#So if Damian is still reliant on Bruce

[oifaaa]

I think Damian should still try to kill Tim in the au. Like the first time he sees Tim in the robin suit he stabs him. Five year old full of grief and rage has a knife and just despises Tim with every fiber of his being. Even if this is also one of the Tim never becomes robin Au’sI think Damian should still be given the chance to stab Tim just a little

Yeah I'm not actually sure yet if Tim would become Robin in this but it's still funny to imagine that when ever it is that Tim decides to become a hero Damian takes one look at him and goes "I'm gonna stab him"

[rottonbear]

Analysis of knight terrors: nightwing

***** note *****

i didnt read the whole series, and prefer each character is independent than the others, which means what, for example, superman said in his series does not related to batman's.

***** ***** *****

The main topic of knight terrors is the deepest terror of the character, such as batgirl is too reliant on computer, scarecrow is everything.

As a resident scare expert, scarecrow said, "I think it's your fears we should be scared of, nightwing."

so, what's nightwing's biggest fear?

Base on the scarecrow and oracle, insomnia turns people to their special variant and what they fear most.

Nightwing didnt finish his transforment in the story, but base on his hands and arms, it seems to be a creature like a bird.

a blue bird, horror version of course.

in western culture, blue bird means hope. and in other cultures, beside hope, bird also mean power, and freedom. if we take the first statement, nightwing means hope, power and freedom. if we take the second, he afraid to it.

why does nightwing fear to hope?

there is a communicate between nightwing with robin (damian) in nightwing vol. 4 #20

"when your dad came back, there was a moment I thought it would be better for you if you stayed with me."

"but then i thought i was too young. too untethered. i thought i might not be able to handle the responsibility."

he afraids of the responsibility which comes from when he was called to be the hope.

a blue bird borns to be hope, no need and cant forced to.

though dick did a really good job when bruce out, during bruce back, he is the son again. he is still the little bird enjoys soaring free most.

cause of his really great jobs with titans, in bludheaven, sometimes in gotham, and siblingship with other batfamily, people easy to forget he is also a son.

he is the eldest, he becomes a superhero just like bruce, but he is still a son.

when he is free, he is the hope of the family, when he takes responsibility, he is the batman.

he is the hope, but you cant tell him TO BE the hope. that's still too heavy to him.

this is never a shame to a kid just want to be a kid when their parents is there. it just proves how much love that the kid was given from his man, and also an evidence shows he is really see bruce as his father, a figure that can rely on, and learn from.

then, why scarecrow said they should be scared of nightwing's fear?

in the very beginning of the story, nightiwng lose his memory, and insomnia tried to bring it back to make him weak. however even nightwing remembers what happen, his first reaction was finding a way out to make sure what actually happen but to accept. he even can care what happen to batgirl. just like the TRUTH didnt bother him at all.

insomnia's power didnt work on him like the others.

cause of failure, insomnia tried harder, which make the situation also. and insomnia's failure also mean nightwing's fear is an unknown.

nothing horrible than an unknown (actually, he does fear, he just knows how to handle them so well)

During nightwing's transforment, Insomnia tried five things to stimulate him.

one, killing batman, cause of too shock, nightwing lost the memory

two, john and mary.

I dont think batgirl is one of them, they more like trap in the same dream or space, such as stephanie and cassandra.

three, tony zucco.

fourth, the circus.

fifth, the fire (happened before new52, nightwing #88)

this is how nightwing reply.

To his parents,

"I've had nightmares like this before."

"Never so vivid...so real."

They are too real, he cant control himself tried to feel them again, and in the next second, they turned dust.

after that, he said "you're in my mind."

he sad but didnt fooled

he knows clearly his parents were gone, and never came back. just like he said in many series,

"I wouldn't trade being your partner for anything." batman superman world's world's finest #6

"I miss my parents with my whole heart, Batman, I do. But I wouldn't trade this for the world." batman gotham knights

"you know exactly who I'm the son of." pre new52 nightwing #100

About three to five.

Insomnia said "Naturally. His (Zucco) face still haunts you, after all.", "Maybe we should turn up the heat in here. What do you say?"

Nightwing "You think I haven't lived this a thousand times?", "This is no longer my nightmare..."

here show clearly how nightwing deals with his fear.

face it, until it not a bother anymore.

it is also the reason why he is so special in the batfamily. when there is something bothers him, he talks (self talking is also a kind of talking) and asks for help (Bruce also mentions this in nightwing #100) but keep it aside, or let it drive him.

He didnt step in the darkness and be a part of it, he fight hard until the dawn comes.

about the batman's part, analyze with the speech of him and scarecrow,

"I wont forget what happened here, crane."

"I know you wont. becauce a part of you liked it."

"that time you got to kill daddy."

"Darkness is a part of us."

"the thin margin between dread and desire..."

"tonight you tasted it. and it let you wanting more."

after dick real awaked, he didnt deny anything.

"bad dreams are only dreams."

"but some of them stay with us."

"...I'll be thinking about this one for a long time."

so, why does nightwing want to kill batman?

I think it is the visualize of his anger about bruce. in his subconscious, he afraids one day he will lose control.

Father and son issue is a canon topic in whatever creation.

the first one is the hardest.

and adoptive ever makes this more complicated.

Dick is bruce's first son, first partner, tons of things that even the world's greatest detective can find the correct answers, further may be there is no correct answer actullty.

Bruce is dick's second father, there is also alfred, before being part of wayne family, dick already knew whats a good father should be, and there must be sometimes he compared john with bruce, even he never told bruce or alfred face to face.

in nightwing #89, bruce admitted to clark, "i ve made so many mistakes with dick and look how he turned out."

In Nightwing #100, nightwing showed his understanding to bruce.

"You were young, you were driven, and you were grieving. and you put all that aside to take in a kid who lost everything in an instant."

However, understanding doesnt mean forgiving. Dick didnt show his anger because he cares and knows bruce hv been do his best in the past.

just like he said to jon in world's finest sons part two, "I know how hard it is." and in his 2022 annual

alfred "but surely not without a break."

dick "it's for my own good, alfred."

jon "where'd you learn to be such a good teacher?"

nightwing "I learned it from batman."

one of the most touching thing between bruce and dick is the countless understanding and forgiving.

A heartwarming and realist relationship is not filled with love, but hate and love exist at the same time, and love is always the choice with no doubt.

A son defeats his father meaning a real and full grow up.

so do nightwing and batman.

they argued, they fought, they separated, but never apart.

just like what the end of the story showed us, after the dummy broke down. countless bats fly through the sky. bruce always be the guy who saves dick in the very darkness. even there is full of heartbroke and tear, no matter how hard it is, the bat always guides his little blue bird home, the bat cant light the road, but his little bird do. when they are being gather, their world is bright by hope, and none of them will lost anymore.

To the Dynamic Duo

from nightwing fear stage

comment

i pretty love this story. i think it takes batman and nightwing relationship to a different level, may be just my overthinking :D

[kiragecko]

More things I want in a Reverse Robin situation:

Things were allowed to get bad between Damian and Tim not because people didn't see or care, but because they didn't recognize why it was different. Damian is 18 when Tim shows up. He's spent the last 6-8 years (depending on whether he joined his father when canon Dick did, or when his own canon counterpart showed up) being ... Damian - obnoxious and petty and condescending. But he's done it almost exclusively around people older than him, who aren't reliant on the Waynes.

Duke is half way between Bruce and Damian's ages. He was the first person to work with Bruce (though not as Batlad/Robin), and is treated much like a brother. He finds Damian to be cute and fun, and his threats to be amusing.

Jon is 2 years older than Damian, has super-everything, and can go home to his parents if Damian goes home too far. Jai, Ira, Cyn, and Lian are in similar situations.

None of them consider how the threats and violence would feel to an unpowered 13 year old who is just learning martial arts. None of them think of how Damian's comments about Tim not being wanted sound from the perspective of someone's whose position is dependent on Damian's dad wanting them. They're all USED to reading what's underneath the posing. They focus on supporting Damian as he works through his jealousy and insecurity, and assume that someone's doing something similar for Tim, if they think about it at all.

-

Spoiler is a street kid that Jason finds on patrol about a year after becoming Batlad. They refuse to have a civilian name or identity, and Jason won't let anyone push. She's also still in a very very slow process of being adopted by Bruce. Jason WANTS them to be safe and loved, but is also a bit paranoid about other people (Bruce) replacing him. Bruce relies HEAVILY on Jason for emotional/relational cues, and he's picked up on Jason's hesitance, but thinks they're going slowly to avoid scaring Spoiler off.

