#*WHEEZE* H20 Au

[puppetmaster13u]

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[puppetmaster13u]

 Lol, yeah it is getting… very long lol. Was gonna ask if you wanted to split to a new post but you beat me to it. 

 Pfft, people are gossiping about Wayne making a 17 year old CEO, while the people in other companies that have to meet with Wayne Enterprises are sobbing in relief. No you don’t understand that kid is the only normal person in the entire company- even if they’re not exactly right lmao. Let them live in denial. 

 Gosh I feel bad for Young Justice (not lol) the first time Tim (probably in a narcolepsy and insomnia-fueled rush) brings one of the living snacks to the mountain. Oh hey Robin is back! With a lobster in his hand? And some prawns but they’re more focused on the lobster- oh god he just bit its head off- And poor Tim has no clue what they’re freaking out about in his sleep-deprived haze. Oh, did they want one? (NO ROB WE REALLY DONT- Kaldur confiscates the bucket of live prawns and hugs them to his chest looking traumatized) 

 Oh you’re so right with Gotham knowing not to do big parties on Outsider holidays because of things like Calender Man lol. Bet the Outsider Galas include one for celebrating the GCPD (really how much they weeded out corrupted officers) and a simple spring one. Definitely an aquarium one that officially is to raise awareness for marine life, but everyone in Gotham knows it’s just an excuse to terrify Outsiders lol. I love the idea of most of the rogues being chill after a while. Like it’s an unspoken thing that they know who the Bats are- Harley went to medical school with Bruce! Harvey and him were childhood friends! He grew up seeing Cobblepot at galas before his parents death. They all know to play nice during these. Mostly. They’re still rogues & terrorize people but it’s Gotham, it’s like enrichment in their opinion. Except Joker. No one likes him. Or them. Depends on if it’s the continuity of there being three jokers or just one. 

 Helena is just a lil baby, she just took a lil nibble! Bruce rolls his eyes at everyone freaking out because really, it’s just a bite. Practically a paper cut, calm down. 

 Oh my god victorian-style punk, that’d be so popular in Gotham you’re right. It’s a mishmash of victorian, modern, 70s, 30s, 90s, practically every time period in the city, mixed or not. You think Discowing came out of nowhere? No people still dress like that and it always confuses visitors. You’d think everyone would be wearing drab and gray clothes but no. There’s so much color during the day. 

 You’re so right about Bruce having a wedding painting. They even used glow in the dark and reflective paint so if you shine a flashlight at it the eyes flash back, a rather common thing in Gotham to visitors’ horror. It almost looks like a fae or siren painting, their hair shimmering around them and bits of skin glittering with scales and finery if you look closely. Honestly the painting industry in Gotham is going so strong lol. 

 @midavalanche asked about things like plumbers and the types of jobs that require a lot of water around you. And @rulerofdumbassery is right with the full coverage near hazmat idea lol. Outsiders think it’s because of how toxic Gotham waters are, along with the fact the city is canonically full of lead still, but no it’s so they don’t use their legs lol. Y’all are also correct on water being an import. Gotham surprisingly doesn’t have a lot of imports, which people don’t realize because by all logic the city shouldn’t be able to support itself. Should be doesn’t take in aquatic curses that start taking hold the moment you see the city as Home. But Gothamites can drink water without changing (as long as they don’t spill). They might have hints of their other form from it- maybe ears a hint too pointed or sharp canines out or eye shine particular bright- but otherwise it’d be like them changing from the water inside them. And humans are like, 60% water. Lungs alone consist of about 83% water to flesh ratio. Dishwashing and other jobs definitely use long gloves and it’s habit for everyone to check for tears or damage- most people assume it's from all the rogues with chemical weapons but no they’d be pretty wrong lol. 

 Random unrelated thing but I think Gotham arts & crafts includes creating mini grotesques & gargoyles as good luck charms. Bruce has an entire cabinet of ones from his kids that they’re honestly embarrassed about because it includes their first attempts but he loves them. 

OH! Pfft, poor Dick when he first moves in with Bruce & is fostered, because I bet it’d totally slip their mind to tell the kid about the curse because it’s been in effect for like, at least a year at that point and no longer registers as something strange per se. There’s more pressing things at the time. Bruce gets woken up at 4am by 9 year old Dick running into his room freaking out while waving a scale-speckled arm because he spilled water. (Yes he knows Bruce told him to use bottled water but that’s so much work!) 

 Oh poor single dad Bruce when his kids are developing their fangs and adult canines and they’re using him as a chew toy. OH MY GOD! JASON’S DEATH! JUST REALIZED! Bruce is in good standing and in a good relationship with the League. Or at least in contact enough with them thanks to the Curse and the Al Ghuls canonically having had magic users in their bloodline. (We also have canon comic panels of Ras telling Bruce he grieved for Jason’s death as well) I bet Talia informs him like, not exactly immediately, but once she’s gotten Jason’s brain damage and other things healed via the Pit. The fact that Jason sees all that he was buried with, the unspoken love and grief that is there definitely helps with his anger. But I bet they at least called or video called while he was with the League while he was figuring out how to deal with the Pit Rage. Because that shit is a chronic condition, it doesn’t just… go away. It’s part of him now, and he has to learn how to live with it- but is that not what grief is? 

 Ras sending assassins after Bruce’s allies: If he’s not going to join my League and makes his own I must make sure they’re worthy of his time! I’ve even ordered the Shadows not to kill! It’s only some slight maiming attempts, I don’t see what the problem with that is! (Meanwhile Selina & Talia on a date: Hm I feel like something has happened…) 

Edit: I found something that has some Gotham fashion vibes here on tumblr lol

@puppetmaster13u

It was getting too long so...

