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dyanlzbb · 3 years ago

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Reblog... Just because it's one of my all-time favorites

Fitting In - Batfamily x Reader

Requested by Anon - Bruce’s daughter(reader) is sent to live with him after her mom dies(probs in her teens). She doesn’t think she fits in because of everyone else being heroes and she feels neglected so she runs away. And how Bruce and the rest of the batfam reacts, and they look for her?

You never expected to meet him, but here he was.

He was exactly how your mom described him all those years ago when you asked her about your father. Tall, dark, and handsome with a charming smile that made a girl lose her mind for a night. Of course, the man sitting in front of you was tall, dark, and handsome, but the charming smile was nowhere to be seen.

You were facing each other in the living room of the apartment that had been the only home you have ever known.

It had only been two days since your mom died, but your life as you knew it was falling apart.

“(Y/N),” your father, Bruce Wayne, spoke gently to bring your attention back to him. “I want you to know if I had known about you, I would have helped you and your mother.” A bitterness burned inside of you at his words.

“We did fine without your help, Mr. Wayne,” you replied coldly, not liking how he insinuated your mother needed help raising you. Sure, money was tight, but your mother made sure you never missed out on anything. She took on both roles of mother and father easily, and you loved her for it. Your heart ached as you realized she won’t be able to be there for you again.

Bruce pursed his lips, studying you with an intensity that made you looked at the ground in self-consciousness. “I know, (Y/N). I’m sorry you had to lose her the way you did,” he answered softly. Your eyes started to fill with tears, but you held them back, refusing to appear weak in front of him.

“What is going to happen now?” you asked, glancing up to meet his solemn blue eyes. It was the question playing in your head ever since you learned your mother was killed. The uncertainty of it all scared you like nothing else.

“…You’ll come live with me at my home,” Bruce said firmly as if he feared you would argue with him. Given that your other option was foster care, a argument never crossed your mind.

“Okay,” you agreed, emotionless. He frowned at your tone before standing up.

“Alright then,” Bruce stated, glancing at the small apartment around him. “I suggest we better start packing what you would like to bring with you, and what will go into storage.” He looked at you, waiting for a response. You just nodded your head, hoping you would have the courage to pack everything of your old life without breaking down.

Therefore, you moved into Wayne Manor. The size of the place was daunting, just like everything that had to do with Bruce Wayne apparently was. Your new room was the size of your mom’s old apartment with it’s own bathroom attached. Bruce and Alfred, the butler who helped you pack your things, moved everything into your new room before leaving you alone to unpack.

It didn’t take you long to unpack, considering you didn’t have that much stuff in the first place. You thought about taking a nap, but you started feeling a little trapped, so you decided to explore Wayne Manor instead.

Wandering around, you found several bedrooms. Most of them were empty despite evidence someone occupied it, however two of the doors were ajar. You peeked into one to see a sleeping man curled up on a bed. Quickly stepping away to not disturb him, you glanced into the other open bedroom door. A teenage boy, maybe a little older than you, sat at a computer typing rapidly. He was working so hard, he didn’t notice you.

You left the bedrooms to walk down the stairs. Taking in the grandness of the place, you silently wished your mother could have seen this. She would have loved to explore this house with you, but she was gone. You swallowed hard at that thought before focusing on exploring.

Eventually after finding a ballroom, the kitchen, dining room, a den with the largest television you had ever seen, and several sitting rooms, you found yourself standing outside a closed door with loud voices resounding from it. Recognizing the deep voice of Bruce, you pressed your ear to the door.

“Father, there is no place for a civilian among us,” a snotty young voice snarled. “It’s bad enough we have Drake.”

“Damian, (Y/N) has every right to be here like the rest of you do,” Bruce argued. “She is my daughter, and your half-sister. I expect you to treat her with respect.” You froze in surprise, not knowing he had another biological child. Frowning slightly, you wondered why he didn’t tell you that earlier.

“Is she to participate in our nightly work as well?” the snotty voice, Damian, asked with disdain. You furrowed your brow in confusion by the words “nightly work”. It took you a second to make the connection, but you did. Bruce Wayne must be Batman, Damian must be Robin, the sleeping man must be Nightwing, and the boy with the computer must be Red Robin. It made perfect sense.

You weren’t too surprised by the revelation as you figured Bruce had to have a secret of some sort. Heck, even your mom said there was something off about him back during their one night stand. You found yourself grateful it wasn’t the sex dungeon like you thought.

“No, (Y/N) is not going to be a part of our work. She doesn’t have the proper training, and I don’t want her to be involved in this. (Y/N) is to have a normal life,” Bruce explained, making your heart ache a little. You don’t know why, but you felt left out. Of course, you never expected to develop a deep connection with anyone in this house, but with Bruce’s insistence, you found yourself more of an outsider than you originally thought.

“TT,” Damian huffed. “So, she will be a waste of space.”

“Enough,” Bruce yelled, making you flinch at the volume. “Go to your room, Damian. I expect you to be civil to (Y/N)…” He said more, but you left the door when you heard angry little footsteps approaching. You ducked into one of the sitting rooms as the door opened and slammed shut. Enraged mumbles and pounding footsteps echoed down the hall and up the stairs. Once they faded away, you slipped out of the room to head back to your bedroom.

On the way back, you bumped into the sleeping man, Nightwing, who was stumbling down the stairs half-awake.

“Oh, hi,” he greeted, running a hand through his messy bedhead. “You must be (Y/N).”

“Yeah,” you answered quickly, not liking how he studied you.

“I’m Dick,” he said, holding out his hand. You looked at it for a moment before timidly taking it. “So, you’re exploring?”

“No,” you snapped, narrowing your eyes while you dropped his hand. He smiled at you, sensing the truth.

“You don’t have to be so cold, you know. We’re family now,” Dick replied cheerfully.

Giving him a disbelieving look, a small amount of sarcasm dripped into your voice. “Right.” Dick frowned at your tone and was about to say something else, but you turned away to escape to your bedroom. The boy with the computer poked his head out when you passed, having been aroused from his work at the sound of your conversation with Dick. He stared at you with such calculating eyes that you literally sprinted to your bedroom.

You slammed the door shut behind you, locking it securely. Sighing with relief at escaping them, you sank to the floor. Tears stung your eyes as you wished for the hundredth time that your mom had never died. You wished more than anything in the world for her to be here now. Your heart ached for one of her hugs, but you knew it was never to be.

Getting up from the floor, you curled up onto the bed, hugging your favorite stuffed animal to your chest as the sobs started forcing their way out of you.

Hours later, you found yourself sitting in the massive dining room, eating dinner with the rest of the family. You had been officially introduced to each one of Bruce’s sons, including a new one who had shown up for the dinner. Bruce had insisted you sit next to him, which you noticed left Damian seething. He glared at you as if he could wish you out of exist.

Tim, the boy with the computer, sat down beside you, still studying you with those wary eyes. Dick sat across from you, giving you reassuring smiles and attempting to start a conversation with you. Jason, the new arrival, simply focused on his food only glancing up once and a while to stare at you with curious eyes. For that matter, Bruce was watching you too as if he couldn’t figure out how you could exist.

