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“Hey, babe,” Wally calls as he runs into their bedroom at the penthouse. Dick gives Wally a wave from where he is slouched over a desk. Wally rolls his eyes good-heartedly and slips into the bathroom. “I’m gonna take a quick shower!”
“Uh-huh,” Dick mutters back, waving his husband off, continuing to write in a notebook. Dick flips the notebook over and starts to sketch a picture of a Christmas tree. A few minutes pass before Wally comes back into the room, wearing a pair of worn-out sweatpants. Wally drapes himself over Dick’s shoulder.
Wally gives Dick a peck on his cheek and looks down at a very lackluster Christmas tree. “Why are you drawing the Christmas tree with the skills of a kindergartener?”
Dick groans and drops his pencil, he lolls his head forward. “I didn’t think it was that bad.”
Wally huffs, “Don’t let Dami see it. He’ll never let you live down how rudimental it is.” Wally laughs and pulls himself off of Dick as he groans again. Grabbing a second desk chair, Wally pulls it up next to Dick and sits down, pulling his feet underneath himself. Wally taps the notebook. “So, why are you drawing a Christmas tree in the first place?”
Dick picks his head up and looks at Wally. “I want to give Damian a good Christmas. He’s never celebrated any type of holiday growing up. Last year at this time, he was barely warming up to us still. This year though, he’s been doing so good. I want him to have a great Christmas. Honestly, it doesn’t even need to be Christmas. We could do Hanukkah or a Winter Solstice festival. We could do all of them. Or we could-”
Dick’s cut off as Wally covers his mouth. Wally smiles softly at Dick. “Slow down. Let’s start with one holiday, alright? Because you’re right, Dami deserves more happy core childhood memories.” Wally drops his hand from Dick’s mouth. He pushes forward and taps Dick’s notebook. “Let’s see what you’ve got so far.”
Smiling softly at Wally, Dick leans over and presses a soft kiss to his cheek. “Damn, do I love you.” Picking up the notebook, Dick flips to the front of the book. “Okay, so I had a bullet point list of things that I feel like we have to do. Obviously, going out to see Christmas lights and making gingerbread houses are at the top of the list.”
Wally smirks, “Obviously. And picking out a real Christmas tree to decorate.”
Dick grimaces. “I don’t know how well Dami would like that though, disturbing nature and all.”
Humming, Wally is silent for a moment. He taps his finger against the desk at a slightly faster than human speed. “Oh!” Wally shoots up, “Why don’t we go to a tree nursery. I don’t know if there are any around here, but travel isn’t really an issue for us. But those places let you rent a tree and it is reused for years and when it reaches maturity, they’re planted in the forest.”
Dick starts scribbling it into the notebook. “You’re a genius, Wals.”
The two continue to brainstorm different activities that they want to do for Christmas.
“Okay, so we’re going to have to talk the entire family into most of these adventures. They don’t need to go to everything, but I would like to make a big family Christmas this year.” Dick clicks his pen and puts a leg up onto his chair, spinning to look at Wally. “Like the gingerbread decorating contest. Jay does an amazing job at gingerbread houses, and he could bring Roy and Lian.”
“It won’t take any convincing for Steph or Babs.” Wally says. He pulls his legs out from his chair and puts them on Dick’s lap across from him. “If we can convince Cass to come home from Hong kong, she'll do any and all activities.” Wally taps Dick with his toes, “What about Tim?”
“Tim’s still going back and forth on how much time he wants to spend with me in particular, but he’s never really been that big on Christmas. He’s spent the last two years with his team around Christmas time.” Dick sighs, “I really hope we can convince him to do at least one activity with us.”
“We will.” Wally promises. He pushes off of the chair and throws his feet down, standing up. He reaches out to Dick. Dick clasps his hand to Wally’s and allows himself to be pulled up. “Let’s head to bed. It’s late even for a Bat.”
Dick gives a glance to the notebook on the desk. “Fine,” Dick concedes, but he uses his free hand to grab the spiral notebook. He holds it out to Wally. “Will you just really quick go put this at Barry’s house or something so Dami doesn’t find it during his weekly safety check?”
