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alyssadeliv · 3 years ago

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The Forgotten One

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Chapter 12

They were going to the zoo. Richard had decided that after two months of her living in the Manor it was time to have some family bonding time. It didn’t matter that most of her time in the last months was used to get to know her new extended family or get reacquainted with her old one.

He was adamant that she needed the full Gothamite experience, so here they were on a Friday afternoon on a crowded metro, listening as the oldest one tried and explained how Metro’s worked to her. He was so happy, gesticulating and smiling, that she didn’t have the heart to tell him that she indeed knew how the metro worked, having lived in Paris for almost two full years.

After Damian, Richard was her favorite sibling, mostly because she had always seen him as a role model, as part of her training had been inspired by him and his trapeze maneuvers, but she did enjoy the warmth that she tended to feel when he was around. He was patient and had no problem explaining pop culture references to her. Not that she didn't enjoy spending time with her other siblings, it was just that Richard went out of his way to make her feel accepted.

Tim was a very busy person, and their interactions were reserved to 3 a.m. coffee hunts. He wasn’t bad, just closed off, and a little wary of her after his first experience with Damian. Not that she could blame him. But she was a bit closer to his girlfriend, Stephanie Brown, who would come to have dinner at the Manor every week.

And there was Jason. She refused to address him as her brother, that would just be plain weird. After the initial shock of finding each other again had worn out, it had taken a few weeks for them to finally address the elephant in the room. She could tell that he had struggled with the news that she was Bruce’s biological daughter.

“Dick, maybe speed the lecture a bit so we can still get to the zoo before it closes.” Jason was leaning casually against a wall, finding this whole situation funny. He was wearing jeans and his red leather jacket, nothing special, but if she was honest he looked rather handsome.

“It’s fine Jaybird, I was just wrapping it up!” He says with a smile, just in time for them to catch the next wagon. Because they spent at least 25 minutes listening to Richard’s lesson, the metro had emptied a bit so they were able to find seats. It was just the three of them, the others would meet them there, after being picked up by Alfred, Damian after school, and Timothy after a meeting.

“So… I know Bruce said not to ask, but I’ve been dying to know…” Richard starts unsure, afraid to cross a line. They were lucky to score seats in the same section, she was seated with Jason by her side, with Richard in front of him facing them both. “But how exactly did you two meet, I mean it was obviously at… Tibet-'' He caught himself before he could out them as members of the League, you never knew who could be listening in their conversation, so better safe than sorry. “- but why do you know Jason, but Damian didn’t?”

With a glance to the side, she was more than happy to allow Jason to explain that part. In the two months she lived at the Manor she saw how much they wanted to ask about their relationship, but kept their distance. Aside from Damian, they didn’t feel the need to inform the family about their past.

“Well, Pixie Pop here was the one to train me for the duration of my time in the Temple. Kicked my ass more times than I can count.” He says with a smirk, while casually butting an arm on the back of her seat. “She taught me most of what I know”

“Most of it?” She was indignant, but the smile on her face betrayed her true emotions.

“To be fair B didn’t totally suck as a parent.” She knew that he and Father didn’t have the best relationship after he came back from his time at the League, but according to Damian, it used to be way worse, not that she would know. Richard seems content with their explanation and didn't demand more information, even if he desperately wanted to. He respects their boundaries, and that only makes her like him more.

When they got to the zoo, Damian and Timothy were already there, but surprisingly Stephanie had tagged along, so now she wasn’t the only female in the group anymore, not that she cared, but she liked her brother’s girlfriend so the surprise was appreciated.

She had never been to the zoo before, just to see the attractions. The times she went to fight an Akuma did not count. It was a bit sad seeing all these animals stuck in a cage, and she could tell her brother felt the same. Damian always had a soft spot for animals, and would not tolerate if they were being mistreated. Not surprisingly, the Waynes made annual donations to the zoo to ensure that all the animals were well taken care of. When she first heard about that she was glad that Father cared about Damian’s interests enough to pay to support every zoo and animal shelter in the city. It helped ease her guilt for abandoning him for two years knowing that now she was not the only one who cared for him.

They spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the animals. And Dick was glad he chose to go to the zoo as a family bonding experience. When Damian first came into the family he had taken him there, after discovering that his younger brother absolutely adored animals and he was happy to see that Marianne liked it as well.

Efficient as always, Alfred was already there waiting for them the minute they crossed the exit of the building. As she came to know, the men seemed to have a six sense when it came to all of them. Just by his aura, she could tell he wasn’t someone you wanted to cross, but she could see how much he loved each one of his grandchildren (because she could never kid herself to think of him any less than a Grandfather).

“I assume that today's activities were enjoyable.” The butler asks as he opens the back door of the limo for them. Richard enters first thanking the men.

“It was acceptable” Damian voices, as he too enters the vehicle.

It was a bit of a ride, seeing that the Manor was almost outside of Gotham, but she didn’t mind. Seated between Richard and Damian she spent most of the journey chatting with everyone. But by the time they arrived at the house everyone was a bit tired, so dinner was a relatively small affair. But not uneventful, because as revenge for Bruce bailing on family day, the boys started sharing with her all the shenanigans of her father’s public persona, Brucie Wayne. It was amusing to see this new side to her father, always so reserved and serious.

“If you are all finished sharing Master Bruce's embarrassing moments, I believe it is time for patrol.” Alfred as always came to defuse the situation before it could implode.

Because she spent most of the last two years fighting almost every single day, she decided that she needed some rest from her hero lifestyle. Even after her father asked if she would like to accompany them on patrols, she decided to turn it down for now. So while her family directed themselves to the cave, she made her way into her suite.

It was a beautiful room. Although the color scheme wasn’t something she would have picked herself, it fit with the furniture rather nicely, and her artist side appreciated that. The room itself was simple, but the red colors and the dark wood made the room seem cozier than it was. With a double bed with a canopy, two bedside tables, a vanity with a mirror, and a wardrobe, it had everything she needed. Her Father had encouraged her to decorate her room the way she wanted, and she had been tempted to do so, but ultimately decided to wait until she settled into her role as a family member before she went and added more change to the mix. What she had been very close to doing was adding a desk so she could draw and design, but after she discovered that there was a big one in the library just a few doors from her room, she dismissed the idea.

Quickly she showered and changed into something more comfortable than her street attire, before exiting the room and making her way into the library. It wasn’t as big as the one downstairs, but it had a big balcony that overlooked the gardens, so she liked to just sit in a shadow and sketch away. Damian had been kind enough to spare one of his unused sketchbooks and some pencils, knowing that she liked to draw just as much as he did. She leaned forward into the railing resting her arms and head, but still looking upwards.

The sun had already set, and she was glad that they were far enough away from the city that she could see some stars in the sky. Having lived in Paris, she had really missed all the stars she could see at night from her home on the League. One of her studies had been about the Astros, so she spent a lot of time as a kid contemplating the skies.

“It’s going to rain soon” A voice comes from behind her. Without having to turn around she knew who it was. A smile appears on her face.

“Aren’t you supposed to be getting ready for patrol?” She asks, straightening her body, but still not turning around. She could feel the person getting closer to her until she felt a presence at her side.

“That’s the whole point. It's gonna rain.” He carries a hint of humor in his tone “And besides I prefer to keep you company, Pretty Girl. Besides, I believe Red Hood deserves one night off. The guy has been working hard.” He jokes.

With a smile she finally faces him. He had showered and changed, and without his red jacket, he looked so relaxed. It reminded her of their time in the League. Like that he looked so much like the angry boy she helped train. So young and while broken, so full of life and fight in him. He smirks at her but turns his face upwards to look at the night.

“You always did love the stars.” He commented, not looking at her. “It’s sad that here you can't see them as much.”

“It’s not that bad. In Paris, you couldn't see any. It was sad, but to be fair the whole city more than compensated for that. It’s beautiful there.” She recalled all the times she went on a midnight stroll around the city, just enjoying the architecture. “I could spend eternity drawing all the details in the buildings.”

“Do you miss it?” He asks, looking at her. His tone is neutral, but by his body language, she can tell he’s anxious for her answer. She had always been good at reading him, and she was glad that their time apart had not changed that.

“In a way…”

She sighs.

“I liked the city, but I spent most of my time there fighting and training. Not much different from before. It was like everything changed but was still the same. To be completely honest… I miss our time at the League the most.” She confesses but hurriedly continues. “Don’t get me wrong, it was hard! But still… at the same time…”

“I get it.” He interrupts her. He has a small side smile, and the dimples on his face make her want to freeze this moment and draw him so she could eternalize him. Instead, she gets closer to him, seeking comfort in his presence at her side. He embraces her. Securing her in his arms, her body pressed against his, her head buried in his chest.

It was funny to think that the most capable woman to take care of herself he knew, chose to be vulnerable around him. It made him feel loved.

“I miss it too.” He whispered in her ear. She raises her head, just enough that she can see his face without removing herself from his arms. Staying like this reminds her of all the nights he used to sneak into her chambers. And they would talk and hold each other for hours. It felt like it was just yesterday the first time he got the better of her.

“Focus!” She yelled while landing a kick at his unprotected left side. “You are unbalanced- in three moves I could have you on the ground again” She punched him to his right, but he was able to block her and tried to deliver a punch of his own. His knuckles were bloodied, and he knew that in the morning his ribs would hurt. But at this moment he was high on adrenaline. She dodged.

They were training for what felt like hours. But both were too stubborn to ask for the fight to end.

But just as promised, in three more moves he was on the ground. He tried to get back on his feet to continue with the fight but was stopped by a foot on his torso.

“That’s enough.” She helps him to get on his feet. “You were great! You could have overpowered me so many times! I left you so many openings!” She laughs. This was routine for them. After a fight, Marianne was usually so pumped with adrenaline that she spoke at a mile per hour. “We really need to work on your tactics this week. Oh! You also need to improve your stance, you’ve been favoring your right side too much. I know your ribs hurt but you still need to protect your body as a whole.” She comments only stopping to take a large sip of water. “Well, I am spent.”

“You’re spent? I’m the one that has been eating dirt for the whole hour!” He complains indignantly. She tossed a water bottle in his direction, which he grabs and happily finishes in a single gulp.

“Just another reason you need to study more!” She grins. And turns to exit the room, and while walking to the door turns to him again.

“See you in a bit” She winks.

When they meet again they are in her room. She’s seated on the bed sketching some view, while Jason sits on the floor sharpening his knife. They chat casually for some time, but ultimately end speaking about their training session earlier.

“That move would have totally worked!” He exclaims, knife long forgotten he now kneels facing her bed.

“There’s where you are wrong, you need strength on your fist on both sides to push my torso, otherwise I would easily be able to doge only one. You need two punches at different sides in succession for you to distract your opponent!” She explains in a hurry. Her thoughts jumped around her head.

“No way! If it’s strong enough, only one is needed!” He argues.

Worked up she threw her notebook to the side, forgotten. In a second she was up, signaling for him to do the same.

“There is no way. Stand there, pretend to be in stance.” She directs, and without a second thought, he complies. “Okay, so I come for your right side first, you are stronger there.”

Her movements are slowed, as she demonstrates the move. “That’s going to distract you, and keep you focused on your stronger side, leaving your weaker one unprotected.” She shows him where he left an opening for her. “So all I need to do now is strike again, focusing more strength now. Either a punch or a kick would do the trick.” As she goes to demonstrate her point, he grabs the incoming slow punch and pulls her into his body.

Unprepared she loses her balance, falling into his chest. In a second he secures her with his other arm, keeping her in his embrace. She feels her face burning with embarrassment. He caught her by surprise, and she felt ashamed.

“Hey that wasn't fai-” But he silences her, bringing his face closer to hers and giving her a heated kiss. It lasts for some time, but when they finally separate themselves he has a grin on his face.

“Just to be clear, I knew the move wouldn’t have worked. You just look cute when you're angry.”

And before she can protest he shuts her up with another kiss.

So this is by far the biggest chapter! Hope ya’ll like it! We finally get the story behind Jason and Marianne. Let me know what you think!

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outoftheframework · 5 years ago

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characterization cheat sheet - batfamily girls + additional characters / elements

Some of you wanted to see another one of these posts including the girls, so I thought I’d combine them with a few other points I was thinking about after I posted the first one.

You can read about the batboys here.

Cassandra Cain:

Age: 18-22

Appearance: Cassandra is of asian descent, typically has pale skin, shoulder-to-chin length jet-black hair, and a button nose. She has the body of a dancer, with long legs, a lean middle, and strong arms. Cass is typically wearing black and is drawn with dark, strong features to match.

Personality: Comic Cass is almost on the complete opposite of the spectrum as the one portrayed in Birds of Prey. She is disciplined and seems to work well with teams / under the direction of Batman. She has the potential to grow into herself more as a leader. Cass can be impressionable, especially toward the beginning of her journey and with people she likes/admires, like Batman or Stephanie. Cass is similar to Dick in her capacity to love and her dedication to her found family.

Speech: She grew up training to be a master assassin completely reliant on reading body language, and was never taught to read or speak. Her portrayals range from her being completely illiterate to her having a stronger control of language after spending some time with the batfamily. Her desire to learn and express herself is a hallmark of her personality, and she can sometimes become frustrated. Cass can be expressive through her body and facial features, and in some iterations (mostly fanworks) communicates through sign language.

Additional Attributes: Cass is a good listener and often easy to get along with. She is sometimes caught up with proving her strength/her worth, especially to her biological parents and sometimes Batman. Despite her being illiterate, do not write off Cass as unintelligent; she is on par with the rest of the batfamily. Cass likes to travel and sometimes takes long journeys away from Gotham.

Barbara Gordon:

Age: 25-30

Appearance: Barbara has red/orange hair of varying lengths, often pulled out of her face (with some fly-aways). She wears glasses often while working as Oracle, but I’ve never seen a Batgirl interpretation wearing glasses while in uniform. Her wearing contacts could be a little detail to add to your work. Babs shares some features with the Commissioner (who also wears glasses). She is tall and healthily thin. She’s often dressed in comfortable clothes or business casual attire. As Oracle, she is a wheel-chair user.

Personality: Growing up in Gotham as a police officer’s, and later the Commissioner’s, daughter, Barbara is thick-skinned, outspoken, and can advocate for herself. She holds secrets and lies easily, even to her father whom she loves. As Oracle, Barbara suffers from PTSD, which affects her mood and actions, more so in the beginning of her time with the mantle. After some time coming to terms with her injury and trauma, Barbara delves into her work as Oracle, which is a monumental help to the batfamily. She’s smart and quick-witted, and never misses an opportunity for a pun.

Speech: Barbara grew up with Jim, who definitely has a strong Gotham accent. Her speech is assertive and doesn’t typically stutter or trail off at the end of sentences. At work she speaks very differently than at home or with friends. She has a playful canter to her voice when relaxed and surrounded by trusted companions. Her voice as Oracle is smooth and clear like a radio host, as she is to provide information quickly and accurately. Her voice has a calming effect to the vigilantes out in the field.

Additional Attributes: Babs is the best at calling Dick Grayson out on his bullshit, and he typically cares about her opinion the most. She appreciates friendships but is not reliant on romantic relationships. She is one of the world’s best hackers and computer scientists, with a very high IQ.

Stephanie Brown:

Age: 17-20

Appearance: Long blonde hair with bright eyes and pink lips. She has a cute beauty to her and tends to keep herself well-groomed. She often wears purple (her favorite color) and black. Stephanie Brown is one of those characters that artists love to give unrealistic body proportions to. Perhaps because she’s blonde? Whatever the reason, she’s often drawn with like a 10-pack and back-breaking-ly large breasts as a teenager. I implore you not to do this, but I mean, whatever floats your boat. She’s a vigilante but is also a teenager that obeys the laws of human proportions.

Personality: Steph is witty and loud. In fan works she’s often the one to suggest a fast-food run or dare someone to do something wild. Stephanie is a self-starter and dedicated to heroism after growing up with a dad involved in crime who continually abandoned and lied to her. Steph is still young and can get caught up in common teenage angst and gossip. She can make mistakes but stringently takes steps to correct them.

Speech: Stephanie is close to Jason in the degree of her accent, but with a feminine touch and a stronger control of modern slang. Sometimes uses speech fillers as in “um” and “like.” Her voice fluctuates in tone with her emotions. She likes to tease and joke around, and can purposely use incorrect grammar.

Additional Attributes: In her original continuity, Stephanie became pregnant as a young teenager (I want to say around 15 years old). She is mostly firm in her decision to not raise the baby, but some doubts and regrets still appear when she’s emotional. She found a lot of support in Tim during that time, but ultimately the decision was her own and caused her to mature very quickly. Steph’s hero name of “Spoiler” stems from her “spoiling” the plans of villain “Cluemaster,” her father. Stephanie loves waffles.

Additional Elements and Characters:

Kate Kane: I admittedly haven’t read much involving Batwoman, but here’s some basic points.

She is a female foil to Batman as his Bruce’s cousin; she similarly uses her wealth to fight crime in Gotham

She has bright red long hair and very pale skin, with a tall athletic body

Her sexuality is a main theme explored in her narratives

Jim Gordon: One of my favorite reoccurring supporting characters

Jim is of average height with a slightly athletic build due to his position. He wears glasses and often neutral colors like tans and grays.

Jim Gordon without a mustache isn’t Jim Gordon

He has a very accurate moral compass and is adept at following his gut feelings about danger. He is at foremost a detective, which contributes to his relationship to Batman.

Alfred Pennyworth: The man, the myth, the butler

Alfred lived a full and exciting life before working for the Waynes, and is trained in military medical assistance

He can put on a calm and collected appearance to take control of a situation despite his actual feelings

Alfred is loyal to the Wayne family but will not hesitate to reprimand Bruce or the kids

Ace the Batdog or Titus?: The age old question

Titus is directly associated with Damian and his softer side/love for animals

Ace is more so Bruce’s dog, and sometimes even performs clutch actions to help out Batman and co.

