Ficlet: A Relaxing Afternoon

[starsandsea]

Title: A Relaxing Afternoon
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Bruce/Clark, Dick, Tim, Cass, Babs, Alfred.
Word Count: 512
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Author's Note: A little present for taro_twist. Unbetaed, so point and I shall correct.



Dick grinned. The whole family was here. Bruce, Tim, Alfred, Babs, Cass and Clark. Alfred was, for once, not serving anyone, tidying up after them, or dusting. Babs was sitting next to Cass, talking to her, while Cass nodded, smiling. He and Tim were sharing a sofa, flicking popcorn at each other, and Bruce and Clark were sitting together on a sofa opposite them, Bruce leaning into Clark, and viewing everything with amused eyes.

Family time: Bat style.

Dick's grin grew. Things were quiet, both in Gotham and the rest of the world, and none of them were needed anywhere, for once. Dick sighed with happiness, just before Tim launched a barrage of popcorn at him. Of course, he had to retaliate.

...So, okay, maybe stealing Tim's bowl and then tipping it over his head was overreacting a little, but he couldn't let the squirt get the better of him, could he?

Babs and Cass giggled. Alfred looked appalled. Clark made a move as if to help Tim, and Bruce... Bruce looked torn between annoyance and amusement, with amusement clearly winning.

Tim, meanwhile, spluttered. Dick innocently placed some popcorn in his mouth.

Dick saw Bruce shaking his head, and catching Clark's eye. Clark smiled down at Bruce, before leaning in to kiss him lightly. When they broke apart, Bruce leaned marginally closer to him. He had been hurt a few nights ago. Not really badly, but enough to put him out of commission for a few days. So Dick had come down to cover for him. As it turned out, things were quiet, so they were able to just spend time together as a family.

People didn't understand them, Dick knew. All they saw were the arguments, the misunderstandings. But he challenged them to name to a family who didn't argue. There would be none, of course.

They would always argue, but underneath it all was love. That was something that people outside didn't realize. They all loved each other. And although Bruce might not say the words, he showed his feelings in a myriad of other ways. You just had to know how to look for them. Clark was the only one from the outside who had been able to learn how to do so. And Dick was so relived that he had. Bruce needed Clark in his life, he needed him to balance him. To be the light in his darkness. Clark was, putting it simply, perfect for Bruce. He would always be there for Bruce, good times and bad. Besides, Clark needed Bruce in his life just as much as Bruce needed him in his.

Tim suddenly used his distraction to cover him thoroughly with pop corn. It was Dick's turn to splutter. Oh, now the kid was going to get it!

Tim leapt up from the sofa, Dick following him in a shower of popcorn. Babs and Cass cheered them on, Alfred eyed the mass of popcorn, and Bruce just settled closer to Clark.

Everyday Bat behavior, really.

Comments

[bradygirl_12]

Ha, all this popcorn talk's got you hungry, eh? ;)

Very nice, relaxing little fic, Star! Warm 'n' fuzzy and funny.

I like how you used Dick's POV. He knows his family very well. :)

[pervyficgirl.livejournal.com]

Tim leapt up from the sofa, Dick following him in a shower of popcorn. Babs and Cass cheered them on, Alfred eyed the mass of popcorn, and Bruce just settled closer to Clark.

Everyday Bat behavior, really

*g* Awesome.

I loved the family feel of this whole fic, really. Such sweet domesticity.

[saavikam77.livejournal.com]

BWAHAHAHA!! I LOVE this!! ^_^ The popcorn fight is WIN. :D

And "Everyday Bat behavior, really." YESSSSS!!! :D

[cavaleira.livejournal.com]

Aww, I love it when the whole family gets together!

So cute :)

[greeneyelove.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! I love happy family fic.

[jij.livejournal.com]

People didn't understand them, Dick knew. All they saw were the arguments, the misunderstandings. But he challenged them to name to a family who didn't argue. There would be none, of course.

Aw! That's such a great way of putting it! This was a lovely little moment and it's so good to see everyone being a family, with all that entails.

[blackrosebard.livejournal.com]

Lovely interlude with them. Grand job holding onto Dick's perceptions.

[starsandsea.livejournal.com]

Ha, all this popcorn talk's got you hungry, eh? ;)

*munches on some chocolate*

I like how you used Dick's POV. He knows his family very well. :)

He does indeed. :)

Yay! I'm really glad you liked this! :)

[starsandsea.livejournal.com]

I loved the family feel of this whole fic, really. Such sweet domesticity.

It was really nice writing this, everyone just relaxing. :)

I'm glad you liked it!

[starsandsea.livejournal.com]

The popcorn fight is WIN. :D

*grins*

And "Everyday Bat behavior, really." YESSSSS!!! :D

*grins again*

I'm really glad you liked this! :D

[starsandsea.livejournal.com]

*grins* It was really nice to write this, no angst or anything. :)

Glad you liked!

[starsandsea.livejournal.com]

*grins*

Happy family fic is really fun! :)

Glad you liked.

[starsandsea.livejournal.com]

Aw! That's such a great way of putting it!

I... actually don't like that bit, or the paragraph below it. I mean, I like the sentiment, I don't like the way I wrote it. It feels very clunky to me. But my Dick!Muse was being all protective and angry, so... *shrugs*

Anyway, I'm really glad you liked this, Jen! :D *pets the BatClan*

[starsandsea.livejournal.com]

*grins* Thank you! :) I'm really glad you liked it.

[jij.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I empathize! There are lots of time I end up looking at something and going, "Well, that's what I wanted to say, but I wish my muse had found a better way to say it..." But people tend to respond to the spirit rather than the letter of what people write, I've found...and seeing the Batfamily defended is wonderful. :)

[taro-twist.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh, this was absolutely perfect! Thank you thank you thank you! It was just what I was looking for. :D I love that Alfred wasn't doing his butler work for once, but just hanging out with the gang, and the little touch of Babs and Cass just chatting was great. Yay for Batgirl, former and present!

And the popcorn fight was just brilliantly written! I loved Dick's feigned innocence, and poor Timmy ... he sure got in over his head there!

And a couple of people have already mentioned these lines, but I have to mention them again, because they are wonderful!

People didn't understand them, Dick knew. All they saw were the arguments, the misunderstandings. But he challenged them to name to a family who didn't argue. There would be none, of course.

They would always argue, but underneath it all was love.

*melts* What a perfect way to describe the Batclan. :D

Ahh, and the ending! Tim's revenge! Mwahahahaha ... oh, Dick's in trouble now.

Fantastic! This put a huge grin on my face. Thank you for the pressie! *hugs*

[starsandsea.livejournal.com]

I love that Alfred wasn't doing his butler work for once, but just hanging out with the gang, and the little touch of Babs and Cass just chatting was great. Yay for Batgirl, former and present!

Poor Alfred never gets a break! I thought he deserved one. :) Yay for Batgirl! :D

And the popcorn fight was just brilliantly written! I loved Dick's feigned innocence, and poor Timmy ... he sure got in over his head there!

Hehehe!! He did rather... LOL

What a perfect way to describe the Batclan. :D

Aww, thank you! :)

Ahh, and the ending! Tim's revenge! Mwahahahaha ... oh, Dick's in trouble now.

Oh, yes he is. And he's going to be in even more trouble if he doesn't clean up all the popcorn... LOL

*hugs back* I'm really glad you liked this! :D

[sasha-anu.livejournal.com]

It's great seeing the Bats at play instead of working and being the moody people that they are.

[starsandsea.livejournal.com]

I thought they deserved a break from Gotham, and all the moodyness here! :)

Thank you for commenting!