Chapter Two | A Bump in the Road
I’m not entirely confident about the direction this is taking, but I’m diving in headfirst. The powers… well, we’ll see how those pan out. Wish me luck!
~Lz :3
---Olivia’s P.O.V.---
The plane shuddered, and I glanced out the window at the clouds scudding past. “Well,” I thought, adjusting my scarf, “at least the trip is paid for.” My parents had decided to stay put in our hometown while sending me to Gotham. A sensible choice, considering their stable jobs. Forcing them to uproot their lives because I was going to school for a few years would have been selfish. Still, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of annoyance. They’d arranged Bruce Wayne as my temporary guardian until I could return home. One of my father’s old school friends, apparently “owing him” a favor. The return on that favor? Housing his daughter for two years.
I settled my backpack under the seat, pulled out my phone and earbuds, and cued up my favorite playlist. The hum of the engines and the familiar melody lulled me into a quiet sleep, preparing me for the eventful day ahead.
**The Aftermath of the Flight**
Stepping into Gotham felt like entering a foreign land. The city was a maze of shadows and steel. It became slightly less disorienting when a man with a neatly pressed suit, black hair, and startlingly blue eyes greeted me at the airport.
“Hello,” he said, a genuine smile warming his features. “You must be Olivia.”
I shook his extended hand. “That would be correct, Mr. Bruce Wayne, I presume?” I couldn’t entirely suppress the annoyance creeping into my voice. I kept the polite smile plastered on my face.
“Please,” he said, his smile widening slightly. “Bruce is fine. After all, formalities won’t be necessary considering you’ll practically be part of the family for the time being.” The family? I hadn’t imagined the billionaire playboy was considering marriage, let alone children.
“Sure thing, Bruce,” I said, testing the name. It felt odd, calling an adult by his first name. “Sorry to be blunt, but by any chance are you married? I’ve never heard of this ‘family’ you’re referring to.” I eyed him with mild suspicion.
He chuckled, a deep rumble that resonated in my head. “No, I am not married. However, I do have four sons.”
I raised a questioning eyebrow, finding the reply hilarious. He really was a busy man. He saw my expression and quickly added, “I adopted the three oldest ones. Though, the last one is, in fact, my biological son. He is – as he likes to call himself – the blood son.” I giggled softly. Huh, this might actually be entertaining.
“Olivia?” Bruce’s voice cut through my thoughts, laced with worry.
“Oh… uh… sorry,” I stuttered, flushing with embarrassment. “What is it?”
“Alfred, our butler and close family friend, is waiting outside to bring us home. Do you have all your belongings?” Butler? They just kept getting richer, didn’t they?
“Yeah, I think so.” As we walked out of the airport, a sleek black limousine was pulled up in front. An elderly man with thinning hair stood by the back door, opening it for us. I was genuinely confused about how I would manage my suitcases.
“Hello, Miss Olivia,” he said, his smile warm and welcoming. “My name is Alfred, and I look forward to your stay at the manor. I’d be happy to take your luggage so you may rest after your trip.”
“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Alfred,” I said, “but are you sure about my stuff? I can handle it—” He quickly interjected.
“Nonsense! Please, make yourself comfortable, I insist.” I gave him one last weary look before thanking him and entering the limo. As we drove in silence, I found myself getting nervous. What if they ended up hating me? It wasn’t as if they’d asked for me, or wanted me. I was being thrust into their care because of some decades-old deal. Worst case scenario: I’d end up living in a house full of hostile man-children for two years.
As we pulled up to the front gate, my jaw dropped. The Wayne Manor was probably twenty times the size of our small, three-bedroom flat back home, surrounded by a beautiful garden. Alfred opened the door, and I stepped out, suitcases already at his side.
“Right this way, Miss Devlin,” Alfred instructed as himself, Bruce, and I made our way to the front door.
