Chapter Text
It had taken Cass longer than she would have liked to get to New York, solely due to Bruce’s persistent questions, which were not nearly as unsettling as Tim and Damian’s suspicious glances. That wasn't much of a surprise, other than herself, her two youngest brothers were the most skilled at reading body language, and it was highly likely that they had already deduced that Cass’ abrupt plan to go to New York had something to do with Peter. Not that she had alluded to that in any way, but her silence was in itself an answer to the questions they refused to ask.
Bruce, however, had no problem asking questions, which led to her current predicament, where she was three hours behind schedule. She had managed to evade most of them, only eventually letting it slip that she was headed to New York, to which his questions had abruptly stopped.
It had only been a day since Peter had asked Red Hood to find Matt, but Cass knew- and so did everyone else, no matter how much they wished otherwise- that if their technology had not been able to find him yet, they never would. That was likely why Bruce backed off, and stated he was turning in for the night.
And now Cass was in New York, feeling incredibly guilty that there was only one other person that knew the truth about Peter.
Now, Cass wasn't stupid, she knew that Peter’s current situation was dire, and that getting everyone involved would be the smart decision to make, considering the stakes- that being Peter’s wellbeing, even though he had yet to inform her of why he was so desperate to find his friend, though it was obvious to anyone with a shred of intelligence that he missed his friends, and by extension his home- however, she also knew her family, and how they would react (or overreact) when they found out Peter was a dimension traveller. That getting her family involved could also mean losing Peter’s trust, and with it any chance of helping him.
Which is why she called Barbara the second she left Peters house.
Strategically, it was a smart decision. Oracle would be able to assist her in finding Matt’s counterpart better than any of the other bats would. Emotionally? Also a smart decision. It would save Cass a lot of panic down the road when Babs inevitably found out.
This leads her to the present, where she is aimlessly walking around Queens as a civilian, cursing out Peter for not giving her more information, and herself for not asking.
Peter had a queens accent, but who knew if Matt’s counterpart even worked or lived in Queens? Cass had already visited two of the businesses that Babs had sent her, both insignificant and lacking a certain brunette blind man.
She pulls out her phone, visibly frustrated, and checks the extensive list that had been forwarded to her. There were no establishments left in Queens. Cass sighs and pulls up a map on her phone to find the quickest way to her next stop, Brooklyn.
-
Peter:
Peter’s school day started much better than the day before, his mind at ease after his chat with Orphan. He was actually able to relax now that he knew someone was out there helping him. Who knows what Matt’s doppelgänger would do once Orphan found him. Maybe he wouldn't choose to help Peter, maybe this Matt wouldn't even be equipped to help him. Though, if he was anything like Peter’s Matt, he would likely do whatever he could to help, even if it pained him to do so.
Peter wasn't sure how the phone numbers he had called factored into this, but Orphan’s reaction had informed him of its significance. She hadn't bothered to fill him in on what she knew, and Peter didn't want to push, and risk losing her help or trust.
History with Duke flies by, the lesson consists of watching a boring documentary, since the teacher is clearly not bothered to actually do their job. Peter doesn't blame them. If he had to teach history, he probably wouldn't find the will to live either.
Chemistry was perfect, as usual. Peter can remember how his face brightened when he bumped into Tim on the way to class, completing his homework, just as he had promised he would be doing. Peter had just laughed at him, and linked Tim’s arm with his, so he wouldn't walk into people going the opposite way. Tim had somehow managed to finish before they got to the classroom, and they had both turned their homework in to the teacher, who took the papers with a smile.
They had been given more work today, which both boys took pleasure in completing before the lesson was over. Once he was finished, Peter had wanted to work on his Web fluid formula, but did not want to risk Tim catching him again, so he took a nap instead. Tim woke him up after the bell failed to, and they walked to the cafeteria together.
Tim and Steph are waiting for them, and Peter smiles fondly at Duke when he realises the other boy had gotten food for him. For most of lunch, they chat mindlessly about random topics. Peter eats his food quietly, chiming in every now and then to mock Tim, which has become a bit of a tradition at lunch. It's all in good spirit, but Peter tries not to make too many comments, so as no to upset Tim. Not that the other boy seems bothered, but still, Peter was trying to make friends here, and figured making fun of them probably wasn't the best way to do that.
It is when Peter has just finished eating his food, that Tim turns to him with a hopeful look on his face.
