Archive of Our Own

Barry Allen was utterly exhausted. His face lay against the cool surface of the Justice League table. The low rumble of Batman’s voice almost lulled him to sleep before a sharp elbow jabbed him in his ribs. The man shot up with a yelp, frantic eyes shot around the room. They soon fell on the man sitting beside him, but before he could open his mouth and yell at Oliver, did he notice the silence. A quick nod from Oliver to the front made Barry aware of the narrowed eyes directed towards him.

Now, Barry Allen was not someone who fell asleep often during meetings. He understood the importance and, no matter how boring they sometimes were, carried his responsibilities with pride. But can you blame a guy for closing his eyes for a few seconds after literally saving the world? Their latest earth-saving mission took up the entire day. Barry hasn’t eaten in hours and hasn’t slept for more.

He was about to open his mouth when he noticed a soft snore filling the room. Hal Jordan, a member of the Green Lantern Corps and unfortunately Barry’s best friend, lay asleep beside him. Drool was escaping his mouth, forming a small puddle on the table. His hair stuck up in various directions, and now and then, he murmured something under his breath. Barry returned his gaze towards the Batman and only now noticed that the infamous batglare was cast in Hal's direction.

Poor guy, he shall be remembered as a hero.

Heavy footsteps rang through the room. You could hear a pin drop as the Dark Knight approached the sleeping man. The looming presence above him must have alerted Hal’s senses as he slowly began to wake up. Oh, boy this was going to be fun.

A scream rang through the room, followed by a flash of green. The Bat easily stepped to the side, avoiding the green fist directed towards his face. The chair Hal was sitting on fell backwards, resulting in a bang and a grumble from the man now lying on the floor. Clark reached out from behind Batman, a wince on his face as he studied the scene in front of him.

“What the fuck, Spooky! Are you aware that there are normal ways to wake someone up instead of scaring the shit out of them?” Hal roared as he stood up. He brushed some dirt off his shirt while lifting his chin. The room froze around them.

“You fell asleep during an important meeting. If you’re not up for the task, leave.” Batman gritted his teeth as he spoke the words, already turning around to continue. Barry saw Superman give Hal an apologetic smile, but if Hal was anything, it was stubborn.

“Not up to the task? We have been fighting aliens all fucking day.” Hal threw his arms up into the air. “Not all of us work ourselves to the bone, you know. And you are acting like this is some important mission report. We are discussing candidates to join the Justice League.” A raised eyebrow. “We could’ve done this tomorrow.”

“No, we can’t. End of discussion, we finish the election today.” Silence overtook the room as the Batman took his seat. Hal clenched his teeth, no doubt wanting to say more. In the end, he admitted defeat and sat down as well. A sign for the meeting to continue.

“As I’ve said before, the Justice League requires new members. After today’s mission, we’ve noticed our lack of allies. To keep Earth and its people safe, we need to be able to rely on more heroes. As well as for our own safety. We are all exhausted,’’ Clark gave an awkward chuckle as he spoke the words. Not wanting the discussion to continue. “If another threat were to arrive, none of us would have the energy to prevent it. Not even you, Batman.”

The man responded with a huff, arms crossing over his chest.

“I would like to start by presenting Atom as a candidate.” A hologram appeared in the middle of the room, displaying a man dressed in red and blue. “His powers revolve around size alteration. A valuable asset for our team.” The team took in the information. Silently agreeing with Superman as they read the description.

“I’m in as long as that means I don’t have to squeeze in vents anymore,” Arrow replied with a huff. Oliver had once been stuck in a vent for hours before Diana found him; it had taken another hour to get him out. “I would like to submit Red Arrow. I know Roy is still young and can be a bit of a hothead, but he has really developed over the years, and I think he could be ready.” A pregnant pause fell over the room.

Barry’s gaze swept over the room and grimaced as he took in the nervous glances among the leaguers. The last time they interacted with Roy was years ago. It was supposed to be a simple mission: infiltrate the building, get the information they need, and get out without being seen. However, Roy had lost his temper after some guy in a mask insulted his aim. The result was a fight against more men than they could count, and a concussion Barry could still feel anytime someone mentioned his friend’s protégée.

“Just give the kid a chance. It has been a while since that fiasco, and the Young Justice has given him the opportunity to work with a team. He has grown.” Oliver's face was confident as he spoke. That was probably the reason some Leaguers began to vote in Roy’s favour, although still a bit reluctant.

“Very well, Red Arrow shall be added to our list of candidates,” Diana spoke with a soft smile. Barry could see the tension leaving Oliver's body as he sat back down. He probably expected the worst. “If that is all, I suggest we move on to the voting.”

“Wait!” Barry spoke the words faster than he could comprehend why. He truly hadn’t meant to speak, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he recognised Wally’s voice. Last week, his nephew visited and wouldn’t stop talking about this guy from Blüdhaven. A vigilante, who supposedly had been protecting the city for years, but no one seems to recognise him. He just appeared out of thin air.

All eyes turned towards him. Right, he spoke up.

“Uh, Wally, I mean Kid Flash.’’ Fantastic way to start, Barry, very professional. “Last week, he told me about this vigilante in Blüdhaven. I think his name is Nightwing? He protects the city and has been for a few years now, except he likes to stay under the radar. There aren’t many documents on him. I’m not even sure how Kid Flash knows about him.”

The hologram, which previously displayed Atom and Red Arrow, stays dark. Not even the Justice League has enough information about the guy. That should be concerning, right?