Wayne Manor: These walls hold a lot of secrets

The mansion is located just inside the city limits of Gotham, with expansive surrounding land and a long, gated driveway

The manor is secured with the latest security systems to keep both enemies out and sneaky kids in

The layout changes and is up for interpretation, but it’s often described as “stately,” which implies grand and old architecture

The whole mansion is well-kept but Alfred, but some places accumulate dust, especially high bookshelves and little nooks and crannies

Gotham City: Take creative liberties

Gotham varies from a some-what functional city with corruption and violence in the shadows to a complete gothic hell scape where it’s never daytime

These can add realism or an elements of fantasy, respectively

Gotham is a mix of old and new, with modern corporations like Wayne Enterprises mixed with ornate art deco buildings like City Hall

Like real cities, Gotham is a mix of safer, more tourist-y areas and more dangerous areas like the appropriately named “Crime Alley”

Hope this helps! Feel free to add on, and remember to be civil and respect other people’s interpretations :)

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heroicadventurists · 5 years ago

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Robin 80 ***spoilers***

Robin 80 was a wonderful celebration of the first sidekick... the Boy Wonder... Robin. This issue consisted of 10 stories focusing on the different iterations of Robin. While Carrie Kelley received a pinup in the issue, she did not receive her own story. Robin 80 focused on the five canon Robins. While some are upset that Duke was not included in this lineup, he was never an official Robin to Batman. If we count Duke, we have to count all of the "We Are Robin" crew. When given the choice by Batman, Duke chose to pave his own path as his own hero, which is commendable. Dick received 4 out of the 10 stories in this issue, which was fitting considering it is also his 80 year anniversay. My favorite thing about this issue was the acknowledgement that Bruce adopted the male Robins. Below I rank the stories in Robin 80 from my least favorite to my favorite.

10. Dick Grayson, Nightwing in Aftershocks

Writer: Chuck Dixon

Starting off my list is Aftershocks. This story follows Dick after he has quit being Robin, and has assumed his new identity, Nightwing. This story highlights perfectly how Dick operates as a solo hero. He is brave, quick on his feet, witty, and of course, he saves the day. This was a good one-shot but it didn’t have the impact that some of the other stories in this issue had. However, it did serve it’s purpose of showing Dick coming into his own.

9. Nightwing and The Titans in Team Building

Writer: Devin Grayson

Like Aftershocks, this story serves to show how Dick operates as a team leader. He was smart, strategic, capable and decisive. He was everything you want in a team lead. As before, this was a good one-shot, but it also lacked the emotional impact that other stories on this list had.

8. Dick Grayson, Agent 37 in The Lesson Plan

Writers: Tim Seely and Tom King

Like Aftershocks and Team Building, this story follows Dick as Agent 37. In this story he is a mentor to a young recruit named Paris. He gives her lessons throughout the story that contradict every lesson Batman ever taught him. When he gets to the final lesson, he tells her the one thing that he agreed with Batman on “Ignore Your Mentor. Do What You Do Best”. One thing I really appreciate about the stories focusing on Dick is that each story is a progression in his vigilante career. He has an actual arc in Robin 80.

7. The Supersons in My Best Friend

Writer: Peter J Tomasi

This was an adorable story about how Jon views his friendship with Damian. Damian is a lot more vulnerable when he is with Jon, and honestly, he acts like the kid that he is. This was a lighthearted and sweet story that shows a different side to our current Robin.

6. Tim Drake, Robin III in Extra Credit

Writer: Adam Beechen

This was a wonderful piece that highlighted how awesome Tim is. For so many, Tim is their Robin, and it was nice to see him getting recognition in this comic.

5. Stephanie Brown, Robin IV in Fitting In

Writer: Amy Wolfram

Out of all of the stories in this issue, Stephanie’s story made me think the most. There was a very deep meaning behind this story once you get past the surface level. So let’s breakdown this story. The story begins with Stephanie showing up late to a training session. She suits up in one of Tim’s old costumes. Of course there are issues with this and Stephanie is busting out of the seams (not because she’s overweight but because she has breast, butt and thighs to contend with). She complains about her hand-me-down costume while Bruce focuses on training. Even with her top busted, Bruce is still training. He even has the nerve to tell Stephanie she is distracted. Alfred shows up with Dick’s old costume as a replacement, and Steph asks for something “without a cup”. Bruce FINALLY makes Stephanie a suit fit for a young lady, but when she puts on her new costume, Bruce tells her “no more excuses”. Let that sink in. He saw her complaints about wearing a male costume as an excuse not to train. Let’s carry on. They go to Western Town to take on Firefly. The villain du jour does not take Stephanie seriously and calls her “Cosplay Girl”. Stephanie is rash during the fight and does not follow Batman’s orders, resulting in her capture by Firefly. She is able to avert disaster (barely) and saves the day, but Batman still chides her.

Batman: “Tim would have waited outside”

Robin (Stephanie): “I’m not Tim!”

Batman: “I know”

Stephanie tells Bruce that she wants to be her own Robin and to stop trying to make her into something she’s not. Bruce hears her and makes her a special closet in the batcave with her own costumes. This seems like a step in the right direction but we know how her Robin story ends.

At no point in this story did I feel like Stephanie was being sexualized. it was more awkward and embarrassing than anything else. Neither Bruce nor Alfred said anything inappropriate to Steph, and no skin or nipples were shown thru her shirt. She was just in a predicament where her costume was too tight because Bruce was making her wear Tim’s old costume. And that was the point of the story (at least for me). Bruce wasn’t trying to find a replacement Robin, he was trying to find a replacement Tim, and eventually get Tim back.

Bruce has a bad habit of trying to replace people in his life. He did this with Jason and he did it with Stephanie, and the results where dang near the same. Bruce replaced Dick with a direct copy, down to the hair color, race and costume. Bruce was trying to do the same with Stephanie, however it was unsuccessful for obvious reasons. This story really made me think about all the extra pressure Bruce put on Steph and Jason by trying to have them live up to Tim and Dick respectively. Instead of playing up their strengths and letting them define what type of Robin they wanted to be, he wanted them to be replicas of their predecessors. Both results turned out in disaster with Jason dying and Stephanie nearly being killed after she was fired. To me this story highlights how badly Bruce tried to use Stephanie to get to Tim. It makes absolutely no sense that he wouldn’t make her a costume to fit her body. But is it surprising b/c he did the same thing to Jason. To me this story was a lot deeper than Stephanie busting out of her top. It was about 1. Bruce’s need to get Tim back 2. Bruce’s lack of respect for Stephanie and 3. Stephanie’s disastrous run as Robin. Say what you will but she held the mantle for less than 3 months and almost died trying to prove herself to Bruce. Stephanie never got a fair shake at being Robin, and this story highlights that perfectly. She was literally setup to fail. Maybe I have overthought this story, but those are the points I got from it, and they are important points to be made, which is why it takes the # 5 spot.

4. Dick Grayson, Robin in A Little Nudge

Writer: Marv Wolfman

This is a story about a boy becoming a man and setting off on his own journey. In this story, we see Batman and Robin clashing on patrol, as Batman wants Robin to fall in line and Robin wants to make his own decisions. The issue ends with Dick thanking Bruce for everything he has done for him but leaving the nest to become his own hero. Bruce knew this day was coming, and instead of talking to Dick, he purposely picked small fights with him so he could make that step on his own.

3. Damian Wayne, Robin: Son of Batman in Bat and Mouse

Writer Robbie Thompson

This story lands in my #3 spot This story focuses on the fundamental differences between Damian and Bruce. Bruce knows that something is going on with Damian, he just can't figure out what it is. He wants to fix it but he doesn't know how. He can't rely on Alfred, as this story takes place after his death. On Damian's part, he is blaming everything on Bruce instead of taking responsibility for his own actions. While some see Damian's current storyline as a regression, I see a lost kid with no guidance. Alfred is dead, Dick is Ric and Bruce is emotionally inept. Jason tried to step-up, but that relationship soured quickly. Damian has no one to guide him, and is making bad decisions as a result. This story sets up the eventual showdown in the upcoming Teen Titans annual.

2. Jason Todd, Red Hood in More Time

Writer: Judd Winick

I was not expecting Jason to have the most heartfelt story in this issue. This story was beautiful and now I want Judd Winick to write another Red Hood miniseries or ongoing. This story highlighted the complicated relationship between Jason and Bruce in the most purest way I've ever seen. Even the artwork had an innocence to it. The story goes back and forth between a young Jason, who loves Bruce wholeheartedly, and an older Jason, whose relationship with Bruce is way more complicated and strained. This story highlights why Jason will always be a part of the Batfamily, because even with their complicated relationship, they love each other. This story just adds to the wonderful stories featuring Jason in 2020.

1. Tim Drake, Red Robin in Boy Wonders

Writer: James Tynion IV

The brotherly bonding in this story is what landed it in the # 1 spot. This story takes place prior to Detective Comics # 934. In this story, Tim cannot decide if he wants to attend college or join Bruce in forming the Gotham Knights. He seeks advice from Dick, Jason and Damian, with each one telling him something different. Dick tells Tim that he's a hero that the next generation can look up to. Jason essentially tells Tim that Bruce is stuck in his ways and he has the opportunity to be better than Bruce. The best advice however came from the little Gremlin in Tim's life. After some well placed insults, Damian tells Tim that he has accomplished everything he has set out to do, and has been successful in his endeavors. At the end of the day "You do anything you damn well please". The confirmations Tim received from his brothers was much needed for him and helped him make the decision to form the Gotham Knights with Bruce. I loved getting a "behind the scenes" look at how The Gotham Knights protocol was formed. Because of these factors, Boy Wonders has my #1 spot.

What is your favorite story from Robin 80?

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animatedminds · 4 years ago

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Let’s Get Dangerous Review!

It’s dangerous. In a good way. <cue dramatic music> Okay, obviously there’s more thoughts than just that. I’ve been waiting for it for weeks, and it arrived just as awesome as I hoped. For the first time, let’s give my full movie style review to the double length Ducktales special: “Let’s Get Dangerous.”

The spoilers are open and widely discussed, so maybe don’t look past the following image if you haven’t seen the episode yet.

To note, I’m not entirely convinced that this was actually meant to be a pilot. It definitely does introduce a new status quo for the Darkwing trio of characters (minus Honker for now, here’s hoping they haven’t forgotten him), but it’s also a very remote story that still tries to take place within the context of Ducktales’ universe, so it really depends on what they choose to do.

But let’s just get down to it.

First off, as I mentioned in my earlier post… Taurus Bulba. He was maybe the biggest and most eye-catching aspect of the first part of the episode, as one of the few elements we hadn’t already seen yet, and his reputation as a really, really bad guy has quite preceded him. As I may have gushed somewhat about, he’s one of the best parts of the special.

James Monroe Inglehart, for those living away from the Disney scene for a decade, is an actor and voice actor most famous for being the original Genie on Broadway’s Aladdin. A grand, bombastic presence, he generally plays characters who - much like the genie himself - a big, jolly, kind but maybe a little mischievous souls that take the attention of a room and brighten up the characters’ day - like Lance, in Tangled the Series. The most interesting thing about Bulba is that Inglehart brings that exact same energy to the role, and so Bulba keep that jollity and lofty personality in a package that becomes increasingly less nice as the story goes on. As someone who keenly remembers Taurus Bulba as cruel monster willing to hurt kids and capable of crushing Darkwing like nobody’s business, the contrast was immediately fun to watch - and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

In this story, Bulba is recast from a crime lord intending to use a super weapon go on an endless plundering spree to a FOWL scientist with a respectable reputation who intends to use a super weapon to take over the world, and the transition goes off fairly well. The end result is a pretty standard mix of superhero fight and Bond plot, as Bulba ends up holed up in his lab with his squadron of elite supervillain minions - all plundered a particular fictional universe - with the heroes having to break in / escape from his captivity and stop him before he destroys everything. It’s very Silver Age, with Bulba in the role of maniacal villain, and he’s contrasted very well with Bradford - who is as always an antagonist who prides himself on pragmatism. This contrast leads to some great moments: Bradford’s increasing frustration with the cavalier attitude of both the heroes and the villains gives him the best stint of characterization he’s had since the beginning of the season - he basically spends the whole episode arguing with everyone about how badly thought out their actions are, while also badly hiding his own secrets.

The Fearsome Five (of which Quackerjack is voices by his original actor) are great to see, though used minimally. If you’re expecting to see classic show dynamics between the villains and Darkwing, that’s not really what they’re used for. Mostly, they’re minions with personality, and they’re more there to establish both to the audience and to Drake the character himself that he is ready to take on really big threats even with his lack of superpowers.

But enough about the villains, on to the heroes!

A couple episodes ago, with the Halloween episode, I criticized that story for not balancing its A and B plot all that well. This episode does not have that problem. The story is actually maybe about three fifths Darkwing’s story, and the rest of it is Scrooge and the nephews as they figure out what Bulba is up to independently of Darkwing and try to stop him themselves. It’s somewhat similar to Timephoon, where they’re there constantly and are doing their own bid to solve the story but the focus isn’t primarily on them. Instead, we have some of the best “HDL actually matter to the story” bits of the show, where they escape Bulba’s prison on their own and lead Bradford out, all the while slowly figuring out that something is shady about the guy. Meanwhile, Scrooge gets stuck in the original Ducktales universe’s most memed scene, which was a fun gag (but not the best gag - that would be the one and only Bonkers D. Bobcat as the Harvey Bullock-style cop in the Darkwing show).

Which I suppose can lead to a digression about the mad science bit here. The alternate universes here are… interesting. I always pay special attention to how things like time travel or other dimensions or alternate universes work in a series, and this one reminds me the most - I think - of DC’s Dark Multiverse: a collection of universes that are both explicitly fictional but made real because people created them. Ultimately, it’s less as if the OG Darkwing universe exists independently of the Ducktales universe and more that the in-universe Darkwing show as a world based off of it that the characters can reach into. I wish the episode had delved into that more, and now you’ve got people trying to use it to look for more establishment of OG Darkwing elements (though I was fine with it being separate, perceiving anything else as rather needlessly inexplicable), but ultimately that is not specifically what the episode is about, and is kept rather separate.

So what is the episode about? Like you didn’t already know…

As always, Gosalyn Waddlemeyer is a little girl whose grandfather was done away with by Taurus Bulba, and who falls into Darkwing’s lap over the course of his adventure with him. Here, her grandfather is (possibly) still alive, just lost in the ether a la Gravity Falls’ Grunkle Ford. And like the mighty glazed McGuffin, Darkwing’s goal in the episode is less strictly defeating Bulba as it is helping her get her grandfather and her home back. Gosalyn here is self-sufficient and action oriented (it may be my inner Brooklyn 99 fan talking, but I loved Stephanie Beatriz as her, and kind of wish she had gotten a wider range of lines), taking on her own crusade against Bulba until she realizes she can go to Darkwing for help, and is constantly trying to pull him into the fight - even while he is reluctant, and no matter what the danger - so that they can win and she can get justice. But in the end, she has to accept that they might not be able to.

As a longtime Batman fan, I immediately recognized a plethora of Robin references with Gosalyn. She’s a kid who’s family was taken from her by a villain, given a surrogate home by the hero - like Dick Grayson. She’s a street tough who originally met the hero committing a crime, and who is both skeptical of his heroism and heavily critical of his flaws - like Jason Todd. And she’s a young genius with a lot of scientific knowledge, tech skills and common sense - just like Tim Drake. There’s even elements of Carrie Kelley or Terry McGinnis there, in her determined if not gung-ho approach to heroism despite her circumstances and the hermit-like behavior of the hero.

And in the end, this is a fairly apt comparison, because Gosalyn essentially ends the story more as a Robin figure than previously, now as Darkwing’s more of a ward and official sidekick alongside Launchpad. The story does not, to note, involve her being adopted by Drake or becoming Gosalyn Mallard. Indeed, they don’t really end up having that sort of relationship. They’re distant and don’t really know how to relate to one another, and not about to broach the subject of family except in distant terms. There’s ultimately far less emphasis than before on Gosalyn and Drake being similar and hitting it off on a personal level, or even really Drake keying into Gosalyn’s potential and spirit as a person vs an element in his adventure. Throughout the story he regards her as a victim to be saved, then ultimately as an ally with potential to be respected, and in the end he gives her an offer to take up the mantle along side him while they search for her family… which ultimately creates something very different.

For people expecting something a little more akin to the implications the show made with Gyro and BOYD, Gosalyn here. The implication that they could be a family is brought up by Launchpad, but neither Drake nor Gosalyn are really there at the end of the story - I want to say they’re not there yet, but the way the story goes gives off the impression that the dynamic duo dichotomy is the relationship for the two the writing is most comfortable giving them.

Again, I’m a longtime Batman fan, so I understand and appreciate the nod. It gives them a really cool status quo that’s distinct from what came before it. Still, the strong father/daughter relationship between the two was very much the heart and soul of the original show, an endearing quality that created the character traits we love about both characters, and ultimately one of the primary characteristics that set the Darkwing family apart even from most comic book superhero stars - so even if they made something great out of it, it’s a shame to see Ducktales ultimately keep that relationship at arms’ length.

But that’s less a criticism and more just something I wish they had chosen to do differently - and it makes sense for the 2017 team’s take on Darkwing, which has always been more focused on “irrepressible hero who doesn’t give up” - a pluckie rookie growing into his competence - than “former fool whose great potential is unleashed through the people around him.” The latter is there, sometimes, but it’s not prominent. Original Darkwing was a man made better by his daughter, while the modern Darkwing doesn’t quite need that to find the hero within.

The only (and I mean only) criticism I have is the way the characters kind of jump around in how they respond to things. Drake wanting more crime, and then freaking out when super crime shows up and it’s way more than he thought he can handle is fine, and is one of the better character bits in the special. It being unclear whether Drake is against fighting supervillains because he thinks they’re too powerful vs because he doesn’t want to risk Gosalyn’s safety is another thing, though - it seems the show intended to imply the latter but forgot to include the line somewhere, so it’s not inferred until later and Drake suddenly benching Gos towards the end lacks set-up.

For her part, Gosalyn is suddenly and quickly afraid to fight for a brief moment so Launchpad can inspire her to face impossible odds, even though it was hardly the first time she had done so in the special. The ending I think wanted the characters to be somewhere that the rest of the special hadn’t gotten them to yet. But it’s all good - it ends well, so all’s well. Best gag of the episode, btw? Fenton, who is awful at keeping his secret identity secret, has hooked up Darkwing with his own hi-tech hero lair. Darkwing, despite supposedly being a detective (or at least an actor playing a detective), ends up as one of the two or three people remaining on Earth who hasn’t figured out that Fenton is Gizmoduck. Darkwing considers himself good friends with Fenton, despite hating Gizmoduck. It’s actually very funny.

