DC x Reader One-shots

Future Comforts - Bart Allen [Impulse]

Summary: Bart has been waiting patiently, but it must be showing, because he is sure that you're starting to get suspicious that something is going on. He needs to ask his question soon - because hiding the ring from a detective is harder than he thought.

Notes: Supposed to be a sequel to "Future Worries" but can likely be read as a standalone. Technically a Bat!Reader as there is reference to the Bat family, and the prior "Future Worries" was also Bat!Reader.

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Leaving the ring with Iris from the beginning likely would have been the better option. Anything would have been a better option than having it in the same apartment that Bart had been sharing with you. He had moved it 47 times before taking it to Iris and Barry with the hopes it would finally throw you off the trail. Or that the prospect of going against Iris would at least keep you at bay.

In hindsight, he wanted to propose to not only a detective, but a member of the Gothamite Bat-family. Snooping, and the ability to read Bart like an open book, had always been a key element of their relationship.

And despite the speedster's attempts at being as patient as possible, it must have been showing in his demeanor that he had something planned. And in turn, your curiosity had been sparked.

But with the ring out of the house where you would hopefully be unable to find it and his behavior becoming far too noticeable, Bart needed a lie, and he needed one fast.

Thankfully, Tim, who had already been a significant ally in Bart's desperate quest, had taken care of hiding any trace of the ring purchase or where Bart had been – and even better, had firmly kept his mouth shut when you had inevitably confronted him, and then when you had tried to lovingly blackmail the information out of him.

Bart shuddered to think of what he owed his friend now.

Even more so when it was Tim who suggested Bart sit you down and explain that he had wanted to do something special for you and had planned a date to accomplish as much.

Bart had to agree, it was not too far out of line for him to show his affections in such ways, and the pair of you had been kept busy with your respective hero duties, which had left many cancelled dates and night spent alone in the wake of the last few weeks. You were both overdue for some couple's alone-time, and with the rest of the Bats and Speedsters clued into what was happening, an agreement was struck that unless the world was actually ending, the date was not to be interrupted.

Bart could not stress that enough.

Still, the whole thing had to be booked and finalized before he could even sit you down and talk about it. Bart knew you well – if something was out of place you might try and argue that you were too needed. But if everything was already set, you likely would not have the heart to turn it down. And if push came to shove, Bart was ready to pull his nuclear option: the puppy dog eyes.

Lady Luck seemed to be on his side however when you made it home from patrol that night to find him sitting at your small table, dinner ready.

It was an odd sight, at least with the last few days, but your stomach accepted for you when it ever so graciously decided to growl louder than one of Harly Quinn's hyenas. Bart waved it off though and pulled out your seat, seeming all too pleased with something.

It had you watching him suspiciously – you knew when he was plotting. And though they were always surprises that you enjoyed, you were still cautious of his mischievous side.

But dinner went off without a hitch, and by the end of it, Bart snuck his question in during idle conversation. "So, how would you feel about taking a day off and going out?"