Chapter 29
Alfred had left the Manor for his usual grocery run. Damian had assumed, as the most mature of the current residents, that he would have been delegated as the leader. Of course, Alfred had clearly made an error in awarding that position to Cain.
Stalking the halls, Damian chose to search for his younger brother. Peter had been suspiciously quiet all day. Perhaps months ago he would have counted it a blessing. Now, unfortunately, he finds it worrisome.
Titus joined him quickly in his task. Sniffing along the carpet ahead as they walked through the manor. Peter would not have left the premises, especially whilst he worked on garnering Father’s favor. He has made it a goal to attempt to persuade Father for another night of patrol and has thus been corralled into behaving. This should not be a bad change but despite Peter's attempts, he still manages to cause trouble where he goes. Even the gala they had attended attested to Peter's inability to steer clear from danger.
Damian sped up as Titus must have picked up the scent. He followed his dog down to the main floor. Curiously, Titus was heading for the garage. Peter has never wandered there on his own, he has never had a reason to play in there. Not to mention Alfred had expressly informed Peter the garage is not a safe place for a little boy to play in unsupervised.
Frowning, Damian quickened his pace. Surely Peter knew better than to play with their Father’s vehicles.
Titus barked, rounding the Rolls Royce Black Badge. Peter’s eyes peered out from the driver’s side, wide and clearly attempting for innocence.
“To bed.” Damian ordered Titus as he opened the door.
“What! I don’t take naps anymore, Dami!” Peter started, pouting as Titus trotted off. “Oh… nevermind.”
“What are you doing?” Damian rolled his eyes. The action felt unnatural, yet fitting for this situation. It appears he is picking up on the bad habits of his siblings.
Peter sat on the driver’s seat, kicking his feet absentmindedly. “Nothing…”
Damian highly doubted Peter had gone to the garage to do nothing. His brother could hardly sit still for a tailor much less to do absolutely nothing at all. He spotted the keys sat in the middle of the two seats, suspiciously placed if Damian would hazard a guess. Simply raising an eyebrow was enough for Peter to slump back into the seat.
“I wanted to learn… You know how to drive! It’s unfair.” Peter’s lower lip stuck out as his face scrunched up in the way Brown would coo over. Eyes averted to stare at the wheel as if it would answer him.
“You wish to learn?” Damian had been informed that civilians learn to drive at the age of sixteen. He found the age strangely specific. What harm is there to learning earlier? He had learned at Peter’s age and can confidently drive the Batmobile on his own. Not to mention having his own bike made specifically for Robin.
Seeing as his other brothers were just as likely to listen to the unnecessary law despite breaking others, Damian left the driver’s side. Peter watched him as he entered the passenger’s seat, motioning for Peter to take the keys.
“Go on then. I shall teach you.” Todd may have taken the mantle as Peter’s instructor but Damian has plenty of skills prudent for Peter to know.
Peter could not reach the pedals under the wheel. Their first obstruction was easily handled with a pair of Kyle’s heels. The next issue had been Peter’s confidence.
“Press the gas and turn the wheel in the desired direction. In this case we wish to leave the garage.” Peter pressed the gas and just as suddenly braked. Damian crossed his arms, leaning into the seat as his brother repeated this a few more times. “You will not crash if you do not press so harshly.”
Finally pulling out of the parking spot, Peter had rolled the car forward in slow increments. His eyes staring at his feet rather than the windshield. “Eyes front, Peter.”
Damian reached for the black box, pressing the barely visible button as the garage door glided into the ceiling. He frowned as two pairs of legs came in view first, slowly revealing Brown and Cain.
“Oooh, this doesn’t look safe.” Brown grinned, jumping for the driver’s window to pinch Peter’s cheek. “Whatchya doin, Petey?”
“Dami’s teaching me to drive!” Peter grinned, unlocked the doors as Cain slid into the backseat. Damian frowned, was she not in charge of them? Surely she would side with his Father.
He wondered if she agreed with him in regards to the absurd law.
“And you didn’t invite me!?” Brown gasped dramatically as he clambered into the backseat. “Let’s get Batburger!”
Peter cheered, accidentally surging the car forward. Damian grimaced as Brown screamed, her yell fell away into a fit of giggles as Peter apologized loudly. Alfred may never allow Cain to watch them again.
Smirking, Damian turned to focus out his window. He would be fine with that.
The drive from the garage to the front gates would normally take five minutes if you were not in a rush. Peter had managed to extend that time to 13.5 minutes.
