Chapter Text
Duke was a toddler when they first gained their powers. They don't remember it, not really, but their parents would tell them stories about how they glowed softly in their sleep and played with blobs of light. They'd learnt to hide it, of course, you couldn't have super powers in Gotham, especially not in the Narrows. Duke would've been kidnapped and trafficked before they even knew what those words meant. Their parents taught them how to hide, how to pretend they were just a normal child. It had worked well, Duke learnt how to suppress their powers in public. They also learnt how to use them.
They hadn't learnt much, when they were younger, but they'd spent hours conjuring shapes, moulding light in their palms. Once, they'd accidentally turned invisible. They still haven't gotten complete control over that, it's a work in progress. Duke's parents had been proud of their control, indulging them when they reenacted scenes from books and shows with carefully but crudely shaped light.
Duke missed them desperately.
They'd been 10 when their parents died. Joker, the bastard, had gassed the mall they'd gone to whilst Duke was in school. They died laughing. Duke hadn't heard about it for hours, there were too many bodies for the police to identify them all quickly. Some hadn't been identified at all.
After, Duke had bounced between foster homes, never quite settling down. They were too loud, too argumentative, too unruly. But they were only grieving. They hadn't been offered grief counselling by the school, too many people, too many parents, died in Gotham for that to be possible. Some of the foster parents, as well as his social worker, had tried to talk to them, but they didn't want to. The loss was too fresh, the wound too deep, for them to talk to complete strangers about it.
It took a long time for them to adjust, two years of going from house to house to house, never unpacking their things. The grief never left, festering inside them, growing ugly with age. Duke never stopped being angry at the Joker, either. They hated him for taking their parents away, for taking their whole life away. The anger festered just like the grief. Duke stopped lashing out as often, but they never stopped moving.
☆☆☆☆
Duke's 13 when the first incident happens. They're staying at a house in Newtown, so far from their home, and they'd been sent out for shopping. It was meant to be a quick trip to the corner shop and back. It wasn't even night yet, but they still managed to almost walk past a mugging. Duke had been sticking to the main roads, but it was impossible to walk through most of Uptown without passing an alley or two.
There's a man holding another man at gunpoint. The one against the wall is stammering about having nothing more to give. The mugger doesn't believe him. Duke wonders if the one against the wall has a family.
Then they move.
The bag falls to the floor with a dull, quiet thud.
Light flashes through the alley.
Duke runs in and punches the mugger in the face as hard as they can, which is pretty hard. They'd picked up going to martial arts lessons from one of their old foster parents, the woman telling them it was a good way to channel theur grief and anger.
The mugger falls to the floor with a cry.
The other man runs off.
Duke stands there for a moment, before the groaning of the man they punched reminds them they should leave. Grabbing the discarded bag, Duke races back to the house.
☆☆☆☆
There's a second incident, then a third, then a fifth, then a tenth, then Duke loses count.
They start seeking out people to stop, people to save. A black hoodie and dark jeans becomes a makeshift costume. Duke pairs them with cheap, yellow lensed goggles from a costume shop. They start practicing with their powers more, it’s a slow process, but they slowly learn how to use their invisibility with a roughly 50% success rate. These powers can help them, can save people. Just like the superheroes on the news. Just like Gotham’s own vigilante, who may or may not exist, Batman. Duke thinks they've seen Batman before, flying over rooftops. They can't be sure, though, so they dismiss it.
Duke keeps helping people, sometimes it's by hitting muggers and rapists, sometimes it's walking someone home or carrying someone's shopping. It makes them feel better, fulfilled.
Their mum would always tell them that their powers were a gift, and to use them wisely.
Their dad always told them to help whoever they can, that a little kindness goes a long way.
Duke carries these words inside themself, branded into their heart. They carry Duke through their life, motivate them to keep going, keep helping where they can.
Duke misses their parents.
☆☆☆☆
Duke is 14, almost 15, when they meet Batman. They've just helped a woman getting mugged and are tying up the mugger with zip ties, when a shadow descends behind them. They don't notice until there's a hand on their shoulder and they're whipping around, fist flying through the air.
It gets caught by a gloved hand.
The man (?) infront of them is tall and shrouded in shadow, all Duke can see are two glowing white eyes and a section of pale skin. The mouth is drawn into a tight frown.
“So,” The man starts, voice deep and gravelly. “You're the one whose been running around playing vigilante?”
“Uh,” Duke squeaks, looking around frantically.
“It's not safe,” He continues. Duke scowls.
“Who even are you?” They ask, tilting their chin up defiantly.
“I'm Batman.”
Duke's first thought is that it sounds like he's saying a catchphrase. Their second thought is a long string of swears.
“Let me get you home, kid, you can't be out at night, it's not safe,” Batman's voice is softer now, just a bit.
“I don't have a home,” Duke snipes back, still disgruntled. It's true, none of the houses they've stayed at are home. Home is with their parents. Home is long gone.
“Do you have a place to stay?” Batman asks. Fuck, does he think Duke is homeless? Duke definitely doesn't want to be taken to one of the kids shelters, not when those are constantly targeted by kidnappers and traffickers.
“Yeah,” They say, wilting slightly. Duke can't beat this guy, probably even with their powers. He's built like a brick wall, the grip on their shoulder and fist prove that's definitely because of muscle. Besides, bats don't need sight, they echolocate. Maybe Batman has powers like Duke, but instead of manipulating light he has the abilities of a bat.
“Lead the way, then.”
Duke does as asked, Batman always one step behind them. Maybe he'll get distracted and they can go invisible and escape. Maybe if they're super still they won't be found with any echolocation abilities Batman might have.
Duke gets a chance when Batman ducks into an alley after a mugger. They turn invisible and start to run, but Batman's already back. In their suprise, their invisibility flickers, letting the man hone in on them. Duke ducks their head as he approaches.
“Neat trick,” Is what Batman says instead of reprimanding them, followed by; “Now, I believe I was taking you back to where you live.”
“Fine,” Duke mumbles, continuing the trek back to the house.
Well, it's a block of flats, really, but Duke's only ever lived in a flat, so they don't particularly care what they call it. Either way, it's not home.
“You can leave me here,” Duke says when they arrive.
“You’re in foster care,” It's not a question. How would he even know that? Sure, the building doesn't look abandoned, but still.
“Yeah, what about it?”
“Hn.”
“Okay, well, I'm just heading in if that's okay with you. Bye Batdude,” Duke starts to head in, already mourning the rest of the night. It’s a Friday, meaning they could've helped so many more people tonight then slept in.
“What's your name?” Batman asks. Duke hesitates, on one hand, you shouldnt give your name to strangers, but on the other hand, Batman might be able to get his name anyway. Who knows what he's capable of, he looks like a bat and runs around Gotham at night. Not to mention the glimpses of tech Duke caught, their eyesight somewhat enhanced even in the dark, looked pretty impressive. The guy probably has a supercomputer in his cave, or wherever bat-men call home.
“Duke Thomas.”
☆☆☆☆
It's not until almost a week later when their social worker calls to tell them that they're being relocated that Duke learns what giving Batman their name means.
Well, they don't learn that Bruce Wayne is Batman until about a month after they move into the Manor, but still.
Maybe getting caught by the guy was a stroke of luck, after all.