Just a thought I needed to share with someone, but like platonic batfam x shy reader who does musical theatre? Okay bye :p
Batfam x Teen!Reader
<Hero. N> = Readers vigilante name
This brought me so much joy as somebody who does Stage Craft for their schools Theater program 😭
"I’m sorry, the first show is in how many days?” <Reader> asked, eyeing their teacher as they stepped off a ladder, paintbrush in hand.
“Two.” Their teacher, Mrs. Grace, informed deadpan. <Reader> sighed as they put their brush back in the paint bucket.
“And you want us to turn sets from Mean Girls…into Hamilton…?” <Reader>’s friend, Parker, asked, looking up from the tables he was painting.
“Yes?” Mrs. Grace raised an eyebrow like it was no big deal, not seeing the issue.
“…..mkay” Parker mumbled, going back to painting. <Reader> just sighed, doing the same.
*************************
The school bell rang out, groups of students pushed open metal doors, running to their buses and cars to get home as fast as possible. The other members of stage craft quickly scurried off to wash off their brushes and head home. <Reader> was taking off their apron when Parker approached.
“Seriously, what is she expecting us to do??? Magically whip out founding father costumes and magically have hot pink painted to look like New York???” He exclaimed, annoyed.
“Guess so…?” <Reader> answered, slinging their backpack over their shoulder, starting to walk to the exit. Parker raised an eyebrow.
“Hey, are you not staying after school for rehearsal?” Parker asked <Reader>, who felt a slight panic at the question.
“….No…no, I can’t, sorry” They quickly mumbled.
Parker frowned, “What, why not?” The panic in <Reader>’s chest continued. Think of something! Think! “Oh, uh, um…my brother made plans with the rest of my family….besides, I’m an understudy and I know all my lines, so I figured I really wasn’t going to be needed…”
“Oh, I guess that makes sense….I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Totally.” <Reader> smiled before leaving the site to the buses. <Reader> never knew what it was; they always just chose to keep their likes and hobbies to themselves. Even after they were adopted by Batman himself, the world’s greatest detective, they still kept to themselves and did a damn good job of keeping their hobbies like they were deep, dark secrets. I mean, the family knew they did stage craft…just not actually performing. Why did they not want the family knowing they did theater? The answer was unsure. Embarrassment, maybe? Part of them also liked the idea of just having a secret. In a family of detectives, it always felt like it was impossible to even dream of keeping secrets.
*************************
“Nightwing! <Hero. N.>! The truck is speeding your way; be ready!!” Barbara informed over the intercom in a rushed tone.
“Got it!” <Reader> quickly responded back, shooting their grappling hook swinging to a gargoyle. Focused. Well focused for a bit…
“I just don’t understand why you’re so against anyone picking you up from school??” Dick, in his Nightwing gear, groaned as he landed on the nearby gargoyle.
“Can we not talk about this right now?” <Reader> sighed, annoyed.
“A stolen truck and a high speed chase isn’t anything new!” <Reader> just rolled their eyes in their domino mask.
“Damian and Duke let me do it!”
“Fun Fact: I’m not either of those people!” When <Reader> was taken in by Bruce, they had asked for them to stay in the school they were originally enrolled in before the adoption. Meaning they didn’t go to Gotham Academy like Damian or Duke, which worked out in <Reader>’s favor to keep things private.
“This is literally a free ride, so you don’t have to ride in a hot, sweaty bus!!!”
“For the last time! No!”
The sound of police sirens rang out as a truck went speeding past the two; <Reader> quickly swung after it.
“So they’re hiding something?” Tim pipped up over the intercom.
“Definitely.” Dick responded back on his end.
*************************
The lunch bell rang, and students were grabbing their bags and rushing out of the classroom to get to their friends or be at the front of the lunch line. <Reader> was walking next to Parker in the hallway.
“<Reader>?” Mrs. Grace called.
“Uh, you go ahead…” <Reader> mumbled to Parker before heading over to their teacher. “Uhm…yes, Mrs. Grace?”
“I know this is last minute, but our lead won’t be able to make it to first show…and you are their understudy…” <Reader> felt that panic in their chest again.
“Oh! Uhm…yeah, I’m good to go.”
*************************
“B?” <Reader> asked quietly, entering Bruce’s office. Bruce quickly looked up from whatever paperwork he was doing at his desk.
“<Reader>? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah!” <Reader> quickly shutting down all anxiety from Bruce. “….I was just wondering if you’d be okay with me skipping patrol for the next couple of days….?” Bruce nodded.