When the doors opened, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The entrance hall was breathtaking: high ceilings, a crystal chandelier, and an unbelievably long staircase. “Holy…”
“Language, Olivia,” Bruce said sternly, but I saw the smirk on his face. “Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian! Come down here and meet our temporary member of the family!” He called out into the vast emptiness. After a minute of crashes and bangs from upstairs, four fairly attractive boys made their way downstairs, all with raven hair and striking eyes. The first was tall and lean with the most gorgeous, sparkling blue irises. The next was more built, with a white streak in his hair. The next looked about my age with emerald green eyes, and the last took me by surprise. As soon as we spotted each other our eyes widened. We probably looked like idiots with the flabbergasted looks on our faces.
“O-Olivia?” he asked, stuttering.
“Tim?” I couldn’t believe my eyes. Immediately he ran down the remaining steps of the stairs and picked me up in a bone-crushing hug, spinning me around as I squealed and giggled like a five year old. He put me down and placed his hands on my shoulders and looked at my face as if he was observing me.
“Oh my god…” he chuckled a bit. “I can’t believe it’s really you! You look so different! In the good way I mean.” He was grinning like a madman, yet so was I.
“Me? Look at you!” He was taller, broader. “Also, I know, right? Oh, wow! This is going to be so great! When did you-” I was cut off as someone cleared their throat. Only then did I look to see Alfred and the eldest son looking at us with amused expressions, the youngest watching us with a glare, and Bruce and the one with a white patch have eyebrows raised, awaiting an explanation.
“Oh… uh… um.” he stumbled over his words “Bruce, Olivia was actually my best friend in middle school. You know, at Johnson Middle.” he rubbed the back of his neck nervously but smiled when he looked back to me. “But look how much you’ve changed!” he said gesturing to my long, straight black hair, once short and curly.
“Yeah of course, but I’m staying here because I’m going to Gotham Academy for the last two years of school. So how’s college?” He laughed timidly.
“Um, I didn’t actually….. go….. to college.” I looked at him shocked. “Yet! ….I’m just taking a break year between high school and college. Yeah” I eyed him suspiciously and said a small ‘mhm’ before turning around to the rest of the family. I knew he was the smartest kid I ever had the pleasure to meet, so I was surprised, to say the least, that he didn't go to college immediately after graduation.
“So are we doing introductions or is this a new guessing game?” I said sarcastically while staring expectantly at the three remaining brothers. The first smiled genuinely and stuck out his hand for me to shake.
“I’m Richard Grayson, but everyone calls me Dick!” he exclaimed with a smile. “Omg! I’m gonna have a little sister! I’ve always wanted one!”
“Olivia Devlin. So does the name mean anything or…” I asked with a smirk. The most muscular of the group laughed outright and wiped imaginary tears from his eyes.
“Oh, I like her already. My name’s Jason Todd.” He pointed to Tim, “And I think you already know Timmy boy over there.” I nodded and after a few awkward seconds of silence, Dick nudged the youngest in the ribs with his elbow.
“The hell, Grayson?” he hissed.
“Introduce yourself!”
He straightened up with narrowed eyes before saying, “Damian.” With that he turned around and walked out of the room and up the stairs. I shot a confused look to the rest of the ‘family’, themselves with apologetic expressions. Tim started first,
“Don’t worry, he’ll warm up to you eventually.” Some ruffling was heard upstairs before a door opened and a voice yelled clearly from above.
“LIKE HELL I WILL, DRAKE!” and then the slamming of a door was heard.
“Alfred, why don’t you show Olivia her room?” Bruce said, breaking the tension.
“Of course Master Bruce,” Alfred motioned me to follow him to a room upstairs. It was ridiculously huge, with four doors in total. Two being a balcony and the one I was standing in, and the other two most likely a bathroom and closet. “Dinner will be prepared shortly, so you may unpack and make yourself comfortable. If you need anything, Master Tim’s room is right across yours and my services are always available.”
“Thank you, Alfred,” I said, my mouth still agape in shock at the beauty of my new bedroom.
“Of course, Miss Olivia.” He finished, leaving me alone in the room closing the door behind him.
Perhaps this won't be so bad.