It’s as of now unclear what is coming up for Darkwing. We know the St. Canard characters are going to factor in more as the FOWL plot progresses, and this episode kicks that plot into high gear - the characters now know about FOWL and their intentions, and are preparing themselves for a far more dangerous fight than usual. In short, with the midseason comes the renewed focus on the primary plot of the season, as per the usual. Like I said before, while I’m not as on board as most with the idea that this was a pilot, St. Canard was definitely established here - with series regular Zan Owlson as it’s new mayor, and a general aesthetic and set of protagonists. It wouldn’t be remiss for a future episode this season to take place there (though we know Negaduck isn’t happening this season).

The new few episodes, however, are focused more on the quest for Finch’s treasures and FOWL, so that’s going to have to wait for a while. We’ve been promised, as I recall, an episode that brings all the kids together (unless that’s part of the finale), which is nice - I may have mentioned before that the best episodes of the series have been the ones that put the kids (who are the characters with the most focus throughout its run) together and let all their personalities run through an adventure together - and with the cast growing somewhat constantly, it’s nice to know that no one is being forgotten.

Either way, I give the episode a great deal of recommendation - I only had a couple things that bothered me, and a few wishes for different choices, and ultimately I’m planning on watching it a ton of times just like I did the first Darkwing episode. From a classic Darkwing fan, and in the words of Bat-Mite, it’s a different intepretation to be sure, but not at all one without merit.

So thanks to Frank Angones, Matt Youngberg and the Ducktales crew! I hope my virtual thumbs up reaches them somehow, but either way, it was a good day to be dangerous.

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enternalempires · 4 years ago

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Intruder in the Batcave

This is a Maribat fic, no ship yet (leaning towards it being Jasonette) but here’s part 1! Hope you guys enjoy! Also I am technologically inept, I can’t figure out how to make a link to my Ao3 but if you want to check it out, my username is the same!

Tim was on a coffee high.

Usually this wouldn’t be an issue, he was a coffee addict and he had no shame in that fact even when it made him behave like a drunken— albeit genius— zombie. At seventeen and CEO of Wayne Enterprises he had a lot of work to get done, meaning long hours and even longer headaches.

So he was doing things to keep himself entertained past the freedom of no work that often coincided with being bored.

Such as hacking into the Manor’s cameras and snooping on his family.

Jason, unsurprisingly, was stuffing his face with an unimaginable amount of junk food in their living room while watching Dick and Cass spar— Stephanie laughing and throwing things at them from the side while Babs just trash-talked them with a rather sassy amount of sarcasm.

Damian was sharpening his favorite katana and the rest of his sharp ‘stabby stabs’ as Jay liked to call them— and was scowling that signature scowl as if he knew that he was being watched.

Tim smirked at the glare thrown towards the camera. That little gremlin definitely knew and couldn’t do a damn thing.

Unless, of course, he tried to stab him again.

Alfred was somewhere being, well, Alfred.

Tim, for all his intellect, stopped questioning how the butler and pseudo-grandfather seemed to know anything about everything and before that thing even happened— and seemed to teleport to places randomly, moving quicker than the teenager thought possible sometimes.

But that was just Alfred.

He was the scariest of them all, even though no one said it outloud.

Flipping through the cameras, it takes his brain a split second to back-track to what he saw— or who he saw talking to Bruce in the Batcave. Tim went back to it instantly, turning the volume of his computer up as he tried to process what was happening.

“—you can’t make decisions like this, regardless of what you believe.” His father said, only making his curiosity grow (so of course he did the reasonable thing and sent a live footage link to his sibling’s phones). “This is not your territory, this is not your city, and these are not your people to control.”

“Control?” The girl standing opposite of Bruce, probably no more than five-feet tall and looking no younger than fifteen, hissed with a thick French accent. She had deep blue hair and blue eyes from what he could tell, and she was wearing a red mask with black polka dots and a suit to match. “I don’t want to control anyone, I want to keep them safe! And frankly, Mr. Wayne, you’re nothing but dull if you think that my stance on this matter is unimportant. If you go against me on this, you won’t like what happens.”

Tim watched with wide eyes as this girl— this tiny, young girl who had what looked like a yoyo for a weapon— stood in front of his rather intimidating father and said this without flinching.

He briefly looked at his siblings through the cameras. All of them, even Damian, were watching in shocked silence and bated breaths.

They didn’t know who she was either.

“Are you threatening me, Ms. Dupain-Cheng?” Bruce’s eyes hardened into that familiar Batglare that could send shivers up the cruelest of men’s spines but only made the bluenette smile— which was, admittedly, more terrifying than he would like to admit.

“Leaders don’t threaten people, Mr. Wayne,” She responded. “They only uphold what is right for the safety of their people and follow through no matter the consequences. So, tell me, are you willing to become part of the burden that is placed on my shoulders or will you stay out of my way?”

“You can’t bard my family and our associates from a whole country because you’re scared.”

“You’re right, I am scared.” The girl sighed out, crossing her arms. “But not of you, and not of your family. I am scared for this world and what would become of it if Hawkmoth got in control of one of you. The Kents agreed, the Queens and the other heroes in his and the cities around him agreed. Why can’t you just understand the severity of this?”

Kents. Queens. Heroes.

She, undoubtedly, knew a lot of very dangerous information.

But Hawkmoth? Who was that?

Tim pulled up a search and quickly cross referenced with France, finding a sight called the Ladyblogger and a bunch of news clippings showcasing the notorious Butterfly Terrorist of Paris. He shared that to his sibling’s phones, too.

She was the leader of what the reporter, a young woman named Alya Cesiare, liked to call the Miraculous Team— a bunch of heroes (that typically was just a duo) that fought with the powers of magic jewels that the Hawkie dude wanted?

But no one knew who they were but there was this Marinette Dupain-Cheng in one of the reporter’s videos. That is what his father called her. Cool, cool. She’s a fashion designer but also a superhero.

And, basically, she’s best friends with the chick trying to find out her identity?

But her partner was basically a leather clad furry?

And they’re fighting a magical terrorist named Hawkmoth who deals with neither hawks or moths?

What self-respecting villain names himself that?

“I understand well enough,” His father said, shoulder’s squaring as he met the young woman’s eyes. Abort mission. Abort mission. Don’t make the yoyo-chick angry. “I understand that you are a child meant to be saving the world—”

“Don’t patronize me,” Dupain-Cheng— Ladybug— growled. Tim swore he could feel the power behind her glare from where he was sitting. “I took the mantle of being Ladybug when I was thirteen years old and I became sole-guardian of the Miraculous this year alone. One wrong move and billions can be wiped from existence. I am not savior of Paris, I am not savior of France, I am not savior of the people. I am the savior of life as we know it. I have seen the world drowned and the moon cracked in half in the sky and I have fixed it all alone so that it wouldn’t be our future, so don’t sit there and look down at me because I am a child. Because I am meant to be saving the world. I have saved the world, Mr. Wayne, and I am allowed to tell you what to do to keep it safe.”

Bruce was silent, steely eyes ever leaving the young heroine’s frame and Tim could feel his heart pounding in anticipation. Was his father going to argue more like the stubborn man he is? Adopt her like he did all the too burdened children he came across? Introduce her to them all so he could know what the hell was going on?

“My family will stay out of your way,” He finally said, giving in. “Ms. Dupain-Cheng, I want to be regularly informed about the situation and if there is any way that my partners and I can help.”

“The more anyone knows, the more dangerous it gets,” Ladybug told him. “I appreciate the offer but I won’t be accepting it anytime soon.”

Bruce nods and fixes something on his suit before his and Marinette’s attention get moved to Alfred who comes strolling over to them as if seeing a magical ladybug-themed superhero arguing with Batman was an average, everyday thing.

Alfred’s seen weirder, Tim decides. Alfred has definitely seen weirder.

“Will you be paying me another visit to discuss the restrictions?” His father asks, causing the bluenette to nod her head slightly. “When?”

“My class is on a field trip to WE tomorrow, we won the overseas trip and month’s stay for Gotham Academy so I’ll be here awhile to refine the understanding you seem to lack,” Ladybug just carries on as if she didn’t just poke his ego with a sharp stick. “We can discuss it during the lunch break, if I can slip away from everyone. I’ll bring Chat, too.”

Chat? Right, the leather furry! Her partner that destroys things.

Maybe having so much coffee wasn’t a good thing.

#maribat #crossover #faminette #timari #jasonette #dickinette #marinette dupain cheng #jason todd #damian al ghul #bruce wayne #batman #batcave #intruder #fanfic #mlb fanfic #miraculous ladybug fanfiction #maribat fic

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ofcatsandstars · 4 years ago

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one character for every ttrpg i read (2/∞) - masks: a new generation (brendan conway, magpie games)

ahhh, i fell in love with masks from the first time i read it. this is thyme! they are a protege of white owl and part of the aviary, which are analogues to batman and the batfamily respectively. i love them dearly.

backstory questions + my thoughts on the system under the cut! (also an ap podcast!)

How did you first meet your mentor? I think white owl was already a fairly established vigilante. as far as comic characters, i think they’re most similar to stephanie brown or tim drake, in that they were heroing on their own before approaching their mentor.

When and why did you choose to train with them? cardinal just thought that white owl was the coolest. their home is within white owl’s patrol route, so they saw her fightin’ the good fight and all that. I may go the stephanie brown route and say that a close relative/friend got wrapped up in the supervillain life and they became a hero to stop them & went to white owl for guidance.

Why did they agree to train you? cardinal is very stubborn i think. when they want to do something, there is very few things that will stop them. i think white owl knew that no matter what she chose to do, thyme would go out and hero on their own anyways. so the best way to keep them safe is by giving them proper training.

Who else, outside of the team, knows about your training? their best friend edgar. they’re inseparable and tell each other everything (although, i’m sure he does feel a little left behind, recently....)

Why do you care about the team? it’s hard to answer this one since they technically don’t have a team yet. but i think they appreciate someone having their back all the time, but also enjoy the break from the constant pressure that being around white owl puts on them sometimes.

my thoughts on masks as a whole:

GOD I LOVE THIS SYSTEM SO MUCH. it takes the pbta formula and fits it perfectly to the genre of teenage superheroes, and the things it adds just work so well.

this is a system focused primarily on emotions, self-image, and relationships between pcs. instead of damage, characters take emotional conditions that debuff their stats while they have them (angry, hopeless, insecure, etc.). in order to clear these conditions, they must take an action in line with that feeling or be comforted by another player.

stats are always changing, depending on the character’s self-image. if they accidentally hurt someone, their danger stat will go up because they feel that they’re more dangerous to the people around them.

players also can take influence over each other, and they can use that influence to change other’s stats or convince them to do something more easily.

this system fosters roleplaying SO well and is just. such a good game. god.

if you are even a little interested in the system, please check out protean city comics! it is such an excellent podcast. the gm and players are fantastic, and they make a commitment to diversity in the very first episode. it’s wonderful.

#i am just going to use this as an excuse to rant about rpgs because i have no where else to put my feelings #masks a new generation #ttrpg characters challenge #masks rpg #masks: a new generation #art #masks is probably one of my favorite rpgs. its up there with scum and villainy #which is the next one! so look forward to that #november 2020 #2020 #thyme hartford #ttrpg #rpg #ttrpg characters

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meterokinesis · 4 years ago

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Caged Birds Still Sing

Read it on AO3

Prompt: explosion, kidnapping, tearful smile

Summary: Tim's been kidnapped before. He doesn't know if he's getting out this time.

It had been three days since Tim had been kidnapped by the League of Assassins. This time was significantly less nice than the last, and then he’d been missing an organ.

He was in the same lavish rooms, with their silk sheets and gilded mirrors, but the lock on the door had been changed. Where Tim had once been allowed to come and go, he was now stuck here. The door locked from the outside, and the only other point of escape was the large balcony, where iron bars arched overhead. He was a Red Robin in a golden cage.

Meals came at regular times. A crossword puzzle came with his breakfast, and on his second day a copy of War and Peace came with lunch. He’d been stripped of all his trackers and gadgets when he got here, which had been replaced with the silks of the League.

Tim was well acquainted with kidnapping. Having been the only heir to the Drake fortune, he had been kidnapped twice as a child, once when he was three and once when he was eight. He didn’t remember much, other than the shrieks of police sirens when he’d finally been found. Once he started as Robin, the kidnappings began in earnest. He was never gone for longer than a night or two, and Bruce always saved him. He was Batman, that was what he did.

So Tim bided his time, sipping ginger tea and doing crossword puzzles and reading Tolstoy. Soon, Bruce would come.

On the fourth day, Tim received his first visitor. He was on the balcony, taking his breakfast under the bright desert sun. He looked up to see Ra’s al Ghul, the reflection of his jewelry practically blinding against the shadowy backdrop of Tim’s chambers. Tim took another bite of toast.

“Hello, Detective,” he drawled as Tim squinted up at him.

“Oh, hello,” Tim said quietly. “Have you made up your mind on whether or not you’re killing me yet?” Ra’s didn’t laugh, but Tim didn’t expect him to. He wasn’t known for his sense of humor.

“See, there’s only so many reasons you’d keep me here,” Tim continued. “You don’t need intel, because you already know everything about us. You don’t need money, because you’re richer than God. I’m either here because you want to trade me for something, you need me to code, or you still want that heir.”

A venomous smile spread on Ra’s face. “Clever boy.” The words stilled Tim, his toast abandoned on his plate. “Now, follow me.”

Ra’s swept out of the room and Tim followed, keeping sure to hold his head high. His mother would be proud. Even being led to his doom, he wouldn’t let the facade fall. As they walked through the Cradle, Tim refused to meet the eyes of the assassins that milled about. He could feel their gazes tear at him, but he let the wounds pile up.

Ra’s study was incredibly simple, but nice all the same. It looked like an older version of every board member’s home office. Tim despised it.

Ra’s gestured for him to sit in one of the stiff chairs, and Tim complied. The head assassin remained standing, his fingertips brushing over the manuscripts that lined the walls.

“I feel as if we know each other well enough by now, Detective. You spent quite a bit of time with us before you decided to defect. You know that I do not play, I win.” Tim stared ahead, trying his best to keep his face blank.

“So, here is what you will do. And you will do it, Detective. You will notify Batman that you are turning in your cape to work for me. You will tell him not to search for you.”

Tim cleared his throat. “And if I don’t?”

Ra’s smirked, as if he expected the question. “Then I will instruct the assassins following your civilian friends to put bullets in their skulls. I don’t believe Mr. Fox will appreciate losing two of his daughters in one day. I know Commissioner Gordon wouldn’t be a fan. Nor Ms. Ives.”

Tim nodded shallowly. “So it’s them or me?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Why exactly do you want me so badly? Why not Damian or Bruce?”

Ra’s laughed darkly. “Because your spirit will be so much more fun to break.”

___________

That night, when he was safely back in his beautiful cage, Tim began his letter.

Dear Bruce (and Dick and Jason and Babs and Cass and Damian and Steph),

Since my return to Gotham, something has been missing in my life. I’ve decided to come back to the League of Assassins in an attempt to solve that emptiness. This is of my own volition. Do not come looking for me, I do not want to be found. I love you all.

Always yours,

Tim

He fell asleep watching the moon shine through iron bars, wondering if this is how every criminal he ever put away felt.

___________

It took two days for Ra’s to start giving Tim tasks around the Cradle. Small ones, mostly filing. Some putting pieces together. It felt as if even with all of Ra’s power over life and death, he didn’t know much about order. Tim slogged through the work, waiting for time to tick down. He fixed small loopholes and backdoors and monitored agents in the field. It was easy work, at least when Tim forgot about the trained killer hovering just outside his door.

At night, he scratched out notes on the pages of Tolstoy. Short snippets, like “I’m sorry” and “Thank you” and “I always loved you.” They’d never see the light of day, but they made him feel better.

During his free time, he fixed the computer wiring and did odd electrical tasks around the Cradle. It was as if no one there knew how to use a soldering iron. As much as the menial tasks frustrated him, they kept his hands busy and kept Ra’s off his back.

___________

Rescue came two weeks after Tim Drake was kidnapped. He was in the main hall when the alarms of the breach sounded. Assassins streamed around him, all headed to their respectful stations. Tim headed to the control room.

The control room was small and filled with screens. A skylight gave the tiniest bit of natural light twenty feet above. Tim busied himself with the controls, monitoring the cameras and putting the last minute details on his plan.

Rapping came from the skylight, and Tim looked up to see Steph waving at him. He hesitated for half a moment, then nodded. She shattered the glass and rappelled down, landing with a quiet thud.

“Tim, here,” she whispered and pressed a comms unit into his hand. He nodded and placed it in his ear.

“I need all of you to listen to me. You need to leave,” he began, his voice hoarse from disuse.

“We’re not leaving you-” Dick butted in, but Tim cut him off.

“You have to. If you don’t, civilians die. People we love die. I-I can’t let that happen.” Stephanie placed a hand on his arm, but he shrugged it off. “I have a plan, but I can’t pull it off if you’re here.”

“We’ll let you take point on this, Red Robin.” Bruce’s low voice calmed the nerves racing through Tim’s veins. If Batman said it would be okay, it would be okay.

“You have three minutes to evacuate,” Tim finished, then slipped the comm unit out of his ear.

“Tim…” Stephanie whispered, reaching out for him. This time, he let her hold his hand, running his thumb over the seams of her gloves.

“Hey Stephie,” he murmured, trying his best to muster a smile. “You have to go, okay? You have to be a hero. For me.” She shook her head, opened her mouth to say something, but he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Go,” he urged, and she nodded. With one last squeeze of her hand, she was grappling back through the skylight. He watched as she disappeared, and tried not to let his heart break too much.

He readied the plan, fingers flying faster than he could remember ever doing before. Hands trembling, he placed the comms unit back in his ear just as it crackled to life.

“We’re all out, Red Robin. We’re a kilometer away, in one of the nearby caves. What’s your ETA?”

Tim smiled shakily. “I’m afraid I won’t be joining you. The Cradle’s undergoing self-destruction. I set up the protocol while Ra’s thought I was doing busy work.”

“Tim, you can’t be serious.” For the first time in years, Tim thought he heard fear in Bruce’s voice. “We can still get you out.”

