#JL meets Nightwing

[tragicallystraight]

Considering bruce was ready to kill the joker (only to be stopped by superman and joker being UN + remember this would've started ww3 and bruce had no fucks to give) AND because he was stopped from killing the joker he took all his anger out on other Gotham villian/criminals to the point of hospitalising each and everyone of them... I don't know if bruce would be the 'i cant be batman anymore' type or if he'd be the 'I'm going to kill everyone (criminal) and then myself' type.

Bruce would give up the mission if Dick ever died. And not in the angry-grief way of "this is the last straw on the camel's back" aka the way he sorta kicked Dick out, but in the "hasn't set foot in the Cave in over a month because the last time he did he kept hearing Dick's laugh echoing across the stalactites" way. He literally cannot bear to put on the cowl, to be Batman, because Batman has existed longer with Robin than without. Bruce doesn't remember being Batman without Robin (without Dick) anymore. He can recall his first meetings with a few of the Rogues, but beyond that? It's been so long that those first 2-4 years are all just a haze of self destructive grief. Dick flipped his entire life in a 180 to the total opposite direction. He showed him how to hope, to love, to live. If Dick dies as an adult, Bruce would've spent half his life with his first son. No matter what age Dick dies at, Bruce will have always spent more time being Batman with Dick Grayson as a son rather than without him. Dick changed Batman, changed Bruce so irrevocably that Bruce wouldn't ever be able to wear the cowl without remembering him.

[thegothamgazettereportermarie]

Dick Grayson/Wally West and Nightwing Joins The JL trope

Batting in the Wings by Jedi_Olympian

[haveihitanerve]

Okay but bruce being so against touch is like- enormously hilarious to me- especially because in canon he hates touch; except when its from his family. So just imagine-

Brucie Wayne at a gala, awkwardly going for a handshake instead of a hug. The crowd is cringing Brucie Wayne, half running backwards in an attempt to get away from a woman who is trying to get handsy at a dinner Brucie Wayne, tripping a waiter into another man who tried to wrap his arm around bruce (jason and dick will never let him live it down. Neither will alfred, but for different reasons)

Batman, ignoring Hal jordan when he asks for a high five Batman, dodging supermans super speed hugs like they're the plague Batman, glaring at anyone who gets too close at meetings and not so subtly moving away

But then….

Bruce, walking into a gala with one or many of his kids sitting on his shoulders Bruce, not hesitating to pick up his shorter kids when they are at an event and cant see Bruce, strolling into a WE meeting with two kids latched onto each leg

Batman, on a mission and Nightwing uses his shoulders as a spring board. Despite not giving warning and coming from behind, batman doesn't even twitch Batman, working side by side with Red Hood, when the vigilante laughs and elbows him in the stomach. Batman just smiles faintly and keeps working Batman, sitting and talking in a meeting when Spoiler limps in and unelegantly flops into his lap. He doesn't even flinch, just situates her better and keeps talking Batman, chatting with wonder woman when orphan just appears behind him, so quietly superman doesn't detect her, and taps batmans shoulder. Instead of jumping away or breaking her arm, he just pats the hand back absentmindedly. The league watches wide eyed Batman, calling Red Robin in for information and the young vigilante refusing to leave until the bat gives him his goodbye hug Batman, slinging an arm around Batgirls shoulder to whisper in her ear during a mission that makes her laugh Batman, walking into a JL meeting with Robin attached to the front of his suit like a koala, wrapping a supporting arm around his sidekick. 

Bruce, a walking junglegym for any and all of his kids

[dudedidujust]

The daily planet runs a front page article calling superman the light of mankind

Cue the batfam launching a counter campaign in support of Signal,  the real Light of Mankind.

It starts as a joke but quickly derails into an all out war.

[anditwasallyela]

The Robins never acknowledge each other.

Like- never. After they grow up into their own heroes, poof, all that history is down the drain. At least, to everyone else.

It's an unspoken rule to the batkids that Robin is a persona- a role. When you are Robin, you are also everyone who came before you. You carry their name, their suit, and the idea they upheld. Robin isn't a particular person, it's an identity or maybe a whole other entity itself.

While we all know how Dick transitioned from Robin to Nightwing, only the older YJ or maybe Teen Titans and the Batfam know that. To everyone else, it seemed like Batman lost his brightly colored child, and a few months later he came back suspiciously smaller while a new vigilante rose in Bludhaven.

When questioned where the first Robin went, Jason scoffed and denied it, telling everyone that he "jumped in a vat of acid which made him smaller". The more times he was questioned, the worse the replies got.

"The Joker cut off my legs and they grew back shorter."

"I had a spine shortening surgery."

"What do you mean? I've always been 4'8."

--

Jason dies.

Nobody questions why Tim is there.

