Eyes on Fire [Batfam x distant reader] Part 4
Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8
[You and your family weren't close. They didn'thave any space for a little civilian. Not a genius, not good at martial arts. You are the average person and perhaps that was the tragedy behind it all. The stable one, the one they could dump their emotional load on. You left because you were done suffocating in their bond. And after years of radio silence, you assumed the distance was mutual. But was it?]
[Note: reader is implied fem! But I'll try my best to keep it neutral. Second, Reader's mother is dead , but they had a good relationship. Third, reader knows multiple languages! Fourth, the Batfamily shows up later, since i am slowly working up the story.]
(Divider created by @asterfey)
Now playing: Rolling in on a dead tire - The dead weather
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“Where are you taking her?”
The woman's voice made Batman startle. He had freed [____] out the car and planned on taking them to doctor Thompson. It was so natural he almost forgot that they hadn't been in Gotham for years. He didn't know their two friends. The two women that eyes him warily, they clearly weren't from Gotham.
“To safety.” He answers and mentally winces at how unconvincing that sounds. The bleached blonde woman tilts her head to the side. “Yeah, i get that. But which hospital.” Now the black haired one also stands on attention. She is the least injured. Only a few cuts here and there.
He thinks about it for a moment. He could just lie to the two. But that was cruel, because they clearly cared.
“Central hospital.”
The bleached blonde nods. “Okay.” She grabs a bag from the car, slinging it over her shoulder deliberately ignoring the fact her knee was.. how was this woman still standing? “We'll come with you.” She says and Bruce shakes his head. “You need to wait here for the ambulance, you're hurt.” He answers firmly, but with a gentle undertone. The woman shakes her head.
“No, i am.. fine?” She asks, looking doen at her leg, before shaking her head. The other woman places a hand on her shoulder. “Thea.. please. He's trying to help them.” The woman named Thea turns to the other.
“They're unconscious! I'm not letting a stranger take them!” She hissed with the same mistrust the same way he had seen from others. Especially women from the narrows. “Besides, I don't feel anything.” That makes him take a double take “
The other woman looks from Bruce to Thea, before taking her other hand out of her pocket. He can't see what she is doing, only that she takes Thea’s hand and the shift in Thea is immediate. As if she is slumping together. Batman wanted to blame it on the adrenaline ebbing, but that made no sense. “You're hurt Thea. The adrenaline is just.. making you ignore the pain.” The black haired woman continues.
The blonde blinks. Slowly, as she winces. “Fine.” She hisses,before turning her brown eyes back on Batman.
Batman turns around so quick he doesn't see the way the black haired woman wipes her hand on her pocket, red crystal dust falling to the floor
You're sitting in your bed, watching the rain pour against the window, a thunderbolt lightning up the sky before the sound follows. Loud and unforgiven. You've been in Wayne Manor for two months now and while Bruce tried his best it was clear he had no idea what to do with you.
Dick was constantly on edge, as if he was waiting for something to happen, while Jason looked at you as if you were stealing something that belonged to him. Bruce's attention perhaps? But he had most of it anyway.. so why?
The door to your room opens with another thunderflash and you flinch surprise, before relaxing as you see who it is.
“Oh, Jason.” You answer looking at the black haired boy standing in your doorway, his blanket around his shoulders. “.. couldn't sleep?” You add after a moment, before settling on silence.
Jason huffs once, trying to feint annoyance. “It's loud as-” He starts, before clearing his throat. “It's very loud.” You nod once.“Yeah, scary.” You mutter and Jason immediately crosses his arms. “I'm not scared.” He scoffs firmly, looking to the side. He had his arms crossed, trying to seem braver then he felt, you could see it in his posture. Perhaps it wasn't the thunderstorm. But that didn't matter. “I am.”
Jason's gaze snaps up at that and you pat the space next to you on your bed. He feigns reluctance, but he sits down, pulling his blanket closer over his shoulder.
“Do you ever feel out of place here? Like your personality doesn't match the house?” He asks, and you sigh. “Sometimes? Something about the upperclass..”
“..Feels suffocating.” He finishes, pulling his knees up to his chin, before slumping against you. You place your head on his and that's how you two sit until both of you fall asleep..
The dream ends the same way your depressive slump did. Two voices, one worried, one soothing. And as you open your eyes you can almost see it again. Like back in the lecture hall when you fell asleep. Depression was heavy back then.. but that splash, that splash of neon pink.. it penetrated the gotham fog grey that had settled over your brain. Now it was a pale pink but-
“Thea? Elena?” You ask hoarse and you see two pairs of eyes snap over to you.
