Chapter Text
Part 1: Peace
peace, held gently in the palm of a hand, in the fear that it will be broken
Summer on the mountain was perhaps the best time of year on Mt. Gotham. The higher elevation meant it didn’t get quite as hot as it did down in the city, but it was still warm enough to warrant frequent trips to the nearby lakes and rivers and spending a lot of time training outdoors, rather than down in the cave.
Bruce took the boys to the lake once the weather started to warm. He carried Damian on his back while the other three boys walked ahead of him. Walked was a generous term. Dick was practically flying between the trees, being chased after by Jason in the trees and Tim slower on foot.
Damian huffed over his shoulder, “Father, have we arrived yet?”
Bruce huffed in response, “Almost, chum.”
“Tt.”
They hiked another half-mile to the secluded beach on the West side of the lake. By the time they arrived, the sun was high in the sky and beating down on them.
They all stopped for a moment at the start of the beach, taking in the view of the mountains that dwarfed the crystal blue lake.
Tim’s eyes were wide with wonder, “Wow… It’s really pretty, B.”
Dick and Jason glanced at each other–– it was the only warning before Dick was sprinting down the beach with Jason on his heels and throwing off his shirt, “Last one in is a rotten dragon's egg!”
“This is trivial. Neither of them will become a dragon's egg.”
Bruce chuckled and knelt to let the youngest climb off his back. Tim waited for Dami to join him before walking to the water’s edge. Jason and Dick were already tackling each other into the water.
Bruce set down their supplies and smiled as he watched his sons play in the clear lake water.
At some point, Jason and Dick joined their brothers on the shore and were now constructing an elaborate sand mound that might have been a castle, or perhaps a horse.
At some point, Tim managed to trick Bruce into swimming, which resulted in the four boys teaming up and attempting to pull him under. He fought them for a while, laughing and eventually relenting as they dragged him under.
They had lunch on the beach. After they ate, Bruce lay back for a moment to rest his eyes, only to wake thirty minutes later, completely buried in sand, a poorly drawn mermaid tail drawn into the sand, and the sound of giggling to his left.
Bruce turned his head sharply, and the four boys gasped into silence. Bruce sprang up from the sand, chasing them into the water as the boys shrieked and giggled. He picked up Jason and dunked him under the water, only for Tim to latch onto his back like a leach and for the others to tackle him down as well. Bruce laughed once he resurfaced, the four boys clung to him in the water.
They stayed at the lake until the sun dipped low in the sky, only leaving when it would be too dark to travel if they left any later.
They made it back to the manor after dark. Bruce carried a sleeping Tim on his back while Dick and Jason took turns carrying an equally sleepy Damian.
Alfred welcomed them home with a warm bath and hearty dinner.
All four boys fell asleep in Bruce’s bed that night.
Jason loved training outside.
It meant he could be more open, more free with his mana release than in the cave. It was also far less stuffy, and Timmy really needed some sunlight.
Tim still wasn’t old enough to train, but he insisted on watching nearly all of their training sessions with Bruce. Jason knew the real reason. He had seen Tim practicing stances and techniques in the back of the cave.
“Whatcha doin', Timbo?”
“Eek!” Tim nearly fell backward at Jason’s voice.
“Tsk tsk. We gotta work on your situational awareness, baby bird.”
Tim’s eyes went wide, “You’re not gonna tell B?”
Jason scoffed, “I ain’t no snitch, Timmers. Plus, Dick helped me on the side for a while when he was training. You looked like you could use the help. But, we’re doin’ this outside while it’s nice, and your pasty arse could use some sun.”
Tim pouted but relented. They found a small clearing deeper in the woods, not too far from the manor so that they wouldn’t get caught. Dick had taken Jason here a few times too. He was pretty sure Alfred had known what they were up to then and probably knew now, but Bruce was impossible to read. He probably didn’t know. Probably. Maybe. Okay, he definitely knew, but he didn’t stop them either.
Jason taught Tim all the basic stretches, though Tim had already memorized most of them, so all Jason did was correct his posture. Then they worked on forms, sticking to basic, no-contact combat exercises. Jason wasn’t a snitch, but he’d be damned before he let his untrained ten-year-old brother spar. Not yet at least.
They went through the motions slowly and meticulously. Tim getting every move down perfectly before moving on to the next. There was a calm silence between them for a while as they trained.
“Training? Without me?!”
Jason and Tim both shrieked and lept back as Dick appeared, pouting. He let out a laugh at their reactions, “Wow, we really need to work on your situational awareness. Now, what are we working on?”
Jason glared at Dick, and Tim let him know they were working on stances and forms.
“Well, why didn’t you say so? Lemme help!”
They trained like this for several weeks under the warm summer sun. Jason loved it. He ran hot, but the sun caressed his skin in a way that made him feel warm in a different way from the usual burning.
It also gave Tim a sunburn.
They trained like this for about a week before getting caught.
“Ehem.”
“Eek!!” All three boys yelped as Bruce seemed to materialize at the edge of the clearing.
Bruce crossed his arms over his chest.
Dick sighed, “I know, I know. Situational awareness.”
Bruce nodded and glanced between the three of them, eyes landing on Tim and he arched an eyebrow.
Tim shrank back, and Jason stepped in front of him, “It’s not his fault, B. I offered to train him.”
“It’s not Jay’s fault either! I trained him first––!”
“Shut up, Dickhead!”
“What? It’s the truth!”
“Boys.”
Dick and Jason snapped their mouths closed and turned back to Bruce.
“I appreciate your honesty, late as it may be.”
Jason kicked the ground, and Dick looked anywhere but at Bruce.
Bruce sighed, “Tim, you are still too young to train.”
Tim shrank back further, “I know. M’ sorry…”
“It’s ok, lad. You are too young for combat training… However, it is not a bad idea to keep in shape.”
The three boys perked up at that, “Does this mean––?”
Bruce nodded, “You can join us for stretches and forms, but you will not participate in combat training until you are ready. Understood?”
Tim nodded eagerly and Jason and Dick smiled and elbowed the younger boy playfully.
“That said, the three of you do need to work on your situational awareness.”
“Four, Sir.”
“Shit!” Bruce jumped back as the old mage appeared.
Alfred chuckled behind his hand, “Food is served if the four of you would like to join Master Damian and I for supper.”
“Coming, Alfred!”