Work Text:
A person can only take so much in their life before they snap, like a wire that’s holding too much. Dick was shocked he was still able to keep up his carefree attitude if he was being honest. The constant stress and pressure he only feels when he’s around Bruce makes the wire grow taut, making the worst noises anytime someone pulls on it for fun. He feels like he’s the only one who feels this way but maybe that’s just due to him trying to ignore the feelings Bruce causes. The alarm bells that ring in his head anytime the older man is nearby, making his fight or flight turn to standby. Why does that fear exist, why can’t he just move past it and get along with the other? Dick isn’t sure he wants to find out.
~
Now, those feelings Dick had weren’t always there. He used to be kinda close to Bruce and always looked up to the man, it wasn’t until he got older and smarter that he started feeling this way. At once he felt like he could trust his life with Bruce, putting all faith in the older man. Looking back he always questions how naive he could be but then again he was a child. Watching his siblings get hurt because of the man didn’t help his feelings. Even when he himself was hurt by Bruce he couldn’t see the man in an ill manner. No matter how much someone wanted to escape the man they couldn’t, somehow he would always find you.
Dick hated the constant urge to check around to find if Batman was lurking nearby, even when the man was supposed to be in Gotham. This had been happening for as long at Dick could remember. Once Bruce Wayne took him in as his ward he has never been able to escape the feeling of the man's eyes. Even when he lived with the Teen Titans he never truly felt like he was away from the older man's gaze. Dick did speak up about it, even going as far as saying something to Bruce himself, but he was always brushed off as confused. He wasn’t confused and he knows it. Eventually he gave up on trying to figure out why he would feel this way, it was easier that way. Bruce Wayne was an odd man and an even more odd father.
Everything his family went through could somehow be tied to Bruce. Was it because he was the father? Someone they all trusted to protect them? Dick always assumed that was why but it’s hard to be able to trust Bruce after everything he did. Kicking him out, taking his position, not protecting Jason only to revive the man who killed him, and so so much more. He had always agreed with Jason about his views on Bruce, it was hard not to when Bruce made it so easy. Did this make Dick speak up about the man's odd behavior? No, it just made him avoid him more.
~
Dick knew he would snap, he did, he just didn’t think it would be this bad. It wasn’t even supposed to happen in the presence of his family, his friends? Yeah that would happen but his family? No way. Well Dick snapping caused all hell to break loose. It was like all his siblings just needed an excuse to do the same exact thing. It started with a family dinner and ended in a family fight. It was a Saturday, a normal simple Saturday. They had gathered at the manor around three so they would have time to spare before eating dinner. Dick had brought Wally without thinking of telling anyone, besides Alfred who was cooking. No one had a problem with it, or at least that’s what he had thought. When they had all sat down it was silent and no one made a move to start a conversation, it was always Dick.
“So, how was everyone's week?” He threw out, hoping to make the silence disappear.
“Mine was good Grayson, I was able to finish the english assignment we were working on,” Responded Damian, who only seemed to answer to please Dick.
“That’s good Dami,” He replied, feeling Wally squeeze his knee as support.
Dick knew something was about to happen. Call it his big brother intuition or the constant years living with Bruce but something was going to happen. The energy in the room was already tense when he first entered the Manor and Bruce joining his family simply made it worse.
Jason was the second one to speak, “My week was average, same shit and all.” Tim nodded in agreement, not saying a word in between his bites of food. It was almost as if they were avoiding saying too much.
Dick turned his head slightly, just enough to get a view of where Bruce was seated. All Dick saw was a tense man who couldn’t even relax enough to enjoy family dinner and Dick swore he could see red. Despite his anger he stayed silent, ignoring how much he wished Bruce would just go.
“Dick, why is there a speedster in my house?” Bruce asked with a serious tone, no hint of sarcasm.
“Because he’s my boyfriend? We’ve been dating for months Bruce, this isn’t even the first dinner he’s attended,” Dick said bitterly.
That must have shattered whatever was holding this night together. In an instant everyone's heads snapped in his direction, most out of concern and confusion. Alfred only sighed but Bruce? God did Bruce get angry quickly and Dick remembered why he feared him so much. Wally hadn’t said anything but once he saw Bruce's anger he shifted to a position he would be able to protect Dick in.
“Isn’t this supposed to be a family dinner?” Bruce asked with a sneer and the silence after was audible. All hell had finally broken loose and Dick couldn’t wait to see how Bruce reacted.
In an instant Jason was standing up, alongside Damian and Tim. Dick sat there in shock, not believing the words he was hearing. The table had erupted into what could only be described as chaos. Alfred had left the table the moment Bruce opened his mouth and Wally was sighing so loudly you would think he was dying.
“Says the man who’s willing to let his kids die!” Dick heard Jason yell.
“Father, why would you say such a thing to Grayson,” Followed Damian.
“Who the hell are you to say who Dick’s family is?” Wally said angrily.
“Bruce you’re barely a father what would you know about family,” Tim shouted the loudest, shutting everyone else up. That’s when Dick had finally spoken up.
“Bruce Wayne, for a man who hasn’t stopped adopting kids since he was in his twenties you sure have a lot to say about family,” Dick spoke evenly. “Remember when you kicked me out? Or how about the time you stole Robin from me? Wally has been more family to me than you ever have.”
Bruce didn’t respond, staring at all his ‘wonderful children’ with burning anger. No one but Jason spoke up and now that Dick was doing it, what is to stop anyone else? The quote on quote Golden Child had finally snapped, hell must've froze over. Dick didn’t stay around to hear the rest, leaving Wally as he quickly left the manor.
“Who are you to say things like that to him? Have you ever once thought about him more than his skills?” Wally asked, sneering at the oldest man in the room.
“I didn’t say anything wrong,” Bruce defended himself.
“Bruce Wayne, the amazing Batman. I guess it was never true huh?” Wally asked before walking away.
No one wanted to stick around after that. Damian ran out the manor after Wally, Jason scoffed as he looked at Bruce and followed behind Tim who didn’t say a word.
“Master Bruce, you need to think more wisely before you speak,” Spoke Alfred from the doorway in the kitchen, a disappointed look on his face.
What a lovely way to end a family dinner huh?