Spoiler and Jason are in something between a platonic friendship and a romantic relationship. Most of Spoiler's attention is focused on protecting people, so romance isn't a high priority. And Jason REALLY likes her, and enjoys the form of communication they've developed, but finds it a bit limiting for conversations about boundaries and consent. (The two of them communicate in a mix of exaggerated balance shifts, arm gestures, facial expressions, a few hand signs, and even fewer sounds.) Also, Spoiler tends to dismiss safety related concerns without listening, and those concerns are important to him? He's just ... not sure if ... it's not like they'd ignore his boundaries! Just ... he's not sure.

Spoiler spent a short time as Batlad, and another period as a Signal, but is Spoiler again by the time Dick joins the family.

(Just in case it wasn't clear: Spoiler is Cass. Jason uses they/them pronouns for Spoiler, Bruce and Alfred use she/her, and Spoiler doesn't care what sounds people are using.)

-

Duke.

Duke has never been Bruce's partner. They worked together a lot, those first few years. Transferring cases from the day to night shift, and back again. Duke enjoyed being Signal. Being active and independent.

We Are The Signal is, by definition, interdependent. Duke's Signals are now his eyes, legs, and hands. He trains them, deploys them, and compiles and interprets the information provide.

We Are The Signal started as a bunch of kids trying to fill the gap Signal had left when he disappeared. Focusing on the communities he had focused on, and daytime crime. Duke saw something in those kids, and after Troy Walker died, Duke made contact, offering them training and resources. He's never confirmed he was the first Signal, but most of those early members have strong suspicions.

At first, they spent most of their time in Gotham. But after recruiting Cynthia Lance (Jade Canary) for training assistance, they've slowly started expanding their scope. Outside of Gotham, they specialize in ... the superhero equivalent to cross-disciplinary studies. Recognizing that Ivy's pollen is being used in Central City, or that there's a connection between disappearances happening all across the country, or that two heroes are working the same case from different angles.

Inside of Gotham, they focus on closing gaps, so less people fall through them. Quite a few of the Signals deal with hallucinations and delusions, and many were/are homeless. Damian keeps each Signal supplied with the best cutting edge surveillance technology, which record information in ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum most humans can't sense, and at speeds that are usually meaningless overkill. At first, Duke assumed that his powers and the tech would allow him to discard inaccurate intel, making it possible to work with unreliable agents. But he's discovered that it's much more than that. Some psychotic people notice details other people miss, and focus on things others would consider unimportant - things that allow them to anchor themselves, or act as warning signs. Duke's ability to provide reality checks and check-ins, matched with his agents' unique perspectives, has led to relationships much stronger than the sum of their parts.

Steph started as one of his Signals. She's never figured out what made her special. Maybe it's just that fact that she goes out of her way to get to know the other Signals? She has a good attitude?? It's mysterious, but for some reason, Duke starts having her hang around home base more often - helping him organize files, ferrying messages around, getting extra training time with Cyn. She's usually the one to pick up/drop off things with the Bats. Slowly, she realizes that when the Bats mention 'Signal', they're usually talking about her. Cyn tells Duke that 'his protégé' is coming along well. Jason visits her at home base one evening, and tells Bruce he'll be back after visiting 'the step-family'. She gets lessons in 'Spoiler Signs'.

She ISN'T a Bat, okay? Duke can think he's a Bat if he wants, but SHE'S a Signal. They're DIFFERENT. But ... it's still nice.

One of the main reasons I love things like Reverse Robins AUs, is how they can help you figure out what's important to a character, and then look at those things through a fun house mirror to learn them better.

This is why my new favourite Reverse Robins concept is Tim, the second Robin, dying protecting a 4 year old Dick Grayson and his parents from the Court of Owls.

Part of why he dies is that Damian has made showing weakness so painful that he doesn't call for help. Dick leaves Gotham with his parents and gets another 5 years of happiness before they're killed by Tony Zucco. Tim becomes a Talon. He becomes active in Gotham when Jason is 16, and nobody knows who he is until Dick has become the newest Robin and the Court sentences Batman and Robin to death, a year and a half later.

Things that I find really satisfying about this idea:

It keeps the canon Dick+Tim 'Relationship Transformed by Kindness and Death' dynamic, but flips it. Instead of Dick being trapped in the place of his tragedy, surrounded by reminders, and Tim growing up silently watching him; we have Dick being whisked away from his tragedy, growing up surrounded by reminders of what's been saved.

It allows us to play with Jason's 'I Can't let Go of My Death and So I've Lost Myself and Everything I Loved' issues. Tim can't let go of his death, and it's his only link to himself and everything he's lost. He remembers saying 'The Flying Grayson's will fly again!' Keeping Dick alive is more important than avoiding being thrown back in the Labyrinth. Protecting Dick from the Court is his path back to his family.

It keeps the obsession and connection between Tim and Dick, instead of trying to convince the reader that Tim idealized Damian. I've struggled to translate Tim's motivation for becoming Robin in a reversed setting, and I can't make it work. This gives that motivation to Dick, instead, and allows us to explore how DICK would have been transformed by that one meeting. He didn't need love and affection in the same way Tim did. But I can see him holding on to the hope and heroism he saw, and instead of getting consumed by his rage when his parent's die, he's motivated to live up to Robin's legacy.

It gives a reason for my favourite reversed dynamic: instead of Bruce being broken by Jason's death, Bruce is convinced to step up by Tim's. In this universe, Bruce didn't choose either of his first 2 kids, and found it easier and safer to deny Tim even WAS his kid. (During Tim's tenure, Batman and Robin start patrol from the central Wayne Ent. Batcave, leaving the Manor to Damian, because it's easier than keeping Damian's vicious resentment and jealousy in line. Tim learns to mostly avoid the Waynes as civilians. Bruce deals with anything he sees, but doesn't confront the roots of the issues, and Tim loves being Robin but never feels particularly safe in the role.) Bruce 'got a kid killed' by holding him at arms length, and so, when Jason comes into his life and Bruce's attempts to find him a better place are stopped by corruption at every turn, Bruce chooses to truly become a parent.

One of the few things Tim remembers is his certainty that Robins aren't safe around Damian. This lets me keep Dick's canon struggles with Tim and Damian's conflicting needs. Both want to protect him, but Tim wants to protect him FROM Damian, and clingy baby Dick idolizes Tim, but NEEDS to hang off various parts of Damian for as much of the day as possible. Damian is drowning in guilt and wants to make Tim as comfortable as possible, but has committed to raising Dick. He can't let Tim stay between the 2 of them at all times.

It doesn't give as many hooks for Tim and Jason's relationship as I like. And I remain conflicted about whether Cass and Steph should come before Tim (to properly reverse canon) or after Tim (to make them contemporary with Jason, because he deserves to have contemporaries in AUs. Canon denied him). Duke is swapped with Babs, and I have fun thoughts about him, but that's a different post.

I don't think I can write this, but I want to see it!

[river-bottom-nightmare]

May we have more sad Kon drables?

you may absolutely have more sad kon drabbles babe. enjoy your angst. 

kon’s reliant on his ttk. almost an unhealthy amount. unhealthy by tim’s standards, because he’s always telling kon he needs to learn how to fight by himself without his powers as a crutch, just in case the worst happens. kon always shrugs and laughs, because how on earth is someone going to take his powers away?? that won’t ever happen, and kon likes using his powers. he’s fine. it isn’t until later that he realizes tim wasn’t talking about him losing his powers. tim was talking about kon’s powers not being enough. because it’s happened. multiple times. no matter how fast he pushed, he wasn’t fast enough to catch a falling tim. no matter much he gritted his teeth and tried to form a shield, it wasn’t enough to stop cassie from getting hit. he wasn’t always fast enough to stop a speedster villain after tim, he wasn’t powerful enough to keep all the bullets from hitting cissie. his powers weren’t enough sometimes.  it’s times like these when he realizes tim was right. he should have learned how to fight without his powers. or he should have trained his powers to get better instead of just trusting they’ll be enough. but even though he tries, now, he’s not learning fast enough to make much of a difference

kon’s never quite sure why his teammates act all fidgety when he talks about tana. it’s not like he’s explicit or anything. just small throwaway comments. an ice cream flavour she used to like, a pair of earrings that looked like the ones she used to wear. one day, while he’s telling tim about this date he and tana went on in an attempt to support tim going out with stephanie (yet again) while tamping down his own jealousy, cassie blows. she tells him to shut up, shut up about tana kon come on. none of the rest of us like hearing about her so please just do us all a favour and be quiet. it was easy to snap right back, to let the red rage fill his vision as he argued with cassie, but something about the grief in her voice made her pause. tim butts in awkwardly, telling kon that he knows kon loved her, he knows what she meant to kon, but the younger boy trailed off when kon demanded he explain what the hell he was talking about. it was bart that stepped up and told him, dude, you were fresh out of the lab, but physically only 16. she was 23. that’s not,,,,that’s not okay. no matter what way you put it kon gets it then. he remembers all the cases he’s worked with tim, saving kids from adults much older, holding their shaking bodies as tim beat the criminals up with his staff. but,,,,but it wasn’t the same. he was the one who started it. he was absolutely okay with the entire relationship. he had fun. he loved her. that,,,made it okay. right?

