#and it felt very Tim drake core

[xpastelsweetsx]

Timothy Jackson Drake has rabies

[dcxdpdabbles]

I can’t wait to see the next part for passion for fashion! i’m very interested in seeing how Tim handles everything.

Danny scurries across the street as quickly as possible. The flashing hand is counting down, meaning he only has a few seconds before clearing the road. He could wait for the next time it changes, but Danny was already late as it was.

Plus, he was pretty sure he was being followed. Usually, that wouldn't frighten him too severely, but seeing as he had been kidnapped once while in Gotham, it's safe to say this city wasn't exactly safe at all.

He manages to get across just as the light switches from the flashing red hand to a still red hand, and the cars waiting just as impatiently at the white lines roar their engines as soon as green in front of them.

They zoom past him, blaring through the wind at what Danny is sure is unsafe driving speeds. He sighs, pulling up his hood to protect his head from the gentle drizzle that started up. Today he was wearing what Dan called "sports luxe."

Danny thinks it just looked like a skater threw on a jacket over a hoodie, but what did he know? Apparently, not enough to have an opinion on the superiority of sports luxe.

Even the name sounded snobby. Dan threw a fit the moment he pointed it out, though. Sometimes, it was better to agree to disagree with his counterpart.

Danny had felt suffocated within the house lately. Gotham seemed to suddenly develop non-stop rain. It's been heavy rain, a light sprinkle, or threatening rain for a week straight. It was nothing compared to the bright, clear skies of home. How could people stand to live here all the time? It was downright miserable.

The city natives said it was just the first signs of spring, the year's rainy season.

Not to mention, it was a grim reminder that for all the time they had been in this stupid city, they only recently found out who Batman was. He wasn't sure how long Clockwork would be willing to wait, but Danny feared they were getting near an unmentioned deadline.

This morning, he had woken to a clock ticking in his chest. It faded after a while, but Danny had received the message just as loud and clear as the tick tick tick sound was.

There was a very real bomb fused to his core by the God of Time, and he said god was becoming upset with his lack of results. Dan, who had gotten the same message, was seemingly more reserved as he carefully pinned the few fabrics for their next part of the fashion contest.

The silence following their discussion of today's new experimental fashion style had felt choking. Danny had chosen to escape and walk around the city while Dan retreated further into his cave of fabrics. They agreed to meet up for lunch at one pm at the same pizza that Red Robin took him on a date to.

They could gather clues about Batman if they went to where he had shown up.

His date with Tim Drake had been a bust. The man was sweet but seemed too loyal to Batman's secrets. No matter what tricks Danny tried on that date, Tim danced around his probing for any Batman intel like a well-trained ballerina.

He couldn't even get the guy to admit he knew Batman. Either he was the best actor in the world, or Tim didn't know a thing about Batman. Still, the date at the arcade and then dinner had been a relaxing bit of fun.

Something was charming about making someone blush with a mere glance that had Danny feeling on cloud nine. He knows on some level that he is considered hot here, but to witness his effect on someone was something entirely else.

He might have asked for a second date were it not for the man who followed them throughout the date from a distance. Danny noticed him sometime after Tim had shyly offered to buy him some ice cream.

He was taking their picture. As soon as Danny saw him,, he cut the date off quickly. Not only was ita a waste of time if Tim couldn't lead him to Batman, but he also didn't want to drag poor Tim into nanother kidnapping attempt.

Was it a jerk move to cut the date mid-way? Probably.

Did it make him feel like Dash? Uncomfortably so.

But needs most. As soon as Dany told Tim he wasn't feeling well and that he would call him (he didn't), the half had all but run away. The man had quickly followed in step with him, until Danny lost him in the city two hours later.

He returned home with no leads, a new stalker, and the terrier tick tick tick echoing in his rib cage.

Three days later, the same man was back, following Danny from a distance. He was doing a good job staying further away today, but Danny had caught sight of the hummingbird tattoo and realized who it was.

Danny glances at a nearby store window to discreetly check behind him. Sure enough, the same hummingbird flashed briefly as the man reached up to raise his own hoodie.

It's on the right hand, running along the thumb. Danny breathes through his nose, walking as casually as possible but putting more speed into his steps. Around him, people are walking briskly, and his vision is somewhat disorientated by the few umbrellas that are folded open.

He slides through gaps of people, weaving and waving as casually as he can. The distance between the man and him grew bigger, but Danny knew he was still within sight.

He stuffs his hands into his pocket, feeling around for a knife disguised as a comb that Pamela had given him after picking up her new outfit. Danny had to admit that Dan outdid himself with it because she looked like a badass nymph.

Apparently, she heard some whispers that the Fenton twins were a thing of beauty and powerful men were interested in adding them to their collection. Ew.

She said it was better to be safe than sorry while presenting Dan with his own knife. "The world is a nightmare. Be the terror in it, not the victim."

Dan put her words on a poster and hung it in his studio.

Danny glances at another window, feeling his stomach drop when a familiar ticking starts up as the man quickly closes the space between. Somehow, a deep part of his soul knows that should the man catch him, Danny's bomb would be set off.

Breaking into a run, Danny pushed people out of the way, uncaring for the scene he was causing. He heard a curse before footsteps rapidly followed him. Multiple sets of footsteps.

There was more than one.

Crude. crude. crude. Stop ticking! I know I'm in danger! He thinks frantically, pushing his human legs to go faster. He blows his hoodie off his head as he sprints.

His eyes bounce around wildly, searching for anywhere safe, when he lands on an open car door of a nice black car with a man settling in the back as a diver buckles up. Not stopping to think, Danny leaps into it, ignoring the shout of surprise from the man who he landed across the lap.

He hits the diver's seat, babbling, "Drive! Drive! Drive! Please, they're after me! DRIVE"

The man he's lying on reacts fast enough to slam the car door closed just as a large man slams against it. It's someone built like a brick house and looking rather mean as he punches the glass .

Thankfully, the thing must be bulletproof because it doesn't budge. The driver slams his foot on the gas, peeling away from the crowd of kidnappers who attempt to surround the car. They nearly miss slamming into oncoming traffic, but the driver quickly drifts their car into a perfect U and flies off.

Danny gasps, slumping with relief. "Hate this stupid city so much sometimes." He grumbles under his breath, only noticing he spoke in Spanish when the man makes a fumbling sentence in response.

"Er...espanol...un poquito?" The man holds his fingers up, having them separated by only a bit of space.

" I speak English."

"Oh, good. Mind telling me what all that was about, lad? Do we need to go to the police?" The man asks, his voice gentle and warm.

Danny realizes then that he is staring into the face of the man who started the fashion contest. He is also still lying across his lap. With a yelp, he flings himself away, scrambling into the seat beside Bruce Wayne.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Wayne! I was being chased by...um, I don't know actually who they were."

"Bane's men." The driver says grimly in an English accent. "They were wearing the hummingbird of his inner circle."

"Alfred, please take us to Commissioner Gordon." Mr. Wayne commands, face turning hard, and Danny is about to tell him he's fine being dropped at home when suddenly-

"Are you hurt, chum?" Mr. Wayne asks, noticing Danny staring down at his chest pale face. Or maybe it was how he was frozen in place, waiting for a boom that might be coming.

The bomb stops ticking. Danny feels around his chest, wondering why when it clicks in his head.

"Chum?"

He stares into the startled eyes of Mr. Wayne before he feels a sharp prick on the back of his neck. He has a few seconds of whirling around to see the driver- Aflred- settling back in his driving seat. A needle in his hand.

"Are you Batman?" Danny whispers, leaning into Mr. Wayne's face. "

Batman, have you hugged your kids lately?"

"Shit. Here, I thought I escaped a kidnapping."

The world went black, and there was only one thing he was aware of. The sound.

Tic tic tic tic tic tic

[thebirdsandthebats]

Okay @s-p-r-i-n-g-t-i-m-e I’m sure you know plenty BUT I’m going to use your wonderful and hilarious comment on this as an excuse to talk about Bernard, bc I realized recently that there are plenty of ppl who haven’t read most of the comics he’s been in. So get ready for my long overdue:

UNPACKING BERNARD DOWD + HIS TRAUMA (for those who cannot keep up with comics but want to get to know him)

So to start, Tim met Bernard years ago ofc, when they were in high school. It’s established pretty quick that Bernard is an extremely Unserious guy LMAO, the first thing he does is literally circle Tim and try to feel him out socially, see what kind of guy he is. He’s the kind of guy who gets himself in trouble with his big mouth, and seems to enjoy poking at Tim and testing his patience. By the time we meet Bernard again in the recent years, he’s grown a lot, but at his core he’s still the light-hearted, fun, goofy guy with very strong opinions. Just less stand-offish, maybe

Throughout the time Tim spends at this school though, Bernard does experience some wild shit. He lost Darla (somebody he really cared about), he experienced a shooting at his school, and then Darla came back from the dead, kind of scared the hell out of him, and used him to contact Tim again. It was kind of played for laughs, but like. That’s gotta fuck you up. (Robin #140)

Obviously this is the kind of thing that maybeee has a lasting effect on you. And BECAUSE Tim Drake: Robin got cut so short and the writer had to rush to wrap up the series, we’re left to fill in a lot of gaps and draw conclusions about the years we didn’t see Bernard ourselves. But we absolutely get some insight as to his life after Tim left that school and we stopped seeing him in the comics. Spoiler alert: it was hard.

In TDR, Bernard discusses the the cult that he’d been in that Tim saved him from in Urban Legends. He says that “he’d accepted himself”, but others hadn’t. Obviously there’s the natural reading that he means his queerness (which has me chewing through drywall), but I think that he’s speaking very broadly too. Bernard is a very odd example of a civilian, because he’s always getting dragged into things much bigger than him. And even before that, he had his big ideas, his conspiracies, his loud personality. He tended to rub people the wrong way in high school. Then in issue #7 of TDR (the Bernard pov issue my most beloved, weird pacing aside) Bernard refers to this “oozy, sticky feeling” that he ALWAYS feels when Tim isn’t around. He says when he’s alone it’s harder to put one foot in front of the other. To keep GOING. To wake up every day.

I think that Bernard has always felt like an outcast. (Robin #121, he doesn’t fit into any clique). He wasn’t as okay with it as he acted. And I think he wasn’t getting any attention from his parents. (Batman: Urban Legends #5, Bernard’s parents nonchalance to the days leading up to his kidnapping)

So just like Bernard explained to Tim, that feeling got bad. and he wanted to let go. The chaos monsters, the cult, all of it was a means to an end. But then Tim agreed to see him again, and I think that sparked something in him. Because he started learning to fight. When he was tied down to that alter and Tim was saving him, I think it fully sank in to Bernard that he didn’t want to die. Reconnecting with Tim gave him hope and made him really feel something good for the first time in ages.

So now that they’re dating after the cult fiasco, we get to know this current Bernard. A less goading, maybe calmer Bernard. But he’s still himself, of course, rambling about his ideas and making bad jokes and sticking to his guns (he has NEVER been a pushover, no idea where people get that idea?). I think a lot of people complained that Bernard mellowed out too much in terms of attitude, but I think if he seems “nicer” it’s because 1) he’s grown now. It’s been a while since we last saw him, and he’s clearly changed a lot. And 2) because he’s dating Tim now. He likes him a lot, and he’s an affectionate partner. He wants to lift Tim up.

But the fact that he was pulled into a cult still remains. And as lighthearted as Bernard tries to be, that traumatic experience still happened. It said in Urban Legends #5 while Tim was searching for him that Bernard had welts on his arms and legs and had been acting different, so it’s not like he was just snatched up on a whim. He’d spent significant time there. For those who haven’t read much abt the ways cult trauma specifically can fuck you up, I recommend doing a search if you’re in a good headspace for that and want to understand him more. because it’s pretty bad.

And then! yeah. you guessed it. Bernard gets kidnapped again. Chained up next to a BOMB that’s counting down. RIGHT WHEN HE’S WORKING ON HEALING FROM ALMOST BEING SACRIFICED BY A CULT.

And surely this can’t get crazier. He’s almost died twice in the past 6 months. except, remember his parents? In TD:R #7, we really see a little more of his relationship with his parents. He doesn’t live up to their standards, and his dad specifically seems to just want to argue with him. The restaurant they’re at is attacked, and everything goes to shit, and. you know, I think these panels really speak for themselves.

And for the record, when it’s revealed that everyone is seeing their worst fears, Bernard’s parents fears are not about him.