“Peter, did you want to come to our house after school? We could work on our chem homework, or just play video games or something.”
Peter looks at Duke and Steph across the table, who are nodding along at this.
“You could stay for dinner…” Duke adds.
Well, that's a selling point.
“Sure! Sounds like fun.”
“Great!” Steph says cheerily. “I'll text the details in the group chat.”
-
BATCHAT:
Steph: Peter is coming over after school
He’s staying for dinner
Dick: Great! I’ll be there.
Duke: @Jay
Are you coming?
Jason: Cant. I have patrol tonight
Tim: Dude, seriously?
You’re like the only one he hasn't met in civvies
Besides the demon child
Jason: Go cry about it
-
Steph:
Steph meets Tim and Duke in the carpark, and together the three of them wait for Peter. He had PE last period, so he would still be getting changed.
Steph is glad that Peter is coming to the manor for the afternoon, even if she wishes he would stay for longer. Forever, perhaps, instead of squatting in that abandoned house. But she also fears that her family will scare him away. Realistically, Steph knows that Peter has already interacted with Bruce and Dick, two of the people who would probably ambush Peter with questions and concerns, meaning he should be well equipped to handle them . Still, Peter hadn't met Damian yet, just Robin. And a psychopathic vigilante is one thing, but a rich psychopathic thirteen year old is quite another. Steph just hopes that Damian will lay off Peter. Bruce has probably already talked him down. Hopefully.
Steph glances over at Tim and Duke, who look incredibly anxious. Were they worried that Peter wouldnt show? He had seemed a bit reluctant earlier, until Duke mentioned dinner, that is. That was another thing. Alfred was probably going to insist Peter clear their entire fridge and cupboards, since everyone knew about his enhanced metabolism. That might come off as suspicious to him. The bats know he is meta, but the Waynes aren't supposed to know anything.
Maybe Steph was overcomplicating this. There was a good chance that Peter wouldn’t notice anything. But, then again, he is very observant…
Steph’s thoughts are silenced abruptly when she spots Peter heading out the school gate. They lock eyes immediately, and Peter gives a small wave of acknowledgement. He walks over to them, his battered backpack slung over his shoulder. Tim and Duke both sigh in relief, and Steph unlocks the car so they can get in.
“Hey Steph!” Peter says cheerily, once he has made it to the car.
“Hey Peter, you ready to go?”
“Yep!”
Peter joins Duke in the backseat, and Steph jumps into the driver's seat. Tim claims his usual spot in the passenger seat. While she drives, she zones out slightly, and tunes out the conversation happening around her. It's something to do with science, which doesn’t interest her anyways.
Steph pulls over a few streets later, in front of Damian’s school. Peter looks around, alarmed, likely confused as to why they stopped.
Duke, noticing his confusion, turns towards Peter. “We’re picking our little brother up.”
Peter relaxes at this, leaning back into his seat.
Meanwhile, Steph is internally freaking out. Would Damian be cool? Or would he be his normal intense psycho self? She barely has time to consider the potential consequences of picking Damian up, as the backdoor is pulled open swiftly, to reveal a very peeved thirteen year old.
Damian at his best is still irritable, but Damian in a bad mood? That was another level of torture. Steph bites her lip, praying that he would keep his cool, so as not to completely scare off Peter.
Peter shuffles over, switching to the middle seat to make room for Damian. Damian simply assesses him for a moment, eyes wandering over his smiling face with one eyebrow raised, before jumping in, buckling his seatbelt, and facing away from Peter with his arms crossed. Peter looks unsure of what to do, and Damian looks unwilling to interact with him at this time. Maybe that was for the best.
The silence was pretty awkward, though.
Steph sighs and turns on the radio.
-
Cass:
Brooklyn had been a bust, and Cass had felt disappointed as she finally breaked for lunch to grab a sandwich from a busy food cart stationed on the sidewalk. It was afternoon now, there were still numerous establishments left on her list, and she was starting to feel the weight of the day pressing down on her.
At this rate, Cass would not make it back to the manor in time for the impromptu dinner her younger siblings had staged, which meant leaving Peter to the wolves. Serves him right, she thinks, for not at least telling me which Borough to go to.