he had to find out from cassie. the two of them were on another one of their dates, desperately trying to make it feel like before. before kon had died, before cassie had splintered in grief, before kon came back but the two of them just didn’t click anymore.  joining a cult seemed like a bit of an extreme overreaction, but kon got it. he understood what happened when people were in grief. he doesn’t blame her, and told her so with an arm around her shoulder and her warm body tucked into his side. cassie just shook her head, her voice still achingly sad despite kon’s immediate forgiveness. it wasn’t her that he had to worry about, cassie said. it was tim. kon furrows his brow. tim? he’d suffered, obviously, and kon had seen pain in every line of his body when he’d visited tim for the first time after coming back. that hug had been full of more desperation than he’d ever seen on the younger boy. but he’d been told that all that grief, all that anger, was because of bruce’s death, and tim’s insane-but-not-really-insane quest to bring him back to life. cassie gives a humorless snort. then she tells him about the lab underneath the tower, the superboy shirt in the glass case. kon grows more and more horrified with each word cassie says, trying to imagine the story she’s laying out. tim, out of his mind with anguish. tim, trying to fucking clone him, over and over and over, knowing that it wouldn’t be the same but not even pretending to care, because any small piece of kon would be enough. the sleepless nights, the pills, the changed costume dedicated to him, the frantic energy dedicated to bringing kon back. he stammered out excuses, and cassie let him go without question. he didn’t even care that he left her hanging. he just knew that he had to go see tim, he had to find out if what cassie said was true. his death may have splintered cassie, but it shattered tim, and kon couldn’t help but feel guilt over it.

sometimes kon wondered if martha and jonathan kent approved of the way clark treated kon, or if she even knew. the two of them had taken kon into their home without a second thought, arms out and hearts open with acceptance. it was something he hadn’t felt until young justice had spent some time together, fought for their lives together. and for the kents, it was just immediate. kon wasn’t sure what it was about clark that made him push kon away. or, not really “push away.” more like straight up ignore at his own convenience. it was as if clark would rather forget about him; the only interaction the two of them had was when forced by lois or the kents, or when there was a global disaster and clark needed kon’s help. in his bitterest moments, kon wanted to scream at tim to cut damian some slack. damian had preyed on tim’s worst insecurities, he’d insulted him at every turn, he’d cut tim’s line and did nothing as tim fell. kon would always take tim’s side on this particular brotherly feud. but still, he sympathized with the kid. he’d been created without clark’s knowledge, like damian and bruce, before abruptly meeting them once older and being thrust upon them as an unwanted responsibility. damian was even worse than him, having years of brainwashing, abuse, and assassin-training. but bruce and the rest of the family still took him in, still gave him a chance, still tried so hard to love him until they didn’t have to try anymore to do so. when, exactly, had clark reached out to him to do any of that? other than a stiff, congratulatory smile after a battle or a mandatory dinner forced upon him by the rest of the family? he was getting better, kon could admit. it wasn’t enough, though. 

[our-happygirl500-fan]

My Personal Batfam Skill Rankings:

Fight Skill: 

Cass

Dick

Bruce

Jason

Steph

Tim

Damian

Barbara

Duke

When ranking the Bats in fight skill level I think Steph would beat Tim by way of being scrappier and my personal opinion is that Steph would rank higher than Damian because in Batgirl 2009 when Damian was trying to fight her Steph managed to control the momentum of the fight so neither of them would be hurt and was mostly just blocking his attacks all the while being distracted by talking to Oracle and Barbara even later told Dick that Steph wasn't even trying to fight which is a strong contrast to when Tim decided to seriously fight a 10 year old and Damian got wrecked so I think it means that Steph could potentially beat Damian in a fight, and Tim could only possibly beat her with his staff, again this is just how I read things if you want to take it into consideration

Tim and Damian could possibly swap but I've sort of noticed that Tim's very reliant on his staff for fights but I did put him above Damian because Tim has beaten him in fights multiple times so yeah there's that, Damian is still very very skilled but I think being the youngest plays against him in a lot of ways, Barbara ranks below Damian because she needs her escrima sticks for direct combat

Detective Skill:

Barbara

Dick

Steph

Cass

Duke

Tim

Bruce

Damian

Jason

Barbara has incredible reach and resources as Oracle which makes her practically omnipotent, Dick I actually think is a better detective than both Bruce & Tim and has proven his skills time & time again, Stephanie has been constantly shown to be incredibly apt & skilled in detective work & puzzle solving which makes sense considering her first appearance had her creating puzzles that Jim needed to call in Batman to solve, It's easy to miss because she's mostly treated as a support character during her Spoiler days but Steph actually solves & uncovers a lot of crimes way before the Bats & that's without their resources or any support most of the time, Steph was also able to profile a group of people down to their majors Sherlock Holmes style while in mid fight which shows just how deductive her mind is.

I don’t typically like Steph & Tim being ranked so far apart since they are continually said in comics on how they are a match for each other & how much Steph is Tim’s equal (though Bruce did admit that if Steph had the same level of guidance as Tim did she would have surpassed him) but I’m ranking Steph higher than Tim because I’m taking into account that Steph has shown the same deductive prowess as the rest of the Bats while not having the same training or support or resources which just goes to show her unbridled talent. I mean I think it says something when Steph didn’t even have close to half the resources that the Bats had during her Spoiler days & she was able to lock onto crimes before them.

Cass & Duke are ranked higher than Tim simply because they have the benefit of their abilities that he doesn’t have Cass is basically a human lie detector & Duke can literally see into the past. If you took those abilities away Tim would outrank them as detectives.

Edit:

To all the people messaging me about how ‘Tim is a better detective than Bruce’ fine, fine Bruce is now ranked below Tim

[outoftheframework]

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 :)

[anythingamarantha]

Strength. Not physical strength, but internal strength of character, of mind; knowing who you are, accepting it, and to overcome any and all obstacles you encounter through life. Dick is the epitome of this and for that, he's my favorite.

Dick has literally gone through so much, his parents death, his father going missing/dying (when Bruce got lost in the time stream), being violated (at a minimum of three times), traumatized beyond belief (kidnapped and "trained" by Slade, everything with Blockbuster) , abused by his father figure (Bruce forcing him to join Spyral, among numerous other acts), abused by his siblings (Jason punching Dick post his return from Spyral, plus everyone's attitudes), and yet he remains strong throughout all of it. It hurts, he gets broken, but he picks himself up and keeps going. He still goes out to save people.

Jason is too defined by his death, by his father's refuse to get revenge for him, and while many think Jason as the "angry Robin", to me he's the suspicious one, the one who's scared to die, be left behind, and forgotten above all. He's too desperate to be saved. He puts on a strong front, but he's not strong in and of himself.

Tim is too reliant on others to form his identity. He's smart, intelligent, yes, but he hasn't really found himself yet. He calls himself "Red Robin", still holding on to the Robin name, and a call to Red Hood, "his Robin", despite the beatdown Jason gave him. Tim is too desperate for acknowledgment from others after his neglectful parents. Too desperate to be needed, to be useful.

Stephanie Brown is alright. In terms of strength, mentally and as a character... she might actually be second. While I don't know as much about her as Dick or the others, she's overcome a lot and (probably) remained true to herself.

Damian is still growing. He's young and hasn't fully grown into himself, truly understood himself. He's got a superiority complex hiding an inferiority complex and mostly just wants to live up to his parents' legacies.

Carrie Kelly - I have no idea who this is.

Jarro - He's an alien and I do not know enough about him. He looks like that one demon in the SMT games.

Duke Thomas - I don't know enough about him or what he's been through to really make a judgement call.

[dukethomas]

If I can send two, Duke being just as chaotic as the rest of the batfam?

i got this one done sooner than your other one because i wrote it at midnight where there’s no coherent thought. whoops. but here it is! 

-

“Do you know how reckless that was?” Bruce snapped, his shoulders tense and his scowl deep. “You risked your life on the mere chance it might work. Did you even check before jumping? What if you had landed on something dangerous?”

As Bruce continued ranting, Tim leaned over to Duke and whispered conspiratorially, “Good on you, dude. I haven’t seen B get this worked up in at least a month.”

Duke snorted to himself. “You bet on me,” he said, referring to the betting pool most in the family participated in guessing who would cause Bruce to lecture about safety next.

“That I did.”

“I’ll bet on you next time. Make my money worth it.”

Tim and Duke fistbumped. Tim nodded. “Good man. Jason almost bet on you but decided on Damian instead, he’s gonna be pissed.”

