Chapter 30
Selina smiled, pulling the tea cup closer as Amberly giggled at the latest gossip. High socialite society leads to too many tea parties and gossip with little information actually being useful. At least today she isn’t fishing for any oral information.
Peter still sat comfortably beside her, his chicken nuggets ‘stomping’ across his plate as he played with them. He had begged to join her and there was no reason for her to turn him down. Hopefully he’s entertained by his nuggets, there weren't any kids his age present after all. She was sure Peter had another reason for joining today but until she can figure it out, she'd let him do his own thing.
“If you ladies will excuse me, I need to visit the restroom. Peter, can you wait here for me?” Selina stood, smiling at the table while she focused on Peter. He nodded, biting into the head of the dino nugget as he hummed in agreement. Chloe cooed, pinching his cheek while he was distracted.
Selina laughed, choosing to leave now before Peter could find an excuse to follow her.
This wasn’t the first time she’s visited the Anders’ home nor would it be the last. If today goes to plan, she will be visiting them much sooner. And hopefully the house will be empty by then. Their perfectly timed vacation to the Bahamas coincided so well with that new necklace recently purchased, it was as if they were begging Catwoman to pay their home a visit.
Reaching the bathroom, Selina took a moment to stare into the mirror. Mentally mapping out where she had to check to confirm just what she needed for her next heist. While Peter came with her, she wasn’t ready to have him be an accomplice just yet. He still dreamt of being a vigilante, she doubted he would have much of an interest in thievery.
Not like anyone would say anything if he did. But it’s the symbolism of it all. Her Peter should stay away from crime, even if she would like nothing more than to have one of her children joining her. Stephanie was most likely to follow her if she asked. Though Bruce would get possessive of his brood if she tried.
She met her own green eyes for a moment. Taking in the black and white dress, the small ketchup stain where Peter accidentally dropped a nugget on earlier. Selina never really thought of herself as a mom… not until Batman showed up one night with a child at his side. Not until someone had to have some amount of emotional intelligence around Batman if he wanted to house children. Much less raise them properly.
And then she had Peter.
She loves all of Bruce’s children. They were her own litter of kittens now and she would watch over them just as much as she does over Peter. But Peter, Peter was all hers. She watched him crawl and walk. Learn to talk and read. Bruce and her had the chance to raise Peter and god did they raise him well. All of Bruce's other children joined the family in their early pre-teen to teenage years. She may have had the chance to help them occasionally, but they could handle most things without her. Peter still relied on them. He looked up to her and Bruce in a way the others never needed to.
She smiled, slipping out of the bathroom. She knew Peter would remain her baby for a few more years. He was growing so fast, a sentiment she's heard other mothers say about their own children and something she finally understands. He's nearly eight and already begging to join the family in their nighttime activities. Even with the training from Jason and his own little escapades, Peter still is very much her sweet baby boy.
“Whatcha doing mom?” Peter scrambled to stand up as Selina stumbled over her heels.
“Peter?” She held her hand out for Peter to take, studying her son worriedly. He should still be on the patio. “Did something happen?”
“No. Why’re you really here?” Peter met her eyes, the inquisitive curiosity clear in his eyes.
Selina had known since Peter was crawling that he would take after Bruce more. While she would have preferred that he picked up on her self-preservation, she wasn’t really surprised. The son of Batman would dive head first into trouble and he certainly would follow a line of questioning to satiate his curiosity.
“I’m working, kitten. Can you wait on the patio for me?”
“I can help!” Peter perked up, the light reflecting in his eyes.
“Alright.” Selina smiled. Well if her son wanted to help, who was she to deny him? “I need a distraction. Can you do that?”
She smiled as Peter’s grin grew wide. He excitedly ran off, his sneakers squeaking against the tiles. Catwoman didn’t need a distraction but having her Spider-kit help was always wanted. Maybe there was time to raise the perfect little thief after all.
Selina kept one ear out as she slipped up the stairs. The cacophony of high pitched screams became almost background noise as she found the door. She knew Peter was no doubt creating some chaos out there, given permission from her 'need' of a distraction no doubt unleashed whatever plans he crafted in his boredom.
The study was just as you would expect from an old home like this. Plush carpeting covered the floor, leading towards a large deep redwood desk. There weren’t any papers left on it but Selina wasn’t there for paperwork. She carefully moved around the desk towards the painting, studying the cliffside with an ominous house atop it.
Running her fingers along the frame, she found small hinges to the left. With a little maneuvering she managed to swing the painting outward. Behind it was exactly what she pictured, the steel safe door with a numbers pad on the right side of a little nook.