“So, Barry let me get this straight.” Hal starts, an eyebrow raised in question. “You want to introduce an unknown hero into the League. A vigilante, with no record, not even a picture of what he looks like. Because Wally told you he is cool?” Well, when you put it like that.

“Yeah?” A sheepish grin takes over his face. Hal slams his face on the table at the same time Oliver groans.

No one notices the tension in Batman’s shoulders.

“You dumbass, at this point I should invite my grandma into the league if we’re just selecting random people.” Hal ran a frustrating hand through his hair as he muttered something along the lines of “I sacrifice my sleep for this bullshit.”

A subtle cough redirected the attention back to the front of the room. “While there doesn't seem to be much known about the vigilante, our data does provide some intel.” The screen stayed black for a while, the League staring at their own reflection. No movement could be traced until a slow, shadowy figure stumbled through what seemed like a dark alleyway. The only source of light shone from a flickering lightbulb atop the fire escape. A slight static took over the screen every once in a while. Water dripped down a pipe, creating a ripple in the puddle below. She swayed softly to a tune only she could hear, her ankle wobbling as her heeled boot got stuck in a crack. Her red lips mouthed a curse, and her gloved hand caught the wall to steady herself.

Her head jerked backwards abruptly as a large hand bedded itself in her dark curls. A small silver glint shone across her brown neck as a man fixed her in place. He was twice her size, towering over her small frame as his other hand slowly dragged upwards. The suit he wore was tailored to his figure, hugging his muscles in all the right places. Now and then, the camera caught a glint coming from his dark, polished dress shoes. His eyes widened in an almost frantic way, while he whispered sweet nothings against her skin.

A distant, sharp pop echoed against the brick walls surrounding them, followed by a sudden darkness that washed over the alleyway. A second later, the soft sound of glass hitting the pavement filled her ears. The pressure against her scalp released as she felt the hand untangle from her hair, a sharp intake to her left and a thud against the wall. The heat against her back cleared away as a welcoming cold breeze took its place. She shivered once before taking a step back, her eyes adjusting to the dark.

A man stood before her. White lenses covered his expression, though a small crease formed between his eyebrows. Black curls gently frame his face. He slowly extended his hand towards her. Blue fabric covered his palm, extending up his arm in a single streak before forming a large bird across his chest. The remaining parts of his suit were coloured pitch-black. “Are you alright?” His voice drifted softly through the air, a slight rasp followed his sentence as an unfamiliar accent curled around his words.

A slow nod

“Don’t worry, he won’t hurt you again. I’ll make sure of it.” She nodded again as she took his hand. It was larger than hers. Comparable to the man's. However, it was gentle. His touch was light while his hold was firm. He would let her go if she wanted to. He rambled about a dog he bumped into earlier and a new ice cream shop that opened a few blocks away. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as he guided her back towards the light.

The screen returned to its dark reflection. “Looks like he has some experience under his belt,” Diane exclaimed audibly. A wistful look clouded her eyes. Batman studied her gaze as she reexamined the footage.

“While I do think we have to be careful approaching him, there doesn’t seem to be a reason for us to avoid him. Newspapers paint him as a hero. For the past three years, he has saved countless people, while Blüdhaven remains a city full of crime, his presence seems to be a beacon in the dark”. She muttered.

Her eyes widened slightly as she caught something in the background. The man moved with precision. Ducking low to stay in the shadows, an extravagant flip with a landing softer than the rain in Themyscira. However, the part that caught her eye was the grin that supported his features. It was too wide, too many teeth, and a sense of playfulness tugged at the corner of his mouth. She had seen it before. In the form of a small bird, soaring through the sky in a yellow blur. A Robin.

She fixed the man before her with a stern look. All it did was darken his features.

“Batman,” Superman starts. “Blüdhaven is Gotham’s sister city, right? You must have more information about this vigilante.” Everyone noticed the temperature dropping as the Bat narrowed his eyes.

“I have noticed him.” A silence swept over the room. The League waited for Batman to continue before realising the clenched jaw.

“Wait, so you are telling me Spooky doesn’t like this person.” A grin quickly formed on Hal’s face, not caring about the daggers the other man was sending him. “Oh, this is amazing. I want him on the team right now. You berate me about professionalism all the time, and now the big, scary Bat is scowling like a little kid over some vigilante.” Hal was basically cackling as he spoke the words.

“Lantern, I’m sure Batman has his reasons to question the man’s credibility,” Diana exclaimed with a raised eyebrow as if she were scowling a little kid. Silence followed as they all glanced at the Bat. The only noise came from Hal as he was trying to hold his laughter. Diana shook her head.

“He doesn’t even have a reason! Are you jealous? I bet you are jealous.” The room exploded as Hal’s laughter echoed across the walls. He planted one hand on the table in front of him to stabilise himself. Voices argued back and forth while Hal was fighting to stay upright.

“Batman, my dear friend. I urge you to look past this grudge you hold and see that he might be a valuable asset to have. Who knows, he might surprise you.’” Leave it to brave, wonderful Diana to save the day. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, and everyone knew Batman respected her enough to listen to her voice of reason. His eye twitched only once before sighing in defeat.

Barry released a breath he didn’t even realise he was holding.

“All in favour of Nightwing to become an official member of the Justice League?”

All raised their hands except for Batman.

“Then we shall contact him and await his response. With that, this meeting has ended. We thank you all for your strength and willingness. We know it hasn’t been easy the last couple of weeks.” Superman gave a sheepish grin as he glanced around the room. Hal Jordan, the man who fell asleep earlier, was practically vibrating in his stool. If one didn’t know any better, they would confuse him with the Flash.

