Neglected Wayne Reader as Yuu because I can.
After going missing for almost a year things are different, of course they are. But you don’t really like how they’ve changed. Your family goes from completely ignoring you, to treating you like glass. At least you still have the friends you made when you went missing. Each one having their own magic mirror to transport between your worlds and theirs. Oh did you forget to mention? Unlike what your family thought, you didn’t forget the eight months you went missing due to trauma. You remembered it clearly, you spent those eight months in a magic school in an alternate universe. Making many friends as you went! Now you’re back home and still in contact with them! This can only go perfectly!
Tw: Child Neglect, Minor Character Death, not very descriptive violence, references to attempted murder, bullying, Sex Jokes specifically two minors making sex jokes at each other, invasion of privacy, stalking, an extremely dense reader, a definitely inaccurate doctor's call for plot reasons.
It is implied most of the cast has romantic feelings for reader, this specific part focuses on Ace. As well as part two although I’m debating on adding Deuce is part to it as well just to even the score a bit.
The day you found the mirror is burned into your brain. A vivid memory you can’t forget for better or worse. All of it started out as a normal, at least your definition of normal. Summer was about to end and you spent all of it hold up in your room playing video games and getting so gross a goblin would cringe. What a great way to spend the summer before Highschool. In fact you spent so much time locked up you didn’t even realize Summer was coming to an end. Not until Alfred knocked on your door telling you to get ready. As he was going to take you and your other siblings back to school shopping in an hour. So the knocking and sound of his voice when he made himself known caused you to jump in surprise. Him or anyone coming to your room was uncommon. It didn’t help that you hadn’t slept the night before. Eyes heavy and burning from a lack of sleep and staring at the computer screen for so long. Not that you minded seeing as the hallucinations hadn’t settled in yet. Nor had the Tetris effect started. You also hadn’t even realize it was daytime until he showed up. With your curtains so tightly drawn it might as well have been midnight.
It wasn’t like you actually wanted to go, honestly you could just order stuff online. Dealing with the nagging for missing another family outing. Making it look like they ‘don’t care about you’(they don’t) and that there ‘intentionally excluded you’ (they do). Just was not worth it. Leaving you to scramble to get ready for the worst two hours in days. Taking a shower and working hard to scrub off your grease and sweat. Quickly brushing your hair and teeth, doing your best to look presentable. Trying to not resemble the creature you are. One that hadn’t been outside in a month nor stepped out of your room in three days. Once settled you grabbed a box of Froot Loops, one of the many ‘‘food’’ items you keep in your room and shoveled them down your throat. So at least you wouldn’t be hungry as well as tired and stressed. After that you rushed out of your room and down the many flights of stairs. Almost crashing into the couch when you made it to the living room. Somehow dispute everything you made it before your other siblings, or were you late by just a minute and they left without you, AGAIN.
That worry was quickly brushed aside when your mortal enemy walked through the door, Damian. Is it sad that your mortal enemy is your 10 year old half brother? Yes, but the little shit deserves the title and then some. You were regularly very close to punting him into the sun. Of course he would fight back, and win, but that’s not the point. The point is you hate his guts and he hates yours. In fact the second he looks at you there’s a deep scowl on his face, you return the gesture. “Alfred!” He calls into the other room, “do we have to bring them?” At that Alfred walks into the room Duke trailing behind. Duke waves at you politely, you like Duke. The two of you definitely aren’t close, but at least he treats you like a human being. Unlike the others who either treat you like a weird piece of furniture or lower than the ground they walk on.
Alfred just sighs fondly like he’s a grumpy troubled child and not a trained assassin that has tried to kill you twice and is part of the reason you only eat pre-packaged food. He ruffles the Demon child's hair and says “yes Master Damian, they also need to go shopping with us” only for the child to scoff and glare at you. You glare back, scanning his body for a switchblade, or a gun, or nunchucks. Basically anything he can use for his borderline Loony Toons assassinaton attempts. This kid has single handedly made your life a living hell. Even then learning how to dodge and fight back against him has proven far more useful then you would like to admit.
