Chapter Text
There was nothing more terrifying than waking up to a text from an unknown number demanding you meet them at a specific location.
Really not how you wanted to start your day, but when you showed the text to Jason while he was getting ready for the day, his expression looked a bit guilty. “That’s Bruce.”
“Your dad?”
“Unfortunately. Now that we’re engaged, he probably wants to see who you are,” Jason informed with a sigh. “He can do without all the brooding.”
“I imagine having Batman as a dad would be rough.”
Jason’s face widened in surprise, “I never said-“
“You’re Red Hood. I made guesses about who was who. The patriarch of the vigilantes being your dad made the most sense.”
“Eh, fair enough,” he said, his shoulders relaxing. “I’d join you for your visit but I do actually have errands to run. If you want, we can wait until I get back?”
You shook your head. “I’ll be fine. I appreciate the sentiment though. If I put this off he’ll think I’m scared of him.”
Jason looked at you, amused. “And you’re not?”
“I get Batman is intimidating, but I haven’t broken the law, and I’m not dating you for your money. I don’t plan to hurt you and I don’t care about your families overall wealth. I should be good.”
“Okay, that fair.” Jason finished getting ready. “Then I’m going to head out, call me if you need me for anything.”
You nodded, pecking his lips before he slipped out. “Stay safe out there.”
“I will, I will,” another peck to your lips and Jason was out the door.
Which meant you had to prepare for meeting his dad. You texted the number back asking when you should be by, and Bruce said anytime that day would be acceptable. Considering it was the Wayne manor you’d be going to, you weren’t worried about being extremely isolated. There was a good chance Duke or Damian were also there, Tim maybe, and definitely Alfred. Hopefully they’d be able to bail you out if need be. Hopefully you didn’t need to be bailed out.
When it came to outfits, you just wore some nicer clothes. Dress pants, a loose button up. Nothing too formal but nothing too casual. Mostly because the aspect of meeting your future father-in-law was intimidating. Not scary, just intimidating. And as he was the richest man in Gotham, he did have sway over your future. If he really wanted to fuck with you.
Hopefully he wouldn’t.
You were out the door an hour after Jason was, eating a decent breakfast and starting your journey to the manor. Your phone was still blowing up from friends and relatives over your engagement to Jason last weekend, but you didn’t have the mental energy to look at everything right now. It just made you realize how much planning was going to be a pain.
Your family offered to pitch in where they could at least, and you had some savings. So there was that to think about. But again, there were other aspects you were mentally dreading. You’d worry about it with Jason later.
Wayne manor was just as intimidating as ever, but Alfred was just as warm and endearing, greeting you with a smile and a plate of cookies.
You took a cookie and he led you to Bruce’s office. Kicking on there door, there was silence that echoed. It was a moment before a disgruntled “come in,” was voiced just beyond the doors, muffled from their thickness.
You entered the room calmly, closing the door behind you to face Jason’s dad. And even though you were well aware Jason was adopted, looking at Bruce reminded you of Jason. At least in their stature, the way they held themselves. Silent seething rage pushed down by pleasantries and responsibility. Tensed shoulders, stiff arms clenched behind his back, and a cold expression that seemed to pick you apart.
Jason was like that. He never let you see that side of him, but you knew he was. In those fleeting morning moments where he forgot where he was, when he came back from patrol. You saw that. He softened with your love, but Bruce was not Jason.
Bruce was the ringleader of justice for Gotham, a man who certainly loved his children, but likely had a hard time expressing it.
So you greeted him politely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“You as well. I’m surprised it took you so long to show your face, especially since you’re engaged to my son.”
“I don’t make a habit to hang around manors, and I’ve visited when I’m invited,” you informed. “There was always a door for you to meet me, I shouldn’t have to force a door to meet you.” Or in other words, Bruce could take a more active role in his son’s life.
Bruce admired your confidence, his brows raised in surprise. “With an attitude like that, I can’t say I’m surprised you and Jason are together. But what makes you think you deserve him?”
“I don’t have to justify our relationship to you. Jason wouldn’t have stuck around or agreed to marry me if he didn’t want to be with me.”
“What can you offer him that others can’t?”
“I’m sure plenty of other people could offer him the same things I could, but at the end of the day, the people together are me and him,” You reminded, crossing your arms over your chest. You weren’t justifying shit. Jason and you loved each other and trusted each other. What else mattered? “Jason is an adult, he can make decisions for himself. He can decide if he wants to be with me, and he does.”
Bruce stood there, standing in front of his desk, in silence. Pondering your words maybe. Deciding your fate? It could be anything,
“Why chose now to but in? Why make a ruckus about our relationship now of all times and not when he moved in with me, not when I figured out his secret identity, why now?”
This caused Bruce to glance up. “What?”
Did Jason not tell Bruce? Oops. “I know all of you are the vigilantes. After figuring out Jason, the rest of you were easy to deduce.”
“How long have you known?”
You sighed, scratching at the back of your neck. “Months? A few weeks before Jason moved in. He showed up with a stab wound, he couldn’t really hide it.”
“Doesn’t it scare you?” This part was quieter than before. “Worry you? Every one of us has tried love, and most of us date others like us.”
You knew that. You talked to Jason about it before. As much as he was willing to say at least. How rough dating another hero was, how at peace he was with you. “I don’t know if he’ll come home every night. And I know I’m going to have to patch him up on occasion, hold him when he has nightmares. I know the emotional turmoil he has dealt with, but I love him. And for as long as he’ll have me, I want to be with him. Because I love him. And just because things haven’t worked out before, doesn’t mean it’s impossible.”
Bruce was a loss for words. Perhaps it was the calmness in your voice, or how genuine you sounded, but he wasn’t sure how to respond to you.
“I don’t want to be on your bad side, you’re Jason’s father. I’m sure despite how you two fight sometimes, he’d love to have you at our wedding, as would I. I love Jason and I will marry him. It’s up to you if you want to be a part of the life your son creates.”
It’s easy to tell Bruce wasn’t expecting any of your answers. Maybe he was expecting you to cower, to give up Jason or give lists of reasons why you deserve to be with him. But that’s now how you were.
“I’m going to head off. I have things to get done, and I only planned for this to be a short visit anyway. It was nice to meet you, and I hope you make a choice you won’t regret.” You turn around and leave his office, seeing Alfred nearby. Wordlessly, he offers the plate of cookies again, and you happily take one before you head out.
A wedding was far in the future, and there were plenty of plans and life before then. There was no way of knowing in that moment what Bruce’s choice would be.
But in a year? Maybe he’d watch you and Jason get married, maybe he’d see you as a son as well. Maybe Jason’s siblings or friends would be by Jason’s side, and your own friends and family besides yours.
There was no way of knowing, but you were sure that when that day came, you wouldn’t regret any of it.
And if Jason found your actions hilarious, that was just a bonus.