“Someone needs to make sure it goes through with no interference. If Ra’s wants me so bad, he can have me.” Tim suddenly became aware of the tears rolling down his cheeks. “Thank you for saving me. Thank you for loving me. Now it’s time to let me save you.”

Despite the layered protests in his ear, Tim pressed the figurative big red button. As tears stained his face, he smiled. At least he would go out saving people. That’s all he had ever wanted to do.

The numbers ticked down on the screen. 8… 7… 6…

“I love you,” Tim rasped.

3… 2… 1…

The world went white, and then there was nothing.

#whumptober 2020 #my writing #tim drake #kidnapping tw #explosion tw #ra's al ghul #bruce wayne #dick grayson #stephanie brown #batman #nightwing #batgirl #red robin

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clickforspoilers · 4 years ago

Text

bullseye.

WHO: Tim Drake @redrobin-timdrake & Stephanie Brown @clickforspoilers WHERE: The Manor & IHOP WHEN: Backdated to September 10th, 2020 WHAT: Tim finally leaves the house to get food with Stephanie and they talk about lots of things.

TIM: With so much bullshit going on, Tim had thrown himself wholeheartedly into figuring out what happened to Dick, compiling files, and dealing with the League's upcoming mission. It was finally taking its toll. He missed just… any levity at all and sometimes felt completely dead on his feet. He was used to going without sleep or any kind of functioning schedule. But this… was so much. And he just… finally Tim Wayne needed a break.

It was with that realization that he pushed himself away from his computer and stepped out of the Batcave. Even the dim light of the Manor had his eyes squinting as he dragged himself, much like a dead man walking, to where Steph was. “Hey, Batgirl,” he said with a tired levity as he dropped down next to her. “You want to go get IHOP?” What time was it even? Was it night? Was it day? He had buried sleep with caffeine and twenty minute naps in his desk chair. “I just… need a break.” And IHOP was 24 hour. A true gift from God.

STEPH: Steph was worried about Tim. She'd been worried about him ever since Dick got shot. It wasn't uncommon for him to spend so much time in the Batcave, she was actually used to it, but he never left. There were plenty of nights she ended up falling asleep in a nearby chair, slumped over the desk. Hours later, she'd wake up and he'd still be working. Not even Alfred had been successful at getting through to him.

Patrol was dull and uneventful, which meant she got to end her night early. She was sprawled on one of the couches in the living room and editing a video when Tim walked in. Shocked, she instantly sat up with a grin. "Really?? You're finally accepting that you're a human who needs to eat? Yeah, let's go!" If she waited too long then he might change his mind. Maybe once he'd gotten a good meal, he would actually be able to sleep for longer than fifteen minutes.

TIM: Tim rolled his eyes before shaking his head. "Don't be a butt about it," he told her playfully before holding up the keys to the Red Bird. "I'll drive?" He offered. If she wanted to, he would surrender them, but he hadn't driven anywhere in a few days. Though... maybe he shouldn't? Tim didn't know.

Steph never really gave Tim a hard time unless it was really important or she was really worried. It worked well that way. Alfred and Dick could both mother hen, but not Steph. She would often just sit by him--or, in some instances, on him--while he worked, chatter or not chatter, just to keep him company. It mattered. It was meaningful. He appreciated her. And he appreciated that she was almost always there when he finally did resurface.

STEPH: "Hmm, don't think so, Boy Wonder." Steph snatched the keys from Tim's hand. She would take any excuse she could to drive, but she didn't really need one this time. Who knows how much sleep he'd gotten in the past... what, week? "Sleep-driving is a thing."

Unlike Alfred and Dick, she did her best not to fuss over Tim. She learned early on that he reacted better when she respected his boundaries and showed faith that he knew his own limitations. Sometimes she doubted if he actually did, but she was there when he skirted too close to the line. That was the only time she'd ever outright yell at him.

TIM: "Maybe i'm a better driver in my sleep," he argued playfully as he let her take the keys. He didn't actually care if she drove. He just wanted to spend time with her. He knew he had been scarce, and while she would understand as she always did, he wanted to make time for them. After all, aside from the making out and things like that, they hadn't really decided anything concrete about what they were again. He wanted to. Because Tim realized that somewhere between the moments of her bringing him coffee, falling asleep on his shoulder, or resting her hand over his while he used his mouse simply to touch him and remind him he was alive before letting him get back to what he was doing, he had begun to think of her like his girlfriend again. Honestly, he didn't know if there was ever really a way Tim wouldn't think of her at least partially like that.

He followed her bouncing blonde ponytail out to the garage where his little red car waited for them. "I could go for bottomless waffles. And, of course, the endless coffee."

STEPH: "Is that even possible?" Tim was a good driver, at least compared to her. Steph was a lot less meticulous about precision at least, but she also didn't have the tendency to get lost in her head. That combined with the years she spent as Batgirl made her insecurity less palpable. It was still there, but she didn't feel question every little thing or obsess over their status. She actually liked where they were. What if she ruined it by making it something concrete? It didn't mean she was single, though. That was something she took off her Facebook a while back. Now it was just blank. It wasn't anyone's business anyway.

Unlocking the car, she slid in the driver's seat. "Bottomless waffles are a given. Do you think they'll have the seasonal flavors out yet? Kind of in a pumpkin mood." Maybe it was still too early. "Ever think about going in costume? Everyone knows who we are anyway. Might be a good PR move, right? Vigilantes are people too."

TIM: "Never know unless we do it," he reasoned, though he was teasing. Steph did that. She brought out his playful side much more. It was always refreshing. Tim snorted. "We should do a promo for IHOP as Red Robin and Batgirl. We go there enough. In Gotham they had our names memorized, remember?" He shook his head before raising a brow. "But if you want to change, now's the chance. Not like i'm gonna complain about looking at you in your Batgirl suit." Or looking at her in general.

"I know they do pumpkin pancakes," he said, moving to get into the passenger seat and tugging on his seatbelt before watching to make sure Steph did up hers. "Not sure about Waffles."

STEPH: Steph considered it. "Maybe that kinda thing is better off planned." Tim looked half dead on his feet. Besides, it wasn't as if people wouldn't know who they were out of costume. She was less recognizable, but Tim was one of Bruce Wayne's kids. He got a lot of press even before people knew he was a costumed hero. The media never had any reason to look at Stephanie Brown, even after her father got caught. "You should take a break from being trapped behind a screen and go on patrol with me one night. We could do it then."

The IHOP wasn't that far, but she caught Tim's look. Wrinkling her nose at him, she fastened the seatbelt over her chest and untucked her hair from where it got trapped. "The waffles are better." She waited for the garage to open before pulling out and hitting another button to open the large gates. Once they were clear of the mansion and on the main road, she finally cleared her throat and reached over to take his hand. "You ready to talk about it?" She knew he wasn't doing okay, so she wasn't even going to ask.

TIM: "I will when I have it solved. I just can't get a match on the footage I picked up. The trajectory doesn't make sense for the shot. I think I have to take my camera angles a few clicks out." He was going to start rambling, but he pushed it down. He blew out a breath. Tim had to get this. He wanted to do it for Dick, to prove he could be there for him to and to make sure Dick knew that they were looking out for him. He had looked out for all of them for so long. He would return the favor. He wouldn't see his big brother in a hospital bed like that again if he could help it.

He relaxed as she clicked the belt, shrugging. "If we throw enough money at them, I bet I can get them to make you pumpkin waffles." It wasn't a question for Tim if he could get her something that made her happy.

As she caught his hand, he looked over at her from where he had been staring out into the black of the night while the trees blurred by, his exhaustion leading him to zone out a little. The question had him blinking. "Talk about what?" He asked dumbly, a little slower on the uptake after using almost all of his brainpower on the case.

STEPH: "What do you mean, it doesn't make sense?" Steph wasn't terrible, but the detective part of her training wasn't something she was best at. That was one of the reasons why Bruce had ended up not trusting her in the field. She jumped in, went with her gut, and even if she was right, it landed her in hot water.

That made her smirk. "I think you underestimate just how much I'm willing to pay for these pumpkin waffles, Timbers." Not that she had a lot of money. There was a settlement she got when her father passed away, but that was barely enough to get by. Bruce had an account opened for her, years ago, but it was rare that she used it. It never felt right.

She sighed, perfectly comfortable steering the car with one hand. "Everything." It wasn't just Dick, but everything that led up to it, including the whole Slade thing and Jason being arrested. It was a lot. Tim seemed to be retreating and handling the majority of it internally, which was... unsurprising, but it made her worry.

TIM: "There were two men across the street and partially obscured, but the shot Dick took came from above. So I went up and out two and a half clicks--standard sniper shot--and I didn't see anyone on any of the vantage points I searched. So it just... is no one. A shot further out than that would have to be a ludicrously good shot." He sighed. "I checked out the two men in the video, then I combed the personnel at NOVA, but that's taking a while."

"You? Nothing is surprising come from you and related to waffles." He shook his head fondly. He'd drop money without a thought for it. It wasn't like he used it all that much anyway.

Tim swallowed, looking out the front window at the road. There was... a lot. "Like... everything everything?"

STEPH: That made Steph frown. It didn't take a genius to know what Tim might be insinuating. There were only a few people who would be able to make a ludicrously good shot. When it came down to who was in the city and capable of it, the list was a lot shorter. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she glanced at Tim briefly. "You don't mean like... so good that only someone like Deathstroke could do it, do you? You're not saying that... right?" Just the idea freaked her out.

Amused, she squeezed his hand and let her fingers lace through his. "Don't worry, I love you more. Just a tiny bit."

She looked over at him again, her brow furrowing, but she couldn't take her gaze off the road for long. "Well yeah, that was the idea," she coaxed. "It might help if you talk about it. Pretty sure it would help. At least everything won't be stuck up in your head."

TIM: Tim pursed his lips as she pieced it together. Steph was smart enough to keep up, even if she was constantly looking down on herself. Maybe she thought he didn't realize. He did. He knew she wasn't unshakable. To him, she had no reason to be insecure. But he could understand where it came from.

"More than waffles. That's an achievement." He shook his head with a laugh, thumb moving over the top of her hand as she tightened the hold. "I... love you more thaaaaan--" He made a small show of thinking before deciding on: "Coffee. But, like you said, just a tiny bit."

The levity fell away as he let out a breath. He felt tired. He didn't know that he wanted to talk about it, but Steph wasn't just asking to talk. She had to be asking for connection, too. He was much more in his head than her, he thought. And he knew that could be off-putting. And maybe it would help if he let it. "I wouldn't even know where to start, babe."

STEPH: "Tim." Steph didn't really need him to confirm it. She could tell by his silence that he was thinking the same thing that she was. That made her even more freaked out. Pressing her lips together, she blinked as she focused intently on the road.

Laughing, she pulled her hand away long enough to smack his shoulder, then gave a heavy sigh and took his hand back. "I guess I asked for that. I'm actually a little shocked that I came out on top of coffee. Pretty sure you started drinking that stuff when you were, like, nine."

Her own smile faded when she heard him sigh. "Just start at the beginning. Or tell me what you're thinking right now." Steph had a hard time speculating about what was on Tim's mind. She'd tried before and she was almost always wrong.

TIM: “It makes sense,” he said flatly. “He came to Star City out of nowhere on some contract we didn’t know about. And I haven’t heard anything about it since then. Nothing on the Dark Web about jobs in Star City. Wouldn’t the employer still need it done if Slade didn’t do it?” He shook his head, mind going a thousand miles an hour as he plucked at strings to get it right. “And he started getting close to Dick immediately. He knew he had leverage on him. He could be playing some sick game where he had to get close to Dick for some reason so he could figure out how to do it without having all of us on him, right? We would never suspect if he made it look like NOVA. Meanwhile, while we were distracted he could keep working here in Star City.” It all made sense. It couldn’t be that Slade just changed because Dick cared about him. Not after two decades of what he did. Dick had always tried to pass on his optimism, but Tim was a realist and statistically, Slade was more likely to be running a con than actually doing something noble. He had had blips in the past, but nothing this long. The drawn out complexities were always a game. The games Deathstroke plays... His blue eyes darted to Steph’s. It made sense to him. Was he insane?

“I think I was eleven, but don’t quote me. It has been a long saga of coffee in a relatively short life.” He shook his head. “But coffee doesn’t cuddle as well as you do.”

“Right now? I’m scared shitless for Dick.” He didn’t swear often, but he was a little tense. “And everything’s weird and just... everything, Steph. Slade Wilson? Things have been messed up ever since then.” That had been when he and Jason had started fighting, too. When things had gotten so tense.

STEPH: Steph hesitated, a bit overwhelmed at the thought of something so convoluted and, frankly, fucked up. She didn't know Slade as well as everyone else did, or really have any kind of past with him, and she didn't fully know what he was capable of. But she took Tim at his word. She knew how Dick could be. It seemed insane that he would believe it to the point of getting killed, but it wasn't outside the realm of possibility. "I mean, that's true... but that's so..." Trailing, she shook her head slowly. "That's a really twisted way to kill someone, Tim. Is that something you think he'd do? Isn't he just in it for the money? And who would put a contract out on Dick anyway? Unless NOVA could have hired Deathstroke, and that's why it's not on the dark web or any of the usual places where you'd look." Would that make sense? She wasn't sure. "Dick's with him right now, Tim. What's stopping him from just making it look like an accident and cashing in?" It's not like Dick was on guard or expecting any of that.

That made her laugh. "I can think of a couple things I do a little better than coffee."

Shaking her head, she slowed down for a yellow light that she normally might have sped up for. She was too distracted to be impatient. "So am I. And yeah, it's weird. It doesn't make any sense, not from what I've heard about Deathstroke, but..." Dick was someone she knew a little better, but still not as well as Tim or Bruce. "There hasn't really been a chance for anyone to talk to Dick about this. He has to have reasons. And Bruce... does he seem worried about it? Has he even said anything? If he were suspicious, he would have intervened, right? Or..."

TIM: “I mean that would make sense. But like... he also made Dick love him ten years ago and then sent his kid to try to kill him before forming his own Titans just to get at Dick after everything. He does play games and do things to hurt Dick. He has in the past.” At her suggestion he could do it now, Tim shook his head. “It’s way too conspicuous. Our whole family is here. If there was a chance things could get back to him, he’d be in trouble. Clark’s here... a lot of people are here. It would have to be planned out.”

Tim grinned. “I mean, you doo give excellent massages.” He knew what she meant, and his ears were a little pink even as he played.

“Bruce has been so focused with the League. I haven’t talked to him or even gotten a feel from him. But he has to be weird about, right? Dick is an adult, so he can’t, like, forbid him from doing anything, though.”

STEPH: "I know. You're right." Steph knew she couldn't be naive about Deathstroke's intentions, especially given all that she'd heard about him over the years. It also made sense that he would want to stay under the radar, even if he'd chosen to do it in a way that put him directly on the radar, because this way he had Dick vouching for him. The thought made her feel a little nauseous. "That would be so fucked up," she said softly, her grip tightening on the steering wheel. "Does anyone know where he was that night?" Babs had the exact time Dick was shot, so it might be possible to backtrack and look at Slade's movements.

Rolling her eyes, she snorted softly. "Anyone ever tell you how cute you look when you're blushing?"

Steph thought about it. When she'd gone to see Dick the morning after he'd been shot, Slade and Bruce were both in the room. Thankfully Tim had warned her ahead of time, but it was still a jarring sight. "I think we're all weird about it, but Bruce has known about it longer than we have." The atmosphere in the room had been somber upon her arrival, but not necessarily hostile. "I just... he could have kept him from that room, right? Slade isn't, like, related to Dick or anything. And Bruce is stupidly rich. I mean, he let him sit right next to him."

TIM: "Yeah. Yeah it would. And admittedly, I don't know Deathstroke as well as some people." Which was already making the wheels in his head turn as he considered. He had originally considered hiring Rose after the dinner party, but he hadn't quite had a solid contract for her. Now, he did. And that was determining why her father had come to the city in the first place. He had to have said something. Some kind of story. But he was also perfectly capable of lying. Rose would see through that better than he would, as Slade's kid and someone trained--at least in part--by Slade himself. "I think I'm going to get in touch with Rose." Not that he relished the idea, considering he still remembered her trying to mount him at Titans Tower.

"Oh yeah. People on the street stop me, people tweet me. Everyone does," he teased before squeezing her hand a little bit. It was just... easy with Steph.

He thought for a moment. "Slade just showed up. Conveniently at the hospital. No one called him. It was like he had a tracker on Dick or something. Or maybe he knew he'd be in the hospital." He couldn't tell if he was going off the rails, but the theory actually seemed like a plausible lead. He hated it, but it didn't make it less plausible. "He told them he was Dick's partner, so they let him in. I guess if Bruce wanted him out, he could have made it happen, but only temporarily. Slade isn't exactly known for just taking things lying down, you know? If he wanted to be in with Dick, I'm sure he would have found a way."

STEPH: "I don't know Deathstroke at all." At this point Steph was taking Tim's word for it, but he was the smartest and most thorough person she'd ever known. Bruce was supposed to be smart, technically, even though his judgment was seriously lacking sometimes. Maybe she shouldn't be fazed by his lack of concern. "Rose? Seriously? Do you think she'd help? She seemed pissed at M'gann's disaster dinner, but..." Was she mad enough to go covert? "Do you think he'd tell her if he were up to something? They don't seem exactly close."

She raised her eyebrows playfully. "Yeah? Am I gonna have to fight someone?" Once they reached the IHOP, she reluctantly let go of his hand so she could park the car in the closest spot she could find. "I'm so excited!" Waffles.

Turning the car off, she hesitated before getting out of the car. As they walked in she kept her voice low, casual, but no one was anywhere close enough to overhear. "God, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall to see Bruce's reaction to that." As stoic as Bruce was about basically everything, it was amusing to consider.

TIM: “I know Rose hates her dad,” he reasoned. “Even if it’s complicated. I also know Rose is like her dad. So if I offer her enough money, she’ll sell him out. If he fed some story to her, it’ll be her job to either corroborate it or find out what really happened.” It made sense to him. “Besides, there must be something in her. M’Gann’s not stupid. She wouldn’t be close to her if she were evil. And she was a Titan, you know?”

“Nah, I’m just kidding around.” He couldn’t help but grin as her face lit up. Tim loved to see her happy, because her enthusiasm offset him so well, reminded him to come out of his own head sometimes. “Me too, I crave grease. Don’t tell Alfred.”

