She Was Bat’s Wife? The Whole Time?!
summary: when identities get revealed, of course everyone wants to meet up. bruce is forced to host the weirdest brunch he’s ever been to.
pairings: husband!bruce wayne x wife!reader. members of the batfamily, and other members of the justice league.
warnings: brief mention of bondage. probably ooc (especially at the end lmao. but we all know that canon batfamily rarely ever actually TALK to each other so we deal with it through fanon). also i think it’s sorta rushed but i need to be free from these demons.
dividers by: @saradika-graphics and @cafekitsune
a/n: YALL IM SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG. writers block is my biggest opp. thank you sm for 400+ followers!!
taglist (i feel so professional now lmao): @koreluvsspring @theoraekenslover @my-loved-figure-skates @iluvoaldmen @himikoquack @moongirl27 @justheretoreadmydear and @kiki4554 but for some reason i can’t tag you (?)
- MASTERLIST
- part 1, part 2:
Bruce likes to keep the main two aspects of his life very seperate.
At home, he has his family. You, dick, jason, tim, cass, damian, duke, and alfred. Stephanie and barbara too. It can be loud and chaotic, but it’s what he looks forward to when he’s at the office.
And yes, his family and the vigilante life overlap sometimes. he doesn’t mind that.
However, the justice league and his civilian life have been very far apart. And now, as he looks at each different person sitting at the garden table outside, he wonders how he was convinced to do all this.
Bruce didn’t want to, and had no plan of revealing identities anytime soon. It was months before anything happened.
And during those months, he noticed everything.
He noticed how there always seemed to be at least one pair of League eyes on him. It was quite irritating, actually. He got through his nightly patrols through Gotham fine, but whenever there was a special mission there was always at least three hands shooting up to join him.
He stopped attending those missions as Batman all together, instead giving instructions to whoever had taken the mission as their own. Instead, he observed as Bruce Wayne.
For instance, there was one time where Green Lantern and Wonder Woman volunteered for something to do with Gotham Racing (pretend that gotham has something similar to F1 pls guys), and you and Bruce were in the audience.
You had your arm linked with Bruce’s when you encountered the pair.
Diana first checked that you were both okay, before she remembered. She gave Hal a side glance, a silent question. Hal’s mind was already working, but his mouth just didn’t match.
“Batman isn’t here,” He had to work Batman into the conversation somehow! “He’s, uh . . . he has other business. That he’s taking care of.”
They both look at your face to see if your expression changes in any way at all. It doesn’t. You just nod a little, seemingly unconcerned. Bruce says, “yes, I can imagine that he works quite hard.”
“You like him, then?” Diana asks. “The Batman?”
Neither Diana nor Hal knows what exactly they’re trying to get out of this conversation. More information, maybe? Or perhaps just some gossip for later.
“Well, he works hard,” Bruce replies. He adds on, “I have great respect for heroes.”
They inwardly groan. It’d be easier if Bruce hated Batman. Instead he has respect for him. Hal wonders how much respect he’d have if he knew how Batman looked at his wife.
Diana looks at you, trying not to make it too obvious.
“Yes, I agree.” You say. “Batman makes an effort to keep Gotham safe. It’s admirable.”
They glance at each other, before saying their goodbyes and departing. Neither of them notice the way that Bruce’s fingers curled around your dress a little tighter.
They don’t hear Bruce murmur, “admirable, hm?”. They don’t see you smile before saying, “well, he can brood a little too intensely at times, but I don’t mind.”
The next meeting Bruce stared particularly hard at Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, as they avoided his eye.
Yes, Bruce noticed those. What he didn’t notice, or didn’t piece together, was Oliver Queen. Bruce doesn’t know Oliver has anything to do with Green Arrow, so he doesn’t know that Oliver knew anything about the little situation.
So, while he found it slightly odd that Oliver started talking about Batman during the charity event, he didn’t link it with anything to do with the League.
“Have you two ever met him?” Oliver asks. “Personally?”
Bruce nods. “I’ve met him a few times. Very brief, though. He likes to keep to himself.”
You add on, “yes, me too. Most times after a crime scene. Oliver, you remember when he fought Scarecrow?”