So now Bernard has to deal with that. And we start to see that Bernard is really not as okay as he’s tried to be. He keeps a baseball bat by his door because he’s been kidnapped twice now. And just when he’d likely thought things couldn’t get worse, he heard the Chaos Monsters were back. I can’t imagine he feels safe. He lashes out for the first time since all this has happened and yells at Kate and Tim, because while they’re doing what they feel is necessary to save more people (AND I DONT BLAME THEM AT ALL), Bernard can’t talk about it.

And I will forever be sad and insist that TD:R got cancelled too soon, just before we could get into the really juicy stuff, because things had to be wrapped up pretty quick and this was the only comic Bernard was consistently appearing in. But when Tim is giving himself up to the chaos monsters, Bernard goes out and rallies anyone he knows can help. Things were rushed because there was no more time to flesh out the story the way it could have been, but I’m including these panels just because I love Bernard Audacity Dowd using a fucking flashlight and shadow puppet to call Batman. geeking out for a minute. And then leading the battalion to save Tim with a SLEDGEHAMMER. gay people rule.

So yeah! While I see the vision of how a lot of Bernard’s trauma was meant to be semi-resolved and let him come to peace after saving Tim back, we just didn’t have the time for him to heal properly. I’d give anything to get inside his brain again. UHH IF YOU READ THIS I HOPE YOU LOVE BERNARD NOW and don’t come at me if I left something out, some of my comics aren’t with me rn. Bonus TimBer for the road:

[fanfic-obsessed]

Eldritch makes it weird

For some reason the straight, based in canon relationship in this feels like the weirdest part of this idea.  Fair warning. 

As with all of my ideas do not look for canon, cause if you find it, it is by accident. 

Now let’s begin…

The being that would one day be known as Tim Drake does not know where it originated, though it long suspected that it was a different dimension entirely. Though memory is not the same in its original form as it is for humans, this being first knew an endless darkness for an untold amount of time before emerging into a place entirely different, a place that glowed with the heat of liquid stone. This different place is the land that would one day be Bristol. This being grew larger over time, until it spread across the land that would one day be Gotham and Bludhaven.  It could not interact physically with this world, but observed as water first formed and the world began to cool, as the landscape solidified and the oldest trees grew.  It did not know if others of its kind existed on this world, if they should. Eons passed, time moving strangely for this being, and humans began to spread, some even into the land that the being occupied. 

Though the being could not interact physically with the world, its presence did affect the land, becoming a lush, resource filled territory. A territory that human’s quickly wished to possess. Though humans could no more sense the being than it could interact with them, humans were able to interact with the environment in a way that it had never seen before (Magic). Often as the territory changed hands, mostly through bloody conflict, the previous humans would curse the land for the subsequent ones. 

Over time these curses began to interact with each other and the being, creating another being separate yet within this being. The younger formed not far from the center of the older (in what would one day be Crime Alley).   For the first time the being has something else to interact with, and the curses on the land, sunk even further. Much, much later the older being would come to believe that it is this interaction between itself and the magic, the very circumstances that created the younger, are also the reason that Gotham had its…quirks.

By the time that Gotham, the town that would become the city, formed both beings had learned how to live the occasional human life (generally they each ‘possessed’ a still born baby from within their territory and live out a human life, due to their own natures the human does not know that it is an eldritch being having a human experience). Although these two had experienced a whole range of human experiences, both separately and apart, they never had children (for all that they grew up as human, they were not at their core, and were genetically incompatible with the humans they ended up with throughout their lifetimes). Not until after Gotham had grown into a large, deeply cursed city. Not until the older being was born as Martha Kane and the younger was born as Thomas Wayne. 

Not until Bruce Wayne was born, the light of his parents' life and loved by Gotham in a way that is impossible to articulate. Neither Martha or Thomas ever quite understood why Bruce felt like such a miracle (They were both healthy, in their prime years for children, and had not been trying for any particular length of time) but he did.  They loved their child dearly and he was their last thought as they both died.  The thing is, switching between human form and their eldritch forms is not a quick process.  By the time the beings had fully come back to themselves, Bruce was an adult.  They still could not communicate with their son in this form, so they decided to be reborn once more, but this time they would try something new.  Instead of possessing a still born, they would use the knowledge they had gained over the eons to create human bodies that were entirely theirs, so they could remember who and what they were. It took time to find human women who lived in the right places (near the center of where they formed) that they could use their knowledge of magic to nudge in just the right way but eventually the older being, formerly Martha Wayne, was born as Tim Drake.  The younger being, formerly Thomas Wayne, was born as Stephanie Brown. 

Despite being able to remember who they were, both were still in human shells and bound to the laws of physics that they could ignore in their other form. Their human bodies were more resilient but they were growing at the same rate as any other human and could not figure out a good way to insert themselves into their son’s life (or find each other, they knew they both were born in Gotham, in Bristol and Crime Alley respectively but not who). Not at first.  Tim still went out to take photos of Batman and Robin, knowing the entire time who they were, and being quite pleased with the picture he took of his son and grandchildren. 

When Jason dies, a new type of grief overcomes both Tim and Steph. They had lost people when they had been human before. But this is one of their grandchildren, and it was paired with a helplessness they had never quite experienced before. Because Jason left Gotham and died, he would not have died within Gotham’s limits. No matter that both Tim and Steph’s consciousness currently reside in human bodies, they encompass the entirety of Gotham and they love their son and grandchildren.  They could not see them in realtime or be with them in the same way, but they are still very much wrapped around and through Gotham and Bludhaven. The very molecules throughout the area are predisposed to love and protect their son and his brood (it is not a perfect system so Barbara is still shot and paralyzed in Gotham, but anywhere else she would have bled out before help arrived).  

They could not kill the clown outright, though both heavily considered letting themselves get ‘caught’ in some kind of scheme that would end with the Jokers ‘accidental’ death. However, from the day that the Joker killed the second Robin, he found that his schemes in Gotham failed quicker, that it was harder for him to break out of Arkham, or that he was caught more quickly, but always in a way that made it seem like the Joker was simple running into bad luck (the curse magic that still existed had a focus now).  The Joker also found that when he or his minions entered Crime Alley or Bristol their skin would begin to itch and, the further they went in, burn (the very air hates them, and hates them more the closer they get to “center mass” where each of the beings came into existence). 

Tim watches as Bruce begins to spiral. This was Tim’s son, his little boy. Of course Tim is going to do something to help him with his grief.  Tim puts on the Robin suit. Alfred is the first to realize there was something strange about the new Robin. Not at first, few would consider reincarnation, let alone what was really going on, but eventually. The first time Tim tuts as he takes the alcohol away from a drunk Bruce, Alfred is struck not just by the sound but by the thought that it looked like Martha’s eyes were staring out of Tim’s face.  Over the period of a few months, with carefully phrased questions, Alfred comes to be convinced that, somehow, Martha had been reborn as Tim. And that Tim remembers being his dear friend Martha. They never really talk about it (in part Alfred does sort of fear putting it into words and being wrong), but some quiet mornings they would sit and chat just as they had before Martha had died.

It is not long after that that Tim, as Robin, finally runs into Steph. They recognize each other immediately.  They also begin to date immediately, mostly to have a succinct way of describing their relationship and because they know it is what would be assumed. Do not misunderstand, both Tim and Steph agree that they love each other. If asked they would both agree that they are in love with each other.  However, they are also very aware that their definitions (formed over so many different versions of humanity, and by beings that started off intrinsically different from humans) may not match the culturally accepted versions.  They say dating, and later say love or soulmate, knowing that there is no human language that could actually encompass what they are to each other.    

Alfred, upon meeting Steph, realizes immediately that this is Thomas Wayne reborn. 

Bruce, Dick, and Barbara (and later Jason) look on in absolute confusion in how Alfred treats Tim and Steph. Not deferential by any means, they had been friends for far too long for that but also not as if Alfred was the undisputed ruler of the household. They were his equals. Particularly when it came to Bruce.  

As the Batfam continues to come together, no one comments on Tim or Stephs oddities. Not even the eight months where Steph was Robin and Tim was Spoiler or the fact that Steph had declared it was ‘her turn’ (to bond with Bruce-their son). Nor the really odd laughter that erupted from Tim when Superman said that Tim was just like Bruce.  Or the fact that both had a bit of a weird reaction to any of the kids calling them brother/sister and to Bruce calling them son/daughter, as that is their son/grandchild.

It is highly likely that both Tim and Steph would have gone through their human lives without ever mentioning their eldritch nature. There were some half formed plans about bringing up their past lives as Thomas and Martha Wayne (though they were not really hiding it), but planned to do that after Damian turned 18, just in case Bruce did not take it well.  They have already run every test they can, without making it obvious what they are doing, and Bruce (and later Damian, as Bruce’s biological son) is human by every measure they read. 

Then Darksied attacked.  Batman, Bruce, is hit head on with the Omega beam…and it does nothing. Everything stops, including Darksied, to look at the entirely unaffected human. Everyone is confused. Including Darksied, who allows himself to be captured as he stands there gaping.  They bring Darkseid back to the Watchtower to figure out what his weapon was supposed to do to Batman.

The Bats all rush to Batman. As soon as Darksied sees Red Robin he apologizes to Tim and says that if he had realized the realm was ‘occupied��� he would not have attacked. As soon as Darksied sees Spoiler he goes “What the fuck is that thing”

Steph cackles, Tim sighs and says “I have been asking myself that for a long time”. Then, before any of the Justice League can react to all that, Tim asks Darksied, “Do you know what my species is?” (Tim, and/or Steph, is only mildly curious about the answer. They’ve long grown used to the question marks about Tim’s species. Tim had even taken the time to go through Krypton's records after Superman found the Fortress of Solitude, but could not find anything)

Which is…a question that is deeply uncomfortable for just about everyone else present. Particularly since Darksied does not, in fact, know anything about Tim’s species. He just has some genetic memory that if he meets anything that feels like Tim, to retreat (Some kind of inherited ‘It bites’ sign). Darksied had never met any other species or knew of any realms to avoid. 

Of course, after Darksied is led away to a cell while they figure out what to do with him, there are questions.  And those questions have few answers. There is a brief but intense period where the Justice League Dark proves that Tim and Steph are not possessed (and they are not in the traditional sense) and they start actually asking Tim and Steph the questions. AT some point during this, a question about What Steph is comes up and Steph’s answer (created from Tim mixed with the human magic of the curses) result in some of the Justice League accusing Tim of dating his own daughter. This accusation does not go over well with the various Bats in the room. Instead of Steph answering that she is not really Tim’s daughter, because that’s not how that works (as far as they know), she cracks a joke about them having a kid together. 

It is in the ensuing chaos that Bruce finds out that the third Robin had been his mother and the fourth Robin had been his father.  Also that this might be why he was unaffected by Darksieds weapon.  Bruce is starting to think he might actually need therapy.

[stealingyourbones]

Short DPXDC Prompts #844

Jason has an unstable time core. He gets warped to the day he died and panicked, running towards his younger self and turning him intangible as the explosion threw rubble and smoke and glass everywhere as the warehouse collapsed. He pulled Robin above the rubble and placed him there, his mind racing and panicking as the memories of his death raced through his head. He hears a motorcycle in the distance as the tugging in his chest pulled him back into the present… But this was a very different present. Jason didn’t die that day, he remembered a figure pulling him through the rubble and to safety and vanished in a spiral of green just as his dad screamed his name. He now had two sets of memories. He remembered Clark picking him up from the rubble and bringing him to the nearest hospital. He remembers being bedridden for over a year from the injuries caused in the warehouse. the whispers that Bruce was getting more violent without a Robin at his side as he was stuck in a hospital room. And then the Tim Drake kid from down the road confronting Bruce about his unneeded violence. Nonono it was all wrong. The memories felt so real and at war in his mind. the pain and heat from the explosion, the smoke filling his lungs as he choked out his last breath. Waking up in a coffin clawing to the surface with his belt buckle. The Pits and the League. Red Hood. All of it. It was just as real as the new memories flooding his memory. Jason still had an unstable time core. He still died in that explosion, but now he’s stuck in a new timeline. A walking paradox. Both reeking of death and yet has never even glimpsed the pearly gates. He’s going to need to get some help from a magic user and he’s going to somehow explain to Bruce how he has a time core without dying. Fuck.

