Custody Extra: Halloween I
Title: Halloween I.
Author: creepylicious/alles_luege
Pairing: John gen
Rating: PG
Summary: First Halloween in the manor for John.
John takes a deep breath. “I was thinking, maybe all the orphanages?” John asks tentatively.
“Yes,” Wayne answers with a smile and John realises he's proud. It makes his insides feel warm.
Warning(s): none
Author’s Notes: Based on this prompt.
Word Count: 1.164
Beta: mockingj91
Disclaimer: Don’t know, don’t own, not real
Halloween I (age 13)
John knows that Mr and Mrs Wayne used to have big parties for Halloween when Wayne was a kid, but that Wayne never followed that tradition. Last year it wasn't an option to ask for it, but John’s got a bit bolder over time.
He takes a deep breath and enters the library.
“You wanted to talk to me?” Wayne asks. He is drinking again, but John isn't too bothered. Alfred isn't, so John isn't either.
“Yeah, so I heard from a very good source that there were parties held for Halloween here. I was wondering if we could do that?”
“You want to celebrate Halloween?” Wayne asks.
“Yeah, I mean...” He shrugs. He does want to celebrate Halloween, and he wants to do it with all the kids from the orphanage, and maybe the other two in town too. God knows the manor is big enough for that. “If it's not too expensive?”
“Money doesn't-” Wayne stops like he just realised he sounds like a too rich jerk. “The money isn't a problem. I just didn't think you would, because last year-”
“Yeah, but I didn't think I would stay. Last year, that is,” John admits and doesn't look at Wayne.
“Oh,” Wayne says.
Yeah, John thinks. “So?”
“Yes,” Wayne says, and John looks at him. “Do you have any plans and ideas?”
“I don't know-”
“John.”
“I would like to make it a thing for the kids of the orphanage.”
“John,” Wayne says and it's soft and kind of fragile, and John has no idea what it means.
“It doesn't have to be. I mean, you can call all your friends, because this is your house-”
“No, John. This is your idea, and you should sit with Alfred, and work out the details. You can have whatever you want - within reason.”
John takes a deep breath. “I was thinking, maybe all the orphanages?” John asks tentatively.
“Yes,” Wayne answers with a smile and John realises he's proud. It makes his insides feel warm.
“I'm going to tell Alfred now,” he says.
“You do that.”
~+~
John is glad he has Alfred, and that Alfred knows what to do, because John had no idea about the dimensions of such an event.
“Should I invite some of Wayne's friends?” John asks.
“I don't know. Maybe the parents of your classmates,” Alfred answers.
“Oh, yeah. But won't they spoil our fun?”
Alfred laughs. “We can set them apart in a separate room?”
“Oh, yeah. We do have enough.”
“We do,” Alfred answers. He is writing down names, because John has horrible penmanship. “What would you like to eat?”
“Cake,” John answers. “Lots of sweets and candy and ice-cream.” It's not only because he is a thirteen year old boy, but also because the kids in the orphanages don't get much of that. Especially not the really good stuff. People are trying, but in the end there are things that are more important than candy.
Alfred writes it down and underlines it three times. John smiles.
“I think we can figure something out. Mr and Mrs Wayne used to make small packages with candy and gifts to take home with for their guests. Do you think-”
“Yes!” John says immediately. That is a great idea. “Will Wayne be okay with this? I mean it is a lot of money.”
“It's for a good cause, John.”
“Yes, it is.”
“I don't mean the other children, John,” Alfred says softly.
“Okay,” John replies, swallowing hard.
“So, back to the list then.”
“Yeah.”
~+~
“Are you sure about that?” Andy asks. He's sitting on the edge of the bed, his feet dangling slightly to the music.
“Yeah.”
“You know, he is not a hero anymore.”
“I don't believe all the bullshit the papers are writing about him.”
“I know, but a lot of people do.”
John thinks Andy is way too clever for a twelve-year old. He sighs. “The good thing is this is my party-”
“And you can cry if you want to,” Andy giggles.
“Funny,” John grins. “But no. It means that no one will insult my costume.”
“To your face.”
John shrugs. “That is all that matters anyway.”
“What about the parents?”
“I am not concerned. Alfred isn't either.”
“Alfred is in on it. I shouldn't be surprised. What about Wayne?” Andy asks.
