25 Days of Batfam

Day 23

"Okay everyone, gather around," Bruce's voice came from the living room.  Jason, Tim, Dick, Damian, and Cass' faces all appeared, and looked at Bruce.

"Uh...For what?" Tim asked.

"I'm going to read 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens. And all of you are going to listen," Bruce replied.

"Tt," Damian said. "Why? I have much better things to do."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Tim muttered as Damian glared at him.

Bruce sighed. "Just come sit down. Alfred said we should all spend some time together and Dick and I used to do this every year as a tradition back when he was Robin."

Dick gave a nervous laugh and slowly backed out of the room. "Oooh yeah. Well, I've heard that story a million times, and I'm kinda busy, so I'm just gonna go-"

Jason grabbed his arm before he could escape though, and pulled him into the room. "Oh no you don't, Goldie. If we have to hear it, so do you."

Dick hung his head in defeat, but trailed into the living room with everyone else.

Cass stared at the book Bruce was holding with curiosity. "What is it about?" she asked.

"It's about this man named Scrooge, who is very unpleasant and-"

Jason cut Bruce off. "Shhh! Spoilers! I've never actually heard this story, so just start reading it already."

Dick looked over at Cass. "I would leave now if you can. It bores me even more each year."

Bruce frowned slightly at Dick. "Hey! I thought you liked this tradition."

Dick scratched his head. "Er..."

Bruce shook his head. "Never mind. I'll just start reading it."  He opened the book up to the first page, and stared at it. 

"'Marley was dead: to begin with," Bruce started. "There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the-'"

"Who's this Marley?" Jason interrupted.

Cass looked at him. "Sh! Let him continue!"

Jason huffed. "Whatever. This already sounds boring."

Bruce cleared his throat. "'-was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourn-'"

"What's a clergyman?" Jason asked, interrupting again.

Bruce gave him a watered down version of the batglare. "A religious leader. Now just be quiet and listen." 

He looked at the page again. "'-and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it:and Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.  Mind! I don't mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. I might have been inclined-'"

Jason suddenly stood up, interrupting Bruce yet again. "Alright.  This is super boring, I'm out, Peace."

Bruce looked at him in dismay. "This isn't boring. What are you talking about?"

Dick stood up too, and patted Bruce on the shoulder. "Sorry, old timer. Jason's right. This is really boring. I can't bear to listen to it another year."

"Dick!" Bruce complained.

Tim also stood up. "Yeah...Sorry, I don't think I'll be able to listen to this whole thing without falling asleep. I have work I need to get done."

When Bruce turned to Damian, the ex-assassin put his hands up. "Sorry Father, but I'm also out."

Bruce looked at Cass, as if pleading at least her to stay. Cass gave a slight shrug. "I'm fine with it."

Bruce smiled. "Good.  At least one of you has good taste in literature." He glared at everyone else. "The rest of you are just a bunch of Scrooge's."

So, as everyone but Bruce and Cass left the room, Bruce continued reading the story. And to his delight, Cass actually enjoyed it.

A/N: Yeah, this happened b/c my dad tried to read A Christmas Carol tonight to us. But we all got bored and left. Also wrote this because Cass is a literal angel and I honestly feel like she would enjoy A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  Anyway, only two days left! Crazy, right? :) Please review!