Pouting, Wally takes the book from Dick. He presses a kiss to Dick’s forehead and mutters, “Only because I know our kid will find this.” Wally waves the book. “You have two minutes before I’m back and you’d best be in that bad by the time I get back.”
Dick looks down at the button up and jeans that he’s wearing. “Babe, I’m not even ready for bed, yet.”
“Sucks,” Wally retorts before he zooms out of the room.
“Jackass,” Dick mutters as he starts hurriedly trying to unbutton his clothes.
—
Dick and Wally are sitting on the couch, holding a tablet in front of them, waiting for a call to connect. Slowly, all of the family members start to join the phone call.
“What’s so urgent, Dickface?” Jason asks, earning a swat on the back of the head from Roy. “Ow, that was a dickface of endearment.”
Ignoring his brother, Tim cuts in, “I’m actually really busy right now guys, so can we make this quick?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. I just wanted to let you guys know that we’re going to be doing a lot of Christmas activities with Damian this year. Cookies, Christmas lights, decorating, Santa, the whole sha-bang.” Dick says. “But I want you guys to do things with us. I know that we won’t be able to do everything together, but I would like to do some things together and have a movie night with all of us on Christmas eve. Obviously, Jason, Roy and Lian need to come.”
“They’re actually mandatory. You’re optional,” Wally jokes, earning a swat in the chest from Dick.
“Hardy, har, West.” Jason deadpans back. “But yeah, we’d join in some of the activities, I guess.”
Roy leans over Jason's shoulder. “We’d love to join. Also, gets us away from Oliver, so that’s a bonus.”
“Hell yeah!” Steph calls out, “I’m down for any and all of it!”
“Send me an itinerary and I’ll let you know what I’ll join, but it sounds nice.” Babs says.
“I will try to be home a few days before Christmas. I have to go. It is time for my patrol, but I will message you later.” Cass says, smiling warmly. There is a chorus of byes and Cass’ picture closes out.
Dick looks at Tim's box. Tim is biting his lip, looking off to the side.
“Unmute yourself, replacement!”
Tim sighs and unmutes himself. “Uh, I don’t think I’ll really be able to do anything right now. I’m really busy right now.” There is a clattering sound in the background, followed by cursing. Tim looks past the screen. “I’ve got to go. Bye.”
There is a moment of silence before Steph says, “I’ll talk to Tim, convince him to join some activities.”
Dick smiles tightly, “Thanks, Steph.”
Steph leaves the call.
“Awkward,” Jason mutters and hangs up the call, leaving just Babs.
“I have to get going, too, but send me what you’re doing and I’ll see what I can make.” Babs says, already starting to type on her computer.
“Thanks, Babs. Love ya.”
“Love you, too, Boy Wonder.” Bab responds, getting out of the call.
Dick sets the laptop down in his lap. Wally wraps his arms around Dick’s waist. “Hey, that wasn’t that bad.” Dick rests his head against Wally. “We knew Tim would take some convincing, this is fine.”
“Thanks, babe.” Dick mutters back as Wally presses a kiss to the top of Dick’s head. Dick stands up and reaches out for Wally, pulling him up. “Let’s start going through the boxes of decorations Alfred dropped off in the bunker before he and Damian get back from the store.”
—
Sprinkles covering the floor like glitter, icing smears on the table, and gumdrops sticking to the wall. This is exactly what Dick was imagining for a Wayne family gingerbread decorating contest. Even with Alfred pretending to scowl at the side of the room, but Dick knows the older man well enough to know that he’s okay with this kind of mess. The kind of mess made while making memories, made with laughter and fun. That’s the only kind of mess that Alfred lets anyone get away with.
It also helps that Alfred knows everyone well enough that he knew this would be the outcome.
Picking up Damian, ignoring how the young boy huffs, Dick swings him around. “Who do you think is winning so far, Dami?”
“Definitely not Jason. That is a monstrosity. I do suppose Lian’s house has a certain charm to it that… catches the eye.” Damian responds stoically, waiting for Dick to put him back down. Dick laughs at the opinion and puts Damian back down, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head.