[supalonely17]

1 DC PLAYLIST EVERY DAY

DAY 19 : TIM DRAKE

let’s talk : The year is 2012 the new 52 has begun and grimes has released Genesis. A title which describes the start of something new with lyrics that tell a story of a person experiencing emotions for the first time. A year passes and it is 2013, instant crush by daft punk releases and Tim is still inside of this new world. This electronic noise captures who Tim was back in the era of new 52.

While sounds of indie capture who he is now. Miracles by Alex g narrates Tim’s perspective in the current relationship he has with Bernard. While the place where he inserted the blade talks of Tim’s perspective from his relationship with Stephanie. Older songs like glass onion and suspended in Gafa showcase the music I believe Tim would’ve listened to when he was younger. A bright young kid who understood the complexities of the music. Finally Math rock showcases the essence of Tim. This music is not the favorite genre of Tim Drake but it is the favorite genre of Robin.

music headcanons

- Dissects his albums to their very core, if they’re good enough they get their own cork board.

- Cried when daft punk announced their breakup more than he will ever admit.

- One day a tame impala song came on and he was about to ask Jason “did you know tame impala is just one person”? But knowing Tim would say this Jason finished the sentence for him. Tim felt so deeply and personally attacked he was unsure of how to react so he simply left the room.

- Everytime there is a specific part in a song that he likes he will always learn the main instrument of said part.

- Prefers going to concerts alone so he can immerse himself into the environment more but always offers for others to come. Luckily not many in the family share his taste in music that would want to go with him.

- Organizes his playlists numerically. Meaning none of his playlists have proper names they’re all just numbered and he has to remember which playlist number he wants to listen to.

- Hasn’t listened to math rock around any of the members of the batfamily until one day on a road trip Duke asked to skip a song. Tim who was on aux said sure and a few songs later lied and said his phone was dead so somebody else could take over. With a car full of detectives everybody deduced that he felt self conscious about his taste suddenly and the rest of the ride was filled with silence. Duke and Tim prepared their apology speeches the remainder of the car ride. Both refused to listen to the others words because both believed the other was in the right.

- Has purchased a signed photo of Kate bush.

- Has a full record cleaning kit which he uses with every vinyl use.

- Visits the underground gotham music scene from time to time

- Damian pretends to dislike Tim’s music taste but has secretly added every song Tim has played around him, into his playlist. Everybody has caught on besides Tim.

- Dick always hypes up tims music taste and says that he should be a DJ even though he really shouldn’t.

- Used to go to the beach with Stephanie turn the music up in the car, get on the hood and look up at the scars.

- The members of the batfamily know he’s going through a break up whenever they can hear the album Grace by Jeff Buckley coming from his room.

- Donates to underground artists to fund their career so they don’t stop making great music.

- Believes Kon and him have the same music taste only because Kon will play Tim’s favorite music whenever he’s around just to make Tim happier.

Playlist spotlight!

[roverjamball]

"oh don't overreact, it could‘ve been anybody" / 'an anomaly is meant to be tested'

Liking/interest Al meel

Paven pov:

With Damian’s hand was on mine, his emotions jolted every nerve ending to attention. I felt as if I may have existed forever, but only in his presence, did I truly live. From the way his eyes were glued to my face, I got the precious feeling of contentment as it flooded him. Except  Damian’s feelings were at the centre of my core, they left me satisfied, distinguishable from my emotions, but a part of me nonetheless.

Now, with all these foreign emotions, causing through me, I could hear the object of my affection interrogate a very bad man. While I worked on his brain, manipulating his mind.

Raised in a pacific society, I didn't think it would ever be possible for me to feel what I was doing right now, was any form of Justice. With Damian I felt a deep sense of kinship. We understood our assignment. We got into the mud, got our hands dirty, so one less evil walked the streets tonight.  There's a little bit of pride in that. 

And if we play the cards, right, he would lead us straight to the top of the Cabal.

“"oh don't overreact, it could‘ve been anybody" / 'an anomaly is meant to be tested'”

“Raven,” Tim said over the coms, “do you have him?”

I greeted my teeth in concentration. ‘“Yes, I’ve em”. The Mic’s sensitive enough to hear my whisper with enough software to filter out ambient noise.

“Clear his mind. Remove this if you can, but wipe him if you must”, Timothy Drake was ruthless as he was practical. “I know what I ask Rae. This is on me. You will do it, but this is on me.”

If I did it, swept a mind clear, or tampered enough removing this evening, even with my leaders orders, it would be on me. The fact that Oracle, Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Commissioner Garden of the Gotham police, didn't protest, was telling. 

Morality, I think is very personal. Each person needs to decide what their line is, and how they walk it. I would wipe the memory of this conversation from his mind and implant new ones to fill the gap. He would think the buyer never showed. He may rationalise that either the buyer was spooked or he had been played. And, if by some chance, he ever remembered his conversation with Damien, then it would be a vague fear. A half forgotten nightmare, not reality that occurred. 

It would be on her, and she would do it because she agreed with Tim’s assessment. With Oracle’s tacit agreement. The bookkeeper if left alive would in time lead them back to his organisation. The wealth of information he imparted under her influence would be doubled once it was confirmed. If he simply disappeared, his organisation would be on guard. The element of surprise was the best tactical advantage. Even she knew that. 

So clearing the mind of a man who willingly spread misery, ruined lives and felt no remorse, was a small thing. This was a choice. 

Raven, long ago resolved to use her skills, learned at Azarath, honed with her friends, the Titans, to help stop the spread of misery. Whether saving dolphins caught in dead nets. Or children from indoctrination of cults. Controlling a man's emotions while he happily confessed to channelling money, selling weapons and humans on the dark web, murdering and blackmailing anyone that got in their way. Selling drugs to desperate people, who once dependent became fodder in urban wars, taking over other criminal enterprises.

So no, Timothy Drake could be rest assured, Raven didn't need convincing, she would not hesitate, her resolve would not waiver. The Bookkeeper after he provided all the information learned while keeping the books of this vile organisation, would go on unconcerned, unaware of what occurred.

Sending her senses out, Raven only heard emotions for the patrons in the club. No one else was near the loading that was her hiding spot or in the wilderness below. Was the bookkeeper early? Or the Buyer too late? 

“We are done here”, Damian said. 

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

Oracle and Red Robin took meticulous notes during Damien's interview. The resource all tapped out, it was only too easy for Raven to encourage him to sleep. He’d look to any who bothered to look, as a man who went to many rounds and passed out.

Whenever the bookkeeper woke, Oracle would track him via surveillance and Superboy through the air.

Raven’s part was done. So was Damien’s. 

It was better if they left separately. No need for them to be connected in any way with the sleeping bookkeeper. No one would see Damien leave the kitchen, and Raven had already left through the front door only to sneak up and wait by the loading area to run interference if needed, while manipulating the bookkeeper from her unseen vantage.

But now our part was done. I was tapped out. Too little sleep, too much to drink. Even with my metabolism and heritage, a couple of litres of alcohol with no real water or food caught up with me. I was more than ready for the others in the team to take over. 

I heard Tim and the Oracle copy, credit cards, identities and aliases. One or the other would leave a trail of charges on the bookkeeper credit card, showing a night of partying and heavy drinking. That would with luck further, the assumption explaining why he’d passed out.

It was an exercise in self-control, leaving Damian. Only the knowledge of what a possible Batgirl could do to me, Kori's face, fresh in my mind. I may think I want him, but it has been too long since I have been with anyone. My empathy made lying to me, impossible. And there was always a fear that I would sweep someone in my emotions or theirs would influence mine.

Besides, I had no one but myself to blame. I should've taken the time to practice. I longed, as every living thing did, companionship, passion a partner, to belong to someone and be their world, if only for a while. 

I should stop dodging Zack's calls. Maybe I should make the move and call him back. He found a way around my empathy, if his last few messages were any indication.

This was a crush. Robin’s were impressive. Their body honed to perfection, a meld of power and flexibility. It was only natural I react to him. He was hot, sincere with the most gorgeous eyes and the sexiest voice. His warm timber ticked me in the most pleasant way while we planned. 

Raven cleared her mind of everything. I focused on my room in the Tower, pictured in my minds eye, and then, I took a step. 

The warmth of my room greeted me. I waved my hand and the lights were off. Taking off my shoes, magicking my cape back to its normal shape, I fell on the bed eyes closed. My sigh of exhaustion turning into snores as twin aquamarine gems danced in my dreams.

@damiraeweek-damiraeevents

[dailycass-cain]

So on January 26th yesterday,  I looked into how the comics had Cass combat her disability in Dyslexia being not able to read and relate words vocally. 

What worked, what didn't, and which era handled the progression better.

At the very core of her very first appearance in Batman #567 by Kelley Puckett and Damion Scott, Barbara Gordon is trying to help Cassandra overcome her disability.  And it is her first words spoken that give her father David Cain pause.

Batgirl Vol. 1 #2 gives us the first look into how Cass really doesn't fully care about learning in either study instead focusing on her new vigilante life. That is until running into Robinson and learning WHY words and writing truly matter.

#5 has her run across a metahuman who has mental abilities and because of those rewires her brain to have the capacity to understand.

It's a cheap copout for sure.  But it gives Cass a voice in her mind along with the capacity to speak better.  Bad news? It screws up her abilities and how her mind was originally wired.

This leads into #6-9 basically being how Cass can get her ability to read body language and learn with the added bonus of her mind continuing to be the way it is.  Enter Lady Shiva who gives her this, but at a price aka the crux of what will lead into Batgirl #25.

Batgirl Vol. 1 #20 written by Chuck Dixon (art still by Scott). Where Cass comes to a drop man who's murdered before he can deliver a ransom. Her lack of being able to read leads her to seek out--

-- one Stephanie Brown aka Spoiler.  I think at this point the reason Cass went to Steph was that she was afraid Babs would lecture her on neglecting her reading lessons (which she would later on).

Tim Drake, she had just fully befriended (#18), but he was close to Babs. So Cass probably figured he accidentally let slip this and she'd be in trouble. Steph wouldn't she was on the outside from the Bat Family (at this time).

The issue does promise of Cass in attaining another reading teacher (which pays off in the most weirdest place, Convergence: Batgirl #1), but this plot point goes nowhere here. Cass/Steph's friendship would intensify for the next ten issues (#21, 26-28).

For the most part, we don't really get to see fully Cass try and fight her Dyslexia again until the Dylan Horrocks' run with #51 where we learn HOW Cass is expanding her word vocabulary via TV but neglecting on reading.

This bit reads its crux with the infamous #54 (i.e. the one that causes Cass/Babs to fracture away from one another).

In the issue, Cass has to deal with a killer robot that's taking out any place that has a copy of a book that has the codeword to shut it down. We learn during the fight, Cass has been neglecting her studies in reading.  Again with the infamous page:

Now Horrocks did this because he was ordered to write Babs off this title (Birds of Prey, the comic Babs was primarily in would be eventually moving away from Gotham). It was the first of that would make the writer leave the comic (and DC Comics altogether).

Regardless again the way the case rattled Cass enough to think about it all and work back into trying to read.

If there was instant positive of writer Andersen Gabrych when he began his run. He made sure this was a reoccurring plot point THROUGHOUT his run starting with #58.

By giving Cass her own diary it enables her better way to try and combat her disability. Along with in the very same issue, Cass trying to actively read a book for the first time on page.

The diary motif would be a hallmark of Gabrych's entire run with the book. So I'm not gonna post every entry. But I think that's why I really loved those first few issues because he covered ALL corners with the character. 

 You saw it all.

Never once did Gabrych use behind the issues trick. This was a struggle for Cass. I think it better helped resonate the character with readers by doing so. It also went down an angle that was different than Puckett and felt like the better next step from what was built on prior.

Course Cass would still have her bad habits of being an avid TV watcher. So the balance of her trying and struggling was a nice touch.

This came to an ironic fully circle with #67 with Babs returning (for one issue) in the comic and the pair hashing out their differences and mending. But it also reveals a further reason why Babs really wants Cass to learn to read. Again, this is probably the best reason.

She knows Cass wants to be Bruce's heir and be Batman. She knows the only way to fully be that is to get fully conquer her disability. And for the second time in her ongoing we get a look in how Cass's brain was wired from her learning from her father and the metahuman.

And we get the clearest answer how Cass's brain truly operates and why the usual methods in overcoming her disability in reading.

That's the final gift Gabrych gave us. 

A hope.

 A small faint hope that maybe Cass could learn with whatever writer would take on the character next. The only thing is even he couldn't anticipate what was to come...

Batgirl was canceled with #73 and well the next time we saw Cass and how this disability was handled came in Robin #148.

