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When Dick presented as an omega, Bruce had been hesitant to introduce him to high society as such even if it was only proper and expected of him to do so as the young boy’s guardian.
His hesitance had a reason though, high society was vicious and omegas were practically worshipped—which had its plenty of downsides amongst its upsides—, considering they were highly sought after for matchmaking. To gain, to own.
The attention Dick would going to get was going be a lot, adamant and overzealous, and Bruce feared the other socialites would outright hound him for the right to Dick’s neck.
Dick was going to perform well, even after the boy’s presentation heat had rattled the omega—he had practically tried to nest with all the pillows and blankets Wayne Manor had, which were a lot—but Bruce would have to watch himself or he’d get very close to murder.
Dick was precious to him. So, when Bruce made the gala announcement, of course Dick was the one to soothe his worries, purring and reassuring him that they could handle a gala.
“It’s not like these people haven’t already been eyeing me up since you took me in.”, Dick shrugged, still buried in a cozy blanket and smelling of post-heat.
Bruce sighed. “Still, it’s one thing to take in a ward. It’s a whole other thing for that ward to be an omega. We’re going to be even further scrutinized. Omegas are revered in our society, we went over that tidbit of history, chum.”, Bruce had talked to him throughout Dick’s heat to lull him to sleep during the more uncomfortable stretches.
“And? I’m good at pleasing crowds. We got this.”, Dick huffed, tiptoeing over to Bruce to crawl in his lap. “Besides it was fairly obvious I’d be an omega.”
Bruce held Dick close to him, breathing in his scent. Despite Dick still being so young he truly embodied a pack omega, nurturing and headstrong.
For all Bruce knew Dick already was his pack omega.
The introduction to high society of the Wayne’s young omega ward went as well as it could have all things considered.
Dick had worn a beautiful fitted suit with big sleeves, cutting a princely shape. Pearl earrings had adorned his ears, which Bruce couldn’t help but stare at often, and around his neck was a collar clasped tightly, drawing attention to his swollen scent glands with a bird shaped ring in the middle of the collar and engraved with little gems holding it all together.
He took the breath away from the entirety of guests present at the gala as Bruce walked him into the hall and showed him off. Not too much though, since his ward was still young.
Bruce brushed off any attempts of mating offers made for his ward, instead choosing to spin him around on the dance floor in a show of flashy dance after dance. Then they left their own gala early to instead sneak into the kitchen.
Dick remembered his presentation gala rather fondly, sure it had been quite awkward to get mating offers left and right—which he continued to get even more often as he grew up into the omega he was today—but dancing with Bruce had been delightful.
It had been an uncomplicated affair unlike their relationship nowadays.
He kept the collar that he had worn to that gala, one of the few possessions he took with him when he left Gotham and established himself as Nightwing in Blüdhaven.
Whenever one of his heats hit, because his suppressants didn’t fully stop them just only made their symptoms milder, he would get restless, missing the scent of pack. The Titans helped him out when it got especially bad by giving him scented clothing.
Bruce’s and Dick’s relationship worsened until Tim entered their brood. Dick despite his reservations took to him like a hen did to a chick.
Tim always sought him out and enjoyed getting scented by the older omega, he practically worshipped the rooftops Dick walked on.
Dick loved having a pup to dote on and when Tim’s presentation heat hit, officially dubbing him a fellow omega, Dick was extremely delighted.
He purred up a storm and helped Tim build a nest, coaching him on the best materials and techniques to use. His pup was cranky, needy and doozy, leaning on Dick for a lot of support and attention.
Dick made sure Tim ate enough and when his heat came to an end he brought up the topic of an introduction gala while they were snuggling with each other. Tim was a part of high society since he had been in his mother’s womb after all and would be expected to throw one.
Tim blinked and flushed a bit, glancing away and down at the pillow he was holding close. “My parents will hold one for me, I’m sure. After they get the news of me going through my first heat. Will you and Bruce be there?”
Dick smiled softly, cooing. “Of course, baby bird. You can count on that.”
Tim shifted, nuzzling closer to Dick’s neck. “I’m not looking forward to the proposals. My parents will be overseeing everything and…”
“Don’t worry. Maybe I will throw in a claim.”, Dick joked, winking. “Have Bruce hash it out while we dance, what do you say?”
Tim chuckled, eyes lighting up with mirth. “Oh, they would hate that. Can we do that? Yeah?”