“Peterrrrr! Press the gas, we’ll be fine!” Brown whined, hanging off the back of the driver’s seat. Her finger prodded at his neck, startling him from the concentration.
Damian reached for the button to open the outer gates just as the car surged forward. His hand left the button alone when he fell back into his seat from the momentum. Eyes going wide as their Father’s car drove into the gate. Crunching metal sounded just as Damian braced himself further as the airbags inflated before them, further pushing him into his seat.
“Not that much.” Brown laughed. “What?”
Damian pushed at the white fabric, turning to glare at Brown only to catch Cain’s hands.
“Bruce.”
Pushing at the airbags quicker, Damian peered over it in time to see their Father step out of his car. On the other side of the fence.
“Can we still drive like this?” Peter asked, pushing at the airbags with more success than Damian. Not wanting to be the only one stuck behind the insufferable things, he used a spare knife to cut the air free.
“No, Peter. We cannot.” Damian sighed, watching their father open the gate. The carefully crafted face was enough to tell him that they may not be greeted as warmly as was generally expected upon his return from work.
–
It could hardly be surprising that Peter’s siblings were just as inclined to chaos as Peter. Or maybe it was their influence that leads Peter into the trouble he always somehow gets into. The fire at the Wayne Enterprise labs was all entirely her son though.
It had to be genetic, she could see a younger Bruce getting into as much trouble. His tenacity was no doubt genetic as both Peter and Damian had a stubbornness that was unmatched.
Smirking at the mental imagine of a young Bruce causing fires within the labs at WE, Selina led Peter towards the front door of the little apartment. They had been dropped off to the outskirts of Crime Alley by Alfred just moments ago. Peter had been adamant that only Jason could take him but thankfully she knew how to talk to her son. Unlike the other half of her baby.
“Please don’t embarrass me.” Peter all but begged, tugging at her hand to pull her attention.
“I wouldn’t dream of it, kitten.” She has another reason to bring him out today. Gwen’s mother happens to be the same woman who kidnapped her son. Who left him tied to a chair, alone. The girl was innocent but she wouldn’t trust the mother without her own interrogation. One that Batman couldn’t interfere in without raising suspicions over his identity.
The brown door barely clung to the paint as they approached. Pieces of it flaking off and sticking out like splinters. Selina stood back as Peter stood on his toes, stretching to reach the left doorbell. She bit back a smile as she heard the bell chime inside the house. Peter was still her baby, just barely too short to properly reach doorbells.
“Oh hey! Sorry about the mess. Please, come in.” Sabrina opened the door, eyes wide as they darted between them, a nervous smile on her face.
Selina hummed carefully, watching as Peter rushed for the girl standing on the lowest step. Gwen quickly took Peter’s hand, rushing them both farther into the apartment. Her blonde hair flying back. Selina hid the smile at the children. Peter had made a fuss about getting the leather jacket Jason had promised before heading here so now they both matched.
“You must be Sabrina, then.” Selina stepped into the apartment, eyeing the paint and furniture. She would not judge them for their home or lifestyle. Not everyone was lucky to have Wayne’s or Kyle heritage and the generational money that passes down the line. Though she would definitely cast suspicion over the criminal activity Sabrina Stacy participated in.
The apartment itself was cozy. The gray couch plush, soft blankets folded over the back. A bookshelf stood against one wall, books and trinkets spread across it. Small picture frames of a family of three took up a few empty slots and the wall beside it.
“That’s George. He’s… busy.” Sabrina started, standing beside her. Selina eyed her hands, fiddling with a towel. “I made tea, want some?”
“Tea sounds lovely.”
The kitchen was well loved. Selina raised an eyebrow at the red stain above the stove. “Gwen tried making tomato soup. Apparently the kid made a volcano instead.” Sabrina laughed, bringing over two mugs.
A yellow fridge stood in one corner, brown and beige counters and cabinets lined the walls, leaving a space in the corner for a table. The warm atmosphere further cemented by old noodle art stuck to the fridge. Selina took a seat by the doorway, placing her bag beside her. She smiled as she took the purple mug, the heat warming her up despite the summer heat outside.
“Peter seems comfortable around you.” Selina started, studying the woman as she finally sat down with her own green mug.
“Yeah… right.” Sabrina sighed, placing the mug back onto the table. Her eyes rising to meet hers. “I know this is awkward. I’m sorry about the… thing with Peter. The money we could’ve made from that was… tempting. As a mother, I can’t imagine what it would’ve felt like to get the call. Just know I would never do that again. I know you won’t believe me but hopefully I can prove it to you.”