John bites his lip. He didn't tell Wayne, because he has suspicions about who Batman is. So... “No, it's a surprise.”
“I bet,” Andy answers.
~+~
All in all the party is a success and John knows it's all to Alfred's superhuman skills. There are kids everywhere and John only knows a handful, but it doesn't matter. There are bats and skeletons and lanterns and candy in bowls and John thinks it's the most awesome thing ever.
For the very first time John has the feeling that this house is alive, even if symbols of death are lurking everywhere. John has no idea where Alfred got the sarcophagus or Andy's favourite band, but he is not going to ask for the details. Maybe tomorrow.
Tonight he is Batman and Andy is the singer of his favourite band and John will laugh so hard when they take the stage. So hard.
~+~
“I will murder you!” Andy hisses just before he nearly faints.
John can't stop laughing for five minutes and then he just leaves Andy with the band and makes the rounds or whatever. Stealing cakes and candy and dancing to pop-songs Andy would scoff over any other night.
~+~
He finds Wayne in the library chatting with a pretty woman and is about to get lost when Wayne sees him for the first time that night. He just stops talking and stares and the woman follows his gaze a second later and her faces changes.
“That is-” she starts.
“Batman,” Wayne interrupts, or finishes, or something.
“Yeah, do you like it?” John asks.
“How can a parent let their kid walk around like that?” the woman asks.
John only looks at Wayne. He isn't sure if Wayne knows it's him, but he thinks he does know.
“Most of these children don't have parents,” John gives back, but he is still only looking at Wayne.
“I like it,” Wayne says.
“Bruce! Don't encourage him.”
“Lady,” John says leaning against the door. “He can do whatever the hell he wants. Not that I need any encouraging from you Wayne,” he grins.
“Kid,” the woman says with emphasis, “it's Mister Wayne.”
Wayne laughs. “He never calls me Mister.”
The woman looks between them and at John again. “Bruce-”
“Did you want something John?”
“I saved you one of the German cinnamon things you like so much,” John answers.
“How very thoughtful of you.”
“You know me,” John shrugs.
“I do,” Wayne answers smiling, and then to the woman, “Excuse me. There are baked goods with my name on in the kitchen.” He doesn't even wait for the woman to overcome her shock. John suppresses a laugh.
Author: creepylicious/alles_luege
Pairing: John gen
Rating: PG
Summary: First Halloween in the manor for John.
John takes a deep breath. “I was thinking, maybe all the orphanages?” John asks tentatively.
“Yes,” Wayne answers with a smile and John realises he's proud. It makes his insides feel warm.
Warning(s): none
Author’s Notes: Based on this prompt.
Word Count: 1.164
Beta: mockingj91
Disclaimer: Don’t know, don’t own, not real
Halloween I (age 13)
John knows that Mr and Mrs Wayne used to have big parties for Halloween when Wayne was a kid, but that Wayne never followed that tradition. Last year it wasn't an option to ask for it, but John’s got a bit bolder over time.
He takes a deep breath and enters the library.
“You wanted to talk to me?” Wayne asks. He is drinking again, but John isn't too bothered. Alfred isn't, so John isn't either.
“Yeah, so I heard from a very good source that there were parties held for Halloween here. I was wondering if we could do that?”
“You want to celebrate Halloween?” Wayne asks.
“Yeah, I mean...” He shrugs. He does want to celebrate Halloween, and he wants to do it with all the kids from the orphanage, and maybe the other two in town too. God knows the manor is big enough for that. “If it's not too expensive?”
“Money doesn't-” Wayne stops like he just realised he sounds like a too rich jerk. “The money isn't a problem. I just didn't think you would, because last year-”
“Yeah, but I didn't think I would stay. Last year, that is,” John admits and doesn't look at Wayne.
“Oh,” Wayne says.
Yeah, John thinks. “So?”
“Yes,” Wayne says, and John looks at him. “Do you have any plans and ideas?”
“I don't know-”
“John.”
“I would like to make it a thing for the kids of the orphanage.”
“John,” Wayne says and it's soft and kind of fragile, and John has no idea what it means.
“It doesn't have to be. I mean, you can call all your friends, because this is your house-”
“No, John. This is your idea, and you should sit with Alfred, and work out the details. You can have whatever you want - within reason.”
John takes a deep breath. “I was thinking, maybe all the orphanages?” John asks tentatively.