Oliver nods, “Yeah, I do.” He swallows his pride for the sake of gossip investigating. “Batman’s a good fighter. Very . . . stealthy.”
He looks to Bruce from you. Neither of you provide anything reaction that would cause suspicion. Oliver continues.
“He seems to sneak around at night, have you noticed?”
Bruce chuckles. “Gotham Gazette does tend to call him ‘The Dark Knight’.”
You laugh too, “I think he just likes the dark.”
Oliver hums. He’s trying to gauge something out of this. He doesn’t expect a full blown confession in public, but he wants something to report back to the common room. “I suppose he’s a very private person.”
“Perhaps he’s just smart.” Bruce quips, a tad too quickly. He takes a drink. Oliver sees you give Bruce a small grin before you looked at him.
“I imagine he doesn’t want to give out information about himself.” You say smoothly. “With villains like Gotham, it wouldn’t be smart to show vulnerability.”
Oliver nods. “Of course.” He drops the topic.
One time, Flash was called to save Bruce Wayne from his latest kidnapping. It isn’t exactly a rare occurrence, given his status. So, Flash takes the mission without a second thought.
It’s only when he actually returns Bruce to his manor that he’s reminded of his teammates crush on the man’s wife. But it’s too late now because you’re at the door, and now you’re getting closer-
Flash watched as you practically grabbed Bruce. Your fingers dug into his shirt, your eyes anxiously scanning him for injuries. Bruce getting kidnapped is a happens-more-often-than-any-of-us-would-prefer, but it doesn’t mean that you get less worried each time.
Bruce calms you with words of assurance, showing you that he’s alright. You still don’t let go of him, even when you thank Flash multiple times.
Flash sees first hand how much you both care about another, and chews the inside of his cheek when he thinks about Batman.
And then Nightwing was questioned. He was with Superman, helping with surveillance. The older man was sitting next to Dick, pausing for a second before speaking.
“So, you and Batman are quite close.”
Dick grinned a little. “He trained me for seven years, so I guess.” Dick gave Clark a questioning look. “Are you trying to figure out what to get him for his birthday again, even though you don’t actually know when it is?”
“No, not that.” Clark shook his head. “I’m just wondering if he has any . . .” he cleared his throat, trying to push down the incredible awkwardness he felt. “. . . infatuations with anybody.”
Dick blinked and was silent for a second before his face softened. “Oh, Supes, that’s really sweet but I don’t think Batmans into guys-“
“No!” Clark exclaimed, flushing. “That’s not why I’m asking! I’m not- I don’t-“
“I mean, I can ask him-“
“No!” Clark groans. He racks his brain for an excuse. “Im just wondering if any other heroes know anything about, you know, being in a relationship. Just . . . it can be hard when you’re a hero.”
“Oh.” Dick thinks. He thinks of Bruce and you, and the challenges of a hero being married to a civilian. The inevitable arguments it sparks up. He really does have empathy for Superman, especially if he’s trying to navigate the same thing. But then he shakes his head. “Batman doesn’t really do relationships.”
Clark nodded. “I see.” Batman isn’t with anybody, and Clark thinks it’s because he’s seemingly loyal to Bruce Wayne’s wife. A woman he has no chance with.
Dick gives him a nudge. “But I can tell you all about me and-“
“That’s quite alright, Nightwing.”
And so that goes on for a while. Bruce learns to live with the unspoken suspicion and subtle questioning. He doesn’t find himself complaining about it, as it’s more entertaining than anything. And he gets to come home to you every evening anyway, so why should he care?
Every night he slides into bed with you, making sure that you both have your arms wrapped around each other. If you’re already asleep, he takes extra care to not wake you, but he will slowly lift your arms to fall around his shoulders.
Every morning he pushes his face into your shoulder, mumbling “five more minutes.” Even if he has to be in a meeting in half an hour, or if there’s already a kid at the door, demanding something or another.
But so far, the League thinks there’s absolutely no chance of anything really happening. Batman is doomed to have a pining for a married woman who simply cares too much about her husband to do that to him. They think there’s no chance that Batman and you could ever be a thing, because, well, you’re much better than that.
That’s until a night in winter.
A message came in through the watchtower. The Riddler had you in his clutches, wanting to play another sick game. When their eyes landed on your name, each pair of eyes landed on Batman, where they noticed he had his fists clenched.