“Hey!” Jason calls out, “I’d like you to know that this is supposed to look like this. It’s a crack house.”
Jason’s house in front of him has a dead gingerbread man in the front yard with melted red icing pooling around it. The roof is caved in with chocolate shaving as the shingles are missing and scattered in the yard.
“Mine’s a unicorn’s house,” Lian states proudly, putting her hands on her hips. The six year old looks very proud of her house in front of her. Her house looks more like a barn than a real house, with special unicorn gingerbread that Alfred made for her. The house is covered in icicles of frosting and sprinkles for the glitter.
“Yours is great, Li,” Wally says, looking up from his house, his tongue sticking out in concentration. He groans as his roof slides off the house, again. “How are you supposed to get this to stay up there? I’ve put so much icing on it.”
“That’s the problem,” Barbara snickers next to him. He glares at her and her perfect replica of Oracle’s workstation.
“You try too hard,” Cass says in agreement. Her gingerbread house looks more like a doll house with only three walls, being able to see in. She’s lining one wall with foil to replicate a mirror in a dance studio.
“I hate you both,” Wally mutters. Dick pats his shoulder, patronizingly. “Even Steph's is better than mine. Her’s is loaded with more icing than mine!”
Steph sticks her tongue out. “Power of the waffle house, beotch.”
“You could make yours a crack house, too,” Jason suggests with a wicked grin at Wally, getting flipped off in return.
Damian ignores their shenanigans and looks up at Dick. “Baba, is Timothy joining us?”
Pulling a handful of gumdrops out of the bag, Dick looks down at Damian and smiles sadly. “I don’t think so,” Dick throws a gumdrop at Stephanie. “Tim hasn’t responded to many of my messages right now.”
Grabbing the gumdrop that fell onto the table, Steph plops it in her mouth. “Tim told me he’s busy, but he won’t tell me what he’s busy with.”
“He has yet to join any of these activities that you deem crucial to a Christmas experience.” Damian scowls at Dick. “You said that doing these is crucial to earning a gift from Santa Claus on Christmas as the stalker is constantly watching all of us and invading our privacy, requiring us to complete tasks to appease the omnipresent being.”
Roy sputters, spitting out the sip of hot chocolate he has. “Jeez kid,” Roy coughs, “that is definitely one way to describe Santa.”
Dick shrugs next to Damian, wrapping an arm around the kid. Damian leans into the half hug. “He’s fantastic with his words, isn’t he?”
“Uh-huh,” Jason mutters, snapping the head off another gingerbread man. “He’s a regular old kid, waiting to catch Santa.”
Damian’s eyes brighten, “I can catch that old man?”
“No.” Dick responds sternly, glaring at Jason who meets the gazing, biting the leg off a gingerbread man. “If you stay up to catch Santa, he won’t stop at the penthouse.”
“Humph,” Damian grumbles, crossing his arms and slouching in his seat.
“You have to go to sleep early!” Lian states, matter-of-factly. She nods her head and looks right at Damian. “The earlier you go to sleep, the earlier you get to wake up and open your presents.”
Looking around at the chaos all around him, Dick straightens. “I’ll be back in 10 minutes. I’m going to steal Tim away from his friends.” Dick walks over to the elevator, not giving anyone a chance to say anything against it. Dick steps into the elevator and scans his finger print to go to the bunker. As the door closes, Dick states, “He’s going to have family fun.”
—
“Red Robin!” Dick yells as he steps out into the cave. Dick only added a domino mask to what he was wearing earlier, not even changing his candy covered clothes. Dick freezes as he takes one step into the mountain’s cave. He looks all around the cave only to see piles and piles of presents. “What the hell?”
“Red Robin!” Dick calls again, hurrying a little faster into the cave. Dick hears a muttered shit behind a wall of presents. Sliding a stack of boxes, Dick is met with four teenagers, sitting around the floor. Bows, tape, wrapping paper, scissors, gift tags, and presents scattered all around them. All four teenagers turn to look at Dick.
