#and then jumping all the way to damian gives us all the rest of the bat family that came before him as cameos

[oveliagirlhaditright]

Part of me is so super excited for this upcoming Batman: Brave and the Bold movie--because I've been wanting a live-action film with a Robin for so long, and surely the rest of the Batfam will show up--but there's a large part of me that's like, "Why did the first Robin we got onscreen in ages have to be Damian Wayne?" Even though I really do get the logic behind this choice, I think.

[obsessed-with-wwe-women]

Champions Rules

R. Ripley x fem!reader

cw: smut, multiple orgasms, hair pulling, clit play, oral (r receiving), fingering, degradation + praise, domme!rhea, mami/mommy kink, mentions of alcohol

lowercase intended / not proofread, i’m a little rusty bare with me

she did it.

i mean, you knew she would but that didn’t make you any less proud. you smiled as you stared at the screen in front of you, as rhea held her title high up in the air on the biggest stage of them all.

this was a huge night for her. she opened up night one of wrestlmania with one of the best, she had her favorite band sing her out, and she won.

the look of pure happiness on her face was enough to tear up, especially when you saw her start to herself before she covered it up. you were so proud of her, she worked so hard to get here. she fucking deserved this.

she eventually made her way backstage, and when she did you ran to her, jumping in her arms and planting kisses all over her face. rhea’s arms wrapped around you with a smile as she spun you around.

“you did it!” you squealed excitedly, smiling down at the australian.

“did you doubt me?” she joked. not funny. “never in a million years.” you grinned as you placed a soft kiss on her lips. “i’m so proud of you.” you whispered against her lips before pulling away.

rhea’s eyes beamed at you as she gave you a grateful smile, giving you one more kiss before putting you down.

the rest of the night was crazy. damian had the great idea of going to the nearest club for a celebration. now, you were about 3 drinks deep as you dragged your unwilling girlfriend to the dance floor. rhea had only had one, but it was strong.

“you know i don’t dance, y/n.” she slurred slightly. you gave her a small pout, and she rolled her eyes before her hands found your hips, swaying to the beat with you. you grinned, wrapping your arms over her shoulders as you got on your tiptoes to kiss her. rhea kissed back, squeezing your hips in her hands.

she danced with you for a few minutes, but when you turned to grind your ass against her front she quickly turned you around.

“i want you.” she whispered. “not.” kiss. “here.” kiss. you replied, kissing her between each word. rhea’s hands squeezed again as her head ducked into the crook of your neck.

“i’ll take you wherever i please, and you know it.” she husked by your ear, her voice deep and her accent thick. you whined softly, tugging gently at her hair. “can’t wait to do whatever i want with you, pretty girl. my big night, you know? champions rules.” her words shot a wave a heat to your core. “take me home, rhe.” you whispered before placing a kiss to her cheek.

-

“god, you’re so fucking beautiful.” rhea’s breath was hot against your ear as she had you pressed against the door of your hotel. “you are.” was all you could reply, her teeth gently biting down on the skin of your neck. “yeah? you think so?” she teased as her knee spread your thighs, pushing your dress up over your hips.

“i bet if i stuck my hand inside of these cute little panties you’re wearing right now,” she snapped the band of the purple lacy material you wore just for her. “i’d find you soaked, wouldn’t i?” rhea smirked as your cheeks grew pink. “huh? answer me, baby.”

rhea’s left hand gripped your chin, making you look up at her. it was enough of a distraction for you to not notice where her right hand was heading.

“ye- fuck!” you cried out as rhea’s finger pressed harshly against your throbbing clit. “sorry, what were you saying?” she teased once more.

“you can be a real bitch sometimes.” you got out between choked moans. “oh? yeah?” rhea’s tone was mocking as she pressed harder. “you wanna say that again, slut?” rhea growled, pinching your clit between her fingers. “fuck! i-i’m sorry, mommy.” you whimpered, a mix of pleasure and pain shooting through your body.