“I don’t believe you. I understand circumstances leading others to more illegal routes but a mother taking another woman’s child is something I cannot just look past. You kidnapped my baby boy, Sabrina. It is only Peter’s friendship with Gwen that I even allowed him to come today.” Leaning forward, Selina made sure to meet her eyes as she continued. “I do not trust you. For the sake of my son, I will let him see Gwen but he will never be here alone with you.”
Sabrina only smiled, tiredly. The ex-kidnapper relaxed at those words with a short nod. “I don’t expect anything less.”
–
Peter eyed the box of pins curiously. Jason got him the jacket but he never wears pins or stickers on his. Still, they looked cool.
He grinned when he found a baby blue pin, a small black and red spider stretched in the middle of it.
“That’s a black widow. They’re pretty cool.” Gwen leaned over his shoulder to see the pin. “They’re cannibals, didya know?”
“Yeah. Black Widows are badass.” Peter laughed. A redheaded woman flashed in his mind, the symbol pulling at an old memory.
Gwen helped him place the pin on the jacket before they fished through the box for more. He resolutely ignored the conversation going on in the kitchen. He didn’t think Sabrina was that bad but he also doubted he could win an argument against his mom. Even Batman can’t win when she made her stand.
“You’re mom’s pretty.” Gwen added, handing over more spider related pins. One was green with red eyes, the pin was shaped as a spider.
“Yeah. Your mom’s cool though.” Peter shrugged. Sabrina had been pretty cool when he met her. He wasn’t even scared about being kidnapped, plus she let him watch cartoons. Definitely one of the better kidnappings he could have had.
Together, they shifted through the box. Peter picked a black cat pin and a batman one to add to his jacket. Gwen didn’t have any of the others but Peter figured he could buy some himself. Peter even found a chibi Batman that he knew Jason would laugh at. The little Batman struck the superhero pose, hands fisted on his hips and large white eyes squinting ahead. Yeah, Peter definitely had to have that one.
“Hey, some of the kids are planning to play soccer under the tracks. Wanna go?” Gwen perked up from her seat, grinning brightly.
“Yeah!” Peter got to his feet, helping Gwen up before moving for the door. He stopped when Gwen caught his hand. “Aren’t we going?”
“Yeah but not that way.” Gwen laughed, dragging him towards the window. “Mom doesn’t like me playing with the Alley kids. I doubt your mom would want ya to play with em too. You’ll get all dirty.”
Peter scoffed. He didn’t care about getting dirty. His mom wouldn’t care either, she’d just wanna know. He didn’t want to scare her again. So he said as much, ignoring Gwen rolling her eyes. Instead of just telling her, Peter sent a quick text before following Gwen out the window. His mom could track his phone if she was worried. Besides, Peter could protect himself and Gwen if he had to.
While Peter had visited Crime Alley more often than his parents ever wanted him to, Peter still felt utterly lost as he followed Gwen down the street. She led the way, head on a swivel as she kept a protective arm close to him.
The streets were different than they usually looked late at night. The last time Peter had visited during the day he had been with Jason. And no one who saw Jason was willing to even try robbing him. Internally, Peter smiled. Glad his brother had more protection from some of the small-time crime in the area.
“This way!” Gwen whooped, kicking a graffitied garbage can in delight. “I knew we were close.”
“Are we lost?” Peter eyed the metal bin as they passed it. He hadn’t paid enough attention to where they were going and he couldn’t hear his mom over the volume of the streets.
“Course not. You’re with me, remember?” Gwen scoffed, pushing him lightly away. “I know this place like the back of my hand! Even better.”
Snorting, Peter joined her side again. They were definitely lost.
The train tracks weren’t difficult to find but once they reached it, both realized they had to pick a direction. Peter eyed the rusted tracks, not hearing any games of soccer on either side. Unless… unless it was in a building? But Gwen had said it was outside.
Peter turned, ready to ask a question before noting Gwen’s eyes. They were round, wide in shock. He could hear her heart racing that only encouraged his own anxiety to shoot up. Peter followed her line of sight, spotting familiar blonde hair, pink and blue tips whipping as she shook her head.
“Hey!” Peter called, grabbing Gwen’s hand to drag her across the lines. They jumped over the centerline between the guardrails while Peter called again for Aunt Harley.
“What are you doing!?” Gwen hissed, trying to pull him back. “That’s Harley Quinn you dumbass!”