“Oh, I can’t wait to meet this guy. You think those two are gonna fight when they see each other? I’m putting my money on- OW!” The man quickly got silenced by Oliver as Batman strode past them. He wanted to leave the room as quickly as he could.

----

Weeks flew past, and the air around them grew colder. Several members from the league sat in front of the fireplace, a deck of cards lay scattered before them. Oliver sat closest to the heat, shivering as he pulled the blankets closer around him. “I promise you, the next time I see Freeze, I will shove an arrow up his ass.” His teeth clattered as he gritted out the words. His nose was a crimson colour, snot running down.

Hal and Barry lay sprawled across the purple couch. Barry felt the brunette’s foot digging into his lower back, but figured it would be more of a hassle to remove it. So he was stuck in an uncomfortable position as he listened to Oliver’s rambling and Hal’s groans of boredom. He had taken the cards a while back to launch at the ceiling and was now thinking of a way to retrieve them. Multiple little slits covered the white roof from prior sessions filled with ennui.

“Brutal Olli. Maybe you should think twice before attempting a flip you know for a fact you can’t pull off.” An unfamiliar voice called out from across the room. A glance towards the door revealed a young man with black curls and a lopsided grin garcing his features. Hal shot up from his seat, nearly toppling over with excitement.

“How do you know my-“Oliver's question was immediately shadowed by the excited Green Lantern beside him.

“You are the guy! Nightstick or whatever. Tell me, what is your deal with Spooky?”

“Nightwing.” The man answered lightly. His accent is more prominent in person compared to the cracking noise coming from the radio. His physique was lithe, with a few muscles getting accentuated by the black suit. He slowly rocked on the balls of his feet, shoes bendy enough for him to arch his feet.

He seemed young. A couple of smile lines faintly decorate his smooth skin, high cheekbones support his strong jaw, and his hair has a certain thickness that Hal’s was losing. Hal, however, is a couple of centimetres taller, so who is the real winner in the end?

“So, this is the infamous Headquarters of the Justice League.” The man hummed, taking in the sight around him. “Not going to lie, I expected more pizzazz.” He threw up some jazz hands to emphasise his words.

“Pizzazz?”

“Yeah, you know, more decorations, trophies... colour?” Hal watched the man with confusion. Yeah sure, the room was a little empty, but they still had all the necessities. There was a spacious kitchen in the corner. None of them had any desire to cook whenever they got back from a mission, but the snacks were quite useful. Two fridges stood next to each other, one was specifically for Barry, and Clark had hung some pictures on them during their first year.

One of those pictures is considered their most prized possession. It had been five months into their partnership, and many were convinced that the Bat wasn’t even human. Some have grown ashamed to admit it, but a certain distrust hung in the air whenever the Caped Crusader marched down the halls. It was Clark who had taken the picture. Batman hadn’t responded to his communicator, and Clark figured that the only reasonable explanation was that the man had died. His quickened heartbeat slowed down once he examined the scene before him. The Dark Knight lay on the couch, a hand supporting his resting head from falling down. Somehow, the man kept his mask on even in his sleep. A little boy nestled on his lap, dressed in yellow, green and red. Clark had seen the little Robin before. His little hand was tightly holding on to the cape wrapped around him. Clark had quickly snapped a picture and hung it proudly on the fridge. Bruce merely smiled at the picture as he shook his head.

Barry had caught the man’s eyes wandering to that particular picture. “That’s Robin, the Bat’s sidekick. Kid is a menace. He once bit my ankle during a meeting, and the scar hasn’t faded since.” Hal waved his hand around in a casual manner. Nightwing gave a small chuckle before his eyes moved over the rest of the room. The lounge bordered the kitchen and took up a lot less room. The white walls were almost blinding, and the purple couches had a couple of patches adorning the sides. A big television hung above the fireplace, and Dick was positive that it got funded by Brucie Wayne. Otherwise, the room was empty.

“The Headquarters for the Justice League is a professional working space. Not a playground.” A gruff voice came from the doorway, the same way Nightwing had interrupted their conversation a bit earlier. The Dark Knight stood with his arms crossed. The cowl conceals his expression the same way it does for Nightwing. The young man simply raised his eyebrows. before locking eyes with the other.

“It wouldn’t hurt your professionalism to put some colour on these walls. It feels like I’m walking through a hospital,” He shivered while saying the word. “Even the Batcave feels more alive than this place.” Hal was having a field day.

“You have been to the Batcave?” It was Barry who asked the question that the rest were thinking. Batman never invited anyone to Gotham, much less the Batcave. Everyone knew that the coordinates for the cave were technically in the zeta tubes. They could all visit if they wanted to. However, there was a big chance that their bodies would never leave again.

“I’ve spent a few evenings there.” An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. The Bat was staring at the young man, who couldn’t be older than twenty-five years, trying to communicate with his eyes. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think he is giving you a lecture?” Oliver's voice broke the silence, uncertainty in his tone.

“Oh, don’t worry, he is.” The man laughed a bit too loudly. “Something along the lines of: ‘Your reckless behaviour has disclosed vital information, we will discuss this later.’” His voice mimicked Batman’s almost perfectly. Adding gruffness in just the right places and pausing were necessary. His accent was completely gone.

“You are my new favourite person on this team.”

“Hey!”

“Sorry, Barry but are you capable of mocking the Bat and living to tell the tale?”

Another huff echoed through the room as the Bat crossed his arms and exited the room. “Well, as much fun as it was meeting you guys. I should probably head to the gym; there is some equipment I want to check out.” The young man was almost through the door when someone yelled after him.

