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Jim finished cutting up the supplies for the day’s art project as the first bell rang. Pink and red hearts, cupids, flowers, and stars littered his desk. He also had an array of glitter in every color that he was debating on using. Jim knew that it was possible for the glitter to go everywhere if used incorrectly, and he knew his students well enough to know that it would happen if given the chance.
“Mr. Gordon!” Robin rushed to Jim’s desk, attempting to peer over it as he smiled up at him.
“Yes, Robin?” Jim began as Robin made a face at his name and scowled. “Is there something you needed?”
“Yeah, um...” he bit his lip, “The sky is very blue today.”
Jim raised a brow. “Is that so?” Robin nodded, looking away for a moment.
“And no more snow, it melted all away!”
Jim was slightly amused and was about to comment when he saw a small hand dart out and grab a bottle of glitter off his desk. “I see.” He followed the hand with his eyes and witnessed Selina pocketing the small container. “Selina?”
Selina eyes widened, “Good morning, Mr. Gordon.”
“Good morning,” he smiled. “Can I see what’s in your pocket?”
She sighed heavily, handing over the confiscated glitter. “It was sparkly.”
Robin gasped, eyes narrowing. “You tricked me!” Selina simply smirked back at him, turning around and heading to her desk. He frowned, looking back at Jim. “Sorry, Mr. Gordon. It’s not gonna happen again.”
“It’s okay, Robin.” He smiled. “I know you’re a superhero in training.”
“Yep!” Robin flashed him a bright smile and headed back to his desk.
Jim waited as the rest of the kids filed in and the final bell rang. “Good morning, class.”
“Good morning, Mr. Gordon,” A chorus of voices responded and he smiled.
“Who can tell me what the next holiday is?”
Silence washed over the room and they all looked at each other as they tried to figure out what the next holiday was. Selina’s hand shot up a moment later. “Valentine’s day.”
“That’s correct. And in celebration, I thought that we would make valentines.” He paused, almost expecting Talia to announce that she didn’t celebrate this holiday as well, but she almost seemed eager for the art project. “I have a variety of cutouts to help make your cards.”
“Are we supposed to make one for everyone?” Bane asked, glancing over at Bruce.
“You can make as many as you like,” Jim replied. “There’s no requirement, but it would be nice to make one for everyone in the class and perhaps a special one for your valentine.”
“You make valentines for your valentine?” Jonathan questioned, looking confused.
Jim nodded, “Yes.”
“Who’s your special valentine, Mr. Gordon?” Selina asked and the class looked at him expectantly.
“That would be Barbara, my wife.” He smiled fondly, thinking of his wife and family.
Robin’s hand shot up, “Does your special valentine have to be a girl?”
Jim’s eyes widened and he paused a moment, trying to figure out the best way to approach that topic. “Your special valentine is anyone that you care for.” He offered softly.
Robin smiled in reply, nodding his understanding. “Kay.”
Jim looked over his students, “If there are no more questions, we’ll get started.” The student’s quickly took their seats and he gathered the supplies, taking them to each student and letting them pick what they would like to use.
He took his seat, giving them a moment to start their art projects. It was a rare moment when all his students were quiet in concentration over their tasks. Jim smiled, savoring it for a few minutes before he started to make rounds to check on their status.
Jim stood over Jonathan’s desk, admiring the details he was drawing on the red heart. “Very nice,” he began as Jonathan looked up at him, his cheeks flushing. “Is that a cat?”
“Uhuh,” he smiled, stealing a glance over at Selina as he put the finishing touches on the little kitten and he started on a glittery collar. “Think she’ll like it?” He questioned, his inquisitive blue eyes searching his face.
He squeezed his shoulder. “I’m sure she will. Are you going to make anymore?”
Jonathan shrugged, “Maybe.”
Jim nodded, rounding the table and glancing down at Talia’s cards. She had two hearts that had an elaborate Chinese character in the middle of each. “That’s very good, Talia.” He remarked, reaching out and ghosting his finger over the delicate lines. “I didn’t realize you knew how to write in Chinese like this.”