The meal fell into an awkward silence when Dick’s attempts to keep the conversation going failed. You picked at your food, unable to force yourself to eat. Your eyes still burned from crying, your heart still aching. Staring at the fancy food on the plate, you wished you were eating one of your mom’s cheap boxed meals. You knew you would never find a meal like that in this household.

“Is the food not to your liking, Miss (Y/N)?” Alfred asked, appearing at your side. You jumped a little, having been lost in your own thoughts.

“No, it’s great, sir. I’m just not hungry,” you replied, feeling all six men’s eyes on you. Jason chuckled, making you blush in self-consciousness.

“You can call me, Alfred, Miss (Y/N). The formality is not necessary,” Alfred insisted, sending a disapproving look over to Jason. Jason choked, stopping his chuckles. Dick and Tim smiled at Jason’s predicament, while Damian continued to glare at you. “Is there something else you would like to eat instead?”

The boys’ mouths dropped open, giving you the impression Alfred never made that offer to anyone else. You wanted to ask for one of those boxed meals, but you knew it wouldn’t be the same. “I’m fine, thank you,” you answered, feeling Alfred’s frown.

“Very well, Miss (Y/N),” he remarked stoically. He turned to enter the kitchen, purposely leaving your full plate in front of you in hopes you could be prompted to eat some more. Your heart warmed at the fact he seemed to care.

“TT,” Damian sneered, speaking for the first time in your presence. “A waste of food and space.” You flinched at his words, ducking your head down.

“Damian,” Bruce scolded, taking his gaze away from you. “You apologize right now.” The other three boys froze at Bruce’s voice while Damian appeared unaffected.

“Why should I apologize when what I said is true?” Damian replied smugly. Your eyes started stinging with unshed tears. You could feel Tim and Jason watching you as you sank lower into your seat. Dick sent Damian a reprimanding look, but this was also ignored by Damian.

Bruce stood up in his chair, the rage on his face terrifying. “Damian,” he growled, his voice a warning. You watched him curiously while being frightened by his intensity. Now, you could see he was Batman. A little burst of joy sparkled into your heart at having evidence to support your theory.

“She is ruining our lives. Is she not the reason we can not patrol tonight?” Damian shouted, standing up from his own seat. Bruce frowned, glancing down at you to see if you reacted to Damian’s use of the word “patrol”. Everyone followed his gaze, staring at you.

You gulped before opening your mouth. “Oh, it’s okay. I already figured out you are Batman,” you admitted, sinking lower into your chair when everyone’s eyes widened in surprise.

“How?” Bruce demanded. He used the same voice he used with Damian, even though you felt like he didn’t have the same intention.

“Um, well,” you began, noticing Alfred slipping into the room. He remained in the shadows, waiting for your answer. “You have the wealth and power to produce the equipment to be Batman. Also you have enough sons to support the number of Robins you have had. I also overheard you and Damian talking earlier about “nightly work”, which supported my theory.” The men around you started going bug-eyed as you continued with a little bit more confidence. “My mom talked about how many scars you had, and given your social status, it had to be either from BDSM or because you’re Batman.”

No one reacted, blinking at you in amazement. Damian was the first to recover, his anger returning tenfold. Without warning, he grabbed his steak knife and threw it at your head. You ducked, but it would have hit you if Bruce hadn’t caught before it landed.

“Damian, go to your room,” Bruce ordered coldly. Damian huffed before stomping off, sending you a cold glare that send a shiver up your spine. Once Damian was gone, Bruce sat down and the meal continued like nothing happened. You couldn’t eat before, but you certainly couldn’t eat now with the lump in your throat. You wanted your mom more than ever.

“Don’t worry about him,” Tim spoke for the first time. “He threw knifes at me too, but he’ll stop once he gets used to you.” You must have given him a funny look for he blushed before looking down at his plate.

“Yeah, the demon spawn just jealous,” Jason remarked, giving you a half-hearted smile. “He can’t stand how you could figure out our secret so easily. The only one to do that was Timbo.” Tim elbowed Jason in response to the nickname.

“I hope we didn’t freak you out, (Y/N),” Dick soothed, giving you a tight smile. He seemed to be the only one who sensed your panic from almost having a knife in your head. You kept glancing at the knife on the table. Bruce noticed your staring and handed it to Alfred to take to the kitchen.

The meal was over soon after, allowing you to escape to your room. No one stopped you as you sensed they wanted to talk about some Batman business. You were relieved, but the feeling of being an outsider only grew as you heard them start talking like normal people as soon as you left the room.

Entering your room, you were sadden, but not surprised, to find your favorite stuffed animal hacked to pieces. You approached the animal after locking your door, sinking onto your knees to stare at it. Funny enough, you found it a representation of your life. Whole and happy before your mother died, broken and desolate after.

You grabbed a small shoe box, and began to clean up the bits of stuffing. After everything was gone, you threw the box into the garbage can before climbing into your bed. The sobs started soon after as you found yourself almost wishing the knife had hit you after all.

As the weeks passed, life didn’t get much better within the manor. You found yourself alone often since everyone was busy doing vigilante stuff. The only one you saw on a regular basis was Alfred, but he was busy chasing after the others. Somehow, the loneliness only made you miss your mom more.

Things only got worse when Bruce insisted you start school at Gotham Academy. The uniform was uncomfortable. Also the twenty minute drive there and back with Damian and Tim was not a enjoyable experience either. Damian hadn’t done anything to you after throwing the knife and destroying your stuffed animal, but he still glared at you as if wishing you out of existence. Tim would try to make you comfortable, but he seemed at a loss in the situation.

School wasn’t much better as you were placed in advanced classes, therefore automatically rejected by the other students. It was known that you were Bruce Wayne’s illegitimate daughter since Bruce had the nerve to sign you up under his last name, dropping your mother’s completely, and everyone seemed to hate you for it.

The only good thing about school was the challenge your advanced classes gave you. It was enjoyable, even though it was soured by the presence of the other students. They had a habit of gossiping about you when you were in earshot, so you could hear every words. You never knew people could be so cruel.

Then, one night when you were laying in bed after having dinner by yourself with the horrible words from your classmates echoing in your head, you decided you had enough.

You were sick of being alone at ‘home’, bullied at school, and missing your mom so much that your eyes stung with tears throughout the day. The need to escape was all consuming in your mind as you got up to pace your bedroom to develop a plan.

In the end, you decided to run away. You wrote a note, placing the extra money Bruce had forced onto you on your first day of school next to it. Luckily, you still had some money from your mom that could get you somewhere away from here.

You dumped your school stuff out of your backpack, and packed only the essential items. Distracted as you were, you reached out to pick up your stuffed animal only to remember it was gone. A few tears escaped your eyes, running down your cheeks as your desperation to get away from this place grew.

An hour later, after you were sure everyone was down in their ‘cave’ to patrol for the night, you slipped out of the manor. The night was cold, but you kept going anyway, walking the hour to reach Gotham. It took you another hour to find a train station, and purchase a ticket for the next train. You didn’t bother to see where it was going for your only thought was to get away.

