#Alfred is the one who officiates the marriage

[traditionalartist]

Headcanon that when Clark & Bruce officially tie the knot, each wears the other's superhero color palette.

Clark's tux is something like this:

Mostly black because Batman wears dark colors, so just picture it w/o the Mickey-shaped patterns & instead of white, the blazer's collar & vest are either gray or navy. The bow tie is gold.

And here is Bruce's tux:

Red blazer because Superman has a red cape, blue pants because Superman's suit is blue & the gold vest is because of the yellow color in the Superman logo.

[onmyyan]

hi again i'm the Anon who asked if you take commisions only or requests as well. I love your writing style<3

Soo could you write about Batmom reader, where reader took care of bruce's children as her own. But then bruce gets a mistress, reader still stays becuz of the kids but when everyone started to become cold to her and insult her ' X (mistress) is better mom then you ever were' she leaves gonthem. Then everyone realises she (mistress) was just after their money. They go to batmom's room to apologize only to find it empty. They try to find her everywhere but couldn't. And finally when they do, reader rejects them since she was having the time of her life without responsibilty but gets kiddnapped by the batfam?

Honestly i wanted to commision but i'm flat broke and i'm too busy studying to work and on top of that i don't have my own phone (i use my dad's old laptop) soo yeah... I hope you consider this.

A/N: Loooove this request thank you for sending it in <3 fem reader yandere themes lmk if you want a part two

The (L/n)'s were a wealthy and prominent family in Gotham, right up there with the Wayne's when it came to power over the city, the two families were in business together which is why when Bruce Wayne personal attorney came to you with a marriage proposal, you weren't surprised.

A marriage of convenience. You thought you knew what this would entitle, you knew this wasn't out of love, that this was required of you, it had nothing to do with what you actually wanted, but you were dutiful and signed, inking your name on the paper felt like a deal with the devil.

Bruce hadn't bothered to officially meet you until the day of the wedding, it was beautiful and well done but lacking any form of love of affection, CEOs and other rich folk you didn't recognize filled the pews, the ring felt cold when he slipped it on, his vows perfectly rehearsed, and not an ounce of warmth in his eyes, you knew that night you should have annulled the marriage, but something made you hold on, something your mother had said to you as the makeup artist turned you into the visage of a bride.

"You'll learn to love each other, your father and I did after all." And she wasn't lying, your parents married for convenience as well but had grown to love one another, so maybe you could do the same?

A year after the nuptials Dick Grayson is thrust into your life. Haley's circus was famous in Gotham for its incredible death defying shows, but on this night death would walk the stage, taking with them Dick Grayson's parents in a horrible display, You and Bruce had consoled the boy for only a moment before Bruce was talking to the officers, he'd decided Dick was coming home with you, of course without asking your opinion, but it didn't matter, you felt such pity and grief for the boy, it made perfect sense to you, he was shut down for the first few months, he called you by your name and you had no problem with it, making it clear you never wanted to try and replace his mother, the ice between you two melted one day, one kind word at a time, he couldn't help but confide in you about school or his friends, because you were more emotionally there than Bruce was.

Like the night you caught him sneaking out, a packed bag in hand and the keys to one of Bruce's many cars in his hand. Instead of yelling for Bruce or Alfred you simply smiled at him, "you should take the audi, it's the safest car here."

"..You're not going to try and stop me?"

You shake your head no, still offering that kind smile.

"You know yourself best Dick, if you're unhappy here I won't stop you from finding your peace." He took a moment before tossing you the keys and reluctantly making his way back inside.

You find out about Batman because of Dick. He'd come home with some nasty bruises and it wouldn't take long to put two and two together. Them both being missing at the same time, Dick started to pull away from you, one night, after hours of trying to get to sleep in a bed much to big for one body, your legs decided a walk was necessary, the halls were dark and quiet, giving the manor an eerie air, quietly you walked the long hallways intending on stopping by the library, as you turned the corner you seen Dick in a hidden elevator, the doors just slamming shut as your eyes tried to register what was there. Seconds after the doors close a wall appears, as if nothing was ever there. It's not long after that you see a brief news clip of the caped crusader and his new sidekick, because the longer you stared at the screen, the more familiar they began to look, that dead tight lipped scowl on Batman's face, it was one you'd had the pleasure of looking at for the past few years.

That night you confronted Bruce, he seemed surprised you'd figured it out, but he didn't deny it. Simply saying, "It's late (Y/n), get some sleep."

You nearly divorced him then and there for endangering a child the way he was, but after a moment of thought, you realized Dick would need a real parent around so you stayed, making Bruce swear to be careful.

Jason comes next and he takes to you a lot faster than Dick. He craved the warmth you offered, you two had inside jokes and a closer relationship than him and Bruce, but that all changes the day he dies. You're broken, a ghost haunting the manor with your presence, and Bruce is no comfort throwing himself into the Batman role, you begin to hate him a little with this particular betrayal.

Tim was another hard egg to crack but you were desperate after Jason's death, so you took his verbal lashings with a smile, were always there to offer a helping hand with any of his projects despite the help never being accepted. Tims wound from losing his father is too raw, he takes a lot of his anger out on you. And you weathered the storm with a soft, warm smile.

Damian hated you, from the moment he arrives, which is bitter enough as is because it meant Bruce was unfaithful, he's spitting out insults and comparing you to his 'perfect' mother.

Things weren't great in your life, but one day they started getting noticably worse. Dick no longer responded to your check in texts, Jason (now reanimated which was a heart attack in and of itself) saw you as the enemy, you didn't leave Bruce after what happened to him, so in his eyes you betrayed him, Tim ignored your existence as best as he could, and Damian? He'd started staring at you with this smug look on his face, like he knew something you didn't.

Bruce had all but ran from you, he didn't sleep in your shared room anymore, he barely spoke to you at breakfast, if it wasn't for the cameras he wouldn't touch you.

And it's all because of a woman named Rachel.

Apparently Bruce had introduced this woman to the family, bringing her around when you weren't, slowly replacing you, it was no wonder they started to pull back.

Alfred is the only reason you find out, having enough of the blatant disrespect, he calls you to come home early one day saying it's a dire matter. Of course you comply, and walk in on a discomforting sight. The whole family was gathered at the dining room table, plus a woman you'd never seen before, she sat close to Bruce, toying with his hand intimately. Her green eyes lock with yours and the smile she gives you forms a pit in your stomach.

There's silence before Bruce stands up, he walks over calmly, "Can we take this in the other room." But it wasn't phrased as a question.

"No" you licked your lips, a nervous habit from your youth. Bruce seemed taken back by your sudden backbone. He nods silently.

"I want her gone Bruce. I am your wife. You will show me that semblance of respect."

"I- of course." You don't wait for the words to settle instead, you calmly walk to your room, face unreadable.

Locking the door behind you, your body slides against the frame, a silent sob wracks your frame, your hands covering your mouth, you wouldn't give them the satisfaction of hearing your cries.

The next morning you wake up to breakfast in bed, a generic yet elegant spread of food lay on a tray in the empty spot Bruce used to stay. The man himself sitting in the chair beside the bed, staring at you with that practiced smile he used to appease people.

"Good morning."

"What's this?" You sat up straight, sleep evaporating from your form as you took in the threat before you.

"An apology. I never meant for yesterday to happen."

"What a comfort that is." Your piercing (e/c) eyes stare at him blankly, unreadable. "How long."

"A year." You scoff pushing the breakfast away from you like it was poisonous. "But its not what you think, Rachel is a childhood friend, a year ago our relationship, evolved into what it is now, but I was never intending to go behind your back."

"Ah of course, your intentions were pure." The words dripped venom, grabbing your robe you quickly dress before standing and walking to the door, "Thank you for the wonderful talk Bruce, really your people skills are top notch." Your hands gesture to the door. He leaves without a word.

The rest of the day is as usual, Bruce avoids you like the plague, the rest of the family acted as if you weren't there. Which made leaving all too easy.

Your lawyers had the divorce papers ready and hour after you called them, signing them felt like the first act of self love you'd done in years. Slipping them into Bruce's study you took the time to analyze the room you never entered.

It matched Bruce that's for sure, pictures of every single person in the family. All except for you.

Walking out the door, wrapped in your ankle length black faux fur coat, the garment whipped in the wind, the designer sunglasses on your face hid your eyes from the world, hair in a slicked back bun, your heels echoed against the pavement, a sleek black car was waiting for you, you look back at the house that had caused you so much misery then got in the back of the car, never looking back.

Life goes on for about a week, your absence goes unnoticed, that is before Rachel is trying and failing to blackmail Bruce out of a billion dollars, she'd collected evidence he was cheating on you with her and presented it to Bruce with a grin, it was only as he went through the pictures of himself and Rachel, did he notice the yellow envelope with his name written on the front.

Hey puts the heartbreaking matter of Rachel's betrayal on the back burner, Bruce opened the envelope and felt his heart completely stop at the word divorce written in bold lettering across the top, your signature was already there, waiting for his to join it.

Ignoring Rachel completely now he turns in his chair, turning the paper over and over as if it would magically change. But it remained the same. Alfred knocking on the door of his study broke him from his trance. "Master Wayne, miss Rachel." He says the latter's name with no warmth. "Escort Rachel to her car Alfred."

"Bruce have you heard a word I've said? I'm serious I'll go to Gotham daily right now if you don't -"

"Now Alfred."

That was all it took for the screaming woman to be firmly escorted off the premises. Bruce all but ran to your room, he didn't bother knocking, and despite knowing in his heart you were already gone, he couldn't help but check anyway.

Your room was empty and cold, he couldn't believe the date he'd read on the divorce papers, it was dated a week ago, meaning you'd been gone for a week and he hadn't noticed. No one had.

That is until Bruce remembers there's someone in the house nothing gets by.

"How long have you known she was gone Alfred?" He asks leaning on his knuckles the divorce papers stared back at him taunting him. "Since the moment she left." The older man replied simply his hands behind his back. "Why didn't you tell me immediately?" Bruce felt himself tense, "Because you've hurt that woman enough Bruce. She deserves at least this." He gestures to the daunting divorce paperwork before turning to leave Bruce with his thoughts.

The news of Rachel's betrayal shook the manor each member feeling violated by their trust being broken. But it was nothing compared to their reaction once they finally realized you were gone.

"That was rough." Jason says after watching Rachel being dragged out of the manor, he blew air out of his cheeks arms crossed over his chest, he looked towards the hallway that lead to your room, you had to have heard that he thought to himself.

Dick sighs through his nose, "Someone should check on (y/n), Rachel was screaming so loud she definitely heard that." No one volunteers so Dick rolls his eyes and heads towards your room.

He lifts his hands to knock but noticed the door was open, pushing it further he's met with a baren room, his brow furrowed in confusion before he makes his way to Bruce's study. "Hey B, have you seen (y/n)? Her room is like weirdly empty."

Dick found his Father where Alfred left him, leaning over the divorce papers silently a storm in his eyes.

As he steps closer and reads the paperwork Bruce was staring so intently at, his heart stopped.

"Holy shit- are those real?"

"Yes." Bruce finally spoke his voice horse. There was a moment of silence before Dick left the room practically running down the stairs to alert the others.

"(Y/n) left Bruce." He said still processing the information, "No fuckin' way." Jason says pushing himself off the counter he leaned on. "Her room is empty and he has the papers, she's gone."

Each member of the family had different reactions to this information.

Dick tries calling you only to be met with a disconnected number, his heart hammering in his chest, he wasn't as close to you as when he was younger sure, but you were a constant in his life, always had been, a pillar of support, and suddenly you weren't. It felt like the floor had gotten pulled out from under him.

Jason curses under his breath, his mind working a mile a minute, he had barely spoken to you since his Resurrection, something he deeply regretted as the information of your leaving sinks in like a brick thrown into a river.

Tim, ever calculating is trying to figure out where you went, you were a figurehead in his life, someone that was literally never not there, sure he wasn't close to you in the slightest but that doesn't mean he wants anything to happen to you, someone as quiet and soft as you on your own in Gotham? It didn't sit well with him. Not one bit.

Damian didn't know what he was feeling at the news, he supposed he should feel nothing, after all you were nothing to him, but there was this nagging feeling in his chest that he couldn't quite place. And he hated it. How dare you leave and upset his fragile ecosystem?

Meanwhile in the Bahamas, far from Gotham and the neglectful family you'd left behind, you sat lounging on a private beach, a knitted hammock cradles your body, a designer baby pink bikini covers you, a matching sunhat protects your face from the hot sun, you can't wipe the smile from your face, humming a tune from your childhood you barely flinch when someone takes the seat besides your hammock.

"Do I want to know how you found me?" You ask, eyes still closed as you bask in the warmth. You knew only one person had the sources to find you on your own island, and despite how much you resent the man, even his presence can't ruin your shine in this moment.

"You're my wife (Y/n), I'll always know where you are." Bruce speaks softly as if trying not to startle you. "Former wife." You correct cracking an eye open, a small smirk curling on your lips.

"Not until I sign those papers- which I never will."

"huh, I thought you'd be thrilled." You muse to yourself before folding your tanning mirror and setting it aside, you take off your Louis Vuitton sunglasses, blinking your pretty (e/c) eyes up at him, "Figured you and your little Twinkie would have tied the knot by now." You laugh softly, the sound, unfamiliar to Bruce, sent warm shivers down his spine, it causes his lips to quirk up in a small grin.

"She's gone."

"Well, I don't care."

There's a beat of silence before he's offering you his hand. "Will you walk with me? I know I don't deserve it."

You sigh before getting up, ignoring his hand, you nod your head reluctantly, "Well? Hurry up I've got dinner at six."

His smile remains as he begins leading you along the shoreline. It's relatively quiet between you two as you walk side by side, a peace between you both you hadn't ever felt. "The manor isn't the same without you." He breaks the silence, "I sincerely doubt that." You laugh at the very notion. "It's true- it's colder, quieter, I want you to come home."

"That was never my home, you made that abundantly clear."

He winces as if your words cut him, "I know I haven't been a good man to you, I know I've failed you time and time again but I..I looked at those divorce papers and my heart stopped." He admits running a hand through his hair.

"You can't leave me."

"I can't?." You scoff, your movement halting, "I'm a grown woman- I'm taking responsibility for my own happiness, you can't stop me."

"I wasn't asking." He says softly, his hands in his pockets, he had this fond look on his face, like he was staring at you for the first time, in a whole new light. "You can't make me." You say, brows furrowed, "You belong back home, you're supposed to be with me, till death do us part, remember?" He steps forward making you step back, your eyes wide, hands shaking, you back into a wide chest, spinning to face Dick, who's grinning at you, he's in his Nightwing costume, he gives you a small wave of his hand, you scrunch your face in confusion, "What the hell-" your thought is cut off by a small pinch in your neck, the needle in Bruce's hand is empty in seconds, he's cradling your stumbling form, holding you tightly, "Don't worry - I'll fix this."

Your sleeping body is gently carried to the batplane, Bruce holding you close to his chest as Dick pilots the plane, he whispers promises into your hair, rocking you against him as he swears on his life to make things right, weather you liked it or not.

[yall-batman-fanfic]

Children of the Bat | Bruce Wayne/Batman x Magician!Reader

Synopsis: More than ten years into their marriage, Bruce surprises Vivian with a son he never knew he had with Talia Al’Ghul. As Damian makes his claim in their home, Vivian is at a crossroads, questioning her husband’s loyalty and believing his faithfulness to his wife. As Bruce tries to convince Vivian that he is never unfaithful, Damian makes it hard by destroying a sacred space for the husband and wife.

Featuring the Super-family.

Vivian had a superstitious belief that if the universe was giving her so many good things, it’s preparing her for the big bad day it would come. 

Ever since she met Bruce Wayne, so many good things have happened to her that she kept waiting for that one bad day to come. When she first, officially met Bruce she told him this silly belief but he told her to not worry and enjoy the present. That she deserves the good things she was receiving, that it wasn’t some ploy of the universe to give her all the good things to prepare her for the worse. 

She believed him and for ten years she had nothing but happiness with him, sure there were bad days, such as their supposed break-up, but in that span of ten years she was happy. She had a loving boyfriend, a boy who she could call a son, a man who was like a father to her, and it all became even better when Jason came along. A boy with a troubled past. Bruce brought him in in hopes to keep him from descending further in the dark underbellies of Gotham, and while Bruce saw potential as a Robin, Vivian saw a son. 

Sure, she knew Bruce also saw Jason as his adopted son, but to him, Jason was Batman’s Robin. His soldier. His partner. With Vivian Jason Todd was her son first. Her boy.

There was a running joke in the Wayne Manor whenever Dick would mope on how Jason was closer to Vivian than he ever was. 

“You, Young Master Dick, were Master Bruce’s boy,” said Alfred, “Yes, you were close with Professor Pryor, but you were always close with Master Bruce. Young Master Jason, on the other hand, is Professor Pryor’s boy. He’s very much more attached to her than you were his age. No need to mope about it, Master Dick, Professor Pryor shares an equal love for you and Jason.”

“Really? Hard to believe.”

“Well, if you weren’t such an angry and moody little boy, maybe you wouldn’t be moping and seeking your mother’s attention constantly.”

Yes. Jason was her boy. 

Then tragedy happened: The Joker took her boy from her. 

Learning the news from Bruce nearly had her breaking down at her classroom when he called her about it. Her students and colleagues tried to console her but Vivian was inconsolable. Even Bruce cannot console her. When she saw Jason’s body in the morgue, she tried so hard to feel him again using her magic but nothing. She felt nothing. 

