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Batman had sent word at the last minute that he would be unavailable to attend the Justice League’s strategy meeting due to an unspecified emergency in Gotham. He’d promised to send someone in his place, and Clark had naturally assumed it would be Nightwing. Dick had been offered League membership more than once, he’d be the logical choice.
Technically, Clark wasn’t wrong.
Just as the meeting is about to start, Nightwing walks into the meeting room on the Watchtower, leading a trail of other young vigilantes. Following him are five others, one in a red and black suit with a cape designed to look like wings, one in a black costume with a yellow bat across the chest, one in a mostly-purple costume with a hood, one in a version of the Robin costume that included a sword, and one in a red helmet with an unreasonable amount of guns holstered to him.
“Sorry about this,” Nightwing says. “B’s in one of his moods where he thinks he has to work alone, and he doesn’t trust us not to get involved, so he made me bring everyone.”
Clark resists the urge to rub his temples. “Care to introduce us?” he asks.
“Right! This is Red Robin.” Dick gestures to the teenager with the wing cape. “That’s Batgirl, and Spoiler’s the one in purple.”
“It’s eggplant,” Spoiler interrupts.
“Mmhm. This is Robin.” Dick puts his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “And the one in the helmet is Red Hood.”
“Wait—” Barry interrupts. “Red Hood? As in, ruthless Gotham crime boss Red Hood?”
“Everyone always brings that up,” Red Hood huffs. Oliver runs a hand down his face.
“Anyway!” Dick chirps. “Since we’re here, we might as well help. Red Robin in particular is a good strategist.”
Red Robin shifts on his feet and clears his throat, clearly embarrassed.
“Alright,” Clark says carefully. He trusts Dick, and he knows Bruce wouldn’t send anyone to the Watchtower if he thought they were a threat. There’s a bit of shuffling to make room, but eventually Dick sits in Batman’s usual seat, the others clustered behind him.
Hal starts in on the briefing, bringing them up to speed on the impending threat. The aliens aren’t particularly vicious, according to him, and it would be better to redirect them than to attack. He’s outlining a strategy when Red Robin interrupts.
“No, that won’t work,” he says. He’s bent over a tablet, scanning the information. “This says they respect intelligence, wit, and honor. We can’t just sneak around, they’d take it as an insult. We should meet them with direct communication, and earn their respect. Their honor code won’t allow them to come to Earth uninvited if we prove ourselves.” He flicks the attached document detailing the alien culture up onto the screens.
“So, like the Riddler?” Spoiler asks.
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“Who’s the Riddler?” Arthur asks.
“Gotham rogue,” Dick explains. “Likes to leave puzzles for us to solve, and he’ll come quietly if he’s beaten fair and square.”
“You have a lot of experience dealing with him?” Hal asks.
“We all do.” Red Robin shrugs.
“Yeah, but you’re his favorite.” Spoiler points out. “You’re the smart Robin.”
“I take offense to the implication that he is more intelligent than I am,” Robin snarls.
“Sucks to suck, gremlin,” Red Hood says. “RR’s the smart one, you’re the stabby one.”
Robin hisses. Clark has no idea what he’s supposed to do. He’s not even sure where half these kids came from.
“Guys, can we not do this front of the Justice League?” Dick sighs.
“Hey, if Daddy Bats didn’t want us to make fools of ourselves in front of his team, he shouldn’t have sent us to the Watchtower.” Red Hood shrugs unapologetically.
“Uh, Daddy Bats?”
“He’s adopted,” Dick says.
Red Hood smacks the back of his head. “You’re adopted too, asshole.”
“All adopted,” Batgirl chimes in.
“Mostly adopted,” Robin sneers.
“Yeah, I’m not part of this,” Spoiler says. “I just work here.”
“You are… Batman’s children?” J’onn asks.
“I am the true son of Batman,” Robin starts. Dick cuts him off with a hand over his mouth.
“Yes, all of us except Spoiler. We’re— stop biting me!” Dick jerks his hand away.
“If you do not wish to be bitten, do not put your hand within biting range of my mouth,’ Robin says.
“Did you know he had kids?” Arthur asks Clark.
“I’ve known Nightwing since he was young,” he answers. “And I met his second oldest once.”
“Actually, we met twice,” Red Hood says.
Clark freezes. That couldn’t be… Jason had died years ago, killed by the Joker. It was his death that had led Bruce to closing himself off from the Justice League.
“How is this possible?” Diana asks. “We were told you had died.”
“Oh yeah, I did do that.” Red Hood, Jason, says. “I got better. Oh! Before I forget, Green Arrow?”
“Yes?” Oliver says through gritted teeth.
“Arsenal says hi.”
Oliver sighs. “Tell him I say hi as well.”
“You know each other?” Barry demands.
“He and my former protégée work together,” Oliver explains.
Jason laughs. “What he means is that I’m banging his son.”
Oliver drops his head onto the table.
“Should we… get back to the mission?” Hal asks cautiously.
“Yes,” Clark jumps on the suggestion. “We need to work out a solid plan for handling this threat.”
“Already have a plan,” Batgirl says, pointing at Red Robin.
“Yes, Red Robin gave us a good starting point—”
Batgirl shakes her head, pointing again at Red Robin. Dick sighs.
“We’re not just going to send our brother out to confront aliens without a plan.”
“Oh, like you’ve never done something like that,” Jason teases. “There’s a reason the phrase ‘Nightwinging it’ exists.”
“I’m trying to set a good example for our impressionable siblings.” Dick is clearly fighting back a smile.
“Bit late for that,” Red Robin mumbles, bent over his tablet again. “And besides, I’ve gone up against the Riddler with no plan, no sleep in the past forty-eight hours, and hopped up on energy drinks. I can handle this.”
“Yes, and that green-suited fool threw you into the harbor,” Robins points out. “That is hardly a good case for your competence.”
“Fuck off.”
Suddenly, all the screens in the room light up green.
“B’s getting his ass handed to him, we need you all back here,” a disembodied voice says.
“Did he actually ask for our help?” Dick asks.
“No, but he’ll get over it.”
“Alright. On our way.”
The screens go back to normal.
“Well, we’re needed elsewhere.” Dick stands, the rest of the group moving with him. Red Robin flicks something else off his tablet onto the screens.
“There’s your plan, I’m sure you can fine-tune it without us.”
Once the Bats have left, the room is silent.
“What the fuck,” Hal whispers.