#bruce wayne centric

[skeleton-brainz]

Post-Jason death fics don't utilize how traumatized Bruce is.

For context, my brother died suddenly at 17. Not from any drugs or accidents. Just sudden cardiac failure. And i had to watch my parents deteriorate afterwards.

A month or two after his death there was a tornado warning. And while i carried all the children downstairs, my mother stood there for a while because she wouldn't mind seeing my brother again.

And i dont expect other people to experience that. I just think its a bit of an untapped arc.

Yes people use him being violent, and sad. But no one dives deep into how utterly heartbroken he is. He has a baby, one that he needs to constantly remind himself is dead.

One he wants to turn to on patrol and make a joke (Jay would giggle, because batman doesnt joke.)

He walks by the room and sobs because he expects a sleeping Jason in there, face in a tiny worn down chick novel.

He recounts each day what he could have dine differently. How maybe if he skipped a coffee, if he used a different car. If he did something.

He stresses over stupid shit, he takes more shortcuts, anything to get places faster. Anything to prepare for if something like this happens.

Happy moments until theres a noise that sets off his grief.

Him clawing at the dirt because he just needs to hold him. He cant live without his baby

Him staring at walls, not entertained by anything anymore. He stops eating, drinking for days on end. Empty, wishing he would die to see him one more time.

[oboy049]

Bruce turning into a kid again for whatever reason

And at first he is serious and scared bc duh who are this people and where are his parents? And batkids kinda expect that from Bruce

But what they didn’t expected was how quickly Bruce trust them and not only that, he is a ball of sunshine and rainbows

They thought mini Bruce would be more like as angry as Jason or reserved as Tim, even silent like Cass

But they never expect he turned into someone more similar to Dick, with tons of energy, talking and smiling a lot, except Bruce, at contrast of Dick, he seems very naive

And it so weird bc they had heard Alfred’s mentioning how troublesome and hard was raising Bruce, and it was easy to believe him since the concept of raising Batman does sounds very difficult, having a teen traveling the world and constantly fighting and so so angry, and on top of that going crime fighting on a bat costume

But this kid? He’s adorable, he talks more than any other kid about how much he adores his parents and his life and loves to play he is a hero like Zoro

Bruce as a kid isn’t even athletic as Dick was, so there’s not jumping between furniture or hanging on the chandeliers or climbing the bookshelves, Bruce just runs around and swings his stick pretending it’s a sword

People love to dismiss how impactful his parents death was, even when Bruce really took their trauma very seriously, in exchange some people seems they treat his as a joke “it had been years why you aren’t over it?” But seeing how much Bruce change it really kicks in

One thing is on Bruce parents death anniversary checking out on him and for expirience knowing how tragic it can be, but they didn’t change as much as Bruce did

Maybe they were kinda able to get over it, with just occasional flashbacks when they were triggered, because they had Bruce as a support system, but Bruce had Alfred, someone who complains how hard and difficult he is, so he has to come over it alone in a way

Only seeing it with their own eyes how drastic the change was, it makes them realize how good their father really is

Bruce objective was that they don’t turned like him, and he really succeeded, they are more capable of moving on and cope with their trauma, like if they had more tools to work with, ofc it affects them but in contrast Bruce tries very hard yet seems he will always be stuck in every traumatic event that happens to him

-🦝👑

[i-hunger-for-angst]

live up to ur username and gimme som good angst 🤲🤲 what about a scenario where Bruce knows that Alfred actively resents raising him, and is open with his disdain about it, but then is actually very sweet and caring to the batkids. The batkids see this dynamic, but having been used to it all their time in the manor, pay it no mind, thinking that is just how they are.

Until maybe an outsider sees it and puts into perspective that Alfred's words and actions border on abuse, yet its Bruce who rises to Alfred's defense, because at least he stayed, so Bruce owes him that much.

How dare thee challenge my name! Your lucky this is actually one of my favorite tropes! Yummy! ☺️

-

Bruce almost felt uncomfortable about Alfred raising him, he could feel the negativity of the man radiating off of him. The anger that filled his eyes, the slight grinding of teeth, and scrunching of his face. Bruce looked at the ground when the man looked him in the eyes, he couldn't bear to face the disdain directed at him head on.

Bruce was scared the man would leave, what would he do then? Go with his uncle? No, no, no, no... So, he would have to convince Alfred to stay somehow...

If... If Bruce was such an annoyance... then he would just have to work on being less... Yes! Yes! That was exactly it! Alfred probably didn't like how much Bruce was! All Bruce had to do was be less! That was easy! One meal, one hour of interaction, quiet stuff in his room, no problems at school, no friends, yes! Then maybe Alfred wouldn't leave!

