#Bruce Banner HC
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flinttcanwriteipromise · 2 years ago
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Bruce Banner Headcanons
Because I love him <3
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Summary: Headcanons my beloved
Pairing: Me and headcanons fr fr
A/N: Bruce is like- really traumatized, I don’t think he’s unpacked that yet tho.
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We all know Bruce is a tea guy, it calms him down. As much as he’s surrounded by coffee, he’s pretty adamant on having tea instead.
He’s actually pretty good at cooking, he just doesn’t do it often. I mean- He’s a chemist, and has a degree in it.
Bruce is also like the middle ground of the Avengers, you really can’t be mad at the guy so he’s the mutual friend amongst all. Y’know?
I saw a headcanon where Bruce likes to eat vanilla frosting from the tub, and I personally want to give you a shoutout and a little kiss on the head. I love you and your headcanon and I think about it everyday.
Bruce’s canonical first name is Robert, I don’t care why he uses his middle name, trauma related or not, but every time someone addresses him as Robert he starts looking around in alarm like a caveman spongebob before realizing you’re talking to him.
His wardrobe consists mainly of formal casual, like that purple shirt I love so much and casual wear, like oversized band t-shirts and stuff. He doesn’t have any bright warm colors like red or orange and he doesn’t wear flannel.
I like to think when he first started in the whole science thing, he would always have band-aids all over his hands and arms.
He’s a weighted blanket type of guy, he really likes his blankie ok?
I think he’d really like swimming, he learned it exercised all of his muscles so it’s the only sport he’s ever taken up.
As much as I love the fact he listens to classical music, he needs to get better music in his arsenal. Let’s be honest, there are WAY BETTER ORCHESTRAL SONGS ON SPOTIFY HE JUST NEEDS TO FIND THEM.
He plays piano, he looks like a piano kid. No other instrument, just piano.
He’s the type of student to be good at all subjects but excel in his topic. Like- he’s a straight A student, but when it comes to science he just becomes god.
His gym grades are build on his participation, he participates but he’s so bad at physical activities istg
He likes any type of puzzle except a select few, also- he hates jigsaw puzzles
I don’t really personally like Bruce and Natasha together?? I don’t understand how people saw chemistry, so I just wanted to say Bruce just wants a relationship, he wants to love and be loved. Bruce somewhat saw that in Natasha but it really just didn’t work out for him.
He actually has pretty good posture, as much as he scrunches over when working, he’s got incredibly good posture.
I feel like he’s got this hopeless romantic to him, like- he’s the type of guy to bring you flowers if you date? I feel like he’s got this classic idea of what a lover should be, y’know?
He doesn’t know how to ride a bike, or do some things usually taught to children by parents. His mom couldn’t teach him everything unfortunately.
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Thanks for reading, I just didn’t like how i ended this headcanon list so here is a little outro- I know my schedule is pretty inconsistent but a lot of my work are passion projects and most likely won’t be what I’m doing full-time. Thanks again for reading and I hope you’ve enjoyed!
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couldtransitionsaveher · 5 months ago
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BRUCE BANNER/ THE HULK from THE HULK (MARVEL COMICS)
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JUSTIFICATION:
"something about the fact that her father was so insistent that she ‘man up’ or behave like a ‘real man’ that an entire alter (joe fixit) was split to perform masculinity in a way that would be acceptable to her father because she couldn’t do it. the idea of her not being ‘masculine enough’ gets repeated by general ross while she’s dating betty, she also explicitly tells ross not to call her son. also she goes by her middle name instead of her first name which is trans-coded of her. she would still have the horrors to contend with but i think she’d feel at least a little better." - @fairmoephelia
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ad1thi · 1 year ago
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"Steven," Tony says patiently, bluntly, almost unkindly, "I really must leave."
He always does this, Steve thinks to himself absently, Tony always calls him Steven when he's trying to distance himself. As if the extra 'n' was large enough to put an ocean between them.
Steve doesn't mind though. He's learning, through these, trysts, of theirs, that there's a lot about Tony that he would've written off as him being mean, or harsh, or aloof; but is actually Tony's carefully constructed wall.
Tony's built it carefully, painstakingly, high enough so that nothing can ever hurt him again. Steve is likely the first persons in years to ever take a stab at tearing it down.
As the saying goes : 'It's rotten work. Not to me. Not if it's you.'
"I can't be found in your rooms," Tony says again, insistently, "I wasn't even supposed to be in Paris in the first place. I was supposed to be in a conference in Berlin. I'm in enough trouble as it is for changing my schedule at the last second."
Steve doesn't have much to say to that, for a myriad of reasons, but primarily because Tony's words are undercut by the fact that it's Tony who cannot bring himself to leave; who leans in for another kiss, one that Steve gladly parts his lips for. It's wet, and heavy and not in any way, shape or form, the kind of kiss one gives when they want to leave.
Steve is leaning against the headboard of the bed, bracketed in by Tony's arms on either side of his hips; gripping at the sheets so tightly that it's a miracle they haven't torn. Tony's holding himself taut, hovering above Steve, their lips the only point of contact.
"I'm going to go now," Tony says again, when they part for air, "Bruce will be wondering where I am."
It's a lie. Much like everything else that has come out of Tony's mouth in the last five minutes. Tony's in line for the Throne of England, he can't sneeze without his equerry knowing about it.
Steve says nothing, simply tilting his head, and Tony sighs like he's some great nuisance and leans back in for another kiss.
fin
(@ifmywishescametrue)
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bigstepdisk · 1 month ago
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Maker's rizz
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anthqnystark · 3 months ago
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me upon learning that bucky’s sister and bruce’s mother share the same (incredibly common) name: what if… their rebeccas were the same person?
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magnusmodig · 2 months ago
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||. finally going to bed thinking about lore - keeper asgardians . thinking about how intelligence and wisdom are one of their favored traits. thinking about how thor is the best of every asgardian ideal . thinking about how he is wise . thinking about his street - smarts . thinking about how he is also knowledgeable in legends , lore , and folktale. he is adaptable . he takes this knowledge , adapts to it , and crafts himself into something stronger. he is ever growing , and one of those ways is how he seeks out knowledge , and knows well to keep a sharp mind on the tales told by word of mouth or written on a page.