“I can’t believe they just... believed him.” He rubbed them back of his neck awkwardly. “Maybe he and Dick go together. Like visually, I don’t know. Bruce’s face was the typical flat look, but you could see the slight tension around his eyes. His crow’s feet deepen like ever so slightly.”

STEPH: Steph made a face, but she didn't like how Rose acted at the dinner party or the thought of working with her in the future, even though she knew she was a Titan. "I guess." She sighed heavily, shrugging. "M'gann's not stupid, but she sees the best in people. Like Dick." It might say something that they both were all tangled up in that family, for worse or for worse.

"Pretty sure that cat's outta the bag, Timbers." She grinned, thinking about the time Alfred caught her sneaking about a dozen chocolate eclairs into the Batcave. "What are you gonna get?"

Huffing softly, she waited until the waitress left them at the table before answering him. "Visually? Tim." She couldn't help but smirk. "Maybe they just figured it wasn't that far-fetched. It's not like... I don't know, anyone's going to question either of them." Bruce and Slade were intimidating. Just sitting in the same room with both of them made Steph nervous.

TIM: "Who else would I ask to look into it? Jason? Not likely. He wouldn't help me with this." Jason had already decided he didn't give a shit, and Tim wasn't the kind of person who could just not give a shit or stop caring about the well-being of his brother. It wasn't ever going to happen. "M'Gann's also a telepath. So if Rose were really dangerous, she'd pick up on something right?"

"Grand slam," he answered without much thought. Meat, meat, meat, eggs, hashbrowns and pancakes. Tim may be small, but the time he spent not at his desk was either sleeping, patrolling, or working out. Needless to say, he was hungry approximately always. "But I'll try one of your pumpkin waffles if you let me."

Tim grinned. "Well I don't know. Some people are into that, you know?" Shuddering, he added, "Not me. But like... some people." He shook his head. "I would have been much quicker to believe Slade was Bruce's partner if Bruce wasn't renowned for loving women very much. Or at least pretending to." It was no secret that Bruce Wayne in his youth had been considered a--gag--playboy. Tim read the tabloids.

STEPH: "Have you asked him?" Jason and Dick didn't seem as hostile as they used to be, even though Steph hadn't spent much time time with either of them after the dinner party. "I guess so," she agreed reluctantly. "She's been around Deathstroke and doesn't seem fazed."

Steph gave him a playful glare when he asked her to share her waffles. "Just how much do you think I like you?"

That made her scrunch her nose. "...Wow, what an image. No thanks. They're weirdly similar." Two sides of the same coin. It had made for an increasingly comfortable visit. Bruce gave short, terse responses, so she'd given up and asked Slade questions instead.

TIM: “No,” he said simply. The last time Tim had tried to talk to Jason it had gone badly. He wasn’t sure Jason would see a need to get involved. “I’m worried I’d just mad at him if he told me to stop worrying about Dick.” And he didn’t want more tension with him and his brother. He wanted to fix the rift that already existed. “I don’t want to mess anything else up.”

“Hopefully a lot,” he said, his grin softening. “Hopefully... as much as you used to?” When they had been together officially. He missed being her boyfriend.

“Yeah, I regret saying it now,” he agreed with a laugh. “Gross. And Slade would probably try to kill Bruce, right?”

STEPH: "Even if he did say that, you know he's just..." Steph sighed, rolling her eyes. "The way he is, it's a huge front. I knew a lot of guys at my school like him. Loud and mean and pretending like they don't give a shit."

Surprised, she looked up at him quickly. It wasn't often that anything made her blush, but that definitely did. "...Of course, Tim. You know that. I never stopped."

She made a face. "I hope so, or we would all have to leave the country. Can you imagine their conversations? It'd just be grunting back and forth. I guess Dick's into that." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wished she could take them back. She hadn't meant to apply that to Bruce.

TIM: “Yeah, I don’t know. We were closer once.” In truth, it made Tim sad, but he hadn’t really given up. He just didn’t think that this was the right thing. Or maybe it was. He wasn’t sure. Maybe Steph had a point. He sighed. “I’ll try.”

“I know,” he said quietly. “Things just got mixed up and messed up, right? Just...” After Steph had come back, they had tried again. And then Bruce has gone missing and then they just... never made it official again. “I feel the same, though. About you, I mean. Sometimes I feel like you’re the only real constant, you know?”

Tim blanched. “God. That’s... now that you’ve pointed out the similarities, that’s so weird to think about.” He gave a deep shudder. “I’m learning a lot about Dick.”

STEPH: Steph wouldn't call herself close to Jason, but she knew what he was about in ways Dick and Tim would find difficult to understand. They'd both grown up on the wrong side of the tracks. Her mother was still addicted to painkillers and it wouldn't surprise her if Jason had been exposed to something similar. Kids weren't just orphans for no reason. "Don't let him get to you."

Pressing her lips together, she nodded slowly. "Yeah. That's what I want to be, I mean, I'm not going anywhere. You and all those other stupid boys... and Cass and Babs, of course... you guys are my whole life. They're family, but you're... well, you know what you are."

Never had Steph felt so grateful to be interrupted by the waitress. She unwrapped her straw as their server walked away again, grimacing. "Let's just undo the last five minutes."

TIM: Tim had just reached out to catch Steph’s hand, resting them on the table. He shook his head after they ordered, wrinkling his nose. “Agreed. I’m more interested in you and me anyway.” He gave a wry little grin. “So I guess this is the part where i ask you to be my girlfriend. Again.”

It would be nice to have a name for it. He had slipped back into ‘babe’ and ‘baby’ with ease. Now he just had an excuse to do it. Not that she had ever complained before. His thumb ran over the back of her hand as he watched her fondly.

STEPH: Even though they hadn't talked about it, the same question had been on the tip of Steph's tongue for the past few weeks. She relentlessly pursued Tim in the past, before everything went downhill, but the years since her return hadn't been easy. It felt better to let Tim come back to her. She knew how badly she'd hurt him. "Really?" She asked softly, wrapping her fingers tightly around his hand.

There was only a beat. Then Steph was out of her seat and flinging her arms around Tim's neck, unmindful of where they were and who was watching them. "I can be your girlfriend again??" Every time he tried to answer she kissed him so he couldn't get a word out, giggling.

TIM: “Of course, babe. I wouldn’t just say that.” He moved to speak more when suddenly he had a lap full of Steph. It didn’t bother him in the least, though; he was used to it with her. And she was completely unabashed in expressing her emotions. It was so different to Tim and part of why he loved her.

“If you want,” he finally managed to get out. “But, uh, judging by the... this...” He thought it was a pretty good bet to assume she wanted it. Reaching up, he tucked her hair behind her ear before catching her cheek. It was good. This was the most human he had felt in so long. And he always felt more functional with Stephanie. Of course he did.

STEPH: Steph had always been direct and unabashed about what she wanted and how she felt. It might have bordered on overly confident, but a lot of that had to do with overcompensating. Tim didn't treat her the way she was used to being treated by the boys she dated. He saw actual potential in her. "I know, I just want to hear you say it again!"

Laughing, she reached for his hand and kissed the center of his palm, snuggling her nose against it playfully. "What?" She asked innocently, unable to keep a straight face for longer than a few seconds, and grinned. "I'm allowed to miss you, jerk."

TIM: “I want you to be my girlfriend,” he said, indulging her. Steph was worth so much more than so many people had made her believe. She was strong and smart and beautiful and good. Tim hated anyone who had ever made her feel any differently. He certainly wouldn’t. Not when she wanted him for whatever reason. He wasn’t going to mess that up.

He grinned back, though her attention did make him flush red. After all, though he had dozed off with her a few times and though they had made out after she painted her room, he hadn’t let himself get carried away with her. Not when he wasn’t sure. He had needed to think, but the more he thought, the more he realized he was a complete idiot for making her wait. “I love you, Steph. Still. And probably always, honestly.”

STEPH: The words made her face light up and she wrapped her arms around his neck, still sitting sideways in his lap. Tim was in a booth, so it wasn't as if she were causing a huge scene, but she could see a few people looking over at them. "Mmmm..." She drew out the hum playfully. "Okay. I'll be your girlfriend." It was so weird to say the word and to hear Tim say it, when no one called her a girlfriend in any capacity in years.

Kissing Tim and holding his hand had made her feel very much like they were back at the beginning again. It hadn't been a bad feeling at all. In fact, it was very much the opposite. They had the chance to do things over better. "I love you, too, and... yeah. I don't see that ever changing. This is it for me."(edited) September 10, 2020

TIM: He grinned at that. “Okay,” he told her. “I’m tweeting it, so you can’t take it back. Once it’s on the Internet, it’s forever. I don’t make the rules.” He had to arch awkwardly to reach his phone in his back pocket, but he had it out eventually and even pulled up the camera before raising a brow. “Selfie?”

He looked up at her, feeling lighter exponentially now that they had it all figured out. It was nice. They could now just... be. No confusion, and boundaries Tim already understood. They just worked.

STEPH: "And I'll change my facebook status, even though that's, like, so early 2000s." Grinning, Steph leaned in to fit herself against Tim's shoulder. She was sure to give him rabbit ears at the very last second.

TIM: He snapped the picture and then noted the ears with a groan. “Now I look like a dork, Steph,” he complained playfully, shaking his head even as he tweeted it out. “Also Facebook? What are you, 45 years old?”

STEPH: Rolling her eyes, Steph snatched one of one the napkins left on the table and tossed it at him. “Still cooler than you.”

TIM: “Probably,” he agreed. “Most people are.” Tim was a certified nerd, even if he was a member of the Batfamily. He thought it suited him well, and clearly she didn’t mind. “But I make it work for me.”

He considered for a moment. “Have you decided if you’ll make contact with Kiteman as your family?” He asked her gently, shifting the subject. He had told her about the connection when he had discovered it. As far as he knew, she hadn’t done anything with it yet.

STEPH: “It’s endearing,” Steph agreed. She thought all the boys were nerds in different ways.

The subject change made her sigh and she shrugged. “Yeah, eventually. I’ve just been putting it off.” She didn’t know what to say, or even if anything would come of it.

TIM: "Well I'm glad you think so," he teased before shaking his head. At least he had that going for him.

He was surprised when she said she was putting it off. Was it because Kiteman was one of the rogues? Steph's father had been... not great, too. He wondered if that was part of what was tripping her up. "Don't want to deal with it?" He prompted. "Or is it something else?" He didn't want to force her to talk, but he he didn't want to sit there and wonder what she was thinking, when he could just ask her.

STEPH: Steph shrugged, chewing on the edge of her thumbnail. "I dunno. I'm just not sure if it's worth it. If he'll even care. It's not like we know each other." Smirking faintly she crossed her arms and rested them against the edge of the table. "Plus he's one of the bad guys, which is probably why Bruce never told me. What am I supposed to do if we come across each other in the field? It's just... I dunno. I'll say something eventually."

TIM: "Kiteman's kinda... funny," he said. "Dick knows him. I could talk to him about it and see what he thinks? If you don't want to, I mean. Try to get a read?" He knew that Dick had worked closer with Chuck than he certainly had. "Some of the bad guys aren't so... bad. There's Selina? We know she's flipped back and forth."

STEPH: "Yeah, I know, I've met him. He sees things that aren't even there, Tim. I could tell and he might just forget what I said to seconds later. He's in his own world." Steph didn't know how the news would be received, but she also didn't want to be disappointed. Family had never exactly been something she could rely on. "No, don't ask Dick. I'll do it. I really will." Eventually.

TIM: "Okay," he said, holding up his hands. "I just don't want you to sit on it forever. Unless you decide that it's just more worthwhile to not say anything." Steph wasn't a Wayne, which certainly made things less complicated for the pair of them dating. But it also meant that her only family wasn't her family. He didn't know how she felt about that, but he didn't push her. He just reached out to cover her hand. "Whatever you want to do, baby."(edited)

STEPH: Frowning, Steph tugged on her straw and swirled it around in her drink anxiously. “I won’t. I’ll figure it out.” Maybe she won’t know what she wanted to do until she actually saw him. She didn’t like overthinking things. Sometimes it was just better to go with your gut. Taking Tim’s hand, she reached for the syrup with the other. “Thanks. I’ll let you know whatever I decide... whenever I figure it out.”

TIM: "Okay. Works for me." He took a bite of the eggs, letting out a soft groan. "God this is the first, like, actual meal that i didn't take one bite of and then leave on the plate in... a really long time. God. A couple of weeks?" How had he been sustaining it? Sheer force of will and existential anxiety. Running a hand over his face, he let out a sigh.

STEPH: "That's insane, Tim." Steph sighed, but her tone was gentle despite her disapproval. "I'm surprised you haven't send Alfred into an early grave." After drowning her waffles in syrup, she cut off a huge bite. "You know how he worries."

TIM: "He tried to pull me out. I just... didn't want Dick to get hurt again, Steph. I'm still worried, honestly. And it feels... really rough that I wasn't there for him when it happened, you know?" He shook his head before idly pushing the eggs around the plate. "I needed to figure it out." Blowing out a soft breath, he shrugged. "And I still haven't quite. Even after all that work."(edited)

STEPH: "What do you mean? You were there for him, in every way you could have been." It wasn't as if any of them patrolled with Dick or had nightly check-ins. "You went to the hospital right away and you've been working your ass off to figure out who did this. And you will figure it out." Steph gave him a look. "But you have to eat meals, even if I have to force feed you bite by bite."

TIM: Maybe he wasn't being fair to himself, but Tim couldn't help it. He had been thinking about death and how easy it would be to lose one of his brothers since it had happened, and he hadn't been sure if maybe things would only get worse if he didn't solve it. They were always in danger. It was the nature of what they did. But he didn't want them to be any more in danger than they needed to be. He needed to protect his family as much as he could. And he needed to feel like, even though he hadn't been out in the field often due to the nature of his work with the League, he could still protect people in general. But maybe he was just spiraling to a place of abject unfairness to himself and Steph was reminding him of that.

"It isn't like I go into it thinking that I should ignore food. I just get caught up."

STEPH: "I know you don't. I'm not saying you do it on purpose. You just have to listen to the people around you. Alfred worries, but he knows what Bruce's limits are better than he does. Trust him. And trust me. You know I'm not going to nag you do anything unless I'm really worried." Nagging in particular was actually something she had a specific distaste for. And with the way things had been lately, Steph found herself getting closer and closer to that point. She was relived when Tim made the decision himself to finally leave the house so they could sit down and eat together.

TIM: "Alfred always worries," he muttered before shaking his head. He knew she was right. But he overthought everything. Overworked his own mind and his own motivations. "I do okay," he said. "I've been managing for a long time." Lifting his gaze, he met hers. "You don't need to worry, Steph. Promise."

STEPH: Steph rolled her eyes as she took another bite of her waffle. "Then listen to me if I say you need to eat. Then I don't have a reason to worry." Maybe it was selfish for her to want Tim to take care of himself, but she didn't like to see him run himself ragged. Sleep was another battle altogether, but maybe she could win the food battle.

TIM: "Fine," he answered before shaking his head. "I will try," he allowed. Tim couldn't promise that he wouldn't get wrapped up in what he was doing ever again. That his anxiety wouldn't put food far down the list of his priorities. But he would try. Because he didn't like that Steph was worried about him. He didn't like causing her any kind of pain and that was motivation to at least agree to attempt to be more conscientious.

STEPH: That was all Steph wanted to hear, really. She knew she couldn't expect Tim to be able to navigate himself into a healthy schedule or rely on him to suddenly develop healthy habits. It was a small win that he would agree to try. That meant she could always reference this conversation if were resistant or stubborn in the future. That was something. And Steph wouldn't abuse the power, either. She knew it was important to find out who did this. "Good."

TIM: The rest of the meal passed in companionable conversation. Things were always easy with her. She made him laugh, brought him out of his shell in ways that others didn't. Steph was comfortable, which, for Tim, was a godsend. For a man whose mind went a thousand miles an hour and whose anxiety followed him like a dark cloud, pancakes, eggs, and the effervescent blonde who, for some reason, wanted to be with him in spite of all his neuroses were like heat to the freezing. He was almost sad to pay the bill, though having eaten left him feeling tired and heavy.

It was early enough in the morning that nearly the whole house seemed to be sleeping as they pulled the Redbird back into the garage. They'd just gotten out when Tim bit his lip and caught Steph's hand. "Wanna come to my room with me?" She had her own room, he knew, but he didn't want her to go to it. Not when they could be close. When he could enjoy the comfort of having her with him. Tim was still processing a lot, and it would be nice to have someone else to put his mind on, even if he just ended up falling asleep with her.

STEPH: Steph paid attention to how much Tim ate, but she didn't give any sign of it. She knew he didn't want someone else to mother him. That was a role typically assigned to Alfred, or Dick, and she knew Tim could get frustrated if he were being treated as if he weren't competent. Instead she teased him and talked to him about patrol, even showed him a few videos that she was going to put on TikTok later. Some even had added music. She was still giggling at NOVA agents tripping over themselves trying to catch Cass as they were leaving the restaurant. The mood was lighter and she could feel it.

It still took her by surprise when Tim invited her to his room. She looked down at his hand and squeezed it, smirking a little as she leaned in to gently tap the tip of his nose. "I thought you'd never ask. Am I about to witness a miracle?" Tim Drake sleeping? She'd wanted to say something before, but she thought it would push her luck. The fact that he would offer on his own was a huge step forward.

TIM: "The miracle of Tim Drake sleeping?" He asked with a smirk. "Maybe. The magic of Steph Brown." He wrinkled his nose playfully before leading her up the stairs. His limbs felt heavy even as he pushed open the door and kicked off his shoes. It was all he could do to get his jeans off and his shirt over his head before he pulled the blankets back for her. "After you."

STEPH: Before Tim came upstairs, Steph had already been dressed for bed. All she had to do was kick off her shoes. She got under the covers, yawning as she slipped to the side and in her usual spot by the wall. It was where she always liked to sleep, tucked up in a little ball, and piled high with covers and blankets sometimes made it impossible for anyone to see she was there.

TIM: As she slipped over to the wall, Tim joined her, moving close and wrapping an arm around her waist. Catching her chin, he raised a brow. "Can I kiss you?" he asked her. Tim always asked, even if it was a little stupid. But he didn't want to ever assume. Still, he'd like to kiss her goodnight. And then he could kiss her good morning whenever they woke up. The thought made him just a little giddy, and then he felt a little silly for that too. But he couldn't stop the way his stomach tightened a little. It'd be good. This time, they'd be good. They weren't as young. Things weren't as complicated. Not for the two of them, at least.