Heartbroken, Vivian went down the spiral she gone when she lost her mother and opened the old books she had in the mystic arts and dark magic. He tried to stop her, but her rage towards the Joker was too much. One night, while on duty in Gotham, Bruce received a call from Gordon that the Joker was having a seizure, and Bruce instantly knew who was the cause. Driving back to the manor, he saw Vivian in one of the rooms, sitting in the middle of the circle as she tortured the Joker in his already mad mind. She saw everything, how he tortured her boy, how Jason kept a brave face, and how he locked him in the warehouse with a ticking time bomb.

She wanted to kill him for doing that to her boy, but then she heard Bruce’s voice. Begging her to stop, hoping she won’t take that path, reminding her if she kills him she will damn herself to the same place Constantine will go to when he dies. But that didn’t help, she didn’t care if her soul would be damned… what did was hear her husband begging for her to not do it. To not make this mistake.

So she stopped. She released the Joker from her hold, putting him in a coma. He was already in a body cast thanks to Bruce, now he was holding on to a thread because of her. There, she mourned with her husband for the son they lost. 

It took her a while before she could smile again, even with Tim present to bring light to Batman as Bruce descended to a much brutal Batman since Jason’s death. Eventually, she learned to live with the memory of her boy with her. She would always wear the first gift Jason got her for Mother’s Day. It was an antique he found in a store while heading home, he saved the allowance he got from Bruce and bought it just for her. When she opens it she is greeted by the sight of their first photo together in one of the Wayne Foundation’s galas. 

Not wanting to make Tim feel like he was just a soldier for Batman, Vivian opened her heart to him too. She gave him a home and a family, especially when he too lost his own. Things were starting to get better, and it was for a couple of years, until Jason came back and it opened wounds that just healed.

Though he left with his bloody war against Batman and the need to prove to Bruce that his ways were wrong, that the Red Hood can do what Batman cannot, Jason promised Vivian that he will always be there when she needs him. Or when Bruce is being a jerk.

It took a while but eventually, Jason came back to Gotham and became part of Batman’s support once again. He still takes on mercenary missions but he was there and would often have coffee with Vivian at the gardens, and though he would be teased by Dick and Tim, Jason still calls her, “Ma”, just like when he was young.

Things started to look great again with their family whole once more, and things got better when Vivian was given the results she’s been waiting for so long. When she saw the results, Vivian dashed out of campus, drove across town, and barged into his office without a care if he was in a meeting and showed him the test.

She was pregnant.

Overjoyed, Bruce didn’t care if he had the board over, he kissed his wife and celebrated the happy news. While it did ruin the momentum of the meeting, everyone congratulated the Wayne-Pryor couple. 

When news spread about their pregnancy, so many people were sending their congratulations. Dick drove from Bludhaven to Wayne Manor to congratulate his surrogate parents, Jason too came all the way from where he and Roy were doing god-knows-what to congratulate Vivian.

Yes, he stated perfectly clear that he was there for Vivian and just Vivian. He’d care less for Bruce.

While they were able to purchase what they needed, the couple was showered with gifts by their friends and people they never expected to receive from. Lois and Clark used the chance to mess with Bruce by giving them a gender neutral Superman onesie. Actually, everyone in the League thought it would be funny to send clothes and toys that had their own superhero logo as the design. Hell, even Dick made a Nightwing onesie on his own since there was no merch for his vigilante just yet.

Jason and Tim were probably the only ones in their circle that gave practical gifts, such as story books and toys. Tim got the baby a toy computer and Jason got them the Anne of Green Gables set, remembering how Vivian loved those books as a little girl.

Everything was going so well, until the universe thought Vivian was having too much happiness.

Vivian lost the baby.

Five months into her pregnancy, Vivian and many people in Gotham were trapped in one of Two-Face’s crimes. She lost the baby when the man, who was Bruce’s good friend, shot her because the coin told him to.

After realized what had happened, Harvey took control once again of his body and was devastated. He knew Vivian was Bruce’s wife, and he couldn’t believe what he did. So he willingly gave himself up to the police. To Batman. When Batman learned what happened, he nearly beaten Harvey to death if it weren’t for Jim and Robin. 

Vivian was saved but they lost their baby that day. 

She remained silent for weeks, unable to accept what happened. While she retreated in their room, lying in bed, her older sons started packing up the nursery with Alfred’s help, and Bruce…

Bruce dug the grave for the daughter they lost in the garden. He didn’t stop even when rain started to pour. He just kept digging and digging until it was more than six feet deep. He only stopped when Dick and Tim came to tell him that it was enough, and they helped him place the glass box that had held his daughter into the hole and covered it with their bare hands.

When he came to their room that night, he saw Jason sitting next to her in the bed and reading aloud the first book of the Anne of Green Gables series, while she laid her head on his shoulder. Seeing he was finished with his work, Jason placed a kiss on her forehead and left. Bruce expected silence from her again but heard her say: “Helena.”

“What?” He asked, confused.

Vivian got up. She stood before him and held his dirt covered hands and said, “We were still picking names but I fell in love with the name Helena. The one you suggested. I want to name our little girl Helena,” tears fell from her eyes and sobs followed but she continued. “We lost her Bruce… we lost her before we can even hold her.”

Bruce pulls Vivian to his embrace and lets her finally mourn the loss of their daughter. “Helena,” he said the name as if giving life to their little girl but it did nothing. “We may not have been able to hold her but Helena will always be a part of us.”

“I can't feel her,” Vivian cried. “I can't feel her…”

It was her magic that made her more sensitive to the life around them. He only realized how the tragedy of loss really affected her when they first lost Jason. And now she lost the daughter she carried for five months. The daughter they loved so much before she was even born into the world. The daughter who she felt was always with her, and now that life was gone. It felt like a missing puzzle piece that can never be replaced. Empty. Incomplete.

The next day, Vivian asked Tim if he could accompany her to the city where she bought potted flowers which she placed over her daughter's grave. Those flowers bloomed brightly, and seeing them blooming brought her some comfort. 

A few more weeks later she was back to the University, teaching. Her students and colleagues gave their condolences and supported her throughout, which she appreciated, but it was her family that truly helped her slowly fill the emptiness. Ever so slowly, her broken heart was being pieced back together again.

Until the universe thought she was too happy once more.

~*~

The appearance of Talia  al Ghul brought a bad omen to Batman. Everytime he comes across the al Ghuls he knew something bad was going to happen. Another attempt to end the world and reshape it in their vision? Or was Ras planning on another scheme to make him his successor by forcing him to marry Talia? He could list down the possible things they will bring upon him and Gotham, but he never thought of this.

Staring at the boy holding the sword, Bruce couldn't believe his eyes and his ears as Talia said, “This is Damian Wayne, our son.”

“You're lying,” Bruce sneered.

“Oh, I'm not. You may conduct your tests but I assure you, he is yours,” Talia told him. “Do you not remember that night, beloved? When you forgot your vows and gave in to me?”

Bruce glared at the woman. No, he couldn't remember. Nothing was making sense. Was he drugged? Did the League perform magic on him to erase his memories? He didn't know. But the longer Bruce looked at the boy he could see his younger self in him. 

~*~

"You have a son with Talia al Ghul?" Vivian was pacing in the room. "Bruce, he looks like he's eight years old -- we've been married for more than that!"

When he came home with Damian, he had hoped Vivian was still at Gotham University but she was there, in the cave, ready to greet him. With her was Tim who just finished his homework and was to catch up with patrols. She had a big smile on her face until Damian appeared and said, “So, this is the harlot that mother mentioned.”

“Harlot?” Vivian was taken aback by the boy's words. “I'm sorry. Hi, I'm Vivian, who are you, boy-I-never-met?”

Before Bruce can speak, Damian stepped forward with a glare that could kill. “My name is Damian, I'm his son.”

After that, Bruce excused himself and Vivian so they can talk, leaving Damian with Tim and Alfred to watch over. Vivian waited until they were in their room and him removing his cowl and cape before she asked him what was going on. He told her everything, the chase with Croc, Talia's appearance in Gotham, and her revealing that he has a son with her.

"Ten years. Fourteen if you count the time we were still dating," Bruce sighed as he watched her pace around, fiddling with the locket that Jason gifted her, and inside had the petal she preserved from their daughter's garden as a reminder of Helena.

"Not helping your situation,” she said to him.

"I'm trying to remember how and when but I can't.  It's like something is blocking my mind from it."

"But you believed her."

"Yes."

"He does look like your photos when you were a kid," Vivian watched the boy from the window. He and Tim were at the garden now, speaking. The way he walked reminded her of generals walking as they spoke to their soldiers. This was not a normal boy.

"She could have drugged me when it happened," Bruce held her by her shoulders and caressed her neck and up her jaw where she would lean into his touch but this time she avoided it. It pained him to see her like this. Heartbroken. Confused. Doubtful. "Vivian, I was never unfaithful.  I know it's hard to believe now with Damian, and I know that I am the last person to ever ask someone or even you this but please, have faith. I'll figure this out. Vivian, please..." Bruce fell to the ground, kneeling. Still holding her hands as he pressed his forehead on her belly. Begging for her to believe him, to have faith. To say something.

"Bruce, don't," she made him get up and continued to hold him close. "If you believe that that is the case. If you say that you didn't do this willingly, then I believe you. But, please, understand that it will take time for me to not..." she walked away and settled on their bed, hiding her face in her hands as she tried not to cry.

Bruce knelt before her and pried her hands from her face and placed them on his temples. "If it would ease your worries, then read my mind."

"No..." Vivian shook her head.

"Please, if it would make you believe, if it would remove any image in your mind. Do it."

Vivian shook her head. "I won't... because I don't need to."

"If not for you, then for me... help me remember," Bruce told her.

"You're just saying that to justify this. But no. If I do this then what's the point of having trust? If I take that step then you will never trust me again. So, I believe you... but it breaks my heart that she's given you a son and I... I... we've been trying for so long and..."

Bruce brought her to an embrace as the memory of their Helena’s death came back. How she was taken from them by Two-Face. Harvey has begged to see him and Vivian multiple times while at Arkham Asylum. Only he went to see his former friend and listened as he begged for forgiveness. Bruce said nothing the entire time and left.

"If only she was here, if only I did something to save her..." Vivian let out the thoughts  running in her mind since she saw Damian. "If only I saved her."

Bruce held her tight in his arms. "It wasn't your fault. It was never your fault. It was no ones.” But Bruce blames himself. If only he realized sooner then he would have stopped Two-Face before all of this tragedy happened. “And I would never be unfaithful to you because of it. But Damian is here... I won't force you to be there for him like you were with Dick, Jason, and Tim... but he is mine."

Vivian sobbed more as she held on to her husband. "I'm so sorry... I'm sorry that I lost her. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about. We'll get through this. We always do."

~*~

The next few days were not easy. Damian was cold towards her, he kept mentioning his father's choice for a wife did not reach his expectations at all. “I expected someone more like my mother,” he told her, “not someone weak.” That would make Tim call him off and a fight would occur. Bruce would try to stop Damian but the boy had no manners.

Vivian found solace in campus and would purposely stay late just to get away. Bruce noticed her staying longer and understood, so he would be the one to visit her. Bring her gifts or take outs that she likes. In one of his visits, Dick was there. They were talking in the middle of the field where it was just them and he was mostly telling her how the “little brat”, also known as Damian, almost killed a man and almost beat his ass. But he got the kid and tied him up to return to Bruce. All he needed was a bow to complete the set.

Another time he visited her at work, she was on a call with Jason who swore so much that Vivian had to bring her phone away from her ear.

“Is he in a middle of a mission?” Bruce asked her.

“No… Dick and Tim messaged him in their group chat, he knows now about Damian and he called me to check how I was,” Vivian sighed, then returned to the call to tell Jason that she'll call him later. “The rest of that was actually for you.”

“From where? When he said fucking bastard or when he said the asshole?” Bruce placed the food on her desk.

“It started when he called you a fucking-cheating-bastard.”

Bruce sighed. 

“Don't worry,” Vivian placed a kiss on his cheek. “I told him it wasn't really cheating… but you know Jason. He wants proof.”

“Should I be worried about a hit on my head?”

“Yeah, make sure you got your six covered. Roy's a good shot.”

The latest visit he went, Vivian wasn't in the university. Her colleagues said she ran home because of an emergency. Just as they told him, Bruce received a call from Alfred about what had happened.

~*~

Damian had destroyed Helena's garden.

The boy was restlessly training and decided to use the garden as his training dummy. Vivian felt the garden be destroyed as it was connected to the petal in her locket, and she drove straight to the Manor when she felt the pain of loss again. When Bruce arrived, Dick was getting stitches in the Batcave while Damian got knocked out momentarily by Vivian's magic, but as Alfred gave Dick the stitches he needed, the man informed him that Vivian was upstairs packing her things.

“I… I can't be here right now,” she told him as she dumped another stack of clothes into her bag.

“Vivian, please,” Bruce tried to stop her.

“Bruce. I can't… I almost lost control – if I stay here, I don't know what I'll do. Please, just let me.”

“Are you really leaving me?” Bruce asked her.

Vivian fell on their bed, unable to stand, as her emotions became out of control and she could feel everything. Bruce knelt before her and held her hands, knowing that she needed a shield from those beyond their world, but he can't embrace her now. Not when she was hurting like this. Because of him and his son.

“I’m not leaving you, I can't even imagine doing that,” Vivian wiped her tears. “I just need a few days away from this place. I'll stay with Lois and Clark, they said yes when I called them. They're on their way now to pick me up, but I'm meeting them halfway. I already booked a cab.”

Bruce pressed his forehead on her hands to hide the tears that were threatening to fall, but forced them back. Vivian asked him to look at her and he did.

“It'll be fine. We'll be fine,” she tried to smile but failed. “While I'm away, you can focus more on the case and figure out what Talia wants.”

“I'm so sorry, Vivian,” Bruce kissed her hands. “If this is what you want, I'm okay with it. At least you'll be somewhere that's safe… but please, come back.”

“I will,” Vivian kissed his forehead. “I promise.”

~*~

"She's leaving because of me, isn't she?" Damian said after Vivian said a temporary goodbye as she decided to stay with Lois and Clark  in Metropolis to get away for a while.

Bruce looked at his son who avoided his gaze. “Before you came, we lost our daughter. There was an attack in her place of work and she lost the baby there. She was shot by Two-Face while still pregnant with our daughter."

"And seeing me, the son you had with another woman, gave her doubts about your marriage."

Bruce looked down at the boy and said, "We have survived more storms."

"But nothing like this."

"Nothing like this. The flowers you destroyed... that was where we buried Helena. That was Helena's garden, the only place we get to be with the daughter we lost.”

Damian fell silent.

“Come on. We need to find your mother and Slade.”

~*~

Lois and Clark’s home was different from their own in Gotham. Despite Metropolis just one ferry ride away from Gotham, the city was far from Gotham’s crime-ridden streets. Lois once asked her, despite knowing the answer, why they just move out of the city, and Vivian said, “I think it’s the gothic ambiance that keeps people like me in there… or maybe I’m just a masochist. I don’t know.” The two women burst out laughing after that. 

But now, the sight of Vivian sitting on the couch while holding the pendant that had the petal from Helena’s garden was far from the sight of that fun morning coffee between them. Lois and Clark were quite surprised when she called that day, panicking, as she asked if she could stay with them for a while. Normally, she would have gone to her family but the Royces were in Liverpool, and she can’t wait for a ticket to go there. She needed to get out of Gotham now. 

Having heard the cry from Lois’ phone, Clark agreed and offered to pick her up, but Vivian said that she’ll take a cab to their place. It sounded like she didn’t want them to see something in Gotham. Lois didn’t agree with the plan and they ended up with meeting her halfway. The cab fair was still pricey but Vivian didn’t care. As soon as she saw the two by their car, she ran to Lois and cried in her arms.

As soon as they came to the Lane-Kent house, Vivian told them about what happened. She knew Bruce wouldn’t mind, if he did then would have told her not to mention Damian. She told them how Bruce doesn’t remember anything and how the boy destroyed Helena’s garden, and everything was too much for her to stay in Gotham.

She just lost her daughter a few months ago, the wound was still healing and it felt like a knife was stabbed there again and again with the reveal of Bruce’s biological son with Talia, and said son destroying the only place they can be with their daughter.

“I don’t hate him – god, I can’t hate a child – I just – I was just so angry and upset, I used my powers on him and he was knocked out cold. That’s why I had to get out of there before I…” Vivian cried. “I can’t believe I just did that. I can’t believe that I did that again and this time to Bruce’s son.”

“Well, he was a little prick,” Lois muttered.

“Lois!” Clark chastised her.

“Fine,” she sighed. “So, how do you feel about all of this now?”

“I don’t know… I believe Bruce didn’t sleep with her but there is still that image in my mind of them – god,” Vivian drank the whole scotch in her glass, startling Clark. 

Clark was about to hide the bottle, not wanting the woman to get a bad hangover but Lois stopped him and poured Vivian another drink. 

That night, Vivian was unable to sleep. She would get calls from Dick, Jason, Tim, and Alfred to see how she was. As if he knew she couldn’t sleep around this time, Tim thought ahead and sent a little drone to bring her some takeout from that favorite place they would have lunch in Little Italy. When she got the drone-delivery, she saw the video call and Tim smiling sadly that she was far from them all. Alone.

“I’m alright, Tim, I promise,” Vivian said to him through the call.

“I know… Conner told me that you’re sleeping in his room now, and that there’s some snacks in the bottom drawer that he hides.”

Vivian laughed. “Tell him thanks for letting me steal his bed for a couple of days.” 

“Yeah, but he might ask you to help him with his history homework.”

“I’ll do what I can to help him out. Thanks, Tim. This really means a lot.”