Duke sighed to himself. “I’m underappreciated in this household.”

“Hey,” retorted Tim, “I bet on you, didn’t I? Who bet on me this time around?”

“Steph.”

“...Yeah, she would.”

“Where’s Bruce at now?”

Tim paused to listen. “He taught you better than this.”

Duke cleared his throat, giving Bruce a grin that charmed most. But not Bruce, not this time. Damn. “With all due respect, isn’t the whole vigilante thing reckless and risking our lives? What’s another thing reckless and risky stunt?”

Bruce’s nostrils flared. “As I was saying, I train you all. I try to have you all prepared, to eliminate as many risks as possible. You did not follow a single training protocol for heights.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” said Duke, gliding through with easy snark and a talent for bullshit, “but I’m scared of heights, y’know? And when you’re scared, you just gotta—” he made a hand gesture to represent him jumping off the roof, “—go for it.”

Which was true, at least partly. Duke was scared of heights, but he stopped caring a few months into the We Are Robin movement. He was more of a thrillseeker than scared of heights anyways, and the anxiety just gave his adrenaline an edge that couldn’t be beat. 

Bruce’s flat expression showed Duke he was not accepting any bullshit. And that was fine, but Duke could keep spouting it. 

“I even went and checked into the future,” he continued, “and I landed fine. So why not?”

(He had not, in fact, gone and checked into the future, but that was a good idea. He’d keep it in mind.)

“One,” said Bruce, his eyes attempting to drill a hole into Duke, “never become reliant on your powers. You never know if or when you will be without them. Two, the future is not set in stone, as our speedster allies prove many, many times.” He stared off into the distance with a pained look on his face for a second, and Duke knew that was going to be a fun story to ask for another day. 

Duke raised his hands defensively. “It was a few seconds into the future! I think a few seconds is pretty solid, in terms of changing futures goes. And it’s science, not magic, I see where the light will be, how much more set in stone can you get?”

He rested back on the table, and his fingers found the Batcomputer’s keyboard. He fought to suppress his giggles as he typed out something from memory.

In his peripheral vision, he saw Dick shaking his head fervently and mouthing, “No.” 

When Bruce closed his eyes to pinch the bridge of his nose, Duke mouthed back, “Yes.”

Dick glanced at Bruce, then back at Duke. He shrugged, in a way that seemed to say, “Your loss,” then walked away.

“We still don’t know the exact limits of your power, and I would strongly recommend you don’t find out while jumping off a building,” Bruce growled, the Batman gravel seeping in. Duke might be intimidated if he cared, but this was not his first lecture, and he had lived in the Manor for nearly nine months now.

Cass’ motorcycle announced her appearance before she did, the engine slowly fading away as she parked it against the Batcave’s wall, where all the motorcycles were parked. A faint smile played out on her face as she saw what was happening. 

However, Bruce was caught up enough with himself, Duke, and his lecture that he didn’t notice Cass. Cass signed behind his back, “Good job. I love you.”

To which Duke raised his eyebrows. He tilted his head subtly, hoping Cass was getting his message: Did you bet on me, too?

She shook her head quietly, and finger-spelled Barbara’s name. 

Fair enough. Though Duke seriously doubted Bruce would go after Barbara again after what happened last time. 

Duke’s thumb hovered over the button, and he bit his lip, ready to unleash hell. 

“So tell me,” said Bruce. “Why did you even think of jumping off the building?”

He made his eyes wide, pleading, and innocent. “Izzy dared me to!” he claimed. Riko also dared him not to but Bruce didn’t need to know about that.

And he pressed the button.

“Daddy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo, daddy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo…”

Duke bolted when Bruce paused to groan. Once he was out of the Batcave, he pumped his fist in the air. 

He texted the No Bruce Allowed groupchat, unable to hold back a wild cackle at his success.

signal boost: I LIVE

[hood-ex]

do you think bruce and dicks relationship is healthy :( i hate when bruce is abusive it always feels so wrong since dick is quite obv his favorite

Ah, see, I feel like you’ve already answered your own question by adding “i hate when bruce is abusive.” For Dick and Bruce’s relationship to be considered healthy, there would be no abuse, which is, sadly, not the case. 

The physical abuse is one thing. Then there’s also other shit to look into like: 

1. A lack of emotional needs being met

Bruce never apologizing

Shutting Dick out

Not talking about feelings

2. Bruce choosing his mission over Dick’s safety and wellbeing

For example, Robin Year One or the amnesia arc

3. Manipulation  

Hello N52 Nightwing #30

4. Avoidance

Bruce never reaching out to Dick to make amends or to reaffirm that Dick is still part of the family

Dick ignoring Bruce’s calls

5. Lack of security

Bruce not adopting Dick until he was an adult

Bruce firing Dick

Bruce kicking Dick out of the house

6. Too reliant

Bruce relying on Dick for happiness and adopting Jason to fill the void Dick left

Dick’s sense of self-worth relying too much on what Bruce thinks of him

7. Withholding information 

Bruce never telling Dick that Jason died

Not inviting Dick to the funeral

Not telling Dick that Damian was alive (I believe Dick at least knew Bruce intended to bring Damian back to life)

Making Dick lie to all his loved ones about being dead

8. Wrongful blame 

Bruce blaming Dick for Jason’s death

Bruce blaming Dick for getting captured, tortured, and having his identity exposed to the world

So, yeah, not really the healthiest relationship, but it depends on the comic and on what path different writers take when writing interactions between the two of them. 

As for Dick being Bruce’s favorite, I answered an ask about that a long time ago. All I’m gonna say about it here is that I don’t think it’s an accurate statement. 

[mrknifes]

so i had a batcat headcanon ask in regards to selina's pregnancy & how bruce's autism would affect this before & after helena's born? since he's never had the opportunity to raise a kid from birth. damian was his first born. but due to his upbringing via talia & the league it was missed. and over all how it might influence his relationship with selina & baby helena as well.

I mean personally I headcanon Bruce as afab / trans, so my own headcanons differ in that aspect, in regards to Damian & Helena.

But for the sake of this ask, I'll answer under the assumption of Bruce being a cis man.

As per usual: my experiences aren't everyone else's. And other people may not agree/relate to this. Take this as you will.

Also, I have yet to read Helena's story in its entirety, so this is not so specific towards her, but more of a general view of how Bruce would react.

To be honest, I don't have much experience with parenting myself, so it's difficult for me to write anything specific that would pertain to that area. I have been there for someone after birth, and I have babysat before, but it still doesn't entirely translate into parentage.

Perhaps in the future I can research more into this subject (and baby Helena), and write a far more in-depth post than this. But for now, I'll just write down what I can see happening/feel.

Bruce would be a nervous wreck. He's taken care of other people's babies before, but he's never HAD a baby. So yes, he's freaking out a lot. This results in him sitting down and obsessively thinking over a million different scenarios in his head, and trying to come up with all kinds of plans for bringing the baby home.

It results in very frantic conversations with Bruce wondering what clothes he should get, when he should get them, how to decorate the baby's room, whether he should take time off work (both civilian & vigilante), how long he should take time off, etc. I've mentioned this before but autism involves a lot of rigid schedules & routine, as well as a ton of planning. We're very meticulous about every little thing. Everything. This results in both Alfred & Selina having to reign him in a little bit and assure him it's all gonna be okay, and they're gonna work through it. He loses a lot of sleep over it.

Bruce most likely would take time off to help raise little Helena. He's been seen in canon, willing to quit work for the sake of his family. So I'm sure he would be fine with (temporarily) stepping away from his work, in order to care for his daughter. It takes a Lot of effort to raise a kid, especially when they're a baby, entirely reliant on you. So Bruce is very, very attentive & makes sure to spend as much time as possible with her. It gets to the point where Bruce becomes an annoying mother hen that Selena has to shoo & pry him off of Helena ("hey you're not the only parent here give her BACK")

I'm sure it's most difficult when Selena has to recover from the birth. That's when it's most taxing, I think. Bruce probably loses the most sleep then, and skips his own self-care for a few days. It gets better when Selena is back to full health, so they can work as a team.

Sometimes, I think, there are days where Bruce gets too invested in taking care of Helena, to the point where he crashes. He's gotten better at taking care of himself over the years, but every now and then he still needs a reminder that he can have a break. Another part of being autistic is that essential tasks for every day living are much harder than for someone allistic. Simple things like brushing your teeth or tying your shoelaces can be draining. So every task we do results in a sort of "trade-off." (Ex. If I shower, I can't make breakfast. If I make my bed, I can't do laundry.)

So when Bruce takes care of Helena, there are moments where he spends too much energy on her, and, as I said, ends up crashing. After paying attention to her all day, he probably crawls into bed in the same clothes from yesterday without showering or brushing his teeth. And he doesn't get out of bed for another 16 hours because he's so tired he still lays in bed after he's awake.