“You will be alright, right? With the Bat and all?” Barry’s eyes were wide as he asked the question. Something about the encounter before them was odd. No one spoke to the Batman like that. He was a respected man, someone who founded the Justice League. It was unusual to watch someone speak so freely against the man.

“Oh, that? Don’t worry about it. B is a little pissed I revealed some of his ‘batsecrets’, but he knew it was coming the moment he gave me the invitation to the Justice League. What can I say, the man has a soft spot for me.” Nightwing threw a wink over his shoulder as he left the room. Leaving the others stunned.

“I am not the only one who heard that, right?”

“No”

Hal started to pace back and forth, looking around the room as if he were searching for some hidden cameras. “That was so weird! No one talks to Spooky like that. If it were me, he would’ve beaten my ass” He lifted the couch using his ring; dust flew around the room at the sudden movement. Barry covered his mouth as he coughed. “And what kind of nickname is ‘B’?

“Do you think he is going crazy?” Oliver asked as Hal threw open the fridge, inspecting every inch.

“He has definitely lost it.” The speedster muttered back towards the archer. “Hal, for the love of God- what are you doing?”

“What does it look like? I’m looking for the cameras; these two are playing a prank on us. Whenever we argue with Spooky, it results in a three-hour-long lecture, but Mister-Young-and-Hip enters the building and can do and say as he pleases.” He grumbles a few curses under his breath as he continues his search.

“What if they are dating?”

The room falls quiet. Hal stops in his tracks, slowly turning his head towards Oliver. They stare at each other for some time; no one dares to answer. Does it make sense to Barry? No. Absolutely not. The man was handsome, sure. A lot was covered by the domino mask, but his smile was bright enough to light up a room, and his jaw sharp enough to cut ice. Besides, even a blind man could notice the athletic shape the man was in, and his charisma would have anyone swoon. However, the idea of someone dating Batman was utterly absurd. Mister dark and brooding. The longest conversation Barry has ever had with the man consisted of two sentences and about seven grunts. There was no way someone could ever date the Dark Knight.

“Hal, did you hit your fucking head?” Oliver was the first to recover, keeping his voice as low as he could. “You honest to God think that someone would be miserable enough to date him?” Barry would’ve worded it a bit nicer, but at least Oliver was on the same page as him.

“No, no, no, think about it. Young, handsome new Justice League member who knows about the Batcave. Has been there! Multiple times it seems! Can talk to Spooky any way he wants, even has a nickname. They must be dating.”

“Lantern, you are officially the dumbest person on this team,” Oliver exclaimed as he buried his face in his hands. The cold that once had a grip over his body finally seemed to have faded as he shook off the blankets.

“I will prove it to you assholes.”

-----

Barry had basically forgotten about Hal’s whole mental breakdown after it happened. The League was busy as ever. New missions that seemed to vary from rescuing cats to world domination, League meetings that really tested his patience and monitor duty. So. Much. Monitor. Duty. He truly didn’t understand it. How was Barry still scheduled for so much monitor duty with a handful of new members in the League?

Sure, Batman hated new members operating the expensive tech. There were so many buttons, Barry wasn’t even sure what half of them did, but as long as you watched the cameras, nothing could go wrong. So why was he still the one falling half asleep, watching some grandma cross the street? Aquaman left a while back, something about a problem in Atlantis. Barry had asked him if he needed assistance, but the man quickly denied his offer. Saying it was only a minor conflict that he could take care of by himself. Unfortunately, that left Barry all alone.

He used to have monitor duty with Oliver back in the day, but after an incident, they were forbidden to ever operate together again. Apparently, they missed some important alert and only found out about it after Clark slammed the door open and asked them what the hell they were still doing at the headquarters. Superman had already called in the alien invasion when it was originally their job to do it. Barry still blames Oliver and his stupid opinion on hamburgers.

Barry had started counting the tiles on the wall when the door opened. Ninety-seven. He had forgotten that Batman was supposed to take over his job. “Still absolutely nothing to see.” He grumbled under his breath as he collected his stuff. He was about to leave when he noticed the lack of people.

“Where is Nightwing? I thought you two were on duty together.” Batman had monitor duty with every new hero at least once. This way, he could show them the controls and tell them about the basic rules. Report at once, don’t be late, no feet on the desk, and absolutely no food under any circumstances. Barry hated that rule. Today was Nightwing’s first assignment, and instantly breaking one of Batman’s ground rules was a no-go.

“He had to take care of something first. He should be here any minute.” And right on cue, the elevator dinged in the distance. The young man bounced through the hall towards the two. Barry didn’t see the man often; their schedules mostly worked around each other, but the man always seemed to have a little pep in his step. He was carrying two coffees in his left hand. The liquid threatened to spill over multiple times. His right hand held a bag of food, a few doughnuts and a croissant.

Please don’t take them into the monitor room.

Barry was about to open his mouth, but Nightwing beat him to it. “I know, I know I’m late, but there was this huge line at the coffee shop. Seriously, it was so tempting to change my clothes and pretend it was some emergency.”

More than once has Barry wondered whether or not he has seen his coworkers without a mask before. Sure, he knows what Clark and Oliver look like, and Diana doesn’t put up much of a disguise in general. What if Batman is just a random baker or a journalist? Would he tell Barry if he ever saw him on the streets? Would Nightwing ever tell him? He seemed to be more laid back.

“You cannot use your hero identity to get what you want.” Batman reached for the coffee Nightwing was still carrying. Wait what.

