But you were an owl!
(Silly au i made)
So imagine if Dick did get like kidnapped by the court of owls when he was a child and Bruce never saves him. (Like that one glimpse into the comic panel except THIS bruce is aware of the original timeline and it kills him and Dick is like actually pure evil and keeps succeeding in where Joker can’t.)
Dick has a habit of bending his ankles out abnormally to perch. He has a habit of batting at himself or punishing when he thinks he’s done something wrong.
And?
He always, always goes for the kill.
Bruce couldn’t have felt more guilt than ever knowing in another universe he saved this kid, some maybe universe alternate shenanigans, he SEES that dick is nightwing or robin and he saved him from this fate.
Instead he currently has the court of owls apprentice who hates his guts and wants him dead, who has pushed him off a cliff before, who would have ran into a street full of fear toxin then face him.
He hates himself for it.
He sees the lovely family he’s supposed to have, keyword supposed to and cringes everytime he sees how bad he messed up in this one.
Imagine if in this timeline he tries to save Jason because he sees him as robin in the other timeline but instead of Joker, Dick is the one to maim and kill him per order of the owls.
Because the bat is the enemy.
Imagine Jason coming back so angry, distraught that Bruce let him die only to have the alternative timeline revealed to him, only to see it’s the original one, only to learn was struggling to decide between hurting one son to save the other.
And damage their relationship forever, or let the other be killed. Jason is both mortified and disgusted at the fact that Dick is a hero in another world and his brother.
He’s ruined two sons.
Then comes along tim.
He’s aware this time, that tim is his son, or should be and yet he refuses Tim, so badly. He ignores him despite knowing young Tim’s fascination.
Yet the gods have a cruel way of laughing at him.
Because the owls finds him fascinating.
A young bird who wants to possess knowledge? from a family of wealth? He’s absolute perfect for an apprenticeship and then Bruce is too late, once again.
The owls have snatched another and Dick, oh so ever protective now has a baby bird in his nest, a Tim Drake who lets himself be fed all the lies and the manipulation.
But he cannot bring himself to kill.
A slight habit they’re working on.
And like clockwork comes along Barbara, she was never meant to be, she was late in this time, he learnt in the original timeline she was batgirl, an inspiration for girls around and women, she was absolutely awe inspiring.
And yet he watches as Dick lunges his sword into her spine and paralyses her forever.
His sorry will never not be enough.
He hesitantly accepts stephanie into his life with open arms, she’s not his daughter and never will be but she sure does act like he’s an old man whose just taken to any stray rat he can find.
She loves the robin.
It gives her freedom.
When she asks “where did Robin even come from? not exactly dark and edgy.” In her own words he can’t find the simplicity to say he stole it from the original Bruce and his son.
To remorse on what could have been him and his son, sure Dick’s parents might have died but he could have saved a boy and made him a wonder.
Yet that never happened here.
And bile fills his mouth as the Joker gets too close, putrid fills his veins and his heart as he watches Tim get close, Timothy drake who couldn’t kill before, shakily plunged a dagger into her heart and she died.
In his arms, the robin suit stained with blood as she made incoherent statements, gestures, trying to comprehend why he was so sorry, why he wasn’t more angry and all he could do was beg for someone to save her.
No doctors could in time, it nicked an artery, she was bleeding and bleeding fast, the shock was worse when she realised her life would end so young.
He’s, terrified.
When Duke comes along.
A boy with the powers of light surely must be a miracle? he must survive? No, not even the slightest, before he can dawn the ‘signal’ suit he plunges from a roof and disappears.
Bruce watches the original timeline with something heavy in his chest feeling cursed, why does that man get to be at least, happier?
No body was found but he has a feeling he’s dead anyway.
Then Damian is born, his son, Talia hands him over when he’s just a baby, her eyes aren’t full of fear but sharing secrets they both know, in both universes he’ll become robin, in one he might die.
So Bruce protects him, he sleeps by his crib at night awaiting the devils to take him.
He bites at his nails and loses sight of himself.
But it’s okay as long as he has his son.
He babyproofs the manor which is NOT easy, god he complains to alfred a million times, he has to strengthen the chains on the chandeliers and get them higher.
(He sees in the original timeline Dick climbing on them, swinging and breaking one and his heart mourns for a little boy who could have been his son)
He puts baby gates everywhere on the stairs and he means everywhere, alfred thought he was overdoing it but he was strict.
Talia comes, once, he pretends not to notice but her eyes are full of remiss wanting to see her son so he pretends to sleep a bit more as she opens a window, slips in and hugs her baby tight.
It’s alright.
They can both tell themselves.
It’s alright.
The owls can watch and bide their time but this time he would succeed in protecting his son, he wouldn’t let him die or be taken away and when he sees the angry face upset at him for opening the door too loud, he finds it all worth the wait.