They indeed did that, and honestly it felt good to be an united front with Bruce again. He conversed with the Drakes while Dick spun Tim around, both omegas wearing pretty collars close to matching each other and staying clear from the rest of the guests, not letting anyone cut in.
They danced til Bruce created an opening for them to slip away into the kitchens and later on joining them, still drenched in wine.
Dick made sure to scent the man to cover the heavy wine smell and laughed when Bruce stared at him in surprise. Yeah, their relationship had grown strained, but slowly it stitched itself together.
A lot happened.
Tim was officially adopted into the brood after his parents’ death, they gained a sister and a brother and went through a large amount of trauma. How fun, though unexpected for the Bats considering their whole operation started because of trauma. Still a lot they could have went without in Dick’s opinion.
Cass integrated herself fast into the family and spent a lot of time together with Tim and Steph, while Damian took a bit longer, on accounts of being younger and feeling like he had to constantly prove himself to be the superior Robin, the blood heir.
Dick slowly taught him to view himself as more, made sure to invite him into the family nest and helped him settle into the family.
Tim and Damian still clashed occasionally, but it verged more on brotherly arguments rather than flat out murder attempts. Dick was so proud of them and how far they had come.
Bruce and Dick talked. Their words cut and comforted each other. The stitches held. Dick was the Bat’s pack omega and Bruce wanted Dick to keep being it. Bruce got a lot more regularly scented by Dick after that conversation happened.
Then Damian got a fever and sought out Dick, who immediately knew what was up.
His pup was undergoing his first heat.
Dick caught Damian in his arms and helped him select pillows and blankets for his nest, purring softly to comfort the whimpering pup.
He guided Damian into the nest once it had enough pillows for now and rubbed his back. Cass and Tim eventually joined them in the nest—once Damian and Dick allowed them to.
Bruce kept watch from outside the nest, following Dick’s requests on bringing them water or food to keep Damian well hydrated and fed. They met each other’s gaze.
They would have to plan an introduction gala soon.
Once Damian’s heat had come to an end, Dick told the young omega, who ducked his head and nodded.
Dick’s heart clenched.
“They’re not too bad. Mine and Tim’s were rather fun. We will make sure yours is going to be pleasant as well.”, Dick hugged Damian closer.
Tim snorted, shifting to look over at them. “Yeah, between Dick, Cass and me you won’t be leaving the dance floor until Bruce makes a scene and we make a break for it.”
Damian scowled. “I will have to dance with you?”
“Well I could also do nothing while the people will propose marriage and mating offers to you.”
“Absolutely not!”
“Aww, so I do get to be one of your charming knights?”
“Boys.”, Dick interrupted their banter with a stern look that was softened by his bemused smile. “Don’t worry, baby bat. Yeah?”
There was no way in hell Dick would let anyone hound Damian for his neck, especially the high society people who had turned their noses up at him when he first came to the manor.
Damian hummed and leaned in to be scented by Dick, who gladly did so.
Damian’s introduction gala did go well. Dick had helped Damian choose a collar for the night and led him out into the hall, bracketed by the rest of their family.
Damian stood tall, wearing green robes that resembled Dick’s own outfit a lot when he had gone to his own introduction gala. It made Dick’s heart swell with affection and he squeezed Damian’s hand while he brought him onto the dance floor.
Talia had also shown up, intercepting them for a moment, congratulating her son on his presentation as an omega while Dick and her exchanged glances, surprisingly civil before Talia went to go over to Bruce.
Dick danced with Damian mostly, but Cass cut in occasionally and Tim did get a few dances with Damian too.
The two made a funny sight. Dick caught Bruce’s eyes from across the hall and smiled, nodding towards his little brothers. Bruce chuckled.
The siblings eventually slipped away into the kitchens.
“See I told you.”, Dick grinned at Damian while he commandeered the cheese platter.
“It was surprisingly not terrible.”, Damian conceded. “Even if I had to dance with Drake.”
“I’m a perfect dance partner and you know it, baby brat.”
“Tell that to my toes.”
Cass chuckled and Dick clicked his tongue, amused.
Bruce joined them a few minutes later, followed by Talia, who swiped a wrist over her son’s scent glands and wished him a farewell before leaving.
Bruce and Dick’s eyes met and Dick gave him a smile that Bruce returned. Dick’s words still rung true. They got this.