“awh, poor baby. you’re sorry?” she cooed, using her free hand to pet your hair. you looked up at her with hooded, teary eyes. “my pretty girl.” she smiled, kissing the corner of your mouth softly before slipping two of her fingers inside of you.

“always so tight for me.” rhea groaned, using her thumb to play with your clit while her fingers pumped into you slowly. your cunt fluttered against her fingers when she added more pressure to your bud, and she giggled softly as she noticed. “yeah? you like that?” she asked, doing it again.

you could only nod quickly against the door as you felt your orgasm approaching. “i’m close, mommy.” you breathe out, hands gripping at her wrist. rhea doesn’t say anything, she just smirks and leans in, places a rough kiss to your lips.

she moaned into your mouth when you tightened around her, pulling her deeper into your dripping cunt. “come on baby, you can do it.” she whispered softly as she peppered kisses over your face. “be a good girl and cum on mommy’s fingers.”

that did it. within seconds after her request your mouth fell open with a cry of her name, and your thighs squeezing around her hand. rhea talked you through it, and once you calmed down she pulled her fingers out of you. you whined softly at the emptiness, but almost immediately you were cut off by a gasp as rhea brought her fingers into her mouth to taste you.

“i want the real thing now.” she said, and before you could even comprehend her words she picked you up and walked you to the bed. she gently placed you down, stripping your dress off of you. rhea’s breath caught in her throat as she saw the matching bra she had on, but what caught her eye was the silver ‘R’ in the middle. you smiled sweetly at her. “like it?” you asked hopefully.

“i love it, baby. my letter looks good on you.” she smirked before leaning to hover over you. “but i think you’d look better with it off.” she husked before reaching behind you to unclasp your bra, impressively with one hand. the moment the material was away, rhea’s lips were wrapped around your nipple.

“shit, rhe.” you sighed, tossing your head back. she hummed against you, switching to show the other one some love before slipping between your thighs. you were dripping at this point.

“all for me.” rhea moaned lowly as she licked through you. your back arched and your hips bucked against her with a cry. rhea’s arms held your hips down as she sucked your sensitive clit into her mouth. you could barely hold the noises you were making, even with a hand slapped over your mouth. you could never last long with her like this, especially if she’s already made you cum before.

“mommy!” you whimpered as your hands tugged at her hair, pulling her closer. rhea moaned against you once more as the soft pain shot down her spine from her head. her tongue piercing rubbed against you in all the right ways, and within seconds she had you shaking. “i’m gonna cum, mami.” you got out the best you could between choked moans.

all she did was nod, and it was clear she wasn’t pulling away until she was finished. it was only a couple minutes until your back arched off of the bed once more and you spilled into her mouth. rhea’s licks slowed down as she took her time to clean you up, not wasting anything.

“could be here all day, you know?” rhea said as she kissed your thigh. your head felt fuzzy and the only things leaving your mouth were quiet whines. “already, baby? i’m not even getting started.” rhea playfully teased as she sat up, gently running her finger through your slit once more. she rubbed slow, soft circles as she waited for you to say something.

“i’m okay, mami. m’just sensitive.” you mumbled, squirming as she sped up a little.

“well that’s good, just you wait, sweetheart. mami wants you to wear her title while she fucks you.” she smirked before getting off the bed and walking over to her bag.

[jaythes1mp]

Cat reader idea: which one is your favorite. Like Damian would be nice but he’s always on you for improper diet (you ate fruit and not the horrid wet food he leaves out for you)

Dick has no sense of personal space and he wants to squeeze your adorable little toe beans despite your protests.

Jason would be okay but he practically steals you at night for cuddles and for your own safety. Nothing safer than sleeping with a knife under your pillow.

Tim is iffy, he just likes your company, but the moment you sneeze he’s sending you to the vet- even worse when you get out, using your chip to locate you.

Bruce and alfred just adore you, but only get to see you now and then due to their busy schedules, mainly petting you when they walk by or doing your training.

:3 hope this is accurate lmao

Okay, this is beautiful and a perfect way to incorporate some things into the fic.

More on cat shifter reader.