It wasn’t long after they showed up that you all left. The private schools mandated store is extensive. Even then you don’t really buy anything, just get your new Highschool uniform fitted and the supplies on the list. The others were far more the picky then you. Making this trip take so much longer when all you wanted was to go home, go back to your room and never talk to any of them again. Expect maybe Duke, you like Duke. At some point Damian trips you and laughs as you fall. Your knees hit the ground hard even as you mostly catch yourself. Small tears even start to form in your eyes. Something you try to will down. It’s childish third grade level bullying but fuck it works. Somehow it’s more humiliating then his crueler more deadly ‘pranks’. Alfred just rolls his eyes and continues looking through pencils trying to pick out the perfect ones. Like that even fucking matter’s. Duke helps you up but even he looks a little amused. A reaction that sends a shocks through your heart.
Is that just in your head? Does he actually think Damian tripping you is funny? Does- “maybe you should watch where you're going next time” Damian mocks. Oh you get it now, ever since the little shit got here he’s been working on a smear campaign. Doing everything in his power to make you seem clumsy, weak, foolish. In a family we’re no one ever cares about you, looks your way or bothers to learn anything about you. It’s working, he can do anything to humiliate you and everyone will just go ‘oh look at them, they’re just being so clumsy again! Silly, silly little idiot, silly-‘ you take a deep breath. Have you ever read Wayside School? A series of psychological horror books for kids, disguised as cute funny comedy? You feel like the three Eric’s, every single day of your life since this brat showed up. The worst part is that you honestly don’t think he wants to get rid of you. Like this is a game to him. After all, if he wanted you gone in any form he could have done it by now.
The day just got worse, as soon as you all were back at the manner you took your things and ran back to your room. Wanting to get away from everyone in the house as soon as possible, even if your food stash was running out and all that was left was a bag of half eaten beef jerky, two water bottles, a can of ice coffee, the rest of the Froot Loops and some Cheez-it’s. You didn’t want to leave the room for a while, so what if you starve. Not like they're going to care anyway. So you just lie in bed staring at nothing for a long time, being just a sack of meat. That is until your phone rings, a phone call from Gotham Grand Hospital. We’re your mother is, quickly you pick it up and they ask to confirm who you are. “Yes!” You practically shout, both worried and relieved to have received a call. Seeing as you haven’t been able to visit your mom in a long time. Too scared to leave the house, even if it’s to see her. Especially after Damian came into the picture. What if he follows you? What if he does something to her? Of course you told her all of this during one of your visits, even if she couldn’t respond. You hope she understood. What the nurse says makes your heart stop instantly confirming all your worst fears “I’m sorry to inform you, but your mother unexpectedly passed away this afternoon” and everything goes quiet. You can’t even hear what the nurse is saying, she’s gone? Your mother is gone, she’s gone she’s gone she’s gone she’s gone.
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You’re grip on your phone instantly loosens as you start to hyperventilate. The nurse is voice is faint and none of the words she speaks makes any sense. Nothing but a faint buzz compared to the roaring fire in your mind. She’s dead, your mother’s dead and you weren’t there for her. She’s gone and she’s never coming back and there’s nothing you can do. She wasn’t anyone special, important. Not a great hero who saved the world, not someone with special powers or a grand destiny. Just a normal woman who had the misfortune of being one of Bruce's many ex’s. You couldn’t think straight, you just wanted to get away. To crawl into a hole and never return, for your own breath to stop, to be consumed by darkness and never return. So you do what you do best, run. Abandoning your phone, the nurse's voice still a faint buzz, sounding increasingly nervous. You dash out of your room, slamming the door behind you as you go to the one place you feel safe truly safe in this dreadful house. Where no one has ever bothered you or even knows you’re there.
The attic of Wayne Manor had a lot of things. So large you still haven’t been able to dig through all the boxes the room stores. Each one packed to the brim with old abandoned objects. Some from more modern times, left behind by your siblings. Others so old and dusty you believed these items should be put in museums or returned to their home countries. When you first moved in, things weren’t that great. Your mother had just been sent to the hospital, it was sudden. A stroke that left her completely paralyzed, causing constant round the clock care to be necessary. Something an eight year old just couldn’t give, so you were sent to live with your father while she was sent to a care facility. You didn’t really know Bruce Wayne that well, your parents got divorced not long after you were born. They never got along, why they married is beyond you. Technically the custody of you was 50/50. Not that it ever played out that way. Up until the day you were to move in with him you had only been there four times. The bed in your room still meant for a toddler.
