Chapter Text
Ever since the play Percy was in where he’d asked Alfred for fencing tips and learned Alfred had been a fencer when he was young, the two of them had gotten into the habit of practicing fencing on occasion. They’d gotten Percy all the proper fencing gear, they found he preferred fencing saber since it was most similar to actual sword fighting. Alfred preferred epee, but he was willing to do saber with Percy instead. Percy sometimes struggled with the restrictions of the fencing form and staying in a straight line, he wanted to circle around his opponent and use more than one dimension of space, but he was still pretty good at it.
After the Olympics, they were fencing one day when Bruce came in and watched them. When they reached a stopping point, Bruce interrupted.
“Percy, there is a Gala at the museum next week, there’s a new display of Greek artifacts. It’s also a fundraiser for the Martha Wayne Foundation, specifically the youth arts division of it. I was wondering if you would be willing to come with me?” Bruce asked.
“Who else is coming?” Percy asked.
“Dick is willing to come if you do, Tim will be coming as well,” Bruce informed him.
“I guess I can go, as long as I don’t have to do any shmoozing,” Percy agreed.
“Excellent. Alfred, I trust you will ensure you has a proper tux in order? It’s a black tie,” Bruce said.
“Of course, sir,” Alfred said.
So the next week, Percy was going with his family to the gala at the museum. He was wearing a plain black tuxedo just like the others. Bruce had informed him that there would be a bit of press at the doors and the proper conduct to follow with that, but that once they were inside it would only be a few trusted press people who shouldn’t bother him. Apparently, part of the exhibit was on loan from Metropolis so in addition to the Gotham reporters, there would be a few Metropolis reporters present.
Alfred drove the limousine. When they arrived, Bruce got out first, going ahead so the press could snap some photos of him alone, he had a big smile on his face. Then Dick got out, then Percy, then Tim; the three of them moved together, posing for a quick picture then joining Bruce for a few more quick pictures, Percy just did his best to smile respectfully. Some reporters shouted questions but following protocol, they stayed silent. Then after a moment of pictures they all went inside the museum for the Gala.
Bruce was one of the main sponsors of the Gala, so he went to the front and was greeting people, talking to people to try and drum up donations. Tim and Percy would be sticking together the entire night, no one wanted Percy on his own during a Gala. Dick would drift around the Gala, sometimes joining Bruce and sometimes joining Percy and Tim.
Percy and Tim walked around viewing the exhibit while Bruce mostly stayed in the main gala room. Percy found the exhibit mildly interesting since it was all ancient Greek stuff. A lot of it was pottery. Tim mentioned that his parents had been archaeologists and started filling him in on some of the archaeological side of things that he observed. Percy could easily read the ancient Greek writing on any of the intact pottery.
“Notice anything interesting?” Tim asked casually.
Percy had noticed a slight amount of residual magic on some of the bowls and he pointed them out, “Those bowls were used in religious rituals, possibly Eleusinian Mysteries based on the markings for some of them.”
“Huh, it doesn’t say that on the plaque, how do you know that?” Tim asked.
“I would struggle to read the English plaque anyways, but I can read the Greek. I could be wrong about the specifics, but they definitely seem like ritual bowls,” Percy said with a shrug.
“What did they use ritual bowls for? Blood?” Tim asked.
“No, not normally at least. More commonly drugs or potions of sorts. Sometimes burning incense,” Percy informed him.
“Interesting analysis,” a female voice said from behind them, Percy spun around in a defensive posture, alarmed someone had snuck up on them.
“Ah, Percy, this is Ms. Diana Prince, she’s a museum curator specializing in Greco-Roman artifacts, she mainly works in DC. She’s an old friend of Bruce’s,” Tim informed him and Percy forced himself to relax.
Percy still felt tense. He analyzed the woman, she was very tall and beautiful, and she moved with the grace of a warrior. She appeared strong. There was something strange about her.