#(ik loki is book - smart and all that and good for him)#(i think it's clear that thor absolutely relies on loki to have increasingly /niche/ knowledge about things esp where magic is concerned)#(but i don't think he relies solely on loki to obtain and retain that knowledge. because thor also seeks it out.)#(in the first film /he/ is the one to educate jane - an astrophysicist - on the truth of the nine realms. he's able to TEACH HER-)#(-about the alien world she truly lives in. that was all him.)#(in TDW it's shown that heimdall taught thor about the convergence himself and that thor was very knowledgeable about how it works)#(in that same film he's shown to have a deep understanding of asgardian history - taught by odin himself in some respects.)#(he's ALSO very familiar with the hall of knowledge where the tree is and commends jane for picking it up so fast.)#(he's /also/ able to instantly deduce that what is hurting jane is foreign to earth. aka alien. aka something cosmic like HIM)#(i can't remember off the top of my head how they narrow it down to the aether but he was clearly already on its trail)#(and that's just /his movies/.)#(in avengers 1 he's instantly able to tell that there's a bigger foe at play behind loki's attempted siege of earth.)#(he's also the one to have extensive personal knowledge of the infinity stones in avengers 2)#(anyways all of this to say is that thor is INCREDIBLY intelligent and nobody gives him credit for that and it makes me mad.)#(just because he doesn't talk about it the way someone like tony stark or bruce banner do doesn't mean he's not right up there with them-)#(-and honestly probably /surpasses/ them bc he's so friggin old and literally alien.)#(but he lets them do their thing and only corrects them when they actually need it bc he LIKES to see them learn and be smart and cool)#(that's their thing!! good on them. he loves to see his human friends thriving. eveniftoasgarditsrudimentaryasallhell)#(anyways thor is smart and yes this includes book smarts and i WILL throw hands about this.)#( ooc . ) — stories that leap from the page .#( headcanon . ) — glory to the man who toils for his land . may it ever prosper .#(not even hc tbh it's just fact)
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marvelforged · 3 months ago
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Childhood
Childhood
          Bruce Banner cannot recall ever actually being a child. 
          At least, not in the way that books and media present children. Images of Scabbed knees and strewn toys, colorful messes made up of markers and grass and dirt… they’re all foreign to Bruce. A concept of youth that seems as mythical as any storybook tale. 
          What Bruce remembers about his childhood is the silence. Deep, pervading quiet that hung like a heavy cloak over his home, his life. The noiselessness of his mother as she crept from room to room, cleaning and cooking and trying desperately not to anger his father. The emptiness of words unspoken, when teachers and counselors asked about his bruises but didn’t press, eventhough their eyes were knowing. And the ominous, imposing stillness of a drunken Brian Banner when he was at his most dangerous. 
          He remembers silence.
                   But the noises. 
                          Bruce remembers the noises, too. 
(MamaScreamingDaddyDontPLEASENODonthurtmeDONTHURTMAMADADDYSTOP)
          And God help him, he wishes he could forget.
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whatohitsonfirewelp · 2 years ago
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The magic of the first avengers movie is something that they were never able to remake again.
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blueeyesblazing · 2 years ago
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I don’t remember if I’ve posted this in the past, so I will happily do so again.
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izzyspussy · 2 years ago
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Sorry I’m incapable of asking about anything but Gammafrost and you’re busy doing other stuff
I'm never too busy for gammafrost.
Here's my latest gammafrost fic from September 2022 if you missed it.
I really did get fed up enough with the MCU fandom and how they behaved generally (as a generalized group) as well as how they treated me specifically, to the point that I really don't remember most of what I was going to do with little cuts and at this point it will almost certainly never be finished or tbh probably even get added to after this. BUT. It was going to eventually have a whole plot(s), including thorkyrie and gammafrost romances.
Planned parts of the gammafrost plotline included but were not limited to:
Loki esoterically explaining magic and strongly implying that Bruce himself has some magical prowess as evidenced by the existence of Hulk, an implication which Bruce refused to hear
The whole fake dating thing the fic above set up
Loki and Bruce playing pranks on select Avengers during the time they are in Wakanda (referenced in Take & Give, AO3 is down so I can't link it RIP) and still don't know Loki is on earth, in which they get caught and Loki disguises herself as Shuri - and later Shuri gladly taking the blame/credit
A suitably fucked up First Time in which Loki was having one of their Unlovable Monster Moments and took Jotunn form to prove to Bruce that they're inherently dangerous, but out of concentrated solution of pettiness and horniness Bruce spontaneously figured out how to do a partial Hulking and go green and un-frostbite-able only where Loki touched him
A short one where Bruce - not a morning person - couldn't find a spoon for his yogurt and simply ate it out of the container with his tongue, the witnessing of which caused Loki to semi-involuntarily take female form because she wanted him to do that to her so bad
Loki becoming a Broadway musical playwright overnight via as much influence as talent and taking Bruce to the premiere of his rap opera (because flyting) romcom retelling of a Norse legend I have now forgotten, which also would have revealed that Loki was indeed lying about his betrothal to Freyja in Palate Cleanser
I also did really wanna do a deeply romantic direct sequel to Smash (Me Baby, One More Time) and Some Little Thing... Alas.
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mbruben-stein · 7 months ago
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Hello! I hope you're doing good..
Could you do hcs "dating bruce banner include" 🥺
Dating Bruce banner would include.
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Dating Bruce Banner would include a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences. At times, he may be withdrawn and quiet, lost in his thoughts as he struggles with the weight of his past and the constant battle with his alter ego, the Hulk. But there would also be moments of brilliance and passion, where his intelligence and determination shine through.
You would have to be understanding and patient, knowing that Bruce carries a heavy burden and may need space to cope with his inner demons. But in return, you would receive unwavering loyalty and devotion from a man who has a heart of gold despite his struggles.
Dates with Bruce would involve deep conversations about science, philosophy, and the complexities of the human mind. You would be challenged intellectually and emotionally, as he pushes you to think outside the box and see the world from a different perspective.
But amidst the chaos and turmoil, there would be moments of peace and joy, where you see the gentle and caring side of Bruce that he keeps hidden from the world. He may surprise you with acts of kindness and thoughtfulness, showing you that despite his struggles, he is capable of love and compassion.
Overall, dating Bruce Banner would be a journey filled with ups and downs, but it would also be a unique and rewarding experience. You would stand by his side through thick and thin, supporting him as he navigates the complexities of his life and finds solace in your love and understanding.
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goldenempyrean · 1 year ago
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hello! love ur prompts. could u write something for natasha with "your sneezes are still adorable. just saying" and “why are you laughing at my misery?” in my hc she sneezes like a little kitten and all the avengers make fun of it hahah
Kitten Or Widow?
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〚 Notes - Anon, your headcanon is just so cute! Hopefully this is sorta what you were imagining :) 〛
〚 Pairing - Natasha Romanoff x Reader 〛
〚 Summary - The Avengers finally hear just how un-widow-like Nat can be. 〛
〚 Wordcount - 540 〛
〘 Check Out My Masterlist! 〙
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The room was filled with laughter, food and smiles all round as the Avengers sat in one of compound’s living rooms stuffing their faces with numerous different types of takeout. It had been a long week for everyone, and they all needed a break from their crime-fighting duties. Well, all except for Nat she’d spent most of the week inside (much to her annoyance) as she got over a cold.
