Chapter Text
The sound of a soft knock on the door stirred you from your comfortable sleep. Your hands rubbed at your eyes, trying to help clear through the lingering drowsiness.
“Young master? Are you awake?” A soft voice asked, belonging to Alfred. He was an older man who helped to take care of the lavish manor you were now able to call your home. Once he spotted your form sitting up amidst the various blankets and pillows on the bed, he continued, “Breakfast has been prepared, if you would care to join us.”
“Mm, ‘kay. I’ll come down in a second,” You yawned out, a soft hum slipping from your throat as you stretched your arms. You were still adjusting to the new lifestyle, not quite used to feeling so well-rested. The door gently shut as Alfred left, presumably to head back downstairs.
A minute or so passed before you finally got out of bed, stopping by the bathroom to freshen yourself up a bit. Deeming yourself acceptable, you wandered out of your room and down the steps. The sheer size of the manor was still something you struggled to fully grapple with.
The sound of bickering was already audible before you entered the dining area. It made you a bit anxious. Everyone at the manor had been accepting (except maybe Damian, but you didn’t take his supposed disdain too hard), though the fear that you were intruding on their dynamic was still present. It had only been about a week since Bruce took you in after an accident happened involving your abilities.
Breathe.
You took a deep breath, reminding yourself that they had given you no reason to believe that you were unwanted. If anything, they seemed rather happy to have someone new around. The thought didn’t seem to change the way anxiety made your gut twist like a washcloth being rung out.
Your hands were shaking as you entered the dining area, seeing everyone already at the table—with the exception of Bruce, of course. He seemed to be a workaholic of sorts. You hadn’t quite gathered the courage to ask if it was because of your case or not.
“You’re already getting another serving? Leave some for the rest of us!”
“Fuck off.”
“Can you guys shut up?”
“He took half of the—“
“Master [Y/N], I am glad you joined us today,” Alfred’s calm tone cut through the boys’ argument, causing everyone to look over at you. Oh lord. It did not ease your nerves in the slightest. Alfred carefully gestured for you to take a seat, already preparing a plate for you. “I made crepes with a berry compote sauce, along with a few scones on the side. I hope it is to your liking.”
“Thank you, Alfred,” You softly said, getting into your seat. The food looked delicious, there was no doubt about it, but the lump of fear in your stomach made it hard to think about eating. The silence just gave more space for your thoughts to run wild. All you wanted to do was to turn tail and leave, their previous reassurances seeming hollow when drowned out by your self-deprecating worries.
“So, [Y/N], where were you yesterday?” Dick suddenly asked, the question catching you off guard. Looking over at him, you let out a confused noise, not quite understanding what he was asking. It was an odd thing for him to ask, the slightly cryptic question only making you worry even more.
“What do you mean?” Your tone was more shy than you preferred it to be, but it was hard to act as if you weren’t utterly terrified of being a nuisance in the manor. The fear that you had unintentionally done something wrong made you shift in your seat.
“I saw you walk with someone yesterday. Got a special friend?” He continued, raising his eyebrows. A few seconds passed before it suddenly clicked in your mind, your eyes widening at the implication. It all made sense now.
“We- it isn’t like that! We just know each other from my old school,” You said, slightly embarrassed by the idea that you might be romantically involved with your friend. You hadn’t even realized that they noticed you leaving to hang out with your friend in the first place.
“They seem fine. Nothing strange showed up when I looked into them,” Tim hummed, his tone far too casual for what he just said. Your eyes widened as you turned to look at him, not even managing to get any words out as someone else spoke.
“What’s their name?” Jason asked, his tone slightly gruff, as if he was trying to feign annoyance. He hadn’t visited the manor much since you arrived, but he seemed to make subtle attempts at learning more about you as of late. It was a bit heartwarming.
“You’re all being weird. They’re just a friend,” You huffed out, the slightest bit of pink going to your ears. Even if you didn’t like them, the sheer embarrassment you felt was enough to make you flush. “What, none of you hang out with someone platonically?”
“You are turning red. I believe the others may have some validity in their claims,” Damian flatly spoke up, your eyes sending a weak glare in his direction. Having the youngest one agree with the accusations made it worse, though you didn’t use his age as a reason to mock him back.