Before anyone could say anything, Batman had already stood and began moving quickly out of the Watchtower.
Under normal, nobody-has-a-crush-on-anyone’s-wife circumstances, the other members would’ve let Batman go. He’s handled the Riddler plenty of times before, and could probably take him down with a simple plan.
But now it was different. Green Arrow and Flash also stood, following him. Oliver had slipped into the Batmobile with a smirk sent towards Batmans grumblings about how it’s “getting ridiculous now,” while Barry ran alongside them.
Batman tracked down where Riddler was keeping you, and they found a dim room where a sound of … shuffling could be heard?
Oliver grabbed a flashlight out of Batmans utility belt, shining on the room before Batman could say anything. They found you, tied to a chair. You had been moving yourself across the room to get closer to the door slowly. With every shuffle of the chair, you had been trying to move your wrists out of the ropes, your skin rubbed raw.
Barry moved towards you before Batman could even take a step. He untied you, already speaking assuring words.
“Yes, yes,” you said, nodding. “Thank you three.”
The two blondes beamed at you, but Batman stayed stoic. However, as Barry swiftly offered to bring you outside, they missed the tiny smile you sent Bruce’s way after catching his eye.
And they missed the way his eyes relaxed under the mask, changing from their narrowed shape to something softer.
After the whole fight with Riddler, the jokes from Barry, the remarks from Oliver, and the steely silence from Batman, the three man began working outside again.
“Huh,” Barry said to Oliver, while Batman walked ahead, he had already rounded the corner while the other two men were at the end of the street. “He didn’t react to her once.”
“Maybe he’s gotten over her.” Oliver said calmly. “I definitely hope so, because it’d be better for all of us.”
“Yeah.” Barry agreed. “I’m actually quite proud of him. It can be really hard to move-“
And that’s when they heard it. Your voice from around the corner, speaking to someone. Someone who they prayed it wasn’t who they thought was.
“You think so?” You said with a grin they could practically hear. “I tried using the self defence you taught me when he grabbed me, but he bound me almost straight away.”
“But you still kept trying, I saw it.” Dammit. The familiar deep voice of their batty coworker met their ears, making the two of them exchange glances of horror.
“Maybe Alfred can give you something for your wrists.” Alfred? The Wayne butler? I’m sorry, is Batman seriously speaking about this woman’s husband’s butler while having an affair with her? Is he officially gone mad?
“Not the first time my wrists have been hurt from bondage.” You replied in a flirty manner, making Oliver almost hurl up his dinner. But it isn’t as bad as the next thing that assaults their ears.
“Quiet.” He mumbles, before the unmistakable sound of lips meeting makes the two other men scramble to actually need to see it with their own eyes.
And lo and behold, against every single odd, there you two are. Mrs Wayne and Batman kissing in a dark Gotham corner. The other two rip back around, practically tripping over each other to return to the Watchtower without being seen.
“So,” Oliver mutters. “Not completely over her.”
Barry groans. “Why can’t he use that stupid self-restraint he’s always going on about? Where is that now when we would it like it most?”
And when Batman returns to his Batmobile a while later, he briefly wonders where his two teammates disappeared to, but decides they probably made their own way home.
Besides, why would he spend his night looking for two perfectly capable men when the promise of you waits at the Manor?
And now he’s confused again when the previously worried and pitying looks he was receiving from his teammates have changed into looks of disappointment, disapproval, and sometimes disgust.
The whole identities ordeal had been gradual. There was no dramatic scene where everyone ripped off their masks. People found out at different times.
Barry and Hal knew each others before anyone else. Bruce, Clark, and Diana knew each others. Oliver and Arthur found out each others. J’onn knew everyone’s the whole time.
but eventually, everyone knew everyone.
When Clark had discovered Batmans identity, his mind went back to the certain meeting about Bruce Wayne’s- er, Batmans wife, he offered an apology to his friend. Diana smirked, focusing on the amusement from the whole situation.
But nobody went as red as Hal did when identities were revealed. The man froze for a second, before stammering an apology out in the most unlike-Hal way. Bruce just hummed, raising a brow.
