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"Are you... sure?"
Edward hated how weak his voice sounded to his own ears and how his fingers wobbled while he fixed the blue tie around his lover's neck to complement his expensive suit that must... cost more than his apartment's monthly rent.
Bruce captured his hands in his and addressed him the reassuring gaze he has recourse to to soothe his kids' apprehension. He bent to his level and put his lips on his, in a quick but heartfelt kiss.
"I am sure. I wouldn't propose otherwise."
Eddie returned an almost timid smile that... doesn't match his bright personality.
For him who never misses an opportunity to be extravagant, it felt... weird, to be reluctant to publicly acknowledge this joyful evolution.
A wise man once told him that when you love, really love someone, you don't want to expose your happiness because you fear you might lose it after seeking for others' validation. That you'd rather keep this love close and cherish it, by only sharing it with the person you fell for.
Ed used to believe this adage is false: he loved showing himself and Jonathan off at parties at the Iceberg Lounge, loved being demonstrative with Hal Jordan when his favorite Lantern visited, loved reminding everyone he had more than an adventure with Ra's al Ghul... And so on and so forth.
Not to add, he never denied to be openly and hopelessly in love with Batman. For practically as far as he remembers, he has always been in love with Batman. From the first time he heard about the original Dynamic Duo playing heroes in the State's biggest agglomeration. He ran away from home and reached Gotham City of all places because he wanted to meet them: Batman, Robin and Batgirl. He wanted to... be one of them. To become a part of their fight, a member of their team.
Funny, how life tends to be ironic with you, sometimes.
And now...
Honestly, if he predicted things would get so good since he turned away and fully embraced the other side, he would have launched this reformation program much sooner.
For the past two years, Private Investigator Edward Nygma established his Detective Agency and feels like he finally enjoys himself walking this path he forged on his own.
For the past four months, P.I. Nygma and billionaire Bruce Wayne engaged in a relationship.
Yes, Eddie has always been in love with him. His Batman, Bruce Wayne, his Angel of Darkness. He figured out his identity a while back, he recovered his memories after the amnesia he suffered that more or less triggered the beginning of his reformation program and his ensuing return to the civilian world.
However, Ed never believed his Batman, Bruce Wayne, his Angel of Darkness would reciprocate the feelings. That he... won't be ashamed to be seen, him, a wealthy figure of the high society, with an ex-con who spent, in total, years in a mental institution reserved for the criminally insane.
"Come in," Bruce invited and they exited his master bedroom. "Let's make everyone at this reception jealous."
"That's easy for you."
"I was thinking about me, indeed. In anyone else's shoes, I'd be jealous I got a boyfriend like you."
Edward felt himself blush crimson.
"How come you have such power on me?! That's not fair..."
Bruce was not hosting this New Year's Eve's gala, taking place at a fellow upper class citizen's house. That meant it won't last as long as if he invited the guests to his mansion, they'll be free to leave as soon as the ambiance will become too heavy, too... hard to deal with.
Edward braced himself when the car parked in front of the house, far less impressive than the Wayne Property.
Damian declined by saying he shall "not engage in frivolous activities such as mundane parties" and will patrol in case a rogue decides to initiate their version of a New Year's Eve's celebration. Bruce insisted for him to call immediately if he detected a villain-related activity.
The boy agreed. Stephanie called not long after to say Jason and her will spend the evening out in the snow, in their Batgirl and Red Hood attires, they'll keep an eye on the kid and will drag him to a safe place somewhere during the night to enjoy a cute celebration.
Knowing Steph and Jay, that meant making hot chocolate, waffles and playing video games in Eddie's flat instead of their respective places. Having your apartment squatted at any hour of the day or the night, your food squandered and your TV turned on without your consent is part of the issues to handle when being welcomed into the nest of bats-and-birds.
Dick and Barbara enjoy a well-deserved quiet evening with Jim Gordon, the little family either reunited at the old policeman's or the lovebirds'.
Alfred is in Europe for the past ten days, he renews with his daughter and warned them he will prolong his stay in England.
As for Tim and Cassandra, they have no idea where the first is and as far as they're concerned, the second spends time with her generation of the Titans. Especially Kon-El, but that's another story. Eddie and Stephanie understood weeks ago those two are secretly dating, nevertheless as long as Cass doesn't make the announcement, they won't report it to Bruce. Better avoid the Big Guy a heart attack. And Tim... well. He is in 'that phase' that makes him distance from his family; with a bit of luck Bruce and him will fix things over the incoming year.
Not that Edward minded much. He loves Stephanie and Jason with all his heart, he grew fond of Damian, he appreciates Dick, Barbara and Alfred, he has no particular opinion on Cassandra since he pratically never sees her and even during his Riddler years, they rarely interacted. Tim however... that never 'matched' between them. They were both too alike in matter of intelligence and too radically different regarding their lines of conduct and their way to treat the people they love. Ed could make an effort for Bruce, but he was in no hurry for Red Robin to return to Gotham.
"Ready?"
"Ready," Edward approved, clutching his lover's arm when they walked toward the lighted rich house.