STEPH: Steph always thought it was adorable when Tim asked her permission for something as innocent and sweet as a kiss. In the past, she'd never been as thoughtful. She smiled, reaching up to gently brush a few stray pieces of hair off of his forehead. "You can kiss me, Boy Wonder." It didn't matter if he weren't technically Robin anymore. That was what she'd always call him. The early years had left an impression despite what happened later on, but she would never want to forget everything they experienced together.

TIM: He gave a crooked little grin before leaning down to slide his lips against hers. He couldn't help himself as he caught her hip. Tim never minded when Steph all but jumped him for kisses and whatever she wanted. He knew he was probably a little overly ridiculous about it, but Steph had been through a lot of crap in her life. Tim wanted her to always feel valued, because he did value her. She deserved to know it. "I love you," he told her quietly, just a little shyly, even if it had been so easy for him to say in the restaurant. This context always felt different. Intimate.

STEPH: Every since they were teenagers, Steph found Tim's shyness to be endearing. She hadn't known his identity at first. As Robin, Tim was confident and impressive in all areas except flirtation. It was the only way she could shock him, and it wasn't as if she could keep up with him in the other areas. She playfully hooked her ankle between Tim's feet as she kissed him back. It felt comfortable, familiar, and she was blushing a little by the time he drew back. "I love you, too."

TIM: As she blushed, he pressed another kiss to her cheek. He didn't want to start anything tonight that he couldn't finish, but he didn't think that Steph would begrudge it of him as he pulled her close and buried his face in her neck. The scent of her skin and the familiar beat of her heart was all but hypnotic as sleep pulled at him. His eyes began to slip closed and he pressed another little kiss to her pulse as his breathing began to deepen.

#c: redrobin-timdrake #c: discord #tim drake #stephanie brown

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dottie-wan-kenobi · 5 years ago

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A @batfam-christmas-stocking fic written for @solarcelest!! happy holidays <3

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Picking Damian up from school isn’t something Tim can truthfully say sounds fun. It’s even worse seeing as Damian, grounded after going on patrol with four broken fingers and despite being told to stay home, is without a phone and has no idea it’s Tim coming today instead of Alfred. He’s taken the same car Alfred always uses, though, so he figures it’ll be fine up until the kid gets in and sees Tim.

He waits out the ungodly 30 minutes for the bell to ring playing games on his phone. Alfred had said to go even earlier if he wanted a good spot, but he’d waited until what felt like the last second. He didn’t get a great spot but Damian should still be able to see the car fine.

Eventually, Damian steps out of the school. Tim sets down his phone to watch, curious what Damian is like around people other than their family members and other heroes. He knows Dick, Steph, Duke, and maybe even Cass have seen that side of the kid, but Tim never has.

The other kids swarm out around him. He’s alone, dressed in his stiff school uniform. He looks up, and for a moment, his face is smooth and relaxed, none of the angry little wrinkles Tim is used to seeing. He looks…relieved, maybe. Tired. Happy the school day is over.

Yeah, Tim gets that.

He turns the engine once Damian spots the car and makes his way over with a lightness in his step. It’s honestly kind of cute, but Tim isn’t about to admit that to anyone.

Halfway there, another kid stops Damian as he walks by her, physically moving into his path. She’s taller and probably older, and she looks familiar to Tim in a way he’s come to realize means he must know her older sibling.

For a few minutes, they talk, and though Tim can read lips, they’re too far away, at a bad angle. He can read their body language just fine, though. Whatever she’s saying, it’s pissing Damian off.

For a brief moment, Tim entertains the idea of getting out of the car and going to get Damian himself. Rescue him from whatever is going on here, that’s making his face turn red and his fists to clench. But he knows it wouldn’t be appreciated, and honestly can’t blame Damian for that—Tim wouldn’t have wanted that either. It’s embarrassing, having to have an older sibling come and save you from bullies. If that’s even what’s happening here.

He decides to watch, and if it seems like any tears are going to be shed on either side, or fists are about to start flying, he’ll intervene.

In the end, Damian gets away from the girl, roughly pushing past her, and storms over to the car without Tim having to do anything.

Damian opens the door, flings his backpack in, and follows just as roughly. He closes the door and buckles up without looking over even once, then says, “Alfred, I— Timothy ?”

“Sup,” Tim says awkwardly. He isn’t expecting this to go well, and maybe he should preemptively try to not piss Damian off, but he can’t help it. He’s still getting used to being the kind of big brother Dick is, and so far, it’s been far easier with Duke than Damian. They get along better these days, but that isn’t saying much, really.

“Where is Alfred?” Damian demands.

“He had to take Duke to see his therapist and asked me to come get you. You strapped?”

“You can clearly see that I am.” Yup, definitely pissed.

“Just making sure!” Tim sighs and pulls out of the space, joining the long line of people also trying to leave the roundabout-like parking lot. After a few minutes of tense silence, they’ve barely made it half way out. Tim taps his fingers on the steering wheel. “How long does this usually take?”

“If you had gotten a better spot,” Damian says, mutinously glaring out the window, his arms crossed tight against his chest, “then we could have been gone already.”

Don’t argue with him, Tim, he tells himself. He’s just a kid. School is stressful, even without potential bullying. Don’t argue.

“ I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised you can’t even do that right .”

“Look, Dami,” Tim says, much too loud. He has to force himself to lower his voice, but it’s too late—he can already see Damian clenching his jaw in the mirror. “I was just trying to help by coming here, okay? Otherwise, you would’ve been called out of school early, and had to sit around for an hour while Duke was—”

“That would have been preferable to being stuck here with you!”

Damian’s voice rings out just as Tim gets out on the road, and for a moment, neither of them speak.

“Damian.”

“This is unacceptable! Alfred is the one to pick me up. I don’t want anyone else. Just Alfred. And certainly not you . Why couldn’t it have been Richard? Or Stephanie?”

“Dick’s in New York with the Titans, and Steph is in class right now,” Tim says, fingers tight on the wheel. He’s glad Damian isn’t slinging insulting nicknames around yet, but that doesn’t make it any easier to hear.

“Tt. So of course you’re all that’s left.”

“Yeah, it looks like it.”

They go back to glaring out their respective windows. As they take the winding road back to Bristol, Tim weighs the merits of attempting to figure out what happened. It’ll probably only upset Damian further, but dammit, Dick would ask. Jason would, too. Cass would’ve already figured out what was eating Damian without having to ask, but she would do it anyway. Open up the communication lines, Tim’s therapist and Alfred and Clark all say.

Slowly, he asks, “Is this tantrum because of what that girl was saying to you?”

“I am not having a tantrum, and it doesn’t matter what that wench said!”

“Right, so you’re shouting at me because you’re totally cool, calm, and collected and not at all upset?”

“Yes,” Damian seethes. “Congratulations on noticing the obvious.”

“If I was stating the obvious, I would say that whatever she said upset you and then the disruption of your routine made it worse, and now you’re taking it out on me because I’m the most convenient target.”

“I am not upset!”

“Fine, okay,” Tim gives in. Pushing isn’t going to help. “You’re not upset. Whatever.”

“No, I am not.” Damian pauses, and then he bursts, “ It doesn’t matter what she said, anyway, because all it was was a bunch of drivel about how Father only took me in to look good to the society people, just another one of his charity cases . But that’s not true! I know it’s not! Father cares about me and he took me in because he is my father and it was the right thing to do, not because of...that. That’s ridiculous and wrong!”

Oh. Oh, shit. Poor kid, Tim thinks. He was bullied, too, and he knows how much it hurts. Fuck, he needs to find out who this girl is so he can figure out a way to get her to leave Damian the fuck alone. Jason will help.

“And I wanted to talk to Alfred about it, because he…has a good sense of how to parse these things, how to react to them in a way that is befitting of someone like me ,” Damian says, diplomatic and on the verge of tears. “But instead, I am forced to talk to you, as if you could be of any aid at all!”

“I used to get bullied,” Tim offers. “I know something about how it feels. And you’re right, none of that is true. It’s all elitist, racist bullshit that she’s probably copying from her parents who are jealous Bruce has more money than them.”

“Of course it is. I know that. I don’t need you to pathetically try and comfort me, Timothy.”

Tim forces a sigh down before it can get out. No, Damian doesn’t need him, and would probably be much better off with Alfred, Dick, or Steph. But right now, he’s only got Tim, and clearly this talking thing is working out. “I know.”

They’re getting close to home, but he still turns on the radio to a song he knows Damian likes. At least it gives them both a reason not to keep talking.

#bsc19 #tim drake #damian wayne #batfam #batfamily #batfam fic #my writing #solarcelest #fanfic

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kchatjjigae · 5 years ago

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Another big day in Kdramaland! We’re counting down the last hours of Leila’s stay in Korea with a march through the city. We get all classy and cultural with tours of a few palaces, one we meant to and one on accident, get our Coffee Prince on while we chase away some hanger, then activate our idol hunting skills as we cross the river back into Gangnam on a hunt for JYP. The offices, not the man. All this before we hit the critical point of our day: Korean Pizza.

So, so, so many pictures ahead.

Unlike the leaving of Alix, we knew right from the start of planning the trip that Leila wasn’t going to be with us the entire time the three of us planned on staying. Leila knows precisely at what length journeys stop being fun for her and plans accordingly. It was part of the reason we chose to hit Busan first over Seoul as it would be easier for her to get back to her plane. I’m not certain I’m the person who can leave when I know that other people are still there, having fun without me, but I do admire her for her strength to say “Naw, Bishes, I’m done.” Especially now knowing that she was doing these last few days on a sprained toe.

As I mentioned in the last post, this day was going to be a Leila and I date, where we toured the palaces, possibly the Hannok Village, and any other old thing we wanted to see that SaraG and Alix had already seen before. It’s not that they don’t appreciate them, but as they’d seen them before, they thought they’d fill their time with new experiences instead. We were all, you do you boos, we’re gonna get our saeguk on.

Now with the change in our numbers, SaraG has decided to join us!

With a quick consult to the Naver Maps, we head back towards the palaces, thankfully, at the palaces subway stop. Throughout the station, as we headed above ground, I saw adverts for their palaces museum, which said it had some of the clothing and regalia in residence. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it there, and it’s probably one of my biggest niggling regrets. I’m sure if I’d just said, hey, I really want to go here, the ladies would have been fine with it, but at the time it didn’t seem important enough to make a fuss. That’s okay, it will give me something to go to next time!

You know, when I go visit the whole giant palace WE ACCIDENTALLY MISSED.

So we popped above ground and SaraG decided she wanted to hit up the coffee shop next to the palaces where she’d catch up on life now that she has a phone back and wait for us to do our thing.

As we approached Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main royal palace during the Joseon Dynasty, built 1395, the sun was bright and warmer than when we’d been there previously. So the hanboks were aplenty. Here I should probably mention, surrounding these historical areas are hanbok rental shops, where you go in and get dressed in period clothing, rented by the hour. If you do, not only do you have a fantastic experience, but your entry to the inner palace is free. As we wandered the grounds, this totally makes sense! Watching the people walk around in hanboks really adds to the atmosphere, helps you picture what it would have been like during the Joseon dynasty. Just with less slavery and more selfies.

There was a hot minute where Leila and I had talked about doing this, but as things had changed in the dynamic and, frankly, I wasn’t up for another ahjumma belly pat-down, we decided to pass. Maybe next time.

On our way in, we spotted a photoshoot going down to what we imagined is an up and coming girl group. You could tell between shots they were freezing in their outfits, their puffy coats tossed to the side, but they took it like troopers. I wonder how those shots turned out.

The outer courtyard was just as beautiful as before, but this time it was even more exciting as we got to go in! Well, after we purchased our very cheap tickets. I did have a moment of GAH when at the self-automated booth, my credit card was declined. There is nothing quite like that moment of panic when that happens.

Side note. When you’re in Korea, or, I guess, anyplace overseas, use your credit card, not your bank card. I actually went into my bank to talk about this with them about how best to pay for things. I ordered some won beforehand but had planned on just using my bank card while I was there. My bank said that there are actually more fees attached if you do it that way, however, there are no extra fees if you use your credit card. So that’s what I did. I just got cash a couple of times using my bank card, but primarily used the card, just transferring my savings right over to it once I got home.

We ended up having to go through the person manned line where, after hesitatingly giving my card over with crossed fingers, I had no problems getting our tickets.

As it was early, the place wasn’t hugely packed, so we wandered around the buildings on our own, deciding to forgo a guided tour. BIG MISTAKE! Oh sure, we got along fine, had no troubles, but when we saw the cute little school-aged tour guides working on their English skills to other tourists? We were beyond jealous! (We also missed Steve.)

How epic is this?

You’d think by now the experience would be old. The same architecture, the same colors, the same carvings that we’d seen in Busan. But, there’s just something being around all that history, something that has survived, in one form or another, for all these years that’s just fascinating to me. You picture all the things that went on. How was this even created? Built? How did they choose these colors? The toppers at the corners of buildings I couldn’t’ stop looking at.

I also couldn’t stop talking in the formal saeguk accent, which I’m sure was annoying, but I couldn’t stop.

Check out this throne.

Now picture your favorite Kdrama saeguk hero perched upon it. Do you have a favorite? Share, please!

Not sure what this is, but it has flowers and faces on the knees. Who does that? It had to be something important. Unless it was just some arts and craft gift to some king of old and he stuck it there because his niece painted it and he’s a good uncle who simply made up some vital reasoning for it to be there. Who’s going to argue? He’s a king!

See how much fun I am to travel with? That’s the sort of brilliance I come up with.

We wandered the endless maze of rooms, of separate buildings, trying to make sure we got through everything we wanted to see. Seriously though? I could probably spend hours there just going through every nook and cranny. Taking each tour, finding out precisely what that thing with the face knees was.

Seriously, look at this ceiling!

Watching the young girls work industriously on their selfies, again I was reminded that a good selfie is hard work. You want to be all judgy, but they were having so much fun trying different, unique poses, giggling with their friends, all dressed up prettily in hanboks, and it just looked like fun. Plus, they are going to have some great photos later!

And the girls weren’t the only ones in on the game.

As I was saying in the previous post, the fact that this exists in the middle of ultra technologically advanced Seoul is pretty amazing. Seeing all of this history while on the edges you see high rises and electronic billboards, is the perfect blend of the past and the future. Which, in a nutshell, is the ideal description of South Korea itself.

Some areas were busier than others, a few school trips, but everyone was friendly and pretty respectful.

There was another lake in the middle of the grounds.

We were working our way towards a large pagoda in the background as we didn’t really have a map to go along. It’s like when I lived in New York City — just keep the Empire State Building in sight, and you’ll always know where you are. We tried to get to the pagoda but couldn’t seem to find our way, eventually giving up and turning back instead checking out the lake as it was on our way back and people were getting hungry.

As hanger is a very real thing, we decided to be along our way, to meet up with SaraG, but not before a quick stop off at the bathroom (yes, I have now peed in every single royal palace. Its a thing.) and the gift shop, before heading back to the front.

But not before one more selfie and one more…weird experience.

We stood in front of my camera… side note: Fun Stephanie Fact of the post? I have very long arms. While it’s a bitch to make sure shirts fit, on the upside? I’m brilliant with group selfies. It’s where I really carry my weight on trips, also why you see my smiling mug front and center on every group shot. I’m not an attention whore, just monkey-like.

So we’re standing there with my camera, and this guy comes up to us and asks if we’d like him to take our picture. Delighted, we said yes and handed him my phone. Posing, we smile in front of the first building where he begins to take photo after photo, crouching into the ground, bending himself in half, moving the camera around, like we’re shooting some sort of album cover. We’re just standing there, smiling, feeling more and more hilariously awkward as he slowly inches forward to us. Should we be moving? Should we be practicing our posing? Are we now disappointing Tyra Banks with our lack of Smizing? Is this guy going to steal my phone?

Finally, he hands me back my phone and with a smile and a bow, simply walks away as we shout thank yous out to him.

What a weird-fun experience.

From there, we met up with SaraG, and we decided to wander the neighborhood looking for food and the Changdeokgung Palace, which is known for being the one with the Secret Garden. However, finding food wasn’t as easy as we anticipated and we walked and walked, circling the edges of Gyeongbokgung. We were turning into a more residentially neighborhood and were despairing we’d never find food. Then we found a cute little coffee shop on the corner of an intersection, said good enough and tramped in. There was, in fact, bistro-style food, so we sat there, basking in the sunlight, recharging those batteries, taking a moment just to hang and chat. It was lovely.

Side note. Sitting at a ShareTea drinking bubble tea writing this. It’s post-move, I’m exhausted from a solid week of non-stop, my house is in disarray, so while this post will be late, it’s for a good reason and taking the time to write it is actually giving me a much-needed rest. What makes me think of this is my previous statement: It was lovely, which comes straight from what I hear from the song playing over the shops loudspeakers.

youtube

But now back to it because it really is driving me crazy my house is such a mess.

Where were we? Ah, a random neighborhood in Seoul. Batteries charged enough to move, we got to our feet and continued onto where we thought the second palace was. Spoiler alert? It was not where we thought it was. We may have done a little shopping in some boutiques as we passed, nothing serious, just some meandering. Looking up, we realized we were right outside the Hannok village, which was straight uphill, up a butt-ton of stairs. Leila noped it and while I was initially disappointed, it was pointed out we had actually been there a few days ago when Alix marched us through on the Kpop shop lookout. We consulted Naver maps again and realized we’d actually walked out of the palace in completely the wrong direction. Feet being what they were, we couldn’t face walking all the way back and then onto the palace. Luckily we were right by a bus stop which appeared to be able to take us right to where we wanted to go and was even more luckily enough to be placed right next to a Churro shop.

Churro in hand, or, more realistically, churro in mouth, we boarded the bus on our way to the next palace.

We passed Gyeongbokgung, which, great news, meant we were at least headed in the correct direction, we passed Gwanghwamun Plaza with its giant statues of Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun-sin . I looked longingly out the window at them. I hadn’t realized we were so close! Visions of Faith popped into my mind, and I itched to explore. Naver announced our stop was upon us, and we piled out of the bus, realizing, uhoh, we should have probably recognized that there were more palaces in the area than just the main two and I probably should have been more specific when I looked at it in the map.