“Aunt Harley!” Peter released Gwen to hug his Aunt. Harley cooed immediately, dropping down to hug him properly.
“Petey! Wowza, look at you!” Harley grinned, ruffling his hair as she pulled back. “Ole Brucie wasn’t too mad wit ya, yeah?”
Shaking his head, Peter glanced around for Aunt Pam. “No. He was just worried. Oh! This is Gwen!”
Peter pulled Gwen to his side, her eyes still as wide as they were minutes ago. He watched as Harley studied her for a moment, beaming at her too. She stayed crouched on the ground, closer to their level as she held out a hand to shake. “Nice ta meetchya. So where’s the parentals, kiddies? They know where ya’ve gone?”
“Mom’s with Sabrina, Gwen’s mom. We were supposed to go play soccer but we’re lost.” Peter sighed, noticing the bloody bat by Harley’s feet. “Didya kill someone?”
“Can ya keep a secret?” Harley grinned, looking between them both. When they both nodded, one a little more rigid than the other, her grin turned feral. “Ran inta some of Joka’s chumps. Thought after last time Idda teach 'em a lesson.”
Peter hummed, nodding along. Joker’s men weren’t very nice though Peter figured anyone working for the Joker would have to be cruel to survive his reign. He didn’t like murder but just like with Jason, he didn’t think she was terrible for it. Maybe she’ll stop killing eventually? She really only kills people that bother her…
“They probably deserved it.” Peter nodded sagely. “Wanna come with us?”
“Peter!” Gwen hissed, tugging him back. “Are ya crazy?”
“Nah, Peter’s a lil cupcake. Now me? Me, oh I’m crazy.” Harley laughed, poking Peter’s cheek as she talked.
“She’s really nice!” Peter added, beaming at Gwen. He could see her glancing around but any civilian that spotted Harley all gave them a wide berth. Maybe it was the bloody bat that scared them. Peter couldn’t really imagine anyone being afraid of her but people were afraid of Bruce too. Though people were afraid of Bruce because of his money, Aunt Harley just had her bat. “I promise!”
–
Bruce glanced at the child lock, pressing it again despite the locks already being engaged. Peter sat with Damian in the back and didn’t seem to be preparing for another break out. Still, Bruce pressed it, relaxing a little at the clicking.
Summer was almost over already and Peter’s birthday would be coming up in a few weeks. Somehow the entire three months passed by faster than Bruce expected. He had already begun the necessary background checks for all his children’s teachers. There would be less time to spend with them once classes take up their time.
Selina had suggested the zoo. Bruce might have been more eager to take his two youngest if he wasn’t concerned about what the both of them could get up to. Damian has been more behaved, acting as close to a civilian as he could without tarnishing his own reputation but he still had a tendency to act out. Especially where animals were concerned. Peter, too, has picked up the same habit.
Bruce could still see the hyena on Peter’s lap sometimes when he closed his eyes.
Driving just outside Gotham, far from Poison Ivy potentially dropping in on them, Bruce had decided a hike would be perfect. Both his sons could run around and there were no dangerous animals they would be tempted to adopt. Plus, no one could drop in on them as only Barbara and Alfred knew where they were going.
It would be perfect, especially with the sun out for once. Gotham didn’t have enough of it and Bruce had read articles about sunlight being good for children. This would be good. A good trip. A safe trip.
“Where are we going?” Peter piped up, finally losing interest in reading over his brother's shoulder. Damian sulked away from Peter, glaring at his phone.
“We are going to a nature preserve. I thought you two would like to hike with me today.” Bruce smiled, glancing back into the rearview mirror.
“I see. He wishes to test you before allowing any more of this Spider foolishness.” Damian nodded. Peter gasped loudly, looking between the two.
“What!? What’s the test? I can do it!” Peter leaned forward, his hands clutching onto the driver’s seat.
Maybe Bruce should have expected this. Damian still had plenty of the League’s training in mind and that wasn’t something that would ever just disappear. Not normally, anyway.
“There’s no test. It’s just a hike, Peter.” Bruce sighed, hoping this would alleviate Peter’s worries. He didn’t need them getting competitive. Clark had said hikes were great. He took his boys out regularly. Maybe if this went well, Bruce could invite the Kent's.
When he finally found the parking lot, he was relieved to see only a few scattered cars. Bruce was quick to park, fishing out the backpacks from the trunk that Alfred had prepared for them. Peter had pulled Damian to his side, reaching for the smallest one.