Oliver just laughed when he realised that Batman, the man that spiked fear in hearts of criminals, and could stare down the whole Justice League, was the same man who always had a hand on his wife’s waist and the other on the scruff of one of his children.
and then Bruce made the horrible mistake of telling you. He told you about how the League knew identities, and you immediately suggested a get-together. Bruce made a few excuses like “we’re really more work colleagues than friends,” but you were already buying ingredients for finger sandwiches.
Oh yeah, he reminded himself. That’s how you got here. She asked you.
It had been bit of an awkward proposal. Bruce had decided to mention it at the end of another meeting.
“I would like you all to attend a lunch at my house.” He had said, as relaxed as he could. Diana raised a brow.
“You?”
“My wife.” Bruce corrected. “She would like to meet you all . . . properly.”
Barry turned to Hal with a look of amusement, silently reminding him about their last joint encounter with Bruce Wayne’s wife. Hal gave him a look that told him to shut up before he said anything.
Bruce continued. “She also invited you all to bring your own families.”
There was a small pause before Clark clapped his hands together. “Brilliant idea!” He exclaimed.
J’onn arrived first. He expressed the value of bring early to events to not be rude, and you simply nodded. He seemed to be similar to Bruce in a way that he had a very stoic demeanour about him, but held empathy underneath. You also noticed he was very intelligent. He also had a fond for Choco cookies, discovered when Alfred offered him some.
Clark and his family arrived second. Jon practically burst through the door, with Conner after him. The two boys quickly went to their respective bat after saying a polite greeting to you and Bruce. Lois came in with a lasagne dish. You took it from her, thanking her, but she said “thank Clark. I’m a hopeless cook.”
You and her got on pretty quickly. She’s sharp-minded, and not much escapes her eyes. Conversation with her is so genuine, but she always has a look that she’s storing the pieces of information that she collects.
Diana and Steve were third. Diana had greeted you with a strong hug before beaming at you. You smiled back, it’s impossible not to. She pressed a bouquet of flowers into your hands, thanking you for your hospitality. Alfred put them in a vase to set on the table.
Steve seemed to linger behind Diana a little, a little awkward while taking in the grand manor. He held his hand out for Bruce to shake, and it seemed like a gesture he had put a great deal of thought into. However, after you all talked, he seemed to become a lot more comfortable. He pulled out a chair for Diana, making you and her exchange a look of simple understanding.
Arthur and his wife arrived precisely on time. He greeted you with a small bow, and offered a “heartfelt greeting”, which you returned. Mera, who once thought that humans were nothing more than barbaric, seemed to relax a little when surrounded by luxury. She entertained you by making small whirlpool in the water in your glass. Nobody can deny the royal presence of the two.
Hal arrived on his own, his entrance quite loud. He grinned at Bruce, exclaiming “nice place, Spooky!”. Bruce didn’t return the enthusiasm, but that didn’t seem to deter him. Now that Hal had gotten over the previous mortification of accusing Batman of being in love with another man’s wife, he was back to his usual self around him.
Hal greeted you by pressing his lips to your knuckles, saying “well, I wasn’t aware anyone as beautiful as you would fall for someone like Bats,” before joining the others outside.
Bruce grumbled beside you about “tactless humour.” You turned to him, a look of slight confusion on your face, “but you always kiss my hand on date nights.”
He knows that you knew what he actually meant, but he still says, “and only I’m allowed to do it,” making you smile before rubbing his arm soothingly.
Oliver, Dinah, and Roy were next. Bruce was positive that they were a little late on purpose. “Oliver’s idea of being ‘fashionably late’,” he murmurs to you. Roy gives you a nod and a “Hiya, mrs (name),” before hurrying off to find Jason.
Dinah shakes her head a little at him before grinning at you. You’ve met before, at more formal events than this. However, Dinah remains unapologetically herself, although that could just be because she’s too stubborn to change.
Barry, and Iris are last. Wally had decided to come along too. He is as jittery as usual, pushing past his aunts legs to say hello to you and Bruce, before walking off in his search of his best friend. Iris apologises for being late.
“Honestly,” she says, “I’m surrounded by the fastest people on the planet and yet we’re late everywhere.”