The two of you shared a blanket as you sat huddled up on a sofa, giggling along with the constant jokes being cracked as you both sipped on a cold cider.
As the laughter and chatter continued, suddenly, Nat felt a tickle in her nose, and before she could reach for a tissue, she let out the cutest, most unexpected sneeze that sounded exactly like a tiny kitten. "Hh’shu!” Everyone turned their heads towards her in surprise, their eyes wide and jaws dropping before descending into more laughter.
Thor, known for his mighty warrior persona, burst out laughing with a thunderous voice that shook the room. "By Odin's beard! Nat, that was positively adorable!"
Even Tony Stark, who was usually quick with witty remarks, was left momentarily speechless, staring at Nat in amazement. Tony, ever quick to react, burst into laughter and exclaimed, "Nat, you've got to be kitten me right now! Did you just sneeze like a cat?"
There was a collective groan at his awful pun, “Oh shush, no I do not.” She defended, hiding her embarrassed flushed face into your shoulder.”
"I always knew Nat had a soft spot for animals, but this is taking it to a whole new level," Steve teased as he helped himself to another slice of pizza which earnt him a playful punch on the arm from Natasha.
Amidst the banter, you couldn't help but chime in with your own comment. "Well, I must say love, that sneeze was definitely purr-fectly adorable!"
Natasha rolled her eyes at your pun but couldn't suppress her smile. "Alright, enough with the cat puns, you guys. I'm still a deadly spy, you know," she said, feigning seriousness, but the twinkle in her eyes betrayed her amusement. The whole thing might’ve been dropped soon if only-
“Hh’iishu!”
Another sneeze erupted from Natasha, and this time it sounded even more like a little kitten, prompting another round of laughter from the Avengers.
"Oh, my goodness, Nat, you're just too cute!" Bruce Banner chuckled, trying to stifle his laughter.
"Why are you laughing at my misery?" Natasha said, half-jokingly, half-seriously, though her attempt at seriousness was undermined by the fact that she was still smiling.
"Sorry, Nat, but it's just too funny," Clint Barton said, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye before getting up to grab himself another drink.
"You know," Vision chimed in, "I once observed a cat sneezing on the internet, and I must say, your rendition is remarkably accurate."
Natasha shot him a playful glare “I can still outmatch any of you, come on.” She said, holding up her fists in mock serious-ness before descending into laughter – maybe she’d had one too many drinks.
“Come on kitty, put away the claws.” You laughed as you kissed her cheek lightly, “"Your sneezes are still adorable though. Just saying.”
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novastarrart · 2 months ago
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Banban/Devil Headcanons
Just wanna get my thoughts out there so here goes. It's a lot so, there's your warning lmao
*Note: For simplicity's sake I’ll refer to normal Banban as Uthman and the actual researcher/genome donor as Dr. Uthman*
Banban/Uthman:
All the mascots seem pretty tall so I hc him to be like 6'5"?
His tongue hangs out of his mouth constantly, it was done this way to make him more appealing/cute to kids.
That being said, When he's aware, he can keep his tongue in his mouth, usually to talk. But absentmindedly it just sorta lolls out.
He has a form of body dysphoria, being that he sees himself as a human, even when looking in a mirror.
This is why he hates being called Banban and not by his "true" name Uthman (or Adam if he knows you well enough).
However, he doesn't get too angry if you don't know about all that in the first place. Still, he'll correct you with some annoyance (Like he did with Bittergiggle in part V).
He has some memory problems, due to his own memories mingling with Dr. Uthman’s. Sometimes he’ll forget who another mascot is (Like when he referred to Nabnab as “That thing down there”. Or when Sir Dadadoo first appeared: “Hey is that a friend of yours?”)
The party hats hide his horns, this was partially his choice, and partially the researcher's. They were worried the horns would scare the children, so they decided to hide them with something “fun”. He doesn't mind them though, he wants to look as human as possible.
His voice is very apathetic and monotonous, he doesn't have much control over this, it's just natural at this point. Whether or not his donor, the real Dr. Uthman, spoke like this, I haven't decided on. He definitely has an accent of some sort, which he picked up from Dr. Uthman.
He's actually a lot more emotive than he is in the game! Although he does usually default to that goofy smile
He doesn't really blink! He can close his eyes, and has eyelids, but for some reason he just cannot blink. He does not realize this at all, and it unintentionally  scares others.
Thanks to his donor, he's very intelligent and can actually perform a lot of different surgeries and has a vast knowledge of medicine. He obviously uses this to his advantage to uhh open up victims.
He can consume human food and drinks, but it really doesn’t do anything for him nutritional wise, this is more than likely why he feels consistent pain near his abdomen
Hellish Banban/The Devil:
So comparing the models, bro is taller than regular Banban, so he's probably like 7ft tall
Definitely more muscular and stronger, has better endurance too
VERY FERAL. He relies on pure animalistic instinct in this form, although he is still capable of speech if he needs to speak.
Loses his "human" side and gives in to his more monstrous side. Any human memories are probably just gone at the time.
Speaking of which, If you call him Uthman, he'll probably just laugh and rip you apart. He does answer to Devil/Demon or just Hellish for simplicity's sake.
As said before, this feral side is triggered by adrenaline. Usually triggers when Uthman is about to die or is severely hurt (sorta like a Bruce Banner/Hulk sorta relationship).
His horns grow longer and sharper in this form, as well as his teeth. This is... probably pretty obvious why.
He seems to lose his pupils in this form? Uthman's eyes turn all white when he's turned or about to turn.
And that's an indicator you should start running!
Relies more so on his sense of smell, then his sight to find his prey. I like to think his tongue is like a snake which he uses to pick up scents/vibrations (another reason it hangs out).
He can DEFINITELY smell human's organs/blood/etc.
He can probably also pinpoint if something is medically wrong with their organs too (Diabetic, kidney failure, heart problems, etc.). This would be very useful, however he's not really thinking of helping you right now.
He's a lot tougher and can handle being banged/smashed around (Like that fight with Jumbo Josh). He’s VERY hard to kill.
He'll eat any organ honestly, Pancreases are just his favorite! (Maybe they're sweeter due to them producing insulin? Who knows!)
Still has some intelligence, but this is mostly overridden by adrenaline and instinct to eat and kill others. Overall, he doesn’t think correctly when in this form and will do things that are harmful to himself and others without much thought.
Aaaaand that's about it for now? Let me know what you think if you want!