01

Damian is 100% on your ass, meticulously keeping track of your dietary habits, setting up charts to keep track of your meal times, ensuring that the family knows exactly what you've consumed and what not to give you. This way, he can ensure that you're sticking to the food plan he's designed, with zero room for deviation. He even resorts to constantly reminding Alfred and Dick not to give you anything, no matter how hard your adorable little eyes plead up at them. Determined to make sure you stick to his meal plan. It’s even worse when you’re in your human form, despite his repeated warnings. — and don’t get him started on Jason. The man is the most difficult of them all to control when it comes to your diet. He completely ignores Damian's instructions and will immediately scoop you up and secure you in the cat carrier attached to his motorcycle if you even hint at being hungry. Then, he'll spirit you away to his apartment without a second thought, offering you an array of forbidden human foods in exchange for your sweet meows.

Don’t think about attempting to escape through him however, that would only lead to being futile. He's engineered his bike with a series of safety precautions, meaning that if you even displayed the slightest indication of trying to jump out or escape, the restraints would immediately tighten, making it virtually impossible for you to break out. Let alone breathe comfortably.

Moving back to your diet; Damian has completely altered the Wayne Manor’s kitchen to cater exclusively to your feline dietary needs. He’s even managed to ensure that the rest of the family has adapted their own diets to match yours, to prevent any accidents regarding food you’re not supposed to eat. Despite your attempts to reason with him, Damian refuses to acknowledge that as a human, you can safely consume foods like chocolate without getting sick. You’re a kitten after all.

Though, if by some chance you do manage to infiltrate the kitchen, an assortment of only the finest fruits are packed at the ready for you. Small bits of cut up mango, fresh unpackaged pineapple, blueberries, melon, bananas, apricots, apples and watermelon at the ready. The fridge always stocked full of cooked meats, fluffy cooked rice, boiled eggs, and vegetables.

Damian might not be overjoyed when you venture from the specific meats and hundreds of lavish wet food brands that he's tasked Pennyworth to prepare, he still begrudgingly accepts it as a form of compromise. As long as you’re eating things that fall within his carefully controlled parameters, he can justify allowing it. He’s aware that you need some form of autonomy and independence to survive in the manor, unlike many of his brothers.

He treats you the most reasonably.

02

Dick is definitely one of the people who gets loads of little cat clothes to dress you up in and needs to have you in his little cat bag so he can take you around everywhere.

Who cares about the numerous concerned remarks regarding your drowsy appearance? Dick simply laughs off their concerns. His kitten is just tired, he promises! After all, it’d be quite a hassle to have to explain to every person who stops for a photo that it's nothing more than the effects of the medication he's given you to ensure you remain placidly content and docile during cuddle sessions and neighbourhood walks.

Once Dick starts on your adorable little toe beans, there's no stopping him. He gushes incessantly about the cute contrast of pink and black on your little paws and how they're just perfect for the miniature cat-themed socks that Alfred has patiently taught him to make. He gleefully coos over your small digits, marveling at how perfectly they fit into the little socks. Aren’t you happy your big brother made them for you? Can’t you just purr this once, please? He won’t even get mad if you kick them off or tear them to shreds again!

He’s definitely the type to have an entire wardrobe filled with little outfits for you. A nice red bow tie to get you to look nice and handsome or a warm purple sweater for you to look pretty.

Dick's affection for you remains steadfast, even when you shift to your human form. However, in his mind, you'll always be his precious little kitten, and no amount of whining, hitting, or swearing can convince him otherwise. He's stubbornly determined to shower you with love and care, undeterred by any resistance you may offer. The world’s just too big for you, and he needs to protect you from it. So come sit on his lap and stop whining, the movie’s starting.

03

In stark contrast to Dick, Jason has a clear preference for your feline form, showing little interest in you when you appear as a human. He often ignores you entirely, showering you with love and attention only in your feline body.