Your adopted siblings weren’t any better, you didn’t even know they existed and you’re pretty sure they don’t even know your Bruce is biological child. Even to this very day. So to say you didn’t get along with them or anyone in this house is obviously. Especially with there awful attempts at trying to hide their night life from you. A night life you’re mother had told you about when you were three. So they didn’t even need too. How stupid did they think you are? Seriously? Thankfully they eventually stopped, or completely forgot it was supposed to be kept secret from you. Both are valid changes.
It was only a week later you found an entrance to the attic, covered in dust and completely abandoned. It fascinated you a place completely abandoned at this point. Full of relics of times before you were born that weren’t displayed even in the old manner grounds. The attic quickly became your safe space, somewhere you made your own. With a small corner that you cleaned up and decorated. Beanbags, fairy lights, blankets, an old TV with a retro gaming system and games to go with it. There’s a round window that you covered with light green curtains. After making sure it wasn’t the poisons green of course. It’s the only place none of your family had ever invaded, one the occasions they remembered you existed and wanted to interact. They entered your room whenever they wanted. Alfred always came in whenever you were gone and he wasn't to busy too clean. You're pretty sure Damian’s been in there and read your old diary, which is why you burned it. One time when you first got a computer you caught Tim’s paranoid ass trying to install spyware on it. You’re still not completely convinced he didn’t install anything on it or your phone. Leading you to keeping tape over your camera and being very careful about what you look up and download on your computer and phone. Even having a burner that you keep in the attic because of this fear.
This is the safest place in the house, the only one they don’t know you hang out in. The one place you can go to keep your mind off you’re mothers death, and not spiral into doing something you’ll regret. So you started digging around in some boxes, even after eight years of living here there’s still so many new things to find. To the point these boxes feels almost infinite. Leading you to new items every time you go digging. That’s how you find it, the only thing inside a chest. Wrapped up in old white fabric that’s dirty and ruff to the touch. An ornate mirror. Feeling ancient in your hands. The design of the wooden frame swirling and swooping, with different carvings going along it. At the very top was the head of a dragon, then as it went further down the designs changed, starting to mirror each other. Two dog heads, then what looked like carvings of skulls, then snakes, then eels, then lions and finally at the very bottom on its lonesome was an upside down heart. Something about it sung in your bones.
The feeling of a calling you couldn’t quite name. Normally something like this would scare you, having disposed of a lot of stuff in the attic because of such a calling. This was different this though, holding the deep love and nostalgia of an old forgotten friend calling you home. So you take it back to home base and hang it up on the wall. You nod, a little proud of your accomplishments. Then go over to the old ass console that you’re pretty sure used to be Dick’s, and put in a game, completely forgetting about it. Lying back in the bean bag and quickly get into the retro game rhythm. Playing mindlessly, almost meditatively until you fall asleep. Controller still in your your limp hands, character having gone static. Completely unaware of what bringing out that mirror would do.
The dream you had that night made you feel floaty and weightless. That feeling you have when you’re thrown high in the air, at the furthest point you can go right before you fall down, were everything is still. Your organs pushed up as high as possible without dislodging. All of this as you stood completely on the ground in a large room, coffins levitating all around you. Even being able to feel the new clothes that adorn your body. Made from fine purple and black fabric covered in gold embroidery. The kind of high quality you only wore to fancy events you were dragged to.