But Cass pushes this thought aside when she remembers how difficult this week has been for Peter, and decides to cut him some slack. After all, he had finally admitted the truth to someone . That took courage on his part, even though Cass basically forced him into it by calling him out on his lies. Though, if he truly wanted to keep his secret, he should've at least considered how terrible he is at lying before dropping the ‘my mentor is a crime lord’ bomb, because of course Cass’s family was going to ask a million follow up questions, that was a given the second they managed to get Peter inside the cave.
Cass cuts across the road, narrowly avoiding getting run over, and ignoring the curses being yelled at her through a rolled down car window.
In a way, New Yorkers were very similar to Gothamites. Whether it was a result of living in a crime ridden city, or just basic survival instincts, Cass couldn’t say. But there was certainly a quality to both New York and Gotham that was scarcely seen anywhere else in the country, a strange mixture of both terror and hope. In a city destroyed by violence and corruption, it was nice to see how people still grasped onto some semblance of longing and ambition, despite the horrific conditions they lived in.
Cass likes to think that her family has something to do with this. Their goal may be justice and vigilance, but they still brought hope to thousands of people daily, which was an impressive feat in a place like Gotham.
A sudden chill in the air spurs Cass to walk faster in a futile attempt to raise her body heat. She passes out of Soho within minutes, and continues towards her next stop, a small law firm in Midtown Manhattan. If Barbara was right (and she usually was) the building should be further up the street she was currently on. Judging by her map, Cass estimated she would arrive there in approximately 30 minutes.
…
The building was demolished. Cranes and workers occupied the once intact space.
It was unusual for Barbara’s information to be outdated, and far more likely that the firm’s website had not been touched in some time.
Cass reaches into her pocket to pull out the map, when a flash of blonde hair catches her eye from across the street. She looks up quickly to spot three middle aged people walking side by side down the street. One man in particular catches her eye, his animated gestures and body language standing out amidst the more relaxed posture of the other two, a blonde woman and a brunette man.
Cass immediately crosses the street, trailing them from behind. She needn’t be stealthy, as they don’t take any notice of her, but her tracking abilities and instincts tend to take over in minor situations like this, even when there is no apparent danger.
They certainly match the vague description Peter gave her, particularly “Matt”, or his counterpart, who had been described in more detail, and who Cass is quick to identify
They were all dressed in formal attire, which signified a profession such as law, confirming Peter’s information.
Taking advantage of the overcast weather, Cass sticks to the shadows as best she can, and follows them for over eight blocks, until they seem to have reached their destination.
They entered Hell’s Kitchen some time ago, and Cass was certain that they were heading to work. Turns out starting her search in Queens was a terrible idea. Cass had now spent hours walking through the city, and she hadn’t even been close until now.
Cass keeps her distance, watching from afar as the trio unlock the metal door and make their way inside a red bricked building. Once they are inside, and out of her immediate sight, she waits patiently for around five minutes before slowly walking towards their office, making sure her stride is casual so as not to arouse suspicion. It wasnt likely that they noticed Cass following them before, but she wasn't taking any chances.
Peter had informed Cass the previous night (or earlier that morning, she should say) that his Matt was trustworthy, and would certainly help him any way he could. But Peter had also told the bats that Matt was associated with a crime lord. Though she was aware that he had made most of his story up, she wasn't 100% certain that the information Peter had given them on his mentor (Tony) and friend (Matt) was false.
Sure, it was pretty safe to conclude that Tony Stark wasn't actually a crime lord, but what about the other things? Namely, Subjecting Peter to danger at the young age of fourteen? Cass had not been able to read Peter when he was talking about Tony, which terrified her. It was obvious that Peter had been trained to master body language, maybe even by another metahuman like himself, which was a suspicious skill for a civilian to have, unless they were involved in something sketchy. All signs pointed to Tony.
There was one other thing bothering Cass about the previous night, that being Tim’s ‘ Peter was 100% trafficked and here's why ’ ™ list (named by Steph). Most of the list could be explained by the different dimension factor. However, there was one specific point that stood out to Cass, something Tim had mentioned after he initially met Peter, and that most of the bats had brushed aside. This was Peter’s statement that he’d been trained in combat. This had to be linked to Tony. Why else would Peter call the man his mentor?
Cass pulls open the metal door, noting the metal plaque attached to the brick wall that read: ‘Nelson, Murdock, Page. Attorneys at law’. If Cass was doubtful before, she knew for certain now that she was in the right place. She makes her way quietly up the narrow staircase, pausing a couple of times to take in the muffled sounds of laughter above her and the loud thump of footsteps on the floorboards.
