Mothers day is...different for the bats.
Difficult for most. Confusing for some. Painful for others.
Dick grieves his mother. Wishes he could have one last moment. One more hug. He will find something to listen to in Romani, find a book in his mother tongue. Maybe call the circus. He spends the day on the trapeze. Performing, swinging, flying.
Jason is unsure of who to think of. Of what a mother is even supposed to be. Remembering Catherine feels closer. Sheila, he doesn't want to remember but he has too many questions to be able to forget.
Tim is unsure. He misses his mother. No matter what anyone says she was his mom. She wasn't there, and now she isn't here. It's not too different he tells himself. Yet it feels nothing like before.
Damian has his mother. He loves Talia. And he knows she loves him. However "Mother's day" hardly seems like the type of thing she would encourage. Or maybe she would. He doesn't know. He makes a card. Draws her how he sees her. Strong, competent....distant. He never gives the card to her.
Cass... isn't sure what to do. She can't as well ignore the day because she has never been able to fully ignore her mother. The voice at the back of her head. The training instilled in her. She trains. All day until exhaustion. It's so maybe she won't think about it. But maybe it's also because training till she dropped probably would have made her mother proud.
Steph ignores it. Acts like the day doesn't exist. And if her mother gets a gift at her doorstep then Steph knows nothing about it. She spends the day patrolling instead, though apparently mother's day doesn't have much crime. Ironic.
Duke grabs flowers. He goes to the hospital, and replaces the old flowers with the new ones. He talks to his mom. Talks about the bats, reassured her that he has a family and to not worry. He simply talks. Giving her a kiss on the forehead and a small "Happy mother's day". He stays there all night.
Bruce Wayne notices his kids. He himself doesn't know what to do. He's hardly a father, how is he supposed to know what to do when his kids miss their mother. He misses his own mother. He goes to the grave but he doesn't stay too long. Not today. Once he would spend the day at his mother's grave and the night patrolling, fighting criminals, not holding back his punches. Not anymore.
His focus is elsewhere, his priorities have changed. His children. He's not what they long for right now but he's all he can give them. And he will.
He'll let Dick convince him onto the line. He'll listen as Dick talks. Fill in the gaps himself when Dick seems too lost in his head. He'll catch him when he jumps off the trapeze and if he sees the 9 year old kid he won't say anything. He'll get on the trapeze. Let Dick teach him how to fly. And while Bruce realizes he's too old to learn certain new tricks the smile Dick gives is worth it. Because if landing on his butt and a comment about being too old is what it takes to make Dick grin like that then he'll get on the line over and over again.
He'll find Jason deep in thought, staring at the ceiling in the library, book open but unread and he'll sit down. Jason ignores him for a while, doesn't say anything. But doesn't ask him to leave either. Bruce takes the book, glancing at the cover and decides to speak. He talks about the book, he knows this one. He read it after kid Jason mentioned how Catherine read it to him once. Jason doesn't respond, his eyes stay close but Bruce's voice helps. And if that's all he can do, if his voice can soothe Jason even just a little, that's all that matters.
He'll catch Tim working, and without a word he puts the files aside, wheeling the chair and Tim with it away. Tim already starts to talk, trying to say he's fine but Bruce pulls him close before he can say anything. He takes him out. It's different. It's fresh. He listens because Tim desperately needs someone to listen so he can tell them that his mother wasn't a bad person. The one time Tim tells someone to not look at the facts and figures. To just believe what he feels. And Bruce listens. And Tim feels his shoulders get lighter. Because if understanding Tim is the best Tim needs from Bruce, is what truly helps, than he'll listen.
He'll take in the painting Damian seems so focused on. He'll sit down next to him. He'll compliment the painting and then let Damian speak, let him explain his work. As the silence fills the rooms once Damian finishes he'll open his arms to let the kid in. He'll let him talk about his mother and he'll respond in same. He'll stay quiet when Damian does and talk when the kid decides to speak. And if the only thing Damian can do is find comfort in Bruce's arms then that is more than enough.
He'll spar with Cass. It's the only way he'll get to her, he knows. He'll collapse breathlessly on the training room floor, pat the ground beside him for his daughter to take up. He'll lie there with her, and he won't bring it up. Not the training or the day. He would let his body tell her what he wants her to know. He'll let her see it instead of hear it. In a language she can't help but understand. No, instead he'll talk nonsense. Let his words sooth her and let his body remind her that he's here. Always here. Because if that's all he can do then he will.
He'll let Steph drag him out, though it's hardly dragging when he volunteers. Tells her that he wants to have fun like the youngsters and let's her take him out. He'll let her do whatever it takes to keep her mind off today. If that means karaoke, manicures, and sky diving then sure. And Steph won't mention it. Act like it's not weird. Because while she might believe herself to have no parents Bruce wants to remind her that he's here as whatever she'll take him as. So if all he can do is get his nails painted and sing like there's no tomorrow at karaoke to make Steph feel a little less lonely than there is nothing else he'd rather do.
He'll bring Duke lunch, his favorite and whatever junk Bruce knows he'll appreciate. He'll sit next to him, kiss his head, a reminder that he has a family. He'll talk to Duke, and he'll listen when Duke talks. He'll listen if it's about school and sports and he'll listen if it's about his parents. He'll bring him blankets and be there to pick him up when he's ready to get to the manor. Because if all he can do is remind him that there's always a place for him, then he'll do it happily.
Bruce will be there. He can't be who they need and he doesn't believe he ever will be but if all he can do is help in the slightest way, make them smile, soothe their mind, understand them, remind them of their family then that's all that matters and that's what he'll do.