Alright, before I go into this portion. Newly minted Robin writer (this was his first issue) Adam Beechen came into comics had zero idea of the character of Cassandra Cain, other than what he was told and found.

The DC Editors on Robin did not help him or assist him. They gave him an edict... and he did that edict without question. The result....

Was this INFAMOUS page from Robin #149. Cassandra Cain the character who had the disability of Dyslexia somehow was able to learn another entire language.

That's not even going with the OTHER problem Robin OYL gave us with Cass (but that's an entirely ANOTHER issue). Regardless after the story arc, Beechen (and DC) realized just how badly he screwed up.

Course, the entirety on HOW Cass was suddenly able to learn an entire language with how her brain understood information. Yeah, this was a plot thread nobody truly wanted to answer when the retcons began dropping after Cass's "EVIL" phase to fix it.

In fact, it was Beechen himself who addressed the issue in Batgirl Vol. 2 #1 amongst the CHUNKS of well exposition and history that was the mess DC made of the character from 2006-2007.

So all those issues Babs mentioned in #67? Cass and Alfred fixed them and for the entire MISSING YEAR Cass made great strides to overcome her disability. THAT'S how she was able to understand the Navajo language.

Look I get what Beechen was doing and I also get we were NEVER gonna get the missing stories to showcase that. But to see an entire character's journey in overcoming her disability fixed overnight?

Even with Beechen giving us a classmate in Sal (who's last name we NEVER learn, and is forgettable male love interest #3 for Cass) who gives us the promise of something we never get from the Vol. 1 ongoing. Because DC was gonna DC.

That's basically it for the original run for Cass. That it was a nice harrowing journey that had its bumps but the character was making great strides to be better. Then well the road bumps began to occur and yeah...

I'll give it to Beechen that he tried at the very least to fix the holes he himself caused. But... in the format given it's just crushing how this was fully handled in the end.

Sadly we got nothing more as DC really did a meh job for about five years? We did get this little nugget in Convergence: Batgirl #1 though (somehow connecting that line from waaaaaay back in Batgirl Vol. 1 #20)...

Which is shocking of all places for Cass trying to overcome her disability, Convergence: Batgirl #1 was not the place one ever would think to find that, but we had that surprisingly.

So when Cass was "reintroduced" into the DCU with Batman & Robin Eternal. A reset was in order and writers were allowed back to square one in how to deal with Cass handling her Dyslexia disability.

I will say this for James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder on how they handle putting a metahuman with mental abilities they just slot that character in #11 by introducing the Sculptor who basically fills the same void the meta in Batgirl Vol. 1 #5 did.

Much like the original metahuman, once this link is established Sculptor nopes her way out of the story and is never heard from again.

Which kind of surprises me, because it's something I figured Tynion would maybe address during his Detective Comics run (that had Cass in it) given how much in #11 and 12 establish the character and her origins. 

But nope. Nothing further.

So yeah, after this we got James Tynion IV's Detective Comics run that had Cass in it starting from #934-981.

Not surprisingly, Tynion really handled the whole disability issue well than those in the past with the constraints he had. Even more so Juggling multiple characters in this book and going down a better avenue than his predecessors.

And that all begins with #953 with Clayface (Basil Karlo) trying to comfort Cass after learning her mom is Lady Shiva.

By doing this. Tynion lays the seeds on how he'll deal with the issue on Cass combating her disability while also cementing the hallmark of this run, Clayface's rehabilitation and friendship with Cass.

#958 we see Basil teaching Cass Shakespeare by playing audio and having her learn to read and increase her vocabulary via that.

It's probably the best thing Tynion did character-wise with Cass by briefly showing us this but fully giving us a more plausible method than prior on how to deal with her disability.

The fact that this hits throughout this arc (as Cass quotes Shakespeare at a good moment) and is carried over until the very end of his run when Cass meets Barbara in #981.

This version of Cass is actively trying to combat her Dyslexia more than her prior versions, and this Cass is actively doing a better job. Even though we don’t get much Babs teaching Cass (though they do work together in the next arc after this that sets up Batman & the Outsiders). But that run doesn’t dig into Cass’s progress instead going into other routes to touch on with the character. 

Unlike what was carried over from Batgirl Vol. 1 to 2 (and between that) Cass has a more concrete subplot here. Where we can SEE and are TOLD of her progress.

That leads us into the current Batgirls ongoing. In #1. where this is a little bit lampshaded. As Cass uses a reading bag to combat criminals to retain stuff she/Steph had that was stolen.

A further bit of subplot is continued throughout and in #4 with Cass now ACTIVELY being a bookworm and reading works of Edgar Allen Poe.

Like it astonishes me that this element of the character has remained actually consistent from point A to B. But it's a nice contrast of things that creators at DC worked on better here than prior.

And no issue highlights that fight of Cass actively wanting to combat her dyslexia then "Sounds" from DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1 by Mariko Tamaki and Marcus To.

It's why Tamaki just fully GETS the character of Cass not in every corner of the character.  Why many want the writer to handle the character again.

But Tamaki isn't the only one who did a good job in showcasing Cass fighting her disability and the one that does the best job is Shadow of the Batgirl graphic novel. Where writer Sarah Kuhn and artist Nicole Goux go both literally fighting her disability.

And her actively learning to read and increasing her vocabulary by hiding in the library was absolute perfection.

But it also is a nice avenue (and nod to the past) by focusing on a library since that's the location where Barbara Gordon teaches (and again a nice nod to that character's history too).

Quite literally...

That's another layer to why I adore that graphic novel. Just the layer of dimension to BOTH characters while it gives that nod to Babs, the story is clearly more Cass. 

 Again, Kuhn modernizes everything to perfection.

So there you have the history of Cass and her disability.  And my final gift on this day (which has now passed) to celebrate the character of Cassandra Cain.

[yellowocaballero]

just rereading your reverse robins au...i have to say, i don't think anyone understands tim drake like you do. by far the most superior reverse robins au to ever exist. and it's not like tim is the only character you understand either! you get them all! it's earthshattering & spectacular.

I would love to demur and go "oh, surely I'm not the only one who understands Tim Drake and writes a suitably unhinged Tim just as unhinged as in the comics -"

No. I am. You guys need to shape up about writing Tim. What is with this sadboy 'I just want a family' 'where's my coffee' woobie stuff. Go back and read the comics. This man is fucking insane.

I've talked before on this blog about how I finagled writing a Tim who is very much unlike any Tim, but who still feels the same. The man REALLY canonically has an addictive/obsessive personality (complete with deeply escapist tendencies and disregard for if the object of addiction is dangerous/bad for him - it is the profile of an addict). We feel that, because it's his personality in the comics, and even though no sane person would write the kid with a coke addiction we still vibe that it fits with what we know of him. Sometimes choosing to write somebody DRASTICALLY out of character can get down into the core of the character better than anything else.

In fanfic people write Tim as perpetually seeking a family, and I think on one level it's true - he LOVED Dick's (guilty.) attention and brotherhood. But I don't think he really had a father relationship with Bruce and I don't think he really wanted it. Man literally tried to falsify an uncle so he wouldn't have to suffer adult supervision. Bruce kept him at an emotional arms length because of Jason. When his dad tried to reconnect with Tim as a teenager, Tim did love him and felt guilty for the discord he caused, but he just straight up wasn't emotionally invested in the relationship(and not really for abuse reasons - comic split between bad parents/abusive parents is uhh ill-done, but I think Jack is almost never written as an abusive parent with authorial intent, which imho is the important thing). Tim holds adults and family figures at arms length. He's close with Young Justice, but they never even know his ID - he loves them, but he's not intimate with them. He is a cold person and he never really tries for anything different, when he has something different he has NO idea what to do with it, and I don't think he really wants it. But like that doesn't fit Batman sad baby adoption narrative soooo

I think at the end of the day what Tim is defined by is loss and absence, and it can never be defined by presence because Tim is no longer a person who can accept that. He is the single most interconnected character in the Batfam (DC was pushing for a lot of #teenheroes at the time and he was buddies with ALL of them), but all of those relationships have an absence where Tim is pathologically incapable of vulnerability. His life is comedically, comic book sad - he has lost a dad, a mom, a step-mom, an adoptive dad (400% PARENTAL MORTALITY RATE), a girlfriend, a best friend, and another best friend. That is NUTS. And cuz comics are kinda whatever about things, he just goes on his way. Comics don't acknowledge these things. But what you end up with is a Tim, who one way or another is always alone, and who always accepts that.

I couldn't quite express everything I wanted to express with Tim in the prophetic spring, but by the Cass story I had improved as a writer enough to show what I wanted to show. Tim is an old character with a lot of stuff going on, so I could basically pick any emotional throughline I wanted, but I picked for me what I think has defined his life. Tim's story was about a child who had been depressed since he could remember. Tim is the story of a lot of victims of emotional neglect and who live their lives in deep depression that is never acknowledged. He is never vulnerable for a second (even with Cass - and that's what Cass struggles with during that story, how vulnerability isn't knowing but saying), and the depression is sublimated/repressed and never acknowledged cuz Bruce does the same damn thing and he didn't notice lol.

In a way, in that story, Tim's mental health and drug addiction spiral is a good thing. Tim loudly and publicly developing a drug addiction was his way of asking for help, his way of finally screaming that he was in pain. Worst possible way. But it was kind of the only way he could, because Tim didn't know how to ask for help, because he didn't know how to be vulnerable. He could only figure out how to be push everybody away and try to violently throw them out of his life and how to be cruel to them, and it's fucked up that it was his way of asking for help - but Cass knew, and Cass understood. And Cass wasn't going to ignore it anymore.

There are a lot of insanely reliable things about me and it is that I CANNOT shut up when I talk about Tim. Thanks for reading this long-ass diatribe jakldfjlasdf.

[emacrow]

It's would've taken the bats three months to actually get in because Jasmine's paranoia is up to an 11.

Especially if Sam and Tucker are helping her because Jasmine wouldn't be able to afford that manor unless she became temporary Queen of the infinite realm while danny is still in barely the mind of a 6 year old ghostling form as his core is kind of stabilizing.

Danny went through a lot of traumatizing events, so his core regressed into instinct mode while his mind didn't go insane and became another Dan. The unfortunate side is that he is very curious and gets into everything to protect jazz.

Thank God for tucker technology to help Jazz out with keeping Danny from wandering out the Manor unless he wanted to play, but only with Sam supervising with her plants guarding the fences as Sam and tucker play damsel so Danny could protect them clumsily.

Tim's is going through his fifteen major secret mixed concoction of death coffee as the Drake Manor has obviously been reinforced, and security technology was so damn tight that Oracle was screaming about Pharaoh Virus beating her hacking Virus and infecting her own super computer after what seem to be a 7 hours typing battle.

Batman and the robins couldn't get into the manor after Black Bat almost got caught in a glowing net that wouldn't break even with the Baterang. Thankfully, they did flee in time after he got untangled, but the alarm went off.

The only one successful was Damian, who decided to go on this solo in casual clothes. He snuck around the garden fences, which seemed a flourishing amount of blue plants that looked very rare or were about to be extinct but thrived here.

They looked beautiful as Damian got a closer look from the bright blue flowers that seemed to nearly spin and cloud his vision.

He didn't realize he was unable to look away until Damian felt a gentle push tilt his head away and the sound of sounding being thrown. He realized those flowers were entrancing him to come closer.

"...protect..."

He glances at the hand, the small porcelain with golden hand that hums softly with lines of blue. A porcelain boy with glowing blue eyes gently pushed his head away through the fence line, where the large group of blue flowers he was staring at earlier was ravenous ripping and eating apart a odd green medium slab of meat that was thorn at it.

Damian's heart didn't skip a bit when the porcelain boy pulled his glowing hand back and held a finger to his own lip that didn't move, whispering softly.

"...safe..... at.... distance.."

Damian, look at the porcelain boy. Taking a good 5 to 8 step away from the fence was when the illusion broke. The once beautiful large blue flowers right against the fences were bright red with razor-sharp, thin teeths hissing at each other, and puffing out a blue hypnotized gas.

The porcelain boy was nowhere in sight. Only a plate once had the odd colored meat slab laid on the grass over the fence.

~{ Heyyyy, So just watched a horror movie so expect some of that vibe in the story lol anyway to the story! }~

•Living Doll•

The old Drake manner has been moved into.

The house was bought by a man wearing a black suit and a purple hat that covered his face and for the life of anyone who talked with him they can’t remember his name or face but they could remember why he was buying the house, it was for his niece and nephew and as he has to travel around a lot for work they would live alone for the most part.