Then- an older and obviously blonde female replaces him. And the JL is weary. At this point, it's clear that Batman is just collecting children and not a single one of them knows where any of them are going. Hell, this oldest one they've seen. Maybe they'll get answers this time? The chance is low, but they casually slip it in conversation and then- They can't see, but they can practically feel the glare from beneath her mask.

"What? Can't handle a trans woman? Then you'll be raving about my hair next, huh? God forbid a man wants a change-"

Batman sighs loudly and excuses her from the meeting.

A few months later, a small, tanned, child who wields a katana joins the Robin crew. The JL doesn't ask anymore. They're tired of the shenanigans, and why on God's green earth do they have the same glare?

But eventually, and rather unfortunately, someone lets their tongue slip and-

"Are you not taught manners from where you came from? It's because I'm Arabic, isn't it? Is that how much difference means to you? You know, I'll have you know, the Nanda Parbat trains the finest-"

The barrage of words doesn't end even as Batman enters the room. And all the batkids, somewhere, far away, watching the cowl footage, giggle silently.

[ravenlilyrose]

Yet another JL learns about Batfam post

Featuring: everybody loves Nightwing

So, Nightwing isn’t technically a member of the JL, but everyone knows him and adores him. Even Batman seems to tolerate him fine.

They’re on a mission. Let’s say alien invasion. Or killer robots. Something large scale and dramatic.

Everyone’s fighting in the same general vicinity. Nightwing and Batman just happen (read: either very carefully planned, unconscious habit, or a combination of the two) to be fairly close together.

Suddenly, an explosion happens. Everyone is knocked down. Including the aliens/robots. Conveniently, they stop being an issue now, so we can focus on The Reveal.

Anyway, everyone knocked down. They start to get up and look around, checking to see that everyone is fine. And it looks like everyone is well and accounted for, except…

Nightwing!

Where’s Nightwing? They all start to panic (except Batman). Is Nightwing okay? Where did he go? Is he hurt?

And then Nightwing ducks out from under Batman’s cape, with a grin on his face, sunny and cheerful as ever.

“Well it looks like that instinct is fully intact. Explosion? Duck under the cape.”

He laughs at himself and Batman’s face twitches in what his family would read as a smile and most of the JL thinks they’re hallucinating.

“Do you two know each other?” They want to ask. And it’s been long enough that it would probably be awkward to ask. But they’re confused/curious enough that they might ask anyway.

[frownyalfred]

Some watchtower meeting where the JL is partnering up with Young Justice, the Teen Titens, and the Outlaws (is that there name? Jason's team?)

Their respective Bats just having a full silent conversation over the table on the plan

Batman shifts his weight to the right and suddenly Nightwing stops bouncing on the balls of his feet, but Redhood slouched farther against the wall and Red Robin is tapping his finger on the table. Batman than shifts to the left and Nightwing follows by leaning his hand on the table, Red Robin sits back and red Hood rolls his shoulder

Suddenly rhe whole mission is planned out with no one outside the Bats having any idea what just happened

Exactly. There are obvious tells if you know where to look, but they still don't give much away. Just that some form of communication is happening.

Actually I've always wondered, speaking of silent communication, if Bruce ever purposefully spiked his heart rate in meetings to tip Clark off on a yes/no answer. Or if that could be read in Bruce's suit biometric read-out, which means he could know his kids' BPM and also see that spike...hmm. Ideas.

[therandomfandomme]

I have such a soft spot for the JL forming while the Batfam is alredy big and out there, like I mean Bruce being like 39 and Dick already 27 kind of vibes. Especially if the JL has no clue abt them, it's just so funny to me. Bc they know Batman has been doing it for a long time already and they've heard rumors of more heroes in Gotham, but theyve never been confirmed and Batman keeps them away and they respect him enough to listen. Then the JL enlist Nightwing, who is closer to the average age of the JL, who has already been protecting his city for nearing a decade. And he's professional competent and they don't think any of it when he and Batman work well together, because humans stick together they guess.

Only for Batman to randomly lick his thumb to get some food of Nightwing's face and Nightwing whining: "Daaaaad," all embarrassed, shocking the entire JL, which isn't at all help when Dick adds: "I'm too old for this, go clean Robin's face." And then they have another heartattack, because Batman sounds almost sad when he replies: "Soon you're all going to be too old for this." Which causes Nightwing to pat his back and say: "Don't worry, B. We're never going to be too old to get embarrassed by you." Which somehow cheers Batman (dark scary Batman) up. And that's how the JL learns that the two are related and B very much doesn't work alone.

[batsandbirdbrains]

I want a reverse robins au where Damian was the one at the circus when The Flying Graysons fell, and it happened while Bruce was stuck in time or whatever. So Dick doesn’t meet Bruce for like a year or so after Damian adopts him. And Damian does adopt him. Immediately. No question.