“Master Bruce, there is something you should see,” Alfred announced, hurrying to the parked Batmobile. Bruce jumped out of the car, pulling down his cowl as he went. Damian jumped out of the other side.

“What is it, Alfred?” Bruce asked, frowning at the piece of notebook paper Alfred handed to him. Bruce opened it, his frown deepening as he read.

“Father?” Damian questioned seriously, walking around the car to peek at the note. Bruce ignored him to glance up at Alfred for confirmation. Alfred’s solemn expression was all he needed before dropping the note to run towards the batcomputer.

“Damian, I need you to scan all security cameras in the city for (Y/N),” Bruce ordered as he began to type rapidly on the computer. “Alfred, call the others and have them search the city for her.”

“TT, why do we need to look for that imbecile?” Damian sneered, trotting up to Bruce’s side.

Bruce spun onto Damian, grabbing him by the collar. His voice dangerously low, the voice he used on criminals. “(Y/N) is your sister.” Alfred watched the two from a far corner of the cave where he called the others to begin the search for you. “She ran away, because she didn’t feel like she belonged, and it’s our responsibility to get her back.”

Damian gulped, his eyes widening at his father’s tone. “Yes, Father.” Bruce dropped him before turning back to the computer. Being terrified of his father for the first time in his life, Damian went to work on finding you.

“Master Bruce, the others are currently searching the city,” Alfred reported carefully approaching Bruce as he hacked into Gotham’s transportation system. Bruce only grunted in response. Alfred hesitated before speaking again. “What do you plan on doing when you find Miss (Y/N)?”

Bruce spun around, giving Alfred a confused look. “I’ll bring her back,” he answered simply before typing on the computer once again. He started hacking into the train company’s database to find any tickets sold tonight around the time you left.

“Yes, that is fine, Master Bruce. However, have you thought about what you will say to Miss (Y/N) when you find her?” Bruce’s fingers stopped on the keyboard as his scowl deepened in thought.

“I’ll figure it out when we find her, Alfred,” Bruce replied. He went back to work as Alfred went upstairs to wait in case you came back.

Hours later, you sat in your coach seat on the train, speeding towards somewhere. You counted the money you had left, wincing at the meager amount. The train cost more than you figured.

Meanwhile, the train was mostly empty except for a few people scattered among the remaining seats. You sat by yourself, staring out the window at the dark world outside. Honestly, you didn’t feel anything about running away. No guilt or remorse, just nothing.

Your heart ached for your mom as you thought about how she would have reacted to you running away. She would have been furious that you caused your father so much worry. Though, part of you argued he wouldn’t care that you ran away, but the impression of your mother’s fury at your actions remained.

Suddenly, you felt a presence next to your seat. Glancing up, you were shocked to see Bruce Wayne, dressed in regular clothes, standing there. His eyes studied you intensely before sinking down into the seat next to you. You eyed him while you tried to figure out how he got on the train when it hadn’t stopped anywhere.

“(Y/N),” he began, clearing his throat as if he was trying to come up with something to say. “I made a mistake when I brought you into my home.” You froze, giving him a hurt look. He realized how he worded it, and quickly correcting himself. “No, I didn’t mean bringing you into my home was a mistake, I meant how I handled it was wrong.”

Bruce stopped a moment, running his hands through his hair. You chuckled a little bit, making him look at you in surprise. “You’re not very good at this.”

“No, I’m not,” Bruce laughed along with you. “No wonder Alfred was telling me to plan out what I was going to say before I found you.” He sobered, “I am sorry, (Y/N). I was not acting like a father to you, being too selfish and thinking you needed time alone to grief, but I should have known better.” Bruce held out his hand gently. “But I’m going to be here for you now if you can forgive me?”

You looked at his hand, your entire soul craving for human comfort. Part of you wanted to stay angry, but you found you didn’t have the energy for it. Slowly, you took his hand. He smiled at you before wrapping his fingers around yours, the warmth of his hand soaking into your cold one. You gave him a half-hearted smile, tears falling down your cheeks. Turning away, you tried to hide them, but Bruce wouldn’t let you. He let go of your hand, pulling you into a tight hug.

It was like a dam opened up, and you sobbed the way you did when you first heard of your mother’s death. Bruce didn’t mind, letting you cry into his shoulder while his hand gently rubbed your back. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to.

Eventually, you calmed down enough to speak and you found yourself telling him everything. You told him about life with your mother and how much you missed her. Then, you moved onto your first impression of him, and the idea of living in his large house. He smiled at that as if understanding how you felt. You went on to explain about how you felt like an outsider because you never saw the rest of the family except for dinner the first night. You also talked about school and what the other students had been saying about you.

He listened to everything, his hand holding yours throughout your entire speech. His thumb rubbed the back of your hand gently. When you were finished, he opened his mouth to speak. “I am so sorry I didn’t know what you were going through, (Y/N). I should have known, but I’m willing to support you in any way I can.”

“Thank you,” you said sincerely, your heart warming for the first time in his presence. You found the ache of your mom’s death lessened after your talk with Bruce.

Bruce paused a moment before daring to ask his next question. “Will you come home, so we can try again?”

You wrinkled your nose in thought, debating about the loneliness, Damian’s violence, and the bullying. Though, you understood you didn’t really have a choice, you felt like you had to give Bruce another chance. “Yes, I’ll come back,” you replied, making Bruce sigh with relief. He smiled at you before timidly leaning forward to press a kiss to your forehead. You were surprised by it, but you found you enjoyed it just the same.

“But I want you to understand the danger you put yourself in by running away,” Bruce scolded sternly. “Gotham is dangerous enough during the day, but to be alone at night…” He shivered before meeting your eye. “Just promise me, you won’t run away again, at least not alone.”

You laughed a little before nodding your head. “I won’t,” you promised as he pulled you into another hug.

Eventually, you fell asleep with your head resting on his shoulder with a content smile on your face.

You and Bruce rode the train to it’s destination, which turned out of be New York City of all places. Bruce bought you both two tickets back to Gotham after calling Alfred. You had about three hours before the train, so you explored the city together.

It was a special time, and you learned a lot about your father. You wondered how much you missed out on since he wasn’t part of your life until now.

Eventually, you both made it home after another long train ride. Alfred picked you both up at the station. He hugged you with relief before scolding you for worrying him so much. You apologized, feeling his love for you through his scolding.

When you all arrived home, you were bombarded by your adopted brothers, who you knew more about now that Bruce explained how he adopted each of them. Dick hugged you to death, promising you the world if you didn’t run away again. Jason gave you a one-armed hug with a meaningless threat about how if you ran away again he would dragged you back by your hair. Tim simply gave you a smile, glad for your safe return.

Damian was nowhere in sight until you entered your room to unpack and change into fresh clothes. He was sitting on your bed with a wrapped package in his hands. You watched him uneasily as he handed you the package.

“TT, it’s not a bomb,” he huffed when you didn’t make a move to open it. You gave him a suspicious look before opening it slowly. Your mouth dropped open when you saw what was inside.

It was your destroyed stuffed animal, but repaired to it’s original state. You picked it up, staring at it in disbelief. You felt the tiny, almost invisible stitches that put it back together. “How?” you asked, glancing at him. Damian looked down, pursing his lips in embarrassment.