She took the time to study the lock carefully, mentally mapping the best way to break through the door when she returns later that night. The screaming has died down by now so her missing presence would be noticed if she stayed any longer.
Either way, she would need to plan for Catwoman’s return later. Right now, she has to check on the chaos her son has created in the garden.
Selina glided down the stairs, carefully fidgeting with her hair as if she found an offending knot. The glass door to the garden showed her just what her son managed to do for a distraction.
Cats do like to hunt snakes.
Peter was grinning, holding two garden snakes as the women kept the pillar of the gazebo between them. Two of the kitchen staff were currently trying to negotiate with her son who sat comfortably on the ground with the reptiles in his lap.
“Peter, darling, what on earth is going on here?” Selina pulled a concerned look, inwardly praising her son’s creativity. How he managed to find snakes in the time it took for her to go up the stairs is beyond her but she loved it.
“Look! This one is Loki and this is Thor!” Peter beamed, raising both snakes as he named them.
Well, at least they aren’t hyenas.
–
Damian considered the atrocity of the main family room. A crudely drawn hand painting with the words “Happy Birthday Dami” covered a good portion of the wall, likely created by Peter due to the obvious childish talent needed for it's uneven lettering and dismal artistry. Though, he wouldn’t discount Richard’s involvement considering previous birthdays signs.
The previous year, he had been occupied with other tasks and had not been provided with a party such as this. Damian hardly saw a reason for a party to begin with but Peter’s eyes combined with Jon’s badgering over the past few weeks had worn his resolve.
Walking further into the room, he resolutely ignored his brother at his heels. Peter was no doubt waiting for some overly dramatic reaction to the room.
“It is suitable.” It was hardly glamorous. The room was covered in color and streamers, wrapped presents stacked on one table. Damian… appreciated the effort nonetheless.
“Suitable?” Peter pouted, his lower lip jutting out. Clearly he was fishing for further compliments.
“You accomplished a task not set for you. The initiative is appreciated.” Damian hummed, ignoring the wide grin that lit up Peter's face. Surely he would have learned to be more subtle with his feelings by now. Their family was hardly one for excessive emotions, well, other than Richard.
Said brother joined them quickly with Drake at his heels, the latter consumed by his phone. Richard pranced into the room, proudly waving a large box in the air as he carried it to the table.
Damian had refused to have a large party, only willingly inviting one other person outside of the family. He barely even agreed to this much and it was clear Richard would no doubt attempt to make the most of it. Hopefully, Jon will arrive soon and with that, he could have an excuse to slip out.
“Oh, Jon’s here.” Drake fell onto the couch, swatting Richard’s attempted coddling away once the box had been removed from his hands. Peter bolted at those words, leaving the room as quickly as he could with his enhancements.
Damian bit back a sigh. Peter had been more adamant as of late to meet his friend, something Damian had hoped to keep away from the impressionable child. Jon was a good person to be sure. Peter would love him easily. The two were too similar and would get along well. Damian refused to think on that possibility any more than necessary.
Following Peter’s path at a more sedate pace, he kept an ear out for his excited babbling. He first spotted Alfred walking towards him, a slim yellow wrapped present in hand as he made his way to the living room. Damian nodded swiftly before stepping to the side to find Peter on Jon’s shoulders in the entry way of the manor.
Jon floated off the ground, chattering on as Peter reached for the roof. Before Damian could reach them, Peter slipped from Jon’s shoulder and crawled along the ceiling, never losing the bright grin on his face.
“Woah! Damian! You didn’t tell me your brother’s a meta!” Jon flew to him excitedly.
“Because he isn’t. Peter is a special case.” Damian scoffed. Peter didn’t carry the meta gene. Whatever toxins in Joker’s newest creation had somehow altered Peter but he wouldn’t classify as a meta exactly.
Damian scowled at Peter’s bright giggling. “Jon! He called me special!” He further ignored Peter dropping from the ceiling to land squarely on Jon’s shoulders. This was a terrible idea. They were too similar.
“Do not infect him with your likeness, Kent.” Damian turned to return to the family room. He would need to plan a way to pry those two apart for the rest of the party.
–
Peter dropped to the bed once they entered the room. Nate joined him after leaving the door wide open for once. Neither spoke after the verbal beat down from Nate’s mom they had just managed to escape. Peter thought his dad had been angry but apparently Mrs. Williams’ anger was on a different level.
Alfred had dropped Peter off a half hour ago. They had to sit at the kitchen table drinking orange juice while getting lectured about sneaking off and were now banned from closing the door ‘lest they get any more dangerous ideas’. Peter had thought both their parents have moved on from that by now. It was forever ago. They had to have forgiven them for it by now.