It's a double-edged sword, this dynamic with Jason. On the one hand, you've discovered a way to make him leave you alone – simply appear in your human form, and he'll instantly lose interest. He'll glare, shake his head in distaste, and then storm out of the room, grumbling incoherently under his breath as he goes. Unfortunately, when Jason realises your tactic to avoid him, he'll barge into Tim's room unannounced, no matter the time of day or night. Tim, due to his habit of staying up late, will inevitably be awake, and Jason will insist that he make you transform back. Following his forceful tactic of making you transform back, Jason will quickly switch gears and act as though nothing untoward has happened. He'll enfold you in a tight hug and bury his face in your soft fur, nuzzling against you affectionately, completely unbothered by his previous behavior.

Given your penchant for exploring the outdoors, Jason often takes advantage of the darkness of the night to whisk you away. He's aware that you need to experience life beyond the confines of the Wayne estate's gardens, and he prefers to do it when the rest of the family is less likely to notice your absence. Or rather, more occupied with their nightly duties so they’re unable to stop him from taking you.

You’re still under complete lock and key, but at least you get to experience the night air every once in a while.

04

If I had to pick my favourite out of the ones you’ve written I’d go with Tim’s. It’s the one I agree with the most.

Tim likes to keep you sedated. Having you laid out nice and docile on his lap, desk, or of the many cat trees that litter the place, while he works away on the batcomputer.

He’s the most precocious, being particularly meticulous when it comes to your well-being, even the slightest sneeze prompting him to arrange a visit to the vet. Monthly veterinary checkups are non-negotiable, and he ensures that your health is consistently monitored. Saying that, he’ll never take you to a hospital with doctors that specialise in anything other than animals.

A sleek, high-tech collar encircles your neck, constantly transmitting your vital signs in real-time to Tim's phone. Additionally, a microchip planted in your body and trackers strategically installed on various parts of your anatomy ensure that they can monitor your location at all times ensuring that under no circumstances are able to escape.

Tim is the one who suggested and ultimately confirmed your declawing, dismissing your protests and tears as mere tantrums. Despite your pleas and emotional outburst, stating that it would render you disabled — equivalent to cutting off your fingers down to the knuckle — he remains cold and uncompromising. Your objections are disregarded, treating your fears as if you were a pet throwing a tantrum, denying you any agency in the matter. If you didn’t want this to happen, you wouldn’t have scratched them in the first place. It’s easier this way, really. They get to look after you in human form and there’ll be no more scratching up their arms or the furniture.

Initially, Dick supported your side, recognising your profound distress and desperation. However, after a conversation about how you would be completely reliant on him while in your human form, he changed his stance. He stopped giving the issue a moment's consideration, fully accepting Tim’s conclusion.

When it came to the decision, Jason and Bruce were in favor from the beginning. For Jason, it meant his new couch would remain unscathed, and prevented you from clawing at Bruce during business meetings while he held you snugly in his lap.

The sole member of the family fiercely opposed to the idea of declawing you was Damian.

Nevertheless, to Damian's dismay and your own, you'll be made to undergo the declawing against your will anyway. Despite his disagreement, he'll still be there to gently bandage up the raw nubs where your former fingers once were, and he'll lovingly pet away your tears and sobs. You were still his kitten, he’d coo. Just a slightly less fierce one.

05

I’d have to disagree with you here.

Bruce will undoubtedly make time for you, despite any disagreements you may have. You're a top priority in his life, and he'll ensure that you receive the attention and care you deserve.

The eldest Wayne will go to great lengths to accommodate you in his busy schedule. He'll happily reschedule meetings and carve out special time just for you. If there's a vital meeting he can't avoid, he'll bring you along, insisting on having you by his side.

You’re theirs, through and through.

Thanks for the ideas! Any and all asks are encouraged and appreciated.

Previous cat asks: 1 2

Link to Masterlist.

Link to offical chapter

[sanguineterrain]

sunset anew | dick grayson

Summary: You're a little nervous to become the Mrs. Grayson. Luckily, your husband-to-be knows just what to say to soothe your worries. 

Pairing: Dick Grayson x fem!reader 

Word count: 1.7k

Warnings/tags: wedding, anxious reader, the batfam actually gets along, fluff!! (dick is my wife.)

