Bruce and Dick bond through the lyrics of six unusual Christmas songs as they approach their first Christmas together. Daddy!Bats

A/N: Because somebody I know gets into the Christmas spirit way too early.

The songs used:

The Christmas Song by Owl City
The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) by Alvin and the Chipmunks
Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight) by Ramones
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love
Gothic Christmas by Within Temptation
I Believe in Santa Claus by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

"Trudging onward, braving a harsh winter storm, you and I met passing by, and now our spirits feel warm." Dick's voice rang out the lyrics to the Christmas song as he sat alone in the study, scribbling out a wish list to be mailed to the North Pole immediately.

"I don't have anyone at home to talk to, and you don't have anything to do, so I'll spend my Christmas with you." Bruce's baritone voice finished the verse from the doorway, a smile playing at his lips as he watched Dick doodle a bat onto the envelope before stamping it with a flourish.

"You think Santa will like my drawing?" Dick asked excitedly, holding the envelope out with pride for Bruce to see.

"I know he will," Bruce chuckled, taking the letter and steering Dick down the hall. "Now if only we could find an acrobat good enough to get that star all the way to the top of that giant Christmas tree..." Bruce mused, peeking at Dick from the corner of his eye.

Dick's face lit up and he ran ahead of Bruce, somersaulting every few steps as he chanted, "I can do it! I can do it!" Bruce smiled warmly as he stared after his young ward, carefully opening the letter to find out what the boy wanted.

Dear Santa,

Just so you know, I'm gonna be with Bruce Wayne this Christmas. He's taking good care of me now that Mami and Tati are gone. This year, all I really want is to make Bruce happy. Being Batman all by himself must be lonely. I wanna help him. Can you do that for me? I know Bruce won't like me being out there, but I can do it if he gives me a chance. I wanna help him like he helped me. I wanna be his superhero this Christmas.

Love,

Dick

Bruce felt a warmth in his chest that hadn't been there in years as he folded the letter and tucked it back in the envelope. Perhaps Christmas might be merry this year after all.

"Christmas, Christmas time is near, time for toys and time for cheer!" Dick sang loudly, sealing another card in a red and green envelope.

"We've been good, but we can't last! Hurry Christmas, hurry fast!" Alfred continued, labeling the envelope and tossing it in the pile to be sent with Bruce to the Watchtower.

"Want a plane that loops the loop, me, I want a hula hoop!" Dick picked back up, changing his voice into a high squeak for the second half and giggling madly as he began another card.

"We can hardly stand the wait, please Christmas, don't be late!" Bruce finished from the stairs, moving forward and dropping a bag with ribbons and bows onto the table. Dick looked up at him with a grin and gestured to the stack of cards to his right.

"We made cards for the League! Can I help you hand them out? Huh? Can I?" Dick pressed excitedly, bouncing in his seat. Bruce fought a smile as he pretended to think it over, knowing he wouldn't be able to deny Dick's puppy eyes.

"Hold that thought." Bruce left the antsy boy in his seat for three whole minutes before he returned with a small box wrapped in red, yellow and green.

"Ooh! What's that?" Dick asked, rushing to Bruce's side and staring at the box in anticipation.

"Well, it was going to be one of your Christmas presents," Bruce stated, then sighed heavily. "But I guess you'll just have to open it now." Dick's smile lit up even brighter as he took the box and ripped the paper off. He gasped, then looked up at Bruce with something akin to awe.

"Gee Bruce, you really mean it?" he asked, holding the box delicately, as if afraid to hurt it. Bruce nodded, smiling softly as Dick lifted the domino mask to cover his bright blue eyes for the first time.

"All the children are tucked in their beds, sugar plum faeries dancing in their heads, snowball fighting, it's so exciting baby," Bruce sang softly from his chair by the fireplace. He stared up at the portrait of his parents and sighed, taking a cautious sip of hot cocoa.

"I love you and you love me, and that's the way it's got to be. I loved you from the start, 'cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's hearts," Dick finished quietly from the doorway, glancing back and forth between Bruce and the painting. "I couldn't sleep."

Bruce set his cup down and held out his arms, Dick padding over and climbing into his lap. "Excited?" Bruce guessed, wrapping his arms firmly around the boy in his lap.

