Chapter Text
There was no getting around it; he could not get the suit on. He glared at the assorted pieces of the top half of the suit strewn about. Stripped down to the very most base layer, broken into the smallest sections, without any of the armour pre-loaded, and he still just could not get it on by himself. The lowermost base layer needed more range of motion than he could do at this time. Maybe with help, he might, if very slowly, be able to get it on without straining things worse or popping any stitches.
Not that he would get assistance with getting it on. Alfred had a very firm stance of if he could not get the batsuit on without help during recovery, then he was not recovered enough yet to wear it. If his family could he would still be on bed rest and not down in the cave trying to even get it on yet. He had only just been cleared to getting up and out of bed to start walking around.
With a great huff Bruce admitted defeat, discarding the pieces onto the worktable to sink into the ergonomic chair at the monitor with a soft groan. His feet were already tired from all the standing and pacing he had done in the last hour trying to find some way to get into the suit. He was not going to get any closer to being able to get it on. The issue was one he knew was going to be a problem before he had started.
The problem is the batsuit design has interlocking sections to get the protection and functionality it needed to have. Everything was nested and interwoven together in such a way that even with one section or layer compromised it still functioned. Offering more than the sum of its parts while also not wholly reliant on them. It also was what allowed the suit to keep the dexterity needed without compromising its protective qualities.
Along with making repair, improvement, and adaptability of the load out for the suit extremely modular. He could replace every single piece at any time and switch between different more specialized parts as needed. It was one of the great strengths of the suit as it was ever able to be improved and have new advances added to it. Which also made finding and replacing worn or otherwise compromised parts easy. He was meticulous about every part of the suits being checked after use. With plenty of replacements ready to go at the first sign of wear. Lastly it was the only thing that kept the suit from being a nightmare to keep clean.
Only the base layer could not be swapped out for a different design. As the foundation of the suit's design hinged around how it all started to fit together with the base. Not that it meant he only had the one set base of the suit. Different versions for more or less insulation or support were made. It just needed to fit within the constraints of the base layers pattern. One that he had done his best to fix for his children’s suits. Building in more than one base layer design for that added flexibility from the ground up was easier that trying to retrofit it later.
Fixing this design issue was a project that had never seemed to gain any progress, despite all the time he poured into it. As something always tore those new prototypes for alternative base layer designs away to be retrograded for extreme and edge case emergency situations. Dozens of highly specialized suits set aside for the day they may need to be used again. Deep space, caustic gases, high radiation, or other increasingly unique challenges would pop up. Many of them have led to valuable tweaking of the design of his main suit. His newest polar suit had cannibalized the latest prototype after the latest issue with Freeze. None of the alternative suits would be a suitable solution for this issue he had at hand either. As they were not any easier and a few even needed a second set of hands to get on over his regular suit.
If he was honest with himself there is a second reason the project never found a solution. There is no better design for the base layer to make it easier to get on while injured. There is only so much restricted mobility friendliest possible to get into the suit before it loses effectiveness. For the type of restrictions to mean he would be compromised in mobility and at risk in the field. Really he has been trying to avoid admitting this for ages now that Alfred was right. The last half hour of fiddling with the suit was more to avoid the truth of the matter. He was too hurt to wear the suit and go out as Batman.
He was almost ready to message Superman that he would be unable to make it to the meeting. Finally taking him up on the offer to video into the meeting instead of appearing in person. No matter how it would grate on his nerves about the potential security risk that could be. Superman would be delighted in him, in his own words “Taking his health seriously and resting for once.” Alfred would be very happy about this also. He was always the one to remind him that it was an option he could use more than putting on the cowl when called. Called, video call, of course there is one final option he had.
The domino mask, while suitable to protect his identity, was not one he preferred to use. More of a fail safe for when grabbing the cowl on would be too long for a video call in an emergency. A backup for when video was absolutely needed and time did not allow for getting suited up. Despite that it fit well and did its job well enough to obscure the more distinguishing facial features. There is a reason everyone in the family has a few. It would be enough for a trip to the Watchtower and the meeting.
While the meeting is being called with the core members to discuss a pressing issue, the risk for combat is actually very low. It was more an abundance of caution to nip an issue before it becomes a real problem. No action in the field would be taken right away. Only coordination of resources and planning would take place. He could make this work.
~
The added dimness from the darker lenses of the mask helped keep his budding migraine at bay as he made his way to the zeta tube. Alfred, while not exactly happy he was going to the meeting in person, the conceit of not wearing the Batsuit met his approval. A very small blessing as none of the rest of the carefully selected outfit made him feel prepared for this now that he was about to arrive.
He looked more like his Wayne self ready to go for a photo shoot of an active wear or street line than Batman. The pants were much too loose and baggy, his shoes were slip ons, the jacket while oversized and warm was not a substitute for a cape. It did do a good job obscuring the flak jacket and his bandaged injuries. Leaving his exact body shape more of a suggestion than definitive. Now he just needed to make it through the next hour and a half that it would take this meeting for it to be considered a success. Of course the first hurdle was not any of the security protocols but Superman himself.
“B?” Superman asks.
Like usual Superman was the first person to find him after arriving at the watchtower. Barely a few steps out of the zeta room and before he rounded the corner out of the room Superman was there to greet him. Just to stop in place with a look of confusion then nearly crowding in close to him. Bright blue eyes zipping over his form slowing at the spots he is more injured before jolting back to his face. It only took a small glance for him to follow to have this discussion in a more private location. Walking to a less busy hallway on the way to the meeting room he stops.
“I am fine, Kal.” Bruce says now that they can’t be easily overheard.
Truth be told he was pushing things. That time spent pacing in the cave was more walking than he had done in an entire day in nearly a week. He was feeling it already in the ache in both his limbs and soreness of his tired feet. If he was following recover properly he would have worked up to this much over the course of a couple days not hours. He really should at the very least sit down soon if he wants to be able to walk without any visible stiffness or limping. Not that he could hide that from Superman’s more acute sense. Without his usual suit he might as well be stripped bare to those senses. Despite this Superman does not call him on the slight tremble he stiffly kept at bay.
“I know you would not be here if you did not think you could handle it. Just that you don’t need to push yourself so hard to do so.” Superman says, stepping closer.
The brush of shoulders is subtle and well practiced, so that he could take some of Bruce’s weight if needed. Never visible that it allowed some of the pressure off his aching feet as he leaned against him slightly. Always an offer to help that would appear to an outside observer appear as him closing in for a more private quiet conversation. Without his own cape it was a bit less effective to hide but he leaned into it. Tension ever so slight seemed to just melt from Superman's shoulder as he took the offer of help. The following soft sigh is another familiar motion from his friend.
“Let me know if you need an early out this time. Instead of just letting yourself bleed from popped stitches till the meeting ends.” Superman softly remarks.
Bruce lets out a small huff at that. It was hardly bleeding out. Superman has a fond smile on his face. He takes a moment in the quiet hallway to gather himself up again getting ready to head to the meeting.
“Agent A is not going to yell at me about enabling your bad habits is he?” Superman asks.
“No, Agent A has decided that this is a good step towards not pushing myself as much when recovering.” Bruce says.
“Really now? Here I thought it seems more like finding a new way to push yourself.” Superman quips.
“Less temptation when out of the suit.” Bruce snorts.
“As if that would stop you.” Superman chuckles.
Just a moment longer before Bruce straightens back again. Stepping away and turning to walk back to the main hallway system. They both head to the meeting room. If slightly running late to make the meeting. No that it could start without Superman the one who had called being there.