Whatevs. It was a palace, and we were there! So we paid the fee and piled in. It was fun to explore with the three of us. Deoksugung palace was actually a later palace, used for ceremonies and visits of state when the actual people lived in a more modern building. It was interesting to see the two together. New meets old. We continued our long-held tradition of going to the bathroom on royal grounds before we heard it, the drums in the distance. Turns out we were at the wrong palace at the right time, the ceremonial changing of the guards. We watched the procession march by us, the bright colors of their regalia, the bouncing feathers of their hats.

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Changing of the guard at the Deoksugung palace. From old to new, now headed to Gangnam. #deoksugung #palace #guard #travel #seoul #southkorea

A post shared by Stephanie (@kchatjjigae) on Mar 16, 2019 at 10:27pm PDT

We headed back towards the front gates, following them along, where they waited for the actual ceremony to begin. It was fun to see these people, not at attention, just hanging out, bored. A reminder they are real people, not fixtures of the past.

Once we had our fill of palaces for the day, it was time to begin the real task, heading over the river to try and hunt ourselves down some idols, it was time to go visit the JYP offices. After a wrong start, or a wrong stop, hopping off a stop too soon, we were ready for it, prepared to see the legendary building where the likes of 2PM, Got7, Stray Kids came from. Though not yet. Turns out, he’s cleverly not anywhere near the subway stop, so we hoofed it there, stopping for more, much-needed caffeine. On the way there we passed the location of the Seoul Olympic Games which we saw the empty buildings from our position on the street. Sure, we didn’t actually go to them, but we saw the buildings, so I get to count that on the list of places I’ve been on this trip.

Don’t agree? Go ahead, fight me.

Finally, we were there!

It’s an office. Dude. Get yourself a gift shop. Something. Other fans were milling about. We’d buy stuff. Mr. and Mrs. McFeeley are huge Stray Kids fans, I would have gotten something for them, and the ladies would have encouraged me, despite my DON’T LET ME BUY ANYTHING MORE. But I’d simply be able to get around that by saying, “I said I wasn’t allowed to buy anything else for RYAN. This would be for Sean. Totally different person”. But, since they didn’t have a gift shop, the point was moot. Across the street was a coffee shop, and you could see, the way people were positioned, a lot of them were just waiting for someone to come in or out so they could take a photo, be it for dispatch or just a fan site. Not wanting to be one of those people, we simply circled the block, and when we passed a snazzily dressed and perfectly coifed man, we crafted stories about who he was and what he did for the company.

Good times.

Realizing we weren’t going to get to have the idol meet-cute we’d desperately dreamed of, we decided it was time to move on, back across the river.

Oh! I think it was here, but if not, it’s the perfect time to talk about it. Remember the whole thing that was happening while we were there, with Seungri and his band of ugh? All about secret cams and chats and douchebaggery? Well, it’s no lie to say that this is rampant across the country. Did you hear about the member of staff who put a camera in one of the girl’s rooms on a variety show? Or there was a sting that happened at a hotel where people were recording women? It happens all of the time. While we were on the subway, we were separated, which happened when we wanted to snag an actual seat. This particular time, it was Leila and me on one side and SaraG on the other. Next to her was a man on his phone, who we joked looked just like a police detective from a drama. See? I just had to say that, and you know EXACTLY what he looked like. Turns out?

Not so police-y.

We got off the train, laughingly told SaraG our ideas, and she was like, “Ummmmm…yeah, he was watching pervy hidden video footage.” Apparently, there are Instagrams out there dedicated to this shit, and this guy is just, sitting on the subway, casual as can be, watching it. Ew.

Shaking it off, we decided first on our list was to cross something off Miss Leila’s list, stopping off at the mall by our subway station and picking her up a foundation she’d seen online, but had yet to see it anywhere in Seoul except for this mall. And I was on a mission too! Find the Flying Tiger, a Copenhagen store, take a picture and show it to my friend Thea who is a big fan of their New York store. It was a huge shocker to see that they were in Korea!

We wandered around the food court, looking for something to eat, but it was pricy and not what we were looking for (we’ve been spoiled eating beautiful and delicious food for under 10000 won.). Despite how tired we were, we decided we wanted to skip the food court, instead planned to hit Hongdae in order to find something better. Added plus? This would get Leila her last night in Hongdae with some buskers. Where did we end up? Korean Pizza! After seeing some Eat Your Kimchi posts on the weirdness that could be Korean Pizza back in the day, I’ve always wanted to try it. There was a Mr. Pizza in LA that every time I went to KCon I’d say, this was the time I was going to go there, but as one of our group was a vegan, it always managed to be pushed to the side. (We felt bad enough dragging her to Korean BBQ.) In Haeundae, our apartment was right above a Pizza School where we would pass by and look at the poster proclaiming all of their weirdo pizza flavors and planned on hitting up that one, but we just never had the chance. Tonight was the night!

I wish I’d taken pictures of the menu to tell you exactly what we had eaten, but I can tell you, one of them had mashed sweet potatoes, and the other one had galbi. Both were actually pretty yummy. We’d chosen this particular restaurant in the din of all the others as 1) was something we could all get behind with all of the other choices, and 2) was an upper floor establishment, overlooking all of the buskers. Dinner and a show!

As we ate, Leila and I investigated one last thing stop on our phones, the Han river. We knew it was close, had crossed it several times via subway, but had yet to go and find it in person. Had yet to find out which pairing of us were going to officially breakup on its shores as Korean dramas tell us is the norm. It was a must on all of our lists, and we couldn’t believe we hadn’t been there yet. It was a little difficult for us to pinpoint the best place to go to as you couldn’t really put Han River into the map, sure we’d find a shore but what else would we find when we got there? We found a park that seemed promising, but, honestly, at that time of day, after all, we’ve done, and now knowing about Leila’s poor toe, we decided to pass.

But don’t worry Han River fans. There are still two of us who have days left and hours to fill….

With this, we close out another chapter of our trip. Another day passed. Another person packing up to go home. Which leaves SaraG and I. All by ourselves for three days. Will we make it? Will our friendship survive? Or is it going to be the relationship that crashes by the shores of the Han? Stay tuned to find out!

KOREAN ADVENTURE DAY ONE: AIR PLANES, TIME TRAVELS, AND MULTIPLE SARAG(S)

Korean Adventure Day Two: Sadly, No Zombies

KOREAN ADVENTURE DAY THREE: THE SOLO JOB

KOREAN ADVENTURE DAY FOUR: BY THE POWER OF STEVE!

KOREAN ADVENTURE DAY FIVE: STAIRS, AND MEERKATS, AND POLICE…OH MY!

KOREAN ADVENTURE DAY SIX: EMERGENCYS, BELLY RUBS, AND TIPSI TEXTS

KOREAN ADVENTURE DAY SEVEN: THAT WEIRD SHAPED ARTY BUILDING IN GANGNAM

KOREAN ADVENTURES DAY EIGHT: KPOP TAKES A VACATION

KOREAN ADVENTURES DAY NINE: WE LOVE A MAN WHO LOVES A MARKET

KOREAN ADVENTURE DAY TEN: STEPHANIE DOESN’T DO NAKED

Korean Adventure Day Eleven: Let’s Get Saeguky Another big day in Kdramaland! We're counting down the last hours of Leila's stay in Korea with a march through the city.

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onetruesporkbot · 6 years ago

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One or the Other...Preferably the Non-Stupid One

A website I frequent, the Outhouse, has an article pertaining to Detective Comics #980, and the potential effect it (and to a degree, Flash War) has on the lives of Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown. I’ve mentioned my problems with their reinventions before, but...well, I’m doing it again. Sue me. And yeah, this’ll be a long one, so maybe go for a walk around the block to stretch your legs first, make sure you got to the bathroom, and maybe grab a drink before reading on.

I've had my own ideas on how to fix the error of Cass and Steph’s altered histories. Mostly they involve retconning Harper Row into either non-existence or just not being an attention/glory leech on the Bat-Family’s butt-cheek, praised as a paragon of splendor. Even if someone can find evidence that editorial/executive mandates forced the spotlight on that character throughout the Eternal books, the interpretation/execution of that, vis-a-vie how she affected Stephanie's and Cass' lives, is on Tynion (and, granted, the other writers who were working off his ideas), and acts as a basis for his ‘Tec run. As is her lack of development, off-putting but still happily accepted bad attitude and generally not really doing much, but still being treated like royalty by her experienced betters. She’s a bad character, and none of the Bats or Birds, acting in their right mind, would tolerate her like they did. THAT is the core of the problem with those stories and these reinventions, and they aren't solved simply because Harper became the Mr. Wick to 'Tec's Drew Carey Show, and just isn't seen very often later on.

Not the most fair comparison, because the depraved, abusive, lying, cheating, over-privileged misery-mongering manager is by far more likable.

While heavy-handedly-hoisted Harper is a large part of the problem, there are others where these characters are concerned. Steph's reinvention started out well enough, but then Tynion decided to charter her a flight from "beginner" to "accomplished crime-fighter" in a mere few issues. Stephanie lost a big part of what I've seen draw her to readers (like a friend of mine): her tenacity. Instead of a girl that kept doing the hero thing after being frequently told by those around her, including Platinum-Status Crook-Scarer Batman, to quit, and publicly (off-line) actually spoiling her Dad’s schemes, training hard to better herself...she was remade into a girl running around with her mask down half the time, leaving vague hints online that are ignored or hacked away. It’s later discovered didn't really want to catch her Dad, regardless of what that meant for Gotham, a city she’s quick to abandon when the s#&t hits the fan. She could swing across the sky and fight off assassins despite little or no training (excelled in this regard only by...you know blue). So, she’s got a skill-level and bravery on par with vigilantes with years of experience...until she doesn’t.

Cassie's changes are the biggest offense to me. While Steph started somewhat strong and had any thunder thoroughly absorbed by Harper, Cass' entire EXISTENCE became tied to Row. Every movement, every action, every breath was about some unlikable wastrel with delusions of perfection. Remaking a pre-existing character's life all about a newer one’s is even worse when that newer one has all the originality of the comic Diesel (see Linkara's review for context). Their "friendship" had zero basis, other than one party's guilt and the other party needing constant attention and praise heaped upon her. It makes Cassie’s her entire motivation more about appeasing Harper, proving herself to Harper, even asking for death in Harper’s name...as opposed to realizing that, regardless of who the victim was, killing someone was wrong. I don't recall if they ever named the guy Cassie originally killed, but it was better that he didn't have some "important" connection to a character like a bad soap opera desperate for ratings. Now it’s felt more like “killing that person was wrong...because it was Harper’s Mom.” Just like the Wayne Murders, it's better and more poignant if it were left random. But again, the problems go beyond Harper. Having Cass speak so early changes her "neurologically atypical brain", or how, when you think about it, slaughtering children and piling them up (seriously, what the eff, Jimbo?) kind of defeats the whole revelation Cass has when she takes her first life. Even if she feels she has no family, Cass taking the name of a serial killer makes no sense...I would think the body count would outweigh “feeling alone” element to the name (really, Jimmy’s stretching for that one). Then there’s the fact that Tynion’s blithering idiot version of David Cain never loved his daughter, except as a passing reference in his kamikaze strike, which was mostly about Mother not appreciating him enough. And probably just an excuse to kill another characters father because some at DC has Daddy Issues. I mean, they cut Cluemaster’s throat, THEN cut Orphan-Cain’s throat...but he somehow survived...oy, now I’m remembering all the plot holes. So many plot holes. I mean, Cassie turning evil was incompetent, but not only did that give fixed in under two years, Adam Beechen excelled in other respects during Robin, and wasn’t prone to unbearable slog.

This is the crap you’re making me miss, DC.

Harper Row was either the standard or the launching pad for Tynion’s versions of these characters, and much to their detriment. This vision OMAC-Tim gives Cass and Steph just proves what I've been saying, that these characters of Orphan and...Not-Quite-Spoiler...aren't "just the same" characters as before Flashpoint, despite some similarities. They haven't earned what they did beforehand, Tynion just tried rebuilding them from the ground-up, then a few issues later just wrote "it's this way now" to closer resemble their pre52 versions, with no build-up or effort put into it. Heck, after hearing 'Tec readers talk about how Steph has been acting insane, these last pages suggest that, perhaps, she was playing Achilles or whatever his name is, which...I could kind of see Batgirl-era Steph doing...not a bumbling idiot who let Gotham burn over her stinkin' parental disputes and took orders from an ego-maniacal brat.

Cassie and Steph can hug all they want when things get emotional, it doesn’t change that the versions under Tynion had one called the other subhuman, and then when they next saw each other, spontaneous group-hug-invite. That is nowhere NEAR the same as the two of them disliking each other, and their rivalry developing into a friendship.

“Remember when I said you weren’t a person only because you didn’t speak? AHAHAHAHA! Good times, GOOD times...”

And really, I think fans of these characters are just so glad to have ANY version of them, they're more forgiving of Tynion's writing, whether it's error-heavy or just serviceable. They’ll excuse the problems to support the characters. Sure, Jimbo tosses in some emotional moments, hugging, crying, but given his previous work and history with them, I question if it had any real structure to it. He didn’t hesitate to have Tim bone Steph, even though that’s not something pre52 Tim would do, so why should I believe he put any effort into the Clayface/Cassie friendship, or...any character/Cassie friendship? But even if he did...how does it justify what he changed or how he changed it? I’d say it doesn’t; his mistakes aren’t better just because he and/or DC refuse to acknowledge them (hence the absence of Harper). NOTHING justifies these problems.

So, moving forward from Steph and Cass learning they had alternate, better-written lives...we don’t know how that’ll go. ‘Tec 981 could see them decide they (for some unholy reason) prefer to have started out as side-characters in their own origins if it props Harper up further, never having actually ever been the same as before (but “different” and “change”, so that makes it better somehow). Or, in a rare show of intelligence, this will lead to them ACTUALLY getting their lives back, no reinvention, no dead Dads either influencing their sociopathic negligence or wanting them dead, no stupid changes mandated by a bunch of witless baboons in charge...none of it. Because none it was good, none of it improved or equaled what was done before, and none of it is justified by long slogs in between distracting heart-string-tugs. Tynion’s changes, including but certainly not limited to the spotlighting of Bluebird, brought nothing new or good to the table, regardless of circumstances, and I fail to see why they or their effects should continue.

The characters CANNOT have both histories; they just don’t work together. Steph’s beginnings cannot be both humble AND tied to yet-another city-wide massacre. Cassie’s life cannot be about her AND someone that has no right, rhyme or reason to be associated with her. David Cain cannot be a trained assassin at odds with a daughter he genuinely cares for AND...whatever the Hell Tynion thought he was writing Orphan to be. None of this deserves passive dismissal, not after all the years of crap DC has flung our way. They’re mistakes don’t deserve the validation of continuance for these characters or their world.

We’ll see.

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simon-jess · 7 years ago

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Simon movie/music headcanons? Simon and/or Jessica + babysitting (since you said he’s better with kids and I’d love to see your take). Also the obligatory “ah crap we gotta go to Gotham” hc/storyline crossover with Batfam/Batman? No pressure you just said “ideas?” And I saw so many scrolling through :)

I’m crying thank you!!! ok I really really really blabbered on here so I’m gonna put a read more on

music : Simon was a hundred percent behind Britney Spears & really hated (& still hates J*stin T*mberlake) & is still a known stan, also he loved the Spice Girls & while he’s been a lil busy to listen to current music & know who they’re talking about he would totally die for Beyoncé

movie’s : he’s a nerd so I think he’d be really into sci-fi/fantasy movies but also I think he’d watch gotg & yell about how theres actually no sound in space so in reality I think he unapologetically loves romcoms & his fav movies are The Princess Bride, 2005′s Pride & Prejudice, Big Eden tbh & also Jessica thinks its adorable

babysitting : ok ok my actual weakness? Simon with kids??? ok ok, he’s literally the best uncle ever & its not like he’s a kid whisperer but he’d literally never raise his voice to a minor/woman ever like he could be giving Farid cooking lessons & Farid could literally dumb boiling water on him & Simon would be all calm & make sure FArid was ok & the stuff was put away b4 he saw to his burns like he..just won’t yell at kids, he’s a good man & he was yelled at by alot of people when he was little & he’d never wanna be a grown ass man who tried to scare kids like them so he just would never???? & when he’s watching kids they get that, like they know he’s gonna enforce the rules but he’d like talk to them not scream/punish, & he’s really good at getting into their games because he can literally carry like 4 toddlers at once somebody stop this beautiful man. when any of Farid’s friends accidentally break one of his toys (or Farid himself) Simon can literally just fix it & he makes sure they understand that so they don’t get to upset. he’s also a firm believer in the saying sorry rule as in “sorry means you won’t do “it” again” & makes sure the kids understand that when they are in trouble, he also is really cool & really does enjoy spending his free time w family & friends, so he will always help Farid & his friends (if they’re over) w homework & he loves helping him w projects tbh (when Farid is older & in the science fair, trust me when I say Farid’s not entering with a weak ass volcano), there’s so much more I can go on about Simon & kids forever so I’m prob gonna make a parent hc post eventually tbh, so I’m gonna move on to Jessica.

Jessica : admittedly I put less thought into this, ok so while I think Jess isn’t bad w kids like she’s not one of those freaks who are mean to kids for no reason, I don’t think she’d like actively try to deal with them like on cases she’s content having Simon play w them & honestly she doesn’t like babies they cry & they can be hurt so easily & she doesn’t want to hurt them so she never holds them & like children kinda give her anxiety because she doesn’t wanna upset them so she overthinks everything she says & does w them & how they interpret it & it’s a never ending spiral of panicking so…yeah she doesn’t seek em out, but! when they go to her while she’s patroling or hanging w Simon’s fam or something she’s so nice??? she doesn’t realize it but her smile & how she talks to them?? every kid just gets inspired to be just like her?? like with Simon they feel safe but with Jessica they feel like heroes??? does any of that make sense I’m just kinda blabbering & I’m gay & can’t explain my thoughts properly lol

gotham/batfam : ok them going to Gotham for a case is interesting but whats more interesting??? going to Gotham because Bruce invited him! like Bats invited him to the cave so…he visits, like while he works w the League it makes sense for him to work on the League’s official vehicles, but he gets asks to look at the batmobile? like ok let me explain Bats is a dad & Simon’s roughly his eldest’s age so he low-key reminds him of Dick (esp personality wise) & he feels unappreciated? Bats isn’t good w words but he is good w gestures so yeah he asks Simon to fix his car after is crashes the billionth time & yeah he lets Simon upgrade it lord knows it needed them & sure maybe he had Alfred bully Simon into staying for dinner to make sure he ate & sure maybe he made sure Damian was here because Simon loves children & having him teach Damian about cars while he worked on it cheered him up but he doesn’t care or anything (he’s /this/ close to writing up adoption orders).