“Yeah – wait, hold on,” he groaned.  “-- It’s Jason. He said to stop hogging you because he’s going to call. Yeah, I’m the one hogging you. He’s the one who can’t give me a few minutes to talk to you. Seriously.” Tim was typing furiously on his phone. “Mama’s boy,” he muttered.

“Hey, detective,” she called him using the little nickname she gave him. Just like how she would called Dick  ‘kiddo’ and Jason ‘little bird’  despite them being full grown adults now. It made Tim slightly blush as he remembered the good times whenever she would call him that.  “I love you all equally, okay? Jason’s just the emotional one in the bunch. He needs the extra love,” she joked. “Don’t tell him that.”

Tim laughed. “I won’t… take your time with healing, Viv… but I hope it’s not too long. We miss you here.”

“I miss you too.”

Now, as she sat in the Kent house living room, helping Connor watch over little Jon Kent, Vivian couldn’t help but hold the pendant that had the petal from Helena’s garden. Seeing Jon, holding him, taking care of him brought some sort of comfort for her. Catharsis, maybe? She could only imagine how her little Helena would have been around a few months old now, and while she would still be a baby, she would have taken her to see Jon so they could be close. 

The boy must have sensed her sadness as he got up from where he was drawing on his own pad while Connor did his homework. The five year old turned to her and gave his work with a big smile.

They were flowers.

Seeing the flowers, Vivian couldn’t help but remember her Helena, and for the first time the memory of the daughter she lost brought a smile to her face.

“Yellow,” Jon pointed on the flowers.

“Yeah, they’re yellow flowers,” Vivian got the boy to sit beside her. “In my home, I got a beautiful garden with yellow tulips. It would always bloom in the morning.” She held out her hand and from thin air a yellow tulip appeared, amazing Jon.

“Mine?” Jon asked.

“Yeah, this is yours,” she gave him the flower.

Happy with the gift, Jon hugged Vivian before climbing down to show to his mother the gift he just got. Vivian heard Lois act all amazed as Jon showed her the flower and then looked for a vase to put it in. Getting up, Vivian passed by Conner to mess with his hair and point out the mistake he made on his homework that she saw at a glance, “it’s 1989.”

Connor sighed when he looked for the mistake and then erased the part to correct it, “Thanks!” He muttered.

“We’ll talk about your Dante’s Divine Comedy essay later.”

Connor groaned and huffed. He’ll take the chance to actually get tutored by a historian now rather than with whatever Clark has to offer him. Last time Clark tutored him, he almost didn’t get the required score for his essay.

Coming to the kitchen, Vivian saw Jon sitting on the counter as he marveled on the tulip in the mason jar filled with water. When he saw her coming, he smiled and pointed at the flower again.

“That’s going to be his new obsession for the next couple of days,” Lois said.

“Good thing or bad?” Vivian chuckled. She joined Jon at the counter and held the boy’s shirt to keep him from falling.

“Good because I can’t stand another round of whatever he’s been watching lately. I swear, at work, they would hear me humming to that nursery rhyme.”

Vivian hummed in thought.  “Bruce contacted me earlier.”

“And?”

“He and Damian have finished their mission a few days ago, he just told me now because Tim told him that Jason told him that I told Jason that I’m enjoying my stay here. You know, with babysitting and all.”

“Are you going back?” 

“I think it’s about time. I overstayed my welcome now.”

“Stay longer if you want, I’m mostly in it for the free babysitter,” Lois joked. “But, seriously, Viv, if you need more time. Con is more than willing to start moving his things to the garage.”

“I heard that!” Connor called out.

Vivian laughed. “Don’t worry, Connor, you’ll get your room back tonight.”

Connor appeared in the kitchen, floating, and said,  “but we’re still going to do my English essay, right?”

“Dante?” Lois asked.

“Yeah.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll help you with it,” Vivian reassured him.

“But let’s try to dumb it down a little, don’t want my teacher to think I cheated or expect more from me,” he said and returned to the living room.

Turning to Lois, Vivian gave her a smile. “I’m ready to go back.”

“But what about Bruce’s son? Are you ready to face him again?”

“I don’t hate Damian, and actually feel sorry for him. Unlike with Dick, Jason, and Tim, he never got a normal childhood.”

“I can’t say normal is a good way to describe those three’s childhood, considering the bird costume.”

“You know what I mean. But I’m ready to go back. He’s Bruce’s son, I can’t just turn my back at him, right? I know how it feels to grow up without a dad and mom. I only got a chance to have both for a short time and then that psycho came… And Damian, he just needs someone to help him out.”

Lois sighed loudly. “Why the hell are you so nice? It’s disgusting. Bruce is lucky to have someone so understanding, I would have left him then and there the moment he came with Damian.”

Vivian raised a brow and pointed at Connor’s way.

“Totally different situation.”

“I think Bruce having a kid with Talia is more sane than Clark coming home with his and Lex Luthor’s kid,”  Vivian jokes. “I mean, think about it.”

“Jesus, Viv, now I can’t get that out of my head. But I guess you’re right about that… if Connor wasn't a clone, I would have wondered who did the whole pregnancy thing.”

“Lois, Clark’s an alien.”

“No, no, no! Stop putting images in my head, it’s creepy!”

~*~

"Professor Pryor," Damian greeted her as she came through the door. "Welcome back. "

Vivian arrived at Gotham just around lunch time. She took the ferry home and Alfred picked her up from the port and drove them back to Wayne Manor. Upon entering the home, she was greeted by Damian who stood there like a soldier in full attention. 

"Damian, hello. I'm sorry if I left so suddenly,  I just -"

Damian held up his hand to stop her. "No need to explain. It's normal when you find out your husband had a child with another woman." Damian said. "But believe me when I tell you that I wasn't conceived in normal circumstances.  My mother drugged him in his last mission to apprehend my grandfather, and extracted a sample from him. She merged her DNA with his and conceived me in a lab where my growth was hastened."

"A test tube baby," she concluded. 

"Yes. In simpler terms, that is how I was conceived. Your husband was never unfaithful. My existence is the result of my Mother's and my Grandfather's many plots to build the perfect soldier. The perfect killer. And I have proven myself in many ways that I was."

"You've killed someone?"

"Yes, I have. After our last encounter, I now know that you are a witch. If you doubt my word, then I give you permission to enter my mind and see for yourself. I still have the memories of my time in the labs."

There was a shift in tone as he said it. Damian has experienced how it was to be invaded by Vivian’s magic and would not want to go through it again, yet here he was. Presenting himself to her, to go through that experience just to prove his father’s innocence in his conception.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I have decided to stay here with my father and learn from him. And since I shall be here, we will be seeing each other constantly, and I hope it does not strain your relationship with him. Father seems to be more tolerable when you're around. And more focused."

Vivian smiled. "That is very much appreciated, Damian --"

"Also, I have read your works in the library. Father keeps a shelf for your thesis and published books. I must say, you surprised me. I underestimated you, Professor Pryor," he smirked.

"That's nice to hear, thank you."

"Also."

"There's more?"

"Yes, come with me."

Vivian glanced at Alfred's way and saw the man nod in encouragement. Following the boy, they came to the gardens where it was destroyed by him when he trained but now was built anew. When she saw the path he was leading him was taking him to them, she stopped and said, "No, please... I can't."

"Please, Professor, open your eyes.. You'll see," Damian told her.

"I can't," Vivian kept her eyes shut. 

"My love," she felt Bruce's arms holding her. "It will be alright."

"I can't..."

"Please, Damian worked so hard to do this for you. It will be alright. I promise,' Bruce pressed a kiss on her forehead. "I'll be here."

Nodding, Vivian let her husband lead her to the site but she dared not to open her eyes just yet. 

"Ma, come on," she heard Jason's voice.

"Jason?" Vivian finally opened her eyes and there she saw them. All of them: Dick, Jason, and Tim standing before her with a solemn look. “You're here!" She brought the tall young man to her embrace. She turned to Dick and Tim and beckoned him closer so she could hold them. 

"I'm sorry if I wasn't here when you needed me. But when I heard from Alfred, I tried to get back as fast as I could. Come on, open your eyes, you need to see this.The demon-spawn did a good job."

Vivian took a breath and finally pulled away to see. 

The once ruined garden was now filled with blooming flowers and where the broken, nameless, stone was now replaced with a new one carved with the name: Helena P. Wayne. Turning to Damian, she saw the boy holding a bouquet of potted tulips for her.

"An apology for ruining her grave. I never knew," Damian told her. "No... I knew, and I was angry that even when Father never met her, he cares more for her... you both do."

"You little --" Jason began. but Dick held him back.

Vivian knelt before Damian and accepted the flowers. "I'm sorry if I acted like I would never accept you, Damian. Truly. And for a while I thought I wouldn't, but I was just jealous that your mother gave my husband what I couldn't... I was scared and angry too. But after some time away, I realized that the daughter we lost will never be replaced. And maybe, fate has its way of giving me a chance to heal from this loss by bringing you here to us." She brushed her hand through his hair. "I opened my heart to Dick, Jason, and Tim... so who am I to not let you in?"

"You'd still want me even after I..."

"We all make mistakes. We sometimes let our emotions control us and make us do shitty and cruel things, but we learn from them. And we also learn to forgive. Welcome to your new home, Damian."

Damian smiled, a true smile that startled the others. "I will try to be better, but I will need your guidance as well. Father may teach me how to be a better fighter, but I can see that you can teach me more than he can."

Vivian held his hand and brought him close to an embrace. “This is called a hug, by the way."

Damian rolled his eyes. "Funny. I'm not young enough to not know sarcasm, Professor."

Vivian chuckled. "No, you're not. Come on, smart-ass, let’s get inside and have lunch because I am starving.”

Damian couldn’t believe how she just forgave him just like that and then treated him just like how she does with Tim and Dick. One of her own. When Tim teased him for freezing up, Damian glared at him and then offered to palace the flowers in the garden. Vivian appreciated the gesture but with a wave of a hand and a spell, the flowers flew to the soil before Helena’s stone.

“Mother was wrong about you, Professor,” Damian smirked as he saw her magic in her work. “You are interesting.”

Vivian smiled and messed with his hair. “By the way, now that you’re living here. You may be Bruce’s little soldier when you’re Batman and Robin, but here… you’re Damian, and my house my rules. And one of those rules is chores.”

Dick,  Jason, and Tim started snickering as they remembered the time they had to help out with chores in the manor.

“And, I know that you’re all smart, but once your father has finished whatever papers he needs to do to not make this a scandal, school.”

Damian frowned. “For your information, I know more than what America’s educational system can offer.”

“I know, but it’s not about that. It’s the principle of it. Okay?”

Damian glanced at his father’s way and saw Bruce smiling at them both. He then turned to Vivian and said, “Fine.”

“Good,” Vivian grinned. “I bought pizza from Metropolis, still hot and fresh from the oven. Don’t worry, it’s vegan too. Alfred told me you were vegan.”

While Damian was delighted with it, the older boys groaned in distaste. 

“I got three, don’t worry!”

As they were heading back inside for lunch, Bruce took Vivian’s hand and had them stay back for a bit. He held her hands close to his heart and just looked at her.

“How are you, my love?” He asked.

“Better. And you?”

“Getting better. Thank you, for giving Damian another chance.”

“He told me everything, how he was conceived. I still hate Talia and want to hit her with a freaking bat for what she did, but I can’t hate him. And Helena, she will always be a part of us, Bruce. And for the longest time, I can feel her again.”

Bruce smiled and leaned down to place a kiss on Vivian’s lips. When she was to pull away, Bruce followed her lips still, making Vivian laugh and kiss him back.

All was forgiven for them both.

After looking at the garden one last time, Vivian and Bruce went inside and joined their family in the dining hall where the boys were already battling for the pizza, while Damian ate his own vegan pizza. 

Their family was just getting bigger and bigger.

[pinkiemachine]

GOTHAM FILES: MOVIE FINALE

THE TIME HAS COME! BRUCE IS GETTING MARRIED!!!!!

Somebody get some flowers! 💐 Somebody get a ring! 💍 Somebody get a chapel and a choir to sing! 🎶

Somebody get an organ to play! Cause somebody’s getting married today! 🔔 💕 🔔

This literally could not be a bigger deal! No one, and I mean NO ONE expected Bruce to ever get married. Alfred is so proud of him. He’s come such a long way. They all have.

Buuut…

Guess who’s slighted that he wasn’t invited? It’s Joker.

He’s pretty ticked at Batman. He’s taken Harley, he’s taken half his vision, he’s taken most of Gotham from him… and now he’s gonna stand up at that alter, being all happy? No no no… he’ll give him something to REALLY smile about…

So, the film goes about how you’d expect. Relationship drama, family drama, trying to put the wedding of the century together drama, and in the background, Joker’s ramping up to cause trouble. But also also in the background… Bruce is reminiscing hard on his past. He goes to visit his parents in the cemetery. He says he thinks they’d be proud of their grandkids. He just wishes… he’d finally been able to find the man who did it… who took them away from him. But then… he decides to take another look at that case… there might be some new evidence that’s come forward recently…

Anyhoo, that doesn’t last long, because: Joker.

Naturally, he hijacks the wedding, nearly stops the marriage entirely, but this time… this time, it’s not about the whole family coming together to fight a common foe. I mean, they’re all there, helping in their own ways, but… when it comes to Joker… this is it. This is the final showdown. Just him and Bruce. The way it was always meant to be. And this is the last time he tries to murder his kids, or his soon-to-be wife, or his friends. This is the last time he escapes Arkham. This is the last time he attacks Gotham.

Technically, it was Joker’s own fault… but Bruce didn’t exactly go rushing in to save him…

Either way…

…the Joker is finally dead.

Thus marks the end of an era.

The wedding continues (everyone’s a little banged up, but otherwise okay) and Bruce and Selina are officially husband and wife!

Later, at the reception, Bruce looks around at everyone… all his friends and family… and he can’t help but feel overcome with a bittersweet joy. He stands and makes a speech. He says that… when he was a boy, he thought he had lost everything. He thought his life was meaningless. He thought he would get lost in that darkness forever. But it turns out, he was never truly alone. And now, life had blessed him tenfold.

Alfred, who had never wavered once over the course of his life, and had always been there with a shoulder to cry on, or a pat on the back, or a quick scolding. The man who always believed Bruce no matter what, and who had become a father to him. He wouldn’t be the man he was today without Alfred.

Dick, the goofy kid he found years ago, and who barrelled into Bruce’s life so unexpectedly… he had been Bruce’s first guiding light. His first Robin. His first son. And he had made Bruce so proud, seeing the man he had become. A far better man than he was.

Barbara, his first Batgirl, and an unwavering ally in the fight. Her bravery and quick-thinking had saved Bruce on numerous occasions, and she had become a good friend. Not only that, but a good mentor as well. She would surely go on to do many more amazing things.

Jason, who never once stopped making him laugh. (Something Dick was always jealous of.) Jason, who they almost lost… but found his way back home. He doesn’t regret taking him in for even a second. He’d do it all over again the same way, just to see that smile of his… and although they differed in philosophy… he was proud of Jason, too.

Tim, who barged in unannounced, but ended up being the most welcome. The light he needed most during the dark days. Without Tim, Bruce might never have recovered… if it weren’t for his intelligence and determination… this wedding might not even be happening. So thanks, Tim. Thanks for all your hard work and sacrifice over the years. Bruce couldn’t be more proud.

Steph, the bravest, boldest, and loudest of them all. The glue that held them all together when all else had failed. The last bit of energy and optimism that he and Tim needed to get over those hurdles… she was just as much a blessing as any of the other Robins, despite how short her time with the title was.

Cass, who was hiding in the darkest corner of the room because she’s very antisocial, was another welcome surprise. She was growing into a fine superhero, and a wonderful person, and Bruce was happy for her.

Duke, the newest member of the family, who had never stopped working hard to help them achieve their goals and who single handedly helped keep Gotham afloat while he was away. He was proud of him too.

Of course, there were all his friends in the Justice League—Clark and Diana especially—not to mention Lucious, and all his years of hard work, Commissioner Gordon, Luke, Catherine, Harper, Claire, and so many more…

…but the person he was most thankful for was Damian. He had grown so much over these last five years. He had matured and made difficult decisions, had taught Bruce more lessons than he could count, had brought many new animal friends with him, and he had made Bruce so immensely proud to call him his son. If Thomas and Martha could see him now… Bruce knew that Damian would continue to grow into a great man. A good man. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind about that.

So here’s to family. Here’s to the long nights and the hard conversations. Here’s to the breakups and the reunions. To the first kisses, the newborn babies, the long walks and good times. Here’s to love… and here’s to the future. If it’s anything like these past 17 years… then Bruce can’t wait for it.

And now, there’s one final loose end.

After the speech, Gordon takes Bruce aside. He says, he’s got his wedding gift with him and he might want to take a look at it now. They’ve finally been able to determine who the Waynes’ killer was.

Bruce discreetly excuses himself from the party for a moment…

He goes to this quiet part of Gotham and the address listed brings him to an apartment… there’s a woman inside… and a baby… The file says that this man had been arrested for various unrelated crimes and went to prison for a total of thirty-five years. Now it seemed like he was trying to get his life together. He didn’t at all resemble the man in the alley from that night. And now that Bruce had found him… he was faced with a big question. What should he do? He watched the man eat dinner with his wife and clean up after his baby boy�� they were living in a low-rent district… they looked like they didn’t have much… but they were trying. Trying their best. As much as it hurt… Bruce was happy for them. Happy that this man was in a better place. Happy that he had faced some form of punishment and had taken that as a good wake up call.

He left the apartment, no one having seen him.