“Pennyworth found the remains of your animal and interrogated me about it,” Damian admitted reluctantly. “When you ran away, he insisted I right my wrongs.” He turned away from you, a slight blush appearing on his face. You looked back down at the stuffed animal.

“Thank you, Damian,” you whispered, taken back by his kindness. Deciding to chance it, you placed a kiss his cheek.

“TT,” he huffed before quickly leaving the room. You laughed at him, hugging your stuffed animal to your chest. Somehow, you started to feel at home.

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dyanlzbb · 3 years ago

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Jason Todd with baby fever 😅💚

The only person that didn't seem to realize anything was amiss, was you.

The entire family watched Jason stop in his tracks and visibly melt. He'd started surly, his boots thundering on the floor. But as soon as he saw you, bouncing a fussy baby- a half-human half Kryptonian baby- but still, on your hip, distracting them from the discomfort of teething with something cold to gum and a lullaby as you worked on other things. His face softened and the tension left his shoulders.

He went from being about to go yell at Tim to having to go-anywhere else. Because if he didn't he'd not stop staring at you. Or thinking about a way to get you to agree to have a baby with him- He'd have to get you to agree to dinner, first.

"Need a cold shower, Jaybird?" Dick muttered, eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Shut up," he grumbled.

"I think he needs to take the batteries out of his biological clock," Stephanie opined, grinning.

"Extra shut up," Jason growled, shouldering a door open and squeezing through, careful not to let it slam.

Dick watched him go and suppressed a snort with difficulty, "You can't deny- they'd make really pretty babies."

"Bite your tongue, Master Richard," Alfred drawled, "The last thing we need is to experience Master Jason with anxiety about becoming a father."

"You realize I can hear you right?" you ask them, glad your back was turned so they couldn't see how flustered you were.

"Yes," Stephanie chirped, unrepenant, snickering when you leave the room, shortly after laying the now sleeping baby in her playpen.

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dyanlzbb · 3 years ago

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#SiSoy

Yeah, I'm fine

*Types "<character name> x reader" into tumblr search bar*

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dyanlzbb · 3 years ago

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bad idea - p.m.

pairing: pietro maximoff x fem! reader

summary: in which pietro accidentally gets sex pollen into his system, and fortunately or unfortunately, you’re the only one who can get it out.

word count: 7637

tw: smut. literal filth. this is a bit of a self-indulgent fic. both parties are 18+ and consenting, but it could be considered dub/con cause it’s sex pollen. up to interpretation, really.

a/n: disappointed at the lack of pietro content on this app. fine. i’ll do it myself.

EVERYONE SEEMED SMART ENOUGH TO follow Tony and Bruce’s instructions on steering clear of the potted plants in the lab. Admittedly, you had been incredibly curious, but by the time you reached the doors of the lab, you figured it was better to be safe than sorry. Thor had sort of instilled that in you, anyway.

“You don’t want to go in there, Lady Y/N,” He had instructed her in a firm, almost parentally stern voice. “Those plants have a drastic effect on Asgardians…. I would not like to find out what they might do to one from Midgard.”

Keep reading

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dyanlzbb · 3 years ago

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Lily

Summary: Steve has a secret... until suddenly he doesn't. Steve x Single Mom!Reader

Warnings: canon typical violence, probably some cursing

Word Count: 4349

a/n: I really fell in love with this idea. I think I dreamt it, but honestly I'm not sure. You can visualize Lily anyway you'd like, I just chose this picture bc it's cute.

Masterlist

"Ninety-nine, One hundred." Lily jumped out of the closet, ready to follow your instructions. She checked the phone, just like you said, but it was broken in the fight.

Instead, she packed her backpack with anything she thought she could need in an emergency and left.

She walked confidently through your apartment door, down the stairs, and to the subway stop. Maybe it was this confidence that lead the adults surrounding her to leave her be, or maybe it was just the fact she was in New York City and passerby couldn't be bothered.

Either way, she successfully made it to the station before anyone questioned her. When one of the transit employees asked her where her parents were, she replied with the only thing she thought would confuse them and allow her to continue on her journey.

"My daddy died when I was a baby, but mommy says he's always with me in here." She put her little hand over her heart, staring wide eyed at the woman helping her. The woman turned to a colleague, unsure of how to respond, and Lily made her escape.

She quickly pulled her mom's subway card from her pocket, scanned it, and walked through the barricade. By the time the employee turned back to her, Lily was already lost in the crowd.

She followed what she remembered from Steve's emergency instructions to the best of her ability, getting on the orange line train and taking it until Avengers Tower was announced as the next stop.

From there, she traveled with the crowd. She followed tourists, sticking close to other groups, pretending to be part of different families as she approached the tower. Despite never being there, Lily recognized the building.

With all of the remaining confidence in her six-year-old self, she walked through the doors straight to the information desk. Unfortunately, she was not immediately noticed by the receptionist. It took three very polite renditions of "excuse me, please" for the woman to finally realize there was indeed someone speaking to her.

"Can I help you?" The woman looked behind her, expecting a parent or guardian. "Where are your parents?"

"That's why I'm here. Stevie said to come here if there was ever an emergency." Lily replied as evenly as she could. The adrenaline from the situation was wearing off, and her emotions were beginning to get the better of her.

"Stevie?" The woman replied, utterly flabbergasted by the child in front of her.

"He said to tell you the emergency code. He made it my birthday so I wouldn't forget. 10112017" Lily had tears in her eyes as she continued. "You have to type it in so he can help my mom!"

After a few seconds of shock, the receptionist typed the code into the Stark Enterprises emergency alert system. She clearly didn't expect anything serious to happen, but she figured avoiding a full scale meltdown from the little girl in front of her would be best.

At first, nothing happened. Lily looked at the receptionist, the receptionist looked at Lily, and everyone else continued about their day.

But then, just as the receptionist was about to ask Lily for her name and if she knew how to contact a guardian, every Avenger in the tower came running into the lobby.

"Hey, Wanda. Vision." Steve greeted the two as he made his way toward the fridge, ready to refuel after training. Bucky, Sam, and Nat were quick to enter after him, coming from the same training session.

"I'm making sweet potato toast, anyone want some?" Steve took out the cookbook Tony had given him as a joke last Christmas, already flipping to the familiar page to look at various topping combinations.

Each team member replied, listing various reasons as to why they wanted to avoid eating more sweet potatoes. It seemed Steve was on a kick, but everyone else was sick of them.

"Suit yourselves." He laughed, already scrubbing the root vegetable to dispose of the dirt. He followed the steps in the book, still reliant on the instructions despite having made the meal- or a variation- dozens of times.

"Still reading the steps, Capsicle?" Tony shook his head, pouring himself a glass of cranberry juice.

"I just need to make sure I do it right." Steve replied, unphased by the teasing remark. No matter how long he spends trying to catch up to the modern world, Steve will never feel confident cooking.

Before Tony could jump into his usual spiel about how Steve needs to find a girlfriend who will cook for him, Friday made an announcement.