In the middle of the vast room floated a mirror, different from the one you found in the attic. It didn’t reflect anything but it did show a dark void and a flickering green flame that seemed ever burning. Suddenly a voice rang out, one you did not recognize. It didn’t reverberate around the room but instead spoke directly into your ear. “You, whose image the Dark Mirror did beckon forth. If your heart bids it, take the hand of the one reflected in the mirror.” Then the green flames dissipated. Allowing a white gloved hand to reach out to you. Dispute the bizarre circumstances, you felt at peace. Wrapped up in a loving and gentle blanket, like the warm arms of your mother as she hugged you. Back when she could still speak to you, hold you, tell you everything would be okay as you listened to her still beating heart. Slowly you walk towards the mirror. Reaching out to touch the glass but instead of your hand being stopped it went straight through. Placing your hand in the one the mirror showed. It felt warm and soft to the touch, then it grabbed you so hard it left marks on your skin as it dragged you through. Only for you to wake up in a coffin. Of course you already know the rest of that story, don’t you?
Sadly that adventure is in the past. Now you’re back at the Manor, 8 months having passed since you were reported missing. Now back there with a family that’s done a complete 180, treating you like glass. A gentle deer that would break under pressure. Which is bullshit because have you seen a dear? Terrify. You missed most of your freshman year of high school, with what little you did end up going to having kids in the hallway’s whispering about you. The one that went missing, the one that was so traumatized by the event that they forgot everything that happened. You’re probably going to have to take summer school seeing how far behind you are. Honestly you didn’t want to come back, sure you didn’t legally exist there. But you’re friends with two Prince’s, one of the richest people in their world and a mad scientist hacker man who's also another one of the richest people in their world. You’re pretty sure any one of them could get you legal identification.
When you were with them you didn’t really talk about your home that much. Not enough for them to have an understanding of your home life or how dangerous your world could be even for them. Because of you not really wanting to talk about it at all. But when Crowley said he could link a path between both your worlds, they jumped at the opportunity. Your friends all thought you wanted to go home, they all seemed so happy for you. Even if they would miss you deeply. It was because of this you didn’t have the heart to correct them. The only reason you didn’t ball your eyes out and refuse to leave when given the chance was Crowly. Revealing he could create several more links that would make communication between your two worlds possible. Everything was set up so that it would be perfect, if it wasn't for your home life. Like this was meant to be a reward for all your hard work. Grim even got to stay at the school when you weren’t there! All of this is how you ended up back at the manor, using the mirror to send letters back and forth. Your only real comfort while there and at school. Especially with your families sudden desperation to be in your life.
Dick, the brother who has a track record of trying to bond with you then flaking out at the last minute suddenly isn’t anymore. You’re so used to him having a change of plans right before or just straight up forgetting that whenever he makes plans you don’t even show up anymore. Just nodding along, agreeing and staying in your room playing video games until he texts you an hour after you two were supposed to meet up like ‘heey, I’m so sorry! Something came up! We can reschedule later’. So when after you got back and he tried to bond with you again, you were shocked when he came to your room upset that you didn’t show up. It threw you for a loop at first but now you keep on doing it. See how it feels jackass??!!
Jason, who just kinda exists, the two of you never had a relationship to begin with even a fake one. He was just starting his edgy teen faze when you met, made it very clear he wanted nothing to do with you, and then died. Now he shows up outside your window at 3 am with takeout and a new book like it’s a peace offering. He even has the fucking audacity to ruffle your hair and call you ‘squirt’ like you’re five!! Every time he shows up you want to push him out the window. Sadly he’s a thick wall of muscle and just laughs every time you try.
Tim on the other hand has always been a little freak and it’s gotten worse. He’s started putting wires in your bedroom, thankfully he has some decency to not put any in your bathroom or god forbid cameras. He thinks you don’t know, you do, thankfully you do most of your more personal stuff in the attic. Something that he or anyone else has yet to invade. You’re really tempted to do some unhinged stuff in there so he’ll get embarrassed and stop. But for now you’re just going to blast music or leave a show playing loudly in the background so he’ll only here that. You even got a recording device, recorded several different samples of your own snoring and play that on occasion.