“Your mom’s scary.” Peter said. Mrs. Williams was a terrifying woman when she wanted to be.
“Your dad is terrifying.” Nate scoffed, rolling over to lay on his stomach. “They finally let you out?”
“My mom can be scary too.” Peter grinned, rolling over too.
Peter knew his mom let him out and his dad didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. She had taken him to visit Gwen after all. He wasn’t sure how long it would take before his dad tried to drag him back to WE to keep an eye on him but until then, Peter relished any chance to visit his friends.
Even if they were civilians. Peter was practically a civilian anyway. Nate reminded him of a boy from Before. A boy Peter’s seen in his dreams that helped Spider-man. The only difference is that Nate would never help Spider-man. Nate didn’t deserve to suffer for Peter’s sake.
“Wanna hack into the school records?” Nate grinned, resting a hand on his cheek. “It’s way easier than it should be.” Yeah, Nate really did feel familiar.
Peter grinned, following Nate quickly to the laptop at his desk. Nate was pretty smart too. Their teachers always paired them up since they were always ahead in class which is how Peter even befriended him. Both of them had an interest in engineering, something they spent most of their time in school discussing.
He hoped they would be in the same class in the new year. And if not, maybe they could change that.
“Let’s see if we’re in the same class!” Peter suggested, hanging off the back of the chair as Nate started up the laptop.
Peter watched as Nate got into the school’s server. It didn’t take long at all before they were scrolling through the class list and pointing out names of different students that they’ll be seeing when classes start up again. He wondered briefly if Gwen would ever go to Gotham Elementary. She was smart enough to enter if she wanted.
“Hey Nate…” Peter grinned as an idea came to mind. “Think you could send a scholarship test to someone?”
Gwen could definitely pass the test and Peter wouldn’t even have to get his dad to help her.
“That girl you mentioned? I guess.” Nate moved through the server, searching for the files needed for an outside student to apply. “Can’t you just get your dad to talk to the principal? Doesn’t he… own the school?”
Peter frowned at the question. His dad owned a lot of buildings but he didn’t think he owned his school. “No? He bought Dami the zoo, I think.”
“... Yeah he’s terrifying.” Nate sighed, slumping into his seat before refocusing on the screen.
–
Jason shoved the couch another inch to the right. Somehow the shift still didn’t make the safehouse look like an apartment. The old ratty couch was too used to bloody patch ups after patrols and a too tired Red Hood dozing on it more often than the bed. It was too late to buy a new couch before Peter would arrive.
Leaving the living room, Jason slipped back to his bedroom. Quack sat on the dresser, the ribbon still neatly wrapped around its neck.
Would Peter still care about this thing?
He wasn’t sure if Peter had outgrown stuffed animals by now. Hell, Jason hadn’t really had stuffed animals growing up. He had no frame of reference for that. What if Peter hated seeing it? What if he's forgotten about it? Does he even want it back?
Rapid fire knocking caught his attention. Jason huffed, already guessing who was behind the excited sound. He eyed the duck one last time before closing the door, he’ll figure it out later. Jason glared at the stupid couch, wishing he planned better ahead of time.
“I’m coming! Relax.” Jason scoffed, a soft smile making its way on his face against his wishes. The door quickly opened, barely giving him a second before hands wrapped around his legs. Peter’s curly head of hair greeting him. “Hey, kid.”
“Jason! You missed soooo much! I fought Two Face and saved Dad!”
“Well that’s my cue.” Steph grinned, shooting finger guns before sprinting down the hall before Jason could drag her back. What the fuck did he miss now?
“Yeah? Tell me about it.” Jason led Peter into the apartment, nodding along as Peter began the story.
Peter rambled on about the gala he had gone to while Jason focused on preparing lunch. Apparently Bruce had let Peter stand with a gun to his head. Jason had to take a minute to breath, pushing the green back as Peter obliviously continued on with his tale. The handle of the pan creaked in his hand as he shoved it too hard onto the stove top.
Bruce might be a dick. He might make little soldiers to dress up in bright colors and fight crime. But Bruce would not let Peter join. Or that’s what Jason thought once. He knew Bruce cared about Peter differently than the rest of the bats. Peter didn’t come to him with a butt load of trauma like everyone else. He didn’t have to fight for scraps to survive or chase his parents’ killer through the streets.
Peter never should have had to face things like that. He was supposed to be the normal one of the family.
Jason might not live in the manor anymore but he knew that Peter wouldn’t stay idly at home. Hell, the kid hunted him down and managed to get lessons out of him. Jason wasn’t sure how he got roped into it anymore but he knew Peter wouldn’t just stop if he tried to end the lessons.
