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It’s the little things in life that Clark likes the best. He thinks they help keep him grounded. One of his favorite little things is the biggest bowl of puppy chow that he can make. After a particularly long or rough mission, Clark enjoys cooking something for the team. There hasn’t been a mission recently that was particularly rough, but over the last month, morale has been down significantly.
Now, Clark doesn’t blame Dick for this. Gods know that keeping his father’s act up in front of the league was weighing down on Dick. But, the rest of the league is taking it hard that one of their founding members is dead and has been for far too long without their knowledge. Clark can see a significant difference in the way Dick carries himself now. His aura is still overwhelmingly Batman, but he’s able to let his guard down around the team now.
The sound of Oliver screaming a few weeks ago after seeing Dick smiling while wearing the cowl still rings in Clark’s memories. It also plays on his phone at least 3 times a week.
Not everyone else has been able to adjust as easily though, several league members have been giving Dick a wide berth, feeling betrayed and confused by the new Batman. Clark was one of the few members of the league who knew when Batman had passed away in the first place. He’s had nearly two years to adjust to a world without his best friend.
So even though grief is not an enemy that Superman can fight- it’s not an enemy that anyone can ever truly conquer- Clark can still try to help others find ease and happiness. Which is why Clark is standing in the kitchen of the watchtower, shaking a container filled with peanut butter, chocolate, and Chex. After a minute of shaking the bowl, Clark sets it down and starts to peel off the lid.
Clark notices when Dick walks into the kitchen and leans against the island. Jostling the bowl to ensure that every piece of chex is covered with peanut butter and chocolate, Clark starts to peel a bag of powdered sugar open.
Pushing the lid back onto the container, Clark turns around and holds the container out to Dick. Slowly, Dick reaches his hand out and grabs the container from Clark. He holds the container at his eye level and cocks his head at it.
“Just shake it.” Clark chuckles, walking around Dick and grabbing a rag from the drawer. There is a moment of silence before Dick starts to gently shake the bowl back and forth.
Smiling, Clark runs the rag under water and turns back towards Dick. Clarks walks past Dick, back to where he was baking in the first place to wipe off the counters. “You need to shake it harder than that.”
“Um, okay.” Dick says, confused. Clark holds back another laugh at how confused Dick sounds right now, particularly amused by the full Batman suit that he is wearing.
There are a few moments of Clark holding back his laughter while he cleans until Dick finally asks, “What exactly am I shaking right now?”
Going back to the sink, Clark lays out his wet rag. He holds up the ingredient bags at Dick before he throws them away.
Dick frowns, still shaking the container absentmindedly. “I’m shaking… homemade Reese’s cereal?”
Clark scoffs, “What? No. You’re shaking puppy chow.”
“Dogs can’t eat chocolate, Clark.” Dick responds, peering at the container again. “Damian will put Kryptonite in your food and stab me if I help you hurt any animal.”
“It’s not dog food.” Clark laughs, taking the container back from Dick. He peels it open and shows the powered food to Dick. There is still a frown on Dick’s face. “It’s also called Muddy Buddies in some areas, I believe.”
Dick bites at his tongue as he stares at the food. He shakes his head, “Nope. Not a thing I have ever heard of in New Jersey.” Dick slips his phone out of his utility belt and types a message before slipping it back into his belt.
“Holy shit, you made puppy chow.” Flamebird gasps as he freezes in between Clark and Dick. He goes to put his hand in the bowl and gets it smacked by Clark. “Yeesh, could have said no.” Wally grumbles, rubbing his hand.
“Okay, so you know what puppy chow is?” Dick asks Wall, his mouth pulled down. Dick stays leaning against the counter and Wally slides up next to him, still eyeing the treat.
“Of course I do, dude. I grew up in Missouri.” Wally gestures to the bowl. “That is my childhood.”
“Speaking of childhood, where is Robin?” Dick asks, leaning into Wally’s space threateningly.
Wally waves him off. “He’s hanging out with Spoiler. She picked him up to take him to an arcade like twenty minutes ago. Then you messaged me about food that I’m apparently not allowed to have.”
Clark sighs, pouring a small cup of puppy chow. He hands it to Wally, who immediately brightens. “I didn’t exactly make speedster amounts of this. It’s supposed to be sitting out for any leaguers to eat, but Flash isn’t supposed to be at the watchtower for the next few days.”