Selena & Alfred ofc bonk him on the head afterwards to tell him he's a dummy.

Helena loves getting held by Bruce though because he's constantly stimming, which in turn leads to her getting rocked (gently), a lot. It's her favorite thing. It's also Bruce's favorite thing. There are so many photos of him falling asleep somewhere with Helena attached. Everyone in the batfam thinks it's the cutest thing.

I would write more but my last braincell is giving out 😭

I hope this was decent enough! I can definitely write a follow up post in the future!

[whumpbby]

Dick's "second mommy" TToTT ooohh!!!~~~ that's so cute!! Do Jason and Dick ever have a special moment tho?? Bc I feel like as the oldest all the attention gets absorbed by Timmy and Dami, but Jason might notice at some point that Dick needs some special time as well (oh my god, this is so cute it feels like my heart's in a trash compactor)

You are 100% right, so far I’ve focused on Tim and Damian, cause they are the babies and they need the most care, and Dick is 9 and has other things going on - he’s going to school and has gymnastic training, etc. 

So he wasn’t not home for a lot of Jason’s day, but it didn’t mean their relationship was any shallower for it. This g was that before Jason came along, Dick thought himself to be a bit of a caretaker of the younger pups - he was always very careful with them, and very present, because he was used to living in a big pack and that was just something packs did. It was hard for him to realise that the pups weren’t used to it and his behaviour was a bit disconcerting for them. But he persisted and soon enough he was the boys’ favourite person, and it was nice - except he was just a pup himself and needed that sort of support too. 

And then Jason appeared and suddenly the pups were clinging to someone else - and it was hard for a bit, to not be the one they went to for comfort all the time. Dickie was kinda bummed out. 

Jason wasn’t daft, but he was still overwhelmed by all the changes in his life and he had his hands full with the younger boys. Dick felt a bit left out. 

Enter Alfred, who saw all. He was the one who, witnessing Jason one day not quite knowing how to deal with a fussy Damian (it wasn’t all rainbows and flowers, the nanny job is a hard one) mentioned that maybe Jay could consult young Master Richard? Until now he was the boys’ go-to. 

And Jason did. He went to Dick with a “I need your help with the boys. Tell me all.” And it did build up Dick’s self-esteem a bit and also allowed Jason to bond with the pup a bit more, because Dickie was a bright and lovely boy. But soon enough Jay noticed that Dick was taking his ‘duties’ a bit too seriously - playing the role of the minder for the pups, slopping his own play whenever one of the babies needed help or just looked like it, and Jay noticed his anxiety for their well-being. It didn’t sit right with him. 

So, he had a serious talk with Dick one day when the babies napped - he made a little picnic in the back garden for them and told Dick that he didn’t have to be a caretaker. That it was Jason’s job now and he was there so the boys could be safe and that Dickie was a pup himself, and needed to do his own thing. Dick smiled and nodded, but Jay wasn’t buying it. He explained to the boy that he wasn’t being replaced, but from now on Jason was there to take care of them all, and Dickie could just - be a fun brother to the pups, didn’t have to worry about them not eating or not sleeping - he needed his rest too.

And, you know, whenever he felt sad or overwhelmed, he was allowed to go to Jason and talk to him about whatever it was the bothered him, he was allowed to be sad or unhappy. Jay wasn’t even going to tell Bruce as long as it wasn’t anything dangerous for Dick. (Jay was himself a ridiculously self-sufficient and self-reliant person and many times in his life it bit him on the ass, especially when he was a kid, so he spoke from experience).

This time Dickie listened and didn’t smile or joke, so Jay picked him up for a cuddle - and when Dick clung to him like a limpet, Jay realised how rarely he, well, initiated contact himself. He was always open and reactive to the boys coming for him and asking for hugs - he’d never leave a toddler waiting - but he wasn’t reciprocating often. And Dickie obviously needed that.

So, they’ve spent the rest of their picnic in the garden, sitting underneath a tree, with Dick sprawled in Jason’s lap, pressing his face into Jay’s sweater (Jason took to wearing sweaters and hoodies recently, since the pups usually tried to burrow their faces in his clothes and it was a bit hard with a t-shirt. He also did look rather well in a cardigan, thank you.) and soaking up comfort like  a pup should. 

[chronicbatfictioner]

Exchanges and Compromises - Chapter 11

Details, details, details. For someone looking like a pro-wrestler, complete with the dress-up gimmick, Jason Todd - the Red Ghost - turned out to be a very good listener and paid attention to details. He listened quietly as Oracle put out the proverbial lay of the land.

"So to make it clear and recorded redundantly, Talon was an enforcer with the Court of Owls; supposedly the entity that controlled all of Gotham, consisting of the 'builders' of Gotham as well as the 'money' that built Gotham. This guy Bane just out of the blue came to Gotham and killed the members of the Court and Talon's teammates. And now he claimed to be Dr Thomas Wayne's son, and therefore Bruce Wayne's half-brother." Jason recited. "Are the Waynes a member of the Court of Owls?"

"Not according to the database Talon gave us." Oracle replied. "Evidently, the Court had... harassed them to join, but they have repeatedly refused. And by 'repeatedly' I mean over like, three generations of Waynes."

"Yeah, I didn't think so, either. Talia wouldn't have... well, associated herself with Bruce Wayne, otherwise." Jason agreed. "Ra's didn't like to share control with a random group of people who have assassins as doormen. The public disruptions would have been too overwhelming."

"So the Waynes have made an actual tangible alliance with the Al Ghuls, I presume..." Tim commented. "Corporate-wise, the Al Ghuls owned almost half of Gotham, while the other half belonged to the Waynes. Yet they were in different lines of businesses that if the two families were to unite by means of - say, marriage - it would definitely fit the description of a monopoly."

"You're a corporate goon, aren't you?" Jason remarked. Tim preened a little.

"Kind of. I run a much-smaller family business." he admitted.

"I'm... not sure if I should consider it cool or horrific." Jason commented. "What's the business line?"

"Generic meds." Tim replied, and then stopped himself. There were a mere handful of generic medication companies in Gotham, and he might have given away his own identity.

"Ah, cool, then. Generic meds for poor people? Did you leech off the prices?" Still, Jason's disarming smirk and seemingly innocent questions were too inviting to not be answered.

"Of course not! I'm a hero, aren't I?" Tim replied coyly. Jason seemed satisfied with the answer.

"Cool, then. Anyway, to answer your question, yes, there were business deals between the Al Ghuls with the Waynes that are limited to the form of businesses either parties would do. And yes, you're right. If or when Bruce Wayne passed without any other heirs, Damian would own both conglomerations and would have been a form of monopoly. There were... contingency plans to avoid that." Jason elaborated. "But if Bane is a son of Thomas Wayne, he would have inherited half of the Wayne Enterprises, regardless."

"I sincerely hoped that Bane was not Ra's 'contingency plan'," Oracle intoned.

"I've never heard of his name until now." Jason clarified. "And I know all of Ra's associates and agents. Visible or otherwise. And Talia's. But for the issue with the Court... you people think that the Waynes bankrolled Bane to eliminate the Court of Owls."

"We suspect. We haven't found evidence to support or deny it." Oracle said. "You're quick."

"I'm not slow just because I came from Crime Alley, thanks." Jason retorted. "And I'm starting to realize... if I - on behalf of Damian - am staying at the Wayne Manor, I might be able to look for evidence thereof."

"Really quick, I wasn't even going to suggest that yet," Oracle replied glibly.

"And if they were innocent - because of course, we all believe in the 'Innocent 'til Proven Guilty' adage - then you can ally with the Waynes to indict and/or remove Bane out of the equation." Jason continued.

Well, Tim was impressed.

"That's it, in a nutshell."

"I hope you have a contingency plan in case your plan goes sideways..." Jason sighed.

"...you technically have nothing to lose," Tim assured him. "You'll have an escape, where you can bring Damian to a place that is both reinforced and semi-publicly visible; you'll have the Birds of Prey as your backup. And if - in a scenario where Bruce Wayne did not accept Damian, you'll still be welcomed here."

"Why? Just because I'm a Gothamite or what?" Jason challenged.

"Because..." Tim sighed. "Okay, look. I see it more as for Damian's sake, right? If he's accepted, and you don't want to help us, that's fine. We'll figure out something else. But if he's... denied his father..." he shook his head, pushing out the images of himself as a 12-year-old who'd just received the news of his parents' death. "...I know what it's like to lose a parent through violent means, alright. I don't... I'd rather Damian not take the path I took."

Jason's smile looked more like a snarl. "Now that's noble, Stray. You don't want Damian to be a thief like you, but you forgot who you're talking to. I grew up here, in Crime Alley, until my mom died. My dad was gone years before. I lived on the��streets, had a box for a bed for weeks. That's the kind of life you won't want a ten-year-old to have to face."