He couldn’t mention his concerns to the others either since they were all used to Peter’s stubbornness in this area. If Jason tried to mention the look in his eyes he would be compared to Batman over his paranoia. Peter could have just been taking the lesson seriously. Maybe he was just emulating Jason or Bruce.
“Jason?” Peter frowned, finished with his excited retelling of the Two Face confrontation. Jason was just glad Dent was in Arkham. Otherwise he’d be meeting with a Red Hood far from Batman’s purview. There wouldn't be anything left of the ex-attorney if Jason had a say in it.
“Here, Pete.” Jason placed the shrimp and rice on a plate before handing it to Peter. “What do you wanna watch? Guest’s choice.”
He followed Peter to the couch, joining him on the ratty thing as Peter took the controller. Jason relaxed back into his seat to watch him make his choice. There had to be a way to convince Peter to drop the vigilante dream. Peter’s seen what it does to them, how hurt they become and how draining it can be. Surely Peter would find something else he’d rather be. Something safe. Maybe he could be an engineer, the kid has obvious talent there.
“Can we watch Encanto?”
“God no.” Jason snorted, a movie about a family full of problems? Yeah he’d visit the manor if he wanted to see that.
Eventually Peter settled for Empire Strikes Back as they ate. Jason didn’t care too much for Star Wars but Peter had a little obsession with it apparently. Dick had mentioned it once after Peter and Tim had a movie marathon.
Apparently the others had found reasons to leave early that night.
Jason hummed, focusing on his rice while subtly checking in on Peter throughout the movie. Peter didn’t look any different, his food half forgotten as he stared at the screen. There was no hard edge to him, no haunting shadows in his eyes.
Maybe it was just paranoia after all.
–
Peter laid on the grass, panting hard to catch his breath. He knew the bruises would be gone by morning. He didn’t have to worry about anyone finding out and soon enough he could finally protect them. He could be in pain now if it meant he could keep his family safe.
The forest area was only lit by the single lamp that Talia always brings. She had put out the fire halfway through his fight, stating Peter needed to learn with disadvantages. Peter had to bite his tongue from telling her that it was more of an advantage than anything else.
He didn’t need the light after all. Spider’s can see just as well in the dark. Shame Talia didn't read up on her spider facts.
“You are improving.” Talia’s voice caught his attention. Peter stiffened at her voice before slowly relaxing at the lack of a command. “How do you feel?”
Peter felt tired. He felt out of breath and ready to sleep. He also felt impatient. His dad still hasn’t taken him out again since the first time as Spider and Peter was more prepared than before. He was ready but his dad still kept telling him to wait. His siblings didn't help much either. No one wanted him to join them. Peter could do it but no one listens. Dick even knows that he takes lessons. Jason taught him to fight and maybe no one knows about Talia but he could do it!
“He still won’t take me out.” Peter frowned, chewing on his lip. How could he prove to Tim and Jason and his dad that they were safe if he couldn’t show them? How was he supposed to bring them home if they still treated him like a kid?
“It’s a shame they don’t see the potential.” Talia agreed, sitting on the log beside the little lamp. “You can become the greatest if only they cared.”
They did care though. Peter turned to her, ready to tell her as much but bit his tongue at the sharp look. He shied away from the look, focusing on the grass by his head instead. He knew they cared. His dad just worried too much. That’s all it was. Right?
“Bruce brings his family out on patrol. He creates heroes for Gotham and yet he leaves you behind. The smartest man of Gotham fails to see just what you can become, Peter. Tell me, does he really care for you? Or does he care about what you could represent?”
“Represent?” Peter pushed himself up, the frown still present. His dad cares. Of course he does. Peter’s been grounded enough times to know it.
“Perhaps he wants you to stay separate. To keep the divide from heroes to civilians. He does not want you with them. He doesn’t want you at his side as he does Damian or any of the others.”
His dad just doesn’t see it. That’s all. Peter shook his head. His dad does want him.
“He wants me.”
“Perhaps. But not as you want to be.”
The grass felt cold as Peter gripped the dirt beneath him. Talia couldn’t be right. His dad wants him no matter what he wants to be. His mom even said he could be a thief and they’d support him. Of course his dad would still love him in a suit.
He just doesn’t think Peter’s ready.
Peter just has to prove it. Somehow.
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“Very well. Stand up.” Peter complied immediately. Moving to stand in front of her as she shifted her feet. Peter mirrored her movements, readying himself for getting beaten again.
She was better but Peter will improve. He will show his family that he can protect them and he’ll show his dad he could join them. That he can protect them.