Chapter Text
Bruce and Hal had gotten married after having lived together for nearly two years, and being together for three. It had been sudden, rushed and perfect. If only announcing it to their close ones was so simple.
1.
It had taken Bruce quite some time to gather all the kids to tell them they had gotten married. Almost three months had passed when they all found themselves around the Manor’s dining room’s table.
"Now that we're all here -" Bruce had said, loudly enough to put a stop to the conversations.
If anyone else was speaking, it wouldn’t have been effective but the kids were so used to respecting Bruce’s authority in the field that the room had fallen silent when he had raised his voice.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last for long.
"Wait, wait. I have an announcement to make,” Dick had claimed, interrupting him rudely before he could finish his sentence.
Dick stopped there, maintaining the suspense for a few more seconds. Bruce supposed it was his own fault if most of the kids had a flair for dramatics.
"Sorry ?" Bruce articulated slowly, rather dumbfounded.
He hadn’t expected Dick to speak up since he wasn’t in the know. He looked at Hal, but Hal looked even more confused than he himself was.
"Right, it’s not exactly my announcement but today's we're celebrating something special and I wanted to say a word,” Dick said.
Does he know ? Hal mouthed to Bruce, at a loss and Bruce just shrugged helplessly. If his son did, he didn’t get the information from him.
The kids were aware they were dating. Hal was a constant fixture at the Manor when he was Earthside and Bruce and Hal had never pretended they weren’t a couple. Not there.
“I don’t want us to hide when we’re home.” Bruce had said one of the first times they had been at the Manor together.
Hal hadn’t been invited to stay at the Manor until they had been dating for about six months and Hal had finally understood why at that moment. Bruce didn’t hide in the Manor, he was himself.
So when Hal had tried to step away from him when he had heard the creak of nearby floorboards, Bruce had just held him closer.
Bruce’s daughter had just waved, gone past them and totally ignored the fact that they were in each other’s arms, clearly unbothered. Bruce’s children had all reacted in a similar way, just accepting the new stray Bruce had brought back home as a new family member easily.
But this was different. They had gotten married, and truth be told, Hal was a bit nervous about the kids’ reactions this time. Hal knew how much his children’s opinion meant to Bruce and he could only hope things went well with them.
He wasn’t sure the amused glint in the eyes of Bruce’s eldest was a good sign or not and stayed on his guard, bracing himself.
"It's a great honor for me, tonight, to tell you all about Jason's-” Dick started saying.
“Please shut up for once,” Jason groaned before the other vigilante could say more, dramatically hiding his face behind his hands.
There was no doubt he would have prevented Dick from talking if had been any closer instead of at the other side of the table but knew he wouldn’t be fast enough.
“- graduation.”
So, Dick didn’t know. Bruce and Hal shared a relieved glance before Dick’s words hit everyone and all eyes set on Jason.
“You… graduated ?” Bruce asked his son. “I knew you were taking classes but I didn't realize…”
Bruce didn’t finish his sentence, troubled. He should have noticed.
“Wait, you knew ?” Jason frowned.
The young man had been careful to never mention his classes. He didn’t want his family to find out. Well, it was probably too late for this.
“There were a few rough drafts for an essay in the library. You’ve always liked using the desk here,” Bruce said.
Jason often did his homework there, before… Before. Maybe things hadn’t changed that much, Bruce thought, but a single look at Jason was enough to make him dismiss the idea.
“You really checked the paper bin ?” the boy groaned.
“It was uncharacteristically full. I didn’t know you were close to graduating, though,” Bruce added.
Hal elbowed him discreetly. Bruce looked at him in surprise.
“That’s impressive, Jason,” Hal said, insisting on the adjective.
Bruce finally got the memo. Hal wanted him to congratulate Jason for his achievement. He had been about to do it, Hal didn’t need to tell him so. Did he ?
“I’m really proud of you,” he told Jason.
Their eyes met briefly before the kid looked down at his plate.
“Yes, yes, you’re all happy about it. Can we eat, now ?” Jason grunted. “Alfred’s food is going to get cold.”
However, Hal had caught the half-smile that had graced his face for half a second and he was certain Bruce had too.