“I don’t see why not….Can I ask why?” <Reader> felt panic feeling in their chest again.
“I have a dance at school coming up…” <Reader> quickly lied. Bruce raised an eyebrow.
“Oh? Are you going?”
“Oh! No, no, no!” <Reader> waved their hands dismissively. “I just volunteered with making the decorations…also, this means I’d have to stay late after school!”
Bruce nodded. He knew <Reader> was good at art and enjoyed it hell it was why they were on the stage craft team for the theater program in their school. “I don’t see an issue…however…”
“….what?”
“Naturally, staying late would mean you’d miss your bus, so somebody would eventually have to pick you up….” Bruce started.
“…ah-“
“HA YES” Dick exclaimed, poking his head through Bruce’s office door.
“OH MY GOSH, DICK, SHUT UP!” <Reader> yelled back, shutting the office door with ears a light shade of pink.
“HA” was all that could be heard from Dick in the manor’s hallway. Lovely.
*************************
Surviving the first few shows without the family finding out was concerningly easy. Maybe being raised around detectives and emotionally unwell vigilantes really did pay off. <Reader> was finally in the home stretch. Only two shows left. Dick loved to rub it in <Readers> face about finally having to pick them up. Jason could care less about what they were doing before picking them up. Not because he didn’t care about <Reader> he did. He just saw it as regular high school stuff that he wasn’t interested in (unless dumb teen drama was happening then he loved to hear about it). Tim always looked like he was going to fall asleep behind the wheel with how late he needed to be their. Anytime Steph picked <Reader> up Cass was always there for some reason? Duke normally wouldn’t pick them up because he was most likely sleeping from day patrol and school. Damian. The 12 year old. Picked <Reader> up once….never again. <Reader> specifically didn’t want Alfred picking them up because the last thing they needed was their friends to see them getting in a limo. Which the family kinda understood. Bruce also never picked them up which could be assumed because of the whole Bat stalking the night act. Dick was unfortunately picking them up again. They dropped their backpack off in the trunk and crawled into the back seat only to see Dick. Normal. Jason?…strange…..Damian? Somebody probably died and he was here to inform them was <Readers> best guess.
“….whats going on…?”
“Nothing??? Why would anything be going on???” Dick quickly faked innocence. <Reader> raised an eyebrow. Jason smiled like he knew something <Reader> didn’t, which was probably true.
“Because Damian is willingly sitting in a car with you weirdos…..?”
“Oh, thatttt” Dick gave a dramatic sigh. “Can’t a younger sibling just come visit their older sibling after school???” Damian rolled his eyes.
“Grayson. You are acting childish.” Damian turned to face <Reader>. “I simply found out that you were given the lead role in your school’s theatrical production. I informed father, and he has bought tickets for everyone on your final night.” <Reader> felt their heart drop into their chest.
“…you what…”
“I do not wish to repeat myself.”
“<Reader>!!!! Why wouldn’t you tell us?????” Dick sounded like he was personally offended.
“I uh…I…I didn’t see a reason to?”
“Wow, great answer…NOT” Jason finally chimed in. <Reader> sighed, thinking.
“I dunno….” They shrugged. “….I guess I’ve always been on my own…so when I came into this family, it was like all my privacy just…vanished? I guess I wanted to keep just something to myself….”
“Though luck, privacy is an urban legend in this family” Jason deadpanned.
“Yeah, I know” Dick finally stopped joking and gave <Reader> a sympathetic expression.
“Hey, if you seriously don’t want us at your show, we won’t go. We’ll convince B not to. You just can’t be mad at us for wanting to support a sibling.” Dick calmly explained. <Reader> nodded, thinking.
“I want you guys to be at my last show…just ask before B buys tickets again?”
“Deal.”
*************************
“You did great!!!” Step exclaimed, hugging <Reader> as they came from backstage into the auditorium where the rest of the family was waiting.
“…really?” They asked, surprised, hugging Steph back.
“DUH!” She confirmed. Cass just nodded with a smile. <Reader> felt their ears turn pink a bit.
“….I dunno. I feel like I missed a note…” They muttered, walking out of the auditorium with the rest of the family.
“Kid, take the compliment.” Jason quickly said. <Reader> felt a hand on their shoulder.
“I promise nobody noticed…” Bruce said, trying to ease their anxiety.
“Thanks…” <Reader> smiled. Dick wrapped an arm around their little sibling.
“SO! <Reader>, when’s the next play?”
“Not telling.”
“WHAT.”