“Stupid Barry,” Wally grumbles as he takes one piece of puppy chow at a time and bites it.
Clark gives Wally a look as he slowly sets the bowl on the island. “Do not eat all of that.”
“Fine.” Wally rolls his eyes. He grabs another piece out of the cup and holds it out to Dick who takes it from Wally before eyeing the piece of food and putting it in his mouth. Dick slowly crunches the piece of food before he reaches his hand back out to grab another piece from Wally’s cup. Wally twists away, blocking Dick from the cup. “Get your own cup. I shared enough.”
“You gave me one bite.”
“Yes,” Wally nods. “That one bite is what tells you that you are the love of my life. Don’t push it.”
“I’m your husband,” Dick argues, rotating his wrist as he lists, “Sickness and health and sharing food.”
Clark chuckles watching the couple. Wally takes a step away from Dick, shaking his head.
“Yes, my husband, whom I love dearly.” Wally dips over and presses a kiss on the top of the cowl. He pulls away, twists his back to Dick. He looks over his shoulder, biting another piece, “My vows did not say in food.”
There is a few tense moments where Clark’s eyes bounce back and forth between Dick and Wally.
“Ugh!” Wally finally screeches and turns back to Dick, holding out the cup. He shakes the cup at Dick. “How do you manage to make so many facial expressions with only your mouth showing?”
Dick grins, grabbing a handful of puppy chow. Wally looks down at his cup and grumbles, “I want a divorce.”
“Ha!” Dick cackles, pushing off of the counter and pressing a kiss to Wally’s nose. “You wouldn’t last a day.” Wally opens his mouth to argue and Dick cocks his head, saying, “Who pays the food bill?”
Wally closes his mouth.
“Uh, I- I don’t know what I just walked in on.” Dick and Wally turn to see Hal standing in the doorway, Mari standing behind him. Hal is gaping at the two heroes, pointing back and forth between the two. Hal blinks slowly. “I just saw Batman kiss someone.” Hal mumbles, “Is that what a kid feels like when they walk in on mommy kissing Santa Claus? Cause, I don’t like it.”
Dick smiles an evil grin at Hal. Wally rolls his eyes at his husband, knowing just how much joy Dick is taking in this.
“Don’t worry, Jordan.” Dick laughs, “Batman doesn’t make it a habit to go around kissing people.”
“Well,” Wally starts, earning an elbow to the ribs.
Dick glares at Wally and grits “This Batman doesn’t.”
“Did Spooky kiss people?” Hal asks, his mind trying to reboot.
Mari gestures to Dick and says, “I mean, that’s Spooky’s kid, so I think it was more than just kissing.”
“Ew,” Dick and Hal both grumble in sync.
“I just wanted a snack that Supes promised,” Hal almost whispers, he takes a step into the room, leaving a wide berth between himself and Batman and Flamebird. “I didn’t need revelations today.”
Hal looks over at Clark who has been standing to the side with an amused smile, watching the interaction. Hal waves his hand at Batman and Flamebird, “You’re okay with them kissing at the watchtower?”
Clark shrugs his shoulders, “They’re grown adults and married, so-”
“Married!” Hal screeches. “Married! Like married married? Vows and shit?”
“And shit was actually a line in my vows,” Flamebird smirks, wrapping an arm around Batman’s waist. And holy shit, Hal actually might pass out. He puts his palms flat against the counter and hangs his head.
“I have so many questions,” Mari says from the doorway.
Batman grabs Flamebird’s wrist and pulls them around from his waist. He slowly changes his expression to something more akin to the Spooky that Hal is used to. “Actually, I think that was enough sharing for the day.”
Flamebird pouts from behind Batman and stage whispers, “The other Batman was a big softie, too.”
Clark snorts to the side, reveling in Dick and Wally’s antics. This was what Clark always loved when he was able to visit Bruce at the manor. All of the kids were always causing unnecessary drama. It’s nice to see Dick acting like he did when he was younger. Clark smiles softly as he watches Hal sputter.
As much as Clark secretly loves watching Hal be antagonized, he must stop the conversation when he hears an emergency zeta beam override code read followed by the user's name.
“Why is Starfire here?” Clark interrupts. He moves away from the counter on the side of the room and starts making his way to the door. Dick straightens as well and follows Clark out of the room, Wally and Hal close behind.
“What do you mean Star is here?” Dick asks, sliding back into Batman’s voice. His cape flicks behind him as the group of men make their way to the zeta beams.