Back at Wayne Manor, the reception was still carrying on down on the grounds outside. Bruce was in his study. He seemed tired. Tired, but happy. Selina came in, wondering where he had disappeared to. It was time to take off for the honeymoon. Bruce just smiled and took her hand, leading her back out. As we pan down to Bruce’s desk, we see Thomas and Martha’s case file… and on that file are written two words:

Case Closed.

Part 9 👇

[heylosers06]

Do you have some headcanons about the Stephcass wedding? Like who walks them down the aisle, officiates their marriage, where does the ceremony take place etc. Maybe weird question but I'm curious.

And if you were willing to do some more sketches with them I'd suggest maybe their declaration of intent at the altar with the officiant. Or cutting the cake at the reception with some over-the-top sword they probably received from Shiva as a gift.

Sorry this took so long. I definitely feel like Bruce would be the one walking Cass down the aisle, and Steph would either have Barbara walk her down because of how close they are with batgirl and everything. Alfred officiates of course, I can imagine him just blurting out that he can when they’re discussing the topic.

Tim is definitely Steph’s man of honor. Cassandra is a bit harder, I want to say Barbara too, maybe Duke or even Rose Wilson. Damian is either flower boy (with much agony) or even the ring bearer. The bats are extremely involved in the wedding I do know that.

The reception would be somewhere quiet. Maybe in the comfort of the gardens of Wayne manor or even a field of flowers with lights strung up. If it was in a much bigger setting Shiva would definitely have assassins watching the premises. On the topic of that the gift of the sword is being used to cut the cake, the cake is theirs while the guests get another one.

All in all I feel like it’s a really beautiful and enchanting event filled with fun, dancing, and laughter.

[short-skirt-longjackett]

Renewal Isn't A Lie Anymore pt. 10

(okay so we're officially back and I'm ready to start hurting feelings again. And yayy double digits :) )

-Edward Nashton x gn! reader/ Bruce Wayne x gn! reader

-warnings: none that i can think of, but let me know if there are any!!

Hurt.

That's all you could feel right now. Emotionally and physically.

But even with all this pain, you're still standing.

You groaned as you woke up, opening your eyes to see your shared room with Bruce. The dark room, the black, silk sheets you convinced Bruce to get, and the strong scent of his cologne clung to the room around you.

You felt dead, your entire body hurt but mostly your neck. It felt like you were dragging ten sacks of potatoes just trying to sit up. But when you eventually do, you look at the ground below you. You were no longer in your funeral attire, but your old pajamas. The soft ones Bruce got for you from Dubai which you told him not to get you since they were expensive. You knew he still cared about you.

It was a surreal moment. Being back in your home after not being here for a while, but everything looked the same, just as you left it. You knew he liked certain things to look a certain way, but he also liked those certain things to look how you wanted them. When you two got serious, you took over creative control of his manor, which he had no problem with. It may sound stupid to others, but he liked whatever you liked.

Slowly standing up, you walked to the bathroom at a snail's pace, legs feeling like jello as you walked. Turning on the night felt like hell as your eyes adjusted to the brightness. Looking into the mirror, you saw your figure. In shorter words, you looked like shit. You neck was marked with red lines from that metal death trap that was around your neck. As you ran your fingertips over the red marks, you heard a familiar voice.

"It's a pleasure seeing you again, Y/n.." Alfred said.

It was uncommon for him to be informal, but you liked that he was talking to you like a regular person. You couldn't help but smile, "It's good to see you too, Alfred," you said, your voice small and hoarse. before he could say anything, you hugged him. You knew he wasn't one for affection but given the past events and what happened at the church, he allowed you to wrap his arms around him. He knew you had a warm a heart, different than other depressed souls in Gotham. Alfred knew what you’ve gone through, so would allow it this once.

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

As you laid in bed, flipping through television channels to quench your boredom, the door opens. You though it was Alfred bringing you your dinner, but it was Batman...not Bruce.

You felt nervous under his gaze, like you almost shouldn’t be in that bed. He stood there before finally coming to your side of the bed and sitting down. He looked at your face, “Are you alright..?” he asked, already knowing the answer wouldn’t be yes. You just shrugged, too nervous to speak, too nervous to talk to the man you’re married to. Well the man that was underneath the mask.

“I don’t know…” was all you could say. You looked down at your hands, twirling your fingers together. “Listen…I know you’re mad at me because I was unfaithful, you have every right…But I can’t live if I know you’re with someone else,” he said, taking your hands into his gloved ones.

You wanted to roll your eyes, “You’re only saying this cause you were caught,” you mumbled, not making eye contact with him. “Please listen…She knew who I was under this mask, she could’ve outed me and out us in danger,”

“Oh so that means risking your marriage?”

“It’s not like that! Please, sweetheart, you know I only love you. You’re the only way that I let see the me inside of me. I have never opened up to anyone else, not even Alfred who raised me…”

God, he rarely called you sweet names, so hearing him say sweetheart made your stomach flip with butterflies even with your brain still mad at him. He caressed your hand, his free hand caress your face with small strokes of his thumb.

“I messed up. I let myself so whatever she wanted just so I could protect you, but also my image. I’m selfish. I know I’m distant and emotionally unintelligent…but one thing I do know is I love you,” he said, looking you in the eyes as he spoke.

Though he wouldn’t admit it, there were tears in his eyes. You felt bad. You knew he was a cold person but he would give up the world for you, and only for you. The only time he ever cried like this was your wedding and when he finally opened up about his childhood and his experiences.

Your eyes stung as tears welled up, seeing him cry made you want to cry. He immediately takes notice and wipes your tears, kissing your face where the tears would’ve fallen. “I know you know that I received a video of you…having sex with him..” he said, almost sounding nervous.

You felt like sweating bullets. You had sex with Gotham’s most wanted man after all. “I’m not going to yell at you for cheating since we were split…and I’ve done the same. But what i’m concerned about is how he found you. I’m scared that he will end up doing worse than that…and today proved that…” he said.

And he was right.

You didn’t know what the masked villian had in store for you. Yes, it was Edward, but that mask made him a completely different human being. A monster.

Yet, you couldn’t bring yourself to tell him the truth. You would never kiss and tell. And Bruce did the same.

“I know we both…had sex outside of our marriage. And it hurts me knowing that he did that..but I know it hurts you that I did it first…Can we just…call it even and somehow works this out?” he said, sounding unsure of how to express his wants. Bruce never knew how to express his feelings properly, but you knew what he was talking about.

Edward betrayed you. He used your kindness and vulnerability just to turn his back on you and make you a pawn his his game. What loyalty did you have to him now?

You couldn’t tell if it was pity for yourself or your love for Bruce, but you leaned in and kissed him. Wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him close. He couldn’t possibly deny you, so he held you by your lower back and kissed back.

Your kiss felt hungry yet passionate. The way you both needed each other physically and emotionally. Kissing him felt like you were back home.

The kiss was slowly getting sloppy. Bruce now leaning you back against the bed to continue kissing you. He groaned into the kiss, like he was dying to have a taste of you after how long. And you felt the same way, you did marry him after all.

His hands wanted to roam, wanted to explore his partner like he did before this mess. But damn that bat signal in the sky.

He looked out to see it shining bright in the dead night sky. He sighed, feeling terrible and just wanting you for the night. But your patted his shoulders in reassurance.

“Don’t worry, go and see what’s happening. I’m not leaving.” you said, wanting to stay with Bruce and be by his side again. He smiled, before giving you a few more sloppy, needy kisses before pulling away, “Please don’t stay up too late, I don’t want you to be tired in the morning…” he said, giving one final kiss before pulling away to go do his nightly duties

——————————————————————————————

While you enjoyed your husbands company, Edward was freaking the fuck out. He kept trying to call you, text you, hell even email you.

He felt sick knowing what he did. Maybe if he explained to you what would happen you could’ve been home with him now, instead leaving him to drive himself crazy.

Maybe if he let you know this one plan, you could be laying in bed with him now. Maybe if you knew, you would either agree to do it or just not go to that damned chruch at all.

But who would say “Of course Edward, i’ll let you strap a bomb to me to make batman shiver in his suit! That’s a great idea!”

As he laid in bed, he could only scroll through news articles. Seeing footage of you from that small police cam…seeing your terrified expressions made him sick. He even felt himself cry, seeing how scared and frightened you looked.

He knew he fucked up.

And now, there’s no possibility of you coming back.

[doueverwonder]

Heam is enabling me; (i lied i can't remember Sam's part 😭)

warning now long post

WELL SAM it's 400 AD and that right there is Britain! and here comes the king! in a bedsheet! Haha no really that's the roman emperor because Britain is under Roman rule as it has been for over 350 years! But all that is about to change because in 410 the unthinkable happens!

so unthinkable I can't think of it now what was it hmmmmmmmm OH

THE ROMAN EMPIRE CRUMBLES! And the romans leave Britain with the immortal line

"don't forget to put out the cat"

or something like that

and that's when the problems really start! with the Romans gone the picts from up in Scotland invade england, so Vortigern king of the Britons hires a load of warriors from Germany & Denmark--places over there--and with them come two chaps named Hengist and Horsa, and they like Britain so much they'd quite like to keep a piece of it. Luckily for them Hengist has a beautiful daughter and in the weirdest deals in the whole of history he gives Vortigern his daughters hand in marriage for Kent!

yep Kent.

And that's just the start of it. Soon seeing how easy it is to get your hands on English lands there are Danes and Germans everywhere! German invaders from the district of Angle take over the east and the midlands while invaders from Saxony take over large chunks of the south, yes that's right England is now overrun with ANGLES and SAXONS making it officially ANGLO-SAXON.

and u thought we just made that term up

And there you have it that's it

end of the story

end of the line

end of the pier

last dance

last chance

lights off

cats out

done.

BUT NOT FOR LONG

under anglo-saxon rule Britain changes shape entirely, though obviously not around the edges. Inside though it's all different as the invaders shape their new lands into seven major kingdoms; places like

Essex

Wessex

Sussex

and so on

But it's not all playing fairly for the Anglo-Saxons because they can't conquer Scotland for toffee!

which is a shame because Scotland's got great toffee

Meanwhile on the other side they aren't too happy about the new neighbors, so much so that king arthur of Mercia

an Anglo-Saxon kingdom shown here in puce whatever color that is

digs a trench separating the west of Britain from the rest of Britain, creating the border for what we now call Wales! Sounds fair! we now have Scotland, Wales, Anglo-Saxon England all living in perfect harmony bar a little name calling and the odd local war.

BUT NOT FOR LONG

YES FOLKS IT'S 865 AND LOCK UP YOUR MONOSTARY BECAUSE

HERE COME THE VIKINGS

In no time at all they take over every major anglo-saxon kingdom except for this one, Wessex, home of Alfred the great

who clearly has a high opinion of himself

And for good reason, because Alfie and his family manage to hold off the vikings!

BUT NOT FOR LONG--well, actually it's for quite awhile but that's not the point. No Eventually Æthelred the unready becomes king and gets so sick of the constant viking attacks

that he's presumably never ready for

that he decides to kill every viking in England, including the king of Norway's sister; which unsurprisingly doesn't go down too well with the king of Norway. Who prompltly Invades England, takes Æthelred's crown and is the first in the line of viking kings!

There's Cnut!

There's Harthacnut!

There's a quarter of a Cnut!

Though not that last one!

and this goes on until 1042 when an englishman gets the crown again

WHOO it's

Edward the Confessor

and then he goes and dies BOO

and three differnt people try to claim the thrown, an Englishman, a Norman, and a Viking

which sounds like the beginning of a joke but really isnt.

Especially when the englishman, Harald Godwinson, takes the throne and is immediatly set upon by the other two! While holding off the viking one up here, the norman one--a certain William the bastard conqueror invades down here

yes folks it's 1066 and the battle of hastings! Which signals not only the end of Harald but also the end of the Anglo-Saxon Era all together

THE END OF THE PIER

THE END OF THE LINE

THE END OF THE ROAD

THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT

and unless i calm down soon it might as well be

THE END OF DEAR OLD BOB HALE

OH IT'S TOO LATE IT'S HAPPENED

It's just heartburn, false alarm, it's just heartburn.

back to you Sam.

[originaltyphoonkryptonite]

Chapter 16: The Wedding

Dick pov

"This is it.", I think to myself while I look in the mirror. "Today is the day."

My hair was combed back and my black suit looked sharp. I was straightening out my blue tie when the door opens. I turn to see Bruce standing there in his dark blue suit. He smiles at me.

"Ready?", he asks.

"More then ever.", I said with a huge smile.

We both leave and head to the garden of Wayne Manor. It looked like a fairy tail in blue and purple but at the same time very simple. Exactly how Zella would plan it, if Gus and Alfred let her. I see the officiant,  a kind old man, waiting at the end so that is where I go to stand and take my place. Bruce sits down next to Alfred. On that side is Conner, Kaldur, Roy, Lian, Lucius, his son Luke, Duke, Clark, Lois, their son Jonathan, Berry, Iris, and Bart. As well as the hero Bluebird, aka Harper Row and her brother. Tim's friend, Bernard Dowd was also on that side.

On Zella's side sat Zatanna, Diana, Kate, Selina, and Leslie.

Soon enough the wedding began. My brothers and Wally each escorted Zella's bridesmaids. Wally escorted Artemis of course while Jason went with M'gann. Tim walked with Stephanie while Damian walked with Cassandra. Dinah walked with Oliver with their son Connor in his arms. The guys were each wearing a blue suit with blue and white ties. Well except for Wally, he chose a bow tie instead. Oliver was just escorting his wife so once she was at the altar, he'd go sit down. It was Zella's idea so Oliver and Dinah wouldn't argue about who would walk with her down the aisle. The girls were each wearing their own purple dress because Zella honestly didn't want them to feel uncomfortable and was fine with them picking the dress they wanted to wear as long as it was purple. Honestly, that girl is too sweet for words sometimes. They soon took their places at the alter.

Cippia was even able to be apart of the wedding thanks to Lucius. He made a dog collar that gave him the appearance as a normal German Shepherd. He was carrying the rings on a pillow. My ring was silver with two purple lines while Zella's had a blue diamond with two white diamonds on both sides set on a silver band. He sits down next to Artemis with his tail wagging.

Now was the moment I waited for the most. Gus and Zella were coming down the aisle. She looked wonderful in her dress.

Her hair was in waves down her back with a few strands by her face and a braid on the back of her head holding her veil perfectly. Some diamond earrings that were set in silver dangled from her ears. She wore white lace shoes that matched her white lace sleeved dress with a train. Alfred told me that the earrings were the ones Gus gave to Zella's Grandma for their wedding.

As soon as they reached the end, Gus gently placed her right hand into mine. He gives me a nod before heading to his seat on Zella's side. We then stand facing each other while holding hands.

"We have been invited here today to witness and celebrate the uniting in marriage of Zella Duff and Richard Grayson.", The officiant says with a smile.

"They are taking the first step of their new beginning; their new life together. The ability and desire for one human being to love another is perhaps the most precious and fulfilling gift that has been entrusted to us."

I squeeze Zella's hands as he continued with his speech.

"It is an all-consuming task, a lifelong endeavor — the journey we've been preparing for all of our lives. Loving someone is a reason to stretch beyond our limits, to become more for the sake of the other. It is to look into the soul of your beloved and accept what you see. Loving is the ultimate commitment which challenges humans to become all that we are meant to be."

From the corner of my eye, I could see Clark and Louis also holding hands with faint smiles.

"As they join in marriage today, Zella and Richard are announcing to the world that they are welcoming that challenge.", the officiant finishes with before looking at me and Zella.

"Your vows please. The groom first."

I took a deep breath before speaking.

"I promise to be here to wipe away tears of sadness, to elicit tears of joy, and to cry out to everyone who will listen how much I love you. You are the love of my life and make me the happiest man on earth. Happier than I could ever have imagined. And I feel blessed to start our lives together."

I could hear Jason snicker at my choice of words for my vows.

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

Zella pov

"Now the bride's", I hear.

"It is clear to me now that everything in my life has led me to you.", I started with as I closed my eyes. "I think back on all my choices and consider even the bad ones blessed, because if I had done even one thing differently, I might never have met you and become your wife."

I  open my eyes and could see Dick start to get teary eyed at my words so I just smiled at him.

"The rings.", the officiant says.

Cippia gets up and walks over to us. He stands there waiting for us to take the rings. Dick takes mine and slips it onto my finger and then I do the same for him.

"As I said before, you two are willing to meet the challenge ahead of you. Be each other's strength. And now, with the power  vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may-"

Dick didn't even give him a chance to say 'You may kiss the bride'. The moment it was announced we were husband and wife, he immediately kissed me.

"Well, that's one way to do it.", the officiant chuckles as we break away. "I present to you, Mr and Mrs Grayson."

We heard the guests cheer as we signed the marriage certificate and Wally and Artemis signed it as our witnesses. I didn't even get to walk down the aisle as Mrs. Grayson. Instead, Dick scooped me up into his arms and walked down the aisle.

"Hey!", I said as I held on for dear life with a red face.

I heard the crowd laughing and Jason and Roy even whistled when Dick lifted me up.

"I can't help it. Now that you are mine, I don't ever want to let go.", he says with a cheeky grin.

"You are lucky I can't kick your butt right now....."

"Too bad. That might have been enjoyable."

"YOU!", I said with a even more red face that I hid in his shoulder.

He just laughs as we head into the Manor to celebrate.

