Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Watchtower was usually a place of stoic professionalism, the silent hum of orbiting machinery, and the gentle, disciplined voices of the world’s greatest heroes conducting their duties.

Usually.

Tonight, it was a chorus of groaning, grumbling, and muttered complaints.

“Why are we doing this on Halloween?” Flash complained loudly for what had to be the tenth time in the last five minutes. “It’s literally the one night of the year I can eat enough sugar to put a mortal in a coma and no one can judge me for it!”

Across the gleaming metal conference table, Green Lantern sighed. “You eat enough sugar every night, Barry.”

“Yeah, but tonight it’s themed sugar.”

Diana looked up from her neatly folded hands and tilted her head, calm but unimpressed. “Is that truly different?”

“Yes,” Flash said immediately. “Pumpkin-shaped Reese’s hit different, Wonder Woman.”

Hawkgirl gave a dry snort. “You’re all lucky I even came up here. I got invited to three different parties tonight, one of which involved a bonfire and someone trying to summon an actual demon.”

“That’s still preferable to a meeting called by Batman,” Green Arrow muttered. He was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed, expression somewhere between annoyed and exhausted. “On Halloween. In orbit.”

“Maybe it’s important,” Clark offered from his seat, ever the diplomat. “Batman doesn’t usually call meetings unless it’s urgent.”

“Then why didn’t he tell us what it’s about?” Shazam piped up, sitting on the edge of his seat like a restless kid. “I was literally in the middle of getting free candy! You know how long it took to get this cape ironed?”

“You ironed your cape?” Hawkgirl asked flatly.

“I wanted to look nice!”

J’onn, who had been silently observing the proceedings, finally spoke. “Perhaps we could all reserve judgment until Batman arrives.”

“Assuming he ever does,” Flash said, tapping his fingers on the table in a rapid, impatient rhythm. “The guy calls a mandatory meeting on Halloween and then shows up late. Classic.”

Aquaman crossed his arms. “If he doesn’t show in the next five minutes, I’m leaving. Mera and I were supposed to go to a charity masquerade ball. She’ll kill me if I miss it.”

The room descended back into scattered murmurs. Someone had dimmed the overhead lighting, perhaps to match the mood and it cast long shadows across the room, reflecting off the polished table.

Then, just as Flash started timing how many times he could run around the table before Batman arrived, the lights flickered.

The air shifted.

Every conversation stopped dead.

A low hiss of the doors. The soft, heavy sound of boots.

Batman stalked into the room lcloak billowing, cowl shadowed, expression unreadable.

“I’m late,” he said, with absolutely no hint of apology.

“You’re late?” Flash echoed. “You’re late?! We’ve been sitting here for—”

Before he could finish, Batman walked straight past him, silent and purposeful… and dropped a bag into his hands.

Flash blinked. “Uh… what—?”

Batman kept walking. Another bag. Diana. Another. Clark. J’onn. Hal. One by one, every member received a small, rustling plastic bag of what was unmistakably—

“…Candy?” Green Arrow said, staring down at the bright orange and black packaging. “Batman just… gave me candy.”

“Is this a trap?” Hal asked immediately. “Like, are we being tracked right now through Snickers bars?”

No one spoke. They all looked at Batman. He stood at the head of the table, cloak sweeping dramatically behind him, not saying a word.

“Batman,” Diana said carefully, “are you… feeling well?”

He didn’t answer.

Flash tentatively peeked inside his bag. “Okay, but like—full-size bars? You’re not messing around.”

Shazam tore his open immediately, practically vibrating. “There’s peanut butter cups! He’s got peanut butter cups!”

“Mine has toffee,” Clark said, smiling faintly despite himself. “You actually… gave us Halloween candy?”

“Why?” Green Lantern demanded. “What’s going on? Is this some weird Gotham custom? Do we need to sit in a circle and perform a ritual or something?”

Still nothing.

Batman looked from one bewildered face to another. His jaw tensed. His cape shifted slightly, like a dark wing catching a breeze.

Then, finally, he said, “Play along.”

“...Play along with what?” Flash said, mouth full of chocolate.

Batman didn’t answer. Instead, he moved toward the door, the dramatic swish of his cape echoing faintly through the silence.

He paused just before stepping through, half-turned toward them, his voice suddenly lower  but softer.

“They’re ready for you, Superman,” he called out.

The room went quiet.

Every single head turned toward Clark.