“Exactly as I said.” Clark explains, “I heard an emergency override code an the announcement of Starfire. I didn’t even know she had emergency codes.”
“She is the current leader of the Titans.” Batman says as they make their way into the room. “Of course she has an emergency code.”
And Clark hadn’t known that was something that the league did for other groups. He assumes that it must be something that Bruce had started for other groups, though with how paranoid Bruce was, it would be shocking.
Wonder Woman is already waiting by the zeta beams, talking to Starfire when the group arrives in the room. Clark looks from Kori to Diana before stepping up to the women, Dick stepping up next to them.
“What’s wrong?” Batman asks.
Starfire crosses her arms and faces Batman head on. “We need Nightwing.”
Clark sucks in a small breath.
Batman remains unphased by the request. “Why?”
“It’d be best if I just show you.” Starfire says. “Can you take us to a room with a television?”
There is barely a breath between the request and Batman turning, his cape bellowing behind him as he gestures for Starfire to follow him. It’s the fastest that Clark has ever seen either Batman give into a request, startling him somewhat.
The group makes their way into the meeting room, Vixen and Black Canary have also made their way there. Upon entering the room, Batman holds his hand out for Starfire, who almost as if she read his mind, sets a phone down in his hand. He taps a few buttons and projects the screen onto a monitor.
On the monitor shows Deathstroke, leaning back in a chair seemingly relaxed, sharpening a sword. Before him sit three younger heroes tied up: Spoiler, Robin, and Superboy. Spoiler looks bored, Robin looks aggravated, Superboy is the only one who looks remotely worried.
“Jon?” Clark steps forwards towards the screen, but Batman puts a hand out in front of him.
“Wait, Superman.” Batman orders. He turns to Starfire. “Is this live?”
“Yes.” Starfire nods her head, “This started streaming to Titan Tower five minutes ago. Deathstroke said at the beginning that he demanded Nightwing to appear. He’s only answer to Nightwing and then he stopped talking and sat down.”
Batman nods once, seemingly ignoring the obvious issue of this demand.
“Nightwing is dead.” Hal breaks into the conversation, stepping forward. “We could call in J’onn and see if he could form into a Nightwing look alike, but…” Hal trails off, rubbing the back of his neck.
Starfire looks confused at Green Lantern. “Why are you talking about Nightwing’s death?”
“We assumed someone told you about Nightwing being… gone.” Clark tells Starfire, looking ashamed.
“He is not dead.” Starfire states, leaving no room for denial. She turns away from Superman and Green Lantern and faces Batman once more. “What is the plan?”
Batman sighs and pulls out his phone out of nowhere. He sighs before putting his phone to his ear. There is a moment where everyone is waiting to see who Batman would be calling for backup. On the screen, there is movement, catching the group's attention. They watch as Deathstroke tilts his chair back and grabs something off of the table behind him.
It’s a phone.
The group looks back to Batman.
“Deathstroke.” Batman grunts.
There is no noise from the monitor, but the group can see Deathstroke responding. And holy shit, Batman has Deathstroke’s phone number.
“Fine. Slade.” Batman says. There is a moment and then Batman speaks again, no longer having his voice sound deep and gruff. “Fine,” Batman huffs, “Better? Now what are you doing?”
“You want to see Nightwing? Why?” A few moments, it looks like Deathstroke is laughing. “Oh, really. You are kidding right? You have my kid. That’s not funny for me.”
Batman pushes his hand against the bridge of his nose through the cowl. “Yes, I know when I did this, we had an agreement, but I thought since you still saw-” Batman grinds his teeth. “I know it’s not the same but-” Batman growls. “Training and kidnapping are not the same thing. I would know.” Batman’s face scrunches, “Yes it's a kidnapping.”
“I was the one you kidnapped. Don’t argue about it.” Batman turns the phone away from himself for a moment. “Okay, enough. We’ve had this same conversation for six years. If Nightwing shows up, you’ll let the kids go, no fuss?” Another moment passes. “Fine. Text me the location.”
Batman hangs up the phone and puts it back in his pocket when the projection on the screen cuts out. Batman turns to Flamebird and nods once. Then he faces Kori. “Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I have it under control from here.”
Kori smiles at Batman and places a hand on his shoulder. “I know you do. Enjoy the night, friend.”