And now Bruce is sitting outside, watching his civilian life and vigilante life mix. Duke was beside him, talking with Clark about the sun or light. Ace was resting his head on Bruce’s knee, because Bruce kept slipping him little pieces of ham that was spread on the table.
At first, the League members had made their own circle while their partners made another.
You, Lois, Dinah, Mera, and Iris had shared similar experiences with having husbands that like to put themselves in danger, and then talked about your own lives. Steve had drifted from Diana’s side, to the women talking. He stayed by the side for a minute or two, before being invited into the conversation. He had related to being worried about partners, and felt glad that he now had a group to talk about it with.
The children were either running around the garden, or simply talking.
Dick was trying to show Wally a new trick that involved a backflip, but Wally was busy stacking bread rolls in his arms.
Jason was attempting to bring a ladybug closer to him by spreading little crumbs around while Roy talked in his ear.
Cass, Tim, and Conner were sitting at the table, likely complaining about protective parents and the usual teenage problems.
Damian and Jon were crafting their own games, although Damian often claimed that imaginative games were too “simple” for him. Alfred The Cat stayed by the two boys’ ankles. Every so often, Damian would come over beside you to eat a bite or take a drink while Jon did the same beside Lois.
After a while, people mixed a little more and Bruce had drifted away from the League to sit next to you.
Bruce is introverted, but has years of practise to hide it. He’s good at putting on a face for hours. But when he’s around those few select people he’s comfortable with, he’s able to be quiet.
So, he doesn’t notice how he doesn’t feel the need to be the life and soul of this event. His presence is noted, of course. Clark is one of his closest friends, along with other members. There’s also seven kids here that appear at his side every so often to sit and eat before running off again.
He doesn’t feel the need to make any exaggerated statements. Everyone here has seen him as Batman, stoic and untouchable. He can comfortably listen and talk when he wants to. He decided not to confront the fact that he feels comfortable enough around these people to do so.
With Bruce being a few feet away, Hal leaned forward.
“So, when are we all going to address the fact that Bats managed to get married?”
Barry gave Hal a look. “Can you stop calling him that? You know his name now.”
“Never.” Hal said shortly before continuing. “I need information. How did he get her to stay with him?”
Iris raised her eyebrows. “He’s Bruce Wayne, Hal. That’s how.”
Barry turned his head to her. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing, Bar.”
Hal spoke again before Barry could open his mouth. “Yeah, I get that he’s Bruce Wayne, but eventually she found out about Batman. What could he have possibly said so she didn’t turn and run? I mean, it’s Spooky. I didn’t know he could feel positive emotions.”
Iris shrugged. “You’d be surprised what women are into.”
Barry looked alarmed for the second time in the short conversation. “What women are-“ He spluttered, giving Iris a questioning look. “Are you into- . . . is this a general thing?”
“Barry, listen to me.” Hal pressed, “are we sure she isn’t under some voodoo magic?”
Iris sighed. “Why are you confused by their marriage?”
“It’s Batman, Iris.” Hal said, as if that was answer enough. “I know it’s Bruce Wayne too, but it’s Batman. Who has the patience?”
“Her, obviously.”
“How do you think their wedding went?” Barry grinned, before putting two of his fingers behind his head to mimic Batmans ears. He continued in a much deeper voice than his own, “I, Batman, promise to love you in sickness and in health, in justice and in vengeance.”
Instead of laughing, the three sitting with Barry went silent. Hal was looking over Barry’s head at something behind him, and Iris just smirked at Barry as if she knew something he didn’t.
Barry blinked and lowered his hand. “At least give me a pity chuckle.”
Hal shook his head a little. Barry paused for a second before realising.
“Who was that meant to be? I only caught the last words.” A familiar deep voice came from behind him. Barry turned, mustering up the best expression of relaxation that he could manage. His eyes followed Bruce as he sat down beside him.
“Um. You know . . . I was doing an impression of Megatron getting married.” Barry got out, while Iris tried not to laugh beside him. “ . . . From Transformers. Because he has a deep voice.”
“I know who Megatron is.” Bruce said with classy ease. “Jason used to love the series. Tim enjoys the films.”
“Ah.” Barry leaned back a little, scratching his neck. He avoided Hal’s eye. “Well. There you go.”