Bruce hid his smile as he passed the bag over, watching as Peter immediately rifled through it. Damian took his much more calmly, shrugging it on before marching for the path. “Let’s go, chum.”
Peter made an excited noise, pulling out a chocolate bar made specifically for Speedsters. Batman had to steal a few boxes from the Watchtower after Peter found his spare one.
With his enhanced metabolism, Alfred had to make him larger portions for their meals. Once school begins, Peter would also be bringing these bars with him to keep up his calorie intake. Bruce was glad that with the Flash and his family, it led to having a production line made specifically for metas with an increased metabolism.
He followed his sons as they walked together. Damian continued his march, eyes focused ahead and only occasionally flickering towards Peter. His youngest bounced back and forth, darting ahead only to return to Damian’s side when Damian didn't run with him. Bruce smiled when Damian was finally tugged along, forced to run beside Peter unless he wanted to be dragged.
The trees were full here, blue skies overhead. The forecast claimed it would be clear and Doctor Fate verified it. The birds sang, Bruce spotted a few swooping from the trees. Their chirping mingled with Peter's giggles as Damian cursed his brother in their sprint up the dirt stairway. Yes, this was bound to be a peaceful trip.
Dick hadn’t been confident that he could handle a trip alone with Damian and Peter. He tried joining in and it took all of his skill and experience for Bruce to keep him occupied. He can handle a hike with his youngest sons.
Damian was much more mature for a kid his age. Despite Bruce wishing he could be a proper kid, he couldn’t imagine Damian creating any trouble when they were so far out of civilization. Peter on the other hand has a proven track record of finding trouble. But again, what trouble would he find out in nature? Far from Poison Ivy? (Especially since Pamela would never hurt Peter even if he did something as heinous as litter.)
“Peter, enough of that. Climb back up.” Damian’s voice carried from above. The path stretched upwards into a small mountain. Bruce had picked the place specifically for the view at the top. He blinked, taking in the words Damian said.
Where did Peter climb down from? This part of the hike was a cliff, overlooking the small lake below them.
Speeding up without breaking into a run, Bruce spotted Damian by the ledge. His son stared below him with arms crossed. Where was Peter?
“But it’s so nice here!”
“You shouldn’t use your webs where civilians can see.”
He hoped Alfred packed something for migraines. Bruce finally reached Damian’s side, eyes shooting straight for his smallest child. Peter stood between the cliff and a rock column that split off from the side of the mountain. Webbing tied itself together between them as Peter fiddled with it. His feet were all that kept him upright.
So close to plummeting hundreds of feet below them.
So close to diving into a lake from dangerous heights.
“Peter.” Bruce tried to keep his voice soft. Selina said he couldn’t just yell when Peter did something wrong. Yelling was bad and Bruce was trying. He couldn't push Peter away by expressing his anger so rashly. He was too young to understand why Bruce would yell. ‘Climb back up. Please.”
He ignored Damian’s look, focusing on Peter.
“But… But Juniper says this place is perfect!” Peter pouted, finally holding onto the cliffside with one hand. "She wants to move here."
“Who’s Juniper?” Bruce glanced around the area. No one was around. There wasn’t the expected rustling of someone invisible nearby nor quiet breathing to indicate their location. Who was talking to his son?
“This is Juniper!” Peter grinned, lifting a small… spider from his shoulder.
Bruce sighed, relaxing a little at the spider. That’s fine. His kid was making friends, even if it was insects. “Juniper might like that spot but it isn’t a home for little boys. Come up, Peter.”
He knelt close to the edge, one arm reaching out for Peter. Bruce watched as Peter first put Juniper on what looks like a hammock made of webs, stroking the spider before he began climbing up. Once he was close enough, Bruce reached out to take his hand. Placing him back on the ground beside him and Damian.
This was fine. It was a peaceful hike. No one was hurt so it was peaceful.
“Alfred made us a picnic. Why don’t we get settled here for a bit?” Bruce suggested, glancing between his sons.
Damian got to work pulling out a blanket despite Bruce offering to set it up. He sat back, instead rifling through his own pack for the food and utensils. He kept one eye on Peter who had once again been distracted by another spider. His soft conversation with the spider carried off in the breeze.
That’ll be something new to add onto the file. But that’s work. Bruce settled on the blanket with Damian, Peter left the bush to join them excitedly. He leaned back a little, watching as the two took their meals. The breeze felt cool. Leaves rustled above them and no smog was around to cover the sunlight.