Cass on the other hand is nonexistent, by the time she was adopted you had long given up on receiving any form of love. She in turn never made an effort to be close to you. Normally staring past you, never at you or in you. Like she was looking out a window then at a person. If you were lucky she would give you a polite if quick nod as the only sign she acknowledges you’re there. Sometimes you would find her standing in a dark room like a Cryptid. She’s kinda terrifying and not in a fun way. Now she keeps on popping up almost everywhere, staring at you quietly. Actually staring at you, analyzing whatever it was you’re doing and every twitch of a muscle. Thankfully you’ve gotten better at handling something like this thanks to the likes of your some of your friends who do the exact same shit.
Duke once sweet and lovely Duke, the only sibling that would actively trying to spend time with you. It was never much, but those brief moments felt great. After you returned however, things got weird. Suddenly going from chill and friendly too overprotective, slowly his kindness felt almost condescending. It ate you up inside, you’ve survived overblot’s, fought against borderline gods. Helped and lived and thrived in a world where you were at a complete disadvantage. Sure they new nothing of this and would know nothing of this as like as you would let them. Even still you wanted to scream and shout that you could take care of yourself. That you aren't some sad, awkward and clumsy person that needed help all the time and you never were. But you pressed that down, and just started avoiding him.
The only one who hasn’t changed much is Damian and he’s just less violent than normal. It’s weird how comforting it is, him still treating you like shit. His manipulation of the family thankfully hadn’t ramped up, not that they needed too. As everyone seemed to think themselves into some weird fantasy about how broken and helpless you are. Sure he goes along with the fantasy, but that doesn’t mean you no longer deal with his fighting and arguments. He’s just less murdery then before. More into sharp words and humiliation that makes you wanna strangle him.
Then there’s Alfred and Bruce, the two of them make your stomach turn. Alfred is constantly trying to get you to eat with them. He didn’t care when you started locking yourself away, consuming nothing but junk food and prepackaged meals. He didn’t question it whenever you got sick after eating a meal, especially one Damian helped with. But now he cares? Now he’s constantly trying to get you to talk to him, confide in him like he’s your kind and loving grandpa. Something he never was. Bruce is worse, he always ignored you, pretended you never existed, now? He wants to know every detail, what you did today, where are you going, what are you eating, what’s the name of the show you’re watching, the game you’re playing? Question that any normal parent would ask but not to you, never to you. It feels suffocating, oddly violating. You missed nothing about this place.
The only thing you are upset about missing here is your mother’s funeral.
To top it all off, all of this has been going on for just a month. You’ve been back for only a month! It’s hell!! You miss your friends!! Sadly you were still trying to figure out a way to sneak them in without alerting the family. You getting restless, you’re friends are getting restless. The letters aren't enough anymore, you need to see them like an addict needs there next fix. This restlessness eats at your soul until one Saturday morning. As you're hunched over your desk, scribbling away at homework. Alfred knocked on your door. He politely calls out your name, although there’s a bit of worry in his tone. This makes you perk up confused, as he very rarely sounds like that. Standing you go to opening the door, looking up at him once you do. Alfred’s old despite his constant labor for the family he hasn’t taken a day off in his life, still not having retired in his 80’s. It’s hard to believe he’s here because he loves the job. No, he’s still here because of his loyalty to your grandparents, and to Bruce. “A young man is at the gates, he says he’s here for you?” His voice is full of concern, especially as you look confused “He says his name is Ace Trappola?” Your eyes widen and your jaw drops in shock.
“ACE!!” You scream, pushing past him and running down the hall. You're still in your pajamas as you sprint through the manor. Running past Tim who’s sitting on the couch doing something on his phone, probably doom scrolling. He watches you wide eyed as you slam the front door open so hard and fast you might as well have put a hole throw the wall. Then you dash down the long ass driveway at a speed that would make even the Flash shocked. Finally making it to the end where the front gate is located, there stands mother fucking Ace Trappola. Scrolling through his phone that you’re surprised is working. He only looks up startled and jumps back as you slam your whole body against the gate. Making the old thing rattle on its hinges. His surprised look quickly turns smug, he lowers his sunglasses, the ones with gold frames and brown lenses you got him for his birthday. He still has that dumb little heart painted on the side of his eye, “Well aren't you a-“ you don’t let him finish his one liner before you scream “ACE WHAT THE FUCK”. He just laughs at that, moving his glasses back up.