If you like this fic and want to see more, please let me know through reblogs ♡

the divider

Contrary to popular belief, Gotham isn't a complete eyesore. 

Sure, it's no vacation spot, and it's probably not the ideal place to settle down. But there are beautiful parts within the grunge. 

Your wedding planner had shown you multiple locations, from Napa to the Bahamas. Bruce had insisted cost was no problem.

But that wasn't what made you choose Gotham. 

Your forearms rest on the polished stone-top railing that surrounds the rooftop of the nicest hotel in the city. Thirty-two floors, all rented out for you. 

You look down at the tiny cars and people below. Your heart swoops. 

Your heels are in one hand. The sun crests the horizon; soon, yellow will melt into buttery orange and pink. It’s the first sunset you knew. The only sunset you know. And it’s the same one you saw the first time you met your almost-husband.

You'd come up here so you wouldn't miss it. Just this one time.

“Found her!”

You jump as the roof access door opens. Damian and Duke walk out. Duke gives you a warm smile.

"Jesus, you guys," you say, hand on your chest. “Way to scare a girl.”

“Sorry. You look really nice,” Duke says, smoothing his bowtie. 

Damian crosses his arms, clearly unimpressed.

“Frightening you is the least of our concerns. We thought you’d run. Which would be understandable, considering the family you’re marrying into, but Father spent a lot renting the hotel. Plus, Grayson would’ve been inconsolable, and extremely annoying.”

“Dude,” Duke says, elbowing Damian. “Chill out. It’s not like she was actually going to leave him at the altar.” He squints at you. “Were you?”

“No! I wasn’t going to leave him at the altar, oh my God.”

Damian nods. “Good." He taps his watch and speaks into it. "Grayson, our work is done. Come to the roof.”

Duke gives you a wave and they wordlessly leave the way they came. You sigh and start to slip your heels back on. There’s some whispering at the bottom of the stairs, and Damian shouts “no!” before it’s silent. 

You have one heel on when Dick emerges.

He’s unfairly handsome in his tux, hair somehow both neat and tousled. He also has what looks to be Damian’s tie wrapped around his eyes. You step out of your heel, unsure.

"Hey, sweetheart," he says, sounding genuinely apologetic. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean to scare you."

"It’s okay, baby. Why are you blindfolded?"

"Bad luck to see the bride, duh."

You can't help your idiotic grin at that. "I think it'll be fine, Gray. You didn’t have to take his tie.”

"Maybe you haven't met my family; we're not known for our good luck streaks.”

"I'm madly in love with you,” you say, feeling gooey.

Dick beams, and you nearly forget about the sunset altogether. 

"I'm madly in love with you too." 

You kiss him and he blindly returns it, following your lips even after you step back. You cluck your tongue and nudge him away. He obeys, though not without sliding his hand onto your waist and tugging you away from the roof. You follow because he's such a worrier.

Dick reaches for your hand and squeezes. 

"You okay?" he asks.

"Yeah. Sorry I disappeared. I didn’t know the calvary would be sent after me.”

“Yeah, uh…” Dick rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry about that. Again. I got worried.”

The guilt sinks its claws deeper. You frown and touch his cheek. 

“I would never leave you at the altar, Dick.”

“I know! I know that. They’re idiots; don’t listen to ‘em, whatever they said."

You cup his face with both hands and kiss him again. He squeezes your wrists and you can feel the relief rolling off him in waves, as much as he tries to hide it. 

“Was my absence noticeable?” you ask.

"Just to us. Don’t worry about it. The Wayne family are professional crowd entertainers."

"I take it Bruce is doing card tricks?"

"Yep,” Dick says. “He’s pretty good too. Might retire the suit." 

You laugh. "Sorry I'm missing it."

"Trust me, you'll get your fill soon."

“We can go down now,” you offer, even though you’re still waiting for that sunset. 

He shakes his head. “There’s no rush.”

You smile and rest your head on Dick's shoulder. He accepts you instantly and wraps his arm around your waist.

"You feel really beautiful," he says. 

