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Language:
English
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Published:
2024-12-14
Words:
290
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1/1
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1
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8
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54

P.S. If You Need Me, Don’t Call, Light the Signal in the Sky

Summary:

Sometimes, it's better to leave words unspoken. Talking to your parents is never easy, pointing out their flaws is even harder. Doesn't mean you can't write them though.

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A letter in the form of a poem, to Batman from one of his Robins

Notes:

this will probably be my one and only batman fic lets be real
most of my knowledge is from the tv shows, movies, and fanfic so i really prefer being a consumer than a producer
either way, wrote a poem for my class and figured I wanted to share
I love good dad bruce as much as anyone, but no parent is perfect and sometimes your kids like to point out where you went wrong

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Dear Father,
When I was a child,
I would watch you as I trailed behind,
Doggedly following your steps.
I thought of you as this
Unshakable force,
Solid as a rock.
A hero.
I wanted to be like you.
So I stayed by your side,
Your loyal shadow in the night.
We’d fight,
We’d get bruised,
Run away to live another day,
Good as new.
But I know better now.
No hero is unbreakable,
And I think this life broke me too.
I was wrapped in a blanket of
Violence and darkness,
Gun shells raining from the sky.
I realize I will never be that kid again,
Smiling as I pull on that bright redgreenyellow.
I realize you haven’t been that kid for a while,
Kneeling in an alleyway as you clutch at scattered pearls.
I’ve grown, and I watched as you take in child after child,
Saving them like heroes do.
But does it change anything?
My siblings still go out there,
Getting bruised in those crime-ridden streets.
There would be no us without you,
And I think there is no you without us.
We asked for this, I know that
But should you have let us?
Am I your soldier?
Am I your child?
Do you even know the difference?
I don’t know.
I don’t think you have the answers either.
Still, no matter what,
We fight by your side.
We break and we break,
But we bounce back.
Just like you taught us.
When my siblings and I are waiting in the wings,
Your little birds and bats in a line,
Can you tell the difference between your children?
When you read this,
Will you know which one of us wrote it?
Your son,
Your soldier,
Robin

Notes:

Bruce finds the letter one night after patrol on his desk in the Cave. None of his boys bring it up after. They make no sign that anything is out of the ordinary, or that they're waiting for a response. They still show up on the streets each night. They still send in reports and come home for the holidays. Nothing out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, the letter was right: Bruce has no idea which one of them wrote it. All of his kids have some anger inside them, a rage they either conceal like a knife or hide behind like a shield. None of them are good at talking to each other though. He leaves the letter in a drawer, only pulling it out from time to time. He supposes they get that from him.

 

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thanks for reading! you can read this as being written by any of the boys, though I will tell you that I had two of them more specifically in mind while writing. now, i've gotta try to get through my finals so wish me luck