Conner has a bow stuck to his forehead. Cassie is wide-eyed with several pieces of ripped tape hanging off her arm. Bart has a stack of sheets of wrapping paper next to him, scissors waving in his hand as he smiles nervously at Dick. Tim has a stack of presents next to him and ripped price tag stickers all around him.
Dick opens his mouth, before he closes it again. He points at Tim, puts his hand back down and brings it back up.
“I- Are you guys doing a big toy drive?” Dick finally settles on. Dick leans back and looks around the space filled with towers of gifts, “For an entire country or two?”
“More like 200,” Bart mutters under his breath. Unfortunately for him, Dick hears the statement.
“Why would you be making presents for 200 countries?” Dick rubs at his face. “You guys do know Santa is real right? Please tell me you know that, Timmy?”
Tim looks down, unable to meet Dick’s gaze. Dick turns to Cassie who has tears in her eyes. “Cassie?” Dick questions, “Why do you look like you’re about to cry?”
Cassie holds her breath and looks away.
“Okay, seriously, what is happening right now? If you’re trying to make sure Christmas is special for everyone, great, but unnecessary.”
“Santa’s dead!” Bart finally blurts out, immediately covering up his mouth.
Conner kicks his foot into Bart’s, “Nice going.”
Dick crouches down to get on the teenagers level. “Why do you guys think Santa is dead?”
All of them stay silent, Dick sighs. “Timmy, why do you think Santa is dead?”
“... Because we saw him die.” Tim finally mumbles, looking up.
“You saw Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, die?” Dick asks slowly. All four teenagers nod their heads. “When?”
“Last year” Tim responds. “We took care of Christmas last year, but this year, there wasn’t anything made for us to hand out. Last year the sack and the list fell on us after Santa died! But we’ve been buying gifts all year, and building things and we still don’t have enough and-”
“Woah, Tim slow down.” Dick reaches a hand out towards Tim. The younger boy freezes. “Good, now take a breath. You saw Santa die?”
“We already said that! He was hit by a meteor. Him, his sleigh, and reindeer were all up in flames, gone!”
“So now you think Santa is dead?” Dick asks slowly. “Why didn’t you tell anyone in the league?”
“Yeah, we’ll just walk up to the big three and say that Santa died, because we couldn’t stop a meteor.” Conner mutters. “You think I was gonna look at Batman and say Santa is dead?”
“I think Batman would have taken it in stride last year actually.” Dick responds kindly, patting Conner’s leg. “Do you know Santa’s powers?”
Tim shrugs, “I assumed some kind of speed or time power. And a nuke for a sleigh.”
Dick huffs out a laugh, “Yeah something like that. Okay, stand up. I think you guys get to know a top secret league secret that only the big three know.”
“But we need to finish all of this!” Tim argues, his hand pulling on his hair.
“Nope, enough of that. I promise this will not put you behind schedule.” Dick promises.
“Wait, if it’s a big three secret, how do you know it?” Cassie asks, standing up, pulling all of the tape off of her arm. She wads it up and throws it into a pile of trash.
“He’s Batman,” Bart responds, coolly.
Dick gives Bart an unimpressed glare.
Bart shrugs, “Time travel. Some things match up, some things don’t. This one does.”
“Your brother’s Batman,” Cassie mutters to Tim.
Tim rolls his eyes, following Dick towards the zeta beams. “Yeah, I know.”
“Remember, you can not share this secret with anyone.” Dick warns as he starts to type a code into the zeta tube.
“Welcome Batman and registered guests.” The zeta beam announces as it turns on.
“Why would the zeta beam call us guests?” Conner asks, stepping up next to Dick. “We’re all registered.
Dick smirks, “Just wait.”
Dick steps into the zeta beam, the others following.
As they appear on the other side of the beam, there are loud noises of machinery. There are people running around everywhere. Bright colors cover every surface.
“Come on, let’s go this way.” Dick waves his hands at the group and starts to lead them through the maze of people.
“Um, why do these look like elves?” Bart asks, raising his hand, dodging a ball being thrown across the room. One of the so called elves roll their eyes at Bart before continuing building a toy car.