"Charmer."

"I'm serious!"

"I know. That's why I'm so damn sweet on you, Gray."

"I've got a shot with you, then?" he asks. 

"Oh, big time." 

He nuzzles your neck. You breathe in his scent: wine from earlier, detergent, the hair gel he uses to effortlessly capture the bed head look. 

"We didn't have to do this today, you know,” he says, voice vibrating through you. 

You pick your head up in alarm. 

"What're you talking about?" 

"If-if you're getting cold feet, I mean," he adds. "Second thoughts. We can always reschedule."

"Dick, no, I'm not getting second thoughts. I want to marry you today. I will marry you, okay? We've been together for almost four years."

"So? You know how long Batman and Catwoman have been skirting around each other? We've all got a wager going. Including Alfred!"

You snort. "Okay, well, excuse me if I don't want your family to bet on how long it's going to take us to marry."

"Afraid that ship's sailed."

"Of course it has."

You wrap your arms around his neck and pull him in. His arms drape over your hips. You trace the shape of his lips with your index, up his Cupid's bow and up the tip of his nose. Dick has such a lovely nose. You've always thought so. 

“So who bet that I’d actually made a run for it?”

“That feels like a trick question,” he says. 

“Jason?"

“Jason adores you, actually. He didn’t doubt your loyalty once.”

“Damian had his doubts." 

“Damian's thirteen, he doesn’t know shit.”

You snort and kiss his cheek. “Well, I forgive him. He was protecting you, that’s all.”

"If it helps, everyone else was certain of your loyalty," Dick says, letting you paw at his face. “Myself included.”

"That does help, actually.”

Dick stops your hand in its journey and rests your palm on his cheek. 

"What were you thinking about?" he asks quietly. 

You stiffen a little. "Nothing. Just needed some air."

"You sure?" 

You know what he's doing: feeling your pulse to see if it changes, listening to your breathing, watching if your shoulders tense. He's a detective first, and a damn good one. 

You slump in defeat. 

"What if I'm not… good at this? At being… us?”

"What?" Dick asks in disbelief. "What are you talking about? Of course you’ll be good at it. The real worry is me, babe. I mean, you're incredible. I'm the one who runs around in spandex at night." 

"Gray, I'm serious," you say, resting your head on his heart. "All those people who’ve been watching us, waiting for the future Mrs. Grayson to slip up. I just—I can't help but wonder if it's prophetic. I wonder if maybe you deserve more." 

"Hey. Now I can't predict the future. But even if I could, I don't believe there is a timeline out there where I could ever want or need anyone but you. And you're not alone in this, you know? I'm scared too. I'm terrified I'm putting you in danger. Of fucking up completely. But I also know that sometimes… we get good things, you know? It's not all doom and gloom. I mean, you being in my life is proof of that." 

God, he always knows how to make your heart ache just right. 

"I really want us to work," you whisper, clutching his suit coat. "I just don't wanna let you down, Gray." 

"Baby," Dick says, curling around you. "Sweetheart, where did this come from? What makes you think that? You've never let me down, not once. I love you. It's okay if you feel like you don't know what you're doing, 'cause I don't know either." 

You reach to untie the tie. Dick lightly grabs your hand, but you continue to tug anyway. 

"Wait, babe—"

"Dick, it's okay. I want to see your eyes. Please?" 

He lets you pull it off. He squints at the light, adjusting. Then his gaze drops to you and his lips part.

"Wow," Dick says, hands sliding up your arms. 

You smile. "Like it? Selina helped me pick the dress, so it's all thanks to her."

"Fuck, baby. I wanna marry you right now. Screw everyone down there. Let's elope."

You laugh, combing back his hair with your fingertips and tucking loose strands behind his ears. 

"Gray, you know we can't do that. What about Bruce? He'd be devastated and more than rightfully pissed."

He shrugs. "So what? I'm the favorite, I can get away with it."

"Well, what about Alfred? You'd break his heart."

Dick pauses, mulling that over. You kiss his chin. 

"Damn it," he says. "You're right. I couldn't do that to him. He's arguably more excited about our wedding than we are." 