Tim chuckled uneasily. "Okay, that's fair. But considering he's the only heir of the Algol Enterprises, I doubt he'll end up on the streets, am I wrong? Not to be insensitive, but there's a reason why Talia chose you to take care of him, and that wouldn't be the muscles or the pretty face."

That was a logical explanation, so Tim thought, but he could swear that Jason was blushing - even under the tanned skin. He shook his head lightly, and said, "No, I'm also his legal guardian unless his biological father files for custody; and am in charge of the Algol Enterprises," He scowled lightly. "...in spite of the fact that I don't like the corporate world in general. Damian is actually more than smart enough to supervise the companies, but he is still a minor. His signatures should always be accompanied by mine."

"Good system," Oracle commented. "I don't see you as someone easily persuaded if you don't believe in the matter."

"I believe in fairness and assisting those in need, not feeding those in power," Jason muttered. Then sighed. "For now, though, I'll need your help to fend off the League of Shadows. There won't be any steps taken toward your goal if Damian is assassinated."

"That, I believe, I can help. It's not gonna be pretty, but..." Dick remarked, stepping out of the bedrooms. "Boy's sleeping like a log. I mean, literally like a log: on his back, straight-backed and all." He added when Jason's eyes found his.

"You know how to contact your... uh... friends?" Tim tried, cringing, knowing how Barbara felt for violence.

"You thinking about rising the other talons?" Barbara must be cringing, too.

"Unless you can think of utilizing Superman or something, I don't see any other way..." Dick argued.

"Wait," an epiphany suddenly hit Tim. "I... hold up, let me think..." he raised a hand, stopping the questions he knew would be coming out of both Jason and Dick's mouths. A half a minute later, it hit him in the full picture. "Wasn't Green Arrow trained by the League of Assassins, too?"

"Oliver Queen, you mean. Yes, he was." Jason confirmed. "Funny dude, all sass and pretending to be no-brain. Shiva trained him--" Jason suddenly stopped.

"Does he know you?" Tim asked.

"He should... he got in just about a while after I did. I'd trained with him before Talia sent me training elsewhere..." Jason replied, and then his face brightened. "You scary-scheming little shit..."

"Green Arrow opted to use his skills as a hero, protecting those who can't protect himself. I know he's good - a little unfocused in a hand-to-hand and more reliant on his bow and arrows, but he's good." Tim pointed out. "And he has his own group of 'family' - all fighters for good. I'm sure he'll be happy to help us." he hinted to Oracle, deliberately pointing to Oracle as the decision-maker of the 'group'. With the way Dick was glaring at him, Tim knew that he was following Tim's hints - and not mentioning that Tim could have asked aunt Dinah for Oliver Queen's help. Dinah has been dating him for a good long while, after all.

"I'll put out feelers," Barbara stated. "Jason, do you have inklings or list on who we might want to chase after? You mentioned they're covert, and about half of the identity of people rounded up by the GCPD earlier were locals."

Jason shrugged helplessly. "They don't usually trust digital stuff for this... membership thingy. Not especially for foot soldiers."

"I think I can figure out how to sift them out..." Tim commented, ideas after ideas churning through his mind. "Want me to come over and powwow, O?"

"Yes, sure. That'll be great." Oracle replied, even with the metallic voice modulator, Tim could sense the relief.

"Okay, you wanna come with?" he asked Dick.

Dick shook his head. "Not that I'm guarding you or anything, 'cause I'm sure you can figure out how to get out without me noticing, anyway. But I'm... I'd prefer if the boy wakes up, he'll still see me, you know? So he's convinced that he's not... being abandoned or anything."

"That's sweet, but I agree. Do you mind, Jason?"

"Having another body to stand guard? Not at all. I'll need to shut my eyes for a few, anyway." Jason replied with a small smirk. "Would've been nice to shut-eye with a warm body next to me, but hey, beggars can't be choosers," he added blithely just as Tim got up and walked away.

Tim paused, turned, and blew him a kiss. Because that's what mama Selina said you should do when someone openly flirted with you if you also want to flirt with said someone. Jason's smirk just got bigger but didn't give any more reaction.

Tim continued his exit, his mind partially mapping out his plan to clean out the League of Assassins from Gotham; the other part mapping out his plan on to figure out if Jason was as compatible as he suspected.

[pluckyredhead]

Damian and Jon go on a roadtrip. Why? Where do they go? What do they see? Who's in charge of the playlist? Who regrets this decision most often? At what point do they realize they're in love? What other thoughts do you have about it?

Why?/Where do they go?: “Jon, get in the car.” “Okay.” *twenty minutes later* “Where are we going?”

(Officially they are going to San Francisco because they have to fight Titans-related crime for reasons, and they are taking a vehicle because Damian doesn’t want to be reliant on Jon carrying him around, and they are taking the Redbird because Bruce has the plane and Dick has the chopper and Lian has the Titans jet. But actually it’s because Jon just graduated high school and is going to college in outer space or the future or something and Damian wants to spend time with him before he goes. Damian is unaware of his own reasoning.)

What do they see?: “World’s Biggest Ball of Yarn! Damian, take the exit, we have to go! We have to go!” “You cannot possibly want to see something that stupid.” “I want to see it because it’s stupid!”

(They stop at a lot of roadside attractions, and also anywhere Jon hears a county fair in the distance - which is a lot of places across the middle of the country in summer - and also because they are superheroes on a road trip they end up in at least three towns with a mysterious secret that Don’t Take Kindly To Outsiders. They see prairies and mountains and rivers and the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone Park. They see more stars than a Gothamite could dream of, lying side by side on the hood of the Redbird and staring up at the night sky.

They spend a night in Smallville and Ma and Pa greet Damian like one of the family. He lies awake in a sleeping bag on the floor of Clark’s old bedroom and listens to Jon breathe and thinks about a life very different from the one he has until he can’t bear to think at all.)

Who's in charge of the playlist? “I should get to pick the music. You need to concentrate on driving.” “It’s my car, ergo I get to pick the music. Besides, you have abysmal taste.” “And you have the taste of a guy who says ‘ergo.’ I’m not listening to classical music all the way to California, Damian!”

(As with most things, Damian puts his foot down and Jon does whatever he wants anyway. And actually, the oldies station he picks isn’t too bad, until Jon is singing “If you should ever leave me...well, life would still go on, believe me...the world could show nothing to me...so what good would living do me?” a little flat while the wind blows his hair wild and Damian suddenly shuts off the radio and lies that he’s getting a headache.)

Who regrets this decision most often? “I can’t believe I’m wasting my time staring at an enormous ball of yarn with you.” “Come on, D, you know there’s no one you’d rather stare at an enormous ball of yarn with more.” “I suppose that’s true, in an extremely technical sense.”

(This was a mistake, Damian thinks before they’ve even left Metropolis and a hundred times after, and the sooner it’s over with the better - but once they’ve finished the mission in San Francisco and are heading back east, he finds himself driving slower and slower and stopping more and more. August is almost gone.)

At what point do they realize they're in love? “Hey, look, Metropolis, ten miles! We’ll be home in twenty minutes.”

(Damian pulls the car into the shoulder so suddenly they nearly spin out. “What the hell - ?!” Jon says as Damian turns the engine off. “Damian, what was that? What’s wrong?”

Damian sits and clutches the wheel like he’s still driving, shoulders locked, staring out the windshield. Jon puts a hand on his shoulder. “D, you’re freaking me out. What’s - ”

Damian leans over and kisses him.

It takes them much longer than twenty minutes to get home.)

What other thoughts do you have about it? “Do you want me to stay?” “I can’t ask you to do that.” "Good, because I might not be able to say no.”

(Jon does in fact go to college in whatever inaccessible place he was planning to go to college. He comes back for visits a lot. They make it work.)

[threewaysdivided]

Hello! I know that YJ:DW takes place only between s1 and s2 of young justice, but I was kind of wondering how danny would get along with tim drake? like if you had any headcanons for them? Thank you for humoring me and I love your writing! ;)

Hello and welcome!

Buckle up because this answer is going to be more tangential and rambly than expected.

The way I see it Danny’s presence in YJ:DW ends up subtly shifting the dynamic with all the Batboys. He joins the family through Robin moreso than Batman, older, already semi-formed as his own hero disconnected from the Batman/Robin lineage, and reasonably self-sufficient (albeit inexperienced and severely lacking a support network).

This kind of puts him in an odd position where he emotionally ends up as Dick’s brother but Bruce’s favourite nephew.  (Not through any deliberate action on Bruce’s part; it’s just that he’s had Danny for less time and - between his age, Dick, Alfred and The Team - Danny isn’t as reliant on him for the level of emotional and paternal support that forged his bond with Dick.)