Except he had perhaps been too naive... He broke a vase by accident and Alfred sent him to boarding school... It was okay... at least Alfred didn't leave... Maybe... he could leave Gotham! Just until Alfred wasn't mad! Then everything would be okay again!

That was until he came to Gotham and he was... more... that was okay though because he made up for it with small boosts in Alfred's salary and acting less like the burden Alfred took on!

Maybe... there's a pang in his heart when he sees Alfred act nicely to his kids, treating his kids like the sweet children they are, like the traumatized children they are. He doesn't understand why he feels anything other than relief that Alfred looked at them with the same disdain he used to look at him with. Its okay. He's happy. He's even happier when his kids don't ask him to elaborate on his and Alfred's relationship.

Why would he have to consider himself in the equation? He was just the burden. They, could never be a burden. He gives them every ounce of his love to make sure they know that.

Nothing Bruce doesn't know. After all, if there was something wrong wouldn't someone have said something?

"Hey- um- Mist- Bruce, why does Alfred treat you like that?" Bruce looked at Jim weirdly, what was he talking about- all Alfred did was brush shoulders with him...? "What are you talking about? Alfred's done nothing-" Jim's brows furrowed, "What? He just shoved you aside, then looked at you like you were in his way!" Jim nearly yelled, what? Really? What was the big deal? This was normal! "Jim- I assure you there's nothing wrong with Alfred's actions, I should've been aware of my surroundings and moved. This is normal, I move, he walks,"

Jim shook his head in shock, looking as if he was connecting something in his head,"What!? Bruce! H- Has this been happening since you were a child?" Bruce tilted his head and nodded, why was this such a surprise? "Even when you lost your parents-" Bruce couldn't contian his shock "YES! Its normal Jim!"

"Bruce thats neglect, emotional neglect! He shouldn't be treating you like this! He's treating you more like an object than a human! THIS IS NOT OKAY!"

Bruce felt a sort of defensiveness rise in his chest, "HEY, AT LEAST HE STAYED- NOT ONE OTHER DAMN ADULT CARED ENOUGH TO STAY." He felt his voice rise as he spoke, red hot anger building up.

"Bruce... Alfred was never your legal guardian... he was basically a babysitter... Leslie Thompkins was your guardian, she just never had time to see you... She said she would visit to play with you but you never wanted to... So she eventually just handed guardianship to Alfred..."

"What? But I never saw her, never..." he looked to Alfred who made it his job not to look.

Bruce left, he stormed out. No. Everything was okay.

Everything was okay... even if his children grimaced when Bruce was near Alfred or when Alfred approached them with a buttery sweet smile.

Everything was okay.

[numberonedukethomasapologist]

Does "B" stand for Bruce or Batman (wrong answers only)

[ihavetraumaandimgay]

Bruce is getting old.

He notices it but refuses it at first, trying to push further. Running, Jumping, swinging around the it starts to get serious. All these years, injuries, trainings, stress, gasses take their toll on him.

He dyes his hair constantly to hide the pure whites, a ton of concealer to hide his eye bags, but it's no use, his baby blue eyes don't have the same shine they did when he was in his Prime.

The eyeshadow and eyepencil start to irritate his eyes, he can no longer use those.

He notices his elbows cracking whenever he's trying dye his hair, he has to rest his arms in betweens. His eyes move slower, injuries take longer to heal

His chest is heavy, his ribcage feels smaller, he can hear his fingers cracking as he grabs the dye, his breaths are deeper, slower.

His kids notice it later... Though that's probably not true, they did notice things but it was never that serious before, they shrugged it off, never acknowledging that Bruce may be actually getting old

Sure Bruce is old, Ancient even to them, but to them the almighty Batman could never lose his touch.

Damian notices it when his father's breaths are deeper and more painful.

He notices when his father's steps are slower, his reaction time starts to get worse

Dick hears the deep coughs from the phone, how he takes his time talking like every word is burning his throat

Dick sees how Bruce can no longer compete with his flexibility and acrobatics

Jason notices when Bruce has trouble picking him up until he doesn't anymore, Jason is towering over Bruce now... Has Bruce gotten shorter?

Cass hears Bruce's shoulder crack as he raises his grappling hook

Tim starts to catch things faster than Bruce, Bruce starts to not miss clues he would never before.

Oracle notices the reports are getting less and less detailed. Like Bruce is tired and wants to get over with it, it doesn't compete with his hundreds of pages long reports before, when every little detail counted.

Family dinner, Bruce is letting his tea go cold, he knows his elbows will crack, he is silent, a different silent than before, he's not analysing, he's not plotting. He's simply just silent, staring into his tea, to the fireplace.

His chest is getting heavier maybe his time is up

[wren-a]

Some Bruce whump-ish (but not a lot) because the worms need to be let out to graze and my writing is still on the fritz.