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

[honeyleesblog]

June 23 ZODIAC

They are grasping individuals with a serene disposition, happy with themselves and with their life. They are very high. They have a great gift for explaining covered up and indistinct issues. Unobtrusive, sexy, they appreciate showing up in broad daylight and hypnotizing swarms. Their disposition is touchy and adoring, and they readily penance themselves for others. Thusly, they are normally blissful in adoration, and their marriage is additionally very amicable. Their calling expects them to go far. They feel thoughtful connections to society and are joined to their country, as well regarding their nearest loved ones. They frequently live in one spot for quite a while, particularly getting a charge out of strolls on the water. They can handily orchestrate their lives and do a large number of things. They figure out how to disregard the success span time. It might happen that the initial segment of your life is less lucky; Youngsters particularly can be loaded up with agonizing encounters. Nonetheless, their professions are consistently balancing out and they feel like they are improving. Its blemishes are vanity and triviality. Individuals like this are a piece shallow with their appearance. Zodiac sign for those brought into the world on June 23 Assuming your birthday is June 23, your zodiac sign is Disease June 23 ZODIAC 

 character: great, careful, devoted, intolerant, urgent, antagonistic calling: PC researcher, student of history, vocalist tones: red, cream, dark stone: diopside creature: ocean lion plant: sage fortunate numbers: 12,14,20,29,39,53 very fortunate number: 27 Occasions and observances - June 23 Nicaragua: Father's Day. Worldwide Dravet Condition Day. Olympic day Spain: Evening of San Juan. Joined Countries: Joined Countries Day for Policy management. Luxembourg: Public day. Mapuche New Year. Joined Countries: Global Widows Day. June 23 Superstar birthday celebrations. Who was conceived that very day as you? 1902: Alfred Charles Kinsey, American researcher (d. 1956). 1902: Mathias Wieman, German entertainer (d. 1969). 1907: James Meade, English business analyst, 1977 Nobel Prize in financial matters (d. 1995). 1910: Jean Anouilh, French writer (d. 1987). 1910: Gordon B. Hinckley, Mormon prophet (d. 2008). 1910: Milt Hinton, American jazz artist (d. 2000). 1912: Alan Turing, English mathematician, scholar, PC researcher, cryptographer, and thinker (d. 1954). 1922: Juan San Martდ­n, Spanish essayist (f. 2005). 1927: Weave Fosse, American entertainer, choreographer and producer (d. 1987). 1927: Jacobo Langsner, Argentine essayist and screenwriter. 1928: Pდ¡l Jakucs, Hungarian scholar (d. 2000). 1929: June Carter Money, American artist (d. 2003). 1930: John Huxtable Elliott, English antiquarian. 1935: Thomas Brandis, German musician. 1936: Carlos Fonseca, Nicaraguan teacher, lawmaker and progressive (f. 1976). 1936: Raდºl Aubel, Argentine entertainer (f. 1997). 1936: Richard Bach, American essayist. 1936: Costas Simitis, Greek lawmaker, state leader somewhere in the range of 1996 and 2004. 1937: Martti Ahtisaari, Finnish government official, president somewhere in the range of 1994 and 2000. 1937: Josდ© დ?ngel Garcდ­a de Cortდ¡zar, Spanish student of history. 1939: დ?lvaro Pombo, Spanish essayist. 1940: Wilma Rudolph, American competitor (d. 1994). 1940: Stuart Sutcliffe, English bassist, known as the fifth Beatle (d. 1962). 1941: Richard M. Roberts, American writer. 1943: Vinton Cerf, American software engineer, trailblazer of the Web. 1943: James Levine, American guide. 1943: Albert Pintat, Andorran president. 1945: John Garang, Sudanese pioneer (d. 2005). 1946: Jaime Guzmდ¡n, Chilean attorney and legislator, teammate of Augusto Pinochet (f. 1991). 1947: Bryan Brown, Australian entertainer. 1948: Clarence Thomas, American law specialist. 1948: Myles Goodwyn, Canadian guitarist, of the band April Wine. 1948: Luther Kent, American blues vocalist. 1951: Michele Mouton, French pilot. 1952: Fernando Luna Vicente, Spanish performer. 1952: Carlos Faraco, Spanish speaker and author. 1953: Russell Mulcahy, Australian movie chief. 1954: Carmen Pinდ³s, Spanish designer. 1955: Glenn Danzig, American performer, of the band The Mavericks. 1955: Jean Tigana, French footballer. 1956: Randy Jackson, American maker. 1957: Frances McDormand, American entertainer. 1961: David Leavitt, American author. 1961: LaSalle Thompson, American b-ball player. 1962: Throw Billy, American vocalist, of the band Confirmation. 1962: Steve Shelley, American drummer, of the groups The Crucifucks and Sonic Youth. 1963: Colin Montgomerie, Scottish golf player. 1963: Astrid Carolina Herrera, Venezuelan entertainer, model and telecaster, who was Miss World 1984. 1964: Joss Whedon, American author, chief and leader maker. 1965: Fernanda Tapia, Mexican moderator. 1965: Paul Arthurs, guitarist of the English gathering Desert garden. 1966: Chico DeBarge, vocalist of American R&B (DeBarge). 1969: Alberto Chicote, Spanish cook 1969: Martin Klebba, American entertainer. 1970: Yann Tiersen, French performer and author. 1970: Christian Meier, Peruvian entertainer, model, financial specialist and vocalist. 1972: Selma Blair, American entertainer. 1972: Zinedine Zidane, French footballer. 1973: Marie N, Latvian vocalist. 1974: Cristian Machado, Brazilian vocalist, of the band Sick Nino. 1975: KT Tunstall, Scottish vocalist lyricist. 1975: Mike James, American b-ball player. 1976: Paola Suდ¡rez, Argentine tennis player. 1976: Patrick Vieira, French footballer. 1976: Emmanuelle Vaugier, Canadian entertainer. 1977: Miguel დ?ngel Angulo, Spanish footballer. 1977: Jason Mraz, American vocalist lyricist. 1978: Memphis Bleek, American rapper. 1978: Frდ©dდ©ric Leclercq, French bassist for DragonForce. 1979: LaDainian Tomlinson, American footballer. 1980: Francesca Schiavone, Italian tennis player. 1980: Erick Elდ­as, Mexican entertainer. 1981: Antony Costa, English vocalist and lyricist for Blue. 1982: Rober Bodegas, Spanish comic. 1983: Josდ© Rojas, Chilean soccer player. 1983: Brandi Rhodes, American contender. 1984: Duffy, English vocalist. 1984: Manuel Iturra, Chilean footballer 1987: Alessia Filippi, Italian swimmer. 1988: Chellsie Memmel, American tumbler. 1989: Billie Kay, American contender 1995: Danna Paola, Mexican entertainer 1996: Getsel Montes, Honduran soccer player.

[batfsm]

Exactly @probablycry-ifnotangry

Talia watched as Jason brings Tim home one day but the next day Tim isn’t there. She goes and gets him and wraps herself around her children. Bruce comes to nap, Jason and Damian had stolen his bed so he was joining them in a nap, only to have his ex point a sword at him while her guards step in front of the bed. Damian wakes long enough to whine at his parents which wakes Jason and Tim as Damian falls asleep again.

Tim tries to leave but Talia picks him up and cuddles him until he agrees to stay. (Bruce and Talia agree silently to just nap and then they will argue when none of the children are around.) They fall asleep on Bruce’s bed only to wake up to Duke, Cass, and Dick having joined them.

Talia and Tim go to get some of Tim’s stuff and they interrupt a burglary (Tim forgot to set the alarm when Talia took him out of the Manor.). The robber goes after Tim, not seeing Talia at first, and Talia stabs him. He dies as the police get there and the Drake parents.

Talia is not taken in because she stabbed the robber in defense of Tim.

Tim is put into Bruce’s custody when Jack blames his son for the robbery and slaps him in front of police and Talia. (Talia only holds herself back from killing Jack because he is Tim’s birth father. Plus, the police being there.) Janet only protests when Jim, who got called out because of the stabbing incident, asks Bruce, who came over at the sight of the police and a call from Talia, to take Tim for a couple of nights/days as CPS looks into the family.

Talia is the one who adopts Tim first then Bruce. She also adopts the other children at the same time. Bruce gets back at her by having her sign their marriage license as both finish up signing the paperwork. They marry with both Alfred and Ra’s officiating (Ra’s came to meet his newest grandchildren.) and the children with Lucius and Jim as their only witnesses.

I need one of those Tim Joins The Batfam Early AU fics but it’s just Tim being so sleep-deprived and delirious from staying up all night taking pictures of Batman and Robin that he confronts Jason about it at school because Jason never looks tired. He never acts tired. Tim has never even seen him yawn and Tim would know if he did because he watches him all the time.

He’s just like, what are you doing??? How are you staying up all night? How are you sustaining this? Jason interprets this as Tim asking him if he’s on drugs which does not go over well. He almost kicks his ass before he realizes that this kid seems to know a little too much about Batman’s patrol routes.

So, Jason ends up taking Tim home and introducing him to the wonderful concept of the afternoon nap.

[yall-batman-fanfic]

Wedding: The One that Gotham Remembers | Batman/Bruce Wayne x Magician!Reader [Part 2/2]

Synopsis: When asked about their wedding, Bruce and Vivian would always return with another question. Which one? 

It was every woman’s fairytale wedding. In fact it was the fairytale ending anyone wanted, and that was the story that Veronica Vreeland used to tell when she pictured the wedding and the next special edition of the magazine. A fairytale ending for Gotham’s famous couple. Since Bruce and Vivian agreed to let her use their wedding as their magazine’s content, she happily paid for the photographer and the videographer for the event, and promised them that everything will be perfect.

“I mean, after three marriages, I kind of had a lot of practice now,” Veronica joked then.

The woman’s father didn’t find it funny at all. Three marriages and all ended in divorce. He wasn’t going to pay for her fourth wedding. 

Still lying in bed, Vivian slowly woke up to Olivia’s hair tickling her nose and Oliver – her brother – snoring loudly. The Pryor-Royce siblings had a little sleepover in her hotel room, with the twins wanting to celebrate their sister who was finally getting married that did not involve people they did not know and that bar that Lois Lane and Veronica Vreeland dragged them to when Ronie gave Vivian a bachelorette’s party.

Funny considering she wasn’t a bachelorette. A couple of months ago, she was legally Vivian Pryor-Wayne. She and Bruce married in the Batcave with Alfred to officiate, and Dick, Diana, Clark, and Lois as their witnesses. Both didn’t want to wait anymore after that incident of Batman chasing a missile and Vivian almost burning herself to protect Gotham. It was then they both realized that they didn’t want to make a show of it, they didn’t want the huge crowd, the press, the fake smiles, and the hiding. They wanted to get married without their masks. So they did. With Alfred getting ordained and a little hush money to get the marriage license, they were done. Too bad they can’t go straight to the honeymoon, but Bruce took the night off from his patrol then and spent it with her.

But after this wedding for Gotham, they will be on a plane that would take them to wherever Bruce booked and spend the next few weeks relaxing. A big ask from Batman but he said that it was his wedding gift for the both of them. Weeks of uninterrupted vacation, unless there was a world-ending situation that cannot be helped. 

Speaking of Bruce, where was he? Last she saw him was yesterday lunch before they were dragged away by their friends and family. She tried contacting him but Veronica took her phone, she only got it back when they were heading back to their hotel rooms. 

Her phone was at the bedside table, all she had to do was carefully reach over Olivia and she could check up on him.

“Do you really think it’d be that easy?” Olivia spoke. 

“Come on, Liv, I need to check my emails,” Vivian said about reaching for her phone but Oliva took it and shoved it in her pants. “Seriously?!”

“Want it? Reach down for it.”

“Fine! It’s like I didn’t change your diapers!” Vivian was about to reach in but Olivia took it out and then dropped it in her twin brother’s pants.

“What the fuck?” Oliver woke up with the ruckus.

“OLIVIA!” Vivian exclaimed.

“You changed his nappies too, I dare you to reach in and get it,” Olivia had a triumphant smirk. 

“I can’t believe you!” Vivian tackled her sister and the two of them were wrestling on the king-size bed while their brother was trying to not get caught and was struggling to get the phone that was now getting a notification right above his ass.

“What the fuck — it’s vibrating!” Oliver went to get it but the phone slipped down to his thigh.

“You are insufferable!” Vivian hit her sister with a pillow.

“It’s bad luck!” Oliva argued.

“He’s not even going to see me! I was just going to check up on him and Dick!”

“Ha! And you said you were going to check on your emails! You’re a liar Vivian Pryor!”

“Seriously, you two!” Oliver groaned, his headache getting worse. He really shouldn’t have drunk that much. Why did he let his sisters bully him into drinking that much? “Vivian, your phone is right at my bum and I can’t reach it if you're crushing me here!”

“Tell that to your twin! Her fat ass is sitting on me!” Vivian exclaimed.

“Oliver, do not give her that phone, do you understand!” Olivia told her twin.

“There won’t be a phone by the end of this!”

“I don’t even think I want that after this!”

“Oh, please, out of the three of us, I have the cleanest ass here!”

The door from the connected room opened and entered Adam who woke at the sound of the ruckus, and with him was Alfred who was just about to inform the Pryor-Royce family of breakfast at the hall. He had booked a table for them where Bruce won’t be able to see Vivian until the wedding. 

But as the two men came in they were greeted by the sight of the three Pryor-Royce siblings in the middle of a violent argument, and all were calling for their dad to side with them.

Adam sighed. “Things don’t change.”

“Should we…” Alfred trailed off.

“I got it. We’ll meet you downstairs, Alfred. Thanks for checking in — you three, get your bloody arses out of bed and fix yourselves!” 

Olivia sighed and got off her sister, then Vivian got off of Oliver. Oliver, who was nearly crushed, sat up and then fished out the phone from his pants. “Here,” he handed it to Vivian.

“Clean it first!” Vivian told him.

“It’s a phone, Viv!”

“Wayne Tech phones are water resistant!”

“You do it, it’s your phone!”

“It was in your ass!”

“It was in your ass,” Olivia mocked Vivian with an American accent. “You’re becoming more like them every fucking day.”

“Oh shut up!”

“You clean it!” Oliver told his twin. 

As the three siblings argued, Adam sighed once again and asked Alfred, “I don’t suppose you had trouble with this with Bruce?”

“My troubles were far different from this one,” Alfred said. 

~*~

After their eventful and delicious breakfast in the hotel cafe, Vivian was dragged away by Veronica Vreeland and Lois Lane to get ready. It was nice to have someone help her with her makeup and hair, unlike the last time where it was just her and Alfred, still Vivian liked the moment she shared with the man. It was quiet and sincere.

But she didn’t mind this too.

Being in a manor with two men and a teenage boy had her craving some female interactions sometimes. 

“What do you think?” Olivia came out of the other room dressed in her black tux and her dark red hair placed in a fashioned bun. While Oliver, who were both bride’s maids (in Oliver’s case it was bride’s brother) as they agreed Veronica Vreeland deserved the title of Maid of Honor as the woman helped with setting up the wedding, were wearing a similar tux as his sister with his dark red hair combed instead of it being a curly mess. He also wore his contacts for the day.

Vivian smiled and went to them. “You both look adorable,” she said. “And, just to complete the set.” Vivian placed the lily baby's breath on the lapel of their suit. 

“Lilies,” Olivia chuckled.

“Mum,” Oliver guessed. “You said that she had a bouquet of lilies during her wedding.”

“We also got you something from home. Dad asked us to give it to you when you’re dressed but I think you should see it first,” Oliver took out a small sapphire pin. “It’s to hold the vail. Your something blue and old. It was Mum’s.”

“Let me put it on you,” Veronica offered. Vivian sat down and let her fix her hair with the sapphire pin to complete the piece. “There. Now, your something borrowed.” She left the room momentarily and when she got back she had a black velvet case and revealed it to Vivian. Pearls. And not just any pearls, they were Martha Wayne’s pearls. “Your something borrowed. Bruce wanted to see if you want to wear them for today. He would also understand if you didn’t considering…”

Those were the pearls that Martha wore on that day. But Vivian didn’t want that to ruin the beautiful piece so she accepted it.  After putting on the wedding dress, Vivian sat down to let Veronica place the pearls. It matched perfectly with her dress and the ornaments on her hair. Flowers and pearls.

Dressed, Veronica had Vivian take a couple of photos in the room with the bride’s maids and the Maid of Honor, then with her siblings and Adam, who was called in from his room to have photos with his daughter. The man was near to tears when he saw her in that white dress and wanted to hug her but held back to not ruin anything. 

So he held his daughter’s hands and said, “You look as beautiful as your mother was when she walked down that aisle.”

Then, though she found it awkward to have solo photos, the photographer got to capture candid photos of her smiling and laughing. 

With the wedding about to start, Adam, the bride’s maids and the Maid of Honor left to get to the venue, leaving Vivian in the room for the organizer to call for her to head to the hall where the ceremony would be held. In the silence of her room, Vivian walked around and waited until she heard her phone beep.

It was a message from Bruce, telling her: Don’t come out. I’m coming to you.

“Bruce?” Vivian turned just as she heard the door open. 

“Viv,” she heard his voice.

He had a blindfold to cover his eyes yet he was still able to navigate through the room by listening to the sound of her voice. When he reached her, Vivian held his hands and got on her toes to place a light kiss on his lips. She didn’t want her lipstick to stain, else everyone would find out he visited her.

“Hello, my love,” Vivian greeted.

“I missed you,” said Bruce.

“I missed you too.”

“I heard from Adam what happened earlier this morning.”

“Oh, did you now? Realized how chaotic we are and wanna back out?”

Bruce wrapped his arms around her and said, “Never. I think a simple sibling quarrel doesn’t top to the things we have to deal with on a daily basis.”

“It’s not Gotham if we don’t have the Joker running around with his Joker Gas or Polkadot Man killing people because they’re wearing polka dots – anyway, did anyone wear polka dots? I don’t want this to be another murder case we have to solve.”