"Mr. Stark, as per the Morgan Protocol, I am alerting you of an unaccompanied minor in the lobby."

The announcement from the Irish voice confused the room, all eyes turning to look at Tony. He replied to Friday before addressing their stares.

"Any idea who it is?" His gaze briefly flickered to the ceiling while he awaited a response.

"Running facial recognition as we speak. Nobody matching her description was reported missing."

Tony attempted to leave, but he was bombarded with the same question from each Avenger present.

"The Morgan Protocol?" Steve's voice could be heard above the rest, so used to commanding the room.

"Yep. I put it in place when Morgan was born. If there's ever an unaccompanied minor in the Tower, Friday alerts me. You've got no idea how many kids will come here just for a chance to meet us." Tony replied casually, trying to avoid any heartwarming speeches.

Sam opened his mouth to reply when Friday chimed in again. "Facial recognition failed. Should I have the child escorted upstairs?"

Suddenly, a warning alarm accompanied by flashing red lights began to sound throughout the residential area of the tower.

"Tony, what the hell?" Nat yelled over the noise. The entire team was covering their ears, glaring at Tony for the suspected glitch.

"Friday, cut the alarm." Tony sighed, figuring there was a glitch in his newest security measure for the families of those on the team.

"The Family Emergency Alarm was triggered via manual code input." Friday replied. "It was entered on device 7114 in main reception."

"Which code triggered the alarm? Who gave the code?" The room was tense as they awaited the response. It could have been an accident. Someone typed the wrong code into the alert system. It's not unheard of.

"The code was 10112017. Captain Rogers' code." The majority of eyebrows furrowed while Steve's heart plummeted. "It appears the child gave the code."

Without waiting for anymore information, Steve ran from the room. He was down four floors before anyone else entered the staircase.

"Steve? What the hell?" Bucky called after him, the other Avengers also sprinting down the stairs. When their Captain panics, the team follows.

Steve ignored the pleas for him to explain, instead focusing on reaching the lobby. The child must be Lilly and if she's unaccompanied, than where were you?

"What the fu-" The receptionist cut herself off, remembering Lily was still standing in front of her. Although the swear may have been warranted.

Captain America himself was sprinting through the lobby, the other Avengers following rapidly behind him.

"Lily!" He breathed a sigh of relief to see her uninjured, immediately falling to his knees and pulling her into a massive hug.

Whether it was the stress of the days earlier events finally catching up to her, or the sight of Steve in such a flustered state didn't matter. Lily couldn't control her emotions anymore, instantly bursting into tears.

"Oh, sweetheart. It's okay. You're okay." Steve reassured her, gently swaying side to side while rubbing circles on her back.

"No! No, it- it's no-not." She sobbed, trying to explain but struggling through the tears.

The spectacle of Steve Rogers consoling a sobbing child in the middle of the lobby did not go unnoticed by agents or guests alike. A crowd was beginning to form, all eyes flickering between the unknown child, Steve, and the rest of the Avengers.

"Why don't we move this upstairs?" Sam suggested, already feeling boxed in by the crowd. He and Bucky cleared a path to the elevator, Nat guiding Steve by the elbow as he continued to whisper to Lily, trying to slow her tears.

The elevator ride was awkward to say the least. Steve paid no attention to anyone other than Lily, leaving the rest of the group to exchange eye contact in an attempt to figure out what the hell was going on. Who was the kid? Why did she know Steve's Family Emergency Code?

Nobody dared to question him while he was still focused on Lily. Instead, they dutilly followed him back to the kitchen, watching as he set her on a stool and gave her a glass of water.

She calmed down relatively quickly for a six-year-old. A few sips of water and a couple of minutes following Steve's breathing and she could speak normally again.

"What happened? Where's Y/N?" Steve questioned softly, still oblivious to the multitude of stares coming from his friends.

"She was taken..." Lily whispered, eyes wide and already filling with tears again. "I did what you said! The plan you told mommy to follow if she was ever in danger! I got on the train and came to the tower and gave the nice lady the code and waited for you!" She spoke the words in one breath, nervous hands flying in any direction she could achieve.

"Got on the train?" Tony mouthed to Nat, eyes wide. Just the idea of such a small child travelling alone through New York's Public transportation scared him.

"Taken?" Steve questioned the word, throat tight. This was exactly what he was trying to avoid by keeping his relationship a secret.

Lily nodded her head rapidly, not stopping until Steve cupped her face in his hands.

"Lily, I need you to breath, sweetheart." He spoke softly in an attempt to ease her nerves. "My friends and I, we're going to find your mom, okay?"

"Stevie, I'm scared." She shrunk in on herself, making her 3 foot frame appear even smaller.

"I know, but you know who we are, right?" He gestured behind him, eyes still focused on Lily as she nodded.

"Avengers. Heroes." She listed the two words, one right after the other.

"Exactly, and we are going to find the bad people who took your mom and get her back. I need your help though. Can you do that? Can you be a hero?" Steve felt his heart clench as he thought about what he was about to ask.

Lily nodded again, although much calmer than before.

"That's good. I need you to tell me everything you remember." Steve cringed internally at making her relive the events that clearly traumatized her, but he saw no other choice. He needed the information only she had.

Lily took a deep breath, preparing to tell the story of the afternoon's events.

"Mommy!" Lily abandoned the toys she was playing with in favor of jumping into her mother's arms.

"Hi baby." You cooed, graciously hugging your child. "Thanks, Hannah." You gave the teenager her payment for babysitting, waving goodbye as she left your apartment to return to her own up one floor. "What do you want for dinner?" You asked your little girl, grinning when her eyes lit up.

"Chicken nuggets!" Lily bounced with joy, excited for you to be home from the store.

"Okay, sweet pea. Clean up your toys and then you can help me with dinner." You set her on the ground, watching as she ran to clean everything up.

Your apartment was small, but it was well kept. Living in New York, afterall, didn't allow for much space. You and Lily managed to keep everything organized. If you didn't go into Lily's room, it almost looked as if no child lived their at all. Lily always kept her toys in the storage bin in the living room, or neatly organized in her own room.

She closed the lid to the bin after throwing the last of the toys inside before running to join you in the kitchen. Lily got to work, dutifully washing her hands so she could help with the food.

The two of you laughed and sang as you cut the chicken into small pieces for Lily to dip into egg and then breadcrumbs. She shook the shake and bake container like a maraca, smiling wide.

Just as you put the tray of chicken in the oven and pulled out a salad kit, the sound of car doors slamming drew your attention to the window. One glance outside was enough to put you on edge.

There were three SUVs, each holding two to four people all dressed in black, guns on their hips.

"Lily, I need you to hide, okay? Don't come out unless I tell you to or it's been quiet for 100 seconds. Then call Steve." You ushered her into her room, quickly hiding her behind the clothes hanging in her closet.

"Mommy!" She called before you could close the door, eyes wide with fear and confusion.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Just call Steve if I'm not here, okay?" The six-year-old nodded, knowing by the look on your face that something bad was going to happen.

She listened from the closet as a loud banging came from the front door. A loud crash could be heard, likely the door being kicked in.