“Um, can I know what we’re going to do?” Hal butts in, raising his hand. Batman turns to him again. “I mean, if Nightwing isn’t dead- which is great- he still hasn’t been seen in over six months. How are you going to find him?”
“I can start searching for him,” Clark starts, interrupted as Flamebird whooshes back into the room. Flamebird is carrying a bundle of clothes in his arm and holds them out to Batman.
“Found him.” Batman says grinning. Hal shivers at the grin, feeling unsettled. Batman smiles at Flamebird, holding the clothes up. “For time sakes?”
Flamebird huffs, before there is a whirlwind in the room lasting less than a handful of seconds, faster than anyone in the room can comprehend. Flamebird skids to a halt, leaving Nightwing standing in Batman’s place. Nightwing smiles brightly, rolling his shoulders.
“You didn’t even get wrapped in a cord this time,” Nightwing laughs at Flamebird. Flamebird rolls his eyes and mutters something under his breath.
“Wait, you’re Nightwing, but you’re-” Clark blinks at Nightwing. He freezes and shakes his head. “We’ll discuss this later. We need to get our kids first. Where are we going?”
“We aren’t going anywhere,” Nightwing responds, fixing his gloves. “You will get a location for the kids a few minutes after I reach Deathstroke.”
“He told you that?”
“No. But Flamebird will get the message.” Nightwing looks at his phone. “Now, I’ll be heading to New York by myself. When I get back, there had better two of my kids up here waiting for me. Tie Robin or Spoiler back up if you need to until I can hug them,” Nightwing adds to Flamebird, before he walks out of the room.
Hal gapes as he watches Nightwing walk out of the room. “What the fuck? What the fuck?”
Flamebird swats at Hal. “Stop freaking out and someone tune the monitor into a New York news station. I’m sure there will be coverage of what is about to happen.”
—
Dinah quickly grabs a tablet searching for the right news station, projecting it onto the monitor. Flamebird sits down on the top of the meeting table, pulling out his phone and putting it on his lap. Clark stays to the side, his arms crossed, trusting Batman- Nightwing- to be able to get his son back.
On the screen, a special alert flits across the screen, changing to a helicopter view of Nightwing and Deathstroke fighting on top of a tall building. The view of the fight is shaking, and the team watches as Nightwing and Deathstroke run at one another with their escrima sticks and the other’s sword. The two meet in the middle and start their dance. Nightwing flips around Deathstroke, dodging blows and projectiles that the other man throws.
Flamebird shakes his head at Nightwing’s antics, knowing that his husband is having the time of his life fighting Slade. He also trusts that between Nightwings quips that he is berating Slade for grabbing the kids in the first place.
The helicopter continues circling the fight, the headline at the bottom reading across: “Hero Nightwing fighting Deathstroke: First time seen in almost a year.”
Clark eyes the fight with a reporter's view. Nightwing had always seemed like the antithesis to Batman. Both had been strong leaders, but Nightwing always had a light around him that Batman could never achieve. Nightwing had the people’s trust outside of the mission. To know that Nightwing has been able to bury a defining feature of himself so deeply is unnerving.
Flamebird’s phone lights up and he stands, turning to Clark. He shakes his phone once, “Let’s go get our kids.”
Clark spares one last look at the fight on the screen before following Flamebird out of the room.
—
“So,” Clark starts, pulling out a chair across from Dick and Wally. The group met in the bunker after Flamebird and Superman grabbed the younger heroes. Nightwing had zetaed into the bunker within a few minutes of the other’s arriving. He had a large grin on his face, despite a large slash across his chest. He had waved off Wally and Clark and went to shower first before being stitched up. Now the group of adults is facing each other by the monitor station while Jon and Damian throw paint bombs at a large canvas Stephanie had set up for them.
“So,” Dick echoes with a sad grin. He leans over into Wally’s space, waiting for Clark to start the conversation.
“You’re Nightwing.” Clark finally says. Dick nods in agreement. “But Nightwing has been around for six years now.”
“Eight actually..” Dick corrects, clicking his tongue. “Nightwing stayed off the grid for a while”
Clark rubs his eyes, “But you’re 24. That means that Bruce was letting you fight crime when you were 16.”
“Mmhm,” Dick hums, looking away.
Sighing, Clark looks up away from the pair. “How old were you when you became Nightwing.”
“Sixteen.” Dick reassures. There is a light pause before he adds, “Nightwing isn’t who I started fighting crime as, though.”