“It’s not like that!” You continued trying to protest, eating some of your food in an attempt at distracting yourself from the constant prodding. While you had spoken one-on-one with everyone, you hadn’t had a chance to be involved with everyone like this until now.
“What is going on?” A deeper voice asked from the doorway, the sudden presence catching you by surprise.
Bruce Wayne finally came out from the Batcave, his dark hair slightly disheveled. It was clear that he had spent all night working, though he still had his usual stoicism as he walked to the end of the table. He was silent as he lowered himself into his seat, Alfred already moving to get more food.
“[Y/N] went on a date,” Damian says, a choked noise leaving you at how he said it like it was the truth. Small coughs left you as you tried to get the food out of your throat, a burning sensation forming on your cheeks.
“I did not,” You interjected, clearing your throat as you collected your bearings again. It was hard to tell if your face was flushed from the constant teasing or from your brief choking. “They’re all liars.”
“I would never lie about my precious sibling!” Dick gasped, as if your accusation was a stab in the gut. His hand gripped the front of his shirt, a dramatic expression on his face. The corners of his mouth twitched as he let out a soft chuckle.
Sibling?
The word—the way he said it so casually—caught you off guard. It was true, wasn’t it? You were part of the family. The realization made a comfortable warmth settle over your chest, the previous anxiety beginning to melt away.
“The kid from yesterday? They seemed nice, I suppose,” Bruce said, beginning to eat as Alfred set a plate of food in front of him. It was harder to tell if he was being serious or if his comments were purely in jest. “Be responsible.”
“We are not dating!” You stated yet again, an exasperated sigh leaving your lips. Despite all of your attempts to convince them that you had nothing romantic going on, they seemed to doubt it.
The playful teasing continued on for a bit until the topic managed to shift onto a different subject, thankfully giving you a break from the torment they were putting you through. Everything felt like it was falling into place, a smile resting on your face for the rest of the morning.
After everyone had finished eating, most of them ended up getting called to help with an ongoing emergency. You hadn’t yet decided if you wanted to take part in that type of hero activity yet, though it wouldn’t make too much of a difference considering there was no way you’d be let out while having such a weak grasp on your own abilities. You didn’t really mind it. Having everyone else busy, it meant you could relax and get used to the manor.
In the afternoon, you ended up finding yourself sitting outside on the back steps near the garden, staring at the various well-maintained hedges and flowers. Nature was something you’d always loved, even though there was a severe lack of it in Gotham. Knowing how much time and care went into the yard made it seem all the more peaceful.
“Would you care for some tea, master [Y/N]?” Alfred asked, joining you outside. His footsteps were quiet enough not to be a disturbance, but still loud enough to avoid any accidental scares. “I figured you would appreciate some of the usual.”
“Please,” You nod, carefully taking a cup of tea from the butler. He silently sat on the steps beside you, mimicking your gaze as he admired the garden with you.
“The camellias will be blooming soon. I have been working to add more colour to the gardens, as Master Damian pointed out that there was a lack in vibrancy beyond the green hues,” Alfred stated, glancing at the green shrubs full of small, light-coloured buds. “I do hope that the others did not bother you too much with their teasing. It was all in a lighthearted sense on their end.”
“They’ll look nice. I think shrubs always look nice once they’re in full bloom. And it’s alright. I didn’t mind their teasing,” You hummed, nodding. Alfred always seemed to try to make sure that you weren’t lonely or isolated, his presence bringing a small sense of comfort. “Would it be fine if I helped with some of the garden? I don’t really have much else to do and I think it would be nice to pitch in a bit more.”
“Of course. It would be a pleasure to work on the garden with you, master [Y/N],” Alfred smiled at your request. He understood that being in the manor with nothing to do could make you a bit restless. Plus, having a bit of help with the garden wasn’t ever a negative thing. “We can come out here in the morning, if you would like. There are a few weeds sprouting amidst the garden beds.”
“That sounds nice. I’ll be up early for it,” You said, a small smile forming on your face as you sipped your tea. Despite your initial doubts, you felt like you were part of the family. Your head rested on Alfred’s shoulder, a comfortable silence filling the air as the two of you sat together, the sun making the garden seem all the more beautiful.