"Mmhm. But I appreciate your attempt to be spontaneously romantic," you say, smiling. 

Dick tugs you closer still, rubbing your back. 

"I would elope," he says. "If you really wanted to. You could convince me to do just about anything. Even if it unleashed Alfie's wrath."

"Don't tell me that," you chide playfully. "You'll give a girl all sorts of notions." 

"Oh, I'm counting on it."

Dick starts to kiss up your neck and you happily let him, eyes slipping closed. It's good, until—

THUMP!

You jump. Dick immediately pushes you behind him. 

The roof access door swings out so hard it slams against the wall. Jason glares, bowtie already loosened. 

"Are you fucking kidding me? You're gonna miss your own wedding, dumbass!" He nods at you. "Hey, future sis. Looking good." 

"Thanks, Todd." 

"Mm. Everything okay?" 

You smile. "Everything's wonderful."

"Yeah, I'm okay too, thanks," Dick says, scowling. 

"I know you're fine, idiot. Now come put a ring on it before Alfred hunts you down himself." 

Jason turns on his heel, shaking his head. "Responsible one, my ass…"

You look at Dick, grinning. 

"Seems like we should go do the marriage thing," you say.

"Seems like." He squeezes your hip. "Do you feel better?"

"Yeah, Gray. I do. Thanks. I love you."

"Love you too, baby. Let's go marry the hell out of each other." 

The sunset has morphed into a violet night. But you don't mind that you missed it; you know there will be countless sunsets to come. 

[zer0wzs]

𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙣 ("𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙗𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙙𝙖𝙮!")

[ gn!reader ] it's your birthday and your boyfriend is unfortunately not physically present. however, some other people have plans. jason todd x reader [ also heavy reader & batfam i guess ] wc: 2018 cws: n/a!

an: was supposed to post this on my birthday almost two weeks ago but i couldn't finish it on time because of a lot of stuff LOL

As you sip on your coffee, you finally take a look at your messages. 

It’s empty for the most part—save for a few birthday greetings from friends and a few messages from scammers about how you won a car (jokes on them; you don’t even have a license!). There’s one message that catches your eye immediately, though.

j 🫀 | 00:00 happy birthday baby 💖💘🫶🫶 really sad that i still wont be home for a couple more days i’m gonna make it up to you every way possible i’m all yours when i get back 💘

You find yourself smiling at his messages—of course because of the content of the text itself, but also for a lot of other things, from how he greeted you at the exact moment of your birthday to how he’s picked up some of your texting mannerisms to his very limited amount of number of messages compared to yours.

You | 09:03 awwwwsshwhJSJFHG 💖💖💖 i love you so much jay!!! imysm pls love come backk… 😞😞😞  ur team better use their time with u wisely u quite literally wont escape me once you step foot back in our apartment

Not giving much more thought to your reply, you continue on with your work, thinking on the side what you’ll do after. Your friends aren’t coming over; they’ve been assigned to meet on Saturday so that you have the whole day to yourselves. Still, you feel like treating yourself a little.

Curing this thought, you find that after work, you gravitate towards the hominess of your favorite thrift store. The owner is an older man who keeps the place the same as it has been since its establishment years ago.

The selection is far from filtered, a completely random selection for the most part, but it adds to the charm. However, his daughters usually help out, and you get to chat with them. They’ve known you as a regular now.

You slip a pair of headphones on and get to work, sifting through a few racks of clothes, shelves of trinkets, and stacks of records. Your jacket, or rather a coat, is wrapped around your waist to make your awfully formal self stand out less in the sea of people in the cozy shop.

You pick up some things mostly for yourself, but a few also with Jason in mind. No reason in particular, but if he asks, it's a welcome-back gift. You found a vinyl pressing of Comalies by Lacuna Coil—something you vaguely remember that he’s been looking for a while now.

Speaking of him, you mindlessly open your phone, hoping to see a message from him.

Nothing. Oh, well.