“Well, my civilian identity doesn’t seem to work too well anymore.” The younger man grumbled under his breath as he took a sip from his steaming cup. “I have no idea how you drink that crap.” Wait what.

“If you came home every once in a while, that wouldn’t be an issue.”

Barry considered himself quite smart. He graduated top of his class as a forensic scientist, he saved the multiverse on numerous occasions and has travelled through time. Batman once told him that Barry could teach him a thing or two; he almost shed a tear when he heard it. All in all, Barry is not stupid. Nevertheless, he has absolutely no clue what he is witnessing at the moment. The two men are still talking, and the speedster is pretty sure they forgot he was even there. Batman’s usual gruffy voice seemed... softer. There was no edge to it, no sarcasm that went above everyone’s head, no bite. The man seemed so human.

Home

Barry heard it before. That hopeful tone. He heard it whenever Wally asked if he could stay over for another night. He would carry his suitcase in his left hand while reaching his right hand towards the doorknob. Every time he would pause, turn around, and ask with a nonchalant shrug if it wouldn’t be easier for him to stay. But Barry always noticed the way his eyes would widen, the slight tremble in his hand as he reached forward, the hopeful tone buried beneath charm. Barry would always say yes.

Home.

And now he witnessed it again. The slight agape mouth, the way his thumb rubbed his utility belt, the hopeful tone buried beneath charm. And the speedster figures that Nightwing notices it too. “Yes, maybe I can do with a break of my own. Been a while since Robin and I patrolled together.” He took a bite from his doughnut and strolled towards the monitor room.

Maybe Hal was right.

----

“Holy shit, I was right.” The man seemed shocked by his own conspiracy theory coming true. Turns out he wasn’t too confident about it himself. Barry told them what he witnessed as soon as he could. He knew Hal and Oliver were still in the headquarters. It was Friday night. It was their night to eat some crappy pizza and watch some stupid love movie while they commented on it. The movie was forgotten the moment the speedster entered the room. Turns out it was Friday gossip night.

“You are sure that is what they said?”

“What else could it mean?”

“I don’t know, you sometimes interpret things differently.”

“What else could it mean!”

Two men were pacing through the room. Occasionally, one would throw their arms in the air. Barry sat on the couch, eating all the pizza that lay on the table. It had cooled down a bit since it arrived, but it didn’t matter. The man was a stress eater after all.

“We really aren’t talking about the real problem here!” Barry desperately exclaimed. “They had snacks in the monitor room. Full. On. Doughnuts! Batman grounds me if he even suspects me of sneaking snacks inside that room. You guys remember what happened during my first week of monitor duty?” A shiver ran down his spine.

“Yes, Speedy Gonzales, we remember what happened because you won’t shut up about it. You were locked out of the kitchen for a day, not a year. Get over it.” Hal rolled his eyes as Barry shoved the last pizza slice in his mouth.

“Maybe we are blowing it out of proportion. They obviously seem happy, right?” Oliver stopped pacing to look at the others. Sending a glare to Barry after noticing the empty pizza boxes.

“I just can’t believe Spooky charmed someone into dating him. Much less someone half his age! I mean, come on, the kid must have better options. Do you think he says I’m vengeance in the bedroom?”

A pillow hit Hal square in the face, causing him to fall to the ground.

“Don’t you ever suggest something like that ever again.” Hal threw up his hands in surrender before standing up. Silence overtook the room as they let the information sink in. It wasn’t uncommon for people in the league to date. Everyone had someone to come home to at the end of the day. It was probably a good thing that the Bat found someone who made him happy.

“How was your dinner last night?” It was Hal who changed the topic.

“What?”

“Your dinner with Wally and his boyfriend. You finally met the guy, right?”

Wally called him a couple of weeks ago, rambling about something so fast that even Barry couldn’t understand him. A second later, the young man stood in front of him with a grin gracing his features brighter than the sun. “He said yes! He said yes! he said yes!” He exclaimed while jumping in circles. Afterwards, Wally told him about his new official boyfriend from Gotham. He promised Barry they would come over for dinner soon.

“Oh, that. It was really nice. We went to some chic restaurant, Wally could’ve given me a heads up for it.” He rolled his eyes before continuing. “The guy is really charming, funny also. I'm glad to see Wally so happy.”

“What’s the kid’s name?”

”Dick Grayson.” Oliver spat out his drink, coughing as he tried to regain his breath. “Hey! I know the name is a bit unfortunate, but the kid’s parents are foreigners, so there is no reason to laugh.” Barry’s cheeks flushed a light pink colour. He wasn’t going to mention that he too, spat out his drink when he first heard the name. “No, you airhead! That’s Bruce Wayne’s kid.” He quickly grabbed his phone and shoved it in the speedster's face. Soon enough, a picture of his son-in-law filled his vision. Barry could recognise those bright blue eyes anywhere.

“Wally is dating Bruce Wayne’s kid?”

“Bruce adopted Dick a while back. I spoke to him during a couple of galas back in the day. The kid was a menace, broke a chandelier once. I heard he lives in Blüdhaven now.” It was Barry’s turn to look confused now. He had asked Dick a little about his life, but none of this came up. He only mentioned working for the Blüdhaven Police Department and having a couple of younger siblings.

“You’re gonna be rich, Barry!”

“If anyone is going to be rich, Hal, it’s Wally”.

----

The cold snow was melting as the sun grew warmer each week. A building lay in ruins on the side of the road, smoke and debris still smoothly flowing through the air. The air feels warmer around them, and the orange hues of a fire could be spotted in the distance. A soft siren indicated that someone was already on their way. Various League members were containing the aliens who lay unconscious on the ground.