Clark puts his hands out flat in front of him. “I had known Bruce since you were ten. I’ve known you for fourteen years now, Dickie. I never deluded myself into believing that Bruce kept you in the dark about all of this,” Clark gestures around the bunker. “You were too smart to have the wool over your eyes like that. And after you stepped up to become Batman, I knew that I was right, you had at least been trained by Bruce. But, I assumed that started as a teenager. You were always good with tech, I thought maybe you were the Oracle that Bruce would refer to from time to time.”
Wally snorts next to Dick, earning an elbow to the ribs.
Dick pushes himself up from Wally, and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He interlocks his fingers. “I started being a vigilante before I even met you, Clark.”
“No, I met you when you were ten.” Clark leans back, “That means that you started when you were-”
“Nine.” Dick finishes for him. Dick spares a glance over towards Damian. “Dami is not the first Robin. I was.”
“I thought Robin was an ID he used to dress the part. Like how Jon dresses up as Superboy, but he doesn’t join fights,” Clark runs a hand down his face. “I know that Damian was raised much harsher for the first few years of his life, but I thought that he had the whole getup up as a coping mechanism, a sense of connection to his old life. Training with you to feel normal.”
Dick nods. “It is,” he shrugs, “to an extent. Batman has always had a Robin, waiting in the shadows. My rules with my Robin are significantly stricter than B had for me.” Wally places a comforting hand on Dick’s back. “Dami is not allowed to patrol alone. He has a long list of Gotham rogues that he is not allowed to engage with. He has a strict curfew and mandatory aspects in his life outside of all this to help him find a balance.”
Turning towards Damian, Dick watches as the kid laughs, throwing a water balloon of paint. “He grew up in a rough environment.” Dick smiles, a glimmer in his eyes. “But, Dami has this light in him, this goodness that I never had. Not like that.”
Dick looks back at Clark. “I watched my parents die, murdered. You know that. But even before that, I was an angry child. Losing my parents, just amplified it. I needed an outlet and I was going out, almost getting myself killed, before I knew Bruce was Batman. It didn’t matter if he put me in the suit. I was going to go out there.” Dick sighs, “And it helped Bruce, a lot. He understood how to take care of me as Robin in a way that he didn’t understand as just Bruce.”
Clark is silent, his teeth grinding together as he runs a hand through his hair. Finally he says, “I would hit Bruce if he were here right now.”
Dick barks out a laugh. “Yeah, I know. He knew that, too.”
“Is that why he never told me? Any of us about you?” Clark asks, taking a deep breath.
“No, he thought it would be more dangerous if others knew about me. So you got to know Dick Grayson, but not Robin. I think he thought some heroes would try to get me to work for them.”
“So, Nightwing got the name from the story I told Dick Grayson, not from the story that I published?” Clark asks with a small grin.
Dick smiles, “Yup. Bruce hated it. He really did think I would leave him to work for you, I swear.”
“I probably would have, just to lock you away somewhere, keep you safe.”
“Meh,” Dick shrugs, “I didn’t need to be safe. I needed to help. Also, I’m a pretty good escape artist, just ask Slade.”
“No, actually, what was that with Deathstroke today. He kidnapped you?” Clark askes, looking tired again.
“I mean, technically he kidnapped me, but I think I’ll save that story for a different day. I think we have gone through enough for today.” Standing up, Dick smiles hopefully as Clark stands to face him. The two face each other, before Clark reaches out and grabs Dick, pulling him into a hug.
“I wish you would have told me sooner.” Clark holds Dick tightly.
Dick pats Clark’s back. “I should have.”
Dropping his arms, Clark takes a step back and chuckles, “I still want to yell at Bruce.”
Dick pats Clark’s arm. “Join the club.” He shoots a look over at the boys. “Want to stay for dinner? I think Alfred would enjoy your company.”
“I never could say no to Alfred’s cooking.”
Grinning, Dick turns away, walking towards the boys.
Clark’s shoulder slumps as he lets out a breath. Wally moves to stand beside Clark. “How’s he actually doing?”
“Better.” Wally responds, sounding hopeful. He pats Clarks arm. “I’m Dick’s partner, and Flamebird is Nightwing’s, but Superman has been Batman’s for years.”
Wally looks at Clark with a question in his eyes. Clark nods his head slowly, not taking his eyes off of Dick as he throws his own paint bomb at the canvas. “Batman will always have Superman backing him.”