#I couldn't figure out a good nickname for cass

[rubydubydoo122]

Do you think anyone in the Batfam has names for each other that aren’t their names/hero names? (Like Jason making fun of Dick by calling him mathlete, or Damian calling Bruce baba when he’s especially tired or sick/wounded (or both))

Yes.

I think in Canon, Dick and Tim call each other certain 'golden girls' names (I could be wrong, but I know they refer to themselves as tv show characters)

Dick calls Jason Little Wing in canon (i personally think he only uses it teasingly, NOT in a meaningful way, because if Dick was being sincere, he would probably call Jason, "Jason") He probably uses it like "You have much to learn, Little Wing" or "How're you gonna get out of this one Little Wing?" -- he uses it in low key patronizing ways, and Jason hates it

Steph = Blonde

Tim = Ronald McDonald (bc Red Robin)

Damian = lil' D

Duke = Ducky Momo

[theogygiaisland]

HC: A WW2 Batfam AU

I have a plot bunny stuck in my head about the Bat Kids meeting during World War 2.

They drive a Tank named the "Bat-Mobile" because it's one of the only tanks that survived the massacre of his old Battalion during the early stages of the war in France. (The Bat here is derivative of "Battalion"). It stuck, so when their platoon gets referred during mission briefs, the upper chain of command just go 'send in the bats'.

Bruce "Bat Man" is the Lieutenant and commander in their platoon.

Damian is Bruce's biological son with Talia who hid his age when he enlisted. He doesn't have a nickname yet, but "Bat Brat" stuck when they learned he's Bruce's.

Cue "Jeeze Jason, stop offering me cigarettes, I'm 15!"

Dick "Nightwing" actually came from a different platoon after an ambush of his old platoon left him the only survivor. His name came from his old platoon mates that teased him about taking his night watches in trees.

Tim signed up because he was prejudiced against being half Japanese just to show he was a full blown American (Caw caw motherfuckers!).

He wanted to be called something cool, like 'Red Bird' or 'Eagle'. They just call him 'Drake' thinking it's funny. It's not.

Jason was an old Prisoner of War by der Witzbold German calvary. He was an old battalion-mate of Bruce's who got trapped behind enemy lines. He was found wearing a Nazi flag over his head, nearly dead in the forest during one mission and he just stuck around and got absorbed into the platoon even if he's still bitter about not getting back on his captors who were fighting farther down the line than their orders.

And of course he's the demolitions expert, go figure.

He's scratched out the poem "Do not go gentle into that good night" by Dylan Thomas in the inside of the Bat mobile once during a really awful nightmare about when he was taken and couldn't go back to sleep.

Cass hid her gender during the war, called herself 'Cain' the entire time until she got caught one time having excruciating PMS and the boys run around not knowing what to do while she just whimpers because that shit's painful. When they learned she was a girl, the entire platoon just accepted it.

The fact that she's the best sharpshooter goes unsaid.

She almost never speaks up because she didn't exactly have an education and her voice? As soprano as you can get.

They name her Red afterwards as an inside joke. Tim was brooding for a week.

Duke is their field medic. They call him 'Signal' because hot damn do they have to signal him every damn time because he won't give you morphine if you keep being a dumb shit that keep getting shot Tim!

But really he's just bitchy because they get to do heroic shit while he's usually second line of defense because really, where would they be without him to patch them up

Imagine all the funny things they get into:

Bruce: [strategizing over a map] So the raisins are the Germans and we're the jelly beans. Tim, this is you, you're providing cover fire while Jason and I-

Dick: What are the walnuts?

Bruce: Oh those are just snacks.

Duke: [points] I bet I'm the green one at the- HEY! BRUCE JASON JUST ATE ME!

--

Tim: The Germans aren't easing up! It's a Mexican stalemate!

Jason: I'm pretty sure it's just a regular stalemate bub.

imagine the ANGST thinking everyday is their dying day oh my god

[crackinglamb]

Hi! How do you come up with the nicknames Varric uses for Carly and Imogen and any other characters he’s want to nickname from your fics. I’m honestly having trouble for one of my characters and thought I’d ask how others do it. Sometimes it’s easy like with a Dragonborn, who shouts and is then nicknamed Whisper, but other times it’s difficult.

Varric's nicknames in-game are either affectionate or ironic. Or both. He calls Solas 'Chuckles' because he's so serious. Bull is 'Tiny' because he's not. Dorian is 'Sparkler'...because he is. Merrill is 'Daisy' because she likes to pick flowers, and she is indomitable like a weed. For people he's truly intimidated by (Aveline, Cass, Leliana...Hawke...) he uses no nickname at all. One could argue these are also people he truly respects, but I think it has less to do with that and more to do with knowing just how many buttons he can push before he's afraid for his life. He's a very good judge of character, and a snarky little shit.

For nicknaming OC's, I try to figure out what sort of defining trait Varric would see in them upon first impression. (There's banter between Varric and Dorian to the effect that his nicknames are born right away, after all.) So, Carly - a sweet and refreshingly honest person - is like peaches and cream to him. Hence, 'Peaches'. Imogen is a redhead and carrying the Anchor. He calls her 'Firefly', since it's better than 'Glowhand'.

I tend to have him nickname Hawke, but then again, I also tend to write him as in love with her, so...ya know, canon has no power over me. Marian (from Twist) is called 'Stinger', because she's a dual wield rogue, and he couldn't call her 'Honeybee' without getting stabbed. Eliana (from WG) is called 'Sparks', because she's a fire mage. It was a deliberate choice to have him call her that while also still calling Dorian Sparkler. Elly was first in his life and there's a precedent set for him reusing a nickname from game to game.

Basically, it comes down to if he's fond of your OC and what he would see as being either definitive of their personality or something of a joke. Or both. So what would you call your character? Because that's probably what Varric would.

Thanks for the ask and happy writing!