You fought off the attackers as best you could with your limited self-defense knowledge, but it didn't take long for the large group to overpower you.

"You won't get away with this. He'll find you." Lily focused on the sound of your voice, trying to stay quiet.

"Let him. Cut off one head, two more grow in its place. Hail Hydra." A voice Lily didn't recognize replied. The sounds of retreating footsteps slowly faded away, and Lily began counting.

"And I counted, but the phone was broken! So I followed the emergency plan you made with mommy when you thought I was sleeping." Lily finished her story, energy fading fast.

"Hydra? You're sure that's what the man said?" Steve asked, trying to remain calm in front of Lily.

"Yes. And the thing about the heads. I remember that 'cause it's gross." She stuck her tongue out, reminding everyone of just how young she actually is. She followed the grimace with a yawn, balling her hands into fists to rub her eyes.

"Are you hungry?" Steve asked, concerned for her wellbeing. She nodded, still rubbing her eyes. Tony quickly supplied one of Morgan's fancy lunchables, already having peeled the plastic off.

Lily thanked him politely before quickly eating everything, her dinner was interrupted after all. Not even five minutes after she ate, Lily was asleep in Steve's arms. He carried her down the hall to his room, gently tucking her into his bed.

He spared a moment to observe her sleeping form, heart clenching at the idea of losing her or you. The second he was back in the living room, all eyes were on him. Well, all but two pairs who were somehow missing.

"Bucky and Nat are on the way to the garage. Send them the address and they'll check out her apartment." Tony supplied, figuring that would be his first question.

Steve nodded, pulling out his phone to text Nat the address.

"She wears a bracelet with a tracker in it, if we're lucky it will still be active." Steve supplied, already pulling up the software on his computer. Tony showed him how to use it in an attempt to convince him to put himself out there and find a partner. He just didn't know it worked.

As the software loaded, Steve finally looked up at his teammates. No, his friends, family even. He could see the questions in their eyes, yet nobody was voicing them.

"Friday, can you conference in whichever car Bucky and Nat took?" Steve asked. Despite knowing it was probably a simple task to start a group phone call, Steve still turned to the AI for help with most technology related tasks.

"Did you find something already?" Bucky's voice could be heard on the other end, the faint sound of the GPS in the background. Steve did his best to ignore the hurt he could hear in the inflection of Bucky's voice.

"No, but I figured it'd be easier to explain everything once." Steve sighed. "I met Y/N in the park. Lily walked right in front of me while I was running, nearly knocked me over." He chuckled at the memory, remembering exactly how flustered he was when you insisted on getting him a new water bottle when his fell to the ground and cracked.

"How long ago?" Tony questioned, pulling Steve back into the present.

"Almost a year and a half." Steve wore a soft smile, happy to have had you in his life for so long. "She broke down my walls without even trying. I would meet her and Lily for ice cream, or to go to a bookstore. Normal things. Took me six weeks to officially ask her out."

"Why all the secrecy?" Nat questioned. She knew Steve was hiding something, but she didn't think it'd be this big.

"I wanted to keep them safe." His voice hardened. "You can all see how well that worked out. I never should have gotten involved. If something happens to her... Lily's already lost her father." Steve's throat tightened, the fear and stress at not knowing where you were eating away at him.

"Hey, don't talk like that. We'll find her." Sam encouraged him to remain positive. "Do you know the code for the tracker bracelet?" He gestured to the computer screen, where the software had finally loaded.

He typed in the 9 digit code, having memorized it before even giving you the bracelet. He also knew Lily's code, although she was currently safe and sound in his room.

The three seconds it took for the little red dot to appear on the screen were the longest of his life.

"She's in upstate, possible headed to Canada." He watched the light as it moved farther and farther away from him. Through the phone, blaring horns and screeching tires could be heard as Nat turned around.

"I've got a jet on the roof." Tony supplied, already moving to retrieve his gear. "It's smaller than the ones in the compound, but it'll do."

Steve jumped up, ready to join the fight when Sam pushed him back into his chair.

"If that little girl wakes up and you're not here, she'll panic." His eyes were sympathetic, but his tone was firm. "Sit this one out, Cap."

"Sam, I can't lose her." Steve was close to tears, eyes flickering between Sam and the hallway where Lily was sleeping.

"If Hydra knew about Y/N, they likely also knew it was a secret. They'll probably be expecting you, but not the cavalry." Wanda supplied, trying in vain to ease Steve's nerves. "They won't be prepared to fight all of us."

Steve nodded, knowing he couldn't leave Lily all alone. It broke his heart to watch his friends leave without him, but there's nobody he'd rather have fighting for him.

He watched the floor number above the elevator rise until it finally reached the roof. Despite the powerful engine of the jet, it couldn't be heard inside the building. Nobody outside would know it was even taking off if not for the lights.

He sighed, pushing off the wall and heading for his room. If he couldn't be with you, he would sit with Lily.

He gently opened and closed the door to his room, moving silently until he reached the chair by his bed. There was enough moonlight for him to see Lily's face. She looked so peaceful, something he was grateful for. Hopefully hiding in the closet was enough to shield her from too many nightmares.

He planted himself in the chair, eventually dozing off in the dark and near silent room.

"Stevie?" Lily poked his cheek, her favorite way to wake him up. "Stevie!" She called louder. He jolted, taking on a fighting stance before registering exactly where he was.

"Lily! Are you okay?" He questioned, scooping her up into his lap. She nodded, eyes wandering around the dimly lit room.

"Is mommy back?" Her voice was laced with fear and sadness, the emotions competing to see who would win.

Steve glanced at his phone, noticing a few messages. He opened them to read that you were indeed on the jet, although no mention of your condition beyond alive.

"Not yet, but my friends found her. She's coming back now. Do you want to wait for her on the roof?" Steve asked as he replied to the messages asking for a status report.

He watched as the tension visibly melted from her tiny body. "Can we get a snack first?"

Steve laughed, rising with Lily still in his arms. "Sure thing, peanut. What are you hungry for?"

"Ice cream!" She smiled, eyes questioning if he would let her get away with it.

"Just this once, I think it's okay to eat ice cream in the middle of the night." Steve whispered conspiratorially, heading for the kitchen. He grabbed two of Tony's specially ordered quarter pints of Ben and Jerry's.

After grabbing some spoons, he headed to the elevator to get up to the observation deck. Once they sat down, Steve looked at the flavors he grabbed.

"Do you want phish food or chocolate fudge brownie?" She squealed in excitement.

"Phish food!" He pulled off the lid, handing her a spoon and the small container before doing the same for himself. The two sat in a comfortable silence as they ate their ice cream and observed the city.

As the lights of an aircraft grew closer, both Steve and Lily leaned forward, eager to know if it was the jet.

"Mommy!" Lily cried, ice cream abandoned on the floor by the couch they were seated on. Steve's own ice cream fell to the ground as he scooped her up and waited for the jet to land.

The second it was safe to go out onto the landing pad, Steve was through the doors. The ramp into the jet lowered, and Tony was the first one out, gesturing for Steve to just wait a second.

You emerged, leaning on Bucky as you limped down the ramp. Steve's eyes scoured your body for injuries, but not finding anything other than the limp.