Simon w the rest of the fam starting w Alfred: he loves him there’s just a shared respect of someone who does everything for family, like everytime they see eachother the look the exchange…it tells a thousand stories, also they exchange reciepes & cooking tips (& parenting tips) all the time & when Simon goes over he’ll bring something he made from one of Alf’s recipes & Alf will make one of Simon’s & they’ll see how it turned out….what I’m saying is that they’re bros’s they’re /this/ close to starting a book club together

Dick: like Alfred they bonded near instantly from the mutual reconition of doing everything for their family but also Dick hit on him once & if Simon wasn’t crazy about Jessica right then he would’ve taken him up on it, Simon mostly visits either to just chat, for some advice w Jessica or tbh to hang w his bf Tiger, when he visits he always brings food so Dick really doesn’t mind tbh, long story short is they bros but like more low-key than him & Alf & Bruce

Jason: Simon doesn’t really have a no killing rule or anything but he doesn’t like it at all y’know but he also doesn’t disagree w Jason’s methods so he doesn’t but heads w him but Jason did come to see him w he found out he was hanging w Alf, now Jason joined in on his & Alf’s recipe trades & sometimes they’ll talk about books or something. Really they’re not close but Jason really appreciates having another person to talk to (& he really is that ride or die friend) & who doesn’t judge him at all tbh & Simon’s really just the same way, like they only talk once or twice a month but they do mean alot to each other. also Jason bullies Simon into befriending Roy,Artemis & Bizzaro & while the latter two took some time to like him & Roy hit it off immediately to Jason’s instant regret

Tim: Tim’s smart but honestly him & Simon just clash y’know & (tim stans don’t interact) like y’know if he wanted to talk to a genius he’d talk to Cyborg,Cisco,Dick, or Bruce (who are smarter)? before him like Tim’s just young enough & just old enough that Simon doesn’t really deal w his age group? I do think Simon’s nice to him but theres just no friendship between them they just coexist tbh

Duke: Duke’s a new young hero who’s actually up in the daytime!?? so yeah him & Simon run into eachother alot & Simon’s been in the business just long enough not to be a rookie so he helps alot & Simon was shocked at how smart Duke was tbh & really likes talking stuff w him if only to see how long it’ll take for him to figure it out? & its always so quick? Simon can’t wait to see how big he’ll be in a few years so while Simon’s only like 6-8 years older then him he’s sorta tryin to be a mentor to him

Damian: Bruce is Jewish & so is literally the rest of the fam so Simon’s literally one of the only practicing Muslims that see Damian often so he invites Damian to his family for their holidays & celebrations & that may be the only times they interact but it means so much to Damian & the family when he does it

Cass: Cass is the best judge of character in the entire DC universe & she saw Simon & decided he was good & just?? befriended him like they don’t bond over anything in particular but Simon always treats her like a princess (in a nice way) & Cass & Jess are friends so Simon’s cool w her & they’re both pretty much the friends yelling (& signing in Cass’s case) your doing amazing sweetie when they see eachother

Steph: She’s closer to Jessica but honestly Stephanie’s the Gina Linetti of the dc universe she’s that bitch she’s a known icon, when you need someone destroyed via social media you go to her & given the amount of shit on the green lantern official twitter (they’ve had one for public realations since Hal’s Earth GL days) against Simon & Jessica for terrible reasons…lets just say…Steph’s the friend to have tbh (Vic, & Babs just threaten to shut down twitter when it happens Steph detroys them)

Luke: Simon heard Luke’s story & he knew how smart he was but he wasn’t ready for when they met, they talked for hours & once Simon invited him to come to a bar w him & Vic they immediately become that group of science bros, but also he & Vic are like the only people Simon knows that “sport” & while Simon really doesn’t its nice to feel like a “normal” dude sometimes so he always watches the game w him

Tiffany : Tiffany’s such a genius & Simon’s a engineer & Tiffany thought that was so cool “Luke you’ve gotta invite him over c’mooooon” so yeah Simon came over to meet this Tiffany & they literally spent the better part of an entire day talking shop it was honestly one of the best days of Simon’s life, now Simon takes her to science exhibits w Luke & lectures & Tiffany tells him about what she learned each day & Simon always asks the right questions & yeah they’re just nerdy bffs

Helena (Rebirth): she scared him at first but Simon understands trying to be a hero after doing things you’re not proud of & situations you can’t always control & they may not be friends but Simon does believe she’s good & that means everything to her

Babs (Oracle): you can’t be a hero & not know who Oracle is, she keeps everything running together?? they don’t talk much honestly Simon barely knows her name but aside from his Mom,Sister, & Jessica there’s no one he respects more

Claire : Simon thought it was funny at first, like this little girl really got up & decided to be a hero & then did it??? & continues to do it everynight???? but then he found out what it does to her & Simon & her have & will probaly never meet but Simon always asks about her to make sure she’s doing ok, Simon is planning on going to the guardians to see why she can’t get a ring because he can’t think of much things braver than dying a little bit each time you’re a hero

Harper : she really did that? like for her brother god does Simon respect that & Simon doing all of that for someone who may as well be his brother? god does Harper respect that. they bond over mechanical stuff & help each other on projects & once they started hanging out God does Harper’s suit & gadgets improve like holy shit

Kate : Simon was honestly uncomfortable with her when he found out she was ex military & honestly is still a little but he does recognize her importance & when he sees her prowling the night god does he leave her alone

Jessica w the Batfam stating w Bruce : I like to think there’s a few hero support groups for various things & she didn’t wanna go to the anxiety one alone so Bats (who already went but she didn’t need to know that) offered to go with her & she knew he took Simon to the depression one so she said yes, & now they go together every week & honestly it means alot to her & they kinda bonded over that (and how much they both love Simon (Bruce in a paternal way)

Alfred : Jessica adores Alfred he’s like the second easiest person to talk to & he’s so calming & he makes tea & he never talks down to her & he gives good advice so whenever Simon visits Jessica tries to come to if just to sit with the man he’s her new favorite Grampa

Dick : Dick’s younger than the league but super experienced in the hero business & tbh theres not many who are more experienced so when she needs help w a gig but is not about to call the league the contacts him (over text obv), they don’t hang much, because despite popular taste Dick’s a lil too serious for her taste, she does appreciate the effort he makes to make her feel like they’re peers when he’s clearly issuing commands, she def sees thru his jokes & facade & while she never mentions it there’s a understanding between them

Jason : Jess doesn’t like killing point blank (ayy) but she understands the J*ker needs to uhhh die so she refuse to hang w him on moral grounds but also she’s low-key rooting for him tbh

Tim : I think they just met over completely normal conversations?? like they both just awkwardly talked & everytime they meet they just meet & awkwardly talk? Jessica’s glad he’s back (it was not fun seeing Bats mourn) & Tim thinks she’s a fucking powerhouse but yeah their relationship is literally the friends of a mutual friend that constantly meet & talk but also aren’t really friends

Duke : Jess thinks Duke is so cool, he’s one of Gotham’s only superpowered heroes & he’s pretty much its only line of defense during the day. what she didn’t expect was how much of a nerd he was, when they finally met they spent no less than 8 hours throughout the day talking about Lord of the Rings

Damian : Damian doesn’t partically care about Jess one way or the other but when they did meet he wanted to know why she changed her costume as the old one was clearly had a better design, Jess didn’t have the heart to explain all that happened but they did start talking about art & stuff, now their relationship is mostly Jess commissioning him to draw her oc’s tbh

Cass : Cass is also part of the girls club & honestly Jess & her bond so much talking about how their disability’s effect their day to day lives, they each have their own support system but there’s no reason they can’t support eachother. aren’t close friends but are still one of eachothers greatest cheerleaders

Steph : Steph is part of the girls club & they both love pokemon honestly they kept on running into eachother when pokemon go came out & they still play it together, alot of the girl heroes get together all the time for a ladies night & while Jess isn’t ready yet Steph is putting an honest (& impressive) effort in convincing her (she’s close tho)

Luke : they’re so mutually impressed by eachothers determination, like they’re not close at all but god do they respect eachother

Tiffany : they respect eachothers aesthetics & thats the strongest way for women to become friends tbh, always have makeup on hand for eachother. their friendship is the true definition of girl solidarity tbh. Tiffany’s so busy coming off as intelligent that sometimes she forgets to be a lil girl & its so easy w Jessica, Luke swears she looks like she’s going to disneyland or something everytime Jessica comes over

Helena (Rebirth): again she doesn’t like killers but she’s part of the girls club & while there may be no love between them Jess does believe in second chances & she really is rooting for her

Babs : Jessica is so shook by her, Babs is shook by her they recognize powerhouses when they see it & Jessica seeing a disabled woman being easily the power house of the batfam??? she’s honestly never felt so inspired, Jess hands down hero worships her & tbh Babs is shocked because a effing Green Lantern thinks she’s powerful & that mutual validation??? awe inspiring

Claire : they also met at the hero support group & Jessica’s with Simon, like she came back to life (sorta) because of a Green Lantern ring why can’t Claire have one?? they hang out together & honestly Claire’s one of the few people Jessica’s comfortable going “out & about” with

Harper : part of the girl squad & while they don’t have much in common they really do like each other in wow that one girl that saved me last night seems really cool tbh, definite respect there

Kate : she’s so gay for her but everytime Kate flirts w her she forgets how to fuction therefore their relationship is in a constant impasse tbh, the constant paradox of wanting to be her gf but also can’t talk to her & Kate just wants to learn her name

omg that took forever pls tell me if I missed anyone & please feel free to send more asks!!! thank you!!!

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kassandra-lorelei · 7 years ago

Note

ROBIN MICHAEL JARED STEPHANIE

THANK YOU MY DUDE

Sorry this took so long - we left for the theatre earlier than I expected.

Let’s see. I’ll start with Robin, because she’s really themain protagonist (kinda the way Selina Meyer is in Veep) and go through thelist from there

Full Name: Robin Ruth Carter (in the pilot her last name isCarter, but she soon goes back to her maiden name of Jenney)Gender and Sexuality: Cis female, heterosexualPronouns: She/HerEthnicity/Species: White AmericanBirthplace and Birthdate: A small town in Texas, some timein the 60s. She refuses to specify when she was born, but at time of writingshe’d be in her mid to late 50s.Guilty Pleasures: She rarely feels guilty about anything shedoes, the woman has little to no shame.Phobias: Aging, in some respects. She knows that as anactress her time on stage or on the screen is limited to how good she looks,and thinks that her career is all she has. She’s also not really a fan ofspiders or insects.What They Would Be Famous For: Her ideal method of gettingfamous (again) would be to make a return to the limelight. She’d more likely bein the headlines for storming a theatre stage and punching the lead actor, orsomething.What They Would Get Arrested For: She’s actually arrested inthe pilot for fighting her husband and his mistress.OC You Ship Them With: Her best friend, Michael. They had anaffair before the start of the show and there’s a lot of unresolved tension. Myideal end of the show is the two of them getting together properly.OC Most Likely To Murder Them: Probably their Broadwayproducer friend, Harry, who becomes her boss in the pilot. Or her ex-husband’sgirlfriend, Sabrina.Favorite Movie/Book Genre: She loves action thrillers andromance novels. But only the good romance novels, none of that sappyover-the-top crap.Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche: When the guy in themovie/book grabs a girl to kiss her after she was mad at him, and suddenlyeverything’s all better. It pisses her off no-end, because she’d personallykick a guy in the nuts if they tried that on her.Talents and/or Powers: Acting is really all she knows how todo because she’s spent so long doing it.Why Someone Might Love Them: Because she’s strong, and smart(if a little over-dramatic sometimes), and when it comes right down to it sheadores the people who are closest to her.Why Someone Might Hate Them: Because she’s spiteful,bad-mouthed, and often bad-tempered too.How They Change: She goes from only really wanting fame andusing the people she loves to actually including them in her plans and trulyappreciating them. She also learns that their successes are not her failures, and that she can be a great actress in her own right.Why You Love Them: Because she’s an arsehole, but it’sbecause she’s been hurt and she’s trying not to be. When she opens up, she’sfun and kind of takes Stephanie under her wing because Stephanie’s actualmother is a huge disappointment of a person. I love the found-family dynamic.

Full Name: Michael Robert HenningGender and Sexuality: Cis male, heterosexualPronouns: He/HimEthnicity/Species: White AmericanBirthplace and Birthdate: Brooklyn New York, NY, January 5, 1958Guilty Pleasures: He really likes letting Robin loose on people who deserve it, even if what she says is devastating and he knows he should feel bad about it.Phobias: He isn’t crazy about flying, though he puts up with it when he absolutely has to.What They Would Be Famous For: Probably for being Robin Jenney’s other half, or for helping her out of some scrape she’s gotten herself into. He’s more of a behind-the-scenes kind of guy.What They Would Get Arrested For: Probably for helping Robin in something which he knows is illegal but he can’t stop her from doing it so he rolls his eyes and goes along with it. Though he’s more likely to be the person that she calls to bail her out of jail, like in the pilot.OC You Ship Them With: Robin, the two really just bounce off each other nicely.OC Most Likely To Murder Them: No one, really. He’s a decent person, apart from the whole affair he and Robin had. And Jerry, Robin’s ex-husband, wouldn’t try to get revenge that way.Favorite Movie/Book Genre: He likes crime dramas and detective novels. Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche: The whole “dashing hero” cliche from romance and high dramas. That’s why he prefers grittier stories - the protagonists are less annoying to him.Talents and/or Powers: He’s good at organising things, and at managing people. That’s what makes him a good acting agent.Why Someone Might Love Them: He’s a nice person, and he’s there for other people when they need him.Why Someone Might Hate Them: He doesn’t always put up with other people’s shit, and has a penchant for doing the right thing even if it makes him unpopular.How They Change: He realises just how much he cares about Robin, and how much he enjoys spending time with her, no matter what that entails. Why You Love Them: Because he puts up with Robin, but also doesn’t put up with Robin if she goes too far. He protects her when he can, and is in many ways her moral compass, and the two really do need each other in a lot of ways.

Full Name: Jared Martin Desmond WrightGender and Sexuality: Cis male, bisexualPronouns: He/HimEthnicity/Species: Black BritishBirthplace and Birthdate: London Borough of Ealing, 12th November, 1994Guilty Pleasures: He will eat an entire tub of ice cream by himself and then deny it. Living with two other people, he gets in trouble over all the empty cartons a lot. The worst part is that he can do it and stay in shape.Phobias: He hates clowns, they give him the creeps.What They Would Be Famous For: If not for acting, then for being a model.What They Would Get Arrested For: Probably something he either didn’t mean to do, or something he was pushed into by Stephanie and Robin. He’s a bit like Michael in some ways, so the two of them can bond over how ridiculous the situations they find themselves in are.OC You Ship Them With: None. I’ve figured that he’ll have relationships over the course of the series, but I haven’t quite worked out who he’ll end up with.OC Most Likely To Murder Them: Robin would come closest to hurting him (even if she wouldn’t kill him), because she’s jealous of the fact that he and Stephanie are young so their looks are getting them parts.Favorite Movie/Book Genre: He doesn’t read a lot (other than scripts) because his work keeps him busy, but he loves superhero movies at the end of a long day when he wants to relax.Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche: How the hero’s gun in movies never seems to run out of bullets. He thinks it’s good for tension if they do.Talents and/or Powers: He is extremely talented as an actor, and it gets him a lot of jobs. He’s also a good cook, and takes care of it a lot in the apartment.Why Someone Might Love Them: Because he’s funny, even if unintentionally. It makes him rather adorable sometimes.Why Someone Might Hate Them: He tries to control everything a lot, because he thinks he knows what might be best in that particular situation.How They Change: He learns to let go and relax a little bit more. He’s helped along his way throughout the series as he becomes better friends with Robin and Michael.Why You Love Them: Because in a lot of ways he’s like me, lol. He can’t handle not having things in his own control, and when he feels awkward he tries to remove himself from the situation.

Full Name: Stephanie Brianna MarcusGender and Sexuality: Cis female, haven’t decided on sexuality but I can see her quite strongly as asexual and focused more on her friendships than on relationships.Pronouns: She/HerEthnicity/Species: Her father is Black American, her mother is White American.Birthplace and Birthdate: Manhattan New York, NY, 3rd March 1995.Guilty Pleasures: Taking long baths that use up the hot water, and that mean Jared and Robin have to wait to use the bathroom. And she really does feel bad about it afterwards, so she tries to make it up to them.Phobias: She’s a little claustrophobic, but doesn’t really have many actual fears.What They Would Be Famous For: If not for acting, then probably for being the Most Cheerful Woman in America.What They Would Get Arrested For: The same thing that she pushed Jared into doing, because she thought that maybe there could be a way of spinning it into something good.OC You Ship Them With: Again, no one. She has a boyfriend at one part of the series, but they break up. She much prefers being friends with people, and she adores her friends.OC Most Likely To Murder Them: No one, she is Actual Sunshine.Favorite Movie/Book Genre: All kinds of romance novels and soaps. Robin gets her into the old Douglas Sirk melodramas and the Howard Hawks comedies, too.Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche: She’s actually kind of a sucker for cliches.Talents and/or Powers: Apart from acting, she loves to bake and to garden. She’s also the only one in the apartment who loves to sing and dance, and will often host one-woman renditions of her favourite musicals around the place when no one else is at home.Why Someone Might Love Them: Why wouldn’t you love her? She’s a delight.Why Someone Might Hate Them: Her cheerfulness gets on some people’s nerves, and she crumbles underneath her very dominant mother.How They Change: She learns to stand up for herself more against her mother, and to live her own life the way she truly wants it.Why You Love Them: Because she is perhaps the nicest person I’ve ever wrote. She’s adorable, and impossible not to love, even if some of the things she says can be a little naive sometimes.

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