So when they heard this Bruce and Dick went over to say hello spy on the niece and nephew.

Who opens the door is a tall messy red haired woman who looks like she wants nothing more than to shut the door and pass the fuck out so Bruce puts on “Brucie” and starts talking to her about how he so happy to have a new neighbor and stuff while Dick looks around from where he is standing.

And that’s when he sees it a porcelain face and arm peeking out from behind a wall, the arm has light blue detailing on it and Dick couldn’t get a good look before the figure sees him looking at them and moving behind the wall the rest of the way and it seems the woman hear the figure and saw where Dick was looking and immediately shut the door in Bruce’s and Dicks faces.

This is definitely something for the Bats.

-•—••••••••••••••••—•-

•Background•

Jack and Maddie caught Danny changing back from Phantom, they hit him in the back of the head with a Fenton-bat and brought him down to the lab and they started to see what they could do..

Jazz had just came home from the school and looking for colleges to go to when she heard her parents in the basement and she thought nothing of it.

But when she didn’t hear or see Danny when Jazz knew that he was home that’s when she can tell something’s up so Jazz goes up to his room and that’s when she sees it the bloody bat with specks of a so familiar green.

That when Jazz feels her blood go cold and she books it down the stairs to the basement but the door is locked and she can hear Jacks and Maddie s tools cutting into something and Jazz knows what that something is. She starts trying to break down the door until she remembers the bat in the kitchen so she runs to the kitchen.

And thank all of the Ancients that it is still there so she grabs it and runs back and breaks down the door and that’s when she sees it.

Arms cut off and torn to shreds, legs broken beyond repair, muscles and organs removed and put in jars and the dead eyed look in her baby brothers eyes and his core in mother Maddies hand everything gets foggy.

The next time Jazz is presented she is sitting on the bathroom floor covered in blood with Danny’s light blue almost white glowing core in her hands and a very bloody bat next to her.

That’s when she hears it the sound of a string being pulled and Clockwork shows up in front of her and explains that now with Danny original body being torn apart (Which gets a death glare from Jazz) and how with his core still intact Jazz can make a new body for him but how they would need to leave this world as if they don’t this will happen again.

And Jazz immediately agrees.

-•—••••••••••••••••—•-

•Little Facts•

•Jazz a lot less sane than in the show

•Jazz is protective as hell of Danny 

•If you put a ghost core in an object to that is vaguely human they can take over it and over time the objects start to look like the ghost until it has turned into the ghost body!

•In the manner there all the books Jazz could need to make a new body for Danny and really anything Jazz or Danny could want

•Jazz is supposed to have a Fog Core while Danny has a Ice Core

•Jazz always has a gun of her making on her at all times, ALWAYS

•when Clockwork shows up randomly you can hear the sound of a string pulled

•The DCU side of this is inspired by This Au of mine

•Jazz found all of hers and Danny’s clothes already in the manner and she doesn’t want to leave Danny’s core alone so she doesn’t really care about it all to much

•Cores kinda work like the kids ghost eyes from Coraline

-•—••••••••••••••••—•-

•Appearances•

Danny-

Jazz-

And here’s what Danny’s new body looks like

~{and that’s it! Sorry if the story part is short I am very tired lol so if any of you gremlins want to take it feel free to anyway until next time byeeeeee}~

[stealingyourbones]

Hi! 💙💙💙 How have you been?

*gently hands you a bowl decorated with rat ribs together with a spoon made out of a mammoth's tibia*

Soooooooooooo, you know how when Joker kidnapped Tim Drake in that one movie, he planted some kind of chip that will program Tim to become the Joker when he grows up/when it becomes activated? Like, it wasn't enough he was Joker Junior? The Joker actually had a contingency for when he dies so that The Joker character never actually dies? (holy shittttt)

WHAT IF when Jason came back to Gotham, or goes to Titans Tower to beat Tim up, the ectoplasm that Jason had in him somehow tranfers to Tim when Tim tried to fight back?

AND THEN the ectoplasm activates the chip?

Instead of the chip controlling Tim to act or behave like the Joker, THE CHIP INSTEAD SIZZLES AND PHASES OUT OF TIM, AND CREATES GHOST JOKER INITIALLY MADE UP OF CORRUPTED ECTOPLASM. *EVIL CACKLING*

*ehem*

Of course, it doesn't happen in a day. It takes WEEKS for this ghost to take form, naturally migrating to Gotham and gathering all the ectoplasm it needs to purify its corrupted core, naturally, on its own, and develop its own consciousness/cognition/awareness/whatever it means to develop a sense of self.

First, it felt empty. Without an obsession. A purpose for its existence.

And then, it saw Batman. It saw Nightwing doing a quadruple somersault.

And, it saw Robin trying (and failing) to go on patrol despite his injuries.

This ghost quietly drifts behind them with fascination and wonder, and little bits of an obsession forming. The obsession continues to form the more this ghost watches the little Robin.

(Well, this ghost doesn't know. Even if it was formed from the chip made by OG!Joker, it did come out of little Tim Drake, who had loved the idea of Robin and what it stood for more than the Bat.)

And then, the Red Hood saw him.

"Joker," the Red Hood growls, guns ready in his hands.

Joker. Yes. That sounds right. That sounds exactly what he should be.

"Looks like being dead can't keep you from obsessing over Batman, huh?"

Batman? No. That doesn't sound right. Perhaps he's fascinated. But obsess over the Batman? No, no, no...

The ghost, Joker, tilts his head. He sees the Red Hood stiffen, and he wonders what kind of expression he's making.

"Not Batman." He giggles, and laughs, and pictures a little Robin losing every little piece of light he's supposed to represent.

Light. Robin is the light. A bright light full of laughter, stubborness, and hope.

This ghost has a small memory of this little Robin bleeding beautifully in his own blood... Still stubbornly bright no matter how much pain the little Robin was receiving...

Yes.

The Joker just knows that it was born from that beautiful pain. And he's born to destroy that beautiful light.

One day, he will. He will capture the little Robin and make that light his... Or snuff it out until he's Robin no more! Yes!

Robin grapples past the alley he and Red Hood was in. And, in a blink of an eye, the Joker turns invisible, his laughs continuously echoing even when he's left.

***

For the first time since the incident in the tower, the Red Hood appears in the Batcave, mask off and face grim.

Bruce pushes Tim behind him. Nightwing tenses where he stands. Tim wants violence vengeance to beat Jason up or kick him in the crotch waits quietly behind Bruce with narrowed eyes.

Red Hood-- Jason didn't care.

"The Joker is back."

***

Welp, this got long! 😂 But please have this! 💙💙💙I hope you're doing okay 💙 Drinking lots of water, getting lots of sleep, and eating lots of good food 💙

the movie you're referencing is Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

how many qualities does this version of Joker retain from Tim? Does he resemble the Joker or does he look like a very young Joker that looks the same age as Tim, the same way he looks relatively the same age as Tim in the BB:RotJ movie? There are so many fun ways to mess around with this prompt. Go ham y'all

[volucerrubidus]

AU: Reverse Robins, written with @avisxe​

BACKGROUND: Tim Drake was the second Robin Shadow, a partner to the Big, Bad Bat, trained for stealth and speed, following on the heels of Damian Wayne, and, ironically– getting stuck in his shadow, or, at least, that was how it felt. After all, how does one compete with the person who founded such a legacy, who created such big shoes to fill?

The answer, from Tim’s perspective, is that he didn’t. 

Rather than come into his own through safe and healthy means, the universe decided for him that he was to be dragged forcefully into competency. 

Only 15 years old at the time, he was slain by The Joker, and he was laid to rest for four years. Until, for reasons that he still doesn’t know to this day, he woke in his coffin. Unable to think, and very much not himself, he wandered Gotham, where Ra’s Al Ghul happened to be stopping by to torment the Bat, when a very interesting opportunity rather fell right into his clutches. 

21 years old, now, and affected by a Pit dip and all of the emotional turmoil that comes with that and outright dying, Tim has returned to Gotham as Caligo, an ex-project of the League turned murderous anti-hero.

PRESENT: Caligo now works both in Gotham as a tentative part of the family once more, and globally, with the Core Four of Young Justice, who, through their own tragedies, outgrew the shiny, bright team of the past, and moved forward to form The Outlaws.

MORE INFO + VISUAL REFERENCES BELOW:

Tim's hair does have white streaks in it, thin little lines of white, almost as if he were greying prematurely

Tim can't feel anything on his back due to nerve damage

When he experiences strong emotions, his eyes go a sickly neon green

He and the Outlaws are in... a tentative polycule, by default, though if shipping comes up with him, he can easily be on a break from the polycule; they tend to be very on and off anyway!

Tim's primary weapon of choice is the rifle, due to the long-range advantages it can offer. That said, he fights via multiple disciplines, and still keeps up with the bo. One could say that he misses it, even, though they may get a glare for that

Tim mostly avoids the rest of the hero community outside of the bats and the core four, and he tends to be prickly to those he's unfamiliar with

The only times he's ever fully unarmed are when he's with the core four, and even then, it's rare

His method of being killed by the Joker takes after Batman Beyond, but instead of being successfully reprogrammed as a son, he was instead killed for resisting as long as he did. This results in random bursts of laughter when a particular trigger gets him too deeply. This is incredibly rare, and can really only be triggered by Joker-related trauma

Tim uses he/they pronouns in this AU

Tim's usual control and paranoia issues in canon are turned up to an 11 in this AU, so he's got a lot of character development and growth left to do; your muse does not at all have to let him get away with his controlling or distrusting attitudes

That said, on the positive side, he is far less judgmental than his canon persona, and if one does gain his trust, he is remarkably caring, just in his own sort of way/language. He's rather loyal, and he will do anything to keep others safe

As much as he likes to pretend that he's changed, he is still interested in all the things he was when he was a teen: skateboarding, bugs, video games, DnD, puzzles, forensics, etc. He will deny this, though, because god forbid he show humanity

More details can be discovered via threads and interactions, so come say hi if you're interested!

[ragingbookdragon]

If All Of The Kings Had Their Queens On The Throne

Batsis x Ghost-Maker One-Shot

Word Count: 4K Warnings: Explicit Language, Slight Angst, Mature Themes

Author's Note: This is a direct continuation of the previous fic! Enjoy! -Thorne

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

When the door to The Haunt didn’t immediately open, she frowned and clicked the button. “Hey! Lemme in!”

For a moment, there was nothing, then she heard, “Apologies Miss Wayne. Ghost-Maker is busy training. Shall I alert him?”

She sighed. “Nah, just let me in and I’ll get him.”

“Of course.”

The doors split open, and she walked into the base, immediately rolling her eyes at the colors, or better yet the lack of color at all. She had no idea what spurred him to pick white as one of the main colors in everything he wore and used, but God if it didn’t make him look like a psychopath. A snort passed her lips at her little joke, and she wandered around the desk setup and through one of the curtained areas until she heard boxing gloves meeting a punching bag.

Gently tugging the curtain aside, she paused, leaning against the doorway, and watched his back. He was shirtless and had headphones in, as he usually was and did when he trained alone, and his muscles rippled each time he threw a powerful strike. She couldn’t help but watch him; he’d always been so diligent when it came to his training, and if she hadn’t known him better than she did, she would’ve assumed all he did was train. She was very fond of it though. Very fond of him.

“You going to stand there or are you going to get a set of gloves and spar with me?”

She shook herself from her thoughts to see him rounding the bag, throwing a devastating kick; she snorted. “No thanks, Ghost. I just got over having a cracked skull.” Walking over, she neared the space, but stayed just far enough that she wouldn’t get struck.

“I’m actually here to invite you over to the manor tonight.” She said, watching as his eyes flitted to hers behind the mask. “I take it you know.”

“About the little pool party Bruce throws for everyone? Yes. I keep hearing about it over the Ghost-Net.”

She smiled. “It’s a lot of fun, Ghost. You’d have fun.”

He scoffed. “What? Being surrounded by every single hero this side of the galaxy? No thank you, (Y/N). I’d rather not.”

Rolling her eyes, she grabbed the punching bag and held it, looking at him. “You’re not going to make any friends if you spend all your time cooped up in here.”

“I’m not looking to make friends,” he retorted, throwing another punch that sent shock-waves through her arms to her core. “I’m here to clean up Gotham.”

(Y/N) gazed at him. “Sure I can’t persuade you?”

“Positive.”

