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After a few months of constantly 'teaming up' as an excuse for their wards to hangout after so much... so much begging. Like every other day kind of begging... Bruce and the Flash have in the very least gotten used to each other.
Their first few talks left much to be desired, Bruce internally winces just thinking about them.
But they've grown. Things have changed. Bruce is only 24 with a ten year old and after obsessively researching (read: stalking) the Flash, he knows all there is to know about 25-year-old Barry Allen, his wife (also 25) Iris West-Allen, and her nephew who they took custody of: Wally West, 12 years old.
Him being younger than Barry didn't bother him at all.
Really.
But! After extensive research and much 'urging' from Alfred about how it's 'unhealthy' not to have any 'friends'. Bruce has allowed himself to open up a little bit. Just a little.
"Yeah and then Harvey became Two Face and betrayed me, which is kind of ironic because then Harleen- my friend from college -got brainwashed and manipulated into being The Joker's right hand woman, and then Jonathan- another college friend, we were in a club actually -became Scarecrow and that's around the time I decided I was glad that I dropped out and decided that college wasn't for me." Bruce shared earnestly.
He really thinks he's winning at this friendship thing, Bruce thinks smugly to himself. He's going to get an A+ in friendship: a totally normal thing to want and a possible thing to achieve.
Barry looks at him with a face he can't quite decipher before opening his mouth slowly, and then is immediately interrupted by Kid Flash speeding up to them with Robin on his back.
The Flash slumps in relief for some reason.
"-F! B! F! B! Guess what? Guess wh-"
"-yeah B Guess what!!" The kids talk over each other.
They share an exasperated, but fond nonetheless look.
Barry gives them a smile, "What?"
Dick, his young ward, his sunshine, jumps off his friend's back, does a flip, and lands standing on Bruce's lap.
He watches him with interest even if he's lost the instinct to flinch over similar actions anymore.
Looking at him with complete genuine earnestness, he lets himself fall for Wally to catch him in a bridal carry and gives them jazz hands before announcing, "We're going to get married!"
And Bruce just. Doesn't know how to respond to that.
He completely freezes. The only reason he doesn't keel over is that Barry has frozen the exact same way beside him.
"Ah," he manages to get out. With effort.
Barry manages to unfreeze and take a breath. "That's uh great kiddos! How did you uh decide to do that!"
Bruce watches the kids in front of him. Is this normal child behavior? This is probably normal.
They seem a little too certain though.
Wally grins up at them, "Well we're best friends and we love each other and when we grow up we want to get a house and a dog and-"
"-an elephant!" Dick adds emphatically.
Wally nods completely serious, "Uh huh. And then if we ever find a random kid on the street to adopt, we can both be their dads because we'll be married."
They smile up at them. They are children.
Bruce pretends he doesn't want to cry a little at the implication- reminder he supposes -that he's a dad, "That's wonderful. But it will have to be a long engagement until you are both 18, yes?"
Dick looks up at him happily, but also a little like he's an idiot, "Of course , B. Eighteen and graduated. It will be a summer wedding. You will walk me down the aisle."
Bruce wants to cry. And hold the kid in front of him like he's a baby. It was like he was just 8 years old yesterday and now he's getting engaged.
He's 10.
Wally and Dick run off to keep playing, and as it sounds like: planning their wedding eight years from now.
Bruce slowly looks at Barry who slowly looks at him back.
"...is that um normal? For children?"
Barry looks at him a little dazed. "I think so? But they seemed very certain."
Bruce looks at the kids, back at Barry, to the kids, and then back at Barry, "I'm Bruce Wayne. I know you’re Barry Allen.”
Barry doesn't even look phased by this new information. He already hit rock bottom in his emotions. He looks at him with a lot of emotion and takes Bruce's hand before saying with complete earnest, "I promise not to become a Rogue."