“My father taught me.” She smiled, pointing to the heart on the right. “That’s the sign for Bane and the other is Barsad.”
“Very impressive.”
Talia preened at the praise and smiled. “I’m going to try the others.” She returned back to her work and Jim moved onto Barsad’s desk.
“How are we fairing?”
Barsad shrugged, “I made one.” He pointed to the small red heart, with ‘Talia’ printed very carefully in small letters. It was clean and precise.
“That’s very good, Barsad. Are you going to make one for Bane as well?”
He gave him a look of disbelief, “Of course.”
“Of course,” He nodded as he tapped the desk lightly. “Continue the good work.” He turned to the next desk, his eyes widening at the glitter explosion on the desk. “Do you need some help?”
“Nope,” Selina smirked up at him, rubbing her face and smearing glitter all over herself. “I like it sparkly.”
“I assume there’s a valentine somewhere underneath all that glitter,” he teased lightly and she rolled her eyes.
“Duh.” She blew lightly on the desk, glitter flying everywhere and leaving the cards with big glittery letters on the hearts. He made out a ‘B’, a ‘J’, and an ‘R’. Which he assumed were meant for Bruce, Jonathan, and Robin… the three she seemed to get along with the most.
“They look good.” He began and she snorted, grabbing at the stars and smaller hearts.
“I’m just getting started,” she stressed, shushing him away and Jim chuckled lightly to himself.
Jim stepped over to the next desk, raising a brow as he studied the drawing that Robin was working on. He smiled as he recognized the two little figures flying through the air, with capes flapping out behind them. “Let me guess, Batman and Robin?”
Robin grinned, looking up at him. “Yep.” He drew a heart around them. “It’s a superduper valentine!”
“I can see that.” He smiled, “It’s a very superhero valentine.” Robin’s face brightened even more and he wished he could see that look on his face more often. “Good job.”
Robin nodded, returning back to his work and Jim watched him draw for a moment longer before turning to the next student.
Jim crossed to Bane’s desk who was just staring at the supplies he had left earlier. “Bane?”
He looked almost startled at his presence and he looked around the room. “Is it time?”
“There’s no time limit,” Jim offered and Bane seemed to relax a little, rubbing at his neck. “Did you need some help?” He asked softly, never seeing Bane at a loss for words.
“No.” He immediately barked back, but Jim sensed the opposite.
“You don’t have to do anything fancy,” he prompted, touching one of the hearts. “As long as it comes from the heart.”
Bane nodded, a tad more confident and he started to write Talia’s name on the first heart. Jim smiled and turned to the last student, Bruce. He glanced at the card he was working on and he smiled when he saw a fancy decorated heart. “Very nice.”
Bruce looked up at him, “I wanted something special.” Jim’s eyes widened when Bruce finished it with a name, but it wasn’t one that he expected.
“Rachel?”
Bruce smiled, “She’s my friend.” Jim vaguely remembered the young girl from Mrs. Sawyer’s classroom.
“Ah, yes. I believe I remember her from the other week.” He mused, noticing the other two valentine’s on his desk for Selina and John. Jim raised a brow. “John?”
Bruce ducked his head slightly and glanced over at Robin. “That’s what he prefers.”
Jim paused, not sure if he should encourage him using his middle name. “I see.”
“It’s okay, right?” He asked, looking up at him for approval. “It’s special.”
He considered it, and it was in the spirit of giving special valentines. “Very well.”
Bruce smiled, stealing another glance at Robin. “He’ll like that.”
“That’s the idea.” Jim let him return to his work as he took one more round around the classroom. All his students were still engrossed in their task and he could just feel the love in the room that they shared for each other. It was turning out to be a good day.
Jim leaned back against his desk, watching them for a moment longer. He enjoyed the peace and quiet for as long as he could. He knew it wouldn’t last for…
“Mr. Gordon!”