“Let’s do that. But I want to see you in my study after dinner,” Bruce said.
Jason’s graduation surely deserved a one-to-one conversation.
“Ugh,” Jason muttered, which meant Bruce would have to hunt him down through the Manor to get him in his study.
“To Jason !” Dick said, raising his glass.
They all clinked glasses and congratulated Jason happily.
"I didn't ask for anything,” Jason protested, his ears reddening.
"Luckily for you, you didn't even have to,” Dick said, quite satisfied with himself.
Bruce may have gotten a few things wrong with the kids but he had given something invaluable : people they could trust and who loved them. Family, in the best sense of the term.
"I hate you so much,” Jason sighed without much heat.
“Aww. I knew I was your favorite brother,” Dick cooed, and the others laughed.
“As if. B, you wanted to tell us something before Dick’s over the top intervention ?” Jason said, trying to distract the attention from him.
Bruce’s gaze met Hal’s, who shook his head so discreetly Bruce may have not noticed if he hadn’t been watching him closely.
“It can wait,” Bruce said. “Tonight we’re celebrating your diploma.”
Jason just groaned some more as the rest of the family congratulated him again.
2.
“Now that we’re all here together, I thought that maybe it could be a good time to tell you that I'm gay. I’ve never liked boys and never will and I thought it was important for you to know that. I’m still the same old Helen but well, now you know.”
“You knew ?” Bruce asked his husband.
He had only met Helen a handful of times himself but even if he never had a chance to talk to her, he heard a lot about her from Hal, who was clearly quite fond of his niece.
“That she would come out to the whole family before we had a chance to say a word about our marriage ? No. That she liked girls ? I suspected,” Hal admitted as Jack and Janice went to embrace their daughter.
"I can't imagine being so brave at her age,” he added, a bit admirative.
"Really ? How much older than her were you when you became a Lantern ?" Bruce asked him mockingly.
He found Hal’s niece quite brave too, but he couldn’t let Hal not admit that he’d been just as brave before. Still was.
"Oh, I wasn't brave. I was a fool," Hal said, shaking his head and laughing.
"Would you do it again ?" Bruce asked. “Knowing all you know now, would you do it again ?”
"I've taken my fair share of dubious decisions in my lifetime. This isn't one I regret," Hal said, looking at Bruce intensely.
The vigilante was quite certain that they weren't talking about Hal becoming a Lantern anymore.
He kissed Hal softly.
“I’m glad,” he said.
"Same,” Hal said. “You’re one of the best things that has ever happened to me, Bruce.”
He was about to say more but a familiar voice interrupted them.
"Hi, uncle Hal. Hi, Bruce,” Helen said, hugging her uncle and smiling at his partner.
"It was a lovely speech,” Bruce told her as Hal returned her hug.
"Thanks,” the seventeen year old girl told him earnestly.
"I'm so proud of you, Helen,” Hal told her.
Helen smiled and let go of him.
“It’s rather easy to do when someone else is already out in the family,” she said.
Hal exchanged a look with Bruce. He didn’t think it was that easy.
"What's your girlfriend's name ?” Bruce asked.
The teenager gaped at him.
"How do you know ?" she asked, stunned.
“Bruce’s good at analyzing people,” Hal told her, smirking.
It was always nice when you were not the one getting analyzed.
"Your timing. You're planning to go to prom with her and you couldn't hide that from your parents,” Bruce said.
“Touché,” Helen said.
“I need to talk to Jack. Is it okay if I leave you two together ?” Hal asked, looking at Bruce.
“I don’t bite, Uncle Hal,” Helen said in fond exasperation before Bruce could say anything, as if he had thought she would intimidate Bruce and not the other way around.
“Go tell that to Arthur Lennox,” Hal snorted.
The boy was in Helen’s 3rd grade class and a bit of a bully. She had bitten him during lunch and had been punished. Hal had been the one who had picked her up that day and Helen’s teacher had quite a few words with him about his niece’s behavior.
The family still teased Helen about it occasionally.
“I was eight ! And he deserved it, he stole my dessert !” Helen said, rolling her eyes dramatically.