She hesitates a moment, before pulling open the glass door and stepping inside the small office area. The three people inside face her when she enters, the blonde woman offering her a kind smile.
“Hi there, how can we help you?”
“I need to speak to Mr Murdock,” Cass says, controlling her tone to sound friendly and unthreatening.
The brunette man looks up at her, staying perfectly still for a moment, before waving her into his office. The other two watch with confused but curious eyes, tracking Cass as she walks across the room with clear purpose. Once inside the office, Cass shuts the door behind her, causing the tension in the room to grow considerably. The man does not appear uncomfortable, more cautious if anything. Was he like Cass, burdened with the ability to read people?
“What can I do for you today, Miss…”
“Wayne.”
The brunette raises his eyebrows in realisation.
“You’re one of Bruce Wayne’s kids,” he replies. Cass simply nods.
“What brought you all the way to Hell's Kitchen, Miss Wayne?”
“I’ve come here to find you. My friend needs your help,” Cass replies bluntly. If the man could read her, there was no point in skirting around the truth.
He seems to relax at this, settling into his chair now.
“So, your friend needs a lawyer. But why come to New York? Surely there's at least one lawyer in Gotham that's not corrupt.”
Cass almost laughs at the not so subtle dig at her city, but stays composed for the sake of the conversation. If she buckled now, she would lose his respect.
“That may be true, but my friend- Peter- does not need a lawyer. He needs a Matthew Murdock.” Cass pauses here to gauge his reaction to this. The man appears slightly befuddled, but manages to keep his face neutral. In fact, he does this so well that anyone other than Cass wouldn't have noticed. Clearly, the man had practice in not showing his emotions.
“I’m afraid I'm not the person you’re looking for then. My name is Jonathan Murdock, not Matthew. I’m sorry you came all the way out here for nothing.”
As he speaks, Jonathan’s head tilts to the side slightly, a mannerism that Cass shares, usually when she is working hard to read someone.
“I don't think I am. In truth, I believe you are exactly who I am looking for, and everything I have seen so far has proven that.”
“And what things have you seen, Miss Wayne?” Jonathan asks, standing up now. There is a calculated tone to his voice that was not there before. Was he threatened by Cass?
Cass chooses not to respond to his question. Instead, she begins to slowly walk around his office, noting the pictures on his desk. One is of Jonathan and the blonde man, taken around ten years ago. They look much younger, but the former still has the same knowing glint in his eyes.
Cass’ first impression of the man was that he was a loyal, trustworthy person, who did not put up with bullshit from anybody. He reminded her of Dick, in that way. It is for this reason that Cass lets her guard down, and decides to be frank with the man. After all, time was of the essence, as Cass had promised to obtain “Matt’s” help, and the longer she took, the more restless Peter would get. No. This had to be done now, and done quickly.
“My friend’s name is Peter Parker, and he knows you.” Jonathan tilts his head more vigorously this time. “But not you . He knows another version of you, from a different universe.”
Cass pauses for a moment to allow Jonathan time to object, to cause a fuss, to deny the somewhat absurd statement she just made. But Jonathan doesn't do any of this. He merely turns his gaze downward, as though he is listening to something. After a few seconds, he nods at Cass to continue.
“See, my friend- by some twist of fate- wound up in our dimension, with no memory of how he got here, and no apparent way to return home. As you can imagine, he's been quite distressed.”
Cass trails off for a moment, considering her next words. Jonathan has begun to pace slowly across his office.
“Long story short, there are duplicates here. Many of Peter’s friends exist in this dimension, but some have different names and faces. There are some, however, such as yourself, that remain extremely similar. This is why it was so easy for me to track you down using his information.”
Cass strategically decides to leave off the part of the story which involved her walking cluelessly around New York for an entire morning.
“From what Peter has told me, your duplicate was a sort of mentor figure to him. Now, Peter is in a bad place lately. I don't know all the details, but I know that he trusts you, and that you will be able to help him more than I will.”
Jonathan sits back down in his chair, taking his glasses off- something that Cass takes as a sign of belief and understanding. They sit uncomfortably for a couple of moments, Cass unsure if she should speak and Jonathan still processing the loaded information she had dumped on him, until Jonathan’s head whips up to the door, a knowing smile creeping its way onto his face.