What this does do, though, is push Bruce and Dick further along in their development.  For Dick, it’s a chance to get used to sharing Bruce’s attention in a familial setting (compared to the more professional setting of The Team), with someone who isn’t a threat to his position as Robin, and who he had a say in bringing in.  For Bruce, Danny’s older and less emotionally attached, so when he strikes out into adulthood ahead of Dick it’s kind of a soft-mode trial run for everyone to get used to the inevitable fact that the Boys will eventually grow up and leave.

Basically, Danny’s presence helps smooth Dick’s jump to Nightwing even further (according Word of God it was already pretty amicable, which makes sense for these versions of the characters) and makes Jason’s move into the role of the Second Robin a bit softer, as Dick has already unpacked a lot of the “single child”/sibling baggage, leaving just the mantle-specific issues as the major roadblock.  There’s no real canon right now for what the Jason-Dick dynamic was like in the YJ!verse growl but for YJ:DW I’d expect it to be even closer and more positive than average.  Of course, this isn’t all good, as the two being closer makes Jason getting uh… Jason-ed hurt a lot more, but on the flipside, having Danny to go to for support means that, while it hits harder, he doesn’t break quite as badly.  (Although, Dick and Danny being able to lean on each other might leave Bruce feeling out in the cold a little more).

Which brings us, finally, to Tim.

I think Danny would initially hold Tim at arm’s length longer than Dick would - not because of any issue with Tim, just a result of his personality and what he’s been through in YJ:DW (he basically does this with everyone).  Danny’s also sort of a weird early-spot for Tim because he’s the one our young detective couldn’t quite figure out - Tim would have pieced together the Dick-Robin/Bruce-Batman connection but Phantom was never specifically publicly affiliated with the Bats and the cover story for Danny Fenton’s adoption is difficult to reconcile without that.  There’s also the fact that - even though Danny would unofficially stay with the Team - I see him being pushed up to the Justice League the second he’s a legal adult for the sake of solidifying human-ghost relations in the public eye, which combined with his powers makes him seem a lot more imposing than he really is.

Once that’s out of the way I expect Danny and Tim would wind up reasonably close; starting as sort of a ‘non-confrontational geeky insomniac introvert’ solidarity and building from there.  Pretty reliable as online co-op partners for late-night gaming (the good thing about half-ghosts is that 4 hours is a healthy nights’ sleep for them when not in times of heavy power-use).  When they both settle enough to open up, I think Tim would find a decent ear for any worries or insecurities about not really belonging in the Batfamily - it’s not quite the same but Danny’s been around a similar block before and gets where those feelings come from in a way that Dick never quite manages (despite how hard he tries).  Of all the Batsibs, I see Dick and Tim being the two who end up viewing Danny as a brother, where the others might see him more like a particularly close cousin.

Getting out into the weeds I think their bond would really solidify as they get older and Tim starts to make the jump to Red Robin and beyond.  Knowing that there’s a Non-Robin Honorary Bat who’s out there working as an independent hero and doing just fine, while still maintaining healthy personal and professional ties to the Fam’ would a massive weight off Tim’s mind.  I also see Danny as someone who’d have very limited patience for Damian’s worst behaviours (and to a more generous degree Post-Lazarus Jason’s), so his apartment would be something of a safe-haven when Dick’s caught up in brother-mode and Tim needs an escape from all the drama.

Hope this satisfies you curiosity!

[incoherentbabblings]

Unspoken Promises

Sitting on the car roof waiting for Zatanna to show up, Stephanie became acutely aware of how their leaving home must have looked to the rest of the family, and makes her think about what want from the future, especially after everything had come crashing down in the aftermath of Brother Eye and the Batman of Tomorrow.  Tim for once isn’t thinking too deep about it.  

2,500 words on Tim and Steph cuddles from YJ #5. AO3 Link here!

So for all my doubt about Bendis (He also liked my tweet I sent him thanking him for making TimSteph so cute so like… that gave me a whump of validation right there) I was so over the moon with his interpretation of Tim and Stephanie’s relationship that it actually got me to write fanfiction for the first time in about a decade (ooft).  I am following in the grand DC tradition of what is continuity in that I am writing as if the Bat’s History is all in tact, but YJ and Teen Titans is just what had been established in the New 52.  How does that work? It doesn’t but never mind that I wanted to write mush

Anyway here is Tim I look at my girlfriend as if she hung the stars at night Drake and Stephanie We have 100% ran away from home which means we are 100% eloping which means yes I will marry you no you don’t even have to ask Brown.

There are like…so many references to past and current stories and dialogue in this, as well as my previous babblings on their relationship.  

Anyway, enjoy!!!

He had a habit, she’d noticed, ever since they’d been together, of holding her face. His fingers had always been cold, but dry, and his palm fit neatly along her jawline. He was always soft with her, and she wouldn’t dare have it otherwise.  When she isn’t talking, and he isn’t smiling and humming indulgently at her wittering on, he seemed to be nothing more than quite content to just hold and stare at her. Like the sun is infused in her hair. Like her and her alone is immune to the anti-life equation, like she is life’s meaning. Like she is so precious that she might be gone the next morning.

 Because that did happen once, when she was left to die without him. Does Tim hate me? She had asked Batman. No. Bruce had replied. He adores you. Always has.

Only now with them lying on the bonnet of Tim’s red car, his stare so openly reverent, Stephanie found herself trusting Bruce’s statement to the dying girl with a broken body (and heart).

He’d been taken from her too, violently and so suddenly that she had found herself talking to a clay program of his, so starved for his face and hungry for his advice… Then again Stephanie had heard from other sources that he’d considered throwing what he’d thought was her corpse into a Lazarus Pit, so maybe they were both reliant on the other to act as a guide.

Those Batmen she’d seen, first the one from a future where she was either dead or under what seemed like permanent house arrest (it wasn’t clear), and then one made of corrupt dreams and corrupt computer programs… They were ones she’d silently promised herself that she would reel in within Tim whenever they reared their ugly, twisted heads. She’d remind him, remind them why they wanted to help people. The two of them didn’t know any other way, not anymore.

How stubborn they were that they scraped their way back to each other.

Stephanie soon grew shy being gazed at by Tim and leaned forward.  One hand tightened in his sweater, whilst the other cupped the back of his head. He quickly got the idea and leaned forward, their lips touching briefly for a moment before she readjusted her position, straddling one his legs to get a firm pressure between her own.

Tim’s smile turned cheeky then, and he began to push up into a sitting position.  Stephanie gave a slight grunt, and forced him back down, hand slipping down his top to grip at his hip. She kissed him deeply.

A bird took off near the car, disturbing some fallen leaves on the ground.  It was still warm enough at sunset to not have to wear a coat, and both of them had opted for oversized sweaters, Steph in her customary purple, Tim in his usual green.  They had been travelling for a few weeks now, enough for the new school year to have started, and yet here they both were, several states down, in DC, nowhere near Ivy University in New England.  The thought made Stephanie giggle.

“Now you have to admit it!” She exclaimed, thumping her head down to rest on Tim’s chest, listening to his heart beat.  Solid.  Warm.

Tim meanwhile was looking awfully smug, one arm cradling her shoulders, pressing their already entangled bodies closer, the other arm thrown up behind his head.  His eyes were shut, and he was smirking.

“I don’t have to admit anything.” 

“Admit it!”

“I was raised by Batman, Stephanie,” – and right on que her eyes rolled up to her skull.  Batman Batman Batman – “I am a stubborn master.”

“Admit we ran from home!”

That got him to open his eyes and stare at her once more.  He was indulging her again, she knew, and she let him do so.

“A Batgirl and a Robin told everybody we were going off to college and then we drove the other way.”

“Because we’re in the middle of an investigation into the –”

She interrupted him, whispering the phrase “Nobody knows where we are!” conspiratorially, as if they weren’t sitting outside one of the most heavily monitored buildings in the county.  But sure, they were definitely back in New England, studying at one of the country’s most prestigious universities.

Not that they didn’t leave with the purest intentions, this investigation into timelines and universes…  However neither had the foggiest clue where to start.  Tim had recalled Dick and Bruce talking of Wally, the idea that something or someone been messing with time or memories. To avoid Bruce catching wind of what they were up to, they had asked Black Canary, and Dinah had suggested magic, which had led them to Zatanna.

Tim knew Bruce knew they weren’t at college.  He just didn’t want Bruce to know why.  This trip was partially for him and Steph to be alone.  Properly.  Without Bruce and his weird secrets and mind games. Without the pressure of fighting crime each night with all its mental and physical traumas.

Without Cassandra bursting through their window with takeout after a night of training, catching Steph in her nightshirt and Tim with his pyjama bottoms halfway up his legs. 