Across the table, Lois was talking to you about a similar thing.
“I knew about you and Bruce since it was announced years ago, but I always thought it was you and Bruce.” She said. “Not Batman.”
You grin. “That is what most people think.”
Lois leaned forward, her hand underneath her chin. “You know what I’m going to ask, right?”
“How is Bruce and Batman so different?” You guessed. But Lois shook her head.
“I’m well aware that most famous people have different personalities. Although Bruce’s is quite a step further.” She slightly teased. “I’m sorta wondering how the dating thing went. I mean, Batman is very . . . distant from practically everything. But you obviously changed something in him.”
You smile.
Bruce was sitting across from you, dressed in a very fancy suit that you probably couldn’t afford if you worked for ten years straight. The low lights from the fancy restaurant lit up his face in a way that made him look almost angelic.
He was doing his best to look at ease, but inside his head he was wondering what he should do. ‘Should I hold her hand? Or is that too forward? Would she like that? Is she expecting it? You’ve been on enough dates to know this, Bruce, how don’t you know this???’
You cleared your throat, making Bruce’s eyes flicker to yours and his racing mind stops. He isn’t panicking over how his hair looks or what his next move should be, and instead he waits for your next words.
“I’ve never been here before,” you say, glancing around.
Bruce responds, “I’ve only been here once. A dinner party a year or two ago.”
“Ah.”
Bruce analyses everything about you. Your fingers are playing with a loose thread on your clothes, as if you’re trying to half-hide it. Your posture is more fixed than usual. Your eyes dart around every so often to other people in the restaurant. Men in suits and ties, women in designer clothes and real gold jewellery. Your feet shuffle every few seconds underneath the table, as if you are far too conscious of them and you aren’t sure where they should be. You haven’t made much conversation with him as usual, and when you do speak, your voice isn’t as strong.
He comes to a conclusion. You aren’t comfortable.
He reassures himself that you aren’t uncomfortable because of him. He knows you, you wouldn’t have accepted a date with him if you didn’t like him. He knows you aren’t comfortable because this is uncharted territory for you.
Bruce gives you a smile and leans forward. “You don’t like it here.”
Your eyes widen a little at his words, looking at him with surprise. “No!” You claim quickly, before lowering your voice. “No, that isn’t- I mean, I haven’t even tried the food yet.”
“The food isn’t the reason you don’t like it.” He raises his eyebrows a little. He isn’t accusing you of anything, or making you out to be ungrateful. He’s just stating a fact.
“I do like it here.” You say, as if that finalised the matter. Your eyes scan the menu, and you catch sight of some dishes you’ve never heard of before. “It’s very nice. A . . . um, great selection of food.”
Bruce made a small humming noise, pretending to look over the menu.
When the waiter came over to take your orders, he noticed how you ordered one of the cheapest things on the menu. He wasn’t sure if it was intentional, since all the choices were quite lavish so it wasn’t like you were depriving yourself of anything. But it made him wonder. Everything you do always does.
You two ate your appetisers while making conversation. Stories from childhood was exchanged (although Bruce was a little more cagey with his), and embarrassing incidents from teenage years were laughed over.
But when the plates were clear and taken away, you were silent again. Nervous, judging by the small tapping of your fingers against each other. You grew conscious of yourself.
“I don’t really like it here.”
You look up, giving Bruce a puzzled look. “You finished your plate.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, but I didn’t enjoy it much.” He looked around, leaning back and sighing a little. “Do you know any place better?”
You raised your eyebrows. “Any place better than . . . this? No Bruce, I don’t know a place better than a restaurant with a chandelier in every room.”
Bruce’s face fell, expressing great disappointment. “That’s a shame. I sort of want to go somewhere else.”
And whatever Bruce Wayne wants, he gets.
So, after claiming that it was “far too stuffy”, he paid the bill and took your hand outside the restaurant.
He didn’t call a driver, or a cab, which would’ve been the safe option in Gotham. Yes, Bruce wanted to keep you safe, but he also really wanted to walk with you. He purposely slowed down when walking past food sellers to see if your eyes lingered on anything. A few minutes later, you were telling him a story that happened in one of the small diners in the quieter part of Gotham. Bruce immediately suggested going there.