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vechter · 1 month ago
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thoughts on girldad dick grayson? god it holds such a special place in my heart i could talk about it for agess! also i think dick wanting to start a family eventually but his life always being too "unstable" is really interesting. dc had SO MANY opportunities to give this man a daughter but its only canon in elseworlds! i dont wanna take away from roys whole shtick but dick having daughters would be such a fun direction to go in if its written while. like he would definitely mess up and have a lot of problems but he would love with his whole heart. a fic ive always wanted to read is a different ending with sophia or even dick getting to keep the grayson desert baby and raising it like ahhh chewing on my nails.
also any headcanons on dick + rose + sophia or dick and olivia desmond or the grayson desert baby? BASICALLY ANY HCS OF DICK WITH A DAUGHTER(S) AAA.
ur gonna wanna kill me for this but in most of my imaginings before n52, a biological daughter is not in the cards for dick. one of my fav headcanons for dick is long-term consequences of being at ground zero during chemo (briefly talk about this here). so, a possible consequence for that is sterility. i need him to have crazy feelings about being the last flying grayson.
but to answer your question properly, i think dick adopting a girl could be soooo interesting if done by someone other than taylor (olivia desmond who). just look at how hard his dynamic goes with sophia tevis.
if we veer into headcanon territory for this:
one of my fav ideas would be dick keeping in touch with sophia after blüdhaven got nuked (briefly talk about this here). possibly during the one year later arc... maybe he takes sophia to new york with him (instead of his no stakes arc of being on yachts with tim & bruce lol). he doesn't send her to boarding school immediately and instead, they spend time trying to recover from the shit-show their lives have been recently.
oooh, maybe a rlly fun arc where sophia gets past her hero worship/crush and properly considers dick's role in what happened to her family... which wars with how much she knows he cares about her (how he visited her at the halfway house, how he saved her from chemo, how he made sure she healed from the radiation). shared grief over how their fathers loved them but often failed them.
you can have some great rose stuff here too. instead of joining the teen titans, she follows dick to new york and ends up becoming a regular presence in his shitty little apartment where she bullies dick about how he lives. she gets to know sophia and comes to care for her. maybe a kidnapping plot where she's the one who saves sophia from some mobsters who didn't get the tevis family memo.
a lot of bullying from the og titans (esp donna and roy who are also in new york) about dick essentially parenting two teenage girls. at dick's insistence, rose hesitantly reaches out to people she sort of let down during her evil era but only after she pulls an uno reverse on dick saying she'll only do it if he does it. she mocks him a lot by calling him 'renegade'. it never fails to make sophia laugh who calls him 'crutches' occasionally too.
sophia eventually joins a public high school in new york. dick and rose make rlly embarrassing banners for her graduation only for sophia to mock them saying wow look at how much you care... aren't you embarrassed?
also, i love the desert baby arc soooo much but i think the weight of dick saving this little girl + all the costs he bore to make that happen... is much more impactful if he never meets her again. maybe he does occasionally check up on how she's doing (is she loved? is she safe?) but only from a distance. the people who adopt her often get random tidbits of information about raising a meta-human and the family collectively refers to dick as their guardian angel.
i would be remiss if i didn't mention mar'i grayson bc she had me hooked with just that cameo in titans '99.
ur right anon... dick should be a girldad.
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rubydubydoo122 · 7 months ago
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In every universe Jason Peter Todd dies young. It’s a fate sealed across the multiverse. Maybe he could hope that there’s one universe where he doesn’t. aka, Jason, Dick, and Bruce go multiverse hopping, and are not having a fun time. (Ps, when I started writing this fic I hced Jason as Latino, but I don't really believe in that hc anymore, so just a heads up if you don't like that hc)
TRIGGER WARNING -> Child Death (it's Jason)
They spent the next couple of realities kind of… drifting. 
They spent the first couple universes mainly in hotel rooms or abandoned apartments, because Jason was tired . Using his All-Blades to almost his limit twice in one week, along with being pinballed around the multiverse was exhausting. 
Though eventually they went back to watching different Jasons die.
There were different Robins killed by different rogues– Scarecrow's goons giving him multiple doses of fear toxin. Ivy’s plants throwing him into a building too hard. Another Jacicle, this time a courtesy of Mr. Freeze.  
Then there was the reality where Jason got killed by the Joker in that one warehouse alone. Then the Jason , who got killed by the Joker at Amusement Mile. And the Jason who was captured in Arkham Asylum and apparently brainwashed and then he died. And then– there were a lot of Jasons killed by the Joker. 
They couldn’t do anything about the Jason who dropped dead on the streets. He couldn’t find clean water for a week, because of a rogue attack on the plumbing. (When that had happened to him there had been a convenience store owner who was kind enough to spot him and give him a spare water bottle. The owner stuck with him and made sure he sipped slowly.)
There was also the Jason who died caught up in a gang war. And the one who got shot by a cop. Gotta love the GCPD, (Commissioner Gordon is the exception.) 
What really sucks is that they’ve learned that no matter how hard they try, Jason is still going to die. They’ve tried keeping Jason at the manor. They’ve tried keeping him out of the way from rogues, they’ve tried tying up the Joker before he could get to Jay, but he keeps on dying .
Honestly it’s starting to get annoying. Is Jason following the three Ds– Disassociation, Derealization, and Death-Jokes– to stay sane? Obviously. You can only watch yourself die so many times until the voice of the Anti Monitor that says, “Incongruities must be purged” gets too loud and you start thinking, Huh, maybe being purged isn’t such a bad idea .
But honestly, the worst part about this is that none of the Jasons have been older than 15. At least they could bump it up a number. 
They also were never in a place long enough to actually start on the beacon prototype. So that sucked even more.
Until they landed in the Universe they were currently in. They landed just outside of the Manor’s Ballroom which was currently filled with people dressed in black tie attire.
On the stage, there was a banner that read: 30th Annual Wayne Foundation Charity Gala. There were three large tables closest to the stage, on the left seated Bruce, Talia, Damian, Baby Jon in a highchair, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, Diana Prince, and Alfred 
On the right, seated Leslie Thompkins, Commissioner Gordon, Elaine and Doug Thomas, Crystal Brown, Oliver Queen, Dinah Lance, and a man Jason has never seen in his life.
And the middle table held the rest of them. Barbra, Roy, Dick, Cass, Jason, Stephanie, Tim, and Duke.
Yet, despite the supposedly very magical presence of One Wonder Woman, and Talia (and Superman and Duke he supposes) it didn’t feel like there was any magic at all. Zero, zilch, nada.
Jason turned to Bruce, “I don’t think Uncle Clark and Aunt Diana are superheroes here.”
“I don’t think any of us are.” Dick was analyzing each of them closely, until his eyes blew wide, and he started  smacking both Bruce and Jason’s shoulder, “The Man sitting next to Oliver is Béla Károlyi. As in the Olympic level gymnastics coach.” Just as he said that, alternate reality Dick leaned back, seemingly saying something to Mr. Károlyi which made the man laugh, causing his brother’s jaw to drop.