And the entire time Bruce was gone, Dick could tell Damian was so sad about it. So to make him feel better whenever they talk about Bruce, his little eight year old mind just comes up with the most ridiculous idea.

Dick just always refers to Bruce as Grandpapa in his most obnoxious snobby accent. And it never fails to make Damian’s mouth twitch up into the barest of smiles, if not outright making him chuckle.

And it just caught on with everyone else. Dick is the only one who thinks of Bruce as a grandparent, but if anyone talks to Dick about Bruce, they call him “your grandpapa.”

He also refers to Talia solely as Grandmama in the same snobby accent because he can’t stand her and being referred to as a grandmother in general just pisses her off. Makes her feel old. Dick loves pissing her off, because whenever she comes around, she never fails to make Damian upset. That’s his Baba. No one is allowed to upset his Baba.

So when Dick finally meets Bruce for the first time after Tim brings him back, he just sort of stares up at this big imposing man he’s only seen pictures and videos of, and he’s a little intimidated, but Damian is right there holding Dick’s hand so he puffs out his chest and does his best not to look frightened or worried. And he looks Bruce dead in the eyes and tells him, “i thought you’d be taller, Grandpapa.”

And Jason doubles over, the laughter shocking even him, while Tim smothers a laugh in the background, and Damian just smirks and squeezes Dick’s hand.

Bruce is baffled. But he can’t help but be charmed by the little gremlin standing in front of him who’s sticking his nose up in the air and calling him Grandpapa. He’s reminded a lot of Damian when he was young, actually, even if Damian was a little older than Dick is now when he first came to live with Bruce.

And the Grandpapa thing never dies out, never fizzles into anything more common to call Bruce. It’s always the full Grandpapa, always.

A few JL members had met Robin while Bruce was lost in time, but only a select few. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Arrow mostly. A few other strays. Flash has met him a handful of times.

But the first time he goes to the Watchtower to be introduced to everyone, he clings to Bruce’s hand and asks him, “Grandpapa, when does your meeting start?”

And everyone turns and stares. Because this colorful little kid just called Big and Broody “Grandpapa,” and Hal Jordan lets out a bark of a laugh.

But that just makes Robin glare at him, and he squeezes Batman’s hand before stomping right over to him, dragging Batman with him.

“What’s so funny?” he demands with all the sass of a nine year old who feels he’s being made fun of.

“Did you really just call Spooky Grandpapa?”

“Yes,” Robin says slowly, like Hal is dumb. “Do you have a problem with that?”

Aside from the way Batman is positively glowering at him, Hal is also now faced with a pissed off little goblin child who’s been raised by Nightwing the last year. He very carefully and quickly tells Robin there’s no problem, “I was just surprised, is all,” and then books it across the room.

Robin beams up at Batman, who gives his hand a little squeeze before leading him to come sit at the meeting table with him.

“Come on,” Batman says, his tone practically announcing to the room how much he adores this new tiny addition to the Batfamily, “you can sit with Grandpapa during the meeting, and then I’m going to take you to the gym for a new training simulation, alright?”

“Alright!”

Robin sits in Batman’s lap the entire meeting, his face very serious as he pays attention to every word Batman and the others say. Meanwhile, Bruce is getting a total kick out of how much it freaks everyone else out whenever they hear Dick call him Grandpapa.

[dark-dragon-8]

Can someone please recommend fics where Dick talks about Jason as his "Baby brother" and people always think he's a kid or something, but then they meet him and just blue screen, because this is a 6'0 dude, decked out in guns as though he's a Christmas tree and they're his ornaments, (bonus points if he threatens to shoot anyone making a move on Dick), and built like a fridge standing next to the superhero version of a flexible sunshine.

Please, I'm begging you, I need these fics for my 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭.

Also, on that note, if anyone has any fics where Bruce talks about all his kids as his "Babies" and then introduces them to the JL and pretty much the same thing happens, only Bruce adds the whole "I birthed them all" thing (whether it's as a joke or he's actually a cryptid, I don't care).

Please 🙏

[favoritebatfam]

Murder Child Dick and the Justice League

Okay but I’m imagining a Robin who has just accepted Bruce as being family and is still in his murderous gremlin phase.

The first time Bruce brings Dick with him to a Justice League meeting, Dick manages to corner half of them to threaten them to protect Batman unless they want their bodies broken and identities exposed.

The half that he doesn’t get at the meeting, he finds privately within the next week.

No one connects the murder Robin who most of the Justice league think of as a more feral version of Batman with Nightwing, a hero who puns and laughs and is the first to comfort people.

The JL only figure it out after Batman almost dies on a mission and a murderous Nightwing storms into the Watchtower to enact the same threats he made as a kid.

