Mimic

Christmas

Hallelujah, the three-part Christmas special ends here! Also, I haven't written in like, ten months or something. Whoops. I decided to come back to this story and just finally finish it and get it off my conscious. :/ 

"Julia," a voice whispered, extremely close to my ear. 

My eyes opened instantly and my hand shot out, grabbing the intruder by the neck.

"Merry Christmas to you too," Dick choked out, laughing.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" I said, loosening my grip around his neck. "Are you okay?"

"You bet," he smiled, then revealed his true intent to waking me up. "Wanna go scope out the presents?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "I wasn't aware of the fact that you're five years old."

"Even fifteen-year-olds can love Christmas," Dick lectured, "Are you coming or not?"

"Of course I'm coming," I quickly said, jumping out of bed and grabbing a blanket to wrap around my shoulders.

We scurried down the stairs, and I have to admit that the magic of Christmas was still very fun for me, despite me being fifteen. To be fair though, this was my first time celebrating Christmas. We crept down the stairs, though I honestly wasn't sure why, since Bruce and Alfred were definitely already up and we weren't even doing anything mischievous.

Sure enough, when we got down to the large Christmas tree in the foyer, Bruce was lounging in an armchair drinking his coffee with Alfred beside him.

"Merry Christmas!" Dick called out with a brilliant smile. Bruce and Alfred repeated the phrase back to him. 

"Would either of you like hot chocolate?" Alfred asked, eyeing Dick and I. We both nodded and away he went into the kitchen, ready to serve our every need. As I watched him walk away I was hit with an overwhelming sense of... What was it, peace? Happiness? Love? I shook off these thoughts almost immediately after they materialized.

Instead, I looked at the Christmas tree. Naturally, it was gigantic and the top of it almost touched the high ceiling of the foyer. Dick and Alfred had strung lights and ornaments about it with care and precision. Bruce and I helped decorate a bit, but it didn't excite us as much as it did the others. Underneath the tree there were about a dozen presents in various sizes. 

After Dick and I drank our hot cocoa and Bruce finished his coffee, we got the okay to start opening our presents. It was mainly clothes and things we thought we needed but would probably only use once. My favorite present was from Bruce, Dick, and Alfred, although I suspect that it was really Dick's idea that Alfie brought to life. It was a collage of countless photos taken over the past few months. Some of the pictures I already knew about, but a lot were candids and photos I'd thought Dick had deleted off his phone. 

A group picture of the team. 

The girls and me on the couch in Mount J.

Wally and I hanging out. I assume he was telling some joke since his mouth was still partway open and I was already laughing.

A photo of me reading at the lunch table at Gotham Academy.

A last minute add-on of Dick and I sitting together on the Wayne Manor's comfiest couch. I knew it was recent because Dick was wearing one of his beloved Christmas sweaters and I was eating a reindeer-shaped cookie.

I'll admit that when I first saw the collage, my eyes began to water. But I quickly got a hold of myself and said a quiet thank you. I originally worried that the others would get the impression that I didn't like the present. Thankfully though, when I turned to put the collage away I met Alfred's eyes and we sent each other a look that said a thousand words.

Also thankfully, everyone gave me credit for presents I didn't buy. For example, Bruce's Batman-patterned tie was apparently from Dick and me. I had no idea. Eventually, they each found the letters I wrote for them. I told them all to not read them out loud. Honestly, some form of embarrassment came over me when I thought of the others knowing what I had written. Suddenly my gifts seemed too personal, too revealing, too me. Fortunately, no one else seemed to think so. 

When he read his, Dick smiled his trademark charming smile and gave me a big hug. Alfred clapped me on the shoulder affectionately and told me he was glad that I had come to live with them. Even Bruce momentarily got over him wariness towards me and said, "Merry Christmas." But like he meant it. Coming from the Dark Knight, that means a lot. 

At one point I saw Bruce pull Dick aside and apologize for snapping at him the day before. Once Bruce was finished, Dick pulled him into a tight hug, which Bruce warmly returned after his initial shock. 

It wasn't long until I was hit with that feeling again. The one from before. This time it wasn't overwhelming, and I didn't shoo it away. It engulfed my mind like a gentle tidal wave and whispered in my ear the truth that I had been denying for a while now.

Dick Grayson, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne, they're my family. 

They're my family, and I love them.