"Mommy!" You looked up, a smile growing immediately at the sight of Steve and Lily. She jumped from his arms, running to you as fast as her little legs would allow.

"Hi peanut! What are you doing up? It is way passed your bedtime." You questioned, lifting her into your arms, transferring more weight onto Bucky as you leaned further into him.

Steve stood frozen, the utter relief to see you uninjured and talking as if nothing happened jumpstarting his heart.

"Stevie gave me ice cream!" Everyone but Steve snickered, amused by how quickly Lily threw him under the bus.

"Wow, America's Golden Boy broke the rules?" You teased, eyes flickering between Lily and Steve.

He finally broke out of his trance, moving across the rook in three quick strides to scoop you and Lily into his arms. he held you both close to him, whispering about how happy he was to have you both with him.

"I met your friends." You stage whispered, laughing when the group of Avengers looked mildly guilty for eavesdropping.

"You did." Steve nodded, not caring that his secret was out now that he had you in his arms again.

"That's not fair! I didn't meet anyone." Lily huffed. "They just stared at me and then I fell asleep."

You and Steve laughed, promising her introductions in the morning.

"But don't we have to go home?" She looked between the two of you, a small pout forming at the idea of leaving.

"Move in with me." Steve blurted it out, ignoring his still present friends.

"Are you asking?" You teased, leaning more weight into his body as the exhaustion from the day caught up to you.

"I am. Asking. Both of you." Steve smiled shyly, eyes flickering between you and Lily.

"What do you say, Lils? Do you want to live here?" You asked, already knowing you'd love nothing more.

"Yes! There's ice cream, and lunchables, and the roof is so high!" She listed the limited information she knew about the tower, excitement pouring out of her.

"Good. Me too." You looked at Steve, eyes full of love.

"I love you so much." Steve pressed a soft kiss to your lips, laughing when Lily gagged.

"I love you too." You whispered back.

"Now, let's get you to the med bay to fix up your ankle." Steve gently set Lily on the ground, scooping you into his arms.

"I want to be carried!" Lily complained, still running on sugar.

"Lily, this is my best friend, Bucky. Can he carry you?" Steve gestured to his fellow super soldier. Lily eyed him suspiciously.

"Do you like chicken nuggets and ice cream?" Her eyes narrowed expectantly, one eyebrow raised. Bucky looked at Steve, brows furrowed. The blonde gestured for him to answer.

"I do." Bucky replied hesitantly.

"Okay! You can carry me." She jumped into his arms, already trusting him since he was Stevie's best friend.

The group of four set off toward the elevator, ignoring the remaining Avengers until after they pushed the button.

"The rest of you can come too." You supplied, eager to get to know them more.

"Before you ask, yes you can pester us with all the questions I know you've been holding back." Steve sighed.

There was a mad rush toward the elevator, everyone piling in as the doors closed. Tony chimed in with a question before the group descended even one floor.

"Did it really take him six weeks to ask you out?"

Permanent tags:

@averyhotchner @jesuswasnotawhiteman @strawberryspence @sebastnstn

Marvel:

@leyannrae @livstilinski @oceaniamaddness @justreadingficsdontmindme

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dyanlzbb · 3 years ago

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Do autistic kids "grow out" of their autism? Why does it sometimes seem like there are so few autistic adults?

For Autism Acceptance Month, I covered this topic in this comic to help explain this disconnect! YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Twitter

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dyanlzbb · 3 years ago

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Just load already!

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dyanlzbb · 3 years ago

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DC Super-Heroes by Mike Mahle.

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dyanlzbb · 4 years ago

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To be read

10 Signs an Introvert Likes you - Masterlist

Summary: Bucky wasn’t the type of guy to show his feelings and neither were you the one to notice subtle things, until you come across this video; A guidance that may help you discover rather The Winter Soldier likes you or not.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Chapter: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Warnings: None, just cursing and FLUFF.

MASTERLIST

A/N: So, I found this video here and the idea crossed my mind, it (ALMOST) will be a drabble series, because sometimes I write too much, sorry not sorry. It won’t have any angst or something like that. Just fluff and comedy. Hope you enjoy!

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dyanlzbb · 4 years ago

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Okay so like a month or two ago a customer saw that I played games and as a prospective game developer he wanted my views, a female’s perspective, on games and gaming.

So I told him the things that crosses the girl gamer’s mind: how every main playable character is a white man, how unfortunate it is that a female’s pain, even death, is used for the feels of male characters, the unnecessary sexualization, how uncomfortable it is to be a female gamer on mic, so on and so forth. He thanked me for the insight, said he’d bring these issues to his professor so going forward they would keep these things in mind.

Well I saw that customer today and he gave me an update. Turns out his professor was a big ole misogynist. That he belittled those concerns and said that women didn’t matter. When the customer mentioned all his female colleagues who also wanted futures in gaming, the professor said they didn’t matter either.

So the customer went to the department head, complained about him, and the department in turn investigated the professor and found that women did have complaints about him but were afraid to come forward. So, in part, thanks to my comments on being a girl gamer, a man lost his job because he hates women.

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dyanlzbb · 4 years ago

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Accompanied

Bruce Wayne x Original Female Character

Word Count: 2033

Warnings: None that I can think of.

Just some fluff and fast falling in love.

---- ---- --- ---

Bruce Wayne has been in a foul mood since he left home. He was set on attending alone for tonight's gala. He had put on one of his favorite two piece suits and while he was getting ready, he went over why none of his children would go to the gala with Alfred. In the end, not even Alfred wanted to go there, and his rejection put him in a bad mood for the whole ride.

Many people wanted Bruce Wayne to attend the galas alone, that way they had a higher possibility of getting a minute to talk to him and pitch him whatever business idea they had in mind.

This particular gala was organized by Gotham’s Museum. They were in urgent need of donations to restorate a wing that was damaged after one of the many fights in the city. It was becoming more and more difficult to maintain the exhibitions in prime conditions with the chances of massive destruction every week. Perhaps that was exactly the reason why Bruce Wayne couldn’t avoid his fate and decided to attend unaccompanied. And just perhaps, it was for the better that he attended alone.

The plan was simple: go there, greet some people, talk to the organizers, have dinner and leave in time for the nightly patrol.

He arrived and his car was immediately taken by the valet parking. He knew that deep down they were eager to be behind the wheel of a luxury car like his. He smiled at his thought and entered the gala avoiding all the questions from the interviewers and media covering the arrival to the gala. however he could hear that someone commented on him arriving alone. To be honest, he couldn’t care less. Surely tomorrow another gazette will feature him on cover with the title as Gotham’s most wanted bachelor. Sometimes he took the children to avoid such publicity. Not today.

Everything ran as expected. Greetings here, greetings there. People wanting to catch Bruce alone, two or three startups looking for networking and finance. He was about to call quits when one of the organizers approached him. “Mr. Wayne, it’s a pleasure that you could join us tonight.” He made a gesture to attract the attention of a woman. When she noticed that she'd been called, she approached the men.