The League had dealt with invasions like these many times. More aliens have seemed interested in planet Earth these last few years, causing an invasion every other month. The Branx are not an unknown species. They’ve tried to conquer Earth before, and while they are a bit more aggressive than others, they are not considered the greatest threat. Everything went the same as it always went.

Except for the screaming match a few metres away.

Nightwing had taken a risk. He went against Batman’s direct order and followed the king instead of continuing his job with crowd control. The moment his comm disconnected from the line was the moment all hell broke loose. A building exploded to their left, clouding their vision and almost sweeping Diana out of the air. Batman could see Nightwing running across the roof above him, making it seem as if he was flying. Bruce knew Dick better than anyone, knew how much he longed to prove himself, knew how much he needed to get out of Batman’s shadow, and he knew which reckless decisions he would make to achieve those desires. He tried to grab his attention by throwing a batarang. He tried to scream his name. He tried to get Superman up there. In the end, nothing could stop his stubborn son from getting slashed in the gut before taking out the king.

Bruce was worried.

”Oh, get your head out of your ass. You and I both know this was the only way! I saw an opening, and I acted upon it!” His voice was loud, carrying over the chaos around them. His accent became more prominent with every sentence.

”What you did was selfish. You put the entire mission in danger because you wanted to play the hero! You could have gotten hurt.” Or killed was left unsaid, but floated through the air like a broken promise.

“Right, the only thing you give a shit about is this mission and your precious ego. You can’t stand it that I didn’t follow your stupid order!”

The two were standing toe to toe. The air around them filled with silence, making it hard to breathe. Batman stood a couple of centimetres above Nightwing, eyes cast downward in a fixed glare. The younger man stood his ground, breathing heavily through his nose, his chest visibly rising up and down. Diana took a measured step forward, not sure if it was her place to intervene. Batman clenched his jaw once before opening his mouth to speak.

“You are acting like a child.”

No one expected the cry that pierced through the air, breaking the silence. Neither did they expect the perfectly aimed fist flying towards Batman's nose.

A crack rang through the air.

Superman flew between them in a heartbeat, an arm around Nightwing as he pulled the struggling man away from Batman. He wasn’t sure who he was protecting from whom. His nose was coated in a crimson colour as a hint of blue and purple was starting to paint the surrounding area. Diana put a hand on his cheek, taking in the damage.

“Don’t call me a child.” He shrugged Superman off of him, glaring at the man before dusting himself off. He clenched his hands a couple of times, feeling the tremor slowly leave his body. He heard a rhythmic thumping in the distance. He looked back at Bruce, blinking away the black spots dancing before his eyes. A furrowed brow crept on his face as he examined his son's face, gently pushing Diana’s hands away from his face. Dick couldn’t stand the pity. It was embarrassing.

”Nightwing, let me see your side.” Dick focused his eyes back on Clark. Sweet, gentle Clark. He remembers the sleepovers he’s had on the Kents’ farm. A hand carefully wrapped around his wrist as he was guided towards the zetatubes. His legs worked slower than he was willing to admit, stumbling once before Superman caught him. The sun was too bright, the sweat on his brow made him uncomfortable, and that stupid thumping was still ringing around his ears.

“Superman.”

Dick barely heard the voice, too focused on placing one foot in front of the other. Clark said something, but he couldn’t be bothered to listen. Tomorrow, Dick would go back to Blüdhaven, and Bruce would hide away in his cave, silently brooding for the next couple of weeks. But it was alright, they’ve done this dance many times before, and they always find their way back to each other. Dick glanced around, searching for a source that explained the constant thud in his ears. He noticed the white walls surrounding him, a blinding light shining from above. They made it back to the Watchtower.

A shaky breath escaped his lungs. His side flared up, a hot burning sensation climbing up his skin. A strong hand held him up as he brought his hand to his side, lightly touching the gash. A soft wince left his throat as he brought his hand back up. They felt warm, a dark colour coated them as he felt another wave of dizziness wash over him. Another pair of hands grabs him from behind, stabilising him. These hands aren’t gentle; they didn’t hold him carefully. Their hold is frightened and too tight, their touch everywhere. As if Dick would slip away if he set him loose.

Perhaps he should’ve held on tighter.

Bruce wasted no time the moment Dick collapsed. Hooking his arms underneath his legs and scooping him up. His head lulled into his chest. He scanned the area before his eyes landed on Clark. He gave his friend a firm nod before he tenderly handed over the limp body nestled in his arms. He knew Clark could reach the medical bay before him, and he knew Clark wouldn’t let his boy down. So, Bruce watched as the Last Son of Krypton flew through the hallway. Cradling the body tightly against his chest. He barked some final orders towards the remaining Justice League before he pursued the others.

“Well fuck.”Hal Jordan slowly breathed out.

“C’mon, c’mon.” Oliver muttered under his breath. Batman's orders had been simple: Follow protocol. There were about fifty protocols made up over the last few years, each one of them serving a different purpose. The man in charge was more paranoid than all of the league combined, resulting in extremely detailed instructions on what to do next. The protocol requires them to contact the victim's emergency contact and explain the situation.

Barry came up behind him. Looking up at the screen, he could see Nightwing’s files on display. The League had all types of information, their weaknesses, base of operation, in some cases, identities and at the bottom, emergency contact. Oliver quickly pressed the button.

The dial tone rang through the room.

