#Talia al Ghul
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luzdoesart · 3 days ago
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The Demon Princess and the Blood Son
(Talias look here is inspired by how the fantastic Juni Ba drew her in the BOYWONDER comics!!)
If you have seen any of my drawings before you may have come across me on Instagram before! Feel free to say hi!
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mommymilfer · 2 days ago
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m a m a b o y
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big fan of Damian in the mikel janín style that is talia al ghuls baby he looks like her so much. al ghul face card doesn’t decline and personally I think we should draw him to look like her instead of Bruce clone 27
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lavena · 3 days ago
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Thinking about the tragedy that is Damian Wayne.
Damian was raised to be the perfect Robin for Batman. He was raised to be a son that could learn from Batman without slowing Batman down. He was ment to be perfect.
Then, when he is sent to Bruce all of the things that were trained into him to be the perfect Robin were wrong.
He had skills and the mentality to back them up, but it was never what Bruce wanted.
Damian was raised to ignore pain and keep moving, to never show weakness so as to not slow Batman down. Then when he gets hurt and ignores it and goes to take care of it himself he is reprimanded.
Bruce wants to know when one of his kids is hurt so he can watch out for them, Damian can't understand why Bruce is mad. He made sure to not get in Batmans way despite his injury, he made sure not to slow Bruce down, but Bruce is still unsatisfied with him.
Damian was raised into action first, investigate second so as to never be caught unaware, he will react to a threat before he even has to to comprehend the threat.
But that is wrong too, it's reactive and uncomposed and he shouldn't do it.
He investigates everything, nothing remains a secret from him because he was raised to be like Bruce. He has contingencies and backup plans and knows about under ground crime so he can use those connections to his advantage.
Bruce doesn't like that either, says it makes him untrustworthy and proves he doesn't even trust his family.
So he changes, he doesn't kill, he learns from Bruce and adapts, he always adapts. He learned like he was supposed to, he forgot his training, changed his ways, and when he ends up back at the League, he is wrong again.
His mother is disappointed in his weakness, his Grandfather says he has lost his edge and doesn't deserve to be called an Al Ghul. He did everything that was expected of him, he learned from The Batman, made sure to not get in his way or displease him, he is skilled and intelligent, he has empathy and understanding.
But he is still wrong.
As long as he is an Al Ghul he can never be what a Wayne should be, and as long as he is a Wayne he can never be what an Al Ghul ought to be.
So what is this boy to do.
Adapting doesn't work, he can't center himself between two radically different central ideals. One quick and one careful.
There is no middle line that both will accept.
He has to choose.
Either abandon the Mother that raised him, taught him every skill, let him keep his first pet and taught him of the world.
Or abandon the father that showed him how to love, who gave him siblings and told him death isn't an answer, taught him what family means outside of a hierarchy.
What is he to do.
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happysheeppolice · 2 days ago
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need to see Damian flip the "I hate my dad" switch like all teenagers, but it's just him looking at Bruce and going, "My mom could've done better"
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genderlessdinnerhaver · 2 days ago
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All three of them are so goddamn gorgeous
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parents & pedigree [x] [x]
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alienkoriandr · 2 days ago
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i will never understand the ppl that dont want talia to be like how she used to be. the ppl that complain abt how she's such a horrible mother to damian and that she's evil and cruel but the second you inform them abt how she used to be, how kind she was, how the worst she did was be complacent with her father and his crimes (bc she was raised to be so by him, groomed to be his loyal second-in-command), they get defensive or dismissive of it. like why complain abt how bad she is if you dont want it to be different? if you dont want her to go back to being loving and compassionate and good?
you just want someone to blame and the woc is always in the position of being easiest to blame.
talia put her life at risk repeatedly to save a random child she didnt know. talia defied the majority of batman's rogues gallery bc they wanted her to hurt him and she would never. talia gave up her child bc she knows the life her and bruce live will never be safe enough for a baby. talia betrayed her father several times bc she believes in batman and his dreams and hopes of a better world.
talia used to be much more good than bad and if anyone ever tells you talia is pure selfish evil, they frankly know nothing abt her.
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morgangalaxy43 · 20 hours ago
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Defending Talia Al Ghul from racist and misogynistic fans and writers was a job, I’d be as rich as Bruce Wayne
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I'm gonna preface this with saying I know nothing about the Arabic language okay but I just thought of this scenarios and it's so funny
Could y'all imagine after Jason returns to Gotham and back into the fold and a time after Damian is also officially robin talia just shows up to spend time with her sons and to see how they are
And durring this she takes one look at Jason and just starts speaking to him in Arabic and Jason just stares at her wide eyed and has to try to remember all the lessons she taught him and knowing damn well she'll hand him his ass if she learns he did not keep up with the lessons and so he just kinda fumbles through the language and Talia just straight up grabs him by the ear drags him to the nearest private study in the manor and on the way she passes by Damian and also grabs him by the ear all the while cursing. In Arabic in a mom voice who's both disappointed and annoyed with her grown son.. Damian tries to struggle out of Talia's grip but one glare from her has him stopping in his tracks and allowing her to drag him along as well, once they get into the study Talia basically sits both boys down for an impromptu Arabic language lesson and they spend a few hours jogging Jason's memory in the language and then she starts checking over both boys ensuring they're both healthy and okay and ensuring that Bruce hasn't allowed her sons. Anywhere near that clown freak that seems to always be running a muck around Gotham...
Eventually Alfred pops in and brings everyone tea and cookies and asks Talia if she'll be staying with them for the night she declines and said she'll only be staying for dinner ..