“[____]!” Thea’s hands hover over you making you look down on yourself. Your leg was in a cast and your head had a bandage around it.
“I won't die if you hug me.” You mutter with a chuckle, making Elena roll her eyes. “You know how Thea gets.”
Thea crosses her arms at that with a slight pout. “Hey, just because I am worried doesn't mean I am unreasonable. You know what the doctor said.”
You raise a brow. "What did he say?” You hadn't been conscious for a hot minute. Thea sighs. “You've got a concussion and your right hip bone is bruised, your right leg broken-”
You hold up a hand. “Okay, okay, enough.” You place your head back on the pillow. “These medical bills will be terribly expensive.” You grumble, dramatically placing your hands on your face. Elena pats your shoulder. “Don't worry, we earn enough together that we might be able to cover.. a fourth of your possible medical bill.” She jokes. You grin, there was something about the way a “you” problem became an “our” problem that warmed your heart.
You do your best to sit up, before your gaze falls onto Thea’s leg. Elena only had a few scratches, but Thea? Her knee was covered in a bandage and your chest tightened. You had injuries like that before, multiple times. But.. seeing these kinds of injuries on people close to you, filled you with an uncomfortably hot anger. Rage against the world. “Your leg. Is it okay?” You ask.
Thea nods. “Yeah, it is-” before she can continue you cut her off. “Are you sure? That can get infected, we need to monitor it, it would be better if you didn't leave the house for now. Actuallyitmightbebestifikeepwatchofyoumyselfallthetimesoyoudon’tslipthroughmyfingers.” Elena shushes you with a hand wave. “[____] you're spiraling. Again. Thea won't die from a simple knee injury.” She answers. “Honestly, Thea probably can't die from anything.”You raise a brow. “Uh-huh, I don't believe that.” Thea laughs. “Okay [____], enough realism for the day. Yeah?” She looks at the clock. “I have to go and earn us some money, aye.” Thea muses, doing her best mr. Crabs impression.
Elena rolls her eyes. “He would not say that.” But she is laughing. Childishly Thea sticks her tongue out, before turning to the door. You can't help but stop her. “Hey! Don't go without a goodbye hug!”
Thea raises a brow. “Your side is bruised?”
“And? I am the injured one!” Thea pulls you into a hug and you wrap your arms around her. She'd be working in Arkham, with her injured knee. If something went wrong.. she wouldn't be able to run. Not properly at least. You can imagine the scene a bit too well. Her, pale in the way only the dead are, as if life personally had decided to take the vibrancy of a person. But she wasn't cold, not right now. She was warm, her breath was even. ”Be careful, yeah?” You murmur into her hair and you can hear her sigh, not in annoyance. It was softer, like someone knowing that something was staying below the surface, but not knowing how to address it. How correct she is.
“I'll be fine, I promise.” She answers. “After you I am the most careful person around.” That causes you to let go. Slightly. “Okay.” You lean back, completely giving up the hold. “Okay.”
Elena scoffs, “You two are acting so overdramatic, neither of the two of you are dying.” Thea just chuckles while rolling her eyes before leaving the room.
You and Elena settle into comfortable silence. “You know, it's kinda weird, usually the doctors get alerted when a patient wakes up..” She mutters and you shrug. “It's Gotham. If you're not actively dying you can be sidelined for a little while.”
“I'll never get used to that. And I work here.” She grumbles, you pat her shoulder. “I lived here and I never got used to it either.”
Elena nods before leaning back in her chair, looking at her perfectly cut nails. “So.. when were you going to tell us that you're a Wayne?” The words make your breath hitch. Elena crosses her arms, she doesn't look angry. Just mildly disappointed. “You know, I get it, you have your reasons. But it would have been nice to be prepared before THE Bruce Wayne graces our presence.”
You blink owlishly, once, twice. “He.. was here?” You hadn't even considered how you ended up here. Right, he was there as Batman when the car crashed into yours, so he probably knew what hospital you'd stay in.
“Yeah, he was.” She answers, crossing her arms. “He was.. worried.” She sighs, her green eyes meeting yours.
“I'm not mad.” She takes your hand and the usual nonchalant Elena looks suddenly very worried. “I know what you told us about your family. And.. if you need my or Thea's help, we will. Okay?”
You blink. Right, from their point of view Bruce wasn't a good person. You had told them about your family, of course without ever mentioning their names, subtly changing the story. But.. it had been freeing. Finally being able to talk with someone that wasn't stuck in the house. In the Manor. In Gotham. That wasn't biased.