She shrugged. “Then you leave me no choice.” Leveling him with a strong expression, she warned, “As the newest member of the Batfamily, you have to attend the pool party. It’s tradition and anyone who doesn’t, has to take patrol routes for everyone for a month straight.”

Ghost-Maker stopped dead in his tracks and looked at her. “You’re lying.”

(Y/N) sucked in a breath dramatically, “Ghost, I never lie.” She looked to the ceiling. “Icon, run the conversations from my phone named, ‘Bat-Chat’ and tell him I’m not lying.”

After a moment, the AI’s voice came over, clear and positive. “Miss Wayne is correct, sir. Record texts have shown that those who do not attend the parties thrown by the family for the other superheroes are subject to various torture techniques.”

“What!” (Y/N) shouted. “No, we don’t!”

“You said on June eighth that your brother Timothy Jackson Drake was going to be swirlied for missing the party.”

She sputtered. “I was joking! We don’t swirly each other. We just force our patrol routes on each other.” (Y/N) glanced at Ghost-Maker. “If you don’t come, you’re going to take patrol from me, Dick, Jason, Tim, Cass, Steph, Duke, and Damian. You really wanna patrol all month by yourself? All that territory? Think of the time and energy it’ll take, Ghost.”

Ghost-Maker stared her down for a minute, mulling over his choices, then he finally sighed, resigned to his fate. “Fine. I’ll come over tonight.”

(Y/N) grinned. “Nope, you gotta get ready now. We’re arriving together.”

“You annoy me.” He griped, bypassing her to the doorway, and she followed him towards the stairs and to his bedroom where he entered the bathroom and got in the shower. She waited on the bed, gazing around his room while he showered.

“Who all is attending this party? That you know for sure.”

(Y/N) blinked, taking a moment to think. “Uh, all of the Justice League, the Titans and Teen Titans, the Outlaws, a few Green Lanterns…and probably a few anti-heroes but we’ll see.” She shrugged. “So pretty much everyone we interact with on a normal basis.”

“I heard Harley is coming too.”

“Yeah, she’s technically part of the family at this point.” (Y/N) said. “She’d be upset if we didn’t invite her over.”

Ghost-Maker stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist and she stood from the bed, wandering in behind him as he lathered his face in shaving cream.

“Trying to show out in front of everyone, Ghost?” she joked, leaving back against the door-frame of the small cabinet behind them.

“Bruce doesn’t keep himself kempt all the time. I do,” he remarked, flicking out the straight razor; he raised it to his jaw, and she hummed warningly, causing his brown eyes to meet hers in the mirror. “What?”

(Y/N) shook her head. “I’m just worried you’ll cut yourself.”

“I’ve been shaving my face since I was fifteen, (Y/N).”

“So that scar on your cheekbone isn’t from cutting yourself?”

He gazed at her. “You know why I have that scar.”

“I do.” She answered, then leaned away from the wall, shifting until she was sitting on the bathroom counter in front of him. Taking the razor, she tilted his chin up and carefully, scraped it down his cheek before rinsing it. “I gave it to you when you called me a coward.”

“I wasn’t expecting you to hit me that hard.” Ghost-Maker replied, coffee eyes focused on her face; she felt exposed under his knowing gaze.

She chuckled. “I think that was the first time I really surprised you that I wasn’t just my brother’s twin sister following him around to make sure he was safe.”

“You can’t blame me for thinking you were. You never joined in the training.”

“I learned better watching then doing.” (Y/N) rinsed the razor and tipped his head back as she drug the instrument down the exposed skin of his throat. “Most people are fearful when someone holds a razor to their neck,” she murmured, carefully shaving his Adam’s apple.

“I’m not afraid of you.”

Her hands stilled ever so slightly as she gaped at him. Normally he would’ve said, “I don’t feel fear” but now he said he wasn’t afraid of her. She wanted to hope it was because of what had occurred the last month, her confessing her feelings, him replying that he couldn’t love her like she did him—he’d not totally ruled out caring for her, at least that’s what she saw his words being. They’d not talked about it more than that night, merely going back to work, but she could tell that Ghost-Maker’s demeanor towards her had changed a minute amount. He watched her more. Was…softer with her.

(Y/N) smiled. “I’m glad to hear that.” She rinsed the razor and looked over his face for a moment, then she grabbed the towel and wet it, gently brushing over the shaving cream still on his face. Patting his face dry, she nodded. “Looks good. No nicks.”

“Thank you,” he approved, but didn’t move, keeping his eyes on her and she couldn’t help but look down, suddenly nervous under his gaze.

Her eyes widened when she saw the expanse of his chest though and she reached up, fingers delicately tracing a jagged and raised scar in the middle of his chest. Even healed it looked angry and a bolt of sadness hit her in the heart.

“You’re sad.” He noted. For a psychopath who didn’t feel empathy, he was actually good at discerning when people felt sad—or maybe it was just because he’d known her so long.

(Y/N) nodded, whispering, “There aren’t many scars on mine and Bruce’s bodies that look like this one.” Her fingers moved to one on the right side of his ribs and she frowned. “We’ve always had someone to stitch us up, or we did it for one another. But I can’t help but wonder…” her eyes met his. “Who did it for you? Who stitched the ones you couldn’t reach and do yourself?”

Her chest hurt. “Who was there for you when I wasn’t?” she leaned forward and pressed her forehead to the center of his chest. He was so warm, and she sighed, willing herself to not tear up. “I’m sorry, K.”

“For what?” he questioned, a hand coming up behind her, palm resting against the back of her neck.

“For leaving you behind,” (Y/N) answered, deciding then to wrap her arms around his waist, turning her face so her cheek rested to his chest. “I should’ve stayed with you.”

Ghost-Maker made a noise in his throat, and she wasn’t sure if it was agreement or bitterness. “And if you had, you wouldn’t have raised your family.”

She sighed. “Yeah…I know…but even during that time I couldn’t help but wonder how your journey was going. How you and your tech were evolving throughout the years.” (Y/N) pulled back slightly and looked at him. “I used to imagine what it’d be like to be there with you. To fight beside you. To live out your dream with you.”

His hand shifted from the back of her neck to cup her cheek and he tilted her head up, leaning down to kiss her. She closed her eyes, arms shifting from around his waist to wrap around his neck and his free hand gripped her waist, pulling her against him. Ghost-Maker shifted, pressing his lips to the underside of her jaw as his fingers dipped under her thigh, pulling it up until (Y/N) got the hint to cock it around his hip.

“K,” she breathed as he sunk his teeth into her neck, biting hard enough that it had her inhaling sharply, fingers twisting in the dark hair at the nape of his neck. She felt him smile against her skin.

“What do you want?” he asked, pressing surprisingly gentle kisses to where he’d bit as the hand that was on her cheek lowered to push up the blouse that stopped at her waist. His fingers dipped underneath, rubbing against her skin and he asked again, this time firmer, “(Y/N), what do you want?”

Her heart was hammering in her chest, and she could barely think, could barely form words. “I—”

A shrill beeping startled the two of them, well, her more than him, and she finally got herself to breathe. “That’s Bruce calling.” She uncurled one of her hands from his neck to reach for the phone in her pocket, but he caught it.

“Call him back.” Ghost-Maker said, grabbing a fistful of her blouse, starting to pull up.

(Y/N) shrugged his hand off. “If Bruce’s calling, it means he needs my help.” He pulled away and giving her a look, one she met firmly. “I need to take it.”

They gazed at each other for a moment and then he harrumphed, pulling away from her, and walked from the bathroom to his closest.

She sighed and pulled out her phone, answering it. “Hello?”

Are you on your way yet? The party’s already started and everyone’s asking where you both are.

Clearing her throat, she replied, “Yeah, he’s getting his swim trunks.” She glanced out the doorway. “You own trunks, don’t you, Ghost?”

“Do I somehow give you the impression that I’m incompetent?” he shot back, and she rolled her eyes.

“Ass.” She put the phone back to her ear. “We’ll be there in fifteen.”

Be careful. Love you.

“We will. And I love you too.” She ended the call and hopped off the bathroom counter, flicking off the lights as she walked out, seeing him throwing a bag over his shoulder.

“I’m ready to be bored out of my mind.” He grunted and she rolled her eyes again.

“Oh, shut up. You’re going to have a great time. I promise.”

Ghost-Maker glared at her as he pulled the white and black mask over his eyes and nose. “And how do you know?”

(Y/N) grinned, shoving him in the stomach as she walked past him. “Because I’m going to be there all night.”

***

“See!” she chirped as he sunk into the hot tub. “This isn’t so bad.” She handed him a drink. “Free drinks, laughter, and swimming. Fun, huh?”

He grunted, sipping the margarita she’d given him. “Your family and their friends are loud.”

(Y/N) looked over his head towards the other pool, grinning as her eldest nephew threw her youngest into the pool, then turned and threw his best friend. Laughter peeled from the entire group in the pool.

“Yeah…but that’s how you know they’re having a good time.” Her eyes drifted to Bruce who was fondly watching Jason and Roy grill, occasionally laughing as one of them told a joke. “Feelin’ good, Bruce?”

He took a sip of his brandy, sinking until his shoulders were covered by the running hot water. “Feeling great, (Y/N).” he held out his drink. “Put some ice in there? Please?”

She smiled and pulled her legs out of the hot tub, and really, it wasn’t exactly a hot tub because most were above ground, but Bruce being who he was, had redesigned it so that it and the pool were both in ground and connected.

Taking his glass, she rose and wandered over to the bar where a few of her friends were pouring drinks and chatting. “Hey Clark. Diana. How are you both tonight?”

Diana smiled and raised her wine glass. “I am well, (Y/N). How are you?”

“Can’t complain.” She said. “Clark, put an ice cube in here, would you?”

He did as she asked and dropped one in with the tongs. “I’m still surprised you got Ghost-Maker here. I assumed he wasn’t going to come.”

Her eyes flicked back over to the hot tub, and she watched Bruce tip his head back as he laughed, Ghost-Maker chuckling too; she smiled. “He’d never admit it, but he’s glad he came tonight. Anti-social as he usually is, he likes being included in things.” (Y/N) smiled at them and winked, walking back over.

She took her seat back on the side in the middle between Bruce and Ghost-Maker, handing her brother his brandy. “Clark licked all over the rim of your glass, Bruce. Just letting you know.” Feeling particularly childish, Bruce raised the glass to his lips and licked all around the glass. “You’re a child.” She remarked, then glanced to her side, seeing one of the Green Lanterns coming down the way.

“Kyle!” she greeted. “Join the fray!”

The artist smiled, then looked at the men in the hot tub. “I don’t want to intrude,” he said, and Bruce waved.

“Come on in.”

(Y/N) patted the wall between her legs and Kyle walked down the steps, shifting until his back pressed against the wall and she dropped her legs over his shoulders, fingers carding in his hair. “How’s it been going on Oa?”

He shrugged, sipping his beer. “It’s good. Can’t complain too much about saving the universe.”

She smirked. “Uh huh…and what’s this about you and Soranik?”

Kyle choked a bit on his beer, coughing slightly as she giggled. “It’s uh—complicated.” He tipped his head back, resting on her thighs so he could look up at her. “What about you? How’ve you been?”

(Y/N) sighed wistfully, combing back his hair. “Ain’t nothing changin’ but the weather…and the usual telling off the men in front of you for continually betting each other who can do the more stupid shit.”

At that, Kyle’s head tipped up and he first looked at Bruce, then to Ghost-Maker who merely drank from his margarita. “Uh…who’s that?” he asked quietly, and she snorted.

“Kyle, this is Ghost-Maker. Ghost, this is Kyle Rayner, the torch bearing Green Lantern.” She smushed his cheeks. “Isn’t he adorable?”

Ghost-Maker gave her an amused puff. “He is handsome, I’ll give you that.”

Kyle was glad the water had already flushed his skin because the way the man had flirted had made his cheeks warm. “Thank you.” He glanced back at her. “Is his name…?”

She nodded. “Yeah, he takes anonymity to a whole new level.” She tugged at a strand of his hair. “Did you know that only me, Bruce, and a few others know what he looks like and what his entire name is?”

He blinked in response. “That’s…hardcore secret identity, right there.”

“That’s because he doesn’t have any friends.” (Y/N) shot Ghost-Maker a grin. “But you can call him Ghost for short. It’s easier than the mouthful of Ghost-Maker.” The vigilante in return merely rolled his eyes and sipped his drink. “So, Kyle, have any new graphic novels in the works?”

