#and their relationship to thomas

[cosmic-walkers]

Anyways, seeing Thomas navigate life with the Seymours vs the Boleyn's is very interesting, especially the Seymour sisters. By all accounts, and even admitted from Thomas' mouth, he knew the Boleyn's not only used him, but saw him only as a lowly born man, and sometimes less than that. He was something they could bend, manipulate, and use to their own advantage without care for what happened to them. If he had any kinship with one, it was Anne, but that was very shaky at best and we saw that. From his own mouth, he knew that Mary was using him, and we saw it - to the point where his own life could've been in danger.

The point is, I think it's going to be interesting seeing him interact with the Seymour family; a family that genuinely respects him and sees him as a person. A family that isn't trying to use them for their own gain.

Now don't get me wrong there is certainly gain in it for them, and his influence + their proximity to the Cromwell family is something that they each capitalize off of. There is certainly an equal partnership between the Seymours and Cromwells - they are an alliance and as terrible and strange as the brothers are in the future, there is an actual respect for him.

It's just, the contrast between the seymour siblings (bros and sisters) and the boleyn siblings (bro and sisters) and their relationship to thomas. the boleyn's didn't think of him as much as a person, which is something he alludes to. they didn't care to put his life in danger for their own gain, which is something he mentions when he speaks about Mary, and her coming on to him. George openly threatens him for being around his sisters. He knew his position in their eyes reliant on what he could do for them, but there is still this idea that they viewed him as an inferior.

Whereas, with the Seymours, it's as if they're in this boat together. And the Seymour sisters actually respect him, and see him as a human being. Both Bess and Jane; and I feel being so closely connected to this royal family and being within proximity of people who actually see him as a person will be interesting. And it gets complicated with Jane, who loved him, who saw him as a person, and that love was genuine (at least, in my train of thought). And of course if you read the books, he and Bess were mutually attracted to each other.

Thomas is so used to being manipulated, used and tossed around by these royal/noble families he interacts with. But the Seymours, especially the sisters are different. They don't view him as something that can be used, manipulated, and discarded. They actually view him as part of their family and are grateful to him.

I should also end this by saying that these are 1000% my opinions, my personal opinions so I don't expect everyone to agree! Just putting it out there.

[thehopefulquotes]

Someone you haven’t even met yet is wondering what it’d be like to know someone like you.

Iain Thomas

[stay-close]

If nothing else, one day you can look someone straight in the eyes and say ‘But I lived through it. And it made me who I am today.

Iain Thomas, I Wrote This For You

[fanaticalthings]

Most children, once they've grown up and moved out, sometimes come back to visit their parents to use their house as a sort of personal grocery store

And with Bruce being a literal billionaire whose house is always stocked with food and supplies, the batkids (that aren't living in the manor) definitely visit just for the purpose of taking shit for themselves.

---

For Dick, it's just small things, food and maybe some utensils. Bruce is barely in the kitchen so he never notices dishes go missing, and there are like 10 other children in his house so literally any one of the younger kids could've stolen food in the middle of the night, so he doesn't bat an eye at all.

Babs probably steals Bruce's hardware or his tools from the batcave. Sometimes, if she's nice, she'll leave a note.

Steph probably takes shit that no one will notice at the time but will absolutely be annoyed about when they need said thing. Stapler, soap bars, the microwave plate, etc...(Taking after Jason, she steals the hub caps off the batmobile's tires)

However, for Jason, once his relationship with Bruce is somewhat decent, of course he's gonna be petty and start stealing the more expensive shit in the manor for his apartment. Jason's microwave is broken? The next day, the cave's self-made and enhanced microwave made by Bruce for convenience is just gone.

Jason's feeling a coffee maker for his place? The one in Bruce's study disappears, too.

---

At first, Bruce thinks he's just sleep deprived, but then much bigger things start to go missing, like the whole TV and couch set in the living room. He assumes the younger kids are just playing pranks on him (sounds like something Stephanie would do) but then Bruce notices that the thief deliberately avoids stealing things from the kitchen, which is where Alfred is most of the time, and suddenly Bruce has an irritated clue on who the culprit is.

At first, he doesn't say anything, until one day he comes back, tired from a patrol, and is about to log in all the info on the computer only to realize his batchair is gone. That's when he texts Jason a blunt "If you really need things for your place, you can just ask me. I'll buy them for you." (As if Jason himself isn't loaded from his totally legal activities)

---

So now Jason's pettiness levels increase tenfold, and oh, wouldn't you look at it, his bike needs some new tires, and he knows a great place to get some more.