Eventually they just start to catch up because to Talia Jason is also her son in fact she's the one that found him and brought him to the league to help him remember who he was and work through some of the trauma with him, she asks him about weather hell attend college or some kind of schooling, or if he'll continue work as a vigilante like his father, Jason is reluctant to answer Talia sees this riffles his hair and sensing he's uneasy she moves on to Damian and asks him how hes doing living with his father and living as a regular boy outside of the league Damian immediately starts telling Talia about all the animals he's been helping around Gotham, and his aspirations to be a doctor and work in medicine, also how stupid all his peers are and how frustrated he is that father keeps treating him as a childhood as if he wasn't running his own missions and team within the league and never once got caught, talia simply tells him that she and Bruce have very different ways of parenting and training and the reason she sent him to be with Bruce was because she thinks that it's what is best for him it'll provide him with a better much happier life than the league would at this time in his age and it's. Important for him to socialize and learn to work with people his own age and interact with civilians, she also tells him the working in medicine is something that seems to run in the family and gives him her blessing for his career choices..
Much later before dinner Jason pulls Talia aside and starts telling her about the fight he's had with Bruce where he yet again chose joker over his own son this time he was nearly tortured by joker and almost lost his life, and he doesn't know how to deal with it anymore Talia at this point wants to hand Bruce his ass but she doesn't let that on instead she offers to allow Jason to return to her and the league to get a break away from Gotham and he can sharpen some of his skills..
Though quietly she's just planning on killing joker and she honestly puts out a hit on him within the league because she's tired of her sons getting threatened by a mad man and if they're father won't do anything about it she will
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brucestalia · 3 days ago
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nobody matches each other's freaks like they do!!!!!! bruce wayne, part time vigilante, full time scent analyst.
it still gets to me that bruce remembers exactly how talia smells and could spot an illusion of her bc she doesn’t smell right. like what kind of down bad freak are u
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dreams-of-void · 3 days ago
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some of you guys' racism is ingrained so deep you don't realize that you're perpetuating harmful stereotypes in your fanworks. please do your research before portraying a character who's not white 😭😭
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lucatheskydiamon · 2 days ago
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expectations for Talia and Damian? (YJ)
I have hope for this representation.
First point in favor, they have melanin.
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We see Talia with no intention of letting Damian go, another point that would represent the truth of Tali (she never wanted to give up on Damian)
We also know that Talia doesn't believe that this Bruce is strong enough to protect Damian, another striking point.
I feel like if hands weren't involved in YJ's production, maybe we could have the best adaptation of Talia, I feel like I'm leaving out a lot of details, but overall I'm happy with what I've seen, I don't want them to come out with plottwits ☠️ "I was always the bad one", enough with what they did to Sandra (Lady Shiva)
(And if you think about it, you have to be thankful that they are not stereotypical and racist once again with an Arab-Chinese woman ☠️)
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skywardmmoon · 2 days ago
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timeline cleanse
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moon-ayyye · 2 days ago
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You KNOW the bats don't take Bruce seriously at all whenever he tries to give any love advice.
That man has fumbled 2 of the baddest bitches in comic book history, any time he tries to intervene in his kids' love lives they stop what they're doing to laugh.
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brucestalia · 12 hours ago
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fine china and fresh linen ⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚
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Richard never thinks of Talia as his mother—not once. The thought is so distant, so outlandish, that the mere suggestion of it feels laughable. And yet, despite himself, he does.
It’s his first birthday without his parents. The day feels stretched thin, heavy with absence and grief. Almost a year has passed since their loss, and Bruce, restless and uncomfortable in his own skin, becomes insufferable in Talia’s shadow. Still, she lends a hand to Alfred in preparing the celebration – a small kindness.
This is supposed to be his special day, though it hardly feels that way. He is the centre of attention—regretfully so—later that evening, when Gotham’s socialites close in on him, their chatter grating and their hands insistent, pinching his cheeks, as though he were a doll to admire. Across the room, Bruce plays the perfect host, leaving Richard stranded.
Stranded, but not alone. Talia stands beside him.
He hears it then—a whisper, faint yet cutting, from one of the women behind a champagne flute: “That must be his mother, then.”
His face tightens, a sharp protest forming on his lips. He is ready to snap, to declare with all the certainty of a child scorned, “She is not my mother—”
Talia speaks first. “I am not,” she says.
Her voice is steady. Her smile is gentle and deliberate.
“–but I would be proud to be the mother of a boy like him.”
For a moment, her gaze lingers on him, and in that moment, she sees herself reflected back—a child manoeuvring through dens of serpents, learning to navigate their venom – to survive.
The memory imprints itself on him.
The next time he finds himself drowning in the relentless tide of Gotham’s elite, their questions and attention pressing down like a suffocating weight, he doesn’t hesitate. He grits his teeth, gathers his courage, and with a breath, he yells across the room:
“Mom!”
The word cuts through the noise, sharp and deliberate, turning heads and silencing whispers.
Talia answers without hesitation.
Jason knows Talia before he ever knows Batman. She is a familiar figure in the shadows of Crime Alley. Her presence is peculiar—so starkly out of place in that world of grime and despair, grace amidst its squalor—yet she extends a kindness he doesn’t question. She buys him a meal once, and clothes another time.
Unlike Dick, Jason doesn’t wrestle with the notion of another maternal figure in his life, at least not for long. He doesn’t need words to accept her; the connection forms in the quiet spaces between them.
When he rises from the Pit—shattered, unmoored, consumed by anger—hers is the first face he sees. Her arms encircle him without hesitation, anchoring his trembling frame. His voice is a whisper, hoarse and broken: “Mother.” She holds him tighter, voice softening, as if caressing his fractured soul. “My son,”  is all she murmurs.