Okay this was VERY long but I love it all. So much food, and very much alive when possible. And yeah they're very much venomous.

... oh gods you're making me hungry for food that isn't even safe even if it existed 😂

Also, I feel like Ivy's plants would, ah, sometimes move if they don't like where they're currently planted. If your neighbor is taking better care of your flowers then you might wake up and see them over there, you just learn to deal. 😅

Ooooo I love that. And I feel like, to Aquaman, it would be like speaking in Pig Latin + Esperanto mixed with the heaviest Scottish accent ever. He can tell it's words, but he can't really understand it.

Also, Bruce singing lullabies to the kids, just imagine. Jason or Dick or anyone shows up having a panic attack and Bruce starts calming them down. First in English, then aquatic, and slowly morphing into a lullaby.

Oh definitely, those other heroes will be struggling. Almost feel bad for them.

The medical professionals must be paid well, and Gotham University probably ends up with a very heavy metal degree that most people might assume is for vets not human doctors. 😂

Oh my gods Helena yes. Poor Supes, and I love the JL freaking out. Also, her bottle HAS to be a little pink, because of the blood that's probably in it. Also, I imagine they're born with weak venom, and drinking their parents' blood lets them process and produce stronger toxins.

I bet Dick and the other kids probably have the same weird food habits and their teammates aren't really sure what they're supposed to do. Sometimes Tim will fall asleep in the middle of lunch and whoever is in the same room will get to see his lunch run away. Probably a bit unnerving. 🤣

I like the idea they might do them for 'major holidays'. Not on the holiday, because Calendar Man (on the holidays is Gotham only, they fully expect him to show up, he's practically invited without saying anything outright), and that's the Outsider Galas. Not just one a year, but not like 20 of em either.

And yeah, aside from runaway food, Tim is pretty good with outsiders. He probably wouldn't eat 'normal' (normal for Gotham anyway) around his team if he didn't trust em or something either. This is probably another reason Bruce made him CEO. 😅

Yesss uncanny valley please. Everyone is freaking out internally, and yet at the same time they can tell they're safe... for now. Servers doing their job, and Gothamites not revealing anything, unless someone does something wrong.

Yesss the rogues. Honestly I just want an AU where the rogues are basically family.

||=====||=====||

"Oh yeah that's aunts Harley and Ivy, they can be fun but don't drink the wine."

Then (controversial I know but also heavily depends on the AU)

"That's Uncle J, we're on tense terms with him but he's got the best drinks if you don't mind letting a bit."

Maybe

"There's not-dad Harv-"

"he's Uncle T right now-"

"-that's Uncle T, don't gamble with him or ask about his coin collection unless you want to stay a while."

Or

"Don't mind Uncle Cobbles, he's a little competitive with B about their family histories, but other than that and birds he's pretty calm."

Even

"Yeah don't mind Uncle John, he's probably more nervous than you are, doing spook him and you'll be fine."

||=====||=====||

Yesss so many photos.

Also, there's two wedding photos. One he shows to outsiders, the other is up at the major as a painting and is the same wedding photo but underwater.

... Ras don't bother your son-in-law's friends please, they have enough on their plate. Seriously, stop. 😂😅

Bruce probably confuses everyone even more by knowing the assassins.

Oooo yes. Sharks, aquariums, oh my. I love all the animals you mentioned too.

... so I randomly looked up 'Victorian modern punk' because why not and...

This was the top result.

[kybee1497]

My time has come

Flarrie:

Everybody’s gotta learn sometime by ghostie (superheld)

Carrie redemption arc, this is so good. Also Carrie & Alex friendship supremacy

Sad, Strong, Safe, and Sober by @bobbywilsonsupremacy

This is literally so so good. The first Carrie fic I read and also Jon is amazing

Dancing to the Rhythm of Your Heartbeat by kybee1497

This one is totally mine but I had a lot of fun and I’m an attention ho so I’m including it. Flarrie college au, pining, roommates, also known as ballgowns bc they buy princess dresses and run through a castle.

Jukebox

Let me feel you in my veins by sunset-swerved

Old friends who moved apart and now are neighbors. Aged up characters. I died laughing at a lot of this. Also it’s so good!!!

and i know i've kissed you before, but i didn't do it right (can i try again?) by @lydias--stiles

Juke break up au. Okay so this is so so good. I laughed, I cried, it’s absolutely beautiful and I felt all of the things

Been dreaming that you feel it too by @blush-and-books

This is just so good, I don’t even know how to describe it. The imagery, the yearning, the soulmatism. I love it so much!

Love Drunk by @captainkippen

Married in vegas au. This is amazing. They’re just so cute and it was perfect

Wizard Love by @pearlcaddy

Food service au at the wizarding world parks. This had me dying of laughter or smiling into a blanket the entire time.

Until I Knocked on Your Door by @kybee1497

I’m reccing one of my fics again, sorry. Julie stress baking to procrastinate studying for finals. Luke is her neighbor.

Boggie:

I’ve been so good (where the hell is the karma?) by @itsthebooks

I just finished this last night and it was amazing! I’m v weak for soft boggie and rach wrote this so well!!