“Will you two stop hovering outside the door and just come in?” he says fondly. The door bursts open to reveal the two blondes, who must have been eavesdropping on their conversation. But how had Jonathan known they were there?
“Miss Wayne-”
“Please, call me Cass,” she interrupts.
“Alright. Cass, this is Foggy and Karen,” he says, gesturing to each. Cass gives them a quick nod in greeting, which they return pleasantly. The tension in the room has settled now, and Cass finally feels comfortable enough to relax.
“Well, John,” Karen sighs, “I take it you’re going to Gotham, then?”
Jonathan smiles. “You know me too well Karen.”
-
Peter:
Bruce Wayne’s house is fucking insane. I mean, Peter knew he was rich, but this was next level . Duke had offered him a tour, but Peter declined, figuring he would be here until the next morning if he accepted.
Bruce wasn’t home yet, according to Tim. Apparently he was still working, but would be home in time for dinner. Steph had said that all of their siblings (except three?) would be joining them tonight, which succeeded in freaking Peter the hell out. How many kids did Bruce have?
Peter was pretty sure he had met all of them by now. First he met Dick at the bar, then Tim at WE. After that it was Steph and Duke at school, and then Damian just now in the car. So… how many more could it be? Peter has a slight suspicion that he doesn’t want to find out.
“Peter, are you any good at video games?” Duke calls out to him from another room. Peter follows his voice, and finds his way into what looks like an entertainment room (what rich people nonsense!).
“I’m pretty good,” Peter says smugly. It wasn’t even a lie. A couple years back, he and Ned had a video game phase, where they would play every day after school. It got to the point where May would force them to take short walks around the block every couple of hours, so they wouldn’t be sitting down all day. Of course, at this time Peter had been getting enough exercise, when he would sneak out at night to patrol. But May didn’t know that. Either way, Peter had been happy to roam around outside for a while, if it made her happy.
Tim comes into the room, followed closely by Steph, who is dragging along a very reluctant and irritated Damian. Peter wasn't sure if he was always this peeved, or if he was just having a bad day. He reminds Peter of a certain young vigilante who told him off last night.
“What are we playing?” Tim asks, picking up a controller.
“Do you guys have Mario kart?” Peter asks excitedly.
“Of course!” Duke replies, sounding slightly offended, but mostly cheerful.
“Dibs on Waluigi.”
“Dami, are you playing?” Steph asks, turning towards the boy, who has taken a seat on the couch next to Tim.
“Fine.” Damian sighs, “But I wish to be Peach.” Damian snatches Tim’s controller out of his hands, ignoring the four unclaimed ones sitting on the coffee table in front of him. Tim lets out an indignant squawk at this, but allows it.
“Let’s see if you were lying about how good you are, Peter.” Duke says
Peter takes it as a challenge.
…
Two hours later sees the five teenagers squashed onto the one couch, Steph sitting on the armrest, and Peter lying upside down with his feet hanging over the back.
“It is highly unlikely you will be able to win like that, Parker.” Damian says, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Why not? I’ve won every other round.” Peter replies, grinning at him. Peter almost swears he sees Damian’s mouth curve upwards into a small smirk, but a second later, the look is gone, his face having returned to its neutral (intimidating) expression, concentrating on the screen in front of them.
Peter follows in his lead, and turns his attention back to the screen. He is so focused on the game, he doesn’t notice the three presences that have entered the room from behind him.
“YES! I told you I could do it, Damian! And you doubted me.” Peter sings, swinging his legs off the back of the couch and onto Tim’s lap. He has to admit, it’s pretty comfortable, and surprisingly enough, Tim doesn’t seem to mind.
Peter almost shocks himself with how quickly he has become comfortable with the Waynes, especially Tim (what can he say, the guy reminded him of Johnny).
“Fine. You are… adequate at this game.” Damian admits, which seems to bring him great pain.
“ Adequate ?… you know what, I’ll take it. Thank You, Damian.” Peter says. Damian just nods at him. Peter is glad the kid seems to be in a better mood than he was earlier.
Steph chuckles, and Duke just shakes his head fondly.
Friends!
Peter whips his head around, startling Tim, who almost spills his glass of water.
Peter sees Bruce, his son Dick, and an older man standing in the doorway, watching the scene with curious but knowing eyes.
