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Cassandra Cain enjoyed her father's parties. She had not at first. Had not liked the loud women who did not know how to save their words or the men who could not count their drinks growing redder and redder. Who’s lips and words slipped the liquid they'd drunk, making deals and breaking them in a breath.
Over time she had grown to like the galas and balls, the dances and ‘get-togethers’. She loved watching as Damian tried to sneak out only to be snagged by Dick. Her enjoyment came in helping Tim find a quite place to work, or by saving Jason from loud women with too many sparkles and not enough kindness. She loved introducing Duke and helping him navigate. And of making mischief with Steph, stealing the best sweets and dropping bread into the wine of terrible business men with grabby hands.
“Ready?” her father asked, holding an arm out. His smile was warm and only for her, the single part of him that was not yet Brucie’s.
Cassandra returned the smile with one of her own, small and shy. The favored child for the night she was lucky enough to be the one entering with her father. Her siblings would either already be inside, or on their way. She took the offered escort and they walked into the museum together.
She had always loved walking in. The carpet and the flashing lights she could out shine with her smile, and the glittering dresses and jewels the women wore. Loved them even more under the special lights, designed to make everything better. More glitter and sparkles, flattering light and shadows.
Her grip tightened on her father’s arm as they entered the ballroom, huge and open and filled with people. Cass had learned that if she did not grip firmly she would lose Bruce and it would take too long to find him again. People were nice, and often too nice. Eager to pull her away into gossip and attempts to win favor with her father.
She read the crowd, casual, comfortable, body language filled the room. There were more people happy to be there than not. The numbers would change over the evening, as drinks flowed, people flirted, and deals were made but by the end they would be split the same way, most happy they came and happy to return to their beds.
Cass split from her father the moment she found Jason and Damian. He let them go with a reminder to act your age and stay out of trouble. With that Bruce disappeared behind Brucie with a made-to-look-real smile and the loud exclamation of Chelsea, it’s been too long!
Cass frowned after him, hating to see her father disappear behind the façade, it wasn’t him. She’d told him before that he would be fine as himself. But there were rules to follow, traditions to uphold. A business man must be a certain way. She scrunched her nose at the thought.
“It’s too early for a face like that.” Jason said, hooking an arm through hers. “Let’s go find Steph so you two can get in trouble.”
“And leave you to get in worse? Fat chance.” Damian huffed.
“Wasn’t talking to you, Tater Tot. Besides, I’d bet fifty bucks you’ll be the one getting the Talk tonight after some scheme.” Jason ruffled Damian’s hair with his free hand.
The boy swatted it away with a scowl, that said he was unhappy, but Cass could read the way he pressed his dimples to keep from smiling. Damian put on a front, but her littlest brother adored the light ribs and attention, Dick had long ago taught him it meant acceptance. Jason too would never admit to liking the boy, but his soft ruffle, and the crinkle of crows feet at his eyes told a different story.
She pulled Jason around and took Damian’s hand, “We will all get in trouble.” She told them.
And they did. Not all night, and not too much, but the perfect amount to lure Bruce away from the socialite with too much lipstick and back to their sides.
What Cass loved most was seeing her father at his parties. Specifically, her father interacting with his children. The more the better. She enjoyed the attention when it was the two of them, but loved the show much more when everyone was present, and tonight everyone had shown up. Damian had thrown sushi at Tim, Jason was switching sauce name cards, Dick trying valiantly to stop Steph from eating or thieving every cream puff (he failed, Cass had laughed), Duke sticking to Cass because ‘she would at least keep him out of trouble (he too would fail). The moment Bruce noticed Brucie disappeared.
Everyone knew Brucie and his clumsy hands but smooth words. The man who was the best at making and keeping deals. Who always seemed a bit red in the face and off guard, but guarded his guests with ferocity. Cass tolerated Brucie, but adored her father, and seeing him reappear was a goal she set at every party. It was a transformation she wished she could put into words. Though words would not do to describe it.