“I… I’m already here?” Superman said uncertainly, looking around like maybe there was another him hiding under the table. “Did he—uh—did he mean—?”

But Batman was already leaning slightly out into the corridor, the edges of his cape visible in the doorway. His tone, when he spoke again, was something no one had ever heard from him before: bright, almost cheerful.

“They’re ready for you, Superman!”

The door swished open wider and a blur of red, blue, and boundless energy came charging into the room.

He was small. Maybe eight or nine years old, with dark hair that stuck out in messy tufts and a beaming grin that showed off a missing front tooth. He was wearing a perfect miniature Superman costume complete with cape and the “S” symbol, though he also had on a little domino mask that clearly didn’t belong with it.

“Is it a bird?” the boy declared dramatically, doing a cartwheel across the floor. “Is it a plane? NO, it’s Superman!”

He stopped right in front of the actual Superman, rocking on his heels, holding a bright orange pumpkin bucket.

“Trick or treat!” he announced, eyes wide and sparkling.

There was a pause.

A long, stunned pause.

Then:

“…Oh,” Flash said softly, realization dawning. “Oh no. He didn’t.”

Batman had brought a child. Trick-or-treating. On the Watchtower.

The same Batman who had once growled that “Halloween is an illogical holiday promoting vandalism, sugar-and alcohol addiction.”

Now he stood silently by the door, cape pooling around him, arms folded, watching the small boy bounce excitedly.

Clark blinked down at the little costumed figure. “Well, aren’t you a handsome little fella!” he said warmly.

The boy giggled a delighted sound that filled the room. “You think so? I thought so too!”

“That’s a great costume you’ve got,” Clark said, crouching down slightly to meet his eyes. “You even got the emblem right!”

“Yup!” The boy beamed. “I can fly too! Wanna see?”

Before Clark could answer, Batman’s voice cut through the room.

“Robin.”

The boy turned, pouting. “You’re no fun.”

“I’m letting you go trick-or-treating at the Watchtower,” Batman answered dryly. “And I let you dress as Superman, of all people. I think that’s plenty fun.”

Every head turned toward Batman.

“Robin?” Diana repeated slowly. “This is… Robin?”

Batman didn’t look at her. “Yes.”

“Your Robin?” Green Lantern asked.

Batman’s mouth twitched slightly. “He’s my… son.”

“You don’t sound sure,” the boy,  Robin, said brightly, before giggling and scampering off toward J’onn. “Trick or treat!”

J’onn blinked down at him, looked briefly at Batman for permission, then smiled faintly and poured his whole bag of candy into Robin’s pumpkin bucket.

Robin’s eyes went huge. “Woah! You’re my favorite alien ever!”

“Thank you,” J’onn said gently.

Robin bounced from one hero to another, each one gradually warming up to his energy. Hawkgirl knelt to help him adjust his cape. Green Arrow muttered something about “the resemblance,” but still dropped two chocolate bars in his bucket. Flash somehow disappeared and reappeared with an entire tray of cupcakes from the commissary.And Captain Marvel gave Robin a big smile to distract him from the already empty bag in his hand.

All the while, Batman stood at the back of the room, unmoving except for the faint twitch of his jaw whenever Robin’s laughter echoed a little too loudly.

Finally, Robin came running back to him, holding his overflowing pumpkin bucket up proudly. “Look! Look how much candy I got!”

“I can see,” Batman said evenly.

“But we can still go like normal, right? You promised! You promised!” Robin’s voice was soft but urgent, tugging at the edge of Batman’s cape. “I’ve never been, and everyone at school’s been talking about it!”

Batman sighed, so quietly only the League’s more sensitive ears caught it. “We can still go,” he said. “I just need to change once we’re home.”

“Into a real costume?”

“Into normal clothes.”

Robin let out a dramatic groan, clinging to his cape like it might convince him. “That’s so boring! Dress up with me!”

“I don’t have a costume, Chum.”

“Yes you do!” Robin said, eyes gleaming. “Me and Agent A got you one!”

“Agent A and I,” Batman corrected automatically.

“Uh-huh! We got you a bow and quiver and everything! You’re gonna be Green Arrow!”

Batman froze. Every eye in the room turned to Oliver Queen.

GAs mouth fell open. “You—you’re dressing up as me?”

Batman gave him the slowest, most withering look imaginable. “I am not dressing up as Green Arrow.”