Bruce chuckled. “Didn’t see anyone. Barry and the others are here, Queen made a spectacle with his gift.”

“What did he give us?”

“Don’t know but it’s huge.”

“And what did you say when they asked whose side they’re from.”

“Depends whose asking. If it’s from your side then the League are from my company. If it’s from my side asking then they’re your guests.”

“Quite odd for a professor in symbols and icons, history and literature to be friends with a forensics scientist, an Airforce pilot, a detective from another city.”

“What can I say, my wife is a people person.”

“And Dick’s guests?”

“Wally, Donna, and Roy are here. And they’re enjoying their stay too. They’ve been hanging out at the pool.” 

“I can’t believe we’re actually going to pull this off.”

“Which one? Mixing the League with our civilian guests or the fact that we’re fooling them to think we’re not yet married.”

“Both.”

“Considering we’re already married, I might as well take a peek –”

“No! Nope!” Vivian stopped him from pulling off the blindfold. “I want to see your face the moment I walk down the aisle.”

“Not fair, you already saw me.”

“I know, but you’re not wearing a really nice dress right now, so,” she shrugged teasingly.

Bruce leaned down and kissed her again. “I need to go.”

“I know.”

“I’ll see you at the altar.”

“See you there, Batman.”

Bruce left the room and after a couple of minutes, the coordinator came and told Vivian that they should head down. 

~*~

“Clark Kent, what a surprise to see you here!” Oliver Queen greeted the on duty reporter who was tasked to write a fluff-lifestyle piece about the wedding of the Waynes for the Daily Planet. Perry said that they were already planning on featuring the wedding, considering (A) Bruce Wayne was – technically – their boss, and (B) this was considered a big deal in Gotham and they want in the wave of the trend to drive readers to opening their website or buy their newspapers. It just so happens Bruce Wayne got wind of their plans and specifically asked for Clark Kent to write about it.

“I already got Rebecca to do it but what the boss says goes. So, Kent, get a suit and tie and get your ass to Gotham and write that piece. Bring Jimmy with you. Lois is going to be there too, Wayne and Pryor invited her.”

“Nothing suspicious to invite Lois Lane, Lois is a famous investigative journalist who has worked with Vivian Pryor on some of her research. But Clark Kent was not that known just yet. So, though he felt bad for Rebecca who was excited to attend a “"rich man's wedding” – her words – he was glad that he got the invite. 

“Mr. Queen,” Clark greeted and shook the mans hand, as if they didn't already know each other. 

“I've read your works. Big fan. Bruce invited you?”

“He specifically asked that I cover this for the Planet.”

“Ah,” Queen chuckled. 

Clark then smirked, an unusual sight from the man and from Superman. “And what about you, Mr. Queen? Close with the Mr. Wayne, Professor Pryor?”

“You mean future Mrs. Wayne?”

“I hear she's keeping her name.”

“I hear the stories differently,” a woman with black hair and wearing a fabulous midnight dress approached them. She had a familiar face, very familiar with many reportes taking a picture of the famous Las Vegas magician. Zatanna.

“I hear she's going to add Wayne to her name,” Zatanna continued.

“Your sources?” Clark asked, though he already knew, he just needed it for his article.

“The bride herself. She told us during her bachelorette party.”

“Zatanna,” Queen greeted, his smile then turned to a sidelop grin as he saw the crowd coming into the venue. He then whispered to himself, knowing Superman would hear. “Looks like everyone's here.”

All dressed in their best suits and dresses, the members of the Justice League came all in their civilian secret identities. Diana Prince came as a guest of Vivian with a backstory of being well acquainted with her as she both women were museum curators in the same field. Barry Allen didn't really have a story, he just goes with knowing the bride and groom, and with him was his girlfriend, Iris. Hal Jordan came and he was specific with being the bride's guest, not the grooms. Then J'onn, who came in his human-civilian identity too, arrived with a gift in his hands. Well, all of them had a gift but J'onn was the only one holding it. Luckily, one of the staffs noticed and offered to take it to be placed with the other gifts.

“Well, well, well,” Queen went to their crowd, but then his attention when to Dinah Lance who wore a beautiful eye-catching dress. “You dress-up well.”

“Gotta be ready for the press,” Dinah shrugged. “So, whose guest are you in this story? Bride or the groom?”

“Groom.” Not surprising considering Oliver Queen owns Queen Industries and is a billionaire, much like Bruce Wayne. It wouldn't be a surprise if he was in Wayne's circle of contacts. 

“Hey, have any of you seen Wally?” Barry asked. “He mentioned about staying at the hotel for the weekend. Haven't seen him since then.”

“Yeah, he’s with Roy and Donna, over there,” Queen pointed to the direction of the others who were part of the ceremony.

“How come they get to spend the weekend here?” Hal raised a brow.

“Vivian invited them,” Queen answered. “Dick asked her, then Vivian called us to ask about it.”

“Wally said that the beds here are twice the size of his own at home. And Vivian gave them permission to have fun too,” Barry chuckled as he remembered the video calls and the photos that Wally sent. 

“We best split up, people are starting to wonder why we're all gathered,” said J'onn.

“Agreed, besides,” Diana checked her watch. “The ceremony is about to start.”

“And Batman's been glaring at us this entire time too,” whispered Hal to everyone and pointed to the direction of Bruce standing with Alfred and Dick.

“Yeah, let's head to our seats,” said Barry.

~*~

“Unbelievable,” said Bruce under his breath as he watched the members of the Justice League take their seats at the back.

Dick chuckled. “Starting to think my guests are more well behaved?”  Wally, Donna, and Roy arrived early to the venue – considering Dick asked if they could stay over the weekend with them in their own hotel room – and were at their places as flower girl and guys. They didn't have anyone to ask for the roles and the teenagesr were willing to pick up the role too. 

There was a roomful of guests, which was odd since Bruce and Vivian didn't really have many relatives but for their close families Adam, the twins, Alfred and Dick, and all were part of the ceremony. The Kanes were relatives of Bruce from his mother's side but only a few familiar ones were invited, including Kate Kane and her father, Jacob Kane. While they were not entirely close with their age gap and Bruce's introverted lifestyle, he should at least invite his first cousin and his uncle – who was his mother's brother. 

The rest of the guests were either close friends, colleagues, acquaintances, networks, a couple of Gotham's socialite families, and some investors and board members that Alfred advised him to invite to keep good relations. In Vivian's side, she only had a couple of people from her department – including which was Justin Kirk since she still considers him as a friend and told Bruce that he's gotten over her – then some of her old professors who kept in touch, there was also the Dean from Gotham University who was a good friend of Vivian, and then some of her professors and mentors when she had a semester in Italy. One of which was Sebastian Rossi.

Then the rest were the press who wanted to cover the wedding: Gotham Gazette, the Daily Planet were some of the few media present.

The music began and he saw the officiator walking the aisle to approach the altar, followed by Dick who was both one of his Groom's Men and the ring bearer, then Alfred who walked there solo. Then the Groom himself. 

There were many flashes of cameras as Bruce walked the aisle up until he took his place there. 

As the Bride’s Maids and the Maid of Honor appeared and took their place at Vivian's side, Bruce took a breath, knowing that the bride will be there soon. He smiled when he felt Alfred's hand on his shoulder. 

“Chin up, my boy,” Alfred reminded him. “And smile. This is supposed to be the happiest day of your life.”

A joke, he knew, since he and Vivian were already married, still Bruce felt like the time he stood in the Batcave waiting for Vivian to come down for their wedding. It was a small, intimate, and secretive ceremony but it was perfect for them. 

But he wouldn't mind seeing her walking through those doors wearing another wedding dress too. 

“If I can, I would marry you all over again,” he told her during their first night as a married couple while they laid in bed under the moonlight. 

“Lucky for you, you will get the chance to marry me again,” Vivian said then.

The music started and the people turned to the closed doors to wait for the bride. When it opened, Bruce was awestruck. 

Dick was right to put that blindfold on him to keep the surprise because Vivian looked beautiful as she walked the aisle with her father. While she wore a veil over her, he could see her beautiful face smiling at him, and the details of the wedding dress she wore with the lace-sleeve and a flowing skirt. Her auburn hair was placed in a coiffure that was held together by flower and pearls, and then there was his mother's pearls too. It warmed his heart to see her accept the pearls.

When the father and daughter came to the altar, Adam took a breath. He faced his daughter and kissed her cheek through the veil, and then handed her to Bruce. Holding her hand, and, like their real wedding, he kissed her knuckles and whispered to her, “my love,” as a greeting. Bruce helped Vivian to his side and didn't let go of her hand throughout the ceremony.

The ceremony followed the traditional words from the officiator, unlike the one that Alfred made specifically for that night, and their vows were not too personalized as they preferred to keep their vows to themselves, but they did add something to ends of their vows.

“I, Bruce Thomas Wayne, take you, Vivian Claire Pryor, as my wife, my friend, and my partner to have and to hold. In sickness and in health. For richer and for poorer. To love and cherish. Even in death, I promise to uphold these vows. My love, my life.”

When it was Vivian's turn, she couldn't find it in her to speak with the large crowd listening to her vows to him. Seeing her struggle, Bruce shielded her from them by putting his back to everyone and hiding her.

“I'm here. There's only me,” Bruce said to her. “There's only us.”

Vivian held his hands tight and found the courage to speak: “I, Vivian Claire Pryor, take you, Bruce Thomas Wayne, as my husband, my friend, and my partner to have and to hold. In sickness and in health. For richer and for poorer. To love and cherish. Even in death, I promise to uphold these vows now and forever. I have given you my heart, Bruce, from the moment we met, and you have taken care of it since then. I promise to do the same with you.”

Bruce smiled and kissed her forehead through the veil, which earned a cough from the officiator and from Alfred. Veronica and Dick snickered that he was reprimanded for it. Returning to his place, the ceremony continued and the exchange of rings came. Since they were supposedly not married yet, they had to give their wedding bands back to Dick so he would present them during the second wedding. 

With the final words to seal their marriage, and the signing of the certificate was held, the officiant finally said, “you are now husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Bruce lifted the veil off of Vivian, which made them laugh as the memory of their real wedding came back and this mirrored when she removed his cowl. Cupping her face, he leaned down and kissed her deeply and passionately. Cheers and an applause were heard from the crowd, and it grew as her arms wrapped around him and Bruce around her body to tilt her down a little. 

Vivian laughed at his cheesy actions but went along with it and kissed him again. Getting back up, Bruce still had his arms around his wife and just looked at her. Memorizing everything there was to take. He was indeed lucky. No one gets the chance to marry the love of their lives the second time.

“Finally Gotham official, how does it feel?” Vivian teased him.

“Relieving,” Bruce chuckled. “I I finally get to call you my wife. And you?”

“No words can say how happy I am right now that I married my best friend.”

Bruce smiled and kissed her forehead. “To the first case and our last,” he whispered.

“Now and forever,” Vivian replied.

~*~

The photos were taken around the venue with the bride and groom finally having their shot together, and some with their families. With Bruce, he had to call for Alfred to be in the family photo as the man have always been modest about who Bruce's family was. Dick too had to be called for the photo and Vivian held him right at the middle of her and Bruce.

“I'm not a kid anymore, Viv,” Dick muttered, knowing that it's kids that take those places in photos.

“Well, kiddo, you'll always be one to me,” Vivian teased him. “ You look dashing today too. Did Alfred fix your hair?”

“Yeah, took him a long time too,” Dick muttered.

They smiled and the photo was taken with the whole family, then just as everyone was heading to the reception, Vivian asked the photographer to take another one but this time just the Wayne Manor household. Hidden from the others, they found a spot with the view of Gotham as their background. As the photographer fixed their placements, Dick asked if he should call for her family for their individual shot as well, but Vivian said to them, “If only you were of age, I would have wanted our little wedding just the four of us. That's how it's been since then, right? The four of us in that Manor having each other's backs.”

Dick chuckled. “Well, sorry if I wasn't eighteen.”

“Twenty-one,” Bruce corrected him. “Just to be official in all states. But I agree, I would have also liked it if it were just us.”

“And see this as our first family photo?” Vivian shrugged. “Official family photo.”

“Official family photo, huh,” Dick smiled. 

~*~

Vivian was famished by the time they sat down at their table in the reception. Luckily, the food was already there when they arrived and she wasted no time in taking the first bite. After their meal, the program started with the host, Veronica, calling for the speeches from the Best Man, the Maid of Honor (herself), then Vivian's family who had something to say to the couple.

Alfred’s speech was quick and simple, as the man already said what he wanted to tell the couple during the night of their first wedding. Besides, he can't possibly tell the crowd all that he said then he’ll be telling Gotham who Batman is if he did. Nor can he mention the moment he knew it was a serious relationship, which was when he walked into Bruce and Vivian one morning in the middle of sex, thinking he needed to evict Vivian from his master's quarters. Those details were best left for them four. 

When he mentioned he said it that night in their toast at the manor, everyone laughed at Bruce and Vivian for such an embarrassing moment. 

At the end of his speech, Alfred raised a glass to Vivian and said, “To the new Mistress of Wayne Manor. I know perfectly well that she and this family are in good hands with her. May you continue to light our dark corners.” Literally and metaphorically.

As Alfred returned to his seat, Vivian got up to give the man a hug and whispered to him, “Thank you, Alfred. And please, don't call me Mistress.”

Alfred chuckled. “Will Mrs. Pryor-Wayne suffice?”

“That's a mouthful, you can still call me Vivian, like you normally do. You're family are after all. And my drinking buddy.”

Adam and the twins’ speech were very English, with their humor and sarcasm, and the twins almost outing their sister's escapades during her teenage years. But at the end of it, Olivia took the microphone from her brother and said in a serious tone: “After Mum… gone… we had to deal it in our own ways. And I know you were hurting too – it was you and Mum for a long time, after all. Oliver and I just came because Dad’s pullout game is most probably shite.”

“I cannot believe she just said that in front of the press,” Lois whispered.

“Don't worry, Gotham's gonna love it,” Veronica chuckled.

Olivia continued: “ — and though you were lost during that time too, trying to understand why the hell it happened, you never abandoned us. We got photos of Mum at the house, and Oliver and I got our moments with her too but what I can say is you were our Mum too, Vee. You were hurting but you put us first, trying to bring us out of that pit even if it meant you being left behind. And when I first saw that big fucking house you've been staying at, and the man you were dating…

“I know what pain looks like. I know the look of someone's eyes when they've been through so much, but like me, Oli, and Dad… he was healing. You were helping him heal. You have a tendency to do that, bring people out of whatever pit they're in. I know you did for me when I was in that place.” Olivia raised her glass to the couple. “I'm just glad that you can finally have someone who will be there to help you out of that dark place too. You're in good hands Wayne, so please take care of our Vee too… and just a reminder to you, I am part of the Royal fucking Army, so I know a hundred ways on how to hurt a person. Can't say for Olli, though, maybe he'll throw a book at you or use his pen to stab your eye?”

“Oh, fuck you,” Oliver scoffed at his twin. “May I remind you, I punched someone.”

“And you broke your knuckles too.”

They were both pulled off the platform by their father and back to their seats beside Vivian.

After the slicing of the cake, their first dance as a married couple. When the music played, Vivian couldn't believe it and Bruce only smiled and held out his hand to her. It was the song they danced to during their first date. The upbeat blues and jazz surprised the guests. They didn't imagine that this to be the first dance that Bruce Wayne would have with his wife.

“This isn't exactly the right dress, Bruce,” Vivian laughed as she held the skirts of her dress. 

“We'll make it work,” Bruce took her hand and Vivian spun around, just as she did that night. They danced to the music, just as they did in their first date, but this time Bruce wasn't just following her lead, he knew the steps, it was like he practiced for it.

“Did you take classes or did Alfred teach you?” Vivian teased when she was close to him.

“I asked him. And Dick too,” Bruce replied. “And after watching you and Dick dance around in the sitting room, I know what I have to do.”

“Ever the quick study, huh?”

“This isn't just for Gotham, Viv. This is for us too, and I can be romantic when the occasion needs it.”

“Bruce, you're always romantic,” Vivian kissed him. 

The music eventually turned to a mellow tune and Bruce had her in his arms as they swayed to the song. It was the one that they originally picked as it was his favorite record in his mother's collection. He remembers his parents playing it in the sitting room and his father would ask his mother for a dance every time. 

In that moment, as he held his wife in his arms, Bruce felt the warmth of her magic enveloping them. A smile crept to his lips and he leaned down to kiss her again.

~ Extra Ending ~

As the celebration neared the couple gave their thanks to each table of guests that attended. By the end of it all, those who were left in the venue were just members of the Justice League who went to the room that Bruce had booked for their privacy and were drinking away.

When the couple entered the private room, Queen raised his glass to them and said, “and we thought you already abandoned us and headed straight for the honeymoon.”

Clark approached Bruce and patted him on the back to say congratulations.

“Who knew Spooky here had moves,” Hal teased. “Is that how you take down your bad guys? A little dance off in the streets of Gotham?”

Bruce frowned and hummed in response. 

“Congratulations to you both,” said Zatanna.

“So, what's this meeting for?” Barry asked.

Dick chuckled from the private bar he and his friends settled at. “Some ground rules before he goes off grid,” he said.

The League groaned.

“It'll be quick,” Vivian reassured them. “Then we can drink.” She carried the skirts of her wedding dress and sat on the chair that Bruce pulled out for her and where Dick placed a glass of scotch for her. “First, thank you for coming. It really means a lot to us.”

“Really? Can’t say this idea was from Bruce,” Queen chuckled.

“It is. It's to make up for not inviting everyone to the first wedding,” Vivian winced. “We wanted it done quickly, and Clark and Diana were practically in and out once the papers were done. So, not much were missed. And, we really do want you here.”