I’m not sick, I took all my vitamins by @a-tomb-with-a-view

Meg writes the himbos so well. Bobby with a migraine. Boggie being soft and the himbos being himbos

Tide pod Challenge Gone Right by @a-tomb-with-a-view and @on-irratia

H20 mermaid au. Jukebox, willex, boggie. This is perfection and I adore it so much

Willex:

I broke all my bones (that day I found you) by @sunnylemonss

Willex bakery au. This is so freaking soft I’m in love with it

EXISTENCE SLIPPED LIKE SAND THROUGH OUR HANDS (BUT NOT ANYMORE) by @the-anxious-gay-drummer

Them!! I love this so much. Soft willex. Rain!

luke and reggie's guide to getting your best friend a date (not recommended) by @on-irratia

This fic had me wheezing! Luke and Reggie are so dumb and I love them so much. Lottie did such a good job with this

The Screaming Adventures of Crop Top and Death Drop by kybee1497

This one is also mine, I really like writing this one. The himbos go to the amusement park. Alex goes on a rollercoaster so he can talk to willie. Ft. Sassy Alex with a strong hatred of amusement parks and flirty Willie

Oh my god I didn’t mean to do so many, but here you go. :)

Send me good fics, please. Whether it's yours or someone else's. Preferably Willex, Juke, Flarrie, or Boggie but I'm fine with platonic stuff too.

[angstandhappiness]

Neat

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[rulerofdumbassery]

I'm just imagining some plumber in a full hazmat suit crawling up under some poor persons sink to fix it. Everything is covered. no skin exposed. It would suck to shift while crammed in such a tiny space.

Honestly, there's probably Gotham specific trade schools. Outsiders probably think gothamites are being paranoid about contamination from lead pipes or something. but no. They don't want to break some sad sack's whole kitchen.

As far as cleaning goes, Gotham probably take PPE very seriously. Overall waiters and elbow high gloves for Everything. Maybe even throw on a not-gotham-fashion rain coat for the dishes. Looks like they're going to battle, but they're just cleaning the toilet.

They probably have crazy amounts of imported water for drinking. Otherwise, people would be spilling a drink and BOOM: fish.

Side note: It'd be hilarious if Gotham water followed Holy Water rules. "If more than half of the water is holy/Gotham, all of it is".

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[midavalanche]

This is great! Though question: How are the plumbers doing in Gotham? Or even any of the trades that use water as a tool? (Cutting metal needs some sort of coolant that is mixed with water if done repeatedly, cleaning in general with mopping or rinsing things off, etc) Do they have to ship in water? Is there a max amount of time bottled water can be in Gotham before it counts as Gotham Water TM?

…. Do any of the bats include a water gun in their utility belts to slow/stop runners?

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[puppetmaster13u]

Brutalina! I knew they had a ship name and I couldn’t for the life of me remember what it was lol. 

(Apologies if I bounce around, I have been on new medicine long enough now that it’s actually taking effect along with new stuff lol) 

Food! Bruce (& Gothamites in general) definitely have built up the habit of eating some things raw or alive, yeah. He definitely horrifies Aquaman who can in fact talk to aquatic creatures when he eats the crab alive. Though he did make sure to dispatch it humanely! It didn’t live long or feel a lot of pain! … That might’ve been the venom talking though. Y’know. Just some numbing and slight paralyzation, absolutely mild compared to the necrotoxins and myotoxins and everything else Gothamites have. But I realized! They’d (with Poison Ivy’s help) definitely hybridize plants. Tomatoes for example! In the Nightshade family! Gotham has definitely created a belladona tomato hybrid they call Bella Tomatoes. Usually savory, but sometimes cut into wedges, roasted, & drizzled with honey or in fancy parties brûléed to make a sweet-peppery snack. Parfaits are wild at parties, but you get the really crazy ones from a small mom & pop place by the Narrows that includes a build-your-own option. Comes in small one-person size to big enough buckets to feed 3 large-sized Cursed at once. Don’t even get started on the craziness of things like cocktails & their alcohols. Jams and herbs you literally can not find anywhere else because they grow and alter them from scratch. Ivy uses the proceeds to help fund her greenhouses & saving areas outside of Gotham once she’s no longer an active rogue. Even the honey tastes different because the bees have adapted to Gotham. Like even the stuff that isn’t actively poisonous has a completely new flavor and seasoning because of this. Even the fish & chickens & ducks have adapted. (Maybe adapted too well, with how many times pairs of golden eyes glare from the water, mimicking the Talons, have startled someone) 

 Gotham definitely has their own language! Chirps, clicks, whistles, warbles, barks, practically any aquatic or semi-aquatic noise there is, they can make some variation of it. But the Bats are the only ones who sing. Twitters and croaks and choruses like someone hashed some sort of frog and bird and whale together in a haunting melody. 

 You’re very right about the semi-blanket of resistance! That’s actually a real thing, with people who build up resistance enough to enough amount of poisons, it doesn’t give them immunity to new poisons, but they do have a head start with things that already have similar shit if that makes sense. So yeah, poor local hero if a rogue who uses Pollen or Gas or Venom decides to take a traipse outside of Gotham. Shit goes hard and bad fast if they don’t call a bat to take care of it. Probably helps them all agree not to go into Gotham like Batman demands though lol. One encounter of the walking nightmares is enough for most people. 

 Oh my god the younger Cursed needing blood, yesss. Everyone else thinks it’s adorable when a toddler gnaws on their parent’s fingers until they start bleeding. I bet after the curse makes its rounds & people start getting born with it there’s a notice of canines being the first teeth to grow like, 98% of the time. Once more, dentists & orthodontists in Gotham must be paid wildly. And have a strangely good knowledge of marine biology too. As does most medical people. Hm…. Whelp! Just another weird thing about Gotham, they’re sure! 