“Yes you are!” Robin declared cheerfully. “Agent A said so!”

“You did not get me a Green Arrow costume,” Batman said flatly.

Robin tilted his head, feigning innocence. “It’s okay! We got a backup! You could also be Green Lantern!”

“I’ll be Green Arrow.”

“Hey!” Hal protested.

Robin’s grin was triumphant. He scrambled up Batman’s arm and perched on his shoulders like he’d done it a hundred times. “Told you!”

The League sat in stunned silence.

For the first time since forming the Justice League, they saw something new ,something none of them would’ve believed without seeing it with their own eyes.

Batman, the Dark Knight, the brooding furry of Gotham, the man who could silence a room with a single glare, standing perfectly still while a giggling child in a Superman costume sat on his shoulders, tugging at his ears.

“Come on, Bats,” Flash said softly, grinning. “That’s… actually kind of adorable.”

“Say that again,” Batman warned.

“No thanks,” Flash retorted, still smiling. “I value my life too much.

Chapter Text

“Candy corn!” he cried, spotting the small triangular pieces at the bottom of his bucket. He grabbed one and held it up triumphantly. “Look, Batman! Tiny triangles! They taste like wax!”

Flash burst into laughter. “He’s not wrong.”

Robin, wasn’t done. He was still digging through his pumpkin bucket, sorting candy into little piles. “You can have this one,” he said, holding up a lollipop to Diana. “You were really nice to me.”

Diana smiled and accepted it with a gentle bow of her head. “Thank you, little warrior.”

Robin turned and offered a chocolate bar to J’onn. “And this one’s for you, ‘cause you gave me so much! And you look like E.T. a little bit!”

J’onn blinked. “I will… take that as a compliment.”

“It is! E.T. is cool!”

When Robin came to Green Arrow, he looked him up and down critically. “You’re the one Batman’s gonna dress up as.

“I can’t wait to see this,” Flash said, grinning.

“You won’t,” Batman said immediately.

Robin ignored him. “I’m gonna make him wear the hat too!”

“No hat.”

“Yes hat.”

“Robin.”

Robin just smiled sweetly and handed Green Arrow a packet of Skittles. “You can share it with your friends.”

Then he went to Superman and pulled out a little pack of reese’s cups. “Those are my favorites” he said, handing it to Superman with a big smile.

”Here.” He said while giving GL a bag of Candy Corn, “This is for you, I don’t like ‘em.” 

Before he could give away even more of his candy Batman cut in.

”Robin, if you still want to go trick or treating in Gotham we have to go now.”

”But—“ Dick tried to argue.

”Now”

Robin gave the gathered heroes one last, blinding smile, before turning to Batman.

”I am coming, B” He ran in Batmans direction, said hero was already in the teleporter and snuggled himself under his cape, before turning back and waving the rest of the league

“Bye Mr. Superman, Mr. Shazam, Miss Wonder Wo—“ he was cut off by the teleporter humming to life.

The zeta tube in the batcave lit up and Batman and Robin (still half hidden in the cape) stepped out.

Alfred was already standing near the computers, the Green Arrow costume in one hand and with the other he took the candy bucket from Dick.

”Alfred”Dick smiled excitedly “I met Superman and—and Wonder Woman and Manhunter and—“ he again got interrupted, this time by Bruce who ruffed his hair.

”Come on chum, let’s go, you can tell Alfred everything in detail later.”

”Indeed Master Dick, and Master Bruce—”He said with smile “I already fetched your costume, go ahead and put it on.”

Bruces smile vanished in an instant “ Of course,Alfred.” He sighed. 

Dick just smiled, looking forward to go trick or treating with his Dad.

Chapter Text

“...I’m so confused,” Shazam said.

“Join the club,” GA muttered. “I’m still processing the part where I’m apparently Batman’s Halloween alter ego.”

“Not his worst choice,” Hawkgirl quipped. “You both brood. He just has better aim.”

“Hey!”

Clark, still smiling faintly, set down the small pack of Reese’s cups Robin had given him. “He was very polite,” he said quietly, almost to himself.

“He was adorable,” Diana corrected. “A bright soul, full of life.”

“He called me E.T.,” J’onn smiled, examining his chocolate bar. “Then gave me candy to make up for it.”

“See?” Flash said, grinning. “The kid’s already got the whole superhero diplomacy thing down. We should sign him up.”

“Absolutely not,” Hal said immediately. “We’re not turning Batman’s kid into a League mascot.”