Another buzz sounded in the corner of the couch. Most ignored the sound, too focused on the screen in front of them. Hoping someone would accept the phone on the other end. The call ended shortly after; no one had answered the phone. Oliver huffed as he pressed the button again, a bit more frustrated this time.

Again, the dial tone echoed against the walls.

Again, another buzz sounded from the couch in the corner of the room.

“Can someone please silence that stupid phone? I can’t concentrate.” Oliver huffed. He could be patient. He had shown it on many occasions; this just wasn’t one of them. Olli had a secret soft spot for his team, even if he would never admit it himself.

Hal rolled his eyes before grabbing the black phone. It was quite fancy looking, definitely the newest model. He turned it around to deny the call when he noticed the number displayed on the small screen. He picked it up, eyes locked with the big computer.

Oliver spoke as soon as the call was answered. His voice was low, testing the waters before dropping the bomb. Normally, they would let Diana lead the phone calls. She was strong where she had to be, and compassionate for those who needed her to be. A shoulder to cry on, or a rock to lean on. Hal listened to his voice through the phone, eyes wide. He should’ve seen this coming. “Don’t worry, my dear Olli. His emergency contact is already there.” Hal’s voice echoed over the speaker, interrupting the archer speaking. All eyes turned towards him. At the phone he held against his ear. A silent agreement fell over the room.

“Whose phone is that?”

“Oh, come on, we both saw the terror on his face when the kid collapsed.”

----

Clark entered the lounge after a few hours. Informing the remaining members of the League that Nightwing was stable and resting. The members sat on the sofa, the fireplace heating the room. The ugly purple couch they lay on had become too small. Over the years, many new members joined, and the space grew smaller, but there was something nostalgic about the pizza stain on one of the pillows, or Hal’s feet on his stomach. Some members had already gone home and requested to be updated as soon as more information was known about the man’s condition. Silence hung in the air for five seconds before the room erupted.

“Did you know Batman is his emergency contact!?”

“I have never seen someone throw a punch like that.”

“How has the Bat not murdered him yet?”

“Spooky is so dating that guy.”

Several heads turned to look at the Green Lantern as he finished his sentence. Oliver smacked him over the head. “We don’t know that for certain, you idiot, you can’t just say stuff like that.” The sun was setting below the Earth. A thin, brilliant orange colour separates the dark Earth from the blackness in space. Barry supposes he will never get used to it. A second later, it is gone. It’s fast, it’s soft, and it’s breathtaking. The movie they were watching had been paused the moment Clark entered. The screen froze on a rather funny facial expression.

“Lantern, why would you think they are dating?” Diana’s voice was laced with confusion, her head tilted slightly to the side.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Hal grumbled when no one seemed to understand him. “Well, for starters, Spooky is his emergency contact, Barry caught them talking about coming home more often, N joked about Spooky having a soft spot for him. Do I need to go on? Those two obviously have something going on.”

“When you put it like that, it does sound suspicious.” Arthur rubbed his chin, clearly deep in thought. Clark looked at him in disbelief. His mouth was slightly agape as if he truly couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“There is absolutely no way you guys believe that.”

“Why? Is it so hard to accept that someone is capable of loving the Bat?” Hal crossed his arms, and a crash came from the doorway. The crutch that supported Nightwing’s weight lay on the ground. His jaw touched the floor as his eyebrows went up. He stood motionless, not sure what to do with his body. The man stood as a statue for the first time since the day they had met him.

“I’m sorry, I must be getting deaf. What on earth are you talking about?” Diana walked towards him to grab his crutch from the floor. He gave her a quick nod as she handed it towards him before wobbling to the couch to sit down. B was going to kill him if he saw him standing upright for too long.

“Oh, come on, you don’t have to be ashamed about your little affair with Spooky. I mean, brooding and fit definitely does it for most people.’” Hal tried to keep it casual, waving his hands through the air as he talked. He paid no attention to Nightwing’s slightly green skin.

“You guys think I’m dating Batman?” He whimpered the words, and Hal finally turned towards him.

“You’re not really being subtle or something.” Nightwing kept staring for a few seconds before slowly grabbing a pillow. It was a fan favourite within the League. Barry thought it was weird to have a favourite pillow, but after using it a couple of times to sleep on it, he understood its popularity. It was a soft blue colour with pink flowers embroidered on the side. He is pretty sure Clark’s mom made it for them as a present. Martha Kent, the woman you are. Others watched with curiosity as the young man placed it in front of his face. A deafening wail pierced through the room.

Barry thought he could faintly make out the word why.

It went on for a minute before the man composed himself. He took a deep breath and chucked the pillow with all his strength at Hal’s face. He flew backwards with a slight huff, back hitting the concrete floor below him. It was the second time someone had hit the Lantern with a pillow in the span of a few days, and Barry almost started to feel bad for him.

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!” Nightwing’s voice rang through the room, echoing off the empty white halls. It only took a second for the Dark Knight to appear in the doorway, the commotion finally catching his attention. Another pillow flew through the air. This time directed at Batman, who dodged it easily.

“This is your fault, mister ‘secret identity.’” He once again hid his face in his hands. Letting out a dramatic wail. Batman simply pinched the bridge of his nose. The knitted brows betrayed the discomfort after having his nose broken. Hal lay on his back with wide eyes, still processing the pillow that hit him square in the jaw with lightning speed. A warm metallic taste danced on his tongue as he swiped it over his lip.

“What happened?”

“They think we’re dating!”

Another moment of silence. A long-exhausted sigh.

“When we went to the circus, you told me these people were smart, B.”

“I know, and I regret everything.”