 The JL are cooing over the tiny baby. Like yeah, Batman has shown pictures to anyone who has monitor duty (he doesn’t usually stay long after meetings, but he does arrive early to them so sometimes will show them there too) but they never thought they’d get to see the lil one in person! She’s so tiny! Tiny lil baby-safe domino mask scrunching up as she gnaws on her dad’s armor. (Helena might’ve thrown (though that’s such a strong word, dropped is probably more accurate) her teething toy) They just can’t focus on the meeting when there’s a baby! So precious! So tiny! So er… bloodthirsty, as Clark finds out when he lets her hold his finger, because it’ll be fine! He’s invulnerable! And then tiny fangs break through skin. And Batman looks down at it as everyone else freaks out & with slight audible concern tells Clark to check in the medbay that there isn’t venom in that wound. Excuse them, what- Bruce does not explain, he’s too busy bouncing the baby who is UPSET her new chew toy was taken away! She will throw a fit! Cry! Glare at her father and- Oh, bottle! Nevermind she’s sated and content now. 

 That vampire rumor is back with a steel chair, you’re right lol. Nightwing & Red Robin even get in on it within their teams, since it’s not their fault said teammates didn’t believe them when they said Batman was their dad. 

Oh I bet there’s at least one annual Gala in Gotham that has Outsiders so no hunting or pools to the grumblings of everyone. But needs must, connections to be made, pleasantries to be had and all that. I bet there’s one that the Justice League, or at least some of the heroes, is invited for as guests. Even if it’s in civilian identities. And I bet there’s at least one in the Wayne Manor. Tim is the best at interacting with Outsiders probably, thanks to going to some galas outside of Gotham with his non-cursed parents. But the league members are probably shocked. Everything is ornate & warm and extravagant and would be inviting in the rooms the party is taking place in if not for the… paintings.  A large one of twisting creatures amidst murky waters framed by equally dark (yet well cared for) aquariums. Paintings of forms sinking into the depths, blood staining waters darker, birds or gargoyles or ships circling above, spires and hands or something Other reaching up below. And the Waynes- or is the Wayne-Kyles, or even the Wayne-AlGhuls- themselves are friendly enough, but there’s something equally… Off about them. About all the Gothamites. Who apparently share Batman’s & the other Gotham vigilantes habits when it comes to seafood & strange snacks that they themselves can’t seem to get their hands on. (The staff are professionals at their jobs after all, no need to cause an accidental murder scene) There’s even an intrusion by Cobblepot & Poison Ivy! To the league’s shock and they’re ready to fight, but no. Apparently they’re invited. Along with Harley Quinn who hugs the Wayne patriarch & proclaims that “Brucie, you just hafta visit the greenhouses soon, Ives is doing some work with crossbreeding some o’ tha’ medical plants an it’s goin wonderful!” Gordon would have pity for the lost looking outsiders, but he’ll admit he finds it funny as well, if only internally. He willingly hangs around the Waynes and Bats both after all. 

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[puppetmaster13u]

PFFT. Bruce's cryptid status definitely does grow. And everyone is wildly off with their guesses. There were bets placed and everything.

Pfft, Clark is about to pass out from stress when he sees one of the other Gotham vigilantes try to reach around Batman to steal some food. And Bruce holds it out of reach at first, so he thinks that the kid can’t have it- which makes sense! Deadly! Poison! That no one should be eating! Even the others in the cafeteria look slightly amused!

 And then Batman pulls the manners card and the other vigilante pouts and grumbles and groans and then in the sassiest voice- let’s be honest it’s a Robin’s job to sass Bruce- “May I please have some parental figure who I love?” 

 Everyone freaks out. 

It'd be hilarious if this is how they (the JL) find out about the Gotham vigilantes being family lol. Like, the kids definitely said to their teams that Batman was their dad, but it was like, with the Gotham way of obvious that it sounds like sarcasm.

You're so right, there definitely is stuff for people adjusting. And non-poisoned stuff in the touristy areas. Mostly. Sometimes there's people who get poisoned on purpose if they don't like them lol. Gotham might be a hellhole to Outsiders, but you treat staff right and you won't get murdered.

Randomly just had the idea of a raincoat mermaid tail dress slam into me and I have no clue how that would work lol.

PFFT, imagine having monitor or late night duty with Batman before people knew the Poison fridge was for him. And no one believes you for weeks until he happens to grab his lunch around the time other people were there and witnessed it.

Oh my god, I bet hunting/swimming trips in Gotham are seen as like, not exactly traditional dates, but pretty up there. Though they're very careful not to overhunt and they probably have several fish farms they constantly release fish from.

The kids definitely use swimming excursions to scare passing Atlanteans lol. Gotham Academy has a scoreboard for each class that the kids made and it's far from the only one. The atlanteans have no clue that they are simply scaring them for fun, because those waters are Terrifying and the things in there scream Predator and Uncanny Valley Body Horror to the instinctive part of their brains lol.

You're right Gothamites have stupid poison resistance & the rogues complain about it- Oh my god. Arkham. Do you think they have small pools like, in the cells? Like if someone behaves they get a room with a small floor pool so they can swim or just chill in aquatic form. (I'd say if they're behaving because Big Teeth & Claws that can definitely tear through a person)

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[puppetmaster13u]

Eeee Glad yall like them <3

Hm. That's a good question about the Lazarus waters. I don't think so, in like a forced way. It might count enough that it's possible for them to do so- but the issue is that Lazarus Waters will kill someone if they're not near death when exposed. (At least that was the rule originally, who knows how things have changed in other comics) If they do get in Lazarus waters or come into contact with it, I do want to say it supercharges their bioluminescence lmao. Like they will light up.