“He already has the costume for it,” Shazam pointed out. “Mini Superman!”

Clark flushed faintly but couldn’t suppress his grin. “He was… very enthusiastic about the theme.”

“Yeah, about that,” Oliver said, rubbing his temples. “Does anyone else find it weird that Batman’s kid dressed up as Superman? I mean, if that’s not some weird Freudian power projection, I don’t know what is.”

“Or,” Diana said mildly, “perhaps he simply admires Superman.”

Clark looked like he wanted to sink into the floor.

“Yeah, well, admiration’s one thing,” Oliver said, smirking. “But dragging Batman into a Green Arrow costume? That’s revenge-level chaos.”

Everyone burst out laughing at that image, Batman, the most terrifying man on Earth, dressed in forest green with a feathered hat and a bow slung over his shoulder.

“Maybe they’ll match,” Flash teased. “They can swap brooding tips between houses.”

“You’re all assuming he’ll actually do it,” Hal said skeptically.

“Oh, he will,” Diana said with certainty. “That boy has him wrapped around his little finger.”

Clark nodded. “He didn’t even argue that hard.”

“I still can’t believe Batman lets a kid fight crime,” GL muttered. “Eight years old!”

J’onn’s voice was calm but firm. “He’s not merely ‘letting’ him. He’s guiding him. And protecting him, in his own way.”

Diana nodded. “The child has light in him. He brings something to Batman that none of us could.”

“Yeah,” Flash said quietly. “Hope.”

For a moment, the Watchtower was silent again, but this time, it was warm..

Then GA cleared his throat. “So, uh, what do we do about this?”

“About what?” Hal asked.

“About the fact that Batman just trick-or-treated on the Watchtower.”

Flash grinned. “We own Halloween now. No one’s topping that.”

“Speak for yourself,” Shazam said, holding up the bag of candy Batman had handed out earlier. “I’m going to eat this and cry about the fact that Batman’s kid has better social skills than I do.”

Hawkgirl clapped him on the back. “Join the club, kid.”

Diana looked toward the still-open door. “You know,” she said softly, “I think I rather like this side of him.”

Clark smiled. “Me too.”

“Trick or treat!” Dick sang out, holding up his pumpkin bucket with a grin missing one tooth.

Every homeowner, no matter how startled, melted under that smile. “Oh my goodness, aren’t you just adorable!”

Dick beamed. “Thanks! My dad’s dressed up too!”

Every time, Bruce’s shoulders stiffened. Every time, Dick pointed up proudly. “He’s Green Arrow!”

Someone always laughed.

Bruce endured it with the patience of a saint, or, more accurately, a very tired man who couldn’t say no to his kid.

Halfway through the night, they stopped in front of a house decorated with orange lights and inflatable ghosts. Dick ran up to the door, cape flapping, then turned back to shout, “Come on, B! Hurry!”

Bruce adjusted his ridiculous feathered hat and followed.

When Dick returned with another handful of candy, he dropped it into his bucket and looked up at Bruce with a grin that could’ve powered Gotham. “Best Halloween ever.”

Bruce exhaled the sound caught somewhere between exhaustion and warmth. “…I’m glad.”

Dick tilted his head. “You mean that?”

“Yes.”

“Even though you had to dress up?”

Bruce gave a quiet grunt that might’ve been a laugh. “Even then.”

They continued down the block, hand in hand, the night cool and bright with laughter and porch lights.

And for once,for one single, perfect Halloween night Bruce wasn’t the brooding Batman, the shadow of Gotham.

He was just a dad in a dumb green costume, walking beside his kid, and maybe that was enough.

 Two days Later

The news finally hit Metropolis.

“Gotham Billionaire Bruce Wayne Spotted Trick-or-Treating with New Ward!”

There was a blurry photo: Bruce Wayne in the unmistakable Green Arrow costume, looking exasperated but soft-eyed as he was dragged down the street by a small boy in a Superman suit. The boy’s grin was enormous.

Clark nearly dropped his coffee.

“…Oh.”

He didn’t say anything to the others. But every time he visited Gotham after that, he brought along a small Superman toy, nothing big , just something small.

And every time he offered it to Dick, the boy’s face lit up like the city skyline.

Bruce, standing just behind him, always gave Clark a suspicious, knowing look.

Clark would just smile.

And maybe( definitely) he’d bring another one next time.