“Pleasure to meet you, Percy,” Diana said cordially, extending a hand to shake, “Μιλάς ελληνικά?” You speak Greek? Her accent was perfect. Percy realized she smelled like ozone, like Zeus.
“Sorry, excuse me,” Percy said, not shaking her hand and moving swiftly to the bathroom to get some air. He splashed water on his face and tried to think.
She moved like a warrior and was fluent in Greek and she seemed more than human, with how she smelled of ozone. And didn’t Wonder Woman also have the name Diana? Could she be Wonder Woman? He didn’t want to meet Wonder Woman. Why would Bruce be friends with Wonder Woman, that’s ridiculous, he’s probably just imagining things.
After calming himself down, he walked out of the bathroom. He turned into the hall then suddenly heard a voice from behind him, “You alright there, kid?”
He only half heard the words, he was already moving on instinct with his startle response, punching the man in the chest. Ow, his knuckles, this guy felt like marble. After a moment it was like the guy realized the punch was supposed to hurt and he fell back a bit, acting normal, but Percy noticed the delay. And he realized the guy looked a lot like Superman, who he had met. And with him evidently having flesh like granite Percy figured he was right, this man was Superman.
“You startled me,” Percy said, feeling panicked and buying time. His knuckle hurt, did he break it? He tried not to show the pain.
“It’s alright, quite the right hook you have there, kid,” the man said in a cheerful tone of voice as he stood back up, “Didn’t mean to startle you, Percy,” Percy stiffened at the man knowing his name, which the man noticed, “I’m Clark Kent, press, I’m an old friend of Bruce’s.”
“Seems like everyone’s an old friend with Bruce,” Percy grumbled. If this guy was really superman, then was Diana really Wonder Woman?
“Percy, there you are, and Clark, good to see you,” Dick said in a friendly voice as he approached, “Is everything okay?”
“Just got startled, guess I’m feeling jumpy, I want to go home,” Percy said.
“We’ve been here less than an hour,” Dick said with a frown.
“I’ve already seen the exhibit. And you all don’t have to leave early but I want to go home,” Percy asserted firmly. Dick looked him over, seeing he was serious.
“Alright, I’ll tell Alfred to bring the car around, there’s time for him to drive us home then return in time to pick up the others,” Dick said, “See you around, Clark,” he bid the man farewell.
Dick informed Bruce they were leaving and they made their way to the car. After they’d been driving a few minutes, Dick spoke up.
"Do you want to explain what got you feeling so spooked?" Dick asked.
"I've got good instincts, I can tell if someone is dangerous even if they’re not threatening. First was the woman, Diana, she was dangerous and she smelled like ozone, which made me feel panicked. Then the man, Clark, he was so quiet he startled me, I’ve actually gotten better at controlling my startle response but I’d subconsciously registered him as dangerous in the half second it took to respond so I punched him but his skin was like stone, I think he was Superman. It freaked me out. I think I might’ve hurt my hand,” Percy admitted.
“Alfred can check it over when we get home, we have an X-ray machine if needed,” Dick said, not knowing how to answer the rest of it.
“I think I’m realizing things I didn’t want to know. The woman, I think she was Wonder Woman, why would Bruce be old friends with Superman and Wonder Woman?” Percy asked.
“Bruce is the primary funder of the Justice League,” Dick admitted carefully.
“But there’s more, isn’t there?” Percy said with a frown. He held his hand up to block his view of the upper half of Dick’s face, staring intently at his jawline, seeing the connection, “You and Nightwing remind me of eachother, I just tried not to see it,” Percy admitted.
Dick inhaled sharply, “We’ll talk when we get home, okay kiddo?” Dick said. It wasn’t an admittance, but it wasn’t a refusal either.
“I don’t want to know, but I don’t want you to gaslight me about it either,” Percy said.
Dick took a deep breath, “I won’t gaslight you,” he promised, “Come here, kiddo.” He extended his arms and pulled Percy into a hug.