim just halfheartedly shrugged. He couldn’t give an opinion if he didn’t know what it was. He had a guess based on the last few hours, but that still didn’t give him much more information.”

Tim and Bruce ascended the stairs through a doorway that Tim had never gone through. It was a quaint little room. Obviously given special attention by the residents of the manor. Even though Tim had never seen anyone go in here, it was spotless. Not a hint of dust or grime anywhere.

Not that you would ever find dust in Alfred’s house, heaven forbid.

Bruce sat down at an antique vanity and opened a pretty little box. It wasn’t too big the size of a small jewelry box which it seemed to be. Maybe it held special information on geek sticks?

Instead, when Bruce opened it, Tim saw that he was wrong. All it contained was a beautiful but, broken pearl necklace.

Okay that’s where the pearls came into the equation.

Bruce spoke before Tim form another theory on the pearls relevance or importance.

“This necklace belong to my mother. She used it for a tradition she entrusted to me. Whenever somebody new joins the family. Whenever somebody becomes special to any member of our family. They are given a pearl from this necklace as proof of that.” Bruce chuckled as he looked down at the necklace fondly. “And it seems they had a bit more tricks than just us having the inability to lose them once we have them.”

Okay… so Martha Wayne had a magic pearl necklace that she used to denote her family. That explained why Jason was looking for a pearl on him, but it also kind of didn’t. Why would Tim have a pearl? He’s not family. He’s a crutch. A stopgap.

Wait, our family? Surely Bruce couldn’t mean….

Bruce removed a pearl from the broken chain and held his hand out to Tim with the pearl sitting delicately in the palm of his hand. “Jason was right, I should’ve given this to you a long time ago, son. Because I view you as just that. A son. As surely as I view my other boys as my sons. As surely as I view Barbara as a goddaughter. As surely as I view Alfred as my father. I’m sorry. I was ashamed of myself. Of how you met me, how I was then. I didn’t think I was worthy to be your family. But my boys are right.” Bruce smiled up at him, with slightly tearful eyes.

“You have right to make that decision for yourself. Just like they did.” Bruce held his hand, a little higher, looking shaky and nervous. Tim had never seen him like that before.

His brain quickly processed every piece of the puzzle he had collected in the last few hours.

He stared down at the proof that he was wanted.

And quickly snatched it from Bruce’s hand, holding it tightly to his chest.

He never wanted to let go of it and from Bruce’s comment, of the pearls and their inability to be lost, he never had to worry about that.

Tears streak down Tim’s face. “Of course I want to be your son. Of course I want to be a part of this family.”

Bruce opened his arms and Tim collapsed against his father in a tight hug. He sobbed against his father’s chest. For once not thinking about being strong. For once not thinking about everybody else.

He was wanted.