Jason looked back to all of the tables, realizing that everyone looked so much… happier. So much lighter. He felt a smile creep onto his face, “Ya know, in all of the other Universes, I died either on the streets or because I was Robin. I have a pretty good feeling about this one.” 
Bruce looked like he was about to say something when the lights started to dim, and a projector was rolled out.
The screen opened up to an eight year old Dickie in a booster seat, holding Zitka in his arms. The camera quality showed it was from the early 2000s, which, yeah, considering if Dick was eight, it was probably 2002? There was a symphony of awws that went around the room as Alternate Reality Dick rolled his eyes, but sent a smile towards his Bruce.
The video continued to show clips of Bruce taking Dickie to visit Haly’s circus, probably for the first time since Bruce took him in.
Bruce turned to Dick with a raised eyebrow, “Remember how I had to practically pry you from Zitka when it was time to leave?”
Dick snorted, “I remember her smacking you with her trunk. Haly was really concerned, but I knew you were fine.”
“Because I’m Batman?”
“Because you’re Batman.” 
Then there was a video of Dickie and Bruce at a playground, where Bruce is struggling to squeeze down a tube slide. Alfred and Dickie dusting the chandeliers together– except Alfred was on a ladder, and Dick was hanging off of something. There were more pictures– a couple with Dick in a leotard and sweats with several gold medals around his neck, while he and Bruce ate ice cream– but mostly they were just of Dickie being a kid. In front of the school building, rolling out cookie dough with Alfred, up in a tree, that sorta thing. 
There was also a video of Dickie watching the Olympics, and watching the male Olympians do the Vault. He looked into the camera “Please, I can do better than that.”
The audience erupted into cheers, as Mr. Károlyi reached over and patted Dick’s shoulder.
Until there was a video of a maybe four year old Cass hiding behind Talia’s leg. 
“Hi, my name’s Dick.”
Talia gave Dickie a soft smile, “This is Cass. She can be a little shy sometimes.”
“ That’s ok. Bruce was a little shy at first too. Look at him now.” Dickie peered around Talia to get a better look, “Hi Cass, I can’t wait to get to know you.”
Alternate reality Cass was covering her face with her hands as another round of awws circled the room, but Dick leaned in to whisper something into her ear which made her look up and smile at him.
There were a lot more pictures of Talia, Cass, and Dickie doing things together. Like Cass painting Dickie’s nails, Dickie teaching Cass how to tumble, and a picture of Cass and Dickie standing side by side, backpacks on, holding signs that said KTG and 5th on it. There was also a really cute video of Dickie and Cass setting up a date night for Bruce and Talia. 
Then there was a video of maybe a six year old Cass holding hands with a toddler in the middle of a Gala. 
“Whatcha got there Cass?” It was a young voice, so he assumed it was Dickie behind the camera.
“A baby brother.” 
“I’m Tim! Where do you live?”
The room erupted into howls as alternate reality Tim lowered his head so he could no longer see the screen. 
Dick turned to Jason, “Guess the stalker tendencies started young.”
From then on, there were a lot of photos and videos that included Tim and Cass in the middle of shenanigans together. Cass putting lotion in Tim’s hair, Cass putting makeup on Tim, both of them racing those little electric cars down the giant manor driveway. Bruce teaching Cass how to ride a bike, with Talia and Dickie cheering her on in the background. Videos of Cass dancing balletT
There was also a picture that looked like it was from Thanksgiving, with Alfred, Bruce, Talia, Dickie, Cass, Tim, Jack and Janet Drake, Uncle Clark, Ma and Pa Kent and Aunt Diana. So Bruce and Dick probably just babysat Tim a lot. 
Then there was a video of a very large backyard wedding– It looked like a fusion wedding. Yeah, the closeups of Talia showed henna decorating her arms.
“You know your name’s hidden in the design.” 
“I already found it.” Bruce grinned at Talia, and placed a finger right below her ring knuckle, “Right here.”
“You know they say it is a sign of good luck if the groom finds his name faster.”
Bruce kissed Talia’s forehead, “We don’t need luck, but I’ll take it. Now where are my shoes?”
Talia laughed, “Well, Beloved, Dick is going to have to find them. If not, you have to pay Cass to get them back.”
“Dick can’t even find his own shoes half the time.”
“Well, you’re a billionaire for a reason.”
There was also a video of Ra’s and Bruce dancing bhangra together, which honestly wasn’t bad at all.
The next picture was of a 14 year old Dickie, and an eight year old Cass, with Talia, Bruce and Alfred in the courthouse holding up adoption papers.
There were a couple of photos of the five of them at Disney World. Then some more Thanksgiving photos, this time, Janet Drake wasn’t there, but Jack was. Except he was in a wheelchair. There were more photos and videos from throughout the year. Like Cass and Dick’s Birthdays, Mothers and Fathers day, and then Tim’s 6th birthday.
It looked like a really small thing, and Jack wasn’t there. Then Bruce handed him a gift wrapped rectangle. “Happy Birthday, Tim. I know it hasn’t been the best year, but hopefully the next one is better.”
Tim took the gift with a tiny smile, and unwrapped it. “A camera!! I love it! I love it! I love it! I’m going to take a picture of all of us right now!” Tim frowned at the buttons, “How do I take the picture?”
There were giggles that went around the room as the slideshow continued, now with a lot more photos of Bruce and Alfred compared to before. There was a video of Dickie holding both of Tim’s hands while Tim balanced on a skateboard. A video of Cass teaching Tim and Dickie her Ballet routine, and a really nice picture of Dickie in the middle of a corkscrew flip. 
Then it cut to a video of Cass and Dickie teasing Tim in the living room.
“I’m not scared. It’s just a movie.” That being said, Tim was currently hiding in Bruce’s arms, so he definitely was scared.
“We can turn it off if you would like us to, Tim.”
“I’m not scared! I am six years old. I’m not a baby. I hate being the youngest.”
The camera panned to Talia, “Well…you don’t have to be the youngest anymore. I’m going to have a baby.”  
Tim’s eyes widened, and then he rolled his eyes. “Finally.”
The next couple of videos and photos were of Dick, Cass, and Tim painting the nursery– Jason totally forgot the manor had a nursery– yellow and green while Alfred and Bruce assembled a crib. There was a video from the Baby Shower where everyone was putting bangles on Talia’s arms, along with feeding her sweets. 
The next video was of all six of them in the nursery with a giant whiteboard, where Bruce  tapped it with a dry erase marker, “Alright, what should we name this kid?”  
Tim jumped up and down, “ I got one! Peanut!”
Talia laughed from the rocking chair she was in, as Bruce furrowed his eyebrows, “Like…the butter?”
“Yup.”
