Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When he was growing up in Gotham, nothing was truly for free. An invisible tally was always above everyone’s head keeping score who they owed and why. Small things were paid back with equal amount, small money, food, these things were not dangerous as long as you were quick.

No, things got more tricky as the price ads up. Rent overdue, loans, they bury lesser men than Bill. He liked to keep track of the tallies, some people make killings in similar ways, but knowledge is a dangerous tool as any in the alley. More times than not loose lips have been an end to a goon, and Bill couldn’t go gambling away life like he used to.

Tallies are how he got into this life in the first place, a foot in the door being a lookout for a heist. Then another, and then one for a smuggling op, and another because he “owed them”. What was supposed to be quick cash soon turned into a career of IOUs and you owe me until he was first name basis with the bats.

By the time he realized he had dug himself down too far, he had already buried himself with the dirt he threw up.

Bill was proud to say that he didn’t owe anyone nothing. He paid his dues in full and was keeping himself as far from trouble as he could as a goon.

So, when he heard the jangle of a set of keys in his boss’ hand, Bill stomach began to sink.

 Hood asked for help casing a place for future endeavors, and while it was odd that Bill was chosen, Bill had been around long enough that his repertoire was a lot broader than the average thug.

The apartment was decent sized for crime alley, two Bedrooms, one bath with a living connected to a kitchen. High ceilings up front with lower ones in the private rooms and completely bare say for the bland beige walls that landlords seem to smother everything in.

“I mean this is a nice place and all boss,” Bill glanced at the ceiling again,

 “But I don’t really understand what I’m doin’ here. No reason for an at home setup for drugs with the factory we got, besides anything made he will be more at risk of being contaminated.  Could smuggle weapons but this is one the cleaner side, no use bringing that trouble to the populace, besides, this place is too far from any of our locations to be of use to the gang.”

“Oh, I sure there is a good enough use for this place.”

“What use is there? This place is jus’ a nice apartment man. The only use there is for this place is-“

The sound of keys clinking together stopped Bill in his tracks.

“No.”

Hood approached like he was trying to pick up a feral kitten,

“Bill-“

“Don’t you fucking dare “Bill” me mister! You and I both know this ain’t no casserole for lunch or secondhand jacket.  I refuse!”

He was now in his boss’ face, you see for a goon this is one of the worst places you could be, and at that moment all he could do was think of the metaphorical price tag tying a noose round his neck.

Bill knew tallies and has seen a fair share of Bosses. He wasn’t fuckin’ stupid. How many times did he see those stupid kids with hopeful eyes go down with the ship all because of a shiny car? A nice piece of cloth? Rent for the month? A hospital bill covered?

How any lost what little life in their eye they had left, the last of their morals, for something like this?

“You need better housing Bill, winter’s going to be here for another two or three months and you got a young kid with you.”

“I can’t pay this back and you know it! I was barley scratching by as is! One month is going to send me to debt in a place like this!”

“Which is why it’s paid for, the gang takes care of it’s own.”

“I- I can’t pay this back!!”

“And you’re not expected to! This is a gift! From me to you and it’s no strings attached to it! I can afford to pay the rent; I can deal with if there’s something screwy here. All I ask of you is to pay utilities and take care of your kid!”

The ceiling must’ve caved in because it was suddenly harder to breathe.

Hood had the gall to lower his shoulders with those wretched keys in hand, like Bill wasn’t fighting his old man before he was even a sperm in his furry nutsack-

“Bill, you’ve been couch hopping for the last two weeks. Your performance is slipping, you look like your entire spine has been fused into one lump and you have a four-month-old. It ain’t sustainable.”

He didn’t place the keys in Bill’s hands.

Smart.

He would’ve defiantly thrown them like they were about to explode, but Hood held them in a up by the tips of his fingers, which was only a step down and did not help his urge to smack them away.

“You know this doesn’t make this feel any less shady, right?”

“Bill, we live in crime alley, name one thing that ain’t shady.”

“My son.”

Hood had the hindsight to at least try to hold back his snickering to a minimum as Bill tried his best to not be flustered at the slip up.

“And see? We’re making sure he stays that way. Little starlight of the alley needs a proper home with supplies and a dad that ain’t going to keel over due to his mismanagement of his body in the next week. Two birds, one stone! Plus, no mold.”

And wasn’t that the bitch of a truth?

There wasn’t much of an option was there? This was a proper place, in a decent part of the alley, with protection. Turn this down, and he’s not just going to be out of the nicest place he’s had a decent chance affording but most likely a job as well. A year ago, we would’ve cut his loses, hell a month ago he would’ve told the boss to go fuck himself if he made the same offer.

A month ago, he didn’t have Danny.

The kid who gives him a gummy smile every time he comes into view. The one who thinks peek a boo is the bee’s knees and had half of the crew losing their minds when he figured out how to roll himself over.

Fuck, Danny deserved better.

Bill still stood there for a bit more before he snatched the offending keys away from a smug crime lord.

“If this ever comes up in more than passing-“

“Granny with personally see my ass on the opposite side of the firing range, she was very keen on it.”

exhaustion made Bill roll his head back up to the ceiling, high as ever and not the slightest bit concave.

“You’ve been conspiring with Me-Mah?”