“Sorry to interrupt, young masters, but I must ask you all to wash up, as dinner will be served shortly.” The older man says.
Wait… was he the butler ?!
Okay, this is by far the craziest rich person thing yet. Peter will have to torment Bruce about it later. Maybe not the best idea to be looking forward to bullying his boss, but hey, Peter just wanted to have some fun here. And Bruce was so easy to tease!
“Okay, Alfie.” Steph says, standing up, along with the rest of her siblings. Peter stays behind, unsure of whether to follow them or not. He can probably find a bathroom himself (they must have a lot).
Bruce smiles warmly at him, and Peter returns the smile. Maybe he was easy to make fun of, but he was also a pretty good guy, and Peter had to give him some credit for that. He had basically saved Peter, after all. In all honesty, of all the people in Peter’s life right now, there was genuinely no one he trusted more than Bruce Wayne.
Dick steps forward, sitting down next to Peter, where Tim had been moments ago.
“Nice to see you again, Peter. Hope you’ve been staying out of trouble.” He says sunnily, though there is a calculated undertone to his words that Peter doesn’t quite understand.
“Oh yeah, absolutely.”
Dick just stares at him, the smile never leaving his face, though his eyes do narrow a bit, and his eyebrows raise.
Yeah, Peter wasn’t fooling anybody.
Bruce saves him from responding by sitting down on Peter’s other side. Peter feels trapped, which might have been their intention. Were they going to interrogate him?
Okay, maybe Peter was a little paranoid from the bats and their stalking. But this wasn't the bats! This was his boss, who had only faintly pried into Peter’s life, when they first met. Not on the same level as those serial kidnappers.
Although, looking at Bruce at this particular moment, Peter realises that his boss had the same intense stare as Batman, which was slightly unsettling. In fact, they shared a lot of mannerisms, if he really considered it, attention for detail being one.
He brushes this thought aside when he sees Bruce’s smile, and is reminded of how warm he is, and how much he has already done for Peter, despite having only known him for a short time. But a small sensation in the back of his neck reminds him not to forget the previous moment and the theory he has started to form.
…
“So, Peter, tell us about your family. You’ve hardly said a word all night”.
Peter knew the questions had been coming, as they always did. He just hadn't expected it to be so soon. They had hardly been at the table for five minutes, and the conversation had already turned to him.
Peter places his cutlery gently on his plate, making eye contact with the person who had asked the question. Dick’s blue eyes are already on him, waiting patiently for the answer.
“My parents passed away when I was little,” Peter begins- receiving several understanding looks- “and I was raised by my aunt and uncle in Queens.” Peter looks down at his lap.
“Are they still in Queens?” Dick asked, somewhat cautiously. Peter had previously stated that he was all alone in Gotham, so it was likely whatever answer he gave now would receive a sympathetic reaction.
“No. My uncle was shot a few years back. I was living with my aunt…” Peter trails off, mind drifting to Aunt May, who is alone right now, having lost her husband and nephew in the span of a few short years. Unknowingly, tears begin to form in his eyes, and he scratches at them furiously with the back of his hand.
When Peter finally gathers the courage to look up, he is met by sorrowful eyes that suggest understanding and even companionship. But a moment later, the look is gone, a smile in its place that Peter can tell is exaggerated for his sake. He appreciates the gesture, however unnecessary it was.
The conversation at the table moves on quickly, and nobody asks Peter anything else. In fact, Peter has not spoken in the past five minutes. Maybe he had shut down slightly after his family was brought up, but at least the Wayne’s had the decency to leave him alone after he was brought to tears.
Peter focuses on eating, occasionally scanning the table to observe the family dynamics. But sitting directly across the table from his boss, Peter’s train of thought can't help but drift back to Batman's connection to Bruce Wayne. Peter waited until he was sure Bruce was distracted, his opportunity coming when the man turned to ask Damian about his school day.
Peter studied him, really looked at him, for what felt like the first time. Before today, he thought he knew exactly who his boss was. There were still things Peter had yet to learn about him, but the man was fairly open with him, and they shared a mutual respect that was refreshing for Peter. The bats looked at him like he was another case to be solved, another helpless civilian who would beg to be saved and then fawn over them for actually doing so. But Bruce actually saw Peter. More than anyone else he had met so far.