Bruce had previously thought she’d taken after her mother, but she looked a lot like Hal when she did that.
“Ah, I see. He absolutely deserved it,” Bruce said, nodding his approval.
His tone was a bit mocking but Helen pretended she didn’t hear it and told Hal that even his boyfriend agreed with her.
“You don’t even like chocolate,” Hal observed.
“I wanted to give my brownie to my friend Laura,” the teenager revealed.
She had never told Hal about it before.
“He deserved it,” Bruce repeated, and Helen high fived him.
“I should have known you two would get on like a house on fire,” Hal said, shaking his head, but there was too much love in his voice for them to believe he wasn’t happy about it.
“Didn’t you want to talk to Dad ?” Helen asked him.
Hal kissed the crown of her head and kissed Bruce’s cheek before he went away from them to talk to Jack about their mother’s medical expenses.
Bruce thought Helen would shy away now that her uncle was gone but she proved him wrong. She offered him a fruit scented chewing gum and sat on the low wall Bruce was leaning against, making herself effectively taller than him.
"You know, when Hal told us he was dating you, I didn't think it'd last. I mean, don't take it too badly but uh… I've seen a few of your interviews and I didn't get why my uncle would date you. But now I'm glad it's lasted,” the teenager said.
Her tone was quite soft, she sounded even younger than she was when she talked.
So, an iron fist in a velvet glove, Bruce noted. Maybe Hal had been worried Helen would intimate him, actually. The kid hadn’thesitated to tell him he looked dumb in interviews and that she didn’t think he’d make good dating material at first but that he now had her support. Alfred would have said she was an interesting young lady.
"I'm glad too,” he told her.
"Take care of him. Uncle Hal flexes his muscles but he’s a big softie,” she said.
"I know,” he told her, smiling. “I promise you, Helen,” he said, offering her his hand to shake.
She did, and made an attempt at crushing his fingers. He held back a smile.
"Her name's Ofelia, by the way,” Helen said, looking straight at Bruce and sticking her tongue out at him as if she was a much younger child as she climbed down the low wall as her mother called for her.
"I love this kid,” Bruce told Hal later, looking at his niece going from one group to another like the sweet social butterfly she was.
"Me too,” Hal said. “Helen’s quite amazing.”
She had a good heart and she wasn’t faint-hearted. Hal wasn’t the only Jordan with an iron will and he was quite certain that if she had been born when Abin Sur had died, he would never have become a Lantern. He could see why Bruce liked her. She probably had managed to insult and charm him with a single sentence.
Family members usually said she reminded them of Hal. As far as he could tell, it wasn’t a compliment.
“Bruce,” he said after they had both stayed silent for a while, taking Bruce’s hand into his.
"Um,” his husband answered him after kissing Hal’s knuckles.
"She has loving and competent parents who are actually very much alive,” Hal said, brushing a dark strand of hair away from Bruce’s eyes.
"I didn't say anything,” Bruce said, glaring at him, which owed him a laugh.
"You had that look,” Hal said fondly.
3.
“So, we’ve actually invited you here because we want to renew our vows,” Dinah finished saying after they’d all sat in the grass.
She looked radiant, in her red summer dress.
“You mean, now ?” Hal said, confused.
None of them were really dressed for the occasion or anything. There was nobody here who could officiate. Maybe Barry ? Hal wouldn’t be surprised if he could. Did you need an officiant if it was only to renew your vows ? Or was the previous engagement sufficient enough ?
“Oh no,” Oliver said, laughing and Hal snapped out of his thoughts. “We want to do it next year, for our five year anniversary.”
“Oh, great !” Hal said with a large smile, looking at Bruce.
“A word, sweetheart ?” his partner asked.
He sounded slightly annoyed but Hal took his hand and they walked toward the river, where the sound of water would cover their voices.
“We’re not doing it now,” Bruce hissed.
“Why not ?” Hal protested, crossing his arms on his chest. “It’s not like they were renewing their vows now, they only said they will.”
Bruce went closer and put his hands on Hal’s shoulder, looking at him straight in the eye.
“Hal, let’s do this properly,” he said softly.