In the time that follows, Jason is never far from her side. He clings to her presence as though it might hold him together, trailing her like a shadow through the winding halls of the League’s base. He lingers at the training grounds, watching Damian’s lessons as if tethering himself to her and his younger brother will mend the jagged pieces within him.
At night, he and Damian slip into her bed, wordlessly demanding the comfort of her presence. She humours them, weaving stories or singing lullabies until they drift to sleep. 
Sometimes, even Ra’s joins them. These moments become their solace, a reprieve from the chaos of their worlds.
Years later, when Jason graduates from Metropolis University, he spots her in the crowd. To anyone who will listen, she declares, “That’s my boy.”
At family dinners, when Jason speaks through a mouthful of food, Talia scolds him. His only reply is a long, drawn-out protest, tinged with fondness: “Ma.”
She is nothing like Catherine or Sheila—neither in temperament nor in presence—but to Jason, it matters not. She is his mother in the ways that truly count, and that is enough.
Tim Drake is the son of Janet Drake. Once, Talia had crossed paths with his mother, briefly and inconsequentially, moving in the same polished circles of Gotham’s elite. It was a fleeting overlap, ending the day Talia left Gotham and its hollow grandeur behind. Tim, even as a boy, was curious—keen-eyed and observant—traits she had noted from a distance.
As the third Robin, Tim has never thought of Talia as a mother. Not because of animosity, but because their lives have rarely intersected. Her father, the Demon’s Head, may be an eccentric sort of grandfather to Bruce’s expanding family of wards.
Talia, however…?
It happens, though, on one unremarkable day, that Tim Drake finds himself in the custody of the League of Assassins. He has exhausted his repertoire of excuses, each one less believable than the last. In truth, he really should consider drafting new ones if he plans to keep infiltrating League strongholds.
He doesn’t need another lecture on Workplace Safety. Nor on the Art of Reconnaissance. Certainly not on the Principles of Stealth. He has heard them all before — and could probably teach the lessons himself, at this point.
Tim Drake, however, is resourceful. Ingenious. When one approach fails, he adapts. And so, he thinks. He recalls how the shadows of Crime Alley seem to recoil when Red Hood’s mother walks through its desolate streets. There’s an unspoken reverence there, an instinctive fear.
Perhaps, he can channel that.
“My mother will be extremely displeased by this,” he announces, his voice steady with the confidence of someone who knows how to bluff. “I suggest you put me down at once.”
The assassins, cloaked in their dark robes, offer no response. Their expressions, hidden behind layers of fabric and discipline, are impossible to read. Tim isn’t sure if they are ignoring him or simply unmoved.
Undeterred, he escalates. The next few moments are filled with increasingly dramatic threats about the consequences of holding him. Dire consequences, he insists. Yet the Head’s throne remains unoccupied, and the only figure moving through the quiet, menacing halls is Talia herself.
This is ridiculous, Tim thinks. It’s a desperate gamble, one destined to fail. At least Ra’s isn’t present to witness this debacle—that, at least, spares him one humiliation.
He hesitates, takes a breath, and then drops to his knees with all the exaggerated sorrow he can muster. He tilts his head upward, letting his expression shift into something fragile, almost pitiful. The moment stretches unbearably before he forces out a single, hesitant word:
“—Mom?”
There’s a pause, heavy and uncertain. Talia’s expression flickers—amusement, disbelief, perhaps both—and then she almost laughs. The sound is soft, unexpected, and even the guards falter at its rarity. She straightens, her voice steady as she speaks.
“Child.”
It’s not a rebuke, nor an affirmation. Just one word, delivered with an authority that leaves no room for argument. And it works.
The guards release him, and Tim stumbles free, a mix of relief and bewilderment washing over him. His ridiculous, last-ditch effort had succeeded.
A small, triumphant smile tugs at his lips. 
Dick Grayson would be proud.
The Weapon knows the woman as the daughter of her father’s master. The Daughter of the Demon. But the boy—another weapon, like her, wasn’t he?—calls her Mother. The little boy does, too.
Mother. Mom. Ma’. Ummi. The boys use a variety of names. At first, it’s bewildering. She doesn’t understand why or how the words differ, or what significance they hold. But slowly, patiently, she learns. She begins to understand what names are—what they mean. And one day, tentatively, she calls her that, too.
Talia greets it with a gentle smile, a quiet acceptance that feels as steady as the earth beneath her. Each time the girl steps out of her shadows to trail them through the grand halls of the Palace, Talia meets her with the same warmth. Each time, she draws the girl closer with gestures that speak louder than any words could.
With Talia, she begins to unlearn the singular language of Death that has defined her life. She learns new ways to exist. She sits still as Talia braids her hair, fingers deft and calm. She watches how the woman wields a blade – as if the weapon were an extension of herself.
In return, Talia trims her uneven locks with care, and matches her strike for strike in the training grounds.
Her name is Cassandra Cain, and she is the daughter of David Cain. That is what Jason says, and Jason is rarely wrong. Yet, not long after she encounters the Bat of Gotham, Jason tells her something new. Batman, Jason says, is his dad.
Cassandra thinks about this—about names, about connections—and she decides. She has a Father, a Mom, a Dad, and a Mother now.
And she has brothers, too. Jason and Damian, as fierce as they are fragile, who look to her as much as they look to her protectively. She is their older sister, after all.
Contrary to popular belief—or, rather, as Gotham’s intrusive media likes to suggest—Stephanie Brown is not Bruce Wayne’s daughter. She has a perfectly capable mother and a father – villainous, though –  he may be.
