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Her empty hand dramatically lands on her chest alongside a cooed, “Thank you.”

It’s in moments like these that I see Bryn.

All Bryn.

Gordonhavemercyon my soul for when they get even older.

“Is this snight?” Bryn asks, scooting a midnight blue button towards the situation. “Snoser?”

Brae shakes her head, doing her best not to let sadness creep in. “I kinda think Wy might’ve took the last ones to make his mal.” She peers up at her brother in curiosity. “Snowman mal? Snal?”

He cheerfully nods at her wordplay prior to lovingly scooting his collection over to her. “Use ‘em.” An innocent shrug is followed by him grabbing the nearest hot glue gun. “I can make a mal out of any color.” Genuine warmth spreads throughout his expression. “Let’s get your snow dude in the right orchestra attire.”

His younger sister squeaks in excitement, picks up a button, and points to where she wants him to put a glop of glue.

Mouthy but kind.

See.

All. Bryn.

“You can have some of my black buttons for your mal if you need them,” I politely offer Wy, catching his gaze. “I know they’re technically not acolor…” mirthful grins are exchanged, “but they might work for details or ‘sponsor’ decals?”

He offers me an even brighter smile. “Gnarlz, Dad.”

“You meansnarlz.”

“That’s an actual word, Mr. Wayne,” Bryn playfully points out on a shake of her head while reaching across the table to put glue where Blake is requesting.

“Not with aZ, Mrs. Kyle.”

“Why is MomMrs. Kyleinstead ofMrs. Wayne?” Ponders Blakely with a scrunched nose. “Shouldn’t she beMrs. Wayneif she’smarried to Mr. Wayne?”

“Uh…Mrs. Wayne was Batman’s mom, and I’m so not the mom.”

“You’reourmom,” Brae slyly points out.

“Which makes youthemom of our Bat fam,” Wy effortlessly adds.

“I.E. Mrs. Wayne,” I join in.

At that, my wife shoots her stare up to me. “You’re supposed to be onmy side, Bruce. This is why even after marriage Selena remained a supervillain.”

“She didn’t remain a supervillain,” our son retorts for me. “And exactlywhathappens to her varies based on the canon you follow.”

Pride pushes my shoulders back as I try to maintain a nonchalant attitude. “I wasn’t aware you still read the comics.”

“Sometimes.” He drops his stare down to where Brae needs a second opinion about the scarf. “Between wax breaks.”

Unforeseen excitement shoots along my spine yet before I can act upon it, my wife’s hand lands on the small of my back in support.

Delivers a gentle reminder pat not to show too much emotion.

Any sign that you approvetoo muchof something is dangerous.

It’s like blood in the water for teenagers.

I flash her a small smirk of gratitude for the sidekick save and prepare to resume creating my own snowman when I spot a tawny skinned female, around the same age as Wy, curiously glancing our way for the fifth time in the past ten minutes.

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