“I do actually. Haven’t written them down but here’s an idea.” He brought up his hand out of the water and a green flash appeared in everyone’s vision. “See how you like it so far?”

(Y/N) huffed a laugh in disbelief. “This is so cool.” She grabbed the construct comic book and flipped through it. “Who’s the main?”

“Haven’t named her yet. But she’s a transgender, pansexual Native American who solves crimes as a superhero.” His cheeks flushed. “I know it’s ironic because we’re superheroes, but I couldn’t help it, you know?”

She nodded, seemingly impressed. “Figured out which tribe yet?”

“I was thinking possibly Cherokee. Or Mohawk.”

“I’ve got a MTF Kanienʼkehá꞉ka friend who lives in Quebec.” She said. “I’ll give her a call about working with you on this.”

Kyle lit up like the morning sun. “Really, (Y/N)? You’d do that?”

She looked down at him and shifted her thighs a bit, bumping his head. “Of course. You’re one of my best friends.”

“I love you, (Y/N).” he grinned, and she chuckled.

“I love you too, loser.”

Suddenly the speakers thumped, and her head shot up, looking towards Tim and Bart who were giggling. She pointed at them. “HEY! THIS IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE SONG!”

They merely giggled more and suddenly everyone was singing along to the raunchy song, well, the teens and young adults were but not her and the older people.

(Y/N) shoved Kyle off as she got up and ran towards the speakers. “WAP IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE SONG TO PLAY AT A POOL PARTY! THERE ARE CHILDREN PRESENT! TIMOTHY JACKSON, YOU GET BACK HERE WITH THAT IPHONE! TURN IT OFF!”

***

She smiled sweetly at her family and friends passed out in the living room, pillows and blankets thrown everywhere, arms slung over bodies, heads on stomachs and backs. It was nice to see them all so comfortable with each other, so tightly knit; it reminded her of a better time.

Most of the adults had gone home though some had stayed in extra rooms. She was sure that her brother and him had gone down to the cave to have it out just for the hell of it, but she was rather tired and decided to call it a night—though it was actually one am.

Closing the door behind her, she didn’t bother to go shower, planning to do it in the morning as she started stripping. First went the swimsuit cover, then the top and bottoms. She kicked her flip-flops off into the corner of the room and stretched her arms above her head, a quiet groan passing her lips as her joints and bones popped.

As she lowered her hands, a hand clamped around her mouth and another wound around her waist, tugging her back and she gasped against their palm, starting to struggle when she heard them chuckle. The sound, combined with the familiar smell of sandalwood wafting up her nose told her who it was, and they smiled against her ear. “Worried?”

She reached up and yanked his hand from her mouth, hissing, “You’re lucky I didn’t turn around and punch the shit out of you, K.”

“Promises, promises,” he murmured, pressing a kiss behind her ear and she shivered against his chest.

“What are you doing in here? I thought you and Bruce went to go spar?”

Ghost-Maker hummed, the hand around her waist starting to squeeze the flesh of her side. “We did. He said he was tired and went to bed.”

“And you didn’t go home?” her voice kicked up a notch when his other hand slipped from her grip and slid down her front.

“I didn’t want to go home.” He pressed his front against her rear and she gasped, one of her hands coming back to grab at his thigh, digging her nails in to keep him there. He smirked as she ground back against him. “Seems like you don’t want me going home either.”

(Y/N) swallowed thickly. “Something’s up with you tonight. You’re being a lot more…passionate than usual.”

He nipped at her neck, fingers delicately dancing over her abdomen. “I don’t like that Green Lantern friend of yours.”

“Who? Kyle?” she questioned confusedly. “Why?”

“He’s very free with himself towards you.”

At that, it was crystal clear, and she spun in his arms, looking at him, though she had to strain to see his face. “Are you jealous?”

“No.” He griped, though the way his jaw set, told her the truth.

“You are!” she laughed. “You’re jealous that I’m close with other men. That’s adorable.”

Ghost-Maker stared at her for a split moment, then he bent down and grabbed her legs, throwing her over his shoulder. (Y/N)’s gasp turned into a laugh as he marched towards the bed and tossed her onto it, watching as she rolled onto her back and laughed some more at him.

“God, you’re green, K.” she giggled, watching with hooded eyes as he shucked the swim trunks down to his feet and crawled onto the bed.

“I’m not envious of a glow-stick who’s never gotten this far with you.” He countered, grabbing her ankles; he yanked her down the bed and underneath him and she gazed up at him.

“Do you wanna know how many men have gotten this far with me?” (Y/N) challenged and Ghost-Maker stared into her eyes.

“It doesn’t matter how many because once I’m done with you, you won’t remember anyone but me.” He lowered his head, pressing open-mouthed kisses to her stomach, trailing downwards and she panted in anticipation when,

CRASH!

They started, and this time, he did too, both turning to the door, then to each other.

“What the hell—”

“OH SHIT! SOMEONE PUT OUT THE FIRE!”

(Y/N) grunted. “Oh my God, what did they do?”

“DON’T JUST STAND THERE! OH MY GOD SOMEONE CALL NINE-ONE-ONE! OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT!”

“AUNT (Y/N)! DAD!”

She rolled out from underneath Ghost-Maker, ignoring his grabbing for her and she hurried to her door, yanking the bathrobe from the hook on the back. Slinging it on, she turned and pointed at the man. “Once I’m done out here, I’m coming back and you’re not going anywhere for a few hours.”

He smirked as he collapsed onto his back, taking himself in his hand. She almost burst into flames at the sight, and he purred, “You might wish to hurry, (Y/N). Wouldn’t want to miss anything.” His words tipped into a groan as his hand shifted along himself, and she scowled at him as she pulled the door open, his erotic frame illuminating in the hall light.

“You’d better watch it, K. We both know how mean I can get when I miss out.”

[1001aus]

I don't disagree with you although adding all that stuff would have made a much longer paper, since getting into the weeds generally requires a much higher word count.

Admittedly, I didn't read much of the post-paper stuff beyond skimming the citations (I didn't see the specific tumblr posts there, I noticed) so I don't know much about the context. This seems like a midterm assignment level of research paper, but again I don't know.

What did get me was the lack of acknowledgement for AGIT, which came out over a year ago now. The author says there has been no new content for DP and that's not true. The paper did specifically mention that it was covering through 2024, so timing isn't the issue there.

IDK felt to me like AGIT coming put had a lot to do with revitalizing the fandom and that brought people into dpxdc too.

Edited because I'm home now and still have some thoughts.

This paper read to me like a paper on fandom generally that happened to be focused on pointing out a couple specific trends from our fandom as an example. As a result, I don't suspect the writer did any particularly in depth research on how we operate.

We all know what the tumblr search function is like, yet there's no mention of the fact that dpxdc is majorly influenced by writing prompts as a medium of posting. It's hard to go into our tags without seeing any even if by some miracle @stealingyourbones and @nerdpoe don't show up. Not to mention, it's not very uncommon to see half a dozen similar stories on ao3 that all mention a tumblr prompt as inspiration or even a story without others like it that mentions a prompt on tumblr.

This results in a very collaborative style of interacting with each other that isn't the standard for most fandoms.

And, yes, there's a lot of Batman. Some of us try to bring in other DC characters anyway and we're not completely unsuccessful at that. That said, to not even mention John Constantine suggests that not much attention was paid to specific character tags considering how popular he is as a plot device or victim of shenanigans.

When the author did talk about tags it was mostly the ones that specifically mentioned canon or fanon and even a few of those we're ignored as being "unopinionated" on the topic like canon-typical violence.

And, as you've mentioned, there is a non-trivial push to interact with some DC media. Whether it's the comics or a cartoon or anything else. Canon is the building blocks of fanon and while sometimes that means we end up with an OC wearing a Tim Drake mask, the fact of the matter is that we can't get to that point with nothing to build on.

And then A Glitch In Time! To imply that had no influence on the fandom is wild to me. Danny as Clockwork's assistant or errand runner? AGIT! Not that it didn't exist as a trope before, but it certainly got more popular after the comic came out. That's to say nothing of the load-bearing world building done by Marsalias, who may not write in our crossover fandom but is nonetheless influential. Admittedly, it's not common to cite who wrote the most popular Ghost King Danny fic or where someone first saw ghost cores mentioned in our own fics, but it adds to my feeling that the specifics of our fandom aren't really the focus of the paper.

Regardless, I'd say that the paper that gets into those things would probably be a novel itself and probably require a year or two of in depth research that this paper didn't get.

So uhh. . . I recently got access to a college library system again and for whatever reason (that reason is a ghost obsession. Or rather, an obsession with a particular half ghost), I thought to myself, "You should look up Danny Phantom and see if anyone has referenced it in a scholarly article." And apparently this exists:

Grant, Krista, “Canon” and “Fanon” in the Danny Phantom/Detective Comics (Dc) Comics Crossover Fandom: Expanding Authorship and Authority in Transformative Fan Works. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4894061 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4894061

Abstract

In 2020, a new crossover fandom emerged, that of Danny Phantom x DC Comics (DPxDC), prompting thousands of fanfictions and participants. As neither media connected in their canons, how did this crossover fandom come to be? The content tags on these crossover fanfictions and on Tumblr posts collected Jan–April, 2024 were collected and analyzed in a mixed-methods discourse analysis approach with inductive coding for key words “canon” and “fanon”. This is the first time for which a crossover fandom is being investigated in writing studies, and it is one of the first articles to explore fanfiction within writing studies, especially in a mixed methods study. Underpinning this research are grassroots activism, critical theory, and agential theories of resistance practices. I found that DPxDC fans consciously resist canon material, enacting agency through distributed and communal writing practices and claiming a kind of authorship and authority over works, offering a new way of understanding agency and distributed authorship in writing studies.

Keywords: distributed authorship, writing studies, fanfiction, canon, fanon

I haven't finished reading it all yet, but if you've been active in the DPxDC phandom for a few years, you might be cited. Just saying, I recognize a few familiar usernames already.

[ectonurites]

if u were a dc writer (bc dc themselves dk what they're doing) would you let tim stay as robin rn or move on to a new identity? would u age him up? dc is just making him blah what do tim stans want to do w him

I mean okay I obviously do not speak for all Tim stans (and I know several off the top of my head who def would disagree with my opinions on this- which is ok! we can all have our own opinions and coexist lmao) but

Rather than like making a point of aging him up i'd just kinda confirm that 'oh yeah he's been aging at a normal rate like everyone else we just didn't mention it' because as I've talked about before- you could pretty easily make a case for him being anywhere between 16-20 based on stuff from canon right now without it being an age-up that needs like an in-story justification/acknowledgement ya know? I'd probably put him at around 19 (because while in my heart 21 to restore the original tim & damian 7 year age difference feels right, that might need a bit more specific explanation since it's such a big jump from his last mentioned 16)

And I'd want to spend some time with him in the process of figuring out a new identity. (like. maybe a 6-issue mini or something where he comes up with that new Identity at the end) I think that him trying to stick to Robin right now because he's going through changes in his personal life and Robin is one thing that's a constant for him makes sense, and is something he'd try to hold onto for a while. But I want him to reach a point of personal discovery where he can try branching out again and making something of his own (I've talked about how Drake was in theory a great core idea but just the execution was terrible) as he transitions into being an adult.

I've very frequently been asked what I think a good new hero title for him would be since I talk a lot about wanting him to move on from Robin, and I usually come up blank! Because god that's an overwhelming choice. And I also think that right now Tim's in a similar headspace to that where the thought of trying to come up with something new while also dealing with "hey holy shit I just realized I'm attracted to men and that changes some things for me” is just a lot to deal with so it gets put on the backburner (especially after his last attempt was so poorly received not only irl but in-universe too).

And so exploring some of that inner conflict he's got going on now (now that he's started solving the sexuality crisis aspect of it) as he maybe has to go up against someone from his past* that could make him re-examine himself... and like by the end he could come to some new conclusions about who he is as a hero/what being a hero means to him outside of just 'Being Robin' and as a result decide to redefine himself as a new hero

*(idk who exactly... my heart says Lonnie because he was one of the earliest ppl Tim went up against back before he even officially became Robin but also Lonnie since the reboot has NOT felt the same... maybe with Infinite Frontier tho he could be more like his old self… could even be a cool thing where at first they’re fighting but slowly Tim & Lonnie both remember more about their partnership in Red Robin and end up working together against someone else entirely)

I also do think it'd like... be nice for a new hero identity for him to be original. Main continuity Tim has taken on mantles that came with a lot of inherent baggage (Robin obviously was in the wake of Jason's death so there's All That To Unpack and Red Robin originally because of being in such a rough spot & using Jason's identity as a form of punishment as speculated by Kon and/or more simply so he could cross lines Robin couldn't) so I think him getting to establish who he is going to be as a young adult by creating something new that doesn't have preconceived notions attached would be really nice.