The connection between Talia al Ghul and Stephanie is tenuous at best. Beyond the shared reality of their fathers as frequent adversaries to the Bat, and their unexpected alignment with his mission, they seem worlds apart. 
Yet, there are two unlikely threads that bind them: a mutual appreciation for combat and an unlikely love for waffles.
This peculiar common ground has grown into a ritual, one partly born of Cassandra’s boundless enthusiasm for uniting her two favourite people. Every time Talia visits Gotham, they observe "Waffle Day." Different diners, different flavours, but always the two of them, sitting across from one another in a quiet corner.
At first, Stephanie participates out of politeness, persuaded by Cassandra’s infectious excitement. Yet, over time, she begins to anticipate it, drawn in by Talia’s genuine joy in the simple tradition. Talia’s demeanour surprises her—unexpectedly happy, in those moments.
It is an odd juxtaposition: the formidable Daughter of the Demon savouring syrup-drenched bites, warmth disarming.
Talia is nothing like the woman Stephanie once imagined her to be.
So, on those days when Bruce becomes insufferable, as he is prone to do, Stephanie finds herself reaching for a name she never thought she’d use so naturally – to toss the name ‘mother’ in Talia’s direction.
“Whatever, B. Talia was always my favourite parent, anyway ,” she quips, rolling her eyes with exaggerated flair.
The comment halts Bruce mid-sentence. He stares at her, his train of thought completely derailed, while Stephanie revels in his rare moment of speechlessness.
She never expected it to work so well—and she’s not entirely sure why it does.
Duke Thomas can’t quite understand why everyone refers to the mildly (well, maybe more than mildly – seriously terrifying?) intimidating assassin lady as ‘mom’. It’s a curious thing – it feels like one of those unwritten rules, a secret initiation he missed. By now, he’s too frightened to ask, the confusion only growing with each passing day.
What he does know is this: she’s Damian’s mother. That much is indisputable. And, from what he’s observed, she might as well be Jason’s, too. That’s obvious, written in the way they interact – in the subtle authority she exudes when she’s near them. 
There’s a certain logic to it. 
If he’s already calling Bruce ‘dad’, whether in jest or sincerity, why not extend the title to her? 
Over time, he sees it—the steadiness of her presence, the quiet strength (a grounded resilience that feels maternal in its own right) she lends in crises. Whether on patrol or in moments of chaos – she is there.
Duke watches and learns,  even if he still can’t quite reconcile it with the notion of her being ‘mom’.
And one day, without thinking, he calls her “Mom.” It slips out casually, but when she doesn’t correct him, something in him settles.
Barbara Gordon never calls Talia ‘mother’, not once. 
It isn’t out of resistance or pride, but rather because their connection exists outside titles or familial ties. For Barbara, Talia has always been a constant presence in her most defining moments.
When Barbara was Batgirl—when she had her legs, her agency, her life intact— it was Talia’s shadow that sometimes loomed just out of sight.
Everything changed the day Barbara lost her legs, the day everything she had known about herself, her identity, and her strength was taken in an instant.
It was a brutal moment, one that shattered her in ways she had never expected. Then, Talia returned, not with pity, nor empty words of comfort – but, as a lifeline in her reawakening.
When Barbara found her strength again, rebuilding, rebuilt herself from the rubble of what she thought was lost – Talia knew the soundless might required to rise from the depths of despair.
And so, while Barbara never calls her ‘mother’, she understands, as only the Oracle can, that Talia's role in her life is beyond words. 
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while the results of the poll are far from out yet, i'm extremely grateful for the overwhelming amount of votes on it!!!! this prompt was in the lead when i last checked (by a whopping majority lol), so here it is :) quite frankly, this was marinating in my drafts for a while. this is soooo self-indulgent (>_<) headcanons galore as always, this is also posted on my ao3, brucestalia ! :D
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"you know in your heart this 'R' doesn't stand for 'ruin'. ... this 'r' stands for 'redemption'"
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robin: son of batman is a hellaaaaaa underrated book and there were some fire lines about forgiveness and redemption (the main themes) -- like when he meets maya (whom he has generational beef with basically) and her first words to him are "you are unforgiven, damian wayne" and later she tells him about how he isn't his mother and he isn't his father and "even though right now you fell like you're all alone, and you've lost your father and your brothers...you've gained a sister. you are forgiven, damian wayne." (also btw when they talk about brothers they mean the sons of batman - the damian clones - not like the other robins)
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but honestly this book is so sweet and also "the only thing this r stands for is ruin" and "every time you put it on, you're doing what your brothers did, fighting the good fight and honoring the legacy of the one who saved you from yourself. this r stands for REDEMPTION" is ALSO FIRE LINE. there were some really insightful moments, like when damian also has a nightmare where dick tells him he's surprised that damian didn't go to hell (when damian was dead) because of everything he's done
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and this comic. the entire thing is about one thing -- choice. it supposed to contrast what you were born into and what you chose to be -- damian is both a wayne and an al-ghul and hes trying to figure out who he has to be. his best friend is a demon he was supposed to kill but CHOSE instead took in. his other best friend (who he comes to view as a sister) is the daughter of the person he killed who originally wanted vengeance but then CHOSE to forgive him. and she tells him she chooses to forgive him DESPITE HIM NOT BEING ABLE TO FORGIVE HIMSELF. like sure the mantle robin is related to batman but it wasn’t created by bruce wayne. unlike everything else that surrounds damian (as damian is the heir to the league of assassins, the son of batman), ROBIN is the one thing he has that he didn’t consider to be "his" or belong to him by blood. damian is told he will become the leader of the league or will become batman because of who his parents are but for him -- but robin isn’t HIS birthright. it’s a choice. all because dick CHOSE damian. and dick tells him "you'll always be my robin" and the robin legacy ISN'T bruce's it's dick's so its not damian's legacy by blood (the way batman is), its his legacy through trust and choice............ guys am i rambling or does this make sense. he has all this expectations forced onto him because of his lineage but this is the one thing that he is DESPITE that.... i'll talk about this later but that's why i think damian SHOULDN'T be the next batman
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blu3-ja3 · 3 days ago
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So I kinda rewrote a bunch of my cursed Gotham stuff! But it's here now so enjoy!