“Yeah..” You look squeeze her hand. “But I'll be fine. He isn't a bad person.” You answer. Elena rolls her eyes. “Yeah. A ‘Not-so-bad-person’ that hurt you. A lot.”
She shifts closer with her chair. “Look, [____], it doesn't matter if someone is bad, or isn't, okay? Because no one is completely good, no one is completely bad. There is just.. light gray and dark gray.” She sighs. “He hurt you, the whole family hurt you. And you have a right to be angry, petty and sad.” She squeezes your hand once again.
“Just be glad Thea has no interest in celebrity culture.” She answers and you raise a brow. “Why? Because that would stop her from fistfighting Bruce if she had the chance?” Elena shakes her head. “No. It wouldn't.” She grins. “But perhaps it would make her less likely to throw hands.”
“Yeah, yeah. Honestly I am more worried about the shade you'll be throwing. You're awfully passive aggressive.” You point out and Elena looks at her well maintained nails. As nurses none of you could have fancy designs on them.. or even wear them long but that didn't mean they couldn't be well maintained.
“I am as passive aggressive as I need to be.” You snort, immediately regretting it as you feel a sharp pain somewhere in your body
“Barbara?” You ask as you wake up. You didn't even realise you fell asleep after the doctor came to give you a full on examination. Look, you expected Bruce to come around once. But that one of them would accompany him?
Barbara smiles, pushing her hair behind her ear, while Bruce just stares. “What are you two doing here?”
“We were worried…” Barbara starts and you sigh. “Yeah, of course you were.”
Barbara freezes for a split second while Bruce just stares. “[____].. please. I know our last meeting didn't go well.” Barbara reaches out. “But we're here.”
You sigh, you didn't have the strength to argue. And you didn't want to either. Barbara had always been… nice. Distant, because she had to deal with her own shit, but nice.
You sit up slightly. “Okay. I won't have either of you thrown out.” The words come out more joking when you intended. As if your heart had decided for your brain.
Barbara smiles softly. “Thanks.” She retreats her hand. Bruce clears his throat. “I know you won't like it, but.. I took care of your medical bill. And your friend's.”
Your eyes narrow. You didn't like this at all. “Bruce, you can't just-” He silences you with a hand gesture and you mentally scold yourself for still shutting up like a stupid child.
“Wayne foundation covered part of the cost for every victim during that attack.” He answers. “You are family, even if..”
“Even if I disowned myself.” You finish the sentence. Barbara re-arranges her glasses once.
“We can't have you get into medical debt, you know?” She tries to joke, while you just rise a brow. “Most of America is, just to have said so.” You look at your hands. “Sorry, I'm just- i have the feeling that one of you will use that against me.”
Bruce narrows his eyes, but Barbara? She is trying to stifle her laughter and failing. “Sorry, but they have a point-”
"Seriously, Gordon?” Bruce grumbles and Barbara clears her throat. “Sorry.” She leans back in her wheelchair, slightly only, catching her breath.
For a moment there is silence, that almost seems comfortable. But nothing lasts.
“[____], it want you to attend a gala with us.”
Bruce's words hang in the air and you don't know how to feel about that. No, scrap that. You were angry.
“Are you for real?” You ask, eyes narrowing. “I'm injured and I am still mad. I am grateful, I really am, but.. that won't change anything.”
Bruce looks to the side and then to you. “This isn't an order. It just.. would be nice. Dick will be there as well, the same as Damian and Tim.” Was this his way of saying they missed you?
“Dick probably doesn't want to see me.” You answer dryly, looking to the side. “And who could blame him?”
Barbara sighs. “ [____], I know you don't want to hear it, but they miss you. Even Dick.”
“Barbara…” You start, before looking to the side. You weren't ready for it. Not even after those five years.
Barbara looks at Bruce, before grabbing something from her handbag. “If you change your mind, here.” She places the envelope on your nightstand, before turning to Bruce. “Let's go old man.” She looks at you once again. “It was nice to see you, [____]. The other side of the world treated you well.”
With that both of them leave the room. Probably to do Gotham saving stuff.
You turn to the side to look at the invite.
It's sleek and black with golden accents and the Wayne emblem on the seal. You open it up. It will happen in two weeks. Aligning with the time you'll be fixed up enough to walk around without wincing every second. And you could take one other person with you.
Now came big question.
Would you go?
Yes, with Thea
Yes, with Elena
No, i won't go
[Note: Me aggressively squinting at this chapter to see whether i like it or not. 🤨📝
But yes! Dear reader! It is your choice? Do you want to go with Elena? With Thea?