[geeky-nightphilosopher]

🦇Batfamily🦇

At the Watchtower for some reason (meeting most likely,)

All Kids (Minus Cass and Dick): *To Bruce* I brought you ibuprofen, cuz we are your headache.

Bruce: *Having a headache because of this meeting and not because of his kids for once* Did you just...?

Jason & Tim: *Knowing his question is about breaking into the Watchtower* Yes.

Justice League: *Not knowing Batman had kids* 😮

[kawaiichibiart]

Okay, I need to know if a fic like this exists:

JL finds out Batman has kids. But not just in the sense of "one of them joins the League" but in the sense they somehow never knew he had partners as Batman.

Like, they've all heard of Robin, but they didn't realize Robin was actually a kid and a mantle that's been handed down. They believed he somehow worked with actual ROBINS. As in the literal fucking bird.

And he never clarifies this to them. They hear how his eldest robin has left the cave and figured the bird was too old to be of any help so he gave it to a bird sanctuary where it could live happily.

When his second Robin died, they thought he must really love these birds if he's nearly breaking his own moral codes to avenge it. To some his Robins are probably just an odd choice for a pet, but the League can see these little birds mean a lot to him.

They're happy to hear he's working with other heroes outside of them. It's how they first hear about Nightwing, Red Hood and Red Robin (whom they think added "Robin" as an omage to the bird Batman had lost).

And that's when we get to them meeting the current Robin. And it just clicks.

And well...

(listen. it's a stupid idea but it's one that makes me giggle and I need it to be real)

[hoshi-no-koinu]

I shall be attempting a fic(eventually)

I shall be doing my first bat-fam fic (and because of dwindling self-esteem have come to ask you to read it........ if I eventually post it)

There are a base of like 5-6 chapters(arcs more likely) at this point

JL host meet-up for family-unfortunately nightwing heard (at least 20 members shall show up)

JL (maybe GL, Glash or GA) shall make a joke about how the batfam, specifically batman are mentally stable, or if I'm feeling daring/motivated straight- batman is on the floor laughing, wing has passed out, others are.....

A 'mission' comes up that requires all the main JL members- but there's a catch and now half have been adopted

Batfam somehow convinced J'onn to put them in a simulation where they are confronted with Bruce actually disowning them or smth, it gets very personal- angst, maybe fluff?

Batman in a coma- angst

fake/doppleganger batman- more angst

Please dont stop interacting with this so I don't forget

[redsray]

I love the hc that Tim never really stopped taking pictures of heroes and vigilantes even after he became Robin. Not even out of hero worship or anything-- he just found it fun. In fact, being Robin just made this hobby easier to do. He has them separated in folders and definitely has blackmail photos included.

The first time Tim met the Justice League one of his first reactions was to sneakily take at least one picture of each of them. Clark vaguely heard a camera shutter but he could never find any cameras or camera owners.

Sometimes Bruce comes to him and asks for specific pictures of members of the JL doing things they shouldn't be doing i.e Barry ditching a meeting cause he was eating Chipotle in the Watchtower kitchen. No one knows how Bruce gets the pictures except for the other Batfam members.

Tim is the god of blackmail right behind Babs. You need older blackmail or videos? Go to Babs. But Good quality blackmail photos? Tim is your guy.

He has at least 4 folders full of pictures of Dick specifically. One for his time as Robin, one for Nightwing, one for Discowing and one for just Dick.

He also manages to have pictures he definitely should not have because how did you get into the cave before you were Robin, Tim, but he refuses to elaborate on those. i.e Robin Jason out of costume, cozily reading at the batcomputer ("seriously, Tim, that's creepy"), Dick when he first adopted Haley ("were you there when I rescued her?!"), Damian training with the League of Assassins ("how the hell did you get that"), Duke back during the We Are Robin movement ("I do not remember you pulling out any cameras what the hell")

[frownyalfred]

I literally never considered the whole Batman being called 'B' and then reporting back to 'A' but now that you've mentioned it, I'm obsessed with the idea. I mean, imagine meeting Batman, seeing him in the field, how hard he fights, only for him to report back to 'A'. Especially if you hear how people who've met A talk about him, like:

Batman: I'll give you each 10k if you don't tell A that I busted my shoulder

Nightwing: Sorry B, you're on your own

Red Hood: Hell no cheapskate, I wouldn't do it for 100k

Superman: I don't want to get on A's bad side :(

there's things that the JL have "heard" about A that only make him even scarier (some of these I compiled from the other post):

uses lethal force even when B won't

never leaves Gotham, like some kind of mafia don

has the ability to punish B and/or remove him from active field service

A's urgent requests take priority, even above the JL. B zetas down to Gotham without asking a single follow up question, he just goes

"You think B is bad about [thing], A is even worse." -- a sentence said jokingly by many a Batkid, over the years