Cursed Gotham Masterpost
Leave the City (Our Lady Gotham)
Tim's POV
Gotham has been quiet which has been a godsend because Wayne Manor hasn't. School had started for everyone, Alfred helped keep everything together as Bruce scrambled to get everything settled. But even before the chaos of multiple kids going to school there was chaos.
It was a shock to everyone when Talia Al Ghul arrived on the doorstep of the manor that rainy spring night. Even more so when Bruce noticed the body of Jason Todd in her arms and the small form of Damian standing behind his mother ready to defend her from those chasing them.
Bruce immediately had the trio enter the house, Alfred took the unconscious body of Jason. I'd never seen the man cry but I will never forget watching that singular tear roll down his cheek. Bruce asked Selina to help Talia with any injuries as Bruce disappeared after Alfred.
Cass never said a thing to Damian but for whatever reason he attached himself to her side. She was the only one who was able to get the boy's injuries wrapped and cleaned while Selina helped Talia. Duke and Steph were so confused and we all just stood around useless until Bruce reappeared. Everyone was sent to the sitting room while Selina, Talia, Bruce and Alfred had a serious discussion.
None of us really know what was talked about in Bruce's office that night but we do know that Talia was in trouble. That she no longer felt safe keeping Damian around her father, that Bruce was the only person Talia trusted to keep their son safe from the LoA and Ras himself.
Jason's revival was still a mystery to everyone including himself. He says one moment he remembers heat and blistering pain, the next he's waking up in the dark buried alive. Talia doesn't know either she found him while running, she recognized Jason rather quickly and knew something was wrong. She took it as a sign to go to Bruce, it took them three days to get across Gotham without being caught by Talia's father.
To say it was easy would be a lie, whatever brought Jason back had left him with cracks. Bruce ran as many tests as he could before allowing Dick to call in Raven for help. She told Bruce that errant magic seemed to bound itself to Jason, Raven doesn't know why or where it came from but that was all she could glean.
Jason was upset at Bruce once he realized Joker was still around, he got even more furious when he learned what happened to Barbara and eventually me when I felt comfortable enough to talk about it. But Dick was quick to act and calm Jason by showing him the archived footage of Bruce's rampage being stopped by Superman.
It took us months to help Damian settle into life as a normal kid, Cassandra helped Damian the most. The two understood each other better than most, it made plenty of sense and Cass though typically mute was better than most of us when communicating with Damian.
Summer break wasn't as chaotic for the Wayne's but Gotham had some issues, it started with a sudden earthquake. It was a massive one that caused a part of Arkham to collapse, we spent a great deal of time trying to catch everyone who did escape. Thankfully no big names from the rogues gallery only a few.
Then the fall semester started and somehow Bruce learned that Kon was staying at Titans Towers. There were a lot of people upset with Superman the days following, no one knew that Supes had abandoned his half clone. Lois was especially upset because Kon was Jon's half brother and she'd like to know about him.
Kara became even more upset when she learned about Kon's name, Supes claims naming Conner 'abomination' in Kryptonian wasn't on purpose. That didn't seem to help the man's case at all, as it was an insult to to name a Kryptonian child a name not thoroughly thought out. Clark had a bit of a break down and everyone became privileged to the information of Lex being the other half of Kon DNA.
It took some time to figure out but for now Kon-El is a resident at Wayne manor. It was a surreal experience explaining to Bruce that me and Kon were dating but he knew, of course he knew. You can't keep anything hidden for long from Batman.
Steph and Cass started dating at the start of the fall semester so Steph has been staying in her claimed room at the manor more often. That's part of the reason Steph has attended more Galas and events with us as of late, more than before. She claims it's because she gets to be with Cass but at this point I think it's because of the hors d'oeuvres. Steph has always loved the fancy finger foods served at those events.
So yes the Wayne house has been incredibly busy! Everything from introducing Damian to the public eye, forging the proper paper trail to prove that Jason was under witness protection, and on top of all of this chaos Selina has become a permanent stay at the manor after Bruce invited her to move in.
I'm currently out following a lead on a case Bruce gave to me. A series of disappearances of young girls all throughout Gotham, the only common thread between them is their ages are in ascending order. The first girl was 5 years old, the next was 6 years old and so on. Totaling eleven girls missing all from different backgrounds and areas of Gotham.
Each girl disappeared from their homes, all within a week of the last one disappearing. I've investigated every lead Commissioner Gordon has given Batman, the only reason Gordon thinks they're related is because of the consistency of the disappearances. And all of them vanish from their homes with no signs of forced entry.
The latest disappearance hit closer to home then I would've liked, one of mine and my siblings classmates. A 15 year old girl named Jillian, she's a quiet girl who I shared a few core classes with. It took three days for anyone to notice she was missing, everyone at school thought she was sick. Her guardian wasn't even in town and still isn't, hence me breaking into the apartment.
I slip open the window and crawl into a very small and baron living space. There's only a TV, couch and dining table in the living room, the kitchen looks empty also but I sweep through looking at everything. There isn't much of anything in this apartment to indicate someone living here let alone the house being broken into.