One night, Bruce is just blearily getting up for a late night snack, only to see Damian scamper away with a...lamp? So Bruce immediately follows him into the foyer only to see ALL of his kids (sans the ones not living in the manor), trying to haul two arm chairs out the window, and they just stop dead silent to stare at him until someone whispers a nervous "Crap"

Bruce doesn't even have any energy to fight, he just pinches his nose and is all "What is the meaning of this" in his tired dad voice. And Duke meekly responds with "we wanted more chairs at Jason's place"

And suddenly it all makes sense. Not once did Bruce wonder how the HELL Jason managed to lug a whole 60in TV and a full couch set on his own in one night. Of course, he had accomplices. Bruce just turns right around and goes right the hell back to his room to sleep. He'll deal with this in the morning.

[casscainmainly]

Why Duke Thomas Should Be A Dick Grayson Hater

Dick and Duke is such an underrated and underexplored relationship. Here is my pitch for why Duke should be a Dick Grayson hater.

1. The Rooftop Thing

Reason number one and the start of Duke's grudge should be the rooftop incident in Robin War. Dick, as part of his plan or whatever, leads Duke to a roof and abandons him to the cops.

LOOK AT DICK'S SMUG FACE. Tell me you wouldn't hold a grudge too if this was the FIRST major interaction you had with him?? Duke should use this against him at any possible opportunity.

2. ACAB

From We Are Robin #2. Once Duke finds out Dick used to be a cop, it's OVER for him.

3. Jason and Damian

Duke is quite close with Jason and Damian (in my head, particularly Damian - that's his LITTLE BROTHER). Anyway, these two are obsessed with Dick. You have Jason, with his miles-long brother issues that puts Dick on a pedestal, and you have Damian, who thinks Dick is the best person on Earth who can do no wrong. They would talk Duke's ears off about him. Duke would HATE IT.

4. Robin

This panel from Night of the Monster Men sums up quite nicely the difference in the way Dick and Duke approach vigilantism. Duke is the 'idealised' Robin, whose Robin-ing isn't contingent on Batman; Dick is more or less too tied up in Bruce. I think, because the Robin identity means a lot to Duke, having the original Robin be like this would irk Duke a LOT.

5. Tom Taylor

SPOILERS FOR CURRENT NIGHTWING RUN: in Nightwing #116, Dick gets framed for murder and Babs tells him to reveal he's Nightwing to clear him of suspicion. She says Bruce suggested it, and recounts everyone who agreed:

Hm. Is someone missing here? Oh yeah: DUKE. TT probably just forgot Duke, but where's the fun in that? Instead, if Duke is a Dick Grayson hater, you have the funniest scene imaginable. Everyone gathered in the Batcave, laying down their identities for Dick, and Duke is like 'I don't give a damn. He can rot in jail.' and peaces out.

BONUS points if he does this to get back at Dick for reason number 1.

6. Parallels

Duke's origin deliberately mirrors Bruce's, but that means it mirrors Dick's as well. Duke and Dick parallels go insane: they both had loving families, lost both parents at once, were in the foster system (varyingly for Dick but for the purposes of this post I'm gonna include it), were wards/not adopted by Bruce initially, have a huge reverence for family, have a thing about heights, view Robin as separate from Batman, forged their own identities, etc.

Tell me this page doesn't slap:

Anyway Duke would HATE this too. He'd be so annoyed that the person he has the most in common with is Dick, and that would fuel his Dick Grayson haterism.

Dick, on the other hand, has no hard feelings towards Duke. Duke would be glowering at him from the corner of the room and Dick would meet his gaze and be like 'ah Duke is so cute' and smile back. This would make Duke 10000x angrier.

Anyway that's my ideal Dick and Duke dynamic, feel free to add or modify or disagree with anything!!

[quotefeeling]

And when I asked you how you’d been, I meant I missed you more than I’ve ever missed anything before.

Iain Thomas

[perfectquote]

Someone you haven’t even met yet is wondering what it’d be like to know someone like you.

Iain Thomas

[thoughtkick]

Never apologize for how you feel. No one can control how they feel. The sun doesn’t apologize for being the sun. The rain doesn’t say sorry for falling. Feelings just are.