Hunting galas are definitely a thing. And it gets violent I bet. Mouths and hands covered in blood and viscera that'd freak out anyone not from Gotham (or used to it in those that have married in but haven't begun their own changes yet) There's definitely a kiddie pool during those galas too. Shallower water for smaller kids learning or still building up tail strength and jaw muscles. People will be gossiping and their hands will dart out and pick up a squirming creature to casually rip open or snap the neck of before snacking.

Oh my god, Gala foods. There's a whole new level of that. I bet sushi and takes on sushi are common. Easy to hold and to stuff with goodies.

@just-a-madderslife had a fun idea of there being almost raincoat fashion and honestly that's fun. I bet there's a challenge or something of making raincoats that don't look like raincoats. Custom ones that mimic the patterns on their scales and such, dark interiors with flickers of bright colors that almost look like shimmering shapes in dark waters, y'know?

@meowmeowmeowmeow4x Honestly I feel like Damian would know about his less human-ish half from the beginning. Talia and Bruce and co have a decent relationship in this timeline, and I don't think any of them would exactly hide it from him. The Al Ghuls have also had magic run through their bloodline before, so I wouldn't be surprised if Bruce even grudgingly contacted one of his league contacts, or even the Al Ghuls themselves, when the curse first happened. (Heck, maybe that's why they have a decent relationship, communication for the win) So I think Damian would be pretty proud of it, maybe even a little self conscious about how much smaller(& clumsier in the water) he is compared to his adoptive siblings, who have been there for most of their lives.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(So Anyway that last bit with Clark from @f4nd0m-fun had me in a chokehold that spiraled so have a not-drabble lol) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 The moment Bruce registered what he was seeing, he’d admit there was more than a hint of cold fear that washed down his spine. There was a reason he’d drilled it into his children’s heads to label any food they brought from home. So maybe realizing his breakfast was missing made him panic a bit. 

 Look, he’d seen what happened when an idiot or two insisted on eating something his fellow gothamites warned them they couldn’t. Most did not survive and he could only hope and pray that no one had eaten any of it yet- or if they had they were perhaps immune. Somehow. 

 He’d been on monitor duty for practically the entire night and didn’t want to deal with this first thing! In fact he was this close to hysterically screaming, which any of his coworkers could agree was not a normal thing. 

 Maybe he was speed-walking more than a bit faster than he usually did and was maybe tapping out commands to open up the video from the entire night before. But it was understandable! He didn’t want to get one of his coworkers killed because they decided to eat literal poison! 

 He didn’t care if anyone saw him not-running (because he wasn’t!) but he was admittedly glad that no one saw him quite literally run right into Clark. Smacked right into his front and risked breaking his own nose like he’d done so with a concrete wall. 

 “Shoot- erm, sorry-” Clark’s face was flushed in embarrassment, hand not holding him up from falling holding a pan of something or other that smelled baked. Bruce might’ve still been hungry under all the panic and worry even if he’d not admit that out loud. 

   “Out of the way,” he practically growled, the dread about potential injury and death to his allies making him not care for any type of pleasantries. Even if the kryptonian’s midwestern disposition practically demanded them lest he look like a kicked puppy. 

   Clark looked utterly stricken, already having the aura of an apologetic dog who ate part of the couch while you were away. He’d apologize later, but he couldn’t waste even a moment- 

   “Aw sorry, erm, didn’t know you’d be this upset-” 

   What was he- No. Bruce stilled from where he’d been going down the hall, very slowly turning to look at the kryptonian. Him?! Of all the people in the Watchtower- “Clark,” he didn’t know why the kryptonian had paled, he thought his voice was perfectly pleasant. “Did you eat my breakfast, that was clearly labeled?” 

   Well he didn’t look poisoned at least, though that wasn’t going to stop Bruce from tearing him a new one, previous concussion or no. 

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[puppetmaster13u]

Anyway, I bring this back with ART! Technically sketches but still. A full body Selina and a headshot of tiny Damian while he's growing his hair out from the assassin-in-training safety cut. (Long hair + untrained hands with sharp swords and other weapons do not mix well lol)

(Not shown is the many necklaces & other bands of jewelry Selina constantly has lol)

Also can't remember who reblogged with the idea, but you are so right that Gothamites have a lot of skirt-esque clothing for when not actively working. (Goons and Rogues and the GCPD for example need the pants for the extra armor but on days off or when they're not working it's skirt time!)

Bet Galas are the same with dresses (have I mentioned those yet?). Doesn't matter if you're a guy a gal or something else, dresses are usually the norm, which is probably very confusing for any Outsiders joining in the galas lol.

Y'know now that I'm thinking about this once more. So the Gothamites do usually have organs similar to sharks with sensing electromagnetic forces and blood and changes in water pressure, all that. But I wonder if some might also have a basic echolocation of sorts too.

And we've talked about clothing and jewelry and such. But you know what else would be effected? Food.

Fish and dishes on the rawer side. Lots of things seasoned with what should be poison, and is to anyone else. But the Gothamites themselves are twice as poisonous and they think it's great. Some only do a sprinkling while others chose to use it like salt- everything is poisonous.

I bet there's even food trucks and smaller shops that pop up throughout the year that you can't find anywhere else. Fried pufferfish sticks- poison still included! Cuttlefish bagels! Stuffed potatoes & jellyfish! Nudibranch-themed waffles! Dumplings that look like eldritch seals! Anemone stews! Lemonade with sea krait venom! Vegetarian kelp cookies! Like their food has got to have shifted as their appetites have. (Batman & co have also definitely brought food/lunches to the bases and triple labeled their food to Not Eat. Though I wonder if anyone has done so anyway and had the worst time in the emergency room)

pspspsps @f4nd0m-fun I've brought Art :>

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[puppetmaster13u]

Tags by @choccochocco

And honestly I can see it now. An injured Aquaman (or even Atlantean in general, but I bet he tries to cut back potential injuries by forbidding most but the best warriors from approaching the literal poison waters full of unkowns) who is just a hint too close to Gotham.

