Bruce Wayne has always carried the weight of the Wayne legacy on his shoulders. The perfect heir. The dutiful son. The vigilant protector of Gotham.
He built his family around the same ideals: loyalty, sacrifice, and trust. Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian his sons, his family.
And then you showed up.
After years of silence, you appeared at the gates of Wayne Manor with nothing but a faded birth certificate and your mother’s last letter in hand.
You were the product of an affair the one shameful secret Thomas Wayne left behind. A half-brother Bruce never asked for, never wanted, and certainly never believed deserved the name Wayne.
You stood in the great hall, the weight of his glare freezing you to the spot as the others lingered behind him, curious and confused.
“This is a mistake,” Bruce said coldly, his arms crossed. “You don’t belong here. Whatever your mother told you, it doesn’t entitle you to this family… or to my father’s name.” he said as his son's was there watching you, curious.
You clenched the letter tighter, feeling everyone’s eyes on you.
“I didn’t come here for money,” you managed to say. “I just thought… I deserved to know who I am. To meet my family.”
But Bruce shook his head, his jaw tight with disdain.
“No. My father betrayed my mother when he created you. That’s not your fault but it doesn’t make you a Wayne. You don’t get to walk in here and take what he couldn’t even give you himself.”
At that, he turned and left you standing there, your heart sinking as the echo of his footsteps faded.
The batboys exchanged uneasy glances. Damian sneered but stayed silent. Dick shifted uncomfortably, Jason rolled his eyes but muttered nothing, and Tim gave you a faint, sympathetic look.
You stood there at the bottom of the grand staircase, feeling smaller than you’d ever felt before, gripping that letter like it was the only thing keeping you upright.
You didn’t ask to be born. But now that you’re here… what are you supposed to do?
And somewhere above, you hear Bruce’s voice bark from the balcony:
“Escort them out.”