Iain S. Thomas, Intentional Dissonance

[resqectable]

Never apologize for how you feel. No one can control how they feel. The sun doesn’t apologize for being the sun. The rain doesn’t say sorry for falling. Feelings just are.

Iain S. Thomas, Intentional Dissonance

[shaylogic]

Cat King: I know my kingdom better than you. I'm proud of my duties towards my citizens. I hold responsibilities that are very impressive.

Edwin: You've forgotten yourself in your own lack of self-awareness and self-worth -- exactly proving my point.

[perfectfeelings]

Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.

Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give

[thehopefulquotes]

Everything has changed and yet, I am more me than I’ve ever been.

Iain Thomas, I Wrote This For You

[stay-close]

Making love was never about you and me in a bed. We made love whenever we held hands.

Iain Thomas, I Wrote This For You

[pitsazawr]

brilexx whaaaaaaaaaaa

[haveihitanerve]

Dick Grayson is Bruce Wayne’s ward and Robin is Batmans son, there is no argument from either party. They get no say. Its just how it is. JL members have also dubbed him as Batmans feral gremlin demon thing and Batman the Devil himself who crafted Robin using his own soul. Robin cackled madly after hearing that. Batman laughed and the JL is extremely concerned and afraid now. Nightwing is Batman’s son and partner and he is Bruce Wayne’s most common rescuer, even though his main territory is in Blud. 

Jason Todd is Bruce Wayne's son and Robin is Batmans son, and both very much adore this title and treasure it. Red Hood is not Batman’s son, but he is Bruce Wayne’s. 

Tim Drake is Bruce Wayne’s emotional support child and child. Not son, his child. Robin is Batmans loyal partner and Batman is his father figure and mentor. Red Robin is Batman’s son. Drake has been disowned from the family and does not exist. 

Stephanie Brown is not Bruce Wayne’s child. She steals his food and his money and his children on occasion but she does not really belong to him. Try telling him that though and you've got another thing coming. Robin is Batman’s greatest  annoyance and she wears that as a fucking badge of honor. Batgirl is actually Batman's nemesis but not in like a Joker kind of way, more in a 'she steals things from his utility belt just before he tries to pull it out or drops encouraging notes on his patrol and also hacks his comms to play the same song over and over again' kind of way. Batman has been heard screaming her name like a curse on many occassions. Spoiler is Batman’s even greater annoyance and on occasion she allows herself to be his daughter. Batman does not get to decide these terms. 

Barbara Gordon is not Bruce Wayne’s daughter. He is her weird uncle who she also considers her mother and her step father who she also sees as her protector on the rare occasion she actually needs it but for the most part hes just the divorced father who shows up at her house sometimes asking for visiting rights. (sometimes she says yes) Batgirl is Batman’s loyal partner and confident and technically his daughter in law but she doesn't like that descriptor, but he is her mentor. Oracle is Batman’s stalker and ass kicker if he doesn't take care of himself. 

Cassandra Cain is Bruce Wayne's daughter through thick and thin and neither of them really get a say. Batgirl is Batman’s daughter and no one dares argue it. Orphan too. And Black Bat.

Damian Wayne is Bruce Wayne’s undisputed son, and Robin is Batman’s undisputed son as well (though heir is another matter.)

Duke Thomas is Bruce Wayne’s legally guarded(bruce is his legal guardian). The Signal doesn't associate with the Batman at all, but some consider him Batman’s mentee, and many would even argue Batman is very serious in his mentor/father figure role, seen on many occasions forcing a granola bar or hug onto the younger

All in all, every single child, adopted or not, it is very clear to every outsider, that they forced themselves into Bruce Wayne and Batman’s life and routine and while both males are vastly different, they clearly share the utter confusion about being parents, and whether they even are or not, because they don't get a say.

[dukeofthomas]

Can't believe Bruce canonically picked up a random 12yo homeless child who had no intent to become a vigilante and suddenly thrust Robin onto him without asking if that's what he wanted because he missed Dick (whom he fired because being Robin was too dangerous) and people still act like any take that's not "all the Batkids became vigilantes on their own completely independent of Bruce (who tried so hard to stop them but sadly just couldn't do it)" is a complete idiotic bad-faith take and that you're crazy if you disagree with people saying that Bruce has never ever absolutely NEVER picked up a kid for the purpose of making them into a vigilante.