And the creatures have never left those murky waters, even when corpses floated around. Perhaps he's even hoping to get into contact with Batman, his comm destroyed.

And then a shadow slips from the muck and watery fog, circling. It's too dark to see at first, simply a shape in the water- and then there comes another. And another. Some closer to his size yet still large enough he can feel the currents they create.

Bioluminescence and lures, the only warning of how venomous, how deadly each of these things are, glitter around him- a beautiful if deathly dance- And then he's out, out of the poison waters and back into the familiar sea, with creatures that he can take comfort in. Something big, big as a ship, neck too long, limbs too gnarled, face more teeth than flesh, tilts its head at him. And then with a flicker of scales and tendrils, they're all gone. Back into the waters that would kill anything not born in it.

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[puppetmaster13u]

Pfft. It's less of choosing when to stop aging, and more of just, a mixture of the magic and curses- and the Flash's constant timeline resetting, that they'd very much like them to stop.

Not helping is that they do seem to age slower and randomly. Like mentioned in a previous reblog, no one knows quite how old the Wayne children are. Only that they're young enough to still live with their parent. Or parents after the wedding with Talia & Selina.

Also not helping for Outsiders is that Gotham has a completely different culture compared to their surroundings. The reason so many laws are broken is because well, they're practically a sovereign state, just not legally. And some people experience bloodlust if they haven't gone hunting. Like Dick? Somewhere around nineteen, that's what everyone who doesn't know his age agrees on. Which outside of Gotham, makes him legally an adult. Inside Gotham though, most don't leave their parents, or rather their Pack-Pod, until their twenties. And even then, they usually don't move far, unless they're moving to another pod. It's very strange to Outsiders.

OH! You know what? I bet news doesn't often get out of Gotham like, in a timely manner. Especially things like newspapers. Bet it's a random toss on if they get information a few weeks late to a few years. Hence why everyone knows about how Bruce is an orphan, and that his parents were killed when he was eight, but not when that was. I bet there's people who've tried to calculate it- the man is literally the richest person in the world and famous.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------Another set of tags by @internet-m0m which are hilarious.

Bruce probably waves from under the bat-cape. "Hey Bill, need an umbrella?" Like you said, this is a normal day for them. I wonder if the League thinks they got hit with Fear Gas or something at first and triple check back up on the Watchtower because surely that's not right, there must be something in their systems, right? They didn't... actually see what they thought they did.... right?

Though that does raise the question on if everyone knows who the Bat is thanks to well, same eldritch merfolk form. They just also can't do shit because like, Gotham might have the highest crime rate, but most murders are outsiders and tourists. Other Gothamites are hardy AF, and have straight up adapted to the many poisons and chemical attacks. Which is why the rogues keep having to create new and stronger strains.

Pfft. We already know several kids and teens of Gotham are in on the pranking the passing Atlanteans (So maybe it's pranking Gotham-style but still, it's funny!) but are there adults involved to lmao.

Bruce, to one of his work friends: -and then Aquaman called our lovely water a horrid sewer-filled death trap, how rude!

The rest of the workers who came because he always brings snacks from Alfred whenever he comes into work in person: *Scandalized Gasping*

Though if he is known as Batman, that'd mean things like the Court of Owls would have to be taken care of.... At least mostly. Hm.... (Oh dang is this.... plot? In the funny eldritch mer post? I Think it is) (Or does he just smile shyly and bashfully rub his neck as he admits it's a bit too big to change indoors.) .... Oh my god do you think there'd be galas where they show off clothing and jewelry specifically for merfolk forms? Like a pool party but somehow classy?

Also you can't tell me that Gotham doesn't have the largest goth clothes industry. (Ethically sourced & created because No One wants to deal with the giant kelp monster that is Poison Ivy, even if she chills a little once Harley leaves the Joker & they move in together)

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[puppetmaster13u]

Ohohoho. I am weak to local myths and legends and the locals themselves being cryptids to outsiders.

I feel like part of the curse is accepting Gotham as your home. Those just there for work or temporarily continue to think everything else is fucking crazy. Very feeling like they're in uncanny valley central.

Those that start to feel Gotham is their home start to have the effects you mentioned, like the city and water is calling to them. Not many people permanently move to Gotham, but those that do don't move away either.

Some leave as children, parents terrified of the changes in their child, but the waters will always call them back. They'll find their way back to the city one way or another, when their skin becomes unbearable, when their mind nearly goes mad with forever staying on land. There's tales that warn to not bring your child to the city, whispers of changelings, of curses and poisons that will forever effect them.

Meanwhile Gotham is just violently vibing, and I think that's hilarious.

Oh my god I bet there's designated swim times during school, especially for the younger kids who might not be as used to sitting there for hours at a time. Bet Outsiders would be confused when looking online and it shows that schools in Gotham have two PE periods.

Also, have these tags by @internet-m0m who is so very right when it comes to when the JL finally find out about the Gotham water curse lmao.

I bet the goons who work at the docks get paid so well because they have a high chance of falling in the water and ruining their clothes. Because I bet most clothes- unless specially made and probably a little expensive- don't transform. Pants would definitely be destroyed. (I wonder if skirts are popular in Gotham lol)

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[puppetmaster13u]

Vibrating. I can be bribed yes.