I walk slowly through the hall to the first door, opening it reveals a bathroom. Slightly more personal this time, there's soaps and a loofa sitting on a small shelf in the bathroom. An assortment of makeup, hair care and face care on the counter next to the sink. A toothbrush and paste sitting in a cup near the edge of the sink.
I close the bathroom and move to the next door to find what looks to be the bare bones of a master bedroom. There's only a bed, dresser and mirror in here. A layer of dust covers the room, a clear sign no one inhabits the room. If they do they haven't been here in a long time.
I open the door across the hall to reveal an actual lived in room. Before I can get a clearer picture of the room something darts between my legs quickly. Moving to follow I watch the shape push open the door across from the bathroom. I opened it to find a small laundry room and the small shape, an extremely fluffy black cat with a little purple collar & ball and dark yellow eyes staring longingly at me.
"Hey there friend, let me see what I can do for you yeah?" I turn to look around and find a note on the wall.
Stepping over to the paper it reads: 'Grace, if you're reading this it means something happened to me. Please just feed Queenie, her foods in the kitchen. One part wet and one part dry, make sure her pill is crushed and mixed in. Please just take care of Queenie for me...~ Jill'
"Okay this might be something, a lead possib-" I'm interrupted by a soft meow from behind me.
I grabbed the shallow ceramic bowl from the elevated table it was on. As I moved into the kitchen the cat, Queenie followed, she quickly moved to sit in front of a lower cabinet door and chirped softly.
I opened it to find a container with dry cat food, a half a shelf full of canned cat food, and attached the door of the cabinet; a little basket with a blue pill bottle. I follow the instructions and place the bowl back in the laundry room, Queenie goes straight away to eating.
I move back to my original reason for being here, I step into the inhabited room. The walls are covered in posters, pictures, shadow boxes with bugs, and art. Shelves line most of the walls filled with books, small sculptures, candles and other such knick knacks.
There's a shelf sitting in front of the only window, on it are various plants. There's another shelf, filled with all sorts of strange things; skulls of varying sizes and animals, crystals and rocks, a jar with what looks to be a preserved salamander-like creature.
A canopy bed covered in plushies of various animals & bugs and at the foot of it a dresser. On the left side of the bed is a small bedside table, a small picture frame sits on it next to a lamp and clock. To the right near the window is a desk covered in papers and books.
Moving closer the papers are drawing of a person, a woman but her features are hard to make out. One of the books is a journal that is opened, from what I can tell Jillian was still writing in it before she stopped.
"Hey Oracle? Can you patch me through to Batman... And Robin?" I ask as I pull out my small camera and begin taking pictures of the room.
"Give me one second Red." I move back to where I began and take a wide shot of the entire room.
"Red Robin, what is it?" I step over to the desk and take multiple pictures of the desk and the items on it.
"I've got what I think could be a lead and would like your help if you're not busy... I also need Robin's help with a... Furry friend, think you could come to me?" I step back and take pictures of the room from various angles getting every possible angle I can.
It takes Bruce and Damian about ten minutes to arrive at the same window I entered in. The younger boy looks a bit bored and disgruntled when first entering through the window. But that quickly changes when Queenie trots over to him and rubs up against his leg. He crouches down and begins softly petting the cat as I guild B towards Jillian's room, showing him the note first.
With careful hands he takes the note and places it in a plastic bag, ones we commonly use to store evidence in. We continue toward our destination when I spot something I hadn't before. It was a few things actually, just before Jillian's room there's a small amount of discoloration (most likely blood) on the floor close to the door. And caught on a nail that seems to be working its out is a scrap of fabric. Batman and I collect the evidence and take pictures.
While I'm closer to the floor I can see deep groves on the floor, I follow them towards the door and find more scratches. It looks like someone was holding onto the door frame and was forcefully removed, inside Jillian's room near where the claw marks start, underneath a shelf is Jillian's phone charm. It's a cluster of blue and purple beads of different shapes and sizes with different charms scattered all throughout. At the very end is a little black flocked cat holding a fish in its mouth.
As I move to pick up the charm it's heavier than it should be, as I pull more of the familiar case of Jillian's phone slid out from under the shelf. The phone case was covered in teals, pinks and oranges from different stickers and pieces of paper sealed behind the clear phone case. Like everything Jillian owned it was colorful and covered. I pick up the phone and see the screen is cracked, as I try to turn it on the screen lights up with a battery icon that has a small sliver of red in it.
I place the phone in a spare pouch on my hip before moving towards the desk. As I pass the bed post at the end of the bed closest to the window Batman points to something. I look down and see a large gash taken out of the wooden post, B squats down to get a closer look. He reaches between the dresser and end of the bed before standing up to reveal he's holding a knife.
It's a simple switch blade knife, a chip in the sharpened blade but fine none the less. Batman reaches out a hand and I place my small camera into his hand before I leave to comb over the desk and its contents.
All of the drawings are done on the same style of paper, with pencil and charcoal being the main medium but there are a few done in pen and one at the very bottom done in water colors. All of the drawings are of three different people; one of a woman with a scar on her face, a man with glasses, and a figure with androgynous features. I've seen Jillian drawing this figure before in class, when I asked she just called them 'The Lady'.
I'm mentally kicking myself for not asking her more. Jillian had been drawing the figure relentlessly over the span of the kidnappings and was getting more and more... Frantic feels like the right word. I shake myself out of my thoughts and sort the drawings into separate piles, one for each of the different muses. As I sort a paper slip from the scared woman's stack and drift to the ground, there's writing on the back of the drawings. Flipping over the drawing I'm currently holding I'm greeted with more text.
"This girl seems to be the lead you were looking for Red," Batman's naturally low timber fills the air. I nod before gathering the piles into folders, the thickest one being 'The Lady's' stack.
I hand the three folders to B and turn to the journal. At the top is a date and time scrawled in the top, I quickly flip through the previous pages to find much of the same for each one. I place the ribbon place holder to mark the half finished page, I close the journal and hand it back to B.
Opening the desk drawers I found a teal note book with pink flowers and black branches, in neat cursive hand writing on the bottom is the word 'Diary'. I hesitate to grab it, feeling extremely guilty and a bit perverted for rummaging through my classmate's desk.
"You don't have to continue this case, I know you went to school with the most recent girl." I turn to look at Batman as he speaks, with his cowl on it's hard to discern what he's thinking.
My fist ball up at my sides as I take a deep breath, holding it, then releasing it as I relax my shoulders and fists. Do I want to hand this case back to Bruce? No, not really. I wasn't friends with Jillian, no one really was. She's a bit of an odd ball, constantly wearing gloves and avoiding contact with people. She's quiet in class, constantly drawing... But the few times I've interacted with her she was kind, soft spoken.
"No, I want to continue. I just feel weird for going through her personal space... Do you think we could call one of the girls to come help?" I ask, fidgeting with my glove. A soft smile curls across Batman's face before reaching up and calling over Spoiler and Black Bat.
It takes the two girls less time than Batman and Robin to show. Once they arrive Batman gives me the rest of his evidence bags and calls Robin to inform him that they're leaving to head back to the cave. Robin appears holding a carrier cage with a small grocery sack with what I can only assume is the cat's food and medicine. B doesn't say anything but we can all feel the questioning look.
"No one is here to take care of Queenie Father. And from what Red Robin has informed me of the guardian of Queenie's owner no one will be coming back for her. I will take on the burden of caring for Queenie while her owner is gone, that is my responsibility as Robin. To help those in trouble," Robin's speech doesn't leave much room for argument. We all watch as an eyebrow lifts under Batman's cowl before he makes a low grumble and turns towards the window to step out.
Robin turns back towards us beaming before scampering towards the window, he gingerly places the carrier with the cat outside of the window onto the fire escape before climbing out himself with the bag. Batman takes the bag from Robin before the two descend down the fire escape. A few minutes later the sound of the Batmobile starting can be heard. I show Black Bat and Spoiler to the room, the two girls enter looking around curiously.
"She's got amazing vibes going on in this room," Black Bat nods her head in agreement with Spoilers statement, I clear my throat to catch their attention.
"I need you two to go through her drawers, please... I feel like a pervert doing it but we've got to find anything that could help me with this case. Spoiler if you could go through her desk and Black Bat if you could go through her closet, you both know what B considers useful for investigations," I quickly blurt out what I need their help with before I crouch back down near the door trying to see if I can figure out how Jillian's phone got underneath the shelf.
I breathe a sigh of relief as both girls move to their respective area in the room. It takes a little over an hour of them looking through different drawers in the room while I scoured the room and hallway. I found more scratch marks on the laundry room door and on the floor in the living room. There was more blood on the floor and I noticed that a large carpet was missing from the living room judging by the clear discoloration in the living room.
I finished taking the necessary pictures of the evidence before I stood up to greet the two girls both have a bag with something inside. I collect them both and place them into the small messenger bag I have slung over my shoulder.
"What do you've got RR?" Spoiler asks as she rocks back and forth on her heels, Black Bat nods in agreement humming softly as she does.
"Okay, so far not much I don't even know what her journals and drawing will tell me. But Jillian put up a fight, there was an altercation in her room that caused the cut in the bed post as well as the loss of the switch blade," I say as I walk towards Jillian's room.
"Somehow in the altercation Jillian's phone slid under the shelf next to the door. Jillian was conscious when she was dragged out, indicated by the scratch marks on the door frame, the floors and the laundry room door." I point out the different areas to the other two as we walk back into the living room.
"They dragged her into the living room before knocking her unconscious, they then took the carpet and wrapped her in it. There were no signs of forced entry anywhere so they had to be let in." I step up to the front door and open it. I step into the hall and spot a small camera at the end of the hall above the elevator doors. I was expecting to step out into the hall to get a clear look at the various entry points, but there was a note stuck to the wall next to the door that caused me to pause.
The note read: 'Jillian sweetie, I let the bug exterminators your sister hired into your apartment. They left with your carpet all rolled up, said they had to take it back to their shop. I do hope no one else has to deal with whatever pest you've got. Hope to see you soon, Ms. Sullivan'
"You're good," Spoiler says after whisting, I mumbled a response about not expecting this and what my plan actually was. I take a quick picture before taking the note and closing the door. I slip the paper into a protective sleeve like we have been doing all night before tapping my com link to speak with Oracle.
"Hey O, can you or our friend at the cave get us the camera footage of the building we're currently in? And if there's any clear street footage, that as well. I need the footage from three days ago," I ask as I maneuver out of the window, stepping aside to let the others out before closing it.
"Sure thing, everything I find will be sent over to J and the Bat-Computer. You calling it for patrol tonight?" I confirm Barbara's question before quickly making my way via grapple back to the cave.
It takes me some time to return to the cave but I'm no less focused on my task at hand. Once inside the cave I quickly found an empty area and meticulously laid out all the evidence that we gathered. Jason stands up from the computer and stands beside me. I tap away at the small computer system on my wrist and start printing out the pictures me and B took while at the apartment. Jason moves to collect the pictures before I can even speak a word. I thank him when he sets them down next to me.
"Babs is getting everything she can from the footage but I'm here to help you with whatever you need, Little Bird." Jason places his hands into his pockets as I finish setting out everything. Jason is smart, we all are, and having an extra set of eyes on this case would be helpful.
"I'm going to get out of my suit, shower and make myself something to drink... If you could get this charging and start on trying to open it that would be appreciated, Jay," I say as I hand Jason Jillian's phone, he quickly slips on a pair of gloves before grabbing the phone. I remove my gauntlets and the main armor pieces of my suit, leaving me in a tank top and my black padded tights.
I walk towards the exit that leads upstairs to the manor, as soon as the grandfather clock moves out of the way I'm greeted by Kon. He's standing in a simple black shirt and is wearing baggy blue gym shorts with socks on. I smile at him as I move to walk towards the stairs leading upstairs. Kon followed me the whole time, holding my hand as we went.
Once in my own room I strip down to my boxer. I move towards my bathroom entering the small room and starting a hot shower, while waiting for the water to heat i turn towards the mirror. I breathe in deeply before peeling away my mask, having to go slowly as to not rip out the few eyebrow hairs stuck in the spirit gum. I breathe a sigh of relief once my mask is off and I quickly get into the hot shower after removing the last layer.
I groan when the hot water cascades over my sore body, I stand there for a bit with my full body under the stream of water. I let my eyes fall close as I focus on the feeling of my muscles relaxing. There's the faint sound of the bathroom door opening then closing followed by a slight shuffle of fabrics and the sound of Kon quietly humming to himself.
"Kon?" My mouth moves before I can really think. I can hear Kon hum in response, a quiet acknowledgement that he heard me.
"Would you... Come join me please?" I don't get a verbal response but I do hear the sounds of fabric moving and the glass door to the shower open. There's the delicate touch of Kon's hands on my back.
This isn't the first time I've asked Kon to join me in the shower, it won't be the last either. He starts our normal routine immediately, one hand gently rubbing circles into my lower back. The other gently squeezes my hip as it moves up and down. I open my eyes and meet his eyes, my breath catches as I get lost in the myrtle green. A ring of gold always surrounds his pupils even when they dilate, I think it's a Kryptonian thing... I don't know for sure I don't make a habit of staring deeply into others' eyes.
"You have such pretty blue eyes Tim, they're like clouds," Kon whispers to me, I can't help the small smile that spreads across my face. I bring my arms up and wrap them around Kon's neck, the contrast between my pale skin and his warm bronze always pulls at something in my chest.
I lean up and gently kiss Kon, our lips falling into a steady rhythm even as he steps closer to me. We stay like that for a bit my hands running over his shoulders and up into his curly black hair. His hands glide across my hips and up my back, gently working out any tension still there. Eventually though I have to pull away slightly taking in deep breaths to help soothe the ache in my chest. Kon steps away for a moment, reaching for my shampoo.
I turn my back to him and tilt my head back slightly so my longer hair falls back. I usually keep my hair at about chin to middle neck length but it's getting to the point that I need a hair cut soon. I feel warm hands curl into hair and begin to massage my scalp. I feel my shoulders slump and all remaining tension ease out of my body as Kon pampers me.
"Thank you babe, you don't have to do this you know?" I ask letting my eyes slip close and my head tilt down as Kon's hands move lower on my scalp.
"Mhm, I know but I like too. I like watching all the tension leave you because of my doing. It makes me feel good," He says as I feel the tinge of Kon's TTK reaching out to caress me, I hum at the slight static feeling washing over me.
I feel Kon step forward until his chest is flush against my back, with gentle hands Kon guides my head to be fully under the spray of the shower. He runs his hands through my hair before guiding me back to where I was before, then he comb his fingers through as he conditions my hair. I let out a slight squeak when I feel Kon shifting us so he's under the spray and I'm not. If it weren't for the fact that Kon's body constantly radiates heat I think I'd be shivering.
I feel a wash cloth begin to run over my body as both of Kon's hands leave me. I let my head fall back against his chest as he rinses his own hair. Once he's done one of his hand wraps around my waist and the other rinses the conditioner from my hair. I turn myself around and bury my face in Kon's neck, finding comfort in the smell on Kon's skin. He smells like warmth; sunlight, a strange citrus note to him, and like rain.
I'm being moved again as Kon backs up so I'm in the stream of water. The rag is gently pushed into my hand as Kon mumbles about washing my sensitive bits. I look up and flash a wolfish grin at Kon as he blushes, I let the smile loose its edge as I finish cleaning myself. I deposit the rag onto a hook to dry before dragging Kon back into a hug as I bury my face back into Kon's neck.
We stay like that for a few more minutes before Kon uses his TTK to turn off the water. We both get dried off and I walk into my room to change into comfortable clothes while Kon finishes his curly hair routine, as well as cleaning all of his piercings and replacing some with fresh jewelry. He's currently wearing all black and silver jewelry that makes his freckles stand out gorgeously.
I get dressed, eat something light while waiting for water to boil and make myself and Jason a cup of coffee that is poured into cups with lids. I move back down to the cave, Kon hovering behind me the whole time following. I quickly moved towards the table where Jason was currently sitting and handed him the lidded cup of coffee.
"Thanks Timmers, I've got the phone charging and Oracle is running through a script to get past the phone password, Jason says gesturing towards the colorful device sitting next to him.
"Thank you for your help, I'm going to start reading through everything and see what I can find. I'm going to set everything I've read through to the side, if you're feeling up to being my second set of eyes that would be appreciated Jay," I say as I pick up the folder of drawings with the scared woman. Jason nods and sips his coffee while he chats with Kon, I take that as my que to start.
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