“Write it down, Beloved. I like it.”
There were squeaks on the whiteboard, that felt a little long for just Cat, but oh well.
Dickie was doing a headstand against the crib, “Do we know if it’s going to be a boy or a girl?”
“We want it to be a surprise.”
“Hmm.” Dickie maneuvered so he was sitting properly on the floor, “What about Robin? My mom used to call me that. Maybe it could be the baby’s middle name? It’s gender neutral.” 
Jason turned to his brother Dick, “Your mom used to call you Robin?”
Dick nodded, but didn’t take his eyes off the screen
Screen Bruce looked to Dickie, “Are you sure, Chum? You don’t want to use it if you have any kids of your own?”
Dickie smiled, “I think I’d use my parents' names for my own kids. I’d like my sibling to share Robin with me. I’d give it to Cass and Tim if I could.”
The pride was practically bleeding through the screen, as Bruce erased the middle line separating Boy and Girl, to make a column for middle name. 
Talia ran her fingers through Cass’s hair as she started to braid it, “ What about your parents names, Beloved?”
Bruce shook his head, “They wouldn’t appreciate that.”
Alfred cleared his throat, “Might I suggest Athanasia? It was one of the names your parents picked out if you were to be a girl.”
“That’s a beautiful name. Write it down.”
Dickie snorted, “Yet they decided to name Bruce, Bruce. What are you, a mechanic?”
Tim moved to sit on the ottoman of the rocking chair, “Your name’s Dick .”
Dickie opened his mouth like he was about to make a counterpoint, but ultimately decided against it.
“Cass, do you have any ideas?”
Cass leaned back and pressed her ear to Talia’s stomach like she was listening to the baby, “Damian. Damian Al Ghul-Wayne. But we should call him Cat.”
The next couple photos were of Talia in a hospital bed holding a newborn Damian. Then a video of a tousled Bruce taking Damian from Talia, “This is weird. Usually they’re bigger when I first hold them.”
Tim was running around the hospital room taking pictures of Bruce and the baby from different angles, “If he’s too small for you, can I hold him? My arms are the perfect size to hold a baby.”
There was a hand that reached out to ruffle Tim’s hair, “I thought you said you wanted to take pictures first.”
“I do! But I also wanna hold him.”
“Why don’t you take pictures of Damian with everyone else, and then you can hold him. Save the best for last, ya know.”
Tim nodded and continued taking pictures.
Bruce, smiled down at Damian, “He has your nose and lips, Talia.”
“He has your ears, Beloved.”
There was a gag from behind the camera as Bruce kissed Talia’s forehead. Then they both looked to Alfred, “Do you want to hold him?” 
“I wouldn’t want to intrude–”
“Alfred, he’s your grandson. Just like Dick, Cass, and Tim.”
Alfred seemed to reboot at the statement, but it didn’t phase him for long, as Bruce placed Damian in his arms. “Why hello there, little lad.” Bruce came closer to the camera as it stayed trained on Alfred and Damian, “I can film for a bit.” The camera shifted a bit and a very ruffled looking Dickie appeared on screen, in a leotard and sweats. “What time is your first event at?”
“10:30, but Bruce–”
“Alright, that gives us about thirty more minutes here…”
“Bruce–”
“if I speed a bit, we’ll be able to make it back with time for you to warm–”
“Dad!” That seemed to immediately shut Bruce up. Jason kinda wished the camera was on his face, “I’d rather stay here with Talia, and you, and Damian.”
“What about the scouts?”
“I’ve still got, like, three years until I can go to the Olympics. I’ve got time. Besides, I fly for my family. Not for scouts.” Dick tapped his chest twice with his fist, before there was the sound of shuffling off camera, which Jason assumed was a hug.
Then Alfred walked over to Dick, and handed Damian to him. Dick made a face like ‘why are you handing me a child’ but then looked down at Damian and smiled, “Besides, he’s already stolen my heart. Good luck trying to get your child back.” Bruce and Talia both laughed, but Dick looked to Cass, “Do you want to hold him?”
Cass’s eyes widened as she shook her head, “No.”
“Alright then, Tim, go wash your hands and sit down.”
Tim did a little Mario jump, before running to the nearest hand sanitizer dispenser and running back to one of the waiting room seats, and making grabby motions at Dick.
Dick made a panicked expression before Damian went back to Alfred so that Alfred could give him to Tim.
“Make sure to support his head, ok?”
Tim nodded, as Alfred placed Damian in his arms, “Oh! Oh! He’s waking up!” Tim grinned, showing off his missing tooth, “Hi Peanut, I’m your big brother Tim.” Damian blinked up at Tim, once, twice.
Then he started to cry.
Tim’s eyes widened as he looked a little past the camera, “Take him back. Take him back!”
The next couple photos and videos were of Damian and the rest of the family at different milestones. And a little tiny baby Damian napping on Bruce’s shoulder, while Bruce is also asleep.
The Next video was from slightly outside the playroom– Jason didn’t even know they had one of those– of Talia and Bruce crouching in front of Damian in his walker.
“Say Ummmi. Habibi say Ummmi.”
“Don’t listen to your Mother, say Baba, Baba, Bababababa.”
The camera came closer, and Damian immediately looked at him, and gave the camera a two toothed smile that made the entire audience coo, “ Dee!”
Bruce frowned back at Damian, “I can work with that, Dada, say Dada, Damian.”
Damian reached to whoever was holding the camera, “ Dee!”
Dick laughed from behind the camera, “I think he’s trying to say…Dickie!”
“Diggie!”
“I win! I was his first words.” The camera shuffled around until it was in Bruce’s hands. Dick picked Damian out of the walker, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Cass owes me five dollars.”
His brother Dick turned to Bruce, “Ha!”
The video was cut off with a photo of Dick, Cass, Tim and Damian all piled on top of Bruce. There were more photos and videos as the years progressed. From Tim doing skateboard tricks, and Cass and Dick belting to “Enchanted”, to holiday photos, Tim getting adopted and Damian somehow covered completely in flour. There was also a video of the whole family going feral of Dick getting on the US Olympic team. 
So that was probably why Mr. Károlyi was sitting at the friends and family table up front. 
The next video had horrible quality, so it had to have been taken on an old iphone or something. “Um, Hi, Tim here, I’m recording for Bruce’s therapist, cus I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. So, it’s June 27th, and– ya know what, I’ll just show you.” The camera flipped around to show a Mercedes GLE that was missing three tires, and a Bruce who was hunched over, clutching his stomach laughing, “Bruce, do you want to tell Leslie what’s going on?”
“There was this–this tiny little kid, and he- and he stole my tires.” Bruce fully squatted and leaned his head against the car door because he was still laughing, “And then– and then–” Bruce apparently could not stop himself from laughing, “ And then he hit me with the tire iron, and called me a big boob!” If Bruce wasn’t on a street he would’ve been rolling around on the floor.