So thinking about this more, Gotham definitely has some... unique new-ish traditions. Slash things that outsiders are very ??? about. Practically the entire city closes if it's raining, with everyone working from home. Well, most are working from home, or indoors, because if they're out in the rain long enough they lose their legs. And well, people already think Gotham is inhuman enough without it being confirmed as such.

It's also, canonically a superstitious place. What with the Court and the cults and everything else so. They're really playing it up during tourist season (why is there a tourist season, they're serious. Just. Why.)

But their culture definitely has shifted after the whole... fish curse. Already started discussing it before, but a lot of people start keeping their hair longer, or at least bits long enough to put things like pearls or shells in them. It's almost like a flower language, just more sea... and poisonous... focused. Different pearls have different meanings, not just colors but size as well. Same with shells. Which was at first a more upper society thing, but it spread to the rest of Gotham. You can tell if someone is a native depending on the material- they may or may not scam outside people with fake pearls.

Now the merfolk change in general. As said before in previous reblogs, some people do end up having children in mer' form. Which means that hospitals do have specialty areas for people with mer medical issues. Including those that might have birth issues. Hospitals and Dr offices are strange to a lot of outsiders. I mean, no one knows what to make of giant tanks in some rooms.

(Also apologies if I'm jumping around I'm dealing with a fever while writing this lol)

Now something to note, is that unlike several merfolk in mythology, in mer forms Gothamites don't have a scaless upper half. It doesn't suddenly shift to human skin, that would ruin their adaptations to camouflaging through the murky waters. Which also helps with no one recognizing say, a friend or teammate when they see them. Not that Aquaman has seen or knows Batman's face.

Poor Clark though. He was... not expecting this when he rushed to where he heard Bruce's heartbeat pop back up after going all weird and... off. Because the change isn't painful, but it definitely looks and sounds so. Bones shifting alongside organs, skin splitting open into gills, jaws unhinging... I'm sure you can see why it'd be horrifying for an outsider to hear. Or see.

@f4nd0m-fun pspspsps look someone drew art <3<3

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[puppetmaster13u]

Oh I have ideas.

If the Court, or at least several of them, leave Gotham a bit to try and avoid the curse, what with their pride at their 'breeding' (yuck) and genetics. One of the first things they'll see, at least at galas, is the bumbling idiot Wayne. Only... only not. Oh there's still a clumsiness, but now there's an underlying sense of predator. His head snaps towards them, alongside several other of the rich who stayed, nostrils almost flaring like they're hunting them. And then they smile, and it's not with human teeth. Yknow. They deserve to freak out the 'clutching their pearls and gasping' court bastards.

Wheeze, Superman is staring wide-eyed and Bruce is just, "I can explain" over the sounds of literal cracking bones and organs shifting around to fit once more in a smaller body that has legs. The kids will never let him live it down that he's the first one caught of all of them. Or, Bruce could pull the innocent confusion of, "What do you mean? Everyone can do this???" when Clark freaks out.

And the Gotham-vigilantes just going missing for a full week or so after the JL grab what they think is a Gotham crime lord in one of their cities is hilarious. I bet the only response if they try to reach out is "Don't talk to us, we're mad," the bats completely forgetting that they didn't inform anyone about Jason. They also might be trying to convince Talia to not go up and give the JL a piece of her mind. With a weapon. And a few shadows. Meanwhile Jason is laughing at the situation until he gets smothered in a cuddle pile- in both forms. C'mon guys, he's not a lil guppy anymore, you can let him go now...

I bet there's a whole thing with what proper terms are for everyone. (Gotham biologists are in heaven, and Outsiders are befuddled why Gotham has so many marine biologists with how horrible the waters are) Bet it's something like, a newborn is a pup, a toddler (so up to the age of 3) is a fry, a guppy is up to the age of 10, a polyp is to the age of 13, 14 to 17 is a calf, and 18 to 20 is whelp. Though I bet that's just the official terms and people still also just call kids guppies. Similar to how people also refer to teens and toddlers as kids.

I like the option of 3. Both of the above lol. Means they don't instantly transform if they accidentally leave Gotham's waters if they're a bit focused on chasing something, but also has the amusing thing of Gothamites just being... immune to Outsider mobs or otherwise trying to do the whole submerged with cement trick lmao.

Love the Jason reveal, he was such an easy kid that he decided it was his turn to give their dad some gray hairs. He was not expecting that once it's confirmed to be him for everyone to practically bury him under a crying pile of family. Yes this includes Bruce.

You are so right about Ras doing the wildest things with the kids. He indulges them. Look, he's not always the best father, but he's a great grandfather. Absolutely spoils them all.

Lmao, Luthor is in Gotham for a gala because he's heard rumors through the less than legal pipeline of information that the Al Ghuls are doing something in Gotham. So he goes for one of the business galas. (Mans is gonna be so shocked lol) This is also how Clark (& every other outside reporter) learns that Bruce Wayne has two wives. (Bruce, enjoying being Brucie sometimes for the lols, innocently shrugs when questioned & mentions how his parents were poly too. "Why do you think Alfred got custody and not the Kanes???")

Oh my gosh yeah, some definitely would be born in their aquatic forms. (Being bigger on average probably does help with the whole carrying a whole ass baby not be so painful) Bet there's specific bassinets for those who might have trouble shifting to their legged form. Similar with NICUs for those born too early or with medical issues, there's definitely specialty wards for if someone is born in an aquatic form with those issues.

Thankfully lil Helena is a healthy baby. Just needed some comfort to stop crying when she was carefully taken from the water and shifted into suddenly having legs and no scales or anything. They probably called Leslie to double check before doing so of just in case she might've had an unseen issue, but thankfully she's safe to go back to being a (Gotham edition) human.