Thankfully, unlike some of your other friends, he doesn’t stand out that much. Even his clothes look normal, wearing a generic red jersey, a white shirt, jeans and sneakers. He blends in with the crowd, good you need to introduce them all slowly. Except Kalim, you will never bring him here, he will die within the first 10 minutes even with Jamil to protect him. “How did you get here??” You ask in a hushed voice. He just shrugs in response “I have my ways” his smug ass smile that you missed so, so much never leaving his face. “Where’s Deuce and Grim?” You ask looking around him “not here, I didn’t even realize what I was doing until I got here” he says with a shrug. Putting his hands in his pocket he continues “But coome oonn, didn’t you say you would show me around once I got here?”. You sigh and roll your eyes, opening the gates for him.
As soon as they open you run into Ace's arms, hugging him and placing your head on his shoulder. He panics at first , then awkwardly hugs back, but as soon as he does your grip tightens and you whisper in his ear “listen up”. Panic flashes in his eyes at the grave tone in your voice not letting this moment even be a little sweet. This guy need to get with the program and FAST “the story is that your my online friend from Britain, your school is taking a trip to the nicer parts of Gotham. So during a break you snuck away knowing where I live to visit me as a surprise.” “Why are we lying to your family?” “Magic isn’t really well liked around these parts. If anyone finds out what happened to me we are all FUCKED” he didn’t seem to like that response. His body going tense in your grip “Couldn’t they just look things up to tell we’re lying?” He asks, only for you to quickly respond “Oh definitely”. As you pull away you pat his shoulder and with a smile that doesn’t reach your eye you continue “in fact they're going to find out you don’t exist in about three hours. So we need to move!” With that you grab his wrist. Dragging him into the house and through the living room, Ace tries to look around in awe but you continue dragging him. Tim watches this with wide eyes, not fully understanding what’s going on.
He looks around the manor as you drag him along and into your bedroom. Slamming the door closed once you enter “Holy shit- I knew you were rich but this is like old money, how much?” “I’ll tell you later” is your response. Digging through your wardrobe and dresser, quickly picking out an outfit and grabbing your Bruce ordained credit card. Finally heading to the attached bathroom to get changed into proper clothes. Once you’re done and exit the bathroom you see Ace poking around your stuff. Once Ace sees you out he pauses for a moment just staring at you, having been in the middle of messing with you’re Miku figure. Then he slowly holds it up and goes “nuuuuuurrreeed” even though he definitely doesn’t know what she’s from. “Shut up!” Slightly blushing you snag her out of his grip and put her back where she belongs. Then grab his wrist again and drag him through the manor once more. “Come one we’re going to my car” “you have a drivers license?!” He asks in shock, “no” is all you have to say on that. He just groans and continues to look around, to the point you have to tug him when he stops to examine an old family portrait, or a clock, or whatever else catches his eye. Your escape is also hindered from having to dodge and avoid family members, like the world's worst game of Pac-Man.
Finally the two of you make it to the garage, as the automatic lights turn on Ace's mouth drops. “HOLY SHIT!!” He screams, the sound echoing throughout the vast space. You ignore this and grab a pair of car keys, for some ungodly reason most are kept in here. Hung up on a rack full of them. Continuing down the path with Ace now mesmerized by the vast amounts of cars “Deuce would love this”. You snort at that, now that seems like a fun thing to do, unleash Deuce into the garage and see what happens. Not like you will, too many people might appear, then ask too many questions. Eventually you reach the car of your choice, a small gray one that’s low to the ground, a car you don’t know the name of because you don’t deal with cars. Let’s call it idk, Samantha. Letting go of his wrist again you move to get into the car and turn it on, “get in loser! We’re going shopping!” He snorts a little, even if he doesn’t actually know what you’re referencing. Than gets in the car, sliding into the leather seat like he owned it. Rolling your eyes you can’t help but let out a fond sigh. Knowing whatever comes next will be worth it.
Even after spending so long on this I’m not entirely happy with it, but oh well! I would love to hear any suggestions and opinions you all have! My ask box is always open!