Dick ignores the group's questions as they finally reach a grand set of double doors. Dick knocks once before opening the door.
“Richard.” A man’s low voice greets as he steps into the room. The teens follow behind, the door automatically closing behind them, causing them to tense. In front of them is a giant desk, with a chair, spun to face out a giant window showing more of the workshop. The chair spins slowly.
“Santa!” Bart yells, pointing at the man.
Santa bellows a belly laugh, setting down a large piece of paper on his desk. “It’s not polite to point, Bartholomew.” Santa laughs as Bart quickly drops his hand. “And call me Kris, you all have earned that.”
“‘Um, what?” Conner asks so eloquently. He blinks at Santa and rubs his eyes. “We saw you die.”
“Ah, so you did, Kon-el.” Santa responds stoically. He points to himself from his bright red hat, down to his large, jolly belly. “As you can see, I am very much alive now.”
“But how?” Tim asks, wide eyed.
“I’m Santa Claus.” The man’s voice booms. “Did you really think a meteor would stop me?”
“Yeah,” Cassie mutters.
“Immortality.” Dick mutters beside them. “Vandal Savage levels.”
“Oh that man.” Santa mutters, “He gets bored every few centuries and presents to be my evil twin Krampus.”
“You have beef with Vandal Savage,” Bart says slowly. “I’m sorry, why don’t we know about this in the future.”
“What do you mean? I can promise you have heard of me in the future.” Santa replies with a smirk.
“But, why aren't there records?”
“Of course there are,” Santa stands up, towering over everyone else in the room. The man’s frame doesn’t intimidate however, but brings comfort. He walks around the desk towards the group. “It’s just whether you choose to believe or not.”
“Huh.”
“Wait,” Tim waves his arms. “If you're alive, then why didn’t you tell us? Can’t you see everything. Couldn’t you see we were trying to get presents for everyone?”
“Of course I could.” Santa smiles, his rosy cheeks, pushing his eyes closed partially. “You four have been some of my favorite workers this year.” Santa unrolls a piece of paper that seems to keep going. “I give every child one gift. Most kids get more from their parents, but there are many who can’t afford it. Your gifts are meant to go to the kids who deserve their second gift.”
Pulling a second list out from his belt, Santa holds the list out towards Tim. “These are the kids your gifts are going to this year.”
Deftly, Tim grabs the list from Santa.
“Now, you four should go enjoy some time with your families. You have plenty of presents for that list.” Santa states, turning back to his desk. He grabs his bright red coat and starts to pull it on. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to go find the largest piece of coal to give to Darksied this year.” Santa puts his hand on the doorknob and opens it, gesturing for the others to step out. “I trust you know the way out, Richard.”
“You know I do, Kris.” Dick replies with a smirk, patting Santa on the shoulder. Santa laughs and starts to walk away from the group. Dick grabs Tim’s shoulders. “Now that that’s settled, let’s go home and make gingerbread houses.” Dick nods at the other teenagers. “You three are all free to join of course.”
Dick ushers the teenagers back to the zeta beams. “Remember, you can’t tell anyone about this, alright?”
They all nod their heads as they zeta back to the cave.
“Uh, Dick,” Tim starts as they get back to the cave. “How did you know where to go in the workshop? You can’t have gone there a lot as Batman. It hasn’t even been two years.”
“Oh, I hacked the zeta beams and followed Bruce when I was Robin,” Dick rubs nervously at the back of his neck. “They had to update the zeta beams a lot.”
All four teenagers look at Dick in awe and shock.
Dick claps his hands together. “Oookay. You have one minute to grab anything you want and then we’re going to the penthouse. Chop chop.”
They hurry off, Cassie yelling that she needs her phone. Tim stays behind next to Dick.
“Uh, thank you, Dick.” Tim says, looking down at his shoes. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you.”
Dick wraps an arm around Tim’s shoulders, “It's been a hard two years, I get it. But you can always come to me, got that?”
Tim nods his head.
“Great. Now you have to go and out build Jason’s crack house.” Dick smirks, tightening the half hug around Tim.
Tim sputters and shouts, “His what?”