“And the rest of the lot. I wasn’t joking on us taking care of our own. Now come on, twerp is in the kitchen and rush hour will be happening soon if we don’t book it. I’ll have some people drop your stuff here tonight.”

With a last glance as they exited, the door was swung shut with the sound of the lock clicking in place.

Chapter Text

There’s a certain calm before something big that every goon feels instinctively before things go to shit. It sets in one’s bones and greenhorns either don’t feel but learn over time.

Halfwits always has to mention it at the most inconvenient of times. Like any self respecting Gothamite Bill knew not to mention such feeling out loud. It was almost like the capes were waiting for a certain cue.

Nowadays, he still bit his tongue, and avoided glancing around. He was a crook no more (by Gotham standards) so he refused to act like one.

Hand worn metal bit into his palm icy teeth as the little guy on his hip squirmed.

“Just a door Bill, Just a door.”

The fact didn’t change the fact it felt like all the oxygen was hiking out of town for greener pastures.

The damage was already done, his name was on a lease in some sort of legal-ish way.

The damage was done and whatever came of it will pass in it’s own time. With a final huff, Bill swung the door open.

It’s done, and it’s not like he could sell his soul twice-
…
His new apartment was not as empty as it was supposed to be.

Bill tried his best not to show fear.

“Hello vigilantes that do not live here, should I be concerned?”

“Well, it depends,”

Red Robin smirked over the screen he was typing on.

“Where are you planning on setting up the crib? Because we’ve already started setting it up in a random room so if it’s in the wrong place that’s on the others.”

“Others?”

There was a small thud from the other room before the door was thrown open.

“Are they here?!”

Nightwing slid out into view with an unusually ungraceful lurch.

“Oh my god. He’s as tiny as he said he was.”

Robin followed with less fanfare before crossing his arms.

“He wouldn’t be this small if we had brought the wet nurse I hired for Daniel.”

“The fuckin’ what?” Bill blanched.

Red robin Huffed a laugh,

“Don’t worry, the brat was caught before the lady came over. If you want her help we can set up a meeting for you but for now we told her to stay at home.”

Bill honestly still didn’t know what exactly a wet nurse was but decided it was an “ask Me-Mah” type of question.

It was almost embarrassing how chummy the bats and birds were these days.

Once upon a time he thought he was in charge of the narrative. The Bill who would walk to the local deli and the one wearing a mask were different actors and he was the one who chose who would be seen.

How naïve it was, to think he hid anything from the bats.

To be fair, when Bill had started out, the big bat himself was more myth than fact at the time; the all knowing freaks that could list off each of his past relationships in chronological order and his current wifi password.

“Do I even what to know why I suddenly have acquired a crib? That was not there earlier.”

Nighwing was acting like a speedster being forced to sit. With a weary sigh, he passed Danny off to make the rounds.

The vigilante was gentle has he adjusted the kid. It was almost comical how Danny’s face scrunched into an almost identical scowl to what Bill used when someone was being stupid.

‘Don’t laugh Bill, it’s serious time.’

Red Robin cleared his throat,

“Your sets up was abysmal. One small box with a foam block in a pillowcase, three outfits, three bottles and a stuffed rabbit. Not much for a child.”

And Bill knew that already! He was saving up what he could that wasn’t going to formula and diapers to get a crib himself! The other stuff wasn’t fully necessary as long as he kept up with cleaning.
Sure, sometimes Danny was wearing nothing but a diaper for a bit but Bill usually stuffed him into whatever coat he was wearing, toting the tike around like one of those fancy dogs the elite have.

“I guess you won’t tell me how much this all was..?”

“Not if you want to sleep at night.”

Nightwing chuckled as he tried to get Danny to smile.

“We got more money than we know what to do with. You’ve been a valuable member of Hood’s operation for three years now.”

“Hell, at this point you’re almost an honorary uncle with how often you went easy on us in our early days.”

Red piped up,

“You act like that wasn’t just self preservation kid. I think I only didn’t pull a punch once with boy wonder and your dad gave me a lesson in DIY leg amputation. My knee still aches when the pressure in the atmosphere.” 

Bill shivered at the phantom twinge in his leg, Physical therapy was a bitch.

"Tch, you act like that has stopped many before. There are some imbeciles who have to have full-corrective surgery only to come back for a second round."

Danny made grabby hands at Robin, almost pleading in his look, in an attempt to get away from the more excitable brother. Bill gave the kid a nod when he glanced at him before helping the vigilante get a more comfortable hold.

The two twerps were having a stare off, something Danny would win if it weren't for his competition's mask.

Danny let out a giggle after a while, Bill thought he deemed the Robin a good egg. 

"That's not fair, baby bird, how do you always do this?"

"I tend to keep my composure, unlike some people."

With a gurgle Danny gently patted Damian's cheek with his hand, and the vigilante's face seemed turn gentle as he moved the other's arm into his hand.

"You will be a worthy adversary Habibi, but you're form will need work."

"Please don't teach my son how to fight before he can walk."

"Please, formal training should not begin until age five and if he wishes for more formal training with weapons than he shall have to wait until age eight."

Bill just sighed before asking the other two birds to lead him to the crib they had set up.

heaven forbid he didn't double check it was secure before he set his son in it.