“You don’t want to go there,” you shook your head a little. “You’re wearing a suit and-“
“And I want to go there.” He can get a bit cheeky with you sometimes.
And now you watched him slowly eat a slice of pizza, his chewing careful as ever. One would say that you both look a little ridiculous, sitting in a rundown diner with a suit and dress. You look at Bruce.
“Why did you want to leave to come to this place?” You ask.
Bruce stayed calm. “I already told you, I didn’t like the food at the other place.”
You raised an eyebrow. “You know I don’t believe that.”
Bruce paused for a second before setting his pizza down. He’s able to put on a mask for hundreds of people. He can lie easily through his teeth to people he cares about. He’s able to track down the most hidden secretive of Gotham. But he can’t figure out how you see through him everytime.
“I just thought that it was a bit awkward there.” He said slowly. “I was a bit too conscious of myself, I think. Just because of the . . . atmosphere there.”
You think for a moment before nodding. “I think I felt the same.” You smile a little.
Bruce grins back at you.
“That’s actually quite sweet.” Lois said, quickly bringing you back to the present. “Very thoughtful.”
“Surprised?” You said.
“He’s a man, (Name),” she said without missing a beat. “You get surprised when any one of them is thoughtful.”
You laughed, looking down.
A minute later, Clark slid into a chair beside Bruce. “She’s lovely.” He said, his head giving a small nod towards you. “Lois always managed to get interviews with her before I had the chance, and I can see why she was so eager to meet again.”
Bruce nodded. It doesn’t matter who spoke praise for you, Bruce would agree. The Joker himself could compliment you and Bruce would be compelled to take a moment to agree and bask in you.
“I remember the first time you two appeared at a gala together.” Clark smiled. “And now married with six kids!”
Bruce had an easy expression in his face that only comes when he thinks about his family. His memory brings him back to the first gala Clark mentioned.
“Bruce!” You called from your en-suite bathroom on your shared bedroom. “Do these earrings look nice? I don’t know if they go with my makeup or not.”
Bruce appeared in the doorway, taking a look at you before moving to put his arm around your waist.
“You look beautiful, darling.” He said quietly, pressing a kiss to your neck. He’d prefer to kiss your cheek or lips, but he knew you’d fuss if he smudged your makeup. “You always do.”
“Thank you,” you said, grinning for a moment before your face was serious again. “But seriously, do the earrings look okay?”
“Yes,” He replied. “They look as gorgeous as the woman wearing them.”
You bit back a laugh as you tutted. “Always with the flirting.”
“Not flirting if I’m simply telling the truth.”
It was safe to say you were nervous. It was the first time you would be surrounded by people in a completely different class to you. You don’t want to seem like the clueless girl who didn’t know her way around a room, and hoped that Bruce would at least give you some advice on how to act. But when you asked him, he just replied with, “I usually just pretend to listen and then I smile and nod. Sometimes you can sneak a few minutes of sleep if they’re particularly too wrapped up in themselves.”
But you didn’t want to fall asleep while talking to someone. You wanted to be refined, and, well . . . fit in.
So when you arrived at the gala, you smiled for the cameras beside Bruce, while he walked with you with a hand around your waist. Bruce never lingered too long outside these events, instead preferring to get inside as soon as he could. But you decided to turn at the last second to blow a kiss to the reporters, making the flashes of light increase significantly.
Bruce tugged you in with the tired grin, as if he already half-expected you to make a little show.
“First night in public with me and you’re already sucking up to the cameras.” He said.
“Have to make an impression.” You shrugged.
And after, when you two walked out of the event back to the car, reporters were already scribbling down different article titles about the lipstick marks on Bruce Wayne’s neck.
You and Bruce went through all the different phases of marriage. The newlywed stage (which makes your cheeks heat up whenever you recall the honeymoon), the familiarisation stage, the adopting-every-child-you-find-on-the-street stage (which you’re almost sure that not every couple goes through), and now here.
It’s not a traditional family, in a sense. It’s certainly not normal or average. But nobody’s life in this family has been even close to normal. And yes, arguments happen. Ranging from teasing bickering to real shouting matches, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is the fact that you get past it. You work on it. Together.
And Bruce Wayne is further in his life than he ever thought he would be.