“If we wanted to do this properly, we would have invited them to the wedding,” Hal grumbled, but he had checked their surroundings before mentioning their marriage.
He didn’t want anyone to find out like that. He wanted to tell them all.
“I know it’s frustrating you, but I want this to be special. A good memory for us,” Bruce said pleadingly.
“Okay. Now doesn’t feel like the right time anyway. Come here.”
They stayed enlaced for a few seconds before Hal took Bruce’s hand in his and they walked back to their friends.
4.
“Babs and I have news !” Dick announced the second they walked into the Manor.
Bruce and him had gotten the door since Alfred was busy cooking.
“Hi, Bruce, hi, Hal. Dick, maybe it can wait until everyone’s here,” Barbara stopped him gently, intertwining their hands and pulling him towards the living-room where most of the other kids were already reunited.
Hal and Bruce stopped in front of the door and exchanged a few glances.
“Aren’t you coming in ?” Dick asked, confused.
“There’s something we need to discuss in my study but we’ll be back soon,” Bruce promised him.
“You almost traumatized Damian the last time you made out there,” Dick pointed out.
Bruce glared at him and he retreated into the living-room. Hal took Bruce’s hand into his and took the direction of the study.
“What do you think it is, this time ?” Hal asked, once the door was closed -and locked, which conjured a few unhelpful memories- behind him.
“Have you somehow missed the diamond on Barbara’s ring finger ?” Bruce asked him sardonically.
“Ah. So, I guess…” Hal said, dejected.
“Not tonight, no. I’m sorry, my love,” Bruce said, kissing Hal gently, an apology.
“I’m happy for the kids. Really,” Hal insisted as Bruce wrapped his arms around him.
“I know. I’m happy for them too but I hate their timing,” his companion said, shaking his head.
He was starting to feel demoralized too.
“I feel you. Look, I married Bruce Wayne, I think it’s natural for me to want to show him off,” Hal pouted.
It broke the tension and they laughed.
“I’m afraid the kids won’t be very impressed. If we ever manage to tell them,” Bruce said, stroking Hal’s right side.
"This is getting ridiculous. At this point, Dick and Babs will end up married before knowing that we are,” Hal groaned without heat.
He would be more upset if Bruce wasn’t laughing quietly against his neck.
5.
"Hal, wait." Bruce said, grabbing his wrist before Hal could speak up.
"What ?"
"They're going to make an announcement,” he said, tilting his head to the side.
Jessica and Barry had risen from their chairs.
"No, they're not if we do it first,” Hal said, taking Bruce’s hand into his.
A simple glare from Bruce sufficed to stop him from doing anything to prevent their friends from speaking.
“Barry and I would like to say something,” Jessica said after clearing her throat.
Barry smiled at her encouragingly.
“I’m pregnant,” Jess said.
After that, it was chaos for a while. Next to Bruce, Hal was uncharacteristically silent.
Bruce had covered his hand with his, squeezing it gently.
“I’m really sorry,” he told Hal.
“It’s a good thing,” Hal said, shrugging. “They deserve it.”
“And you deserve a chance to-” Bruce started saying, but Barry and Jessica were about to take seats next to them and he had to stop.
“Congratulations,” Bruce said, standing up to hug the couple.
"Congratulations." Hal repeated in a strained voice, before doing the same.
"Are you alright ? You look pale.”
Jessica’s concern and kindness made Hal feel even worse. Bruce wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
"I'm fine,” Hal affirmed, leaning into Bruce, taking in his comforting scent.
“You do look pale,” Barry confirmed. “Maybe we should sit.”
They did, Bruce’s chair closer to his husband's than it had been previously. Hal threw him a surprised look but Bruce refused to look abashed.
"I'll feel better after a drink. To the future little Jordan !” Hal toasted.
“We’re not naming our kid after you,” Barry laughed, but they all clinked glasses and drank, Jess frowning at her apple juice.
Back at the Manor, Bruce and Hal discussed the day.
"Maybe now was just not the time,” Bruce said, pulling Hal to him.
"When will it be, then ?" Hal asked tiredly, nuzzling Bruce’s neck. “I don’t know how many more announcements I can go through before turning feral.”