“Yes,” Wayne answers with a smile and John realises he's proud. It makes his insides feel warm.
“I'm going to tell Alfred now,” he says.
“You do that.”
~+~
John is glad he has Alfred, and that Alfred knows what to do, because John had no idea about the dimensions of such an event.
“Should I invite some of Wayne's friends?” John asks.
“I don't know. Maybe the parents of your classmates,” Alfred answers.
“Oh, yeah. But won't they spoil our fun?”
Alfred laughs. “We can set them apart in a separate room?”
“Oh, yeah. We do have enough.”
“We do,” Alfred answers. He is writing down names, because John has horrible penmanship. “What would you like to eat?”
“Cake,” John answers. “Lots of sweets and candy and ice-cream.” It's not only because he is a thirteen year old boy, but also because the kids in the orphanages don't get much of that. Especially not the really good stuff. People are trying, but in the end there are things that are more important than candy.
Alfred writes it down and underlines it three times. John smiles.
“I think we can figure something out. Mr and Mrs Wayne used to make small packages with candy and gifts to take home with for their guests. Do you think-”
“Yes!” John says immediately. That is a great idea. “Will Wayne be okay with this? I mean it is a lot of money.”
“It's for a good cause, John.”
“Yes, it is.”
“I don't mean the other children, John,” Alfred says softly.
“Okay,” John replies, swallowing hard.
“So, back to the list then.”
“Yeah.”
~+~
“Are you sure about that?” Andy asks. He's sitting on the edge of the bed, his feet dangling slightly to the music.
“Yeah.”
“You know, he is not a hero anymore.”
“I don't believe all the bullshit the papers are writing about him.”
“I know, but a lot of people do.”
John thinks Andy is way too clever for a twelve-year old. He sighs. “The good thing is this is my party-”
“And you can cry if you want to,” Andy giggles.
“Funny,” John grins. “But no. It means that no one will insult my costume.”
“To your face.”
John shrugs. “That is all that matters anyway.”
“What about the parents?”
“I am not concerned. Alfred isn't either.”
“Alfred is in on it. I shouldn't be surprised. What about Wayne?” Andy asks.
John bites his lip. He didn't tell Wayne, because he has suspicions about who Batman is. So... “No, it's a surprise.”
“I bet,” Andy answers.
~+~
All in all the party is a success and John knows it's all to Alfred's superhuman skills. There are kids everywhere and John only knows a handful, but it doesn't matter. There are bats and skeletons and lanterns and candy in bowls and John thinks it's the most awesome thing ever.
For the very first time John has the feeling that this house is alive, even if symbols of death are lurking everywhere. John has no idea where Alfred got the sarcophagus or Andy's favourite band, but he is not going to ask for the details. Maybe tomorrow.
Tonight he is Batman and Andy is the singer of his favourite band and John will laugh so hard when they take the stage. So hard.
~+~
“I will murder you!” Andy hisses just before he nearly faints.
John can't stop laughing for five minutes and then he just leaves Andy with the band and makes the rounds or whatever. Stealing cakes and candy and dancing to pop-songs Andy would scoff over any other night.
~+~
He finds Wayne in the library chatting with a pretty woman and is about to get lost when Wayne sees him for the first time that night. He just stops talking and stares and the woman follows his gaze a second later and her faces changes.
“That is-” she starts.
“Batman,” Wayne interrupts, or finishes, or something.
“Yeah, do you like it?” John asks.
“How can a parent let their kid walk around like that?” the woman asks.
John only looks at Wayne. He isn't sure if Wayne knows it's him, but he thinks he does know.
“Most of these children don't have parents,” John gives back, but he is still only looking at Wayne.
“I like it,” Wayne says.
“Bruce! Don't encourage him.”
“Lady,” John says leaning against the door. “He can do whatever the hell he wants. Not that I need any encouraging from you Wayne,” he grins.
“Kid,” the woman says with emphasis, “it's Mister Wayne.”
Wayne laughs. “He never calls me Mister.”
The woman looks between them and at John again. “Bruce-”
“Did you want something John?”
“I saved you one of the German cinnamon things you like so much,” John answers.
“How very thoughtful of you.”
“You know me,” John shrugs.
“I do,” Wayne answers smiling, and then to the woman, “Excuse me. There are baked goods with my name on in the kitchen.” He doesn't even wait for the woman to overcome her shock. John suppresses a laugh.