There were others of course, that understood him on a surface level, this being Tim, who he had grown fond of quickly due to their common interests and personalities, and Nightwing, who read Peter like a clock, and had understood his sadness, making Peter feel like there was a chance they had experienced similar lives, entangled in grief and anger. Maybe there was someone in this world who would understand his pain. But there was one key difference between them. Nightwing had the support of his family, and Peter had no one, not anymore.
It wasn't until meeting Bruce that Peter felt entirely seen. From their first interaction, Peter knew that Bruce shared his determination and intellect. These were common characteristics, but it was not often that Peter came across a person who valued them as deeply as himself. Bruce was ambitious, Peter could see it in his stance, his gaze, the way he talked. He radiated hope, even in a city such as Gotham, where there wasn't much to be found.
The man was acutely aware of this too, the glint in his eyes told Peter as much. Peter had felt himself being pulled towards Bruce, as though the universe was screaming “this is your chance, don’t mess it up.” A chance for what, Peter couldn't say, but he had believed it nonetheless.
Which is why it was so shocking to have everything he thought he knew about the man suddenly shattered into a million pieces.
Peter turns his attention back to Bruce, who was still engaging in a lively conversation with Damian, the subject having somehow changed to animals and the amount of pets a child should have, in the short time he stopped paying attention. Peter zeros in on Bruce, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
Peter noticed things that had been minuscule or coincidental before, but that put together were obvious signs, making Peter feel the fool for not realising sooner.
Bruce had a large bruise on his right eye, crawling up to the space above his eyebrow. It was mostly healed, but there was still an unnatural yellowish tinge covering the area. Peter hadn't noticed this before. Bruce must have covered it so as to conceal his identity and not arouse suspicion about his supposed nightlife.
The man also had heavy eye bags, which in itself was nothing to note, but the previous afternoon at work, they had not been so prominent.
Peter recalls the late night he had, due to the Bats keeping him in the cave until the early hours of the morning. Peter had also picked up a newspaper on his way to school, which dramatically detailed Firefly’s attack, but also, at the bottom of the page in small font, briefly mentioned how Batman had been spotted at Arkham just before sunrise, seeing to the rogue's imprisonment.
Peter had taken that to mean that Batman had not gotten any sleep that night, since Tim had mentioned Bruce was working today, confirmed when the man arrived shortly before dinner.
Watching.
Peter forces his eyes away from Bruce and stares down at his plate, suddenly not hungry anymore.
WATCHING!
Peter ignores his senses, still hearing chatter around him. The Wayne’s were curious, it isn't surprising that someone would be keeping an eye on him throughout dinner. It was likely Dick, who Peter had immediately stereotyped as the overprotective eldest sibling. It was fine. Peter could ignore it.
Peter takes a couple of small bites of his food, which eases his mind a little. Alfred Mr Pennyworth was an incredible cook. Peter startles as Tim reaches over his shoulder to steal a bread roll from Steph’s plate, an action which causes the latter to rise from her seat and grab Tim’s entire plate. Chaos breaks out around him, which goes mostly ignored by everyone else. This was not surprising, Tim and Steph did fight a lot.
Peter’s eyes are unconsciously drawn to Steph, who is skilfully avoiding Tim’s hits and attempts to reclaim his plate with a level of agility that is frankly impressive for someone without powers. She wouldn't be able to move so quickly and smoothly without training.
Peter glances around the table, first looking again at Bruce, who is listening to Damian with an amused look on his face.
Damian, who has the same features as Robin.
Robin had called Batman his father, and from his research Peter had discovered that only Damian was Bruce’s biological son, as opposed to his other children who had been adopted or fostered.
A contagious laugh catches Peter’s attention, and he turns to face the source. Dick is facing Duke, whose mouth is twitched in amusement. The former places a hand on his shoulder for support as he doubles over with laughter, causing him to tense up slightly before relaxing.
The laugh is what causes Peter’s ears to ring. Peter closes his eyes, and suddenly he is back on that rooftop, grinning because he had managed to make Nightwing laugh, and the sound couldn't be more victorious. Peter opens his eyes before the memory can continue.
Watching.