Honestly, Jason doesn’t think there was ever a time Bruce laughed that hard.
“Are you hurt, Beloved?”
Bruce shook his head no, and took a couple of breaths while wiping tears from his eyes, “ Tim, give me back my phone. I’ve got some people to call.”
“Are you gonna call the cops on him?”
Bruce looked at Tim like he was crazy, “No, I need to contact Elaine to see if I can adopt him.”
There was a bit of shuffling, but the camera only cut off after Tim grumbled, “ I could probably steal your tires too.”
Jason spared a glance at Bruce, only to find him with a slight fond smile. “Ain’t no way that was that funny.” Honestly, all Jason could remember was being terrified out of his mind. If he hadn’t been so scared, he would’ve thought of a better insult than ‘ya big boob.’
Bruce huffed out a laugh , a real one that Jason hasn’t seen or heard in years, “Honestly, It was a lot funnier considering I was dressed as a giant bat when you took a swing.”
Jason shook his head in disbelief.
“I’d get hit with that tire iron a million times if it meant you would enter my life.”
Oh. Oh.
No. He probably just means the kid Jason used to be. Jason sucked in a breath through his teeth, “Been there, done that, and let me tell you, Old Man, it was not fun.”
Jason half expected Bruce to yell at him for making a joke about his death, but he just rolled his eyes, “I guess I walked right into that one.” The next photo was a candid of Jay in the manor’s library white streak stark against his black hair, looking like he just rolled into Narnia, “That was the exact expression you made when you first saw the library.” Bruce looked back at Jason with a smile that wrinkled the crows feet around his eyes.
“I guess some things are constants when it comes to us.” 
Bruce fixed his gaze at the younger Jay who was oblivious to the way alternate reality Bruce was smiling fondly at him. “I have a good feeling about this reality too.”
They continued to watch the slideshow. Most of the pictures and videos with Jay in them consisted of him covering his face, unless he was absorbed in a book, or cooking with Alfred.
Then there was a video of Jay in the bathroom with a bowl of black hair dye and a brush, Cass straightening the white streak, so that the hair dye would go on more evenly.
The mirror showed it was Tim behind the camera, “I still think you should paint it red.”
Cass set down the straightener, “I think you should keep it the way it is.”
Jay shook his head, “This is gonna be my first time out in public as Wayne's new foster. They’ll already–” Jay cut himself off and chewed the inside of his cheek, “Maybe in a couple years. I’m just not used to all of this yet, and I don’t want more eyes on me because of a stupid autoimmune disease.” Jay took the brush and started parting the white strip so he could cover it in the hair dye.
“It’s not stupid. It looks really cool.”
“It makes you unique,” Cass shrugged, “ It is your hair, though, and you should be changing it because you want to, and not because everyone else thinks you should.” Cass smiled at herself, “ That’s what Dick would say.”
Jay frowned for a second, until a mischievous grin slowly appeared on his face, “ I’m gonna dye my hair, but not because of anyone else. I just wanna see how long it takes Dick to figure out I have vitiligo.”
Cass grinned and grabbed the bowl of hair dye, “I’ll help.”
Jay lowered the lid of the toilet and sat down facing Cass, “Timbo, you’d better hide that video.”
Dick turned to Jason, and flicked his hair, “I guess the white streak is also a universal constant. Even if the reason isn’t magic in this one.” He turned back to watching the slideshow, as Jason shared a look with Bruce.
Dick may be a great detective, but boy could he be dense sometimes. 
The next picture was of Jay and a three year old Damian looking out of the plane window, followed by a video of Jay reading out loud to Damian, Tim and Cass, as all of them gradually get closer and closer, until they were all cuddling, and then a photo of Damian, Tim and Cass sleeping as Jay seemed to continue reading 
Then there was a video of the seven of them in an empty looking stadium. The camera focused on Jay for a couple seconds before he pushed it away and it focused on Dick hugging his siblings. And then Talia, and then Alfred.
“Bruce, can’t you give it to him? You know him better, and you bought it.”
“You came up with the idea, Jason.”
“Anyone with brain cells would’ve been able to come up with it.” Dick started walking over to the pair, “Here, let me take the camera…” There was a bit of shuffling, “And you can take the bag!”
The camera focused just as Dick engulfed Bruce in a hug.
They pulled apart as Dick glanced at the bag, “Ya know, B, you didn’t have to get me a gift. A new little brother is more than enough.”
Bruce handed the gift bag to Dick, “Actually, the gift was Jason’s idea.”
“Snitch.”
“I am just giving credit where it’s due.”
Dick opened the bag and pulled out a red and yellow leotard with a pair of green shorts and green pants. Dick immediately recognized the colors and put a hand to his mouth.
“I know blue is also the color of the Flying Graysons, but to me these colors have always been more… iconic. I’m sorry if I overstepped, you don’t have to wear it–”
“No, shut up, I’m wearing it.” Dick had a soft smile on his face, “I was debating doing the quadruple flip, but I’m sure this is a sign that I should.”
Bruce clapped a hand on Dick’s shoulder, “ Great, because the rest of us are going to match.”
“Stop, I’m literally going to cry.”
The next photo was of all of the Robins– the whole family, because Alfred, Bruce and Talia were also wearing red, yellow, and green– in their colors. In the Grayson colors
Jason looked over at Dick whose eyes were glossy, but he was still smiling. Though he wasn’t looking at the screen. He was looking at alternate reality Jay, who was being nuggied by alternate reality Dick.
Dick realized Jason was looking at him, “It’s kinda the opposite of our first meeting.”
“Huh. it is, isn’t it?” he thought back to Dick giving him the box with a Robin suit that was too big for him. It was Dick’s official stamp of approval. He never got to grow into that suit.
Vaguely, he wonders if Bruce threw away that suit, along with all the other ones, save the one he died in.
The next video was of Jason in the garage with Bruce staring at a singular tire with a bow around it.
“Is that a tire I stole?”
Bruce grinned, “It is.”
“Huh. I didn’t realize you got them back.”
“I have my ways.”
Jay turned to face Bruce, “You do realize I stole them to make money, right? Currently, this serves no purpose to me.” His face morphed into something dejected “Unless…”
“No. No, not that.” Bruce kneeled in front of him, “ Jay, lad, I know you’ve only been here for a little over a month, but I would like to say, you will always have a home here. No matter what. 
“In fact this is more of a promise. I was thinking of giving you a tire for each of your birthdays, so by the time you turn 16, you’ll have all four. I was thinking we could maybe build a car together.”
There was a flurry of emotions that flashed over Jay’s face, before it settled on disbelief. “You? Bruce Wayne? Build a car?”