“Mr. Wayne, let me introduce Miss Dawn Douglas.” They shook hands. Bruce noticed her nervousness in her handshake. She was cautious yet firm. “Miss Douglas is in charge of the project that was financed last year. We collected enough funds to start the first stage of the reconstruction of the west wing that was affected by the alien attack two years ago.”

To be honest, he was paying enough attention to the man to catch only a word or two of his discourse. He was infinitely more interested in the woman in front of him. She was not shy, just reserved. Her eyes reflected her intelligence. Her dress was more of the prêt-a-porter rack than one of those exclusive designs that most of high society of Gotham wore to these events. The mauve cocktail dress she was wearing made her look radiant though. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Douglas.” For a minute he felt the impulse to take her hand to his lips, but he resisted the old fashioned gesture. The wings he felt in his stomach were a sensation he doubted he would feel again. It had been a long time since he recognized that sensation and he thought that he would never have the chance to repeat the experience. .

Their chat didn’t last much and Bruce was disappointed in the fact. She was called to attend some other guests who were curious about the project. From the moment he met her, Bruce never lost sight of her, and deep down he was certain that people wanted to talk to her not only because she was head of the project, but because she was easy on the eye.

What haunted Bruce the most during the night were her lips. They were lucious and full. For the last half an hour he had imagined how it would feel just one kiss from those lips. He was certain that it would take one kiss to steal her heart away. It felt silly just to think about her as if they were teenagers.

Bruce was fully trained to notice the hints that others ignored. For example, when Dawn wanted a minute of peace. She ran from one person, and from another, and another, and they always found something to ask her. He had been attending galas since he was a teenager himself, so he knew exactly what to do to avoid unwanted attention.

Risking being the unwanted attention he was referring to, he approached Dawn. “It is hard to have a moment alone isn’t it? but if you get near the food table you’ll get a minute of peace, plus enjoy these cucumber sandwiches.” He was amused by the look in her eyes when he suggested the cucumber sandwiches which granted his laughter.

“I never thought I would find someone who enjoys these thingies.” she said, opening her eyes in disbelief.

Bruce found himself amused by her response.“It’s an acquired taste, I can assure you. If you keep on trying them, you’ll like them eventually.” He took one of them and bited it.

“Is that how you came to like them?” Dawn then took one, just for testing if Bruce could be right. It was a strange flavor that made her grimace, which caused him to smile.

“Certainly, I’ve been to many events and they always run out of the other dishes rapidly so, cucumber sandwiches are always the option, plus it is almost certain that nobody will come near them.” And for the first time in the night, Bruce saw a sincere laugh from her. Luckily nobody dared to interrupt them. Maybe it was the murderous glance Bruce gave to anyone who came near them, maybe that those cucumber sandwiches truly were nobody’s option.

Next to that table proved to be the perfect place to have a true conversation. They discussed not only the sandwiches available, but also about the wine offered, work, and plans, and suddenly they were talking about philosophy, music and their favorite movies. It was too soon to feel this much comfortable, yet it couldn’t be helped.

With his detective eye Bruce noticed that Dawn started to get anxious. Maybe it was because she was dancing in her high heels after hours standing, or it was because she was looking around trying to find a watch. As a gentleman, he offered the answer she seemed to be looking for. “It’s quarter past eleven.” Bruce informed her. Dawn had to leave at midnight and wanted to catch the last bus to her home. She could take an uber at that time, but certainly the bus was her first option. “Don’t worry about the time. I will escort you home whatever time you need to leave. I think that your boss hasn’t introduced you to at least a third of the attendees tonight, and surely is waiting for you to get away from this table” He was polishing and showing off his chivalry skills. Plus it will give him more time with her and information about her house, because he was sure that he will want to meet her another time, under different circumstances.

“Oh God, I couldn’t bother you with that!” She was ashamed for considering asking that favor. After all, he was THE Bruce Wayne, heir of those who built this city. He was charming, handsome, and a good converser, and certainly a treat to have around. But she needed not to fall for him, not now, not so fast.

Of course, when she noticed it it was too late. She wanted to remain by his side and keep on talking, about food, about silly cat videos online, about everything and anything. And he was right, her boss was eyeing them suspiciously as if trying to catch her eyes so she could go to ask him what he needed and then, he could go around talking about the project he was directing.

This conduct was obvious to the self proclaimed best detective in Gotham. He had a solution to their predicament. “Are you in the mood for real food? We complied with meets and greets of the main high society of Gotham. I think we are allowed to leave.” He was Bruce Wayne, he could leave whenever he wanted and that will be considered polite. However it was remarkable that he had lasted this long considering the reasons why he had to abandon previous galas.

It was clear that she would agree. Bruce assured that arriving at the old dinner just before entering Wayne State in fancy clothes was the funniest thing to do. And truly it was. The regulars knew that every now and then Batman and Robin come there to have a burger on their daily patrol, there were few things that could surprise them. And surprised they were to see them entering. But Bruce and Dawn were so absorbed in their conversation that they didn’t notice.

After dinner, Bruce insisted that there was an amazing spot where they could see the sunrise and she wouldn’t regret it. It was already past four am and Dawn was wondering why she felt so energized while normally she would be in bed by ten. It was hard to admit, but the reason was Bruce’s smile, a side that so far, she hadn’t seen in the interviews and posters that advertisements, magazines and news shows portray.

They were watching the dawn. Her head rested on his shoulder. And he finally stole that kiss to enamoure Dawn and he didn’t want to let go. Her lips were as soft as he first imagined. Bruce confirmed that she also felt the butterflies in her stomach when they first met. And he was glad this was not a one way feeling. They remained together until the dew decorated the leaves from the nearby trees and a cold breeze took over.

Placing his blazer over her shoulders, Bruce guided Dawn to his car to fulfill the promise he made to her. He accompanied her to the very entrance of the building and kissed her once again. Dawn thought that this was one of those magical nights that happen just once in a lifetime, a different kind of a one time thing. But Bruce held her hand and held her to his lips, “Gala season has just started and I was wondering if you would like to be my plus one in some other reunions. I may need someone who distracts the attendees while I run away ” He winked at her.

As surprised as she was, she found the courage to open her clutch and give him a business card. “By all means, count me in… I think I can pretend perfectly beside the cucumber sandwiches.” After all, this gala was a networking opportunity and she was ready for it. What she wasn’t ready for was to secure another date with Bruce. One last kiss and good night (even when it was morning) and they went on different ways.

Bruce arrived at the Manor when Alfred was ready to serve breakfast. He had his blazer over his shoulder and a huge smile on his face. Alfred couldn’t help to notice that there was a small spot of makeup on his shirt. Not that he was worried about the spot, no, he knew how to take it out and if his cleaning secrets can’t make the miracle happen, well, Master Bruce could easily afford a new shirt. He was worried about the smile he was wearing now, not because he didn’t want him to be happy, he was afraid that the smile wouldn’t last. “Don’t worry Alfred, I’ve found a gala partner, for future occasions. Now I’m attending accompanied” Alfred released a breath he didn’t know he was holding. And he smiled as brightly as his Master.

For Bruce, attending the gala unaccompanied was the best thing that could happen.

#Batman #bruce wayne x ofc #webcomics

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