Peter draws his attention back to Dick, who has finally stopped laughing. His hand, which is still firmly placed on Duke’s shoulder, is removed. Duke winces slightly, and Dick gives him a sympathetic look and murmurs what sounds like an apology. Peter narrows his eyes, noting the way Duke is sitting. He looks uncomfortable, and Peter is bitterly reminded of the way Duke had limped to class today, coming in late to their history lesson and claiming he had tripped when Peter inquired into his injuries.
Gotham only had one daytime vigilante. Duke was Signal.
Peter turns to look behind him, where Steph and Tim are still fighting. If the Waynes were actually the bats, that meant Steph was Spoiler and Tim was Red Robin. It was easy enough to deduce based on appearance alone. Steph was the only bat with blonde hair, and Tim, who Peter had spent more time with, had numerous qualities that stuck out, like his athletic figure and dark hair.
There were three other people who had not been able to make it to dinner tonight, that being Bruce’s kids Jason and Cass, and an unnamed family friend who Peter had deduced was a woman.
This meant Red Hood must be Jason, and Cass, who had been in the bat cave the previous night, which Peter assumes is somewhere in the manor, must be Orphan. It now made sense why she wasn't here at this current moment, as she would be in New York looking for Matt’s doppelgänger.
That leaves Oracle, who Peter had never seen, only heard, accompanied by static and other voices that overlapped hers.
Peter breathes loudly as he drops his cutlery, pulling one hand away from the table to pinch the bridge of his nose.
WATCHING.
Peter looks up to meet Mr Pennyworth’s gaze. He looks panicked, and glances nervously to his side, most likely to subtly alert Mr Wayne of Peter’s discovery. Because Mr Pennyworth Agent A had been watching Peter for the past five minutes, and was all too aware that Peter had figured them out.
Peter's hearing cuts out completely, and he is unable to hear his chair scraping as he pulls away from the table, pushing past Tim who is in his way. MOVE! Peter is out of the dining room in less than three seconds, walking at an alarming speed to get out of the manor. He uses his senses to guide him towards the front door, exiting the mansion at a speed that is impressive for someone who could pass out at any second.
Peter has already started down the driveway by the time he senses the front door being opened behind him, and has never been so thankful to have lost his hearing.
…
Peter turns the corner onto his street angrily, kicking a pebble across the road with more force than is necessary. It is the clatter of the pebble as it skids across the ground that informs Peter that his hearing has finally returned. Peter sighs deeply, wishing to forget this dreadful night.
Peter wasn't upset. He didn't feel like crying right here in the middle of the street. He was furious, not emotional. Furious at the Waynes for lying to him, and at himself for not seeing through them and their twisted intentions. How could he have been so stupid to trust them? There he was, thinking this was a family he could trust, that would respect him and his privacy, only to find out they were the same people who had been stalking him since he arrived in Gotham.
Peter’s face flushes as he recalls the lies he had told them the previous night in the batcave, and the conversations they had.
This whole time at school, had Tim really been thinking Peter had been trafficked? And now he thinks Peter is employed by a crime lord? What the hell had he gotten himself into?! Were they going to arrest him? Take him to Arkham? Lock him up in the cave and force him to be the next robin? Heaven forbid.
And what about Bruce? Peter had thought he was a kind, generous man, who looked after children as much as he could in a city like Gotham. But here he was, dressing up like a bat and forcing a thirteen year old to fight dangerous rogues and risk his life every night. As much as Peter hated to admit it, Bruce was exactly like Tony Stark. But at least Tony gave Peter a choice. It didn't seem like Robin was doing this of his own free will, as far as Peter could tell.
But what would he know? Until now, he had thought that Bruce Wayne could be trusted. Clearly he had bad judgement.
Peter scoffs at the thought as he unlocks his front door, having found the key the previous night. No more climbing through the window.
Once the door is opened, he halts. He can hear two heartbeats inside, one steady, and the other…
Friend?
Orphan Cassandra Wayne steps out into the hallway where Peter can see her, not wearing her suit.
Was this a show of trust? Or had Cass already heard from her family about what happened at the manor not thirty minutes ago?
Peter is about to speak, to demand some explanation from her, but his words fall short when he sees the tall figure lingering behind her in the darkness.
Aware he had been seen, the man steps out from behind Cass, the ceiling light finally hitting him, allowing Peter to scan the familiar face.
It had been a while, but Matt (?) hadn’t changed a bit.
“Hi Peter, I’m Jonathan. I’ve heard all about your predicament, and I think I can be of some assistance.”