Pfft, imagine the JL noticing Batman is in a good mood at some point (not quite smiling, but he's humming under his breath as he works and it's hard not to notice with how attention-calling it is) And they unlock the unskippable cutscene of Batman talking about his newborn whose so tiny and had the pudgiest lil face and the smallest lil hands and a tiny wisp of hair and the biggest hazel eyes ever- (She's listed as having blue or brown depending on the comic so)

Y'know I bet that the Waynes & Al Ghuls give off Addams family vibes. And to Gothamites it's adorable and romantic and look how in-love they are <3<3 Meanwhile Outsiders are so shocked and confused as to why they're married? Or stay in the family? Like yeah, no one knows their ages, but surely one of them must be old enough to move out by now?? (Dick, who has been 20 for the last several years, laughs. Legally he's an adult but for a Gothamite nah, he's staying with his Pod... School... Pack... whichever one refers to it as, might depend on the area of Gotham)

I bet the wedding when it did happen was glorious. Bet Ras went all out, because that was an excuse to do so, and I bet Alfred helped. They're both exchanging looks of Finally! They definitely do a mixture of culture. So many different things, with Gothamite traditions and Arabic and some that aren't even practiced anymore. Reporters try to get in at one point but they're not letting anyone ruin this.

The pictures they post do turn out beautiful, of course. Bet their hair was braided with so many shells and pearls and flowers and everything else.

LMAO, Bruce is definitely, Looks like could kill you, is a cinnamon roll. Selina is, Looks like a cinnamon roll, is a cinnamon roll. And Talia is Looks like could kill you, Will kill you. The kids are happy for them until they also start doing the otter thing. Now they can hold All the Kids and There's No Escape. Please, they wanna mess with the League & passing Outsiders-

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[puppetmaster13u]

Vibrates. Welcome to the unskippable cutscene. And of course this is just the closest some can recognize, doesn't mean it's exact. Like the lovecraftian description of it looked like (blank) but Not. :) Love that shit.

Joker definitely has vibes similar to a pufferfish and lionfish- and lionfish are incredibly invasive, which makes perfect sense with him. Very much green and white and purple colors, even if it's mostly muted. Maw more like a gulper-eel. B i g smile.

Harley deserves a hint of clownfish in patterning, and with a tail that's a mixture of a fish and an octopus of some sort. Mass of tendrils and bright bioluminescence that can make it look like a giant maw in the dark waters.

Ivy? Eel vibes. But like a mass of writhing eels and kelp, maybe a hint of leafy sea dragon when it comes to fin-shape. You can't tell if it's thrashing kelp or a creature twisting towards you until it's too late. Maybe a hint of stonefish vibes too.

Selina, I think catfish when it comes to whiskers and such. But? Give her hagfish vibes too. Slips through cracks and absolutely horrifying maw of teeth.

Bruce, you are so right in shark and whale vibes, but let me add in Manta Ray. Not only the smartest fish (at least thought to be currently) but also gives him his cape and cowl vibes even in the water. Rows of teeth like a shark, large maw of a whale all melding together on something vaguely humanoid.

Flying fish Dick is so right. Hint of sailfish too with the big fin being where he has most of the bioluminescence. But there's something off when you look closer, specklings that could be patterns or could be eyes, no one knows.

Anglerfish, yes. Duke deserves tendrils upon tendrils of glowing biolumnescent lures. But for extra spook? Deep sea spider vibes too. Limbs just a hint too long, scales shifting more into some sort of chitinous plates.

Jason? Give him a hint of jellyfish, (yes mostly for the immortal jellyfish but also the fact that at a distance it could look like innards of something) and frilled shark, and just a hint of lobster. A fish-esque body surrounded by stinging tendrils and skittering legs to dig through the sand.

Honestly, Cass also deserves jellyfish vibes, but instead? Blanket octopus or vampire squid. Tendrils that connect with sinews of flesh into a shadowy mass full of teeth. If you want jellyfish though? Comb jelly.

Tim. Now Tim is fun. Guppy and dolphin are his main inspirations, with teeth like needles. Looks friendly until you get closer enough to see the details. Maybe a hint of barreleye for fun.

Stephanie has viperfish vibes when it comes to the face and just how long her tail is. A bit of Frogfish too, with fins that are something between that and hands tipped in claws, and perhaps some deep sea skate.

Damian has a hint of scorpionfish, combined with lanternfish. Some stingray vibes too, including the stinger- even if it's more akin to a blade- in the tail.

Barbara also has a whale vibe, albeit probably smaller than Bruce's. Some searobin vibes when it comes to fin shape and maybe patterns, if not in color. Arms and fingers too long compared to the rest of her body.

Which Commissioner Gordon! Definitely has some dogfish vibes in body shape, maybe a hint of pleco or similar with spines a bit too thick. Maybe even a bit of walrus vibes when it comes to his mustache and with tusk-like fangs.

Riddler? I bet he has the most ridiculously colored or shaped fish, or the most normal at first glance, and there's no inbetween. He needs a long tail that he can curl into a question mark.

Scarecrow has to be the most horrific combination of deep sea abominations that would give heart attacks to anything other than another Gothamite at a glance.

Killer Croc still has crocodile vibes, of course. Maybe some knifefish vibes but otherwise Very heavily armoured from scales and scutes alone.

Mr Freeze? Give this man seal vibes- maybe mixed with some narwhale but jagged ice spikes. Body like a frozen corpse, bits partially see-through like chunks of ice.

I have so many thoughts :)

Also for those curious about aberrations:

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit.