#Tim is just very committed to doing the right thing for the world even if it’s the wrong thing for himself

[auroreliis]

what if reader had k*lled someone before and the batfam (yandere) dis not know like «I dont need your damn protection» reader said to the batfam «but the world is so dangerous out there and your just a baby» the batfam said to reader « B!TCH I have k*lled someone the f you mean im a baby?!?» the batfam with horrified expresion «WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!»

That last little part is a funny little over dramatic way it might go.

Oh, you are COOKED. (Do pardon my use of brainrot language...)

CW: mentions of murder...obviously

The first thing they do is isolate you in a room and keep you there for a while until they figure out what to do with you (and so you can think about what you've done).

What happens next? Therapy sessions, which they all agreed on.

Don't worry, you will tell them everything, specifically Bruce, since he's the one carrying out the therapy sessions.

"Why did you kill that person?"

"How do you feel about it now?"

"Do you regret it?"

"How do you feel after our conversation?"

He pities the person you ended up killing and feels a little disappointed. A life was taken by you, an innocent person's life. He didn't raise you like this, did he...?

However, he also pities you. Unless you are trained to kill someone, it breaks you. He's seen it so many times, people commiting murders and then panicking, breaking down, because they couldn't live with the consequences of their actions.

You're a mere civilian, how could you ever have been exposed to that kind of environment? How could he let this happen? No, it is his fault for waiting so long before saving you from the world. He will teach you why it's wrong. He will make sure you heal and never take another life again. After all, it is his job as your father to guide you in life.

That's right, the only reason you could've done it is because you didn't know any better. You are a mere child in this old, cruel world, after all.

In the end, he holds himself accountable. He should've done better. He should've protected you better from the cruel world you live in.

Dick would be shocked. His little birdie, his angel, killed someone? Impossible. You're so innocent, like a baby, so how could this be true? He would take some time off to come to terms with the fact that you're not the kind of person he expected. When he comes back, after a week, he seems slightly distant.

With time, following your therapy sessions, he will return to his normal, clingy, annoying self. However, you can't help but wonder why he was acting so weird that one week.

Despite the fact that he also kills people, Jason is incredibly suprised and disappointed after hearing that you killed someone. Unlike everyone else, he feels anger. You're so young, so innocent, you grew up in a place where murdering someone was not necessary, so why would you do it? He doesn't kill people because he wants to, he only does it because he needs to. But you didn't need to do it.

That's what upsets him most. You chose to do it. You willingly took a life.

Despite being so hurt, so broken, he still feels an ounce hesitation when killing people, so how come you, someone who didn't go through what he did, could kill someone in a situation that wasn't even self-defense? Nothing could possibly justify it! And here you are, proudly announcing it to them. You should be ashamed.

He kills murderers, so what should he do with you? Does that make you as bad as the criminals he kills? God, he doesn't even want to think about it.

Jason won't get over it for at least a month. He'll be very distant around you and won't be seen smiling for a long time. Towards you exclusively, his behaviour becomes incredibly bitter. In fact, he's the one who most strongly encourages Bruce to carry out the long, grueling therapy sessions. He really thinks it'll do you good...

Tim's reaction would be more mild than expected. He would certainly feel uncomfortable with the fact that you seemingly feel not an ounce of guilt or regret. However, he wouldn't change his behaviour too much for too long.

During the first week, he'd be a bit more careful with his affection towards you. No, it's not because he's scared. He simply wants to observe you and see how effective the therapy sessions are. If he feels that your attitude towards murder hasn't changed, he would encourage Bruce to be more intense during the therapy sessions.

He would be more careful with the activities he offers you, since Bruce called a meeting with everyone to establish more rules, those being directed at Tim mostly. Tim's "cool, lenient older brother"-act needs to change.

From now on, no crime films or shows (especially not any violent ones), no crime documentaries, no crime or detective books, no vular language, no threats towards anyone or anything and for at least 14 months, no leaving the manor.

This change will probably be permanent.

[yasmindifference]

12!

Tim is only halfway through his explanation of the case he's been working when Bruce sighs and says, "I'll bring Hood in."

He's so astonished by this idiocy that it genuinely takes him a few seconds to recover; he has to run to catch up. Then, since he's running anyway, he uses his momentum to slide into place a few steps ahead, blocking Batman's path.

In the Cave, that's more symbolic than anything--there's plenty of room to go around him--and B respects that much, at least. He stops in his tracks.

"No, you won't," Tim says very clearly.

Batman frowns. "Red Robin."

"Batman," he returns, and Batman's frown deepens.

He's wearing the cowl now, having pulled it on as he walked--steeling himself for what he's decided he has to do. Shutting Bruce away so his paternal affection doesn't slow him down.

As usual, he's being a complete moron. World's Greatest Detective, Tim's ass.

"Red Robin," Batman says again, "your attachment to Red Hood--"

"--has nothing to do with this," Tim interrupts. "Jason didn't do it."

His pointed use of Jason's actual name goes unacknowledged; Batman sets his shoulders to loom and doubles down.

"The victim profile is clearly in line with Hood's usual targets," he says. "The victim's own victims were children, specifically children from Crime Alley, and his crimes against them were exactly the kind that Hood punishes the most severely. You can't deny that."

He's using the Batman growl and still looming over Tim...why, Tim's not exactly sure. It's not like he ever backed down from this kind of display even when he was a literal child facing down a Batman half-mad with grief. As an adult and a vigilante in his own right, who's been facing down the city's, world's, and occasionally galaxy's worst for nearly a decade...Batman is barely going to make him blink.

So he meets the eerie white lenses of the cowl straight on when he says, "No, I can't deny any of that. But Jason still didn't do it."

"You're being unrealistic," Batman says sharply. "Basing your conclusion on emotion instead of fact."

"No, that would be you," Tim corrects, just as sharp. "You're blinded by your issues with Jason's way of doing things. If you were actually thinking straight--"

"Hood makes a habit of targeting rapists, pedophiles, and anyone who breaks his so-called 'rules' in the territory he claims as his." Batman looms harder. "All three apply to the victim. What evidence do you have to support his innocence?"

"The fact that this isn't how Jason works."

Batman's face blanks out, scowl wiped away as he forcefully suppresses his reaction to Tim's words.

"Hood has never agreed with the no-kill rule," he says, "and despite our truce, he never committed to not using lethal force. It was only a matter of time before he crossed the line again, and this is precisely how he likes to 'punish' those he deems guilty."

Tim has to take a second to deliberately calm himself before he can trust his voice. His hands ache for how tightly he's fisted them.

"No," he says, once he's sure his voice won't shake with the anger trembling in his fists. "No, it isn't."

"Tim--"

"It's true that Jason isn't opposed to lethal force," he says over Batman. "It's also true that he particularly targets people who break his rules and/or prey on children. But not like this!"

If he were anyone but Batman, Tim would say Bruce falters.

"Explain."

Tim doesn't hesitate.

"Yes, Jason is willing to kill," he says. "Yes, he'll even make it hurt if the crime is bad enough. But his goal isn't to punish anyone--it's to protect people."

Batman's flat expression--what little Tim can see of it beyond the cowl, at least--says he doesn't appreciate the difference.

Tim tries again. "Jason doesn't kill because he enjoys it, he kills because he thinks it's the only way to stop the worst of the worst. That's why he goes after the people the system can't or won't contain."

Still, Batman is unmoved. Tim gets to the point.

"Our victim was tortured over the course of several hours," he says again. It was one of the first lines in his little presentation on the case, and should have immediately disqualified Jason as a potential perpetrator. "I estimate at least twelve hours passed between the infliction of the first wound and his death, which was the result of a combination of shock and blood loss."

"You said that already," Batman says, unamused.

"Yes, and you should've known that it ruled out Jason!" Tim snaps. "If Jason had done this, he might have, have kneecapped the guy first, or shot him in the gut, or something, because yes, he'd have wanted to make him hurt. But the death still would have been measured in minutes, because at the end of the day, Jason's main priority is to end suffering, not cause it."

For a long, tense moment, Batman stares at him. Tim's trembling with emotion--not just anger that Batman is doubting him, but fear at what Batman might do to Jason if Tim can't stop him.

For all of Bruce's talk about Jason crossing lines...when it comes to Jason, Bruce tends to cross plenty himself.

Finally, Batman (and he is still so very Batman) says, "I wish I could believe that, but I can't."

"Then believe in me," Tim says, seizing the opening at once. "Just give me a day or two, okay? I'll find the real killer and prove that Jason didn't do this."

After either a few seconds or a lifetime, Batman finally--finally--backs down.

"You have a week," he says, and turns away. "And if you're wrong..."

Tim isn't about to humor that ominous trailing off. "I'm not. You'll see."

"I hope so," Bruce says quietly.

Prompt #12 was one character standing up for the other! Good choice! ♡♡

[probablyasocialecologist]

Many of Harris’s mistakes were similar to those Hillary Clinton made in 2016. Like Clinton, Harris cozied up to billionaire donors. Mark Cuban, for instance, said he was delighted that Harris was abandoning Democrats’ commitments to progressive principles and letting the business community propose the policies it wanted. Like Clinton, Harris and Tim Walz made hubristic campaign stops in solidly red states like Texas and Kentucky rather than spending the final days laser-focused on crucial battlegrounds. Like Clinton, Harris emphasized celebrity endorsements while failing to successfully court unions. (Most notably, the Teamsters declined to endorse her after she refused to pledge that she wouldn’t break a national railway strike.) Like Clinton, Harris focused too much on the danger of Donald Trump (which is very real) and not enough on the reasons why she would be good at being president herself. Most importantly, like Clinton, Harris ultimately decided upon a strategy of trying to woo moderate Republican voters away from Trump, reasoning that it didn’t matter if doing so alienated progressive voters and the Democratic base. Chuck Schumer, speaking of Hillary’s 2016 strategy, infamously promised: "For every blue-collar Democrat we lose in western Pennsylvania, we will pick up two moderate Republicans in the suburbs in Philadelphia. And you can repeat that in Ohio and Illinois and Wisconsin." In fact, they just lost the blue-collar Democrats and didn’t pick up the Republicans! In 2024, Harris, too, aggressively touted endorsements from Republicans, promised to put a Republican in her cabinet (she even cited that as the answer to what she would have done differently from Biden!), and went so far as to praise and embrace Dick and Liz Cheney! The strategy was an abject failure. Because she wanted to appease both Republicans and progressive voters, Harris had to further indulge her weakness for speaking in meaningless word salads, since taking stances that were meaningful could have alienated one of these constituencies. Trump, who is canny about portraying himself as more anti-war than Democrats, correctly pointed out that an endorsement from the hawkish Cheneys should be a badge of shame, not honor. (Specifically he said Cheney is “"the King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars, wasting Lives and Trillions of Dollars, just like Comrade Kamala Harris. I am the Peace President, and only I will stop World War III!")

[...]

The lesson to Democratic leaders in 2016 should have been that Bernie Sanders had been right, that the party had betrayed working-class voters and would be doomed if it could not effectively counter Trump’s pseudo-populist appeal with a visionary alternative. (See the excellent analysis in Thomas Frank’s Listen, Liberal.) Unfortunately, the lessons weren’t learned then, and it doesn’t seem like they’re going to be learned now, either! MSNBC anchor Joy Reid is already insisting that Kamala Harris’s campaign was “flawless” (because she got “every prominent celebrity voice”), and pundits like Jill Filipovic are saying things like, “this election was not an indictment of Kamala Harris. It was an indictment of America.” (Good luck ever winning with the slogan “You’re the problem, America!”) USAToday’s Michael Stern says that instead of talking about “where the Harris campaign went wrong” we should talk about “where the American people went wrong.” The Harris campaign itself is blaming unspecified “obstacles that were largely out of our control.” 

6 November 2024

[callme-holly]

can we get some cute thing for curly shepard x reader where they reunite after he’s in the cooler, and bonus angela and tim moments ofc

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛��𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 [𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫]

𝐚/𝐧 : there aren't enough curly fics in the world y'all. also sorry for posting under the actual character tags, i know people get mad at that lmao

A soft, almost impatient huff leaves you as you pace the length of the waiting area for what has to be the hundredth time, ignoring the way Tim glares at you from where he’s sat, cigarette hanging, unlit, from between his lips. His gaze isn't unkind, more bored, and perhaps a little irritated than anything else, but it isn’t enough to get you to settle.

“Don’t you think you ought to sit down?” Angela’s voice calls out from the seat beside her brother, her eyes alight with amusement as she watches you. “You’re making me dizzy, y/n.” 

You glance over at her, finally pausing in your movements, almost as though you weren’t aware of what you’d been doing in the first place, your shoulders tense and rigid as your cheeks flush pink.

“Sorry,” you mutter, sinking down into the seat next to her, the hard plastic digging into your back uncomfortably. “Just… can’t seem to stay still.”

She hums a short, amused laugh, reaching forward and gently squeezing one of your hands in hers, the cool metal of her ring pressing against your skin. “It’ll be fine. They’re always late.” 

A quick glance at the clock tells you that whoever is in charge of releasing your boyfriend is running at least fifteen minutes behind—it shouldn’t take fifteen minutes to sign a few papers and send him on his way.

You chew your lip worridly, staring blankly at the wall opposite, fingers drumming idly against your thigh. The clock ticks on, each second passing agonisingly slowly, and just as you’re about to give up the last remaining string of hope, the door bangs open and out walks Curly Shepard, his head held high, a cop trailing behind him. He catches your eye immediately, a broad grin spreading across his face, and you're up and out of the seat in a flash, crossing the room to wrap your arms around his neck, pressing yourself as close to him as decently possible. 

“You’re an idiot…” You murmur, burying your face against his shoulder and breathing him in, committing the moment to memory. 

He chuckles lightly, the sound rumbling in his chest as he pulls you even closer still, resting his chin on top of your head. “You worry too much. I’m fine.” 

When you look up at him, he's giving you that easy smile that makes your heart melt every time you catch sight of it, and for the first time you get a proper look at him. 

His hair has been cut short, as it always is when he’s in juvie, and his curls are pretty much nonexistent. There’s a faint bruise under his eye and another on the side of his jaw. He looks different somehow, but not any less wild. He’s still your boy.

“You gonna give the rest of us a chance to say hello?” Tim drawls an amused glint in his eye as he takes in the sight of you and his brother. You roll your eyes, reluctantly untangling yourself from Curly and stepping aside, watching as Tim and Angela move to “fuss” over him, scolding and praising him at equal turns. It's all very domestic and familiar, something you've seen a million times before now, but you find yourself smiling nonetheless, contentment swelling in your chest, and Curly smiles right back at you when your eyes meet his over Angela’s head.

“I can't believe you got caught,” Tim grumbles eventually, once Angela has stepped aside, done with her checkup, and the cop has dismissed them with a barrage of paper work. “What kind of punk robs a store and doesn't finish the job?”

Curly shoots him a hard glare, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets as the four of you stroll out of the station and back to the car. “You're acting like you've never been caught.”

You can’t help but roll your eyes at their back-and-forth comments, knowing it could quite possibly go on forever if someone didn’t cut in. Sliding into the backseat, you take off the chain from around your neck, waiting until Curly is seated comfortably next to you before handing it back to him.

“Told you I'd keep it safe.”

Curly blinks in surprise, staring down at it for a moment, before grinning widely. He takes the chain from you, clipping it back around his own neck and wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “Knew I could count on ya.”

You laugh softly, leaning into his embrace. He kisses the crown of your head, humming happily, and you feel content for the first time since he got hauled in. 

Curly Shepard may be trouble, but he's also yours, and you suppose that counts for something. 

[suzukiblu]

WIP excerpt for Mango Bat; Kon meets pink kryptonite and decides to fuck Tim and his boyfriend about it.

“Nnnnn god god god,” Kon groans as he fists his hands tighter in the sheets, shuddering roughly again and not even sure what to blame for it anymore. “You're so nice, Bernard, you're really nice, you don't have to be this nice to me, and you're really funny and you're fucking hot and I want you to come in me so fucking bad, wanna make you feel good, want you to like me too, please please please–” 

“Yup, I will definitely be requiring that T-shirt,” Bernard mutters. 

“–and Tim gets so happy when he talks about you and it's really, really great, I love it,” Kon probably-rambles, at this point, but he just wants to be good. “He showed us this real cute selfie he took with you once and I saved it in my folder of stuff I look at to feel better when the world just, just fucking sucks.” 

“Oh,” Tim says, his hands stilling on Kon. 

“. . . actually is there, like, a club jacket,” Bernard says. 

“Well, there might be after this,” Tim says under his breath, curling his fingers behind Kon’s ear, and Kon feels all riled-up and incredibly embarrassed. He didn’t–he didn’t mean to say that, exactly, just . . . 

“Sorry. Sorry, that's weird, I know, it's weird, I just–” he stutters, and Tim tugs lightly at his hair. 

“It’s not weird, pet,” he says gently. “It makes me really happy, actually.” 

Kon nearly takes the bed apart without even meaning to. 

He moans. 

It feels so good. It feels so good. Bernard’s moving so steady and careful and Tim’s still petting him, still keeping him in close, and they’re both still touching him, keeping him grounded between them, and Tim just keeps saying things, and–and–

“You’re such a sweet thing, pet,” Tim says right as Bernard slides in to the hilt, and Kon makes an absolutely embarrassing sound. The sheets might suffer some fraying, maybe. Like–just some very minor unraveling or whatever. Just at the hems or whatever. 

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. 

“Tim,” he chokes uselessly, and Tim smooths a hand down the back of his neck. He should be–be doing something, doing more, doing anything, he's not being–not–

“So good for me, pet,” Tim murmurs with tender certainty, sliding his fingers down the back of his neck, and Kon nearly comes again right then and there. “Do you feel good too? Is Bernard taking good care of you?” 

“Yeah,” Kon croaks helplessly, feeling more threads unravel at the edges of the sheet he’s clutching. “He is, yeah, it–fuck, feels so good. Please, I–please.” 

“Good,” Tim hums, and then he tugs at the back of Kon’s hair and Kon tilts his head reflexively with it, and then he’s looking up at him again and Tim is already looking at him, his expression alert and calculating, warm and fixated, focused. Concentrating. 

Like he’s committing something to memory, maybe. 

Kon bites his tongue.

[fishfingersandjellybabies]

Ooh how about too sweet by hozier??

This is a very A Super x A Bat. Mostly, though, either brucexclark or timkon.

~~

superbat

But it's Bruce at his computer, staring at a monitor that just has Google images up, of Clark. He hasn't moved in twenty minutes, hasn't researched anything. Just...stared.

Because he and Clark are a thing. An official thing. Not a well known thing, his kids hardly know for sure (though he knows they all suspect, and have a pool going) but a thing for sure.

And it's been a couple rough days. A couple rough nights. Bruce has said things he shouldn't have to people who don't deserve it. But Clark still kissed him goodbye and reminded him to go to bed early before he flew off to continue saving the world.

And...why?

Why does Clark put up with him, and all his hideous flaws? Clark deserves better, and Bruce deserves less. Bruce doesn't deserve a single person in his life, but especially not Clark.

But...logically, he knows none of that matters to Clark, and no self loathing in the world will make Clark change his mind. He's stubborn like that. That's the one thing they have in common. But it's their differences that Bruce loves so much. He assumes Clark is the same.

The computer pings that there's movement upstairs in the manor. Clark returning from saving the day. Bruce smiles, abandoning his reverie to all but race upstairs in greeting.

He doesn't deserve Clark - but maybe one day he will.

~~

timkon

Tim stretches as he closes his laptop, the morning sun streaking in from the nearby window as he turns back towards his room, or specifically - his bed.

Kon is passed out, dead to the world, but even in his peaceful sleep there's a pout on his face. They had argued before Kon went to bed.

Tim couldn't help but smile, his heart swelling. They'd fought over him last night, and his lack of care for himself. Tim had made a couple jokes about dying young, not needing sleep, his blood being made of coffee these days - Kon didn't appreciate any of them. Was so annoyed he went to sleep without letting Tim kiss him goodnight.

And he got it, he did. Kon was worried about him. He didn't need to be, but he was. Because he loved Tim. And god did Tim love him right back.

And if there was any plus to their fight, and Tim's inevitable stubbornness, it's that, now that he was done, he was free to do what he wanted. And right now, all he wanted was to stare at his Super hot, super handsome, super unaware boyfriend.

So he did, for a few minutes. Took in the curve of every muscle, committed it to memory. Then turned back to finish the last gulp of his coffee before practically dancing across the room, and all but diving under the blankets, pressing his cold fingers to Kon's fire skin.

Kon shivered and grumbled, but never opened his eyes, whispering a "I'm still pissed at you." even as Tim takes him into his arms and peppers his face with coffee smelling kisses.

"Love you too, babe."

[galaxymagitech]

Call This My Funeral

For Dick Grayson Week, Day 1: Dick's Undervalued Competency

@dickgraysonweek

Summary: Sometimes, Dick remembers how it felt to kill the Joker and wishes that monster had stayed dead. After Blockbuster, he knows that his hands are already bloody. He should be brought to justice, and, well, he might as well go out with a bang.

Or: Dick breaks into Arkham to kill the Joker. He won't let anyone stop him—not some measly defense systems, not his baby brother, and not this mercenary who seems to be trying to break the Joker out.

Characters: Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Jason Todd, The Joker

Warnings: Borderline suicidal thoughts, murder, non-consensual drug use, very vague allusions to canon rape

Nightwing is dead.

It’s the truth of it, even if the world has yet to catch up. Nightwing is dead. He died the second that bullet entered Blockbuster’s skull and then he was buried on a rooftop in the rain.

It takes a while to come to terms with it. He thinks about trying to stop Deathstroke, but every time he stares at his Nightwing suit, he just…can’t. He killed a man. He killed a man. And maybe, if he stopped immediately afterwards, maybe he could have put the suit back on. But he had stayed Nightwing. He had fought villains with Tarantula and returned to Gotham and pretended, and then he’d gone undercover with the mob. And somewhere along the line, the illusion broke, snapped, shattered into a million pieces that dug deep into his skin. When it came time to put on his suit, he couldn’t manage it. He stared at it. Ran his hand over the Kevlar. Held it up to the light, but all he could see was blood.

So he pulls out of the operation. It’s a slow process, and he ends up having to plant evidence and set Black Mask up, but he does it. It won’t hold for long, will only put Mask out of the running briefly. But it’s enough that Dick is able to leave without anyone the wiser.

Dick rents an apartment. His lease is for one month. He thinks about signing another lease at the end of the month and he feels sick. Nightwing is dead, and Dick Grayson is empty.

He should be in jail. If he was in jail, if he served his time…at least that would be justice. Even if Dick can’t take it back, at least that would be right. The proper consequences. But Amy wouldn’t allow him his atonement.

Dick runs that series of thoughts in his mind over and over again, as he lies in  and stares up at the moldy ceiling, listening to the sound of the rain outside. He wishes he could set things right. He should be in jail. He tried to put himself in jail, and it didn’t work.

He could frame himself. It’s not like it would be difficult. Dick is a murderer already; all he has to do is make sure others see his true face. Find a body someone dumped somewhere, make sure his fingerprints are on a conveniently-placed weapon with a record of his purchase, and then call 911 with a voice modulator describing himself as the attacker fleeing from the scene of the crime. There are more sophisticated methods, of course. Any would do.

But Bruce…Bruce wouldn’t accept it. Bruce would know that Dick wouldn’t just go out and kill someone randomly, even after Blockbuster. Bruce would at least know that Dick wouldn’t be that sloppy, if he did decide to commit murder. He’d find a way to prove Dick’s innocence.

So then how can Dick do it? How can he make the world see him for what he really is? How can he show them once and for all that Dick Grayson is dirty, despicable, poisonous?

Really, it’s a wonder he didn’t notice earlier how everyone in his life seems to suffer. He corrupts everyone around him. Hell, if he hadn’t left, Jason never would have died in his colors and Bruce never would have had to grieve his son. It’s a wonder he hasn’t managed to destroy Tim yet.

And Dick had known what he was capable of. He can still feel the sting on his knuckles as he beat the Joker again and again until the laugh was frozen on his face and his heart. Stopped.

Sometimes, Dick wishes that the Joker had stayed dead.

Of course, there’s something he could do about it.

Dick shudders, but he can’t push the thought out of his head. He’s a murderer. His soul is already dirty, his hands are already drenched in blood. Bats don’t kill, but he’s not a Bat, not anymore.

If there’s one last thing Dick does as a nominally free man, it can be this. He can put an end to all the suffering and pain the Joker has caused and bring himself to justice. Dick won’t pretend that it’s right. But he’s already wrong, and he can’t betray what he’s already broken.

Dick watches as his roof cries thick drops of acid rain and decides that the Joker will die.

---

The thing is, Dick knows he could get away with it. He’s been hunting criminals for almost two decades; he knows how to commit the perfect crime. He could hide the evidence, make sure the Joker’s body was never found, frame someone else, anything he wants. Bruce might be suspicious, but Dick thinks he wouldn’t be. And he certainly wouldn’t be able to prove it.

If Dick didn’t want to hide from Bruce, he could set up a situation where killing the Joker would be considered self-defense. Right place, right time, a registered firearm, and no jury in Gotham would convict him. He probably wouldn’t even be charged. He could go back to the Blüdhaven Police Department, draw the Joker there, and kill him in uniform. Amy would give him back his badge, if he tells her that he quit Nightwing—she already tried that with Blockbuster and he hadn’t even quit then. It would be easy enough to draw the Joker to Blüdhaven. Easy enough to find him on a raid. Internal affairs wouldn’t bat an eye.

Hell, if Dick promised to draw the Joker out of Gotham, Deathstroke would take care of him easily. He’d probably be thrilled that Dick is going down this path.

It would be so easy to get away with it.

But he won’t.

Dick Grayson will kill the Joker in cold blood. He will confess and take the first plea deal offered. And then he will go to Blackgate. He’s not stupid enough to think that he’ll survive there, as a former police officer and the former ward of Bruce Wayne. Justice will be served. Dick won’t poison anyone else, and the Joker won’t destroy his family again. A parting gift, if you will.

It takes Dick only a few days to plan the operation. Arkham has improved, but it still remains disturbingly reminiscent of a cardboard box, given how frequently its inmates escape.

Dick feels his stomach turn as he pulls out his suit. He feels like he swallowed something slimy, and it squirms around in his stomach. He doesn’t ever want to see this suit again. Just a little longer, he tells himself. He brings the suit to an abandoned warehouse, treats it with some chemicals, and burns it.

It should feel horrible. Dick created Nightwing. Nightwing is his. It should feel like burning a piece of himself.

Instead, it’s liberating. As Dick watches the flames eat away at Nightwing, all that’s there is relief. Dick hates it, with the blue bird spread across its chest like some sort of symbol. Like he’s worthy. He’s so glad it’s gone. Dick has never been anything close to worthy.

He returns to his apartment. The stairs creak on the way up. He eats his last can of soup cold. Dick drifts off to sleep and awakens with phantom gunfire ringing in his ears.

---

Everything is in order. Nightwing is gone, with no evidence left to trace Dick to the vigilante, and thus nothing to connect Bruce to Batman. Dick hasn’t had contact with Bruce for long enough that he doesn’t think Bruce will have to deal with anything more than a brief police interview. This will be on Dick, and Dick alone.

Dick needs to make sure that the way he breaks in doesn’t imply that he’s Bat-trained. He can get away with a reasonable display of skill, as a former BPD officer and a former world-class acrobat, but nothing that indicates access to other resources. 

Dick’s plan is divided into three segments: enter Arkham, reach the Joker, and kill the Joker.

Part One is relatively easy. Gotham city’s government is corrupt enough that it leaks like a colander, and it’s easy enough to find a full map of the sewers. If you know the right places to look, it doesn’t take any more than an SQL injection for login information, a homemade browser plugin, and a couple URL guesses. It’s an unnecessarily complicated method, too clunky for a Bat to ever consider, but Dick isn’t a Bat anymore.

He leaves the public library, resisting the urge to wave at the cameras, and takes the subway to the edge of central Gotham. Dick enters the sewers as close as he can get to Arkham Island. It smells absolutely foul, even with the cheap Wayne Enterprises rebreather he has over the bottom half of his face, but he’s smelled far worse than Gotham City’s waste.

Dick moves as quickly as possible, disabling all of the sensors that were marked in the sewer plans and checking for extras every few feet. It takes an hour, but he eventually reaches his destination. Dick takes the time to slowly disable the alarms on the manhole cover and climbs out under the grey sky.

From here, it gets more difficult. If Dick had his grappling gun, he could scale the building easily. Unfortunately, all he has is a regular gun. That’s why he disabled the alarms; he’s going to need time.

Arkham Asylum is old building, and the wear and tear on its stones is just enough to let Dick inch up its walls in one of the cameras’ few blind spots. It’s slow-going. If he falls, Dick knows that there will be nothing below to catch him, and he can’t die before he finishes this. Hand over hand, he balances on the tiniest of footholds. The wind whips at his hair and the cold bites at his ungloved fingers. He thinks it would have been easier to bribe a guard, but there was no guarantee they wouldn’t have just turned him in for a reward. He isn’t a Rogue. He isn’t frightening. No one knows how poisonous Dick Grayson truly is.

He doesn’t enter through the first window he reaches. Dick knows that he’s no match for bulletproof glass and steel bars. So he keeps climbing. Up, up, up. The grey sky grows darker and darker as night draws near. His fingers are turning numb. He climbs.

When Dick reaches the rooftop, he knows that he’ll register on the cameras. It’s unavoidable. But from here, he doesn’t need much in the way of time. He throws himself onto the roof and clocks the single guard in the face before she even has a chance to react. She falls unconscious and Dick catches her before she hits the rooftop. No need to cause further damage.

He takes her walkie-talkie, and reports that a figure in an orange jumpsuit was seen fleeing towards the bridge. There’s enough turnover at Arkham Asylum that no one questions the difference in voice. No one knows who’s supposed to be where, and that works well enough for Dick.

It’s easy to find the guard’s keycard and the small note tucked into her pocket with the code to the door. There are too many codes at Arkham for most people to memorize, and it’s been a safety consideration that Bruce has been working on. Apparently, he hasn’t found a solution yet.

Taking a deep breath, Dick enters the Asylum. He’s probably going to be noticed soon, even with the distraction, but he’s able to get into the elevator, swipe the keycard, and then override the protections to go straight to the maximum security ward. Dick clenches his fists and waits.

He expects to find guards when he steps out of the elevator. Instead, he finds Robin.

Dick freezes, watching as Tim’s face sets itself in determination. The kid has his bo staff extended, but he isn’t attacking, not yet. Just…ready to.

For the first time, it hits Dick that he’s not just betraying Bruce and Batman. He’s betraying everyone. Alfred. Tim. Even Jason, who had looked up to Dick in life. Is he going to make his little brother fight him?

If he has to. Dick needs to do this. He has known for a long, long time that someone has to kill the Joker, and it couldn’t be a Bat. He’s the only one with the skills and will who is already tainted. This is his duty.

The Joker won’t hurt anyone else. Dick may be betraying Tim, but only to keep him safe.

“Dick. You don’t want to do this,” Tim says slowly, as the two stare at each other.

“I do,” Dick says. Can he convince Tim to back down? Surely Tim, with his brilliant and practical brain, can understand why Dick has to stop the Joker.

“The cameras are off,” Tim pleads. “If you stop now, no one will ever know.”

Dick has avoided justice once. He won’t do it again. “Turn them back on,” he orders.

He watches as Tim’s grip tightens on his bo staff. “Bruce—”

“Don’t,” Dick hisses. “You have no idea what I’ve done. What I am.” He sighs. “I have to do this. Let me past, Tim.”

“I know you turned yourself in for Blockbuster’s murder.”

Dick nods tightly. “Then you know that I’m already a killer. Turn the cameras back on. When I’m done, Tim, you can arrest me yourself.”

“No,” Tim insists. “You didn’t kill Blockbuster. You didn’t shoot him.”

“Are you sure about that?” Dick asks, tilting his head. He draws his gun from inside his coat. The magazine is full. The safety is on, for now. He doesn’t point it at Tim—first rule of gun safety, don’t point the gun anywhere you don’t want to shoot—but it’s a demonstration. Dick is carrying a gun and has carried a gun for months, even if his fellow Bats have tried not to think too hard about it. Tim’s confidence in him is baseless.

“You didn’t kill Blockbuster,” Tim repeats.

Dick sighs, tucking the gun away. “I let him die. That’s close enough. Amy disagreed.”

“I disagree,” Tim says. “Bruce, too. Come on, Dick. Stop this and come home.”

Dick laughs. “I killed a man, Tim. I failed Bruce, do you really think I’d be welcome?” But even then— “Do you really think it matters?” Dick doesn’t want reassurances. Doesn’t want Bruce to accept him, because even if Bruce was willing to put aside his morals, Dick would still know what he is: rotten to his core. “This isn’t the first time I’ve killed someone, Timmy.”

Tim inhales sharply. “What.”

“You watched me,” Dick says. He lets his stance open. “I beat the Joker to death.”

“That doesn’t count,” Tim says, but he sounds uncertain. Dick feels his heart twist in his chest. He hates that he’s hurting his baby brother, but it’s better this way. It’s better that Tim realizes what Dick is before he can get poisoned too.

“I beat the Joker to death, and I was happy about it. Bruce made a mistake when he revived him. I’m just going to correct that mistake.”

Something flashes across Tim’s face. “This isn’t you, Dick.”

“This is me,” Dick says. “I killed the Joker, I killed Blockbuster, and now I’m going to make sure the Joker dies permanently.”

“You’re going to regret this. I can’t let you do something you’ll regret.” 

“You don’t have to let me,” Dick says gently.

“You won’t hurt me,” Tim insists. “And I’m not going to let you past.”

It’s true. Dick won’t hurt Tim, not really. But they both know that Dick can incapacitate him without doing any significant damage.

Tim’s face falls. “If you really think that letting Tarantula shoot Blockbuster makes you a murderer, how can you expect me to let you kill the Joker?”

It’s a good question. But the answer is easy. “Because I could have stopped her.” Dick takes a deep breath and forces his hands to unclench. He hadn’t even realized that they’d formed fists. Dick looks up and meets Tim’s eyes through the lenses of Robin’s mask. “But you can’t stop me.”

“I have to try,” Tim says.

Dick watches as his little brother finally moves his bo staff into a fighting position. He could stop here. He could accept Tim’s offer and go back to the Manor and see if Bruce would forgive him.

But he’s a murderer, twice over, and he’d always know that. And he knows that he can never be Nightwing again. There’s only one way left to atone.

“I know,” Dick whispers, and Tim launches forwards.

The fight is far more fierce than a spar, at least on Tim’s part. Tim is willing to do damage, anything to stop Dick from moving forwards. He thinks he’s saving Dick. And Dick, well, he appreciates it, but doesn’t Tim know that it’s already too late? Dick is a murderer. This is nothing new.

Meanwhile, Dick is trying to pull his punches. It’s not a fair fight, not in the slightest. But Dick has almost fifteen years of training on Tim, and while Dick is determined to win, he can tell that Tim’s heart isn’t in it. As much as the kid has the obligation to try and stop him, they both want the Joker dead. After all, if Tim really wanted to beat him, all he’d have to do is turn the cameras on, and Dick wouldn’t be able to plausibly beat Robin. But the cameras stay off.

Dick doesn’t call him out on it. Tim probably just hasn’t let himself think of it, and Dick will never give Tim the guilt of knowing that he could have won.

Dick dodges Tim’s first strike and dances around his second. He redirects the momentum of the third and tries to sweep Tim’s leg. Tim leaps out of the way. Dick ducks a blow to the head. Tim might not truly want to win, but the kid fights viciously. 

It’s difficult. Dick doesn’t have the time to just keep dodging, so he throws out a light punch. Tim twists away, but can’t avoid the kick that throws him sideways.

“So you’re serious about this?” Tim asks, panting. Tired, surprised, but not injured. The Robin uniform should’ve caught most of the force.

Dick still feels bad about it.

It’ll be better in the long run. The Joker will die. He will never kill another Robin, never tear another family apart. Tim will be so much safer. It doesn’t matter that he’ll never forgive Dick for this, because the Joker will never be able to hurt Robin again.

Tim throws out another strike with his bo staff. Dick catches it and rips it away, taking the kick to his stomach and letting himself fly backwards. He slams into the wall, and oh, that hurts. But it’s fine. Tim flies at him again, and Dick neatly sidesteps. With an elbow, he’s able to throw Tim off balance and catch him in a chokehold, wrapping his arm around Tim’s throat.

Tim tries to tuck his chin down, kick Dick in the shins, claw at Dick’s arm, but all it takes is a few seconds and he’s out like a light. The utility belts are keyed to their gloves, so Dick snatches one of Tim’s gauntlets and removes the handcuffs from his utility belt. He cuffs Tim, and then uses the zipties he brought for good measure. If Dick was being particularly careful, he would use a tranquilizer from the belt and lock Robin in a cell, but he’s absolutely not going to leave Tim in Arkham, unable to defend himself. This is supposed to keep Tim safe, not put him in more danger.

Dick waits a few more seconds and watches as Tim stirs. He can’t help the relief that washes through him when he knows for sure that Tim is okay, that he didn’t hurt him. Even through the mask, Dick can tell that Tim is glaring.

“You can get out of that,” Dick says quietly. “But I’ll have a head start. If you don’t want to watch me kill him, you should wait a couple minutes. I’ll stick around in the cell so you can arrest me. Now, how do I turn the cameras back on?”

Tim tilts his head to the side. His face shifts from annoyance to confusion. “Do you want to get caught?”

Obviously. Dick shrugs. “I’m breaking the law. I kill the Joker, and then I go to Blackgate. Seems like a fair trade, doesn’t it?”

Tim shakes his head. “Dick, you’re not thinking this through. You can’t be Nightwing from prison.”

It’s obviously a delay tactic while Tim works on the handcuffs and zip ties, but the statement is so out of place that Dick has to respond. Does Tim seriously think that Dick would go back to Nightwing after committing cold-blooded murder? “Tim,” Dick says. “I’m not ever going to be a vigilante again.”

“But you made Nightwing!”

Dick did make Nightwing, and he’ll regret it until the day he dies. “Nightwing is dead,” Dick says harshly.

Tim flinches. “Then what is this? What are you doing, Dick?”

Dick turns around and starts walking down the corridor. He doesn’t want Tim to see the way his face twists. “Call this my funeral.”

 ---

A minute later, Dick stands outside the Joker’s cell. He’s not going to be able to guess the twelve-digit code, even with a UV light, so he just takes his gun and slams it into the keypad. The thing cracks, but the door doesn’t open. Well, security did at least one thing right.

Dick pries the keypad away from the wall and takes a look at the wires behind it. He fiddles with it for a few minutes, recalling training sessions with Batman standing over him as a timer ticked the seconds by. Dick could do this in his sleep. He refuses to let his hands shake as he crosses the last pair of wires and the cell door slides open.

Dick takes a step in, only to find that someone else beat him there.

The Joker is lying on his cot in a white straightjacket, but standing over him is a figure in a black motorcycle jacket. When the figure turns around, the harsh florescent light reflects painfully off of his bright red helmet.

Dick runs through the list of known Gotham villains in his head before drawing a blank. His knowledge of skilled mercenaries that operate in the United States likewise doesn’t have a match. The only thing he can think of are the whispers he heard while working for Tommy Tevis. Rumors from Gotham occasionally make their way into Blüdhaven, and among them was the Red Hood.

Red Hood. Former alias of the Joker. Possibly a current up-and-coming drug lord, said to be operating out of Crime Alley. Or a really messed-up vigilante. Or a mercenary. Whatever he was, he had “rules” that no one was happy about. And he supposedly delivered a duffel bag of heads to someone, although no one can agree if it was to fellow drug lords, the Gotham Police Department, or Batman himself. Dick personally hadn’t believed that particular rumor.

Red helmet, operating in Gotham, standing in the Joker’s cell…and the clown’s still breathing. This is, without a doubt, the Red Hood. And it’s not easy to guess why the guy is here.

“What the fuck,” the Red Hood says. His voice is mechanical, leading Dick to guess that there’s a modulator hidden in his helmet. Dick can fight a random drug lord, but the Red Hood does not seem to be a random drug lord. And Dick is unequipped, unprepared, and still bruised from his fight with Tim. “What the fuck, what the literal fuck?”

Well, this is awkward. Right about now would be the perfect time to bury several bullets in the Joker’s brain. It is not a good time, on the other hand, to be fighting a Joker fanboy bent on breaking his idol out of Arkham Asylum.

“You here to stop me?” Hood asks.

Well. Dick may not be a vigilante anymore, but he is here to kill the Joker. And he supposes that is mutually exclusive with rescuing him, so…yeah. “Yep,” Dick says.

“Dressed like that?”

“Yes?” Dick’s wearing a hoodie and sweatpants, he doesn’t see why his clothes are a particular issue. The Red Hood presumably thinks he’s an off-duty guard who got called to deal with an alarm.

“Right then,” Hood says, amusement trickling into his tone, and before Dick can react, he leaps forwards.

Dick dodges his punch, just barely, and returns with a kick of his own. It sinks into some kind of body armor, and Dick narrows his eyes. The Red Hood, whoever he is, is well-funded. Another blow. This one strikes Dick in the face and he reels back. Hood’s punches are fast and hard, and it’s all Dick can do to avoid the next one.

The two dance. Dick is well-aware that they’re both on a time limit. If Hood gets caught, he can probably disappear. If Dick gets caught, he won’t have his chance to kill the Joker ever again.

Dick thinks he might be able to win this fight, but he doesn’t have the time. His fist glances off Hood’s helmet, so he changes tactics, launching himself through the air and sending a strong punch straight into Hood’s throat. It’s not what a Bat is supposed to do, it’s dangerous for the target, but right now, Dick can’t bring himself to care.

“Wow, Dickie,” Hood says, breathing ragged. “Didn’t know you had that in you.”

Wait. Dick isn’t actually that recognizable, despite Bruce Wayne’s fame. Why the hell does Hood know his name?

Dick doesn’t have time to worry about it, because Hood’s next kick comes out of nowhere and catches him in the stomach. Dick flies across the room, crashing into the wall.

The Joker cackles from his cot. “All this fighting over little old me?”

“Shut up,” Dick says, only to hear Hood’s mechanical voice snap in unison with him. He pulls himself up to a standing position. “Not a Joker fanboy then,” he observes, launching himself at Hood again. Why else would he be in the Joker’s cell, though? “Mercenary?” Dick had thought the crime lord story was more likely, but he supposes a mercenary is plausible. Though obviously not a very smart one, if he was making deals with the Joker.

Hood dodges his blow and throws a punch that glances off Dick’s cheek. Dick’s elbow catches him in the jaw—not that it seems to make a dent on his helmet—and Dick redirects Hood’s next punch and makes several successive blows towards the man’s gut. “He didn’t tell you, did he?” Hood asks. Dick gets the distinct impression that he’s missing some very vital information. “Did he?” Hood repeats. “Bruce didn’t tell you. Hah!”

A punch strikes Dick in the jaw and his head snaps to the side. Copper blood fills his mouth, but Dick’s up before Hood has a chance to press his advantage. He kicks out, catching one of Hood’s arms just as he misses a punch. There’s a distinct crack and Dick grins, blood dripping from his teeth.

“You’re good,” Hood says, launching himself forwards. “But I’m better.” In a single fluid motion, he hits Dick’s shoulder, knocks him off balance, and then presses him against the wall in a chokehold. Unlike the way Dick choked Tim earlier, this is an air choke. Painful. Painful, but slow. The Joker laughs, and this time, no one bothers to cut him off.

Dick slams a knee into Hood’s groin and then uses the wall to launch both feet into his chest, kicking him back. His throat aches. “No, you’re not.” The way Hood moved…Dick’s only seen that from one person before. “You’re League-trained, aren’t you?” If Hood is, then he likely already knows Dick’s identity. And he recognized Dick on sight, asked him if he’s really going to fight dressed like that, mentioned that there was something Bruce hadn’t told him…yeah, he definitely already knows.

“Maybe,” Hood says. He’s slower, now. From the way he’s moving, his arm is definitely at least fractured.

In the background, the Joker continues to laugh, reminding Dick why he’s here. Dick doesn’t need to win this fight. He just needs to complete his objective and render Hood’s null and void.

“You’ve thought of something, haven’t you?” Hood asks.

“Yeah,” Dick says. “I realized I’m going to win.” He flies forwards, pulling himself into a somersault and slamming both feet into Hood’s chest. The man flies backwards and Dick rolls away, pulls out his gun, and flicks the safety off.

“What—”

Dick practiced this in the police academy. He knows how to shoot a gun. He knows how to hit his target.

He forces his eyes to stay open as he aims the gun at the Joker’s forehead and pulls the trigger. A bullet flies through the Joker’s brain and he goes silent, his last laugh ringing in the air.

There are fifteen rounds in Dick’s pistol.

He shoots again and again and again, until every single bullet has buried itself in the Joker’s corpse.

And then he turns to face Hood and smiles.

Dick doesn’t know what happens now. Sooner or later, Tim will burst into the cell to arrest him, or the guards will come to do the same. But Hood—Hood wasn’t part of the plan. And he doesn’t know what the man will do next.

Hood stares at him, unmoving. Dick steps forward and presses two fingers to the Joker’s neck, checking for a pulse. There’s nothing.

The Joker is dead. Dick killed the Joker.

Dick killed the Joker.

Dick killed the Joker.

The last time he killed someone, he panicked. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t do anything.

This time, he just feels vaguely numb.

Hood pulls off one of his gloves and Dick watches as the man checks for the Joker’s pulse as well, before turning his helmet to face Dick. “He’s dead,” Hood says, shock audible even through the modulator.

Dick swallows. “Yes.”

Last time he killed someone, Tarantula was there. This time, it’s the Red Hood. At least the Red Hood isn’t his ally. At least the man will be more likely to want to kill him for ruining his payday than anything else.

“Yes,” Dick says. “I killed him. I killed the Joker.” He leans against the wall, lets his back slide down until he’s crumpled on the floor, his pistol hanging loosely from his hand.

“He’s dead,” Hood repeats. “What the fuck, Dick? I didn’t think you were even capable of this.”

Dick stares at the ground. “Do not,” he says, voice hard, “presume what I’m capable of.”

“Yeah,” Hood says slowly. “I’m getting that.

Dick looks up tiredly. “You should probably go. Your employer won’t pay you for breaking out a corpse.”

“My employer?” Hood echoes, as Robin bursts into the room.

Dick watches Tim freeze. Watches his face flicker as he takes in the Joker’s bullet-riddled corpse, Dick crumpled against the wall, and the random mercenary standing in the middle of the cell.

“Fuck,” Tim says. Dick thinks it’s the first time he’s heard his baby brother curse.

“Was the Pretender in on this too?” Hood asks.

Pretender? Hood has to be referring to Tim. “No,” Dick says. “No, Robin tried to stop me.” He hopes that will be enough that Hood won’t be upset at Tim for ruining whatever he was here for.

“Did he now?” Hood’s voice sounds dangerous. Tim looks—not scared, but determined in that desperate way Robin always does when facing a fight he knows he’s not going to win. Mouth set into a hard line, tension etched into every line of his body, stance defensive and far too steady.

And Dick may not be a vigilante anymore, he may be looking at a life sentence, but he’s not going to let anyone hurt Robin. “If you touch him,” Dick hisses at Hood, “I will end you.”

“Will you now?” Hood asks.

Dick stands up, bruised and battered but still a protective shield for his little brother. He gestures at the Joker’s corpse. “Yes,” he says resolutely. “I will. I will fight you, and I will win. Robin might be here to stop me from killing again, but I know better ways to make you wish you were never born. Are we clear?”

Hood holds up his hands. “Crystal.”

If Hood does try to get revenge, then Dick will defeat him, but it would be far easier if Hood just leaves now and Tim takes Dick to the nearest police station. The cameras are still off, so there isn’t much evidence, but… “You can take me to Gordan,” Dick tells Tim. “I’ll confess.”

“Fuck,” Tim repeats.

“You know it has to be like this,” Dick coaxes, holding out his wrists. “Just bring me in, and you won’t ever have to see me again. I killed him.”

“You better not,” Hood says. Dick’s not entirely clear on who he’s talking to.

Tim’s hands clench. He’s holding his bo staff aimlessly by his side.

“Robin…” Dick says softly.

Eventually, Tim sighs. “Fine. Put your hands behind—”

“Don’t you dare,” Hood interrupts.

Tim whirls around. “I’d like to hear any better ideas!” He snaps.

“Oh, I have several,” Hood says, voice dark. The underlying threat is clear.

“Trust me on this,” Tim says.

“That’s rich.”

Dick has no idea what’s going on. Robin and the Red Hood keep arguing, though it sounds more like bickering interwoven with some very creative threats. Do the two know each other or something? Is this like a Deathstroke situation?

His eyes keep flickering back to the Joker’s corpse. The blood is pooling over the cot, now, staining the thin sheets scarlet red and dripping onto the white floor.

“He won’t hurt you anymore,” Dick whispers. He doesn’t know who he’s talking to.

Tim’s hand fall on his shoulder and Dick can’t help but flinch. Tim withdraws, as if burnt.

Dick is making this easy for him. Tim doesn’t have to fight, doesn’t have to do anything except drop Dick off at the nearest police station. So why hasn’t he done it yet?

“Agreed,” Hood says roughly, and Dick looks up to where Tim and Hood seem to have reached some sort of consensus.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Tim shakes his head. He turns to Dick. “I may not have been able to stop you from killing the Joker, but I’m not going to let you get yourself killed over this.”

“Gotham doesn’t have the death penalty,” Dick says, even though that’s not really the point.

“And I’m supposed to trust you’d defend yourself from the other inmates?” Dick doesn’t answer. “Yeah. I thought so.” Tim leans forwards. “And you can hate me all I want, but I’m not sorry.”

“I don’t hate—” Dick feels something pierce his neck, and then cold liquid enters his bloodstream. He twists around to see Hood standing over him. “Tim?” He asks, voice shaking. “What’s—what’s going on?” Whatever he’s been injected with, it’s fast-acting. Dick can already feel himself starting to slip away. “No,” he hisses. “No, Tim, what—”

“It’ll be okay,” Tim says. “This was the fastest way. I’m sorry.”

Dick’s vision goes fuzzy and he stumbles away from Hood. The man lets him, and Dick nearly crashes into Tim. “Wait—” His lips move, but they feel like blubber. Everything is numb. Everything is spinning.

The world fades out.

---

Dick wakes up with a headache. Someone—multiple someones—are shouting with sharp, angry voices that pierce his skull. Dick groans.

What happened?

He remembers—

The wall, Robin, the Joker, Hood, no—

Dick struggles, heart racing as he tries to force his eyes open—

“Dick.” That’s Tim’s voice. Dick can see a very blurry Tim standing there, still dressed as Robin but without his mask, and. And someone else? Whoever they are, they move out of Dick’s vision before he can register them. “Dick, you need to calm down.”

“Where am I?” Dick asks, pulse thundering away, but it comes out more like “wh’re’m’i.” He knows he’s not in a jail cell, not where he belongs. His hand brushes against what feels like a couch cushion. Not the cot in his apartment. Not a motel bed. He blinks, and his vision clears, somewhat.

“You’re at a safehouse.”

“C’n’t be ‘ere,” Dick mutters. “B’m’n wou’n’t wan’…” Though, he realizes, Tim hadn’t said whose safehouse. If Tim hasn’t taken him to the police, then he probably hasn’t taken Dick to one of Batman’s safehouses either.

Where the hell is he?

“Wh’re ’m I?” His words are separating a little more. Dick blinks again, and Tim sharpens into focus.

“A safehouse,” Tim repeats.

Dick can feel his face scrunch up. He shifts, slowly moving to a seated position. He’s definitely on a couch. The grogginess is clearing rapidly—he must have been given an antidote to the sedative.

Tim kidnapped him. Why?

Wait, there was another voice. Tim and the Red Hood kidnapped him?

“Okay,” Tim says. “So. Hood’s going to come over here, and you need to…not freak out. We’re not dead.”

“We’re not dead,” Dick repeats, a bit lost.

“Yeah,” Tim says.

And then Hood enters his vision and, well, Dick understands why Tim felt the need to clarify that they’re all still alive.

Because that’s Jason.

“Little Wing?” Dick whispers.

Jason winces. “Yeah.”

“How long?” Dick’s eyes desperately scan over him, drinking in every detail. The white streak in his messy hair, the wrinkles in his shirt, the way his fingers tap at his thigh like they always did when he was nervous.

“Bruce has known he’s back for a few weeks, but he’s in denial,” Tim says.

“I had a plan,” Jason says. “I was going to…I was going to kill the Joker. I guess you beat me to it.”

[gffa]

If the batfamily were in the gffa, which ones of them do you think would have been jedis? How quickly do you think they would have joined the nascent rebellion?

Absolutely NONE of them would have been Jedi, I say with all fondness towards the Batfam, but they are emotional hot messes, every single one of them, and to be a Jedi you literally have to have your emotional shit together, that's straight up how the Force works. You cannot act out of anger or fear without slinking towards the dark side, the Force will throw all that right back in your face, and I don't think there's a single Batfam member that doesn't consistently act out of a place of anger. Bruce - My guy can't even keep it together without a psychic energy field in his brain that resonates with his emotional well-being, he would fall to the dark side inside a month. I love him, but he already thinks he has things under control in his brain that he very much does not, he is the definition of being created by fear of loss and the anger that results from it. Dick - My Blorbo may be the definition of hope and light in the DC universe, the most trusted hero right after Superman, but he absolutely has anger issues that he just kind of ignores. Psychics in the DC universe have tried to invade his mind and come out like, "Jesus fuck why is that guy's mind so terrifying!?" because, while Dick chooses kindness and love, he was also forged in anger at the injustices in the world. Jason - Sweet babygirl doesn't even know what he wants, I tend to see Jason as often times deeply contradictory because I'm not sure he knows how he feels about things, does he want to be part of his family or does he want to walk away from them, he wants their love, but he can't tolerate their love, he thinks everyone expects the worst from him and is angry ahead of time, because he's so deeply insecure about his place in the world and in his family, and the injustices of his life are ones that still haunt him, the Joker killing him and still getting to run around would drive him into anger, fear, and despair just as much as anyone. Tim - My guy is ready to tell anyone and everyone to fuck the fuck off at the drop of a hat, that he's often times the one trying to pull everyone back together, but he also is still haunted by the death of his parents, he's still unsure of his relationship with Bruce at times, when things get back and he loses a little too much in his life, he starts pushing people away, he pushed Dick and Steph away while Bruce was dead, he obsessed over bringing Kon back as a way to cope, rather than actually letting go of his hurts, that guy seems fairly even keel sometimes, but, no, he's a hot mess who would have the Force throwing all that back in his face, too. Damian - Baby bat is so insecure in a lot of ways, because he doesn't always know how to relate to his father, he doesn't know how to be a complement to Bruce the way the other Robins did, they're both brooders, they're both the kind who wear their anger on their sleeves, and have a core fear of loss that would have the dark side hissing in their ears. Barbara - In some ways, Babs is more emotionally stable than the others, but in other ways, she is JUST as unhinged as they are, her fury at the Joker is still lingering all around her heart, she still explodes in anger when something pisses her off, she's still a little afraid of commitment because she's scared to open herself up, she still has to deal with her spinal implant not being perfect, Babs probably has a stronger sense of what her problems are, but it's not like she does anything about them half the time. Cassandra - I think she still feels too much guilt about her past, even if none of it was her fault, but that she can't let go of that pain, and it's not just "bad" anger/fear that draws you to the dark side, it's also "good" anger/fear that lures you there, too. And Cass deals with a lot of that and, while I think she'd probably have the best chance of any of them at making it as a Jedi, she does still have a lot of issues that the Force would be throwing back in her face.

Stephanie - I'd give her the second best chance, she at least sometimes recognizes her fears and says, yeah, I'm afraid, I'm just not going to let it stop me. Steph has as much anger and need to punch the world as any of them do, but I think she might have a chance at changing up her thought patterns enough to make it. Duke - Hmm, I'm not sure I've read enough with Duke yet to tell what his underlying issues are and how much he's dealt with them. He seems fairly stable and willing to back off when he needs to, but in general, if you're a Bat, you've probably got some real anger to work on. Kate - Everything I've read of Kate is definitely "wants to punch things in the face" or "feels torn up about her relationships with people" and that she's not really interested in not being those things. Alfred - It depends on how you view him, I guess. If you see him as someone who has made peace with the lives his family has chosen and willing to understand that they are who they are, then I could see Alfred as a Jedi. But if you lean into the idea of a British Stiff Upper Lip where he just doesn't talk about the anguish he goes through seeing his family get hurt night after night, knowing he can't stop them, then no he would be a terrible Jedi. In short: THEY WOULD ALL SUCK AS JEDI, but they would definitely have started their own Rebel cell even before Bail and Mon and Leia started connecting the various individual groups together!

[himluv]

DA Review Series: Absolution

<<< Previous Review: Dark Fortress

This is the part of the list that gets a little... loosey goosey. Basically everything after Blue Wraith but before The Missing takes place in this weird, nebulous, in-between time. We know it's after Trespasser, after the Inquisition disbanded (per my and Bioware's canons) and before Veilguard, but we don't know when specifically. So, since we can't really say when these stories take place in relation to one another I'm just going to review them as I consume them :).

Title: Absolution Writers: Mairghread Scott, Mae Catt, and Tim Sheridan Release Year: 2022 In-World Year: ~9:45+ Verdict: Look. I love this fucking show. I'd watched it at least three times before I decided to do this big tie-in media marathon. And, I just rewatched it three times while convalescing with the flu this past week – turns out it's a very good comfort/sickie show. It does a wonderful job of orienting new viewers while not alienating old timers like myself, is fast-paced and fun, while also establishing a very interesting plot that could be vital to Veilguard. Basically, I highly recommend you commit to the three hours required to watch it.

Absolution introduces us to Miriam, a runaway slave from Tevinter, and her bff Roland (who may or may not be a chevalier?). The two are hired by Fairbanks to join his team for one last job for the Inquisition – steal a magic artifact from the Archon's Summer Palace. That's right, babes, Absolution is a heist story!

So, they team up with Fairbanks (Orlesian human rogue from Inquisition), Qwydion (lady Qunari mage!), Lacklon (dwarf warrior Lord of Fortune), and Hira (Tevinter human mage with whom Miriam has a romantic history), and head off for the city of Nessum. Of course, this is Dragon Age and nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

Miriam's former master, Magister Rezaren Ammosine, is in Nessum. In fact, he's the reason the artifact they're after (the Circulum Infinitus) is even in the city. He's studying it in the hopes of finding a non-blood magic means of activating it. Supposedly, the Circulum can restore life to the dead, resurrecting them to be the same as they were before. And he has a very certain someone he wants to bring back to life – Miriam's twin brother.

Without getting too deep in the details, Miriam and her brother were slaves raised alongside Rezaren, intended to become his bodyguards in adulthood. He claims to see them as his brother and sister, that they all were helpless in the face of his mother's abuse. And for a while the show does a good job of making us wonder if that's true. Certainly, Rezaren seems to believe it. At least until Miriam refuses to play along.

The heist does not go well. Fairbanks seemingly turns traitor, tries to kill Hira, and dies in the process. Hira is trapped in the vault, and Miriam is mortally wounded on the team's frantic way out. In a blood magic-fueled dream, Rezaren lays out his plans to Miriam, in the hopes it will convince her to rejoin him and the reanimated corpse of her brother. And, of course, it all boils down to the Magister's ambitions – he wants to become the next Divine of the Imperial Chantry, where he swears he will work to make Tevinter a better place. And yet, in his power fantasy, Miriam and her brother are still his bodyguards, just as they were trained to be. Even Rezaren doesn't seem to notice how deeply ingrained his view of them as "things" truly is.

So, obviously, Miriam and company aren't going to play nice with that guy. They hatch a plan to get Hira out of the palace, and things seem to be going their way for once. There's a lot of epic fight sequences, Qwydion is hilarious, and the romantic tension between Roland and Lacklon keeps ratcheting up. But when Hira makes a break for the safe house, the team follow her and start to get a whiff of the true betrayal.

The traitor was never Fairbanks (whose loyalty I never doubted!). He caught wind of Hira's true plan – to steal the Circulum from the Inquisition and deliver it to the Crimson Knight in Kirkwall – and was trying to put her down. I will never forgive this show for killing him, btw. I loved him so much! But Hira's real plan is even worse. All this time she'd struck a deal with Rezaren – return Miriam to him, and he'd let her have the Circulum once his ritual to restore her brother was complete.

Side note: Hira is stupid. There's no world where Rezaren actually lets her take the Circulum. None. So, she was willing to sell her (ex?)girlfriend into slavery for something that would never happen. And yeah, she makes a lot of promises about how she would have got Miriam back, how Miriam would have escaped, but we know Hira is a liar and a cheat and just as ambitious and driven as every other "Tevinter snake," as Miriam would say.

Anyway, there's a bunch more badass action involving blood magic, spirits, grenades, and a High Dragon (which again shows that dragon blood is extremely potent in magic rituals!). Roland and Lacklon finally kiss, and Miriam stabs Rezaren in the throat mid-meltdown. It's a beautiful end sequence. And even though the show is over, the team knows their work is just beginning.

Because Hira snuck off with the Circulum in all the chaos, and they know where she's headed. To Kirkwall. To the Crimson Knight... which appears to be a colony of sentient Red Lyrium, formerly known as Knight Commander Meredith Stannard. And she/they/it(?) is intent on seeing all of Tevinter burn. (insert my theories here about how the Blight causes feelings of intense hatred over time, as established in the book The Calling and further exemplified by the tainted Griffons in Last Flight.)

Obviously, I love this series and really wish we'd gotten a second season. There's just so much this show set up, surely we'll see more of team Absolution, whether in another season/show, in a comic or book, or... in Veilguard? Fingers crossed, y'all.

[jbaileyfansite]

Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer Interview with EW (2023)

Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey do some pretty unspeakable things to each other on camera for Fellow Travelers, whether it's the Bridgerton and Wicked star sucking on Bomer's toes in the premiere episode or the White Collar and Magic Mike stud channeling his inner dom daddy throughout. It's the kind of sexual escapades that force you to clutch your pearls and then realize, "I wasn't even wearing pearls. How did these get around my neck?!"

Maybe it's because we don't often see this kind of raw, unfiltered depiction of gay sexuality put on display for television, even on a premium network like Showtime. "I had never read anything like that before in a screenplay," Bomer tells EW.

"It's provocative and it's all the things that will draw an audience in, or at least get people talking," Bailey remarks in a separate interview. "But then, why is it there? Well, it makes sense." To Bailey's point, there's a lot of story packed into the intimate moments of Fellow Travelers. It's like tricking someone to eat their vegetables: the two nearly naked handsome Hollywood actors in their prime is the alluring melted cheese, but that desperation you feel emanating off two societally suppressed gay characters is the broccoli underneath.

"Anything that feels voyeuristic or chemical to the audience whilst watching it is right, because that is just how overwhelming it is when you do finally come together in a world that deems your love and intimacy foul or incorrect," Bailey explains. "So it becomes a multidimensional experience for the performers, but also for the people watching at home. I just think there's no doubt with this that the art of the sex scene is so profound."

Bomer and Bailey star in Fellow Travelers as Hawk and Tim, who first meet and start an intoxicating affair in 1950s Washington, D.C., a time and place when Senator McCarthy (Chris Bauer) has launched the "Lavender Scare" purge of homosexuals from government positions. The series continues to track Hawk and Tim's relationship across decades, often bouncing between the past and the drama's 1980s present, when Bailey's Tim is stricken with AIDS.

The seventh episode, "White Nights," premiering on Paramount+ Friday and on Showtime this Sunday, sees these on-again, off-again lovers in the '70s on Fire Island. Bailey's mustache says it all. The sex reflects this next setting, which was (and still is) a rare safe haven for these men to express themselves openly.

The actors knew how much emotional and physical intimacy would be required of them for Fellow Travelers from the jump. "It was all on the page," Bailey recalls. "I read the script before I spoke with [showrunner] Ron Nyswaner, so I knew exactly what they were trying to do." The pair recall meeting with each other in Toronto, where the show primarily filmed, at Goldstruck Coffee on Cumberland Street. "It writes itself," Bailey jokes of the shop's playful name. "We were like, we need to see how each other are doing. We got to know each other in a way that was vicariously through the characters. That first conversation, we were totally committed to having each other's backs."

The sex scenes weren't something they overly discussed with each other, beyond "certain intricacies" they had to work out, Bomer says. "Obviously, we were very respectful of each other's boundaries. You did the work on the character, you showed up on set, you knew what your job was, and then you just hopefully try to let it fly when they call action."

"When you're going on set and it's 3 in the morning and you've done 16 hours worth of filming and you are about to only start the intimacy scenes, you do have to summon the angels and listen to Enya and draw from the ground to muster up the courage," Bailey says, playfully. "But that feeling of having to build your confidence and to put your armor on to do that is exactly right, because that's what the characters are feeling."

For Bomer, when it came to the onscreen sex, he enjoyed what he calls Hawk's "zero f---s given" vibe. "Hawk does have a public persona that he needs to survive and maneuver in the world that he's in, but underneath it all is a real 'f--- you,'" he says. "That for me was so refreshing to get to play, but it was also really refreshing to see — not that every intimate gay relationship is like that, but to see an aspect of gay sex brought to life in such an authentic and unflinching way."

Source

[victusinveritas]

Late night political rant from a middle aged Leftist.

Look...

Harris...

Isn't great. Or good. And... she's going to murder people overseas (yep, them, also some other folks, also probably definitely (weirdly) Lichtenstein which is not really a genocide but she'll probably keep enabling one) and her declaration about a strong military is...not great. At best, and I say this with all the confidence of someone knowing it's more likely that all my student loans are forgiven and I end up with free dental because of my college degree, she might tug the leash on BB and friends and maybe suggest, slightly curtailing the genocide in Gaza and the bombing of Lebanon, once she's in power. Maybe. Do I think she's likely to do anything right away (in goddamn January)? No. She'll say "we're moving towards peace..." while arming a nuclear terrorist state with even less compunction about committing war crimes than the US or Canada (not recently, but Canada is like half of why the Geneva Convention exists because they... didn't like taking prisoners in WWI and II).

But what about X candidate that only exists in California or God the fuck knows where? No. No chance of them winning. To get a third party president elected we need to get a third party in House and the Senate. Once we turn them at least a bit Good Red (Socialist of some stripe) we can take a chance at someone outside the usual Dems or GOP.

But...Stein is a Trump/Putin stooge that pops up every four years and will probably continue to do so like the monster in Jeepers Creepers until she has body parts from staffers in every state to create a mega-Libertarian (Megazord but with a real firm knowledge of age of consent laws and a Randian sense of self importance)...

So...

The one thing I can say for Harris is that Tim Walz probably has a kinda wholesome fetish for women his own age or within an appropriate margin (milfs and up) who look like his wife and like to pop balloons. Anyway, whatever his take kink is, he will fight like a Midwesterner (with folksy homespun cussedness) to keep Pornhub and similar sites free to access for all people, because this is America, and we invented modern porn (Czechoslovakia and Hungary perfected it) and the internet, and by gum we're going to keep those things together because they're as American as what one or more consenting folks do in the privacy of anywhere not a school zone or very public park (bushes are fine, ditto riverbanks).

Project 2025 will take away all of that and more.

Vote Blue. And then drag Blue kicking and screaming towards accountability and the things America and the world are owed by the billionaires dodging their fair share of things. Vote in folks running on pro universal healthcare tickets and just generally not being douchebags.

(and no, I'm not going to debate folks on any of this except perhaps my theories on a US invasion of Liechtenstein, I have better things to do than yell at people on the internet and so do you. Go join a mutual aid group or three, play a hand or two of cards.)

[thedelusionreaderbitch]

Coming out to the batfam as asexual

A/n: So asexuals are all different, even then I tried to make it as universal as possible but if you're sex favorable (I'm not so that's probably partially why I wrote it like that) this one (unfortunately) might not be for you!

Warnings: Being scared to come out, mentions of aphobia and killing people, I think that's it? You have been warned!

The reader is gender neutral!

Requested by: @bandshirts-andbooks

Ironically for being the world's best detectives no one really caught on

I think the only person who might of is Cass, but it's nothing for sure, she just saw your body language would change slightly when people talked about sex

The first person you tell is Alfred

You were probably having a bad day, maybe seeing some straight people talk about ace people in a really negative way, and perhaps some queer people online who told you, that ace people didn't belong in the community

And people just being shitheads in general towards the queer community and just all these laws being made against trans people everywhere can really wear someone down, right?

So it's the middle of the night and you're in the kitchen crying because it's just been a bad day

And Alfred comes in, "Mx. L/n are you alright?"

After you were adopted you never got Bruce's last name

"Ah, yes! Don't worry it's nothing!"

🥹

All it takes is one raised eyebrow from him and you're quickly defeated, and he pulls out a chair and sits next to you

"Don't let things fester for too long Mx. L/n, you know what happens to your brothers when they do."

Sighing you wring your hands through your hair (something you picked up from your father) "I just-"

"Alfred I think I'm asexual."

"There's a silence and half your brain is thinking maybe Alfred doesn't know what it is and the other half think he hates you now

"Mx. L/n you do not "think so" I'm pretty sure you know."

And that in itself is confirmation that he supports you, the way he's smiling makes you wonder how you could think anything else

Okay next you come out to Cass

Because Alfred slyly told you she might already know

She's supportive and tells you in her own way that she would hurt anyone who isn't

I also think she understands you the most because I headcanon (is it canon???) that Cass is asexual

So she's who you go for to vent, and eventually she'll come out to you as ace too!

Then there's Stephanie and Barbra

Steph squeals; "Another member of the alphabet mafia!" And Barbra recomends a bunch of asexual groups online where they share their personal experiences

While all this fluffiness is happening the batboys tm are trying to get back at you for winning the prank war last week

Naturally they go into your dating history, because why not?

Murder might be committed by Cass after this

There aren't very many people but there's ONE person from your high school days

And thanks to Tim's savvy tech skills they somehow find out you're a virgin

(don't ask)

At this point Damian didn't really know the plan, but he's mostly the distraction anyways!

In the past you had told them you weren't one

High school was not good for your baby ace ass alright?

Meaning they thought it was fair game because they were getting back at you for lying and winning the prank war

Imagine your surprise when at a rare dinner Jason, Tim, and Dick are glancing at each other mischievously

Bruce looks like he has no idea what's going on and Damian (for once) looks oddly innocent

"You know how we use to say Jason gets no bitches" Dick starts up

"Hey!"

"Well little Timmy here." Dick continues ignoring an angry Jay. "Found out you're worse than Jaybird and are a Virgin."

You just stare dumbfounded at their giggling faces

"I didn't know that this was part of the plan." Damian mutters

At this point you were much more confident in yourself and had momentairly forgetten that Bruce was still in the room

Just imagine seeing those faces

when you finally tell them

"I'm asexual fuckwads."

Their faces go BEAT RED

"Oh, um..."

"Also Tim, idk how you found out I was still a virgin, but if you do anything like that again..."

The look on Tim's face - it was very clear that your threat got through to him

Then you remembered Bruce was still in the room

Slowly you turned your head to face him

Instead of saying anything he just gave you a smile

That's how you came out to the Batfam, from being scared, to be a confident badass

-thedelusionreaderbitch

dc taglist: no one yet!

[elvriuh]

Proxies Overview.

Alright, before we dive in, you know those Marble Hornets babies, Masky and Hoody, and even that guy Toby who ditched the Creepypasta gang? Well, in my world, they're all part of the crew.

Oh, and a quick reminder! This is my own little alternate universe, so basically, I call the shots here. So, let's get this show on the road! And heads-up, this might turn into a bit of a saga, but hey, no harm in a good story, right?

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

Proxies

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

MASKY

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Name: Masky.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Alias: The Masked Man, "Tim" (Will explain this in HCs).

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Age: 31 years old.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Gender: Male.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Rank: Lead Proxy.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Voice: Calm, and slightly raspy. He also has a southern accent.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Theme Song: Duality - Set it off and Demons - Imagine Dragons

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Personality: Masky is known for his assertive, territorial, and mostly silent demeanor. He communicates more through his actions and expressions than words, keeping his true thoughts and intentions hidden.  He is not one to engage in idle chatter.

Despite his reserved nature, Masky is extremely determined and tenacious. He doesn’t give up easily when he sets his sights on something. His determination drives him forward, and he sees things through to the end, even if it puts him in danger.

He is fiercely loyal and holds a deep sense of commitment towards those he trusts. Betrayal is not in his nature unless there’s an extremely compelling reason. If he finds someone trustworthy and gets to know them well, he sticks with them like glue, standing by their side through thick and thin. He goes to great lengths to ensure their safety and well-being, often putting their needs before his own.

His loyalty makes him a reliable and steadfast presence in the lives of those who have earned his trust. Those who are fortunate enough to benefit from his loyalty can depend on him in times of crisis. He can be trusted to carry out tasks diligently and provide unwavering support without a moment’s hesitation. However, this doesn’t mean he becomes any less stern; he might just be slightly less so, but you’d have to pay very close attention to notice this subtle change.

Masky demonstrates a high level of resourcefulness when faced with the horrors he encounters. He has a knack for thinking on his feet and adapting quickly to new challenges. Although his companion Hoody might be more skilled in this regard.

Masky also possesses a sharp wit and can often be sarcastic. However, he usually prefers being straightforward and speaks only when necessary. His words carry weight because he chooses them carefully and speaks only when he feels the need to. Missions are when he becomes most vocal, but even then, he maintains his quiet demeanor.

Apologizing doesn’t come easily to Masky; it’s just not in his nature. He believes actions speak louder than words, so he lets his fists do the talking for him… but that’s not his fault, right? After all, everyone has their own unique way of expressing themselves....Oh yeah, he's also very empathetic, and very, very, VIOLENT.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Likes: Fighting, darkness, privacy, photography, confusing people, hoodies, abandoned buildings, cryptography, smoking, teas, coffees, actings, arts, late night walks, puzzles, journaling, natures, running, hiking, stargazing, scaring, silence, documentaries, writing, cooking, reading, night, wildlife, submission (from others), cats, dogs, wolves, and more,

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Dislikes: The Operator, being exposed, loss of control, Alex, betrayal, disruption, being filmed, daytime, bright lights, lies, invasion of privacy, conformity, predictability, being followed, killing (he really doesn't like it), manipulated by The Operator, sweets, overcooked food, hot weather, crowded places, loud music, being the center of attention (depends, if he's in missions, then he likes it, but if it's so random, then no)", being underestimated, and more

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ HCs:

Masky absolutely despises being called "Tim." I mean, he's not Tim, for crying out loud. Sure, they share the same body, but it's not him. It's like he's a whole different person! When someone mistakenly calls him Tim, he goes all Hulk-mode, ready to set the record straight, maybe even utter a few words or something. Due to the distinction between his own identity and that of Tim's, despite sharing the same body.

Masky's empathy is often channeled into protecting those he cares about! NO ONE ELSE!!!!!!!

Now, don't get it twisted, Masky's got this mad respect for Hoody, much more than he cares about turning you into a jigsaw puzzle.

When it comes to stalking someone, Masky's got skills for days. The guy can tiptoe like a ninja through a library. But, Hoody's the real ninja here.

Oh, and fire? Yeah, that's a big no-no for him. Tim's old crib went up in flames, and Masky was all sentimental about it. Anything to do with fire really kills his vibe. But if it's necessary, he'll grit his teeth and deal with it, even if he loses his cool later.

He's a night owl thanks to his insomnia, so he's most alive when the rest of the world's snoozing.

Masky is an insomniac and tends to wander aimlessly. Most of the time, he goes on a little patrol in the forest, and Hoody often joins him since they both love nature.

He's an introvert and needs plenty of time to recharge; socializing isn't really his thing. But there's an exception - Hoody. Masky never seems to get tired of him, perhaps some loyalty issues there.

He's quite organized and keeps his room tidy and neat!

When it comes to kids, Masky's got a soft spot. He'd rather end them quickly and painlessly. He's got principles, in his own twisted way.

Rain's a bit of a love-hate thing for him. Reminds him of blood, but the sound's kinda soothing.

He's got a knack for directions and hardly ever gets lost. But, yep, you guessed it, Hoody's got him beat. That guy never get lost, period.

Tim and Masky? Oh, they're not sending each other Christmas cards, that's for sure. It's a simple "I hate you" relationship.

Believe it or not, Masky is a fantastic cook, one of the best in the mansion. However, he secretly regrets cooking because a lot of the creepypastas keep asking him to do it.

Masky's like the bull charging through the china shop. He's all about brute force; I mean, the guy's got muscles to flex!

He might not be all muscle and abs, but he's got a handsome look, not too buff, not too weak – okay, fine, he's a bit on the chubby side. But don't let his appearance fool you; he's stronger than he looks.

He's got a fear of spiders, can handle any dangerous situation, but bring a spider close, and he's out of there.

Masky's got a soft spot for animals, especially beige-ish colored cats. They seem to be drawn to him, even though he's a notorious murderer. He prefers cats to dogs, maybe because they're quieter and stealthier. But if it's a black German Shepherd or a Doberman, well, dogs might get a higher rank. Sorry, kitties!

He's an expert at picking locks, a skill he developed in his early proxies days.

Masky's got quite a rough time with those recurring and pretty wild nightmares - a little bonus from his tough past. Catching a peaceful night's sleep is like finding a unicorn for him, and that's why he's often a creature of the night.

Now, here's something you might not expect about Masky – he's got some pretty handy knowledge when it comes to first aid and basic medical stuff. He learned it out of pure necessity in his line of work. But let's be real, Eyeless Jack can outdo him in that department any day of the week.

By the way, here's a juicy secret - Masky's got a thing for pain.

Now, when it comes to getting all fired up, Masky can be a real handful. He can flip from zero to psycho in the blink of an eye. He's got this reckless, impulsive side that takes things to a whole new level.

While his loyalty to Hoody is widely acknowledged, Masky also feels a deep sense of devotion to some of the proxies/pastas (ahem, Eyeless Jack, Kate the Chaser, Sally, etc) Despite his ominous reputation, he'd go to great lengths to safeguard his "friends".

This dude, he's all about throwing punches. You get him mad, and his fists are already chatting away. It's like they're the ones with the negotiation skills! Yup, his go-to problem-solvers? Those fists of fury!

Masky's all about showing respect to proxies or pastas who are pushed into doing The Operator's bidding. You can bet he'll be a tad bit kinder, not like super warm, but definitely kinder. It really grinds his gears when someone willingly signs up to work for that...dude. Hoody's on the same page.

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

HOODY

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Name: Hoody.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Alias: The Hooded Figure, "Brian" (Will explain this in HCs).

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Age: 30 years old.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Gender: Male.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Rank: Second-in-Command Proxy.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Voice: Hoody's voice, as modified by the voice changer, could be perceived as a steady, uniform, and artificial tone. It lacks the usual fluctuations and natural intonations present in human speech, resulting in a somewhat mechanical quality. The pitch is kept at a consistent level, without any notable variations.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Theme Song: Outrunning Karma - Alec Benjamin and Another Way Out - HollyWood Undead

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Personality: Hoody is a bit of an enigma, always shrouded in mystery, and it's not easy to predict what's going on in his mind. He's got this rock-solid determination, willing to take risks and face challenges head-on. He's not one to back down without a fight, that's for sure.

But what sets him apart is his sharp intellect. He's a quick thinker, adapting to changing situations like a pro. Hoody is a master at outsmarting others, using his wits to gain an advantage. His ability to stay one step ahead in the game is impressive.

Now, he's not all sunshine and rainbows. There are moments when he seems to find a strange satisfaction in the distress of others. It's a little dark, but we all have our quirks, right?

Emotionally, Hoody is more on the logical side. He's not one to wear his heart on his sleeve, making decisions based on what makes sense rather than how he feels. He's got this ice-cold, calculated demeanor, showing little empathy for others.

Sometimes, his determination takes a ruthless turn. He's willing to go to great lengths to reach his goals, even if it means causing harm along the way. That's the shadowy side of his personality, showing how far he's willing to go.

He's also quite the manipulator. Hoody can spot people's weaknesses and use them to his advantage. He's not afraid to play the puppet master to make things go his way, even if it means others get caught in the crossfire.

But here's the interesting part - Hoody's loyalty is rock-solid. When he's committed to something, there's no shaking him. It's not just about people; it's about the bigger cause he believes in. He's ready to make sacrifices and take risks for what he holds dear.

However, his loyalty sometimes dances on the edge of morality. He's willing to bend the rules in the name of his allegiance, which raises some ethical questions. It's a complex mix of dedication and compromise.

In many ways, that loyalty is his driving force. It keeps him going, even in the toughest of times. He might have his rough edges, but you've got to respect his unwavering commitment.

He's got some complex relationships, but when it comes down to it, Hoody stands by his crew, come what may. There have been moments of doubt, but he's always there when it counts.

But here's the kicker - that loyalty isn't always ironclad. There have been instances where he's let down the very people he promised to stand by. It's like a double-edged sword; it can be his greatest strength, but it can also lead him down some tricky paths. Sometimes, that unyielding commitment can blind him to the flaws of those he cares about, and that's where things get dicey.

When it comes to Hoody, silence is his language of choice. He's not one to chat your ear off, but his body language speaks volumes. If you're a stranger to him, beware - he can be ice-cold, harsh, and downright ruthless. But get into his inner circle, especially like Masky (They both are very close), and you'll see a different side. He's more of a sweetheart then, trying to understand where you're coming from. However, don't be fooled; if the situation demands it, he won't hesitate to exploit your weak spots.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Likes: Mystery, filmmaking, coding, hacking, exploration, photography, nighttime, daytime, plush toys, nature, puzzles, gaslighting, manipulation, psychological, night sky observations, cryptography, cooking, gardening (only because of Brian), mind games, confusing people, bird watching, calligraphy, writing, observing, staring, hiking, painting, running, rock climbing, parkour, climbing, guns, swimming, knitting, baking, flower collecting, coffee, and more

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Dislikes: Dangers to friends, loss in control, being exposed, disloyal, traitors, Alex, The Operator, lies, outsmarted, littering, pretentiousness, impatience, disorder, wastefulness, laziness, narrow-minded, nose pollution, cliques, smoking, spoilers, and more,

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ HCs:

Hoody can't stand it when people call him Brian, because that guy is long gone, buried in the darkest abyss. If someone slips up and calls him Brian, well, let's just say he won't be too pleased. He might not go full-on psycho like Masky, but it won't be pretty. Do not associate the name with a past self he wishes to disassociate from.

Oh, and Hoody's a die-hard coffee lover. Try prying that cup of Joe from his grip, and he won't think twice about going all trigger-happy on you. Even The Operator isn't safe from his caffeine-induced fury (Although Masky might be quicker to pull the trigger in that case).

But here's the fun part - Hoody has a sweet tooth, and he's got a secret stash of chocolate chip cookies. Only his closest pals know that handing him a batch of those bad boys can melt away even his toughest exterior.

When he's not busy dodging bullets or savoring cookies, Hoody's got a real passion for photography. He's got an eye for detail that'll make your jaw drop, and he keeps a secret album filled with those stunning snaps. Only Masky's got clearance, though.

In his quieter moments, Hoody turns to poetry as his escape. He's got a hidden talent for it, and those verses give you a glimpse of the sensitive soul behind the mask.

But don't be fooled by the calm exterior; Hoody's got a knack for pulling strings in the background. He's a master at planting seeds of doubt, pushing events his way, all while acting like an innocent angel.

He's not afraid to dance with deception either, holding back info, serving up half-truths, and crafting convincing tales to bend things his way. He's like a puppet master, without anyone realizing the strings are in his hands.

One of Hoody's quirks is that he's a people-watcher. Even if Masky's throwing a tantrum like a bull in a china shop, Hoody's just there, observing.

Oh, and Hoody really can't stand Tim. He blames him for turning Brian's friend into a bloodsucking zombie. If Tim takes control of Masky, Hoody won't hesitate to give him a serious beatdown, even if it leaves Masky hurting real bad.

Beneath the calm exterior, Hoody's always scheming. Every move he makes is carefully calculated, with all possible outcomes considered.

Tech-savvy Hoody loves tinkering with gadgets, though Ben might have the edge. He's the go-to guy (if you hate Ben) for tech advice and troubleshooting.

Bandaging wounds is a skill Hoody's got down pat. He's not too bad at playing doctor, though Eyeless Jack might have the upper hand.

Hoody surprisingly finds joy in gardening, tending to a collection of succulents and exotic plants, a passion inherited from his past self, Brian.

However, there's one thing Hoody can't stand, and that's Tim. His resentment towards Tim stems from the transformation of Brian's friend into bloodthirsty zombies. If Tim were to control Masky, Hoody wouldn't hesitate to take matters into his own hands, even if it meant inflicting physical harm, though the aftermath might leave Masky physically wounded.

Hoody is a bit of a neat freak, always making sure his room is spotless, not a speck of dust in sight.

He's the brains, while Masky is the brawn. Just picture Hoody sitting back while Masky tackles the grime.

Hoody's got this real Southern twang just like Masky, but he's always trying to keep it under wraps whenever he opens his mouth.

Hoody's got this voice modulator thingy that makes him sound kinda robotic, you know, like he's reading off a script or something.

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵��꒷₊˚✦

KATE THE CHASER

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Name: Kate Milens

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Alias: Kate the Chaser, The Chaser

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Age: 25 years old.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Gender: Female.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Rank: Proxy.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Voice: Her voice can be imagined as almost non-existent, or if perceptible, it could be incredibly soft and nearly inaudible.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Theme Song: Ghost - Japan and Lily - Alan Walker

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Personality: Kate, the Chaser, is notorious for her merciless hunting skills, but beneath that tough exterior, there's a surprisingly tender heart. She may not be the best at socializing, but when she puts pen to paper, her thoughts come through with touching clarity, revealing a nurturing side that fiercely protects the vulnerable. She's always ready to go the extra mile to shield others from the brutality of her fellow proxies and pastas, fighting for the underdogs with unwavering dedication, all because of a deep-rooted sense of compassion.

In the mansion, Kate plays the role of a caring guardian, offering comfort and support to those who need it. She communicates more through subtle actions than words, showing that actions truly speak louder. However, missions disturb her deeply, as taking lives and witnessing bloodshed serves as a chilling reminder of someone lost to the depths of her fragmented memory, a victim of her mysterious employer's manipulations.

In moments of emotional turmoil, Kate's serene facade shatters, giving way to uncontrollable bursts of primal rage. This fierce side of her is a stark contrast to her role as a peacemaker, highlighting the complexity of her existence. Although her status as a Proxy gives her a commanding presence, she remains cautious, often startled by the unknown, yet determined to hide her vulnerabilities from prying eyes (stares at Hoody and Masky...).

Kate prefers solitude over socializing, immersing herself in her own world where the scars of her past and the demands of her present entwine in a delicate dance of inner turmoil and unspoken resilience.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Likes: Cozy blankets, kind people, full moon, soft candlelight, wolf's howl, solitary bonfire, waterfall, owls' hoots, Lavander scent-soup, dolls, plush toys, rains, withered rose, and more

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Dislikes: Mean people, The Operator, aggressive confrontations, overly spicy foods, disregarded, disrespect, loud areas, excessive display of wealth, and more

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ HCs:

Kate, also known as the Chaser, shares a solid bond with Hoody and Masky, but when it comes to Toby, she's not exactly on board. Toby, well, he's a bit too unpredictable for her taste.

In her writings, Kate throws around ❝Hoody❞ and ❝Masky❞ as warning signs, like, ❝Cut it out now or I'll bring Masky into this.❞ Yeah, they're definitely the ones you don't want to mess with; they've got a real tough reputation!

There are times when Kate gets a little jittery around them, but they treat her pretty well, in their own silent way. She's not entirely sure about Masky, who tends to be more aggressive, whereas Hoody's more laid back. Yeah, she's not sure if they're fond of her, but she's definitely a fan of them!

Kate's a total romantic. She loves reading love stories and sometimes writes her own, though she keeps them hidden away.

Aside from writing, Kate dabbles in poetry. She's got a bunch of heartfelt poems she's cooked up over the years, inspired by her own life experiences and emotions.

She's a great listener, always catching the subtle hints in conversations and offering thoughtful insights.

Kate's got a talent for crafting heartwarming short stories, often sparked by the people and experiences in her life.

She's a pro at making intricate origami designs, which she often gifts to her close pals.

She's got this secret stash of handmade friendship bracelets that she's put together over the years.

Kate's laughter is contagious, lifting the spirits of everyone around her (well, most folks anyway).

Despite her kindness, Kate grapples with trust issues, finding it hard to fully open up to others.

She can get overly protective of her loved ones, sometimes smothering them unintentionally with her worries.

Saying no isn't her strong suit; she often takes on more than she can handle, leading to moments of both emotional and physical exhaustion.

Kate can be stubborn as a mule, finding it tough to accept help or advice, even when she really needs it.

Her fear of confrontations sometimes leads her to dodge tough talks, leaving underlying problems hanging.

She tends to prioritize others' needs over her own, sometimes neglecting her own well-being in the process.

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

TOBY

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Name: Toby Erin Rogers

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Alias: Ticci Toby, Rogers.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Age: 19 years old.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Gender: Male.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Rank: Proxy.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Voice: His voice contain a blend of excitement, menace, and a touch of insanity.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Theme Song: MAD HATTER - Melanie Martinez and Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Personality: Toby's all over the place, you never know what he's gonna do next. He gets a kick out of pushing people's buttons just to see them squirm.

He's also a total chatterbox and jumps to conclusions faster than lightning.

His mind is like a rollercoaster, all twisted and jumbled up, leading him to do some pretty crazy stuff. Sometimes it feels like he's just not playing with a full deck.

When it comes to loyalty, Toby's not the most reliable guy. He'll turn on you in a heartbeat if it serves his own purposes, or if he's just feeling a bit mischievous.

He's not one for rainbows and sunshine either. Causing chaos and watching the world burn seems to be his idea of a good time, and he doesn't lose sleep over the havoc he wreaks.

But here's the kicker, he's got mood swings like nobody's business. One minute he's grinning from ear to ear, the next he's aiming one of his hatchets at your head.

He's not exactly a hugger either, unless you're one of the lucky few who've managed to crack his shell. Getting his loyalty is like pulling teeth, especially since he's always got that betrayal card up his sleeve. Just ask Masky and Hoody, they know the drill.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Likes: Fire, killing, torturing, sharpening hatchets, Lyra, The Operator, pranking, teasing, annoying, sassy, music, horror, video games, hunting, waffles, and more

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ Dislikes: HIS FATHER.

꒰₊˚Ꮺ・─ HCs:

Toby absolutely loathes it when Masky calls him Rogers; it hits a nerve, reminding him of his father, and he can't stand it.

Interestingly, Toby is the only one among the proxies who willingly serves The Operator. He's one of the rare few who genuinely likes him, making him one of the most loyal creepypastas in the circle.

Believe it or not, he's the kind of guy who'd trade a thousand lives for a single waffle. Yep, not even kidding.

Many of the other creepypastas despise him because of his unpredictable nature and his infamous mood swings. They just can't handle his erratic behavior.

To be honest, he's not all that scary, unlike Masky and Hoody who are on a whole other level of terrifying. Maybe they're even crazier than him. But who knows, maybe you'll find out more about that in the future!

On the bright side, he's pretty easy to say 'no' to, even when he's in the midst of one of his temper tantrums. When he's angry, he's like a bull in a china shop; he loses his focus and tends to throw things randomly, often missing his mark by a long shot.

Among his collection of weapons and masks, Toby keeps a small box of sentimental items from his past. These include a worn-out teddy bear from his childhood and a faded photograph of a happier time, serving as a poignant reminder of the innocence he lost.

Toby loves pulling off mischievous tricks, especially when he's teasing Masky and Hoody.

But if he catches someone being mistreated, it brings back some memories, and you better believe he's gonna take down the abuser, whether it's in front of everyone or not.

✦˚₊꒷︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵୨♡୧︵︵︵︵︵︵︵꒷₊˚✦

THAT'S A WRAP FOR THEIR OVERVIEW! Had a blast putting this together, haha! Oh, by the way, sorry if Kate and Toby got a shorter one, not my top favorites, you know? Toby, in particular, not my cup of tea, even if he has a gentle demeanor. No real reason, just not feeling it, LOL.

Just a heads-up, these are mere snapshots! They're way more intricate, but delving into every little detail would be a mammoth task! This is just their typical vibe, though, so naturally, there might be instances where they throw a curveball!!

THIS IS MY FIRST POST, SO PLEASE TELL ME IF SOMETHING DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, I'LL TRY TO MAKE IT CLEAR!!!

[paladin-of-nerd-fandom65]

1: What is the starburst duo biggest mistake? one that they look out to never do again.

2: You know how Older! Jon Kent took the title of Superman when Clark went to war world? Did Chris & Jake ever have to take their father's title of Superman & Nightwing?

3: If Jake & mar'i were in canon, when do you think they were born? Most likely right after their parents wedding :)

4: What is something the Starburst duo thinks they are good out but aren't?

5: What is something the Starburst duo is legitimately bad at?

1)

Chris: Leading Jake, Jasper and Lian on a small mission to bust what seems being a regular drug dealing (almost regular as the contraband content was replicated Fear Toxin) by Blockbsuter without properly checking to see who his business partner is and how much of their power they’ll need; this let them completely off guard when that business partner tuned up being Mongul, who proceeded to pounded them all brutally, nearly killing both Lian and Jake in the process. The deal was stopped but Chris has made himself a promise that for now on, he’ll always double check the intel for cases like this and make sure they’re still properly prepared for surprise attacks like this

Jake: Once letting his temper get the better of him when he encountered a bank robbing criminal he was searching for a good bit and always came up frustratingly short every time he has a lead on him. Once he finally had the crook cornered, he fail to notice the desperate and scared eyes of the crook and definitely not noticing they were outside the criminal’s house, revealing his wife and two children who no doubt were spooked by the green fury glowing eyes Jake had as he was pounding the desperate criminal to a near pulp. He eventually snapped out of it when the crook’s wife begged him to stop and Jake then looked around realizing he wasn’t beating up a major super villain but a man who only resorted to his criminal acts out of desperation further his family. Even since then, Jake has made it a considerable effort to try to temper and control himself against petty crooks and those who hadn’t committed the more grievous crimes.

2) I would say….maybe or maybe not. As grown ups, their mantles simply either grew up with them or they change into complete new ones as either their children and/or fixture apprentices take over the Skybird and Nightwing Phantom mantles. Maybe Jake can take over the Nightwing mantle his father has once Dick does retire though it’ll be a tall sell as Jake feels no one can truly be the same Nightwing Dick. As for Chris, the Superman mantle is evenly split by both Conner and Jon, Red and Blue respectively.

3) Oh for sure; Kory became pregnant with Mar’i about a few months after the wedding, likely her being conceived during the Honeymoon itself. Jake followed up a mere two years later. Oh in my version, they get married much sooner, around when Jason was Robin therefore Jake would’ve been about maybe 1-2 year when Jason was blown up by the Joker.

Bonus: for how Tim Drake can still be a teenager when Jake is ten; simple, he got hit by a de aging ray which not only tuned him back into a 14-16 year old but moreso allows him to age much slowly. Or at least if he ages normal, he still looks very young even as a teen…and small

4) Chris: Playing Soccer and Tennis. In both sports he keeps forgetting which way is his half of the court to defend and which one is to score points

Jake: Naming all the Star Wars characters from every show, tv series or animated show even if he’s otherwise good with memory. The problem lies with how many of them sometimes are background characters despite the lore behind them

5)

Chris: Learning how to use VR headsets. Those things are just confusing and where to go, how to move inside the game and what buttons to press while his hands are in motion

Jake: Much to his surprising delight, being able to hold in his laughter, cackles and giggles anytime his sensitive spots are even as so much as brushed softly or gently poked. It’s something both Dick and him have inherited from Mary Grayson, jokingly what’s referred to as a curse in their lineage, all because Mary’s father, Jake great grandfather, took a career as a dentist rather than as a mortician like the rest of that family line.

Thanak for the asks @pin-crusher2000 ! These are fun XD

[olivia-anderson-fanfic]

Into the Unknown

If you're happy and you know it

(The sequel story that I will never do)

~~~~~

After a lot of debating over the ethics of leaving baby!Damian as a baby vs aging him up (and a rogue suggestion that they yank an alternate-universe Damian over right before he dies so they can all have their way), they decide to let him grow up naturally. In the end, baby!Damian is still a child and in the process of aging him up magically Damian would reexperience all of his traumas in basically a split second, which is just a lot of mental strain to put someone through. Beyond that, even after aging him up they still wouldn’t get the original Damian back, as the base person is so fundamentally different.

So, Damian basically gets to have a happy childhood with his parents and new extended family! Yay him!

I mean, sure, Damian has never truly known a world outside of the one he had been in, and his aunt and uncles are acting weird around him for reasons he can’t really comprehend, and his dreams are getting increasingly concerning and confusing, and his parents seem more quiet than usual even though they’re around more to hang out with him…

Did he do something wrong?

Meanwhile, Adrien comes from France to check on her and also chuck the Miraculous Box back at her in revenge. Marinette explains that she no longer wishes to do superheroing, but would be happy to help support him from the sidelines. Adrien is surprised, because she had been so interested like a year ago, but before he can be like “oh, good for you”, Gotham experiences its Giant Rogue Attack Of The Week and Adrien looks at the bats like Damn bitch you live like this? Gotham vigilante crew has now been adopted by a French demigod, congrats to them.

But, since Adrien is staying in Gotham, he and Marinette have to navigate this new dynamic between themselves where Adrien actually takes charge while Marinette is more of a healer character, staying out of sight during battles and only really cropping up at the end of fights to help victims and make sure her favorite Kitty doesn’t die. She has the condition that she will not enter a fight at all, as she refuses to leave Damian without a parent, and she will keep to it. So, Adrien is a little bit more careful, not wanting to risk it.

In that same vein, this old universe is still a cesspool of villains that didn’t exist in the original one. Joker, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze. And, as a Wayne, and a young one at that, Damian keeps getting targeted.

Until villains start dropping off the map. Under mysterious circumstances. And none of the bats can bring themselves to look into it. Because it’s much harder to brush off all of the deaths they have been indirectly causing by letting Rogues live when you know the person who has almost died personally. Even more so when that person that almost died is your little brother that closely resembles the little brother that you just found out ‘died’. When the person that almost died is the little brother that named that stuffed turtle you bought him Turtle because he’s too young to be good at naming things (and will never get better, because they had seen what he had named Alfred the Cat, and maybe the reminder just makes it more difficult).

In the meantime, Tim goes back to work as CEO and starts training to be a vigilante again. People at his job who hardly respected him before because of his age and the nepotism surrounding his hiring now don’t respect him at all after his sudden 6-month break. But that's just his day job, his cover. He's rich. He could quit at any time with very little repercussions.

When it comes to his vigilantism, if he works hard, he could get back into it in a few months, but he keeps watching his family members walk back home with bruises and cuts and more and he had forgotten just how bad it had gotten. Or, maybe he hadn’t forgotten, maybe he had just never realized, and his time as a civilian has altered his perspective.

But he has always been one to commit, and he can’t bring himself to sit by idly without helping, and it isn’t quite so dangerous when most of the major players have been forcibly removed from the equation, so he does it.

Until he comes back, bleeding all over the floor, yelling for Marinette, and Damian sees him. The kid stares at him with horrified, wide eyes. And it would be one thing if Damian didn’t understand, if it was something he would later realize was a close call, but Damian rushes forward to press his hands against the wound.

He realizes he can’t bring himself to do this to the kid.

But he can’t sit idly by while his family risks their lives, either.

So, he becomes a mechanic in this world, too.

And, with both Tim and Marinette off the streets, and Damian more or less safe, and a little bit of time where they get used to their 'new' lives…

Tim proposes. Properly.

They have a wedding. Damian is the little ring bearer. Adrien is a bridesmaid. After all of this time, after all that struggling, they finally get their happy ending.

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

I think about Tim McGraw (the song) a lot. I remember when that song first hit country radio, and it made me a fan right away. And I've always thought it was a great song. I go back to it regularly and am sad by how underappreciated it is as a fandom. But seeing it in the context of the eras tour has shifted my view of it. I don't think I ever fully appreciated how powerful those opening lines are as an introduction to Taylor's career. "He said the way my blue eyes shined/put those Georgia stars to shame that night/I said that's a lie" tells us so much about who Taylor was, is, and intended to be as an artist. It's honestly mind-boggling that so much of her career is predicted in those lyrics. You can maybe argue that there are better songs on debut (although I wouldn't agree). But I don't think there was a better choice for introducing Taylor Swift to the world. Her storytelling, her insistence on centering her own perspective even when it's a perspective the world isn't interested in (i.e. a teenage girl), her love for flowering romance, and how it contrasts with her commitment to honesty, her need to make her voice heard. There's so much there. I don't have a question, I just wanted to share this with someone who would care. (Also, since this is Swiftles land. Love Me Do is nowhere near as good a song as Tim McGraw. But The Beatles insisting their first song be self-written does do a similar thing given the musical conventions of the era. Even though Love Me Do is arguably their worst song.)

Anon I love you, I love you, I love you FOREVER.

I've not been a fan since Tim McGraw, but it's a song I've only grown to appreciate more and more as time has passed and just a few months ago I was having very similar thoughts about it being the perfect introduction to Taylor as a person and artist we could have asked for.

Additionally to your amazing points about the opening lines, I also think there's something so powerful about beginning your career in music by evoking your musical influences* – except she's framed it in this deeply personal way that doesn't require one to be a musician to find relatable: she simply wants her high school sweetheart to think of her when he hears her favourite song and, as someone who's felt solace in music like no other place, that resonates with me profoundly.

I also think one of the most quintessential things about her songwriting is that her memories are always sensual and picturesque. She connects memories to places ("Backroads at night"), to the weather ("The moon like a spotlight") and, especially, to clothes. ("I hope you think that little black dress").

So yes, 100%, Tim McGraw is lowkey a masterpiece and a gorgeous debut.

And your point about Love Me Do being a self-written debut when that wasn't at all an obvious choice at the time is so <33333

*I also read somewhere recently that this is a classic country thing, name-dropping your influences.