#015 The Girl Has Guts
Title: The Girl Has Guts
Fandom: DCU
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Alfred Pennyworth, Stephanie Brown (mentioned)
Rating: G
Word count: 406
Warnings: none, refers to events of Bruce Wayne: The Road Home
Challenge: #015 - Who did WHAT?!
“Can you pass that by me again, please? She did what?” Dick asked with a choked laugh.
Bruce didn't look amused in the slightest, but behind him Alfred was smiling a little and Tim didn't bother to stop his snickering. “You just want to hear me say it again.”
“Well, yes,” Dick admitted, shrugging his shoulders, barely holding back another short laugh.
For a moment Bruce was just staring at him, probably trying to decide if he should play along or just keep silent, but then he said: “She slapped me.” He was saying it through gritted teeth, obviously more aggravated by their reaction than by the fact that Batgirl had done it in the first place.
“Leave it to Stephanie to actually do what all of us have been thinking about more than once,” Dick chuckled.
Tim looked at Bruce with another cautious smile. “You're lucky, she's the only one who has the guts to act on it.”
Bruce rolled his eyes at him. “That - and I don't control her allowance.”
“You don't control mine either,” Dick pointed out. When Bruce turned back to look at him darkly, he added: “Doesn't mean you don't intimidate me, of course.” The effect of his words was ruined a little by the grin on his face. Bruce sighed and decided to let it go. “She's a good Batgirl,” Dick added after a moment, jumping off the console he'd been sitting on. “I was skeptical, but she's good. And she has guts.”
“She has.”
“Steph was always good for a surprise,” Tim said.
“Yes,” Bruce answered tersely. He couldn't even blame Stephanie for reacting like she had. She'd always been impulsive and had never once been afraid to stand up to him.
He could blame Barbara for telling Dick, though.
“Miss Brown had her reasons. I hope we've taken something away from the experience, sir. I hope next time you come back from the dead, you won't use it as a pretense to test your loved ones,” Alfred said, no trace of humor in his voice.
Tim looked at him, shrugging in what Bruce was willing to take as sympathy. He looked away. “Yes, Alfred. I learned my lesson, I promise,” he said in a huff. “Next time things will be different.”
Alfred gave him another sour look, while Tim and Dick started chuckling again. He allowed himself to smile back at them.
It was good to be back.
Fandom: DCU
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Alfred Pennyworth, Stephanie Brown (mentioned)
Rating: G
Word count: 406
Warnings: none, refers to events of Bruce Wayne: The Road Home
Challenge: #015 - Who did WHAT?!
“Can you pass that by me again, please? She did what?” Dick asked with a choked laugh.
Bruce didn't look amused in the slightest, but behind him Alfred was smiling a little and Tim didn't bother to stop his snickering. “You just want to hear me say it again.”
“Well, yes,” Dick admitted, shrugging his shoulders, barely holding back another short laugh.
For a moment Bruce was just staring at him, probably trying to decide if he should play along or just keep silent, but then he said: “She slapped me.” He was saying it through gritted teeth, obviously more aggravated by their reaction than by the fact that Batgirl had done it in the first place.
“Leave it to Stephanie to actually do what all of us have been thinking about more than once,” Dick chuckled.
Tim looked at Bruce with another cautious smile. “You're lucky, she's the only one who has the guts to act on it.”
Bruce rolled his eyes at him. “That - and I don't control her allowance.”
“You don't control mine either,” Dick pointed out. When Bruce turned back to look at him darkly, he added: “Doesn't mean you don't intimidate me, of course.” The effect of his words was ruined a little by the grin on his face. Bruce sighed and decided to let it go. “She's a good Batgirl,” Dick added after a moment, jumping off the console he'd been sitting on. “I was skeptical, but she's good. And she has guts.”
“She has.”
“Steph was always good for a surprise,” Tim said.
“Yes,” Bruce answered tersely. He couldn't even blame Stephanie for reacting like she had. She'd always been impulsive and had never once been afraid to stand up to him.
He could blame Barbara for telling Dick, though.
“Miss Brown had her reasons. I hope we've taken something away from the experience, sir. I hope next time you come back from the dead, you won't use it as a pretense to test your loved ones,” Alfred said, no trace of humor in his voice.
Tim looked at him, shrugging in what Bruce was willing to take as sympathy. He looked away. “Yes, Alfred. I learned my lesson, I promise,” he said in a huff. “Next time things will be different.”
Alfred gave him another sour look, while Tim and Dick started chuckling again. He allowed himself to smile back at them.
It was good to be back.