======

Most of the JL is at the Kent's farm for one of those rare get-togethers. A late summer barbeque in this case. Bruce and some of the batkids are also there, in civies, mainly for Damian to see the farm animals again and because the Kents insisted he brought them along as their guests. Bruce gets along surprisingly well with them, especially since, during one of the first get-togethers Bruce spent most of the time with pa Kent helping him fix a harvester because he had heard they were preparing for the harvest and the town mechanic was sick. The Kents had contacted him afterwards and eventually a bond was formed without even Clark knowing. It's not that they kept it from him but the Kents just figured Bruce is their guest/friend and it's not like they tell Clark about every single things their friends do. And Bruce is ... well... Bruce.

Back to the present, the group is reminiscing about the early days, when batman had just joined, they did not know his identity but they did find out Bruce Wayne was their sponsor. One of them mentioned what a clusterfuck Bruce's first official visit was and that they thought initially that while he was a bit of a ditz, you could tell he was rich because he was used to getting people to do things for him and did not seem to have a lot of common sense. Also, how different Batman/Bruce ended up being from Brucie.

Bruce doesn't say anything, not exactly paying attention and playing with one of the barn kitties that climbed in his lap and was torn between making biscuits with untrained claws on his pants, clawing at his finger and rubbing its head on Bruce's hand. The league tries to remember what exactly it was that gave them that idea and they remember Bruce had a bead bracelet and, due to some accident, it tore and some of the beads ended up in one of the evac chutes and were spaced. Bruce asked them to help retrieve the beads because they were important to him but the league brushed it off and told him that even if he has that much money, he can't have outrageous demands and that they were just beads. Some things are more important and he should learn to value other people's time and effort.

"Oh, so that's what happened?" Dick pipes up.

"If that happened to me I would have rioted." Another kid jumps in.

"I would have probably cried." Another adds.

"Oh, I was inconsolable for weeks." Dick nods. "I barely ate anything. Just cried most of the time. Can you imagine? Losing both one of Bruce's mom's pearls and the beads from my mom's bracelet?"

"Luckily Bruce ended up retrieving them."

The league looks at Bruce who continues to play with the cat before looking up at Dick. "I'm just sorry it took so long, chum."

To the league, he turns and tells them that he had to write a program that tracked the initial position and simulated their position in orbit taking into account outside forces and the spin of the watchtower in orbit over time. It was the base of the tracking software they use currently when one of the Javelins ends up lost in space and they need to project the possible courses. He also needed to upgrade the batwing and one of his suits to be space worthy.

The JL kind of blink at him, shocked. He just shrugs. Says the bracelet was irreplaceable.

The kids say that his bracelet changed in the meanwhile. Initially it was a matching one with Dick, that Dick had made when he was just starting out as Robin. They each had one pearl from Bruce's mother necklace and beads from a bracelet that used to belong to Mary Grayson (one of the few things Dick still had from her). Eventually, when the new kids were adopted or ended up under Bruce's wing, they found out about the bracelets and they wanted in. They each got a pearl and it was up to them what the rest would be. Most of them chose very specific charms and beads in the color of their choosing. One on their bracelet and one on Bruce's. They since changed the wire and closing link to something incredibly durable and they always wear them when not dressed in their vigilante costumes. To make a point, they brandish their wrists and sure enough, each of them is sporting a beaded bracelet in various colors with one pearl and a charm.

Clark realizes that the kitty was actually playing with one of the many charms on Bruce's bracelet.

He also realizes another thing and feels his stomach drop. Despite their nagging, Bruce always chooses to do things alone. He will never ask for help unless there is something world ending. It was something Clark thought was a work in progress - getting the bat to accept help. Clark had gotten considerably closer to him along the years and perhaps he wanted more. But right now, his eidetic memory is showing him, in vivid detail what he had missed all those years ago, when he was so caught up in his own problems that and he refused what he thought were the whims of a billionaire. He now sees in vivid details as the walls come up around Bruce after a moment of vulnerability. He now sees in vivid details as the one time Bruce asked for help for something important to him, he was refused and basically told to do it himself and have more respect for others' time.

[inami-rhoda]

To be honest, i don't like any of the Batkids. I really don't care for them.

For a while i was still saying i liked cass but that's a lie, i lied. I only said that cause she is the closest to Bruce's aesthetic/vibe, other than that if any of those kids are wiped off the face of the earth, i would not care. I would only care about how it affects Bruce. Same with the entirety of DC comics.

I only read them to have more information on my love, Bruce.

[p1tufina]

reading exclusively the Bruce Wayne-centric (and Bruce Wayne whump) tag may severely limit the amount of fics avaliable, but at least it helps cutting the most godawful fics I later see ppl on my tl complain about. all around a good compromise