"I guess," Dick whispered, eyes glued to the giant portrait above the fireplace. "You still miss them?" Bruce was silent for a long while, eyes flickering between his parents and his son.

"Always," he finally said. "But it helps when there's someone else you love."

"They're singing 'deck the halls', but it's not like Christmas at all. I remember when you were here, and all the fun we had last year." Dick whispered the lyrics from his perch on the roof, watching the snow fall onto the garden below. A tear slowly froze on his cheek, but he ignored it.

"Pretty lights on the tree, I'm watching 'em shine, you should be here with me, baby please come home." Bruce climbed up next to Dick, wrapping a coat around his shoulders.

"I miss them," Dick said simply.

"I know."

"We're gonna have a Gothic Christmas, that is what we'll do. We're gonna have a Gothic Christmas, hope you'll have one too!" Robin chirped, voice far too cheerful for the lyrics as he passed out cards from a large red sack.

"Santa's going to wear a black dress, just for me and you. Santa's going to grunt in Latin and slay a dragon or two," Batman continued, voice much less cheerful than his sidekick's. Try as he might though, he couldn't entirely suppress his smile.

"Rudolph, he will change his name, 'cause 'Rudolph' just sounds really lame. Now we'll call him Ragnagord, the evil reindeer overlord," Robin belted out, thrusting a brightly colored envelope into a baffled Flash's hand.

"His nose it shall be red no more, it will be blackened to the core. His eyes will glow an evil glow to guide the chariot through the snow," Batman completed before joining his sidekick in the finale.

"We want to wish you a Gothic Christmas. We want to wish you a Gothic Christmas. We want to wish you a Gothic Christmas. We want to wish you a Gothic Christmas. We're gonna have a Gothic Christmas, that is what we'll do. We're gonna have a Gothic Christmas, hope you'll have one too."

With that, the two heroes disappeared, reappearing back at the cave in hysterics.

"I don't"-gasp-"I don't think I've ever seen Superman so confused!" Bruce choked out, removing his cowl before falling back into another round of laughter.

"Please tell me you got that on tape!" Dick managed to get out, peeling off his mask and collapsing on the floor in a fit of giggles.

"Of course!" Bruce exclaimed. "I'll be watching it on repeat all night!"

"I believe in Santa Claus, I believe in Santa Claus, I believe there's always hope when all seems lost. I believe in Santa Claus. I believe in Santa Claus, I'll tell you why I do. I believe that dreams and plans and wishes can come true," Bruce sang as he folded back his covers and climbed into bed.

"I believe in miracles, I believe in magic too. I believe in Santa Claus and I believe in you," Dick continued, jumping from the hallway onto Bruce's bed and perching on his legs.

"I believe in family, in country and in smiles. I believe in turning negatives to positives in life," Bruce kept singing, placing a hand on Dick's shoulder and smiling at him.

"I believe in looking farther up the farther down we get. I believe when someone hurts us we should forgive and forget," Dick picked back up, snuggling into Bruce's chest.

"And I believe in Santa Claus, I believe in Santa Claus. I believe love should prevail at any cost, and I believe in Santa Claus," Bruce sang quietly, rubbing light circles on Dick's back.

"I believe in saying what you mean and meaning what you say. I believe a better attitude can make a better way." Dick's voice was barely above a whisper, his words slurring together with traces of sleep.

"I believe in viewing life as a journey that we're on, and looking at our troubles as another stepping stone," Bruce continued softly, careful not to jostle Dick as he switched off the light.

"And I believe that everything in life is what it's meant to be. I believe there is a God somewhere although He's hard to see," Dick murmured, wrapping his arms tightly around Bruce's stomach.

"I believe I am, so therefore I should do all I can to be a better piece in the puzzle of God's plan," Bruce crooned, dropping a feather-light kiss in Dick's hair.

"And I believe in Santa Claus, I believe in Santa Claus. I believe there's always hope when all seems lost." Dick's words were barely recognizable, drawing a smile from Bruce as he watched the young boy fight sleep.

"Merry Christmas, Dick," Bruce whispered, watching as the clock on the nightstand flashed 12:00. "You made me believe again."