Hal’s first instinct told him to be offended; it was a logical solution to what was going on. The second thought came to him out of nowhere. He might have a concussion. The only circus show was the one that took place the day after Nightwing was voted onto the Justice League. The only reason he remembers the date is because a small girl kept yelling about it outside his window. You save the day and get rewarded with a screeching child.

“Now hold on a second. So, when we had that League meeting and half of us were falling asleep after saving the world. We couldn’t do it the next day because you had tickets for the circus?” Hal gave Batman a deadpan look. Batman visiting the circus was not something he would’ve guessed.

“I have to ask, did you keep the cowl on?” Hal joked.

“I had to rip it off his head. He almost cancelled because of a robbery. We have at least five robberies every night, Red Hood had it covered.” Nightwing rolls his eyes. Oliver gave an impressed whistle.

“Gotham never fails to surprise me.”

“Is this really the part you are stuck on Lantern?” The Bat lifted an eyebrow.

“Am I even old enough to be considered your partner? I’m in the prime of my life while you are fifty-“ “Am not” “- Little wing is never going to forget this. Oracle is probably cackling right as we speak.” He threw his fist in the air as he screamed at some hidden camera in the corner. “Screw you, Oracle! You'd better delete these.”

A second later, his phone pinged, alerting him that a new message had arrived. He let out another dramatic wail as he checked the message, throwing his phone towards the other side of the room.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to my eldest and most dramatic son, Nightwing,” Batman exclaimed with disappointment.

This truly was Hal Jordan's last day on Earth. He shall be remembered, not as a hero this time.

Every piece seemed to fall in its place. The overprotective tendencies, asking him to come home more often, and proudly announcing Batman’s soft spot for him. The clues were right in front of them, except they picked the wrong answer. Barry never felt more stupid.

“Hold up, you have a kid?” Hal practically screamed the question, “Several kids actually. He either has six or seven, depending on the day. You have issues B.” The last part was directed at his father, who simply grunted.

Batman fixed them with an unimpressed eyebrow. “There is a literal picture of Robin and me hanging on the fridge. Who did you people think he was?” His arms crossed, and it took a moment for Hal to remember which picture they were talking about. “The one with you sleeping? I honestly thought Clark photoshopped that in when I first saw it.”

“You have met Robin.”

Hal began to rock on his heels, a nervous habit he developed around the man in front of him. “Don’t get mad, well, not more mad than probably already are,” He lifted his hands in surrender. “But, eh, since you still have a Robin, I thought that he was some meta that never aged. Or was just really small, and a child.” He muttered the last part, glancing at Oliver for help. He shook his head in return. Damn you, Olli.

“I don’t know what's worse, the fact that you have kids, or that we thought you were dating your eldest.”

“Definitely the latter, Olli.”

“Yeah, you might be right.” Oliver sighed.

Clark gave Batman an apologetic smile. He has known Dick since his days as Robin and has taken care of the young man more times than he can count. He was ten when they first met. A boy small enough to hide in his father’s cape, it was him and those bright eyes against the world. He kept begging Superman to fly on his back and kept giggling the entire time they were in the air. He has truly become an extraordinary man.

“Barry, I expected more of you. I’m literally dating your nephew.”

“Wait, what do you- “Barry’s eyes kept skipping from Nightwing to Batman to Dick to Bruce. He smacked a hand to his forehead. “Please don’t tell Wally.” He muttered miserably in his palms.

“Yeah, no. This is your fault. You gotta live with the consequences.” Barry groaned louder. He looked at Nightwing again. It was so obvious. The dark, thick curls that framed his face, the small bounce in his step, the unknown accent that danced around his words. It sounded thicker as Nightwing. And then another piece fell in its place. “Wally mentioned you two have been friends for a while now. Love the kid, but he wasn’t very popular in school. Besides, you are far too skilled to have only been a vigilante for three years. You were Robin before this.” Barry was so sure he had it right.

A chuckle flew through the air. “You’re not as stupid on your own. Yeah, you’re right. Robin is a mantle these days, not some metahuman child.” A sly grin was sent in Hal’s direction. “I was the original, though. One day, I just had to spread my wings some more, you know.”

“You fucker bit me back in the day!” Hal thought back to that dreadful meeting. Superman had been talking for over two hours, the room was too hot, and his suit was still sticky. Batman sat across from him, his stoic face not betraying his emotions, but his subtly scanning eyes piqued Hal’s interest. He followed his gaze, but noticed nothing out of the ordinary. Superman was still talking about the expenses, mentioning that Brucie Wayne didn’t mind paying for their destruction. Hal felt something sweep past his feet. He stifled a scream as his foot moved on instinct, quickly connecting with something underneath the table. A thud sounded through the room as something got slammed against the underside of the metal table.

A second later, sharp teeth embedded themselves in his ankle as he cried out in pain. He kicked his foot again, hoping for the creature's teeth to loosen around his ankle. Barry had crossed the room and yelped when he saw the small child connected to Hal’s foot. “Barry, if you don’t get this thing off of me!” He roared before flailing his foot around. “Hey kid, mind letting go?” Barry got rewarded with a smack on the head from Hal.

It had taken a full three minutes to wrench the feral child away from him. Afterwards, the kid carthweeled towards the big, scary Bat and climbed on his shoulder, perching like a little bird. “Everyone, meet Robin.”

Now Hal was face-to-face with a much older man. But his dimples were the same, the gleam in his eyes was playful and dangerous, and his laugh sent a shiver down his spine. Hal has some unfinished business with this feral kid.

“You kicked me in the face, asshole.”

“Serves you right, gremlin.”