“We are honored to have the chance to celebrate this with you both as well,” said Diana. 

“Yeah, it's not everyday you see the Bat not glaring at people,” said Zatanna, teasingly. “So, where are you both off to for the honeymoon?”

“He won't tell me,” Vivian sighed. “Who knows, but it'll just be two weeks tops. Which means Gotham needs someone to oversee her while Batman is on vacation, and we kind of need your help.”

Silence came to the room, and one moment they were looking at Vivian and the next they turned to Bruce. 

“Did you seriously just ask your wife to ask us for help to watch over Gotham?” Dinah said.

Bruce hummed.

Clark chuckled. “Help isn't in his vocabulary.”

“And that's why I'm here,” Vivian held Bruce's hand that rest on her shoulder. “I'm his translator.”

“No, we want to hear him say it,” Zatanna smirked.

“Agreed,” said Diana.

“Say what?” Bruce asked.

“Ask us for help,” Queen answered.

Bruce hummed in annoyance and glared at them. “Dick will be on patrol for most of the time with Alfred in the background. He's already proven himself to be capable of doing so. But if the situation arises, he will need back up.”

“Wow, and not a single word in there is help,” Barry snorted. 

“How hard is it for you to just say, I need your help?” Said Queen.

“Come on, Bruce, just say: help me. That's shorter,” Zatanna smirked. 

“Uh, guys, let's not…” Clark trailed off as he watched Bruce's glare narrowing at everyone.

“Banana muffin,” Bruce grumbled.

“What the fuck?” Vivian turned to him, utterly confused. “Are you hungry or something?”

“Superman, banana muffin,” Batman grumbled.

“I don't get it,” said Hal. 

“It's…” Clark sighed. “It's our code word whenever he needs help.”

Utter silence came to the room. 

“You have a safeword with Clark?” Vivian blurted out. “The hell? How come he gets a safeword?”

“Never needed one with you,” said Bruce. Because he can always ask Vivian for help.

But to everyone else it gave off the wrong meaning. 

“Ew!” Dick groaned and hid his face in his hands. “Now you see what I deal with everyday in the manor,” he told his teammates.

Wally breathed through his teeth. “That is not what I was expecting.”

“Which one? That Batman and Superman have a safeword or the fact Batman just revealed to everyone his sex life?” Roy muttered as he drank his beer that was in disguise as apple juice. 

“Both,” said Donna.

“You two going off to your honeymoon is a vacation for me!” Dick exclaimed.

“Close enough,” J'onn chuckled.

“We'll help out Dick with patrols. We'll take turns,” said Superman to Batman. “Don't you two have a flight to catch?”

“We'll use our jet,” Bruce said.

“That's still weird for me,” Vivian muttered. “Just a couple of months ago, the most expensive thing I own was my car and my condo. Now I have a freaking jet?”

“And a yacht,” Dick added. 

“Dick, you're in charge,” Bruce told the boy. “But also listen to Alfred.”

Dick grinned. “Finally, some trust!”

“I also trust that the gifts are still there when we get back,” Vivian told him.

“I promise!” 

“And your homework.”

Dick sighed.

Vivian yawned. “I don't know about you all but I want to head to bed.”

“You can sleep in the fight,” said Bruce.

“I will, but first one drink for everyone?” 

“Fine, one drink.”

Vivian waved her hand and all their glasses refilled with their preferred drinks, and Bruce with his ginger ale. 

“To Mr. and Mrs. Wayne,” Barry raised his glass for a toast.

“Actually, it's to Mr. Wayne and Mrs. Pryor-Wayne,” Bruce corrected him.

“Really?” 

“Yes.”

“But for tonight, I don't mind being called Mrs. Wayne,” Vivian getting up, she kissed her husband. “And our honeymoon too.”

“To Bruce and Vivian,” Clark raised his glass.

They raised their glass to that and drank. Then Vivian turned to Bruce and said, “To you, my love.”

“And you, my love,” Bruce clinked his glass with hers.

[bruciemilf]

When I saw your perspective of Jason being a surly kitten (Bruce's vision) who loves to be coddled, but hates to show it + protective Jason, because he hates to have his father's heart broken.

I could only think one thing:

Jason, like in Austen's novels, pushing away and checking the background of each of his father's suitors, before even considering introducing them.

To then begin, from his father's consent, a LONG and TEDIOUS process of courtship beforehand (gifts, flowers, books, batarangs), then scheduled dates with supervision (Damian) to then, after a couple more months, begin to make the relationship official and then a marriage …. But only years later. When he feels confortable with the idea.

Jason, to the CV of his father's suitor: No prospects, no decent job, no morals, no money, hasn't seen his family for years and apparently doesn't recycle. In short, he's not worth it.

GOOOOOODDDDDD YEAH,,,, YEAH,, I truly love this - ESPECIALLY after reading your Damian protecting Battinson piece, like, GOD. Robert Pattinson gives off that " I must protect this emo bitch with all I have or I'll instantly combust" energy and I respect that so much

Like?? Just to throw some autistic Bruce in here - Jason (after Stephanie and Tim finally bully him into going along with this matchmaking nonsense) pays very close attention to how they treat Bruce once they find out he's on the spectrum

" Oh, but you don't LOOK autistic" nope. Straight out the door. You're an idiot and Jason will slap a " honk at me- I'm an ableist piece of shit" bumper sticker on your car

" aren't you too old for that?" Again, you're an idiot, and Jason will dish you the WORST public embarassment of your life, - and so on and so forth

But I feel like Bruce himself is very careful, too, - really, him going along with this is mostly to indulge his kiddos, and aside from being painfully awkward and unsuccessful, this thing is mostly harmless

But his eye is sharp; he's very observant of how his children are treated bc really, he's every inch the protective bitch the batkids are, they got it FROM him most likely- and you're lucky to leave with a hurt ego and a rejection if you don't treat his babies well

I can imagine Dick asking him why he rejected another candidate, and Bruce bites his lip, looking around, angry blue eyes downcast

" I told him about Jason's manuscript. how proud I am, that he's working on it again. He told me I should stop coddling him, get him a real man's job," he's spitting, stabbing the blueberry ice cream Alfred " accidentally" left around the kitchen. " Fragile masculinity is very unattractive."

Dick hums, nodding, pouring some chocolate syrup over Bruce's ice cream before they join the others for movie night, " Don't stress about it. We'll find someone soon. I can feel it."

And bruce just shrugs, saying that everything he needs is waiting for him in his living room, and Dick should hurry up to claim.his spot

[fitz-higgins]

LGBT literature of the 1860s–1910s. Part 1

Although homosexual love became more prominent in literature in the 1920s, there were dozens of different novels, poems and essays about homosexual men and women before that decade, and many of them were officially published! Here are ten such works, written between the 1860s and 1910s.

1. Une Femme M’Apparut (A Woman Appeared to Me), by Renée Vivien (1904). A beautiful autobiographical novel about Vivien’s relationship with Natalie Barney and also about her relationship with Catholicism.

[Read online in French or in English (also on Web Archive)]

2. The Green Carnation, by Robert Smythe Hichens (1894). A scandalous novel with characters based on Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas (Bosie). Bold and delicious, according to The Observer. Esmé Amarinth and Lord Reginald Hastings are followers of “the higher philosophy” and navigate their lives in the Victorian society that doesn’t favour men like them.

[Read online]

3. A Marriage Below Zero, by Alan Dale (1889). This American novel is considered the first English-language novel that portrays a romantic relationship between men. Elsie Bouverie, falls in love with Arthur Ravener and later marries him. However, soon she realises that Arthur is more than fond of Captain Dillington. Indeed, the two are in love and some time later go to live in Paris together.

[Read online]

4. Mikaël, by Herman Bang (1904). A semi-autobiographical story of an artist’s unrequited love for his bisexual student. This novel was later adapted into a silent film Michael by Carl Theodor Dreyer in 1924 which is available with English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Bulgarian subtitles here.

[Read online in Danish]

5. Wings, by Mikhail Kuzmin (1906). A tale of Vanya Smurov who is attached to his mentor Larion Stroop. An aesthete, Larion introduces him to the world of Classical and Renaissance art, and they go to Italy together. This novel offers an interesting insight into gay community in Russia.

[Read online in Russian or buy in English]

6. Poems by Digby Dolben (1860s). Dolben’s poems are plainly homoerotic, even though they don’t specify gender of the author’s love interest. My personal favourites are Homo Factus Est and A Song.

[Read online]

7. An Anglo-American Alliance: A Serio-Comic Romance and Forecast of the Future, by Gregory Casparian (1906). Get this: an Edwardian science fiction novel set in 1960 about lesbian romantic relationship, although one of them is actually a transmasc character. And they live happily. Be warned, though, that this is still an Edwardian novel, i.e. it’s rather problematic.

[Read online]

8. The Sins of the Cities of the Plain, or, The Recollections of a Mary-Ann, with Short Essays on Sodomy and Tribadism (1881). This book is based on the life of Jack Saul, an Irish male prostitute, or rentboy, and it is one of the first homosexual erotic works. Also includes a look into the Victorian transvestite/drag community.

[Read online]

9. Fridolins heimliche Ehe (Fridolin's Mystical Marriage), by Adolf Wilbrandt (1875). First work in German that presents homosexuality in a positive light. What’s more, the main character claims his soul is both male and female, and he is attracted to both men and women. Another novel with a happy couple!

[Read online in German or in English]

10. The Intermediate Sex by Edward Carpenter (1908). Carpenter, a socialist and gay rights activist, was a significant figure for gay writers of the early 20th century. In this work, he writes about homosexuality, sexual libertaion and gender fluidity.

[Read online]

P.S. One should remember that these books are very much products of their time and, once again, they can seem problematic to a modern reader, often in more ways than one. Nonetheless, they are an important part of gay and lesbian history and would be of interest to anyone who is interested in this subject.

Stay tuned, more books to come!

[rebelsandtherest]

Prodigal: Chapter 2/?

Summary: Two decades on, a reclusive Alfred Jones continues to process the civil war amidst the desolate ranchlands of the Dakotas. A fortuitous turn of fate has landed him a new job with an eccentric but magnetic man.

Warnings: allusion to PTSD Word count: 1766

Tumblr: Chapter 1

Also read on:  Ao3  |  FF.net  (Yes I’m still posting on FF.net don’t @ me I don’t want to hear it, I know I’m old)

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

Dear Mattie,

Your wishes for my continued literacy are fulfilled, for even amongst the cattle your dear brother has not gone as completely feral as sources may lead you to believe. I must apologize anyway since my penmanship remains quite terrible even as my fingers heal. They never actually fell off, I'll have you know, but I've been unable to shake the tremor in my writing hand. I do not notice it until I'm trying to press pen to paper. Last time I wrote, I could scarcely sign my own name. I credit your generous gift of the bearskin gloves with warming them back into writing shape.

Truly, I do not know how to thank you enough. I know from looking at them that it must've cost you either a small fortune or substantial personal effort, and in likelihood, both. You are indeed a decent brother, and beyond that perhaps the best brother a man could ask for. Your generosity was witnessed by the innkeeper in town, who collects the local mail and insisted upon seeing the contents of the package. If you ever get it in your head to visit me here, I'm not entirely sure she won't try and trap you in a frontier marriage. I told her you worked for Victoria, and she thought you must be a knight. I've told you this only to cheer you up, and I hope it does not go to your head.

As for the east, my answer remains much the same as last time we spoke in person. I feel neither despair nor great hurt when I now look eastward, but there remains a bone-deep discomfort that I cannot overcome. It itches and burns, like poison ivy or mosquitos, and the city noise—for the entire coast now seems to be one long city, by God!—keeps me up at night. Besides all of this, there is the more practical matter of my government, whom I fear may want to lock me up again as soon as they have their hands on me. It's an awkward enterprise, re-approaching your own people after a whole generation.

I met some truly inspiring people in New York, last I was there, Edison included. However, the prospect of unexpectedly meeting officials who might know my face from the many secret "wanted" memos—I find it insulting they think I don't know about those—that have circulated Washington in the last few decades makes even the streets of New York feel like an open noose.

I apologize for not communicating about my visit so we might see each other. The trip itself was an impulsive idea when news of Edison's plans reached us here on the eve of the actual event. While on the train, I concocted a plan to travel on to visit Ottawa so that I might surprise you, but after just two days in New York my latent discomfort became so intense I found myself in a horrible panic—the sort of illness left in the mind after a war, or so I've been told—and found myself so desperate to escape I gave up my plans. You know me well enough it should not surprise you that I was too embarrassed to tell you at the time. Three years later, I regret my own cowardice because I miss you dearly. I want very much to hug you and also to see if the insidious rumor that you have grown taller than me bears any semblance to reality. I say you've been wearing tall shoes, and using my absence to spread falsehoods while I am unable to prove you wrong!

One day, I will go back east, to you and yes, to my own government. However I do not know when my heart will allow it. I know this is a dissatisfying answer for you. In the meantime, I shall remain here in the Dakotas, and I hope you shan't worry yourself too much on my account.

To reassure you of my well-being, I should share the goings-on of my life of late. I don't believe I've told you how our fish-out-of-water Marquis fired me last year. Suffice to say he is a rich man who cares more about capital than the well-being of his staff. I defended a young boy from the Marquis' ire after a costly accident with one of the bulls, and employed some language for which I'm sure you would scold me in public and compliment me in private. He told me to leave and never to return, and so I have been quite poor overwinter.

I wish you to know, for it should tell you all you need to know about this man, that he and his family evacuate the continent when winter comes.

However, my luck has recently changed, and I've found employment with a man so much the opposite of the Marquis it seems almost a divine joke! He is one of mine by way of New York, and has apparently abandoned his upper class city life and a career in municipal politics to become a rancher. Perhaps this sounds like an American version of the Marquis' own story, but indulge my gossip a little longer. This man—Roosevelt is his name—is unlike any New Yorker I've ever met!

When I first met him, he was on horseback and out in the fields, so I thought he was one of the ranch hands. I approached him asking if he knew where I might find the landowner, and if he was looking for a cowboy to look after his stock. Upon my inquiry, he smiled and laughed, and introduced himself as the landowner himself. Afterward, I was embarrassed I hadn't deduced as much, for he dresses in over-embellished, caricatured versions of what we wear out on the ranges, and does not hold himself atop his mount with a great deal of confidence. (In my defense my expectations of landowners has been tinted by the Marquis and his frilly European sensibilities). Apparently, Roosevelt has only recently learned to ride, and was until just last year, unfamiliar to the style of saddles used here. And yet there he was, out by himself on his land as though he himself were preparing to drive cattle to market, notwithstanding that he would be months too early. The Marquis of the Badlands would never!

He also wears lenses, and is apparently quite blind without them. I mentioned that I benefit from lenses as well, but had lost my only pair some years ago. Well now I've learned he wrote to his man in New York to make me a new pair. I insisted on paying for it myself, but he's bullied me into only paying half.

"Every man alive should be able to see nature in all its detail," is what he told me. "When one can see the details around oneself, it inspires the pursuit of exploration, and the improvement of oneself through new disciplines and exercise. And that is a kind of manliness I think everyone should aspire to. Besides," and after such casual philosophizing, it took me a moment after this to realize he was jesting when he said, "I should like you to be able to see the cattle as you work them. To lose cattle for want of spectacles seems to me the sort of misfortune we ought to leave to children's stories."

He does have children, I've learned—or rather one child. Alice is her name, and she is only just a year and a half old. I did not press him on the matter of abandoning his family for the Badlands, and I'm glad I didn't. I've since learned from the other hands that this poor man gained a daughter but lost his wife as well as his mother all in the span of two days. His sojourn westward seems to be the endeavor of both a vigorous outdoorsman and heartbroken man. Perhaps it is my own recent history that drives me to sympathize with his choice to grieve out here, where solitude and nature abound.

He's hired a few more cowboys after myself, and has so far treated us all fairly. There is little shelter for either him or us at the moment, and we rely on tents and lean-tos, and he awaits the completion of a cabin on the property. To his credit, he stays in a tent rather than at the inn, although I'm confident he could buy every room if he desired. I tell you Mattie, in the last century I'm not sure I've ever met someone so unfamiliar with frontier life and yet so enthused by the very hardships that send the Marquis packing for France each year. He lives each day as though existence itself is some kind of grand challenge to experience as many things as he can before time can get the better of him. It is impossible for any person to be so many things in a single lifetime—even for you and I! But I daresay Roosevelt is going to try anyway, if for no other reason than to keep God on his toes.

I was afraid a few weeks ago I would be driven east out of necessity, unable to maintain anonymity in the broad rumor mill of ranchlands, and perhaps that would have forced me back into the world to which you've asked me to return. Even so, if my news of remaining west disappoints you, I hope you may take solace in the fact I've acquired a tireless philosopher of an employer who may yet badger me toward self-betterment even more doggedly than you.

Perhaps your eyes are crossing by now from the disorganized novella I've just penned you—and in horrible handwriting no less, many apologies should you need to adjust your lenses on my account. My hand is beginning to shake again, so I must end my letter abruptly before all words become illegible. I hope that spring will find you quickly and well, and that you might begin your annual thaw sooner rather than later. You'd mentioned a while ago that Arthur had intentions to send you to New Zealand to escape the cold, and if that indeed came to pass I hope you and our young sister fared well. I dearly hope to see her again her one day. As for this sibling, I cannot rectify my shortcomings in the present, but ask you to hold out hope for me a while longer.

God keep you, with warmest affection (I mean this in the literative as well as the figurative sense),

Alfred

---------

1. The term “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” or PTSD was not yet coined, but we all know our boy Alfred has been wrestling with it for a while at this point.