 “I am a man of many talents.”
Jay raised an eyebrow, “I better not be the only one putting elbow grease into this thing, otherwise, as soon as it’s finished I’m drivin’ away. With all four tires this time.”
Bruce lifted his arm to flex his bicep, “I’ll put in the muscle.”
Jay rushed in to give Bruce a hug and just as quickly pulled away, “ Thank you, Bruce.” Then Jay turned to face the camera directly, “ Are you seriously filming us, Tim?”
There was a video of the family helping Dick move into a dorm room. A picture of the first day of school with a very happy looking Jay, and just… memories captured that was so normal . No bruises, no broken arms, no hollow eyes from any of them. Just… love.
Obviously Jason knew that this family had to have had its fair share of ups and downs– most of them had seen loss in horrific ways– but the downs didn’t seem to lead to bloodshed, or near murder. Just more understanding.
The slideshow ended with a photo of the entire family cuddling on the couch, sleeping while Dick who was on the outskirts took a selfie.
The crowd erupted into cheers as the lights slowly brightened and alternate reality Bruce took to the stage. 
“Hello everyone, and welcome to the 30th Annual Wayne Foundation Charity Gala.” There was a polite round of applause, “Now, you may be wondering why I decided to start off the night differently than I have in the past years. That is because it has been brought to my attention that my usual speech about philanthropy and giving back to the community is, and I quote ‘ mundane and monotonous, and became stale after the second gala.’ Jason’s words, not mine. So he helped me write this.” There were a couple of chuckles that went around the room, “While I still believe in those values, the real reason this Gala is so important to me, is because it was important to my parents, Martha and Thomas Wayne. To me, this Gala has always been in memory of them.
“My parents loved this city, but they didn’t love it for its old buildings, or the grime on the pavement. No. They loved Gotham for her people. My dad, a doctor, who never turned his back on someone in need, no matter their background. My mom, who knew she was blessed with money and realized she could use that to help other people who need it in this city. Which is why the Wayne Foundation was made. Though, I don’t think there’s a single person in Gotham who didn’t already know that. Yet there was so much more to my parents than just that. Even though they’ve been long gone, I still see them everywhere. 
“I see my mom sitting at the kitchen counter, sipping her tea while Alfred prepares breakfast. I see my dad in the living room whenever baseball plays. I see my parents on the porch swing that overlooks the garden, but most importantly, I see them in my kids.
“The way Dick cares for his siblings sometimes is almost the exact same as how my dad used to care about me. He’ll bring an ice pack over in three seconds flat, even if they say they’re ok. He’ll slap a bandaid on an ouch, even if it isn’t bleeding. He’ll do anything to bring a smile to their faces. Just like my dad always did with me.
“I’d give up everything just to see Cass laugh. Because the way she laughs is just how my mom laughed. The way it starts with soft giggles and gradually gets louder and louder. The way she leans her head back and clutches her stomach. The way if something is truly hilarious, she’ll lean her head on the nearest solid object, trying to gasp for air.
“And Damian, oh Damian. He looks so much like Talia, but sometimes, I catch myself staring at him, picking out which of his features belonged to my mom, and which of his features belonged to my dad. His ears are shaped just like hers, his eyebrows are sculpted just like his. His curly hair is definitely from my mom.
“I can tell that Tim looks at the world in the same way my mom did. He looks at everything, taking in every little detail. He knows even when the subtlest thing is off. And when he looks at you, you know he is not just seeing you, but he’s seeing you . All of you.” 
Bruce pulled out a sheet of paper and placed it on the podium, “And I knew all of these things subconsciously, but Jason, he had to hold my hand through writing this whole speech. I would say some things that I remembered about my parents, and he’d go ‘ like blank does?’ and I'd be like–” Bruce facepalmed, “ duh. But he didn’t help me with this part. Uh oh, I’m going off script.” There was a rumble of laughter at that, but Bruce had a really soft smile on, and was making eye contact with Jay, “But in all seriousness, I think of the way I met Jason often. How he came to me on the reminder of the darkest day of my life, and turned that day into something brighter to remember. And I don’t believe in Fate, or God, but whenever I think of that night in the alley, I can no longer think of a boy who lost his parents. I can only think of my parents guiding their grandson to me. Jason made me realize that my parents guided all of my children to me, and to Talia, and to Alfred. And for that…” Bruce’s eyes were shining as he blinked hard and fast, “I don’t think words can describe how… how glad I am to be blessed with the beautiful family I have today.”
I can only think of my parents guiding their grandson to me.
Jason turned to his Bruce, only to see tears streaming down his face. 
What’s going on? Was he hurt? Why is he crying? He never cries. Batman never cries.
But this wasn’t Batman. This was Bruce.
I can only think of my parents guiding their grandson to me.
“Bruce? Do you…?”
Bruce looked from Jason to Dick and back to Jason, “Every single word and more. And so much more.”
And before he knew it, he was in his Dad’s Bruce’s his Dad’s Bruce’s his Dad’s arms. And then his brother’s arms. He was in his dad’s and his brother’s arms and everything felt–
Whole .
Jason felt whole .
They stayed in each other’s embrace as Alternate Reality Bruce finished up his speech, “There was a poem my mom read to me once, and I had forgotten about it until Jason showed it to me again. The poem actually inspired this entire speech. It’s called ‘ Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep’ by Mary Elizabeth Frye. 
“Do not stand at my grave and weep; I am not there; I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints on snow, I am the sun on ripened grain, I am the gentle autumn rain.
“When you awaken in the morning's hush; I am the swift uplifting rush; Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry,
“I am not there; I did not die.”
There was a moment of silence as the audience drank in the words. And the silence was pierced. But not by applause or cheers.
It was pierced by twin shots.
Gunshots. 
And screaming. Screaming even though the room seemed to be drowned out by the sound of cicadas.
Because Jay was slumped on the table. 
He wasn’t Robin. He was no longer a street kid.
Still, he was–
Bleeding. 
One Bullet through the heart, one bullet through the head. 
Tablecloth stained red.
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marvelforged · 3 months ago
Text
Night Owl
Night Owl
    Bruce has always been a Night Owl.
    When he was a child, nighttime meant peace and safety. It meant a respite from his father’s explosive anger and overindulgence, the man passed out on their old couch, hopefully until morning. There were no monsters in the dark that could ever frighten as badly as David Banner.
     Later, nighttime came to mean freedom from school and its ever-present bullying, an escape from the pressure to pretend to be something he wasn’t. To be Normal. Bruce could let his imagination and his endless curiosity run its course without censure.
      The dead of night was, and still is, when Bruce does his best work. Freed from the constraints of a society that hates him, fears him, the Nighttime is a blessing.
    And besides, isn’t that where monsters belong? In the Dark?
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