They could not convey how his body changed, moving from the tight controlled appearance of being relaxed to the frown, that deepened as he realized the extent of the trouble his children had caused, held back from a growl and angry shout only by public appearance.
They could not show the way his anger fizzled out when Dick clapped an arm around his shoulders and smiled, reminding him that he’d raised them all and should have expected this. “We are your kids B.” he’d grin and Bruce would sigh that long suffering sigh he reserved for nights like this.
Or how the frown disappeared as Tim scooted forward to describe the deals he’d managed in the few hours they’d been there. His deals were boring for Cass to eavesdrop on, but always seemed to interest their father, as he nodded with Tim, putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder to congratulate him on work well done.
They had no way of sharing how his lips tipped into a small smile when Damian came to lean against him, eyes already tired from both a long day and avoiding women’s pinching false nails on his cheeks.
They conveyed none of these thing's perfectly. Could not bottle moments. Cass preferred to live in moments over trying to pin them down with loose words and letters that were only shadows.
She allowed a small smile as Damian leaned closer to Bruce, still insisting he was there to protect his father from any unwanted female attention. Cass understood the difference in tired from patrol and tired from people, it was different and only her Father, Dick, and Jason seemed immune to it.
She expected that within five minutes either Dick or Bruce himself will have picked Damian up, to tuck the tired child close to their chests and keep him from falling. She was surprised when it was Jason who scooped the boy up, giving a shrug to Bruce’s confused frown.
“It’s the least I could do to pay you back for the sauce incident.” He grinned back. “And the thing with Mr. Fabridgio.”
“Please tell me you did not heckle my attorney.” Bruce said, long suffering replaced by mild irritation.
Jason was her favorite to see at parties because he brought out fun Bruce, and wiped away any lingering traces of Brucie. He could press all the right buttons at just the right times. She needed to slip him invitations more often.
“Heckle would not be the word I used for it. More like slipped a handful of sushi into his inner pocket.”
“Jay.”
The warning tone told her she should intervene or the night might be ruined. Cass slid over to Jason and ran her fingers though Damian’s hair, still just a little fine and not quite free from every baby strand yet. Still just a child.
“Fish was good punishment. Fabridgio was flirting with the staff.”
She’d noticed him first, his grabby fingers reaching for one of the younger girls as she carried a tray of drinks, unable to dodge for fear of spilling the amber liquid everywhere. Her feet had moved before her brain had, but Jason was faster. He’d grabbed her wrist, shook his head, and made his own way to the man, pulling him away for a talk, then bumping him to deposit the sushi he’d had on his own plate in the pocket.
“Hrn.” Bruce hummed before giving them both a smile. “That’s not all he’ll have coming to him. Still you should have let me know earlier.” There was no anger or even disappointment now, but a bit of pride in his voice.
He stayed with them for the rest of the night. Jason left Damian on a large armchair that was in the perfect position for them to keep an eye on him, and for anyone with a camera to snag some prime shots for the morning paper. The rest mingled as a family, easily breaking off into a loose group to chat with anyone in range, but close enough to throw barbs and good natured jokes.
Cass watched her father, Brucie forgotten as he watched Jason and Dick joke, and as he snatched a wineglass from Steph Your not old enough yet, young lady. As he and Duke pointed out the worst and best dressed, and as Tim flitted from member to member his own eyes beginning to droop.
Damian woke up long enough to realize his compromising position, bite an insult at Jason, and return to slump in the chair before he began to drift again. Cass nudged her father, pointing at the two youngest, Tim leaning against a table close by, and Damian's head tipped against his chest, eyes drooping.
“It’s time.” She said.
He nodded and began to round up the others while making excuses. Cass nudged Tim awake before she picked a barely fussy Damian up, happy to know they were heading home. He slumped against her shoulder, muttering a warning against being called a baby (he was, the youngest was always the baby). She only adjusted her grip to make sure he didn’t fall and smiled.
Bruce fell in beside her as they walked, tugging her close to his side again, like they’d been walking in. He ruffled his youngest’s hair and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Thank you for making sure everyone had a good night.”
“Always.” She replied.