2. Here is where I must confess I am largely inventing the personality of the Marquis to suit his narrative purpose of a foil to Roosevelt, but it is 100% true that he and is family went back to France each winter! In an area of the continent where both your hardiness and your dedication to the land and the town is measured by how many winters you’ve survived, this was, I’m sure, sneered at quite a bit.

3. Teddy Roosevelt, for all his obsession with “manly” pursuits and rugged outdoorsmanship, was actually quite a sickly child. He suffered profound myopia (nearsightedness) at an early age, and the acquisition of corrective lenses affected so much that throughout his life, he was invested in the support of disabled children, as he understood how much difference corrective or assistive aids could change a life. Additionally, Roosevelt was also quite asthmatic, and was bullied mercilessly as a child for his physical/medical challenges. I believe his asthma was more acute in childhood and adolescence, but persisted throughout his life. Lacking the treatments we rely on today, Teddy decided the best way to treat asthma was through exposure therapy, spite, and sheer willpower. Hey, it may not be medically sound advice, but it seems to have worked out well for him.

4. In February 1884, Roosevelt’s first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee, gave birth to their daughter, also named Alice. Unfortunately, the medical symptoms of pregnancy had masked the fact that she was suffering from kidney failure, and she died two days after her daughters birth. In completely unrelated medical circumstances but in the same house, his mother died of typhoid fever less than a day before his wife passed. This date in Roosevelt’s diary is a simple entry: “The light has gone out of my life.”

5. Roosevelt at this time was obsessed with the idea of becoming a cowboy, and while he certainly didn’t impress with his skills and had to be taught nearly everything from how to ride in a western saddle to how to throw a lasso, he nevertheless earned the respect of actual cowboys because he was eager to learn and apply himself to even the more unpleasant rigors of the lifestyle.

[squishneedsahero]

Ductape and Superglue

Awesomest of Them All 2.0

Part 13 of 13

Word Count: 1607

Batman x Batmom!Reader

You know what the bat family needs? Someone to pull them together and give them all the love they deserve. Who better to do that than you? An author rising to stardom in Gotham who catches the eye of a billionaire with your standoffish attitude at a huge social gathering. You are yourself and never pretend to be more or less than that. Plus you're the most stubborn person in the world, refusing to let good things go without reason.

This is a rewrite of my story Awesomest of Them All, I wanted to see how much I've improved over 3 years.

Bruce got a call, one that he had never gotten before even if he had always dreaded it. A phone call during a Wayne Enterprises meeting from someone demanding money and sending a picture of you tied to a chair. You had that normal fire in your eyes in the picture and it was obvious you weren't hurt but still no one wants their wife held hostage and threatened with a gun or worse.

Tim looks over Bruce's shoulder at the photo on the phone screen. His heart leaps to his throat and he pulls out his phone, already working on figuring out where it is you are located from the little he can see in the picture. He and Bruce were here in a meeting it would only make sense to call the GCPD and not run out the door to get you to safety. Tim knows Bruce though, always thinking everything through except for when it came to you. He would do anything in the world to keep you happy and safe.

Tim's hand coming to rest on Bruce's upper arm pulls him back to the reality that is that he cannot run out the door to your rescue. "You call Alfred, I'll call the GCPD," that's all he says and that's all it takes to set things in motion.

Two phone calls are made and those lead to two more made by Alfred and Damian who he had just picked up from school. Alfred calls Jason and Damian calls Dick, they are the only ones who get notified in the moment to go get you but it's enough.

Cass is on a date with Steph, they're the next to get a phone call from Tim, just informing them of the situation but making it clear that they are not needed at the scene. Stephanie protests this and tries to claim that you'd need Spoiler's help as well. You were as much of a mother to her and Cass as any of the boys even if only Cass was officially adopted. In the end the two girls go to the Mansion to wait with Alfred and coordinate things from the cave with Babs who is there upon their arrival.

Damian liked to think he still disliked you and could barely tolerate you. But even if he wouldn't admit it he was more scared on your behalf than he had ever thought he'd be. Despite him being horribly rude to you, you had never been anything but nice even if your nice included sarcastic comments to prove your point. You had helped him learn what a family was supposed to be like.

Jason gets a call from Alfred and he is changed and out the door of his apartment before the call is over. You were his Ma and he was your Jaybear, and he wouldn't be letting you get hurt. Alfred was the one person you had given his phone number too even though he had told you to keep it a secret, but in this moment he was glad you had.

This leaves Dick, who had gotten a call from Damian, telling him the situation and that he would be joining him at the warehouse. Dick was with Babs at the mansion so the two head to the cave where Barbara takes over in the computer while Dick changes and hurries out the door to go get you.

Things seem like they're going smooth when the three boys arrive one shortly after the other. Jason is already in and picking off the men in the surrounding area and getting you out of the chair when Dick and Dami burst in and start taking out more guys. You're safe and that's all that matters to any of them.

But then there's that singular gunshot and all three of their hearts skip a beat. Damian sees you slide the rest of the way into the next room but the other two just see the door swing closed behind you. None of them know where you had been hit and if you were okay on the other side of that door. But they can't walk away from the fight in the middle of it. Once all the men are down Jason takes off too you, not giving Damian or Dick the chance and leaving them to tie the guys up.

"Mama?" Jason asks, slipping into old habits in his fear.

"Hey Jaybear, I'm fine, it's just my leg," you comfort him quickly but let him take care of your leg for you. You'll have to go to the hospital as it's the only proper thing to do but he stops the bleeding and gives you a tight hug.

The other two boys come in and you smile and comfort them, telling them all how proud of them you are. This gets interrupted by police sirens outside. You quickly shoo them away and let Bruce know you're safe, knowing your husband would want to come after you himself at this point but you were fine. You needed to let the police take you to the hospital and make all of this look somewhat normal and not like a family problem.

You spend a few hours at the hospital, getting stitches and a brace since the bullet had ripped through your muscles, leaving your leg weak. When they let you go they push you out in a wheelchair and give you a pair of crutches.

Media personnel try to crowd you and get answers for their many questions. You shut them up with one of your classic, "I'm fine now leave me alone to be with my family or you will start your own newspaper to post stories about them and slowly put them out of business." It was a good threat that worked every time. If it didn't work then you just added in the idea of getting photos of their butts to add to the articles, titling it "the asses of Gotham"

You choose to spend the early evening watching movies on the couch with your family. Cass and Steph take their own chair to cuddle in, same with Dick and Babs. This leaves you to cuddle with Bruce and Tim and surprisingly Damian sits next to you, kicking Tim out of his normal spot meaning you had no choice but to sit in Bruce's lap so the boys can both sit next to you.

Alfred wished you well upon your arrival home, then returned to make dinner for all of you even if you tried to tell him to just order pizza. "No, miss Wayne, you were shot today and need a healthy meal," he responds much to your annoyance with him calling you miss, as though you were a child and your parent had called you by both your first and middle name.

All of you aren't far into the movie when you get interrupted by Jason entering the family room. You light up at the sight of him and before Bruce can stop you you're out of his lap and over Jason wrapping him in a hug. How you made it that far without falling due to torn ligaments no one knew but you were now in Jason's arms and he could keep you steady. You make him lean over so you can kiss his forehead before you make him come sit on the couch where you had been.

When he tries to object you give him that stern mom look and he obediently comes and sits next to you, and Damian on the opposite end of the couch from Bruce. Things definitely were tense between the two but you don't care, it's a start.

You finally have your whole family back under one roof for the moment. Your four boys, one girl and two unofficial girls. You loved every single one of them so much and were so glad that you were all together again. They all knew how much you loved them, and how you took time for each of them, the only reason Jason was getting extra attention was because he had been gone for so long.

It had hurt so very much when he had suddenly been taken from you. The pain of loosing a child wasn't anything you plus bear even if you had had too for years. You all share a nice dinner together then because you had all spent so much time together Bruce insisted that the city would be fine for the night with just the kids and that he needed to stay and make sure you were taken care of.

For the first time in a long time things were relatively peaceful for your family, even if you had a leg wound. You had them all together and would now be able to work with Jason and Bruce on their relationship and getting it back to a less tense father son relationship. Damian was finally truly giving you a chance. Dick was on good terms with Bruce, and he was happy with Babs, even talking about marriage in the future. Tim was helping Bruce run the company and he was brilliant at it, plus he seemed truly happy for the first time in his life as he had recently started officially dating Conner. This just left Steph and Cass who were about to graduate high school and were looking at apartments, planning to move in together despite almost already doing so since Stephanie always seemed to be at the manor. It wasn't a typical life but you wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

The End... idk

[retvenkos]

“shall i capture your heart with a song?”

A/N: lol, i only know the witcher on netflix, and what i have found out about jaskier via tumblr osmosis, so how accurate is this? i guess we’ll have to see, lol.

requested HERE WE ARE, IMAGINING WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO BE CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO LOVERS TO EVENTUAL MARRIAGE WITH THE ONLY AND ONLY JASKIER....

well, seeing as jaskier is of noble birth, i’m going to say that you are, too.

your families are old friends, so when you guys first meet, (i want to say you’re like 8 or 9) it’s at some celebration or another and at first you’re a little unsure if you should talk to each other or just,,,, stand there.

one of your parents absent mindedly tells you to talk to the boy, and so you have to do the awkward introductions.

“i’m (y/n) (l/n)”

“i’m julian alfred pankratz.”

“that’s unfortunate.”

“hey!”

“don’t worry. i’ll find something better to call you.”

“yeah, well... i’ll find something better to call you.”

(sorry, guys,,,,, i still can’t get over jaskier’s real name)

the two of you decide to sneak away from your parents to get some food or something, and then you eventually decide to sneak away from the party entirely 

it was jaskier’s idea, really. he was trying to avoid some family or something - the family that thinks they are oh so better than you and compare achievements and what not...

the two of you are just wandering (jaskier’s sense of direction is horrible so it’s really up to you to keep everything straight) and you end up in some field or another, talking about whatever comes to mind. jaskier is telling you stories and you scoff.

“you’re like a weed, julian alfred pankratz. like a.... dandelion.”

“i am not!”

“what flower would you want to be, then?”

“something better than a dandelion!”

“like what, a buttercup?”

“yOU are.... are like....”

“like what?”

“...aconite! that’s a poison.”

“aconites are related to buttercups, dandelion. you can’t get rid of me.”

and jaskier thinks it’s wildly funny that you know horticulture, of all things. he finds it so funny, in fact, he fails to miss that you’ve coined a new nickname for him.

it seems that all the time, afterward, you run into jaskier and his family. by virtue of constantly seeing each other, the two of you end up being really good friends.

it’s a running gag that you love horticulture, and since the illustrious julian alfred pankratz uses it against you at every turn, you fluctuate between calling him “jaskier” and “dandelion”. he eventually gets used to it, but he hates it when others start to catch on.

he also comes up with ridiculous nicknames for you, but none of them quite seem to stick. he’s constantly cycling through through new ones, hoping to find the right one.

the two of you hang out a lot, but since you do a lot of reading or gardening and need jaskier to stop chatting with you for five minutes he picks up the lute and learns to play it really well.

you’re the first one who tells him his singing voice is quite beautiful.

“i’m sorry, did you just say my singing voice is ‘quite beautiful’?”

“it’s nice, okay?”

“nice?”

“if you keep this up, i’ll just have to insult you.”

“you’d never.”

“do you not remember the first time we met?”

“like it was yesterday.”

“i laid down some pretty decent insults, if i remember right.”

“i called you poison.”

“yeah, but aconites are pretty. unlike dandelions.”

and jaskier scoffs. “and buttercups?”

“they’re not bad looking.”

so we all know that jaskier supposedly gets into poetry when he’s 19 because he’s inspired by his love for the countess de stael,,, bUT,,,, consider this instead:

he actually gets into poetry for you.

jaskier has had a few loves at this point, and with each one, he’s a nervous wreck. you always help him by curating the most beautiful bouquets (all of which come from your amazing, thriving garden) and you are always there to help him with his flirting (which needs serious help,,,, i’m not even sure you’re cut out for the job)

you guys have probably even kissed before - both of you were regrettably drunk (don’t tell your parents) and jaskier said he desperately needed ‘the practice’. plus, he wanted to know!!!! was he a good kisser or not? no one else would rate him on a scale from 1-10 with brutal but accurate honesty! neither of you fully remember what exactly happened, come morning, but you remember the lead up to the moment and jaskier remembers the thoughts running through his head afterward... both of you agree not to speak of it.

anyway, when jaskier starts to realize that he has these awkward feelings that seem suspiciously illicit, he knows he has to get them out, somehow, but you are the only one who would listen to his complaints, and he very well can’t tell you.

so he decides he has to write them down.

but clearly they can’t be literal, lest someone stumble upon them,,,,, so he has to learn the secret art of poetry.

you, of course, notice how oddly quiet hanging out with jaskier has become, and his odd questions on flower symbolism, and it doesn’t take you long until you realize that, of all things, jaskier has turned to poetry.

“you can’t make fun of me for liking horticulture, anymore, dandelion. you’re a  p o e t .”

“at least i’m a good one.”

and you flick his forehead

“what will your stage name be? surely julian alfred pankratz won’t work.”

“which one should it be? jaskier or dandelion?”

and you laugh, the sound like a summer breeze.

“i knew you’d come to appreciate my nicknames, eventually.”

jaskier frequently “serenades” you, under the guise that he’s practicing, of course, but it’s also his not so subtle way of seeing if you like his poetry and his songs - they are for you, after all.

“you’ll certainly capture hearts with that one.”

“did i capture yours?”

and you, feeling very flustered, especially seeing as you’ve had feelings for jaskier for a while now, can only let out a guttural sort of scoff.

“of course,” and you try to say it over the top and jokingly, but you can feel your face heating up.

and jaskier winks. you huff and turn back to your books.

oh, yikes, i didn’t realize this was getting a little long,,,, let’s speed things up.

everyone knows that you and jaskier are end game. your families think it’s vvv sweet, and everyone that either you or jaskier attempt to woo know it’s only going to be a passing fancy because,,,, have you seen the way you look at each other? like you hang the moon and the stars?

but of course, both of you are dramatic as hell, so you frequently have conversations like:

“we’re piss poor in love, aren’t we?”

“i guess the world just doesn’t understand our genius.”

“terrible that i have to share this lonely cleverness with the likes of you.”

“absolutely devastating.”

and you just sit there for a while, staring at the ceiling.

maybe you guys do some traveling together for a while, but you eventually find a place to put down roots (lol, horticulture jokes). maybe you run an apothecary! that would be precious. 

either way, jaskier is a bard so when he isn’t traveling around, he’s staying with you. 

a frequent request of yours goes something like this:

“dandelion, play me a song.”

“what kind?”

“a love song.”

and he does, and afterward, he sits down across from you and winks.

“did i capture your heart with that one?”

and some nights you’re a little too tired to make a show of it and some of that blissful candor slips out and slaps jaskier across the face when you smile and say, “yes.”

if you haven’t noticed, the two of you hella dance around your feelings. it’s insane, because catchphrase is: “anything for you” meanwhile you are the most soft™ for him and yet you don’t seem to clue in.

100%, you are going to have to be the one that expresses your love first, because jaskier is the definition of suffering in silence

but what’s also really funny is you both probably try to keep it hidden just how long you have loved each other for, and yet you are both nosy as hell and want to know how long this has been going on, so it leads to really funny conversations where you are both trying to dodge giving a proper timeline, but are drying to coax one out of the other.

ohmygod, i forgot to do marriage headcanons

alright, lightning round: firstly, i don’t think it takes you guys long to get married - you have known each other for so long, and you already act like a married couple, might as well make it official

jaskier refuses to let anyone else sing at his wedding, but you eventually coax him into it because how else are you going to dance with him?

let jaskier invite all of his witcher friends. the divide between your wealthy families and the witchers would be funny as hell. like inlaws that don’t get along but wORSE.

some quick marriage thoughts:

jaskier has definitely learned the art of flowers, thanks to you, so (1) he leaves you flowers everywhere, and (2) both of you get to garden with each other all the time.

sleep and jaskier don’t mix - no matter what time of the night, you can wake up and he’s up and about, doing something or another. maybe he’s writing a song, maybe he’s eating, maybe he’s arguing with yennefer (she often visits, just to antagonize jaskier. you guys are great friends) in the livingroom and trying to keep his voice down 

similar with nicknames, jaskier is constantly using pet names, trying to decide on which one is best. it doesn’t really work out, but maybe the most common one is he’ll call you his muse.

and it only sounds cheesy 20% of the time

you guys get to go to parties together! that’s fun - you like dressing up and sneaking away half way through because you’re bored. you guys steal food and hide out until they realize the bard is missing and drag him back.

so we all know jaskier is big on compliments, and it only gets worse when the two of you are together. it’s like,,,, yes. now i can shower you with love and affection at all hours of the day, and it’s okay! he still does his poorly timed winks but he insists they’re charming!

you begrudgingly agree

consider for a moment: going to get breakfast with this man. first of all, breakfast is probably his favorite meal, and he’s always adamant you get a good one (since being with geralt means no breakfast at all). jaskier talks like you haven’t seen him in years, despite living together, and he’s very big on holding your hand or bopping you on the nose. plus, he smiles.

oh! and his singing is 100%  contagious, so it doesn’t take long before you are singing around the house, and jaskier is just stunned at you,,,, you find him staring and roll your eyes at his ridiculousness, but this man is in love!!!! let him be in love!!!!

and you also talk to your plants, so you know jaskier picks that up, to. you’re a very vocal couple, lol.

AND FLUFF ENSUES.

-- taglist: @lenalxvegood, @cooloaflandhero, @swanimagines, @multifandomfix // message me if you want to be added!