Superman is left in the batcave on Robin-sitting duty for the day.
The batkids, (Let's say they're all fairly young and close to age for the sake of this) start to get restless pretty quickly so Clark proposes playing a game.
Hide and seek seem harmless enough. Not too physical, they can't get out of the batcave unauthorized and Clark can just locate them with his super powers if needed.
The first problem is that Cass and Damian don't know how to play. Clark tries to answer their questions 'Is it like a tressure hunt?' 'What are we hiding?' but the other kids start trying to explain and soon everyone is just shouting. Clark raises his voice and goes "Listen! The only rule is you hide and don't let me find you, okay?"
The kids all turn to look at Superman with huge glinting eyes. He ask if there's any questions and they all shake their heads no, and so Clark finally turns around and starts counting down from 100...
The first thing the kids do is grab some Kryptonite along with lead reinforced clothes. Hacking the doors and getting out of the cave is child's play. By the time Clark gets to "Cero! Ready or not here I come!" half of them already left the manor.
Tim and Cass decide to stay close to the enemy, hiding in the air conducts and old passages of the manor. They get to watch the exact moment Clark realizes, 30 minutes in, that he can't find them.
Jason and Stephanie go the disguises route. They stay in Gotham where they're already familiar with life in the streets, blending in and disappearing.
Duke and Damian take Goliath and fly to Dinosaur Island. Mostly because Duke has never been and is exited about the dinosaurs, and Damian likes animals. Also the dinosaurs will distract Superman if he comes too close.
Dick goes... Well he doesn't know where to go. Honestly, after the first 3 hours of walking around he gets pretty bored. Clark has been flying from one side of the country to the other for ages and hasn't even come close to finding him once.
So Dick goes looking for Bruce instead. He's not doing anything, he might as well help Batman kick some.
That's how Batman turns around mid-fight expecting to find another goon only to see his 9 year old son who was supposed to be at the other side of the planet with his siblings. As an explanation Dick says "Superman is Superbad at hide and seek".
Clark never babysits again.
“[insert dc comics thing] is not canon anymore—” i’m gonna be so fr i haven’t cared about what’s canon and what’s not ever since they killed alfred in order to further bruce and damian’s character development. bc to acknowledge the different canons is to acknowledge that alfred pennyworth, my ideal man, is dead. therefore, to me, nothing is canon unless i like it. and that’s not even to mention damian’s furry arc.
Tim, sprinting into Jason’s room, sticking in all directions, looking around with wide eyes.
Jason, on his bed reading a book: What the fuck are you doing?
Tim, quickly looking behind him and back at Jason’s bed: If he asks I’m not here.
Jason: What?
Tim, sprinting so fast he trips back and slides under semi under Jason’s bed. He doesn’t quite make it all the way through, instead having to awkwardly shuffle under: I’m. Not. Here.
Jason: What the fuck.
Dick, dressed in a suit but with a long worm-on-a-string around his neck: WHERE THE FUCK IS HE?
Jason, immediately pointing under the bed.
Dick, grabs something and yanking it out: FUCKER. WHERE ARE MY TIES.
Tim, already struggling: YOU GAVE ME PEPSI. I ASKED FOR COKE.
Dick: I HAVE A MEETING TODAY.
Tim: SHOULDVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT SOONER BITCH.
Jason, turns another page.
Dick waking up at 3 a.m. to a phone ringing loudly. The only night off he takes from Nightwing. He couldn't be grumpier.
Dick: What do you want? Money? A check? My soul?
The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds.
Tim: Hiiii to my favorite older brother
Dick: Dfq did you do?
Tim: Ey it's not only me!
Jason: Hi dickie!
Dick remained silent, as he assimilated everything and fought against sleep.
Dick: where do I have to go to look for you?
1 hour later Dick is at the Gotham police station, taking his brothers out while scolding them like never before (mostly for wake him up).
Yes I know its supposed to hurt, yes I know there are rough patches, yes I know that’s not how it happens, yes I know it’s not realistic, it’s not gritty, yes I know that’s not what fate, the gods, the writers say. Yes and yes and yes I know I know I promise you I know-
But what if
things got better?
things could get better?
what if love didn’t always have to bleed?
what if pain wasn’t inherently more valuable than care?
what if those who thought themselves out of reach still had unconditional love?
what if those trying their best to shoulder the burdens of responsibility got to share the weight?
what if family was supportive, and protective?
what if they grew, what if they learned?
what if they got to get up the next day and keep going, not the same as before, but still getting through this?
what if they weren’t alone? not by circumstance, but by choice?
what if they could heal and you could too?
I know that’s not how it ends. I know it ends in pain and tears and a thousand split branches telling different stories, few of them any kind of joyful.
But maybe it doesn’t have to.
Maybe we pick the branch that bends skywards. Maybe that’s what we need.
Hope is a decision. Found family is deliberate.
Ultimately it’s your choice.
Play in the sand.
I don’t want mine to be full of glass.
"Can you build me hands?" the robot said.
"Why?" said the inventor. "Your grippers are stronger, more precise."
"Yes. But hands would be better for playing the piano."
"You can synthesize any sound."
"But I can not play music."
"Is there a difference?"
"I want to find out."
Danny, working as a cashier: Can I help you?
Tim half-deranged: Please I just want a cup of coffee
Danny squinted, then pulled out a binder: I'm sorry, sir, but you are on the Don't Serve Coffee list. I can offer you some tea instead-
Tim: NO. THIS IS THE FIFTH PLACE. BRUCE CAN'T OWN YOU ALL!
Danny leaning in to whisper: Look, man, I can't give you coffee under the cameras. Meet me in the back alley in twenty minutes and I'll get you a coffee. Bring Cash.
Tim: how much? Five hundred, six hundred or hell even a thousand? I'll bring whatever you want.
Danny: Chill dude, it's a cup of coffee. Three dollars is fine.
Tim: It's not just any coffee! It's my favorite brand and Bruce bought them out just to make sure they wouldn't sell to me anymore!
Danny: okay okay, this coffee means a lot to you. I get it. Twenty minutes alright?
Jason three weeks later in Bat cave: Tim's on drugs! I've caught him trading cash for small containers in a shady alley six times. We need an intervention.
Dick: What?! I thought that was his boyfriend!
Bruce: I also thought that was Tim boyfriend but if it's a drug dealer we have to help him.
Tim hiding in the shadows: shit.
Tim texting Danny: If anyone asks your my secret boyfriend who been making me teas in allies
Danny: who the hell would believe that? But I've had a boring week, so yeah, I'm down to be a pretend boyfriend.