For ideas I see a lot of people list various bird names and/or names associated with the color red (Cardinal is a pretty popular one, and I had some people saying Scarlet in my inbox a few weeks ago) but idk I feel like even that kinda stuff is so close a tie to Robin & Red Robin, that it feels more like a substitution for his old names rather than a reinvention of his hero identity, if that makes sense? Unless there was a good in-universe justification with something like that it's just not what I gravitate towards. (like how yes Dick went from Robin -> Nightwing so still with bird motifs, but in-universe Dick picked Nightwing because of Superman not because 'oooh gotta stick with a bird motif' even if out-of-universe that may have been a factor)

I think something rooted in old detective novels could be interesting, though I’m not well-versed enough in those to be able to come up with something without doing more research than I have time to right now (but like man if I was actually given an opprotunity to write a Tim story like this you bet I would sgfdhg), but like back from Tim’s early stuff he was involved in two different real life Sherlock Holmes fan clubs (The Sherlock Homes Society [Detective Comics #618] and the Baker Street Irregulars [Robin (1991) #2]) so him drawing inspiration from something he enjoyed in childhood as he reinvents himself now as an adult could be a cool full-circle thing. (Before anyone makes any sort of BBC Sherlock joke or makes me look at that guy’s face I would like to point out the panels abt these societies are from 1990-1991) And in my head when he moves on from Robin he’d definitely be leaning most into detective work over the other aspects of being a hero (like. he’d still be a ‘superhero’- but just that’s his main theme & focus) so it’d be thematically relevant.

IDK I have lots of ideas on this but I just haven't really had the time to put the research into it that I'd want to, so they remain half thought-out.

tl;dr: I'd explore him realizing it's time for a new identity which would then lead into him moving past Robin, and i'd also confirm him as being a little bit older.

[justcourttee]

New idea!!! Could you write a story where Mari and Tim are full-blooded siblings except Mari was taken away from the Drakes. Mari would be Dick's age in this. The Drake's finally pass away so Bruce goes to adopt Tim but he's having trouble because Marinette is doing the same. It's a custody battle. Tim is confused because he doesn't know Mari (she was taken away before she was born and CPS wasn't dealing with that family again) but Mari knows about him. Maybe Dick/Mari?

I have a feeling I took this in a different direction than you meant for it to be, but I hope you still like it :) @elements1999

Tim’s Decision

There were two things that Timothy Jackson Drake was sure of.

One, that he had never seen Dick so flustered before in his life. The poor guy was tripping over his own feet, stumbling into the court hallway as if he had been drinking all morning, his face resembling something close to the apple Bruce forced him to eat for breakfast.

And the second, well, he was sure he had never met someone as persistently, annoyingly, upbeat as Dick Grayson until seconds ago when she reached out her hand to introduce herself.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I’m sorry we have to meet under these circumstances, Timothy. This isn’t my first time reaching out, but it certainly is my first time getting through. Maybe after this, we can grab a bite to eat, get to know each other?”

Tim slightly withdrew his hand, reaching out to steady a swaying Dick. He wanted to ask him what could’ve warranted this behavior from him, but he wasn’t sure he was prepared to hear the answer.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng-”

“Please, call me Marinette! I’m not married, nor am I a middle-aged woman. I’m only 21 after all. You’re 14, right Timothy?”

“If I call you by your name, call me Tim. Timothy sounds like a rich brat.”

Marinette’s giggle earned a small smile from the boy. He had no idea who she was, but her presence was soothing and he didn’t feel any immediate danger. Besides, she wasn’t the first person to approach him in the past week. News of his parent’s death traveled very quickly and many people attempted to adopt him in hopes that his fortune would be theirs.

Bruce was quick to wave them off, offering to adopt Tim himself, but before Tim could even think about accepting, CPS contacted Bruce with the proposal from one Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

“I hadn’t realized that Bruce Wayne had caught your attention. I really want to make sure that you are able to have a regular childhood or at least some resemblance of a few normal years. If you think Bruce is a better option for you, I promise I’ll pull out right now, but if you have any doubts at all, I want to let you know that I want to fight for you, Tim.”

“I haven’t made any decisions yet and considering Bruce let me meet with you, I have to assume you’re not after my parent’s fortune.”

Marinette’s smile tightened at the mention of the fortune or was it his parents? He couldn’t tell. She was definitely holding something back, but they had just met and he wasn’t in any position to be pressuring her for some answers. What he was in the position to do was knock some sense into a now drooling Dick Grayson.

“Knock it off will you, you’re heavy and gross. You’re making a fool of the Wayne name and aren’t you supposed to be my guardian today?”

Dick muttered out something that sounded like an okay, but if Tim was honest, he wasn’t sure it was anything more than a few syllables to lower his guard.

“This is what Bruce considers a capable guardian? I’m not sure I trust him as far as I could throw him. What can it do?”

Marinette reached forward, poking Dick’s cheek, enough force to snap him out of whatever daze he had been in the past hour.

“Dick Grayson-Wayne ma’am, a pleasure to meet you.” Instantly he bowed, his hand extended as if he were waiting for something that wouldn’t come.

“Mhmm, so you are Bruce’s ward? You look like you could be his blood child. Does he have a thing for dark hair and light eyes? Creepy.”

Dick’s hand clutched his chest as if he had been struck directly in his core. Marinette turned her attention from him and back to where Tim stood.

“Anyways, I believe we mentioned lunch earlier. I’ve already submitted my application to CPS and after this formal meeting, you’re free to meet up with me whenever you would like as long as a third party comes with us. Can you think of anyone you want to come with us?”

Tim glanced to the side where he could feel Dick’s puppy eyes boring into him. He wouldn’t be his first choice but if it came down to him of Jaime, he was pretty sure he had a better chance of reigning in Dick.

“Do you mind if Dick comes with us?”

Marinette’s smile was shaken with uncertainty as if she was thinking of protesting but didn’t want to overstep any boundaries. Tim felt terrible putting her in the position but he was sure that Dick was her best chance given his options. “Of course not, where would you like to go?”

The lunch moved smoothly with Tim learning so much about her. She was originally from the Gotham foster system herself, but a young couple who couldn’t have kids adopted her at a younger age, moving her to Paris with them. She attended the equivalent of middle and high school over there where she met many lifelong friends. Starting late in her middle school years, she upstarted a fashion business where she had several big-name clients months into her start-up. Now she made personal designs, but many were taken care of by her team. She only stitched a very few commissions for close personal friends.

She was remarkable, someone who truly started from nothing. His parents did something similar as did Bruce’s. It was something he wanted for himself, something he wasn’t sure he could ever achieve with either his or Bruce’s fortune.

The custody battle was put on hold at Tim’s request. He was really intrigued by Marinette and Bruce pressuring him to take his time and really think over his choices finally led him to that decision. However, no matter how much Bruce tried to be a neutral party in the matter, Tim could feel the strain it put on their work relationship.

The more he saw Marinette, the more mess-ups occurred on patrol. Bruce would constantly tread into Tim’s area, always dropping in on his battles. It was as if he lost all trust in Tim as if he was trying to rely less on him, trying to go back to doing things on his own.

It was so frustrating. No matter how many times he told Bruce that he could still be Robin no matter who he chose, it seemed to mean nothing to him. He continually waved him off, claiming to have no idea what he was talking about.

A month after he met Marinette, Tim snuck out for the first time, begging her to meet him at a coffee shop near her hotel.

“Tim, this is dangerous. If CPS finds out we meet behind Bruce’s back, it could nullify my application.”

“I know, I know.” His head dropped to the table, buried in his arms trying to suffocate his frustration. “I just needed to get away from all of them. I think the fact that I consider you a serious option really upsets Bruce. It’s not that I don’t consider him a serious option as well, it’s just-he’s just-”

Tim let out a sigh, slowly sitting back up unsure where his thoughts were taking him.

“Tim,” Marinette reached across the table, laying her hand on his arm. “if this is too stressful for you, I can pull out of this.”

Her touch was so gentle, so soothing. It felt like the mother he never had, the kind of mother he yearned for but never realized. He really didn’t want her to leave his life just because he couldn’t give up being Robin.

“I just feel so selfish,” his vision started to blur, Marinette’s figure coming in and out of focus. “I want to keep the life I’ve made for myself here, but I also don’t feel like I can grow the way I want to under Bruce’s supervision.”

Marinette didn’t say anything for a moment, she just allowed him to cry, her thumb moving in small circles on his arm. Tim reveled in the feeling, reveled in the silence. He hadn’t had this in a while, he hadn’t had comfort for as long as he could remember. Even at his parent’s funeral, people just commented on how strong he was and how smart he was and told him he would be just fine. Not once did anyone try to hug him or ask if he was okay. They just assumed.

Everyone always just assumed.

“Tim, I haven’t been 100% honest with you since I met you. I didn’t want it to mess with your decision, but I think it’s time you knew.”

“I already know.” Tim moved his arms from her touch, his heart throbbing from the loss of touch. “I did my research on you, especially considering how Bruce let me meet you so quickly. You’ve done a lot of work to bury it, but the Will mentioned you, or at least your old name.”

Marinette’s smile was tight, her eyes as watery as his.

“Is that what’s holding you back from making the decision you want to make?”

Tim wanted to deny that he had no clear choice, but that was a lie he had been feeding himself. He wanted to stay with Bruce, in Gotham. His life was here, his friends were here, his passions were here. The only thing that wasn’t, was her.

“I want Bruce to be my official guardian. I want to be Tim Drake-Wayne.” Marinette nodded, understanding pouring from her and crashing into him. He felt like all the stress from the past month had been pushed out and replaced with relief. “But I really did want to get to know you, I didn’t want to make a decision because you would be out of my life for good. I’ve already lost you once, CPS took you didn’t they?”

“Right before mom became pregnant with you. I’m sure it happened to you too, but I was only six. They left me alone, not even a butler or maid to watch after me. They tried to argue with CPS that I was a competent child who could handle groceries and looking after myself but they didn’t buy it. My existence hadn’t even been released to the public so they didn’t take it too hard, losing me that is. But you, they immediately brought you into the limelight, almost like a challenge to CPS, I’m assuming that’s why they didn’t get involved for you no matter how many times my parent’s called and reported them.”

Tim couldn’t help the chuckle that bubbled out. It seemed to have shocked Marinette too as she gave way to her own giggle threatening to spill.

“Marinette, can I ask you something selfish?”

“Of course, mon frère.” Her hand reached back across the table, gripping his tightly as if pressing him to ask the question he dreaded most.

“Will you still be apart of my life? I’m not asking you to move to Gotham, but maybe a monthly trip? A weekly dinner? Something? I just don’t want to lose you again.”

The tears that had been pooling in her eyes finally slipped free, her smile blinding.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“Bruce, Marinette is coming over for game night tonight!”

“Marinette?” Dick’s head popped around the corner, the red plastered by the mere mention of her name. It sickened Tim. “But I have patrol tonight! Bruce can’t the police do their jobs for one night!”

Bruce chuckled as he set up the table, a stack of every board game imaginable piled in the middle.

“I suppose you can push it back from 11 to 5 to 2 to 5. After all, I’m not heartless.”

Tim let out an involuntary groan as he slipped into the couch, wishing it would swallow him whole.

“Whose side are you on here Bruce? She’s already your honorable daughter. Do you really need her to be part of your legal family that bad?”

“I haven’t the slightest clue what you mean.” His smirk only made Tim want to fold in on himself even more.

“Bruce, if you’re gonna set me up, can it at least be with Tim’s more attractive siblings? Like what about that Jason guy? Or Barbara Gordan?” Tim popped up in his seat, a smile beaming from ear to ear.

“Marinette’s here!” He waved her over to the seat beside him before a certain older lovebird could intervene.

“I am attractive! Why won’t you accept me Marinette?” Dick wiped away fake tears as he fell dramatically to the floor by her feet.

Tim could feel his heart overflowing for the first time in years. His life felt so fulfilled, like all of the missing pieces finally found a place. As the night continued on, only one thought stayed prominent in his mind.

He couldn’t be happier with his decision.

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