It had been going well, as well as could be expected of two seventeen-year olds going on a targetless road trip.  Tim had enough money to his name to keep them going for more than enough time, and Stephanie didn’t want for much regardless. 

Still, this trip had a purpose, and they both hoped that speaking with Zatanna would orient them in the right direction. 

“I’m just saying,” Stephanie continued, now grinning back at Tim’s softening smile “The only thing missing is the circus for us to join.”

It was almost funny how their conversations always came back to their future together.  They were still so young but they always spoke of what their lives would be, could be, five, ten, fifteen years down the line. 

Not that the circus was a serious suggestion, but it made her point all the same.  They had split off from the family back home, deliberately gaining some distance.  They’d not spoken to Bruce since he’d waved them off, hearing that they’d get the official wedding invite ‘any day now’ (any day now had been going on for weeks at this point, both were afraid to enquire for an update).  They’d not heard from Dick in even more time (something was going on with the Titans, on and off the field, but Tim hadn’t chased it).  Damian and Jason were enigmas as usual to them (coming and going as they pleased).  They’d get the odd photo and message sent from Cass and Duke and Barbara, the three of them seemed to be forming a little huddle, but for the most part, it was radio silence.  Maybe Bruce had encouraged it for once.  Leave them alone.  Let them be teenagers.  They can figure it out if they want to do the superhero gig on their own.

Or maybe that was too forgiving of an assumption of Bruce.

The other day Stephanie had been filming Tim being a dweeb, and she had muttered about making their (hypothetical) children watch this so they could be assured that their (hypothetical) father was never once cool ever.  Tim had just laughed and argued that she was just as bad as he, she was only better at covering it up.  He didn’t flush at the mention of children, and he didn’t call out at her statement at all.  It was a quiet assumption between them, the idea of children (plural.  Both had been so lonely growing up they couldn’t bear the thought of repeating their parents’ mistakes).  An unspoken promise never confirmed aloud.

Seventeen years old and they were already thinking of when they’d be thirty five.  Maybe one near (actual?) death experience each made them grip to that future tightly.  They would have it all.  They would help people until there was no longer a need for them to do so anymore, upon which they could bow out, ready to drop the double-faced world they occupied.

It had been temporary for Tim, initially.  He didn’t so much as want to be Robin as he was at the only one who could be Robin. 

It had been temporary for Stephanie, initially.  She couldn’t let her father go on hurting people, and she was at first the only one who knew what weird, over the top schemes he’d managed to cobble together. 

It was supposed to be temporary, for both of them. 

I can make it all work.  I can make a system that can sustain itself… After all that, I can take care of myself.  Take care of us.  I promise.

 And yet that promise he’d made aloud, mere hours before everything had blown up in their faces – literally – had been a rude awakening that their line of work didn’t allow easy early retirements, not truly. 

That was okay though, not today didn’t mean not ever, or at least, that’s what they had both told themselves at night sleeping in assorted cheap hotels.  The receptionists had always given them funny looks, no doubt Tim and Stephanie probably did look like young eloping teenagers.  Tim had surprised Stephanie in his reaction to their expressions, putting his foot down when affirming yes we want a double bed no not twin singles.  When checking out in the morning Tim defiantly left the bed an unmade mess, as if they were a pair of rabbits who couldn’t get enough of each other, as if trying to earn that slightly disapproving look from across the counter. 

She thought maybe he was tired of people giving their opinion on the two of them being together. 

And ultimately, that is what they were wasn’t it?  Teenage sweethearts running away from home.

And to the circus, if that’s what it came down to.

Stephanie’s buzzing phone and Zatanna’s arrival had brought an end to the feeling of joviality.  Stephanie’s thoughts were being torn in two directions.  She couldn’t stand the thought of her father running around doing as he pleased, and she had a sudden sharp stab of fear for her mother, but she had just reaffirmed that she was staying with Tim come hell or high water.  Tim made the decision for her.  He knew she wouldn’t be focused going forward unless she chased down her father, so gave the both of them a three day deadline. 

“You’ll be focused and I’ll have a start.” He stated.  He was dressed in his uniform, looking somehow both dashing and fragile at once.  What he thought he knew had been shaken again, except for the blonde girl standing in front of him.  The one who was looking at him with a slightly befuddled but still endeared smile. 

“I love you Tim Drake.” She said, ignoring for a moment where they were and what he was dressed as. 

There was a beat of silence.  Enough to make Stephanie uncomfortable.  He had usually always been the first to declare it to her.  Now that she had uttered it first, he seemed at a loss on how to respond.  She decided to prompt him, trying not to sound too desperate when she asked:

“Did you hear –?”

“I’m madly in love with you, Steph.”  He blurted out.  His smile widened until he looked overjoyed.  “I was just about to tell you that.  I was going to tell you I was so happy you were in my repressed memories, too, because I didn’t want – ”

A life without you was how he was going to finish his declaration before she threw herself at him, smacking a kiss on his lips, and Tim saw his world go pink for a moment.

He had been relieved that she’d been in those memories.  She had to have been.  She was the only one, for so long, who knew him as both Robin and Tim.  The Teen Titans had asked and asked but he’d always been so reluctant to cave in, whilst part of his fear of leaving the title of Robin would mean losing Bruce and Dick and Barbara, for what possible reason could Tim Drake have to associate with them?  It was different now, he was Bruce’s adopted son, so their connection could not be severed regardless of him wearing a mask or not, and he had opened up to his friends, slowly but surely. 

She was still the person he wanted to be with him every step of the way.  She’s never cared what title he’d held, she’d cared more about the way he held her.  This was his chance though.  She had always been stuck on the fringes of their generation, not having many close friends outside of Gotham.  If his friends and family could become hers… he just wanted her with him every step of the way.  It was selfish of him he knew, but she deserved a better family than the one she’d been born into, and he had the opportunity to give it to her.

She was gripping the front of his uniform tightly, and he was holding her shoulders.  Leaning forward, he put their foreheads together with a gentle thunk.  Still smiling, he reminded her of the three day deadline.

“Two days.” She pushed.

“Promise?” He looked at her, and she smiled guiltily.  How many broken promises had they made to each other?  How many had they kept?  How many had remained unspoken, for fear of them never coming true? 

“I can’t.” Stephanie exhaled unsteadily, her eyes tearing up. 

He didn’t sound disappointed when he responded, “I know.”  He understood.  Better than anyone he understood the danger of promises and oaths. 

For a brief moment she longed for them to forget responsibilities and be utterly selfish.  Run away to the circus like she’s joked.  Confirm every suspicious look those receptionists had given them for the past four weeks.  Leave behind broken families who didn’t know what good communication meant between the lot of them and start a newer better family in its place.  It was a whim that would remain in her head, but she answered the question she would sit and wait for over the next twenty years if need be out loud, as both a promise to Tim and to herself.

“…But I do.”

Tim didn’t say anything more in response, but looked up at her, his forehead still pressed to hers, and breathed a laugh.  He knew what she’d meant when she’s said I do, of course he figured it out, but he also knew to let it remain out of context.  Another unspoken promise. 

They’d be fine.  More than fine.  He would find his friends and he would take care of them.  They’d scraped their way back to each other for a reason. He couldn’t let her, or Conner or Cassie or Bart or any of the others, slide by any longer.

Another unspoken promise. 

[evilpixiea]

SuperBatFam AU: in the comic it if very uncommon for Bruce to ask Clark for help with Gotham related villain. But in this AU they are pretty reliant on each other as a single parental unit, so in the whole Jason’s torture and death by joker I can see Bruce calling Clark and saying “Jason, now” and Clark zeroing in on his heartbeat and racing off to get him. And this could be one of those moments that Jason half out of it sees Superman and says “dad.” And then passes out.

Oh.

I like this.

I really like this.

But I don’t think it’s going to work with Jason.

In this AU Clark and Bruce are very close… but the usual rules of ‘my business, your business’ still apply before they get together. And, at the time of Jason’s death, they can’t have been together. Not if Jon is to exist in this AU.

Plus, Jason’s death is so ingrained and intrinsic to his story now it would be hard to imagine a Jason that was saved.

So, I am going to switch this to Damian. Damian’s death I am more than happy to retcon because, well, I don’t think it added anything interesting to his character, Bruce’s character, or the story. It was a pretty boring death in the grand scheme of comic book deaths and, if we’re being honest, was way too gimmicky to really have any weight.

So… let’s get rid of that death and replace it with something a little more beautiful. Damian always was the most resistant to the rest of the family. He wanted to be the ‘blood son’, the one really important one in Bruce’s life. Him calling Clark dad would show he’s not just accepted the family but accepted Clark as wholly as he’s accepted Bruce.

And Clark well… he never thought one little word could utterly destroy him before but there it is.

Yes, I think that’ll do nicely. :-)