He faced far worse than paparazzi taking pictures of him with his Apollo of a boyfriend.
He'll manage.
(())
"That was four days ago, not what I'd call a breaking new."
"We were the New Year weekend! Most shops remain closed, if anything Gotham News is rather quick to get on the page," Stephanie Brown opposed smugly, after she dropped the article produced by the town's main journal on the low table.
The front page starred Edward and Bruce kissing at the reception, glasses of champagne in hands, a large table displaying a furnished buffet behind them. They visibly forgot the rest of the world and solely focused on each other.
Jason snorted, sneaking a peak from below the couch.
"And I thought you 'didn't want to attend' that gala, Ginger! Looks like you had fun."
"It was midnight," Eddie defended himself with dignity, chin in the air. "Aka, the moment to kiss your lover in order to properly end the previous year and start as you should the brand new one. This dear Vicki Vale probably waited for that instant the entire evening, and she elected to take a close-up picture of us instead of the other couples who did... exactly the same."
"I have a theory to back this up," Damian announced, laconic when he entered the living-room. "It's because father and you interest the gossip far more than other wealthy couples who, for some, are together for a while. You are a subject of fascination for the entire town, Nygma, and father is a popular figure. I bet numerous people follow every glimpse they obtain about your courtship ritual and the evolution of your mutual mating."
Stephanie bursted out laughing, Jason grinned as widely as the Cheshire cat and Edward chuckled.
Batgirl ruffled the boy's already tousled black hair when he sat on the pillows next to her, placed around the glass low table.
"What?" The kid crossed his arms on his chest though didn't protest against Steph's affectionate gesture.
It counts among his resolutions for the New Year: don't go on rants or grumble when his siblings, including his non-official sibling in Stephanie's case, express their love via sympathetic moves like those. For now, he sticks to it, he didn't argue against Dick hugging him when he stopped by Babs and him's place to wish them a Happy New Year.
"Nothing," Edward smiled. "It's just... you know, you can call Bruce and I's rapprochement a 'relationship', or simply say we're dating instead of evoking a 'courtship ritual' or a 'mutual mating'."
"I'm just telling the truth," Damian shrugged, unbothered.
The three adults laughed.
"What are you guys talking about?" Bruce joined as well.
"About how you are not ashamed of me," Edward revealed fondly. "About how I love to see you... claiming how much you love me."
They shared a tender kiss... that instantly triggered exaggerated disgusted noises from Steph and Jason's predictable outcry:
"Please no! Not in front of the kid!"
Said kid stayed perfectly stoic while the actual adult Batkids acted like they were in kindergarten.
"Kissing is part of the mating parade," Damian reported in a factual, neutral tone of voice. "Brown and Todd, maybe you'll experience it when you finally find someone willing to engage in a courtship with you."
That made Edward laugh anew whilst he melted between Bruce's arms on the couch.
"Stephie, Jaybird... Dami roasted you!"
Batgirl and Red Hood started a friendly bickering with Robin, Batman smiled, Eddie fully relaxed... This was overall a nice ambiance.
A pleasant moment.
"Board game, anyone?" Bruce proposed, since this was the middle of afternoon and his non-official daughter plus his second son seemed determined to squat in the Manor today.
When it'll stop snowing, they'll go out for a fierce snowball fight... but for now, a cozy family afternoon seemed appropriate.
Family.
Ed still couldn't belive he was allowed in the Batfamily's routine when he made hot chocolate for everyone in the kitchen, followed by Damian and Stephanie who grabbed the cakes and chocolates who survived Christmas time.
This was so... domestic.
Not actually 'peaceful', since the three Robins yelled at each other multiple times during the themed Justice League board game they selected, but... very lovely.
Eddie crossed Bruce's metallic blue gaze whilst Damian accused Jason of cheating for winning more points than him with his Wonder Woman pawn.
The eldests shared a smile.
"This is where you belong," Batman promised softly, knowing he must feel insecure again. "By our side, with us. I want every single journal to print this picture of you and I kissing for the New Year, I want everyone in town to know how happy you make me feel. And most of all, I want you to realize you earned your place within our family."
"I do. But it's... difficult at times, not to... think this is all a dream I'll wake up from or a giant, elaborate joke crafted to hurt me. It's not on you, the kids or anyone, it's just... me. I... need time to fully accept I deserve good things at last."
This could have been an emotional moment if it wasn't for Steph's obnoxious, noisy chewing of crunchy chocolates.
Bruce and Ed reported their attention on the Robins. Damian was blasé, Jason smirked and Stephanie eyed them as if she followed a movie scene.
"Cute," Red Hood jested.
"Nygma, it's your turn," Damian indicated the board game. "What will be Green Lantern's next move?"
Eddie chuckled, before taking out a card to make his Lantern pawn progress.
The ambiance was both wholesome and a hint chaotic, what... fits very well their way of life.
Talking about chaos, all Hell broke loose when the five of them went out, later over the afternoon, and started that snowball fight in the huge garden surrounding Wayne Manor.