The walk is only a few blocks away, but your arms are slightly worn from the sifting through the aisles of items. You’re sure you’ll make it, though, even if the bags full of finds weigh a little heavy in your hands. Once you make it to your floor, you can just feel the exhaustion radiating from your arms. You could use a nap right now,

“YN!” You see Steph jump the moment you turn the lights on.

The whole apartment is decorated, decked in classic birthday decor—like balloons and banners. You note a few heads rising from the place they previously were from.

You know, coffee’s good, too. It’s only 6 PM.

As you eye around the room, the picture becomes clear: there are quite a few members of Jason’s family here—notably Dick, Steph, Cass, Tim, Duke, and Damian.

They all look at each other, uneasy. A moment later, a garbled chorus of birthday greetings is shouted. 

“Thank you. I’m flattered.” You mumbled, setting your bag of thrifted goods down as you closed the door. “How did you all get here, though-”

“Good question.” Steph nervously laughed, leaping to your side and hooking an arm around you. At this point, the rest of the family wave their hellos before finalizing a few pieces of decoration. “Come on! We made dinner—or, well, Alfred did.”

“Oh, is he here? Where is he?” You said, your lips turning to a smile. It’s been a while since you’ve seen him, you recalled.

“Sorry, he’s at the mansion, busy tending to the old man.” Steph sighed, noticing your excitement.

“Ah,” you nod, still very up in your head. You’re overwhelmed, frankly, but still grateful as ever. To be honest, you’re not the best at receiving surprises like this. “Thank you, though. I’m just a little, well, surprised.”

“Of course,” Dick hummed, quickly joining the conversation between the two of you. “We knew Jason couldn’t make it, and we really wanted you to enjoy your birthday somehow. You’ve done a lot for him and for us as well.”

“Oh, thank you, but it isn’t a huge—”

You’re not even in your kitchen when Damian appears in front of you with a stoic look on his face. If this whole thing was set when you first met Jason, you would’ve thought that he did not want to be here and did not like you at all.

Rest assured, though, his siblings say otherwise. They enjoy teasing him and telling you that he searches for your company from time to time. One time, Dick said he was near deadset on inviting you to Gotham Zoo, seeing how they had your favorite animal sheltered there recently.

“Do you need any assistance with those bags?” He looked at you, eyes flicking down to the plastic bags in your hands.

You shake your head, making strides towards the hallway. “Um, no, thank you. I’m just going to carry these to my bedroom-”

Immediately, he steps in and grabs them. “You shouldn’t exert yourself any further. It’s your birthday, after all. I’ll be taking these.”

Oh. Okay. You stand there a little dumbfounded but nodding. It’s not like you can’t stop him either; he’s already making his way to your room.

Your phone buzzes. You open to see it. It’s from Jason. You sigh, knowing he won’t be able to make it.

j 🫀 | 18:24 i’ll be back really soon don’t you worry 💖

Attached to his message is a video. While the others are distracted, you lower your phone’s volume to watch it. You can just feel the embarrassment on his face as he records a video of himself singing Happy Birthday to you behind some dingy place.

How the hell did he even send it from there? Oh, the wonders of reception, you supposed.

You quickly type out a response for him, rocking from the balls of your heels to your toes with your lips only spread out. You couldn’t wait for “a few more days” or something. You also tell him how his family threw a last-minute birthday party and how you can’t be any happier (It just really isn’t visible with the exhaustion weighing heavy on your shoulders.).

“Is everything all right now?” You hear Dick ask Duke, Cass, and Tim from behind you. You turn around to see them giving him an affirmative yes.

“All right then,” he grins. Steph is pulling a cake from your fridge, and it's only now that you realize that your countertop is filled with your favorite cuisines by Alfred. You worry about the amount of time this took up on top of the rest of the tasks he has to tend to.

They all sing a happy birthday to you, a mixture of liveliness and yet also idleness, but you wouldn’t trade it for anything nonetheless. Sure, your brain might be more than overloaded at this point, but you’re just thankful that they made the collective effort to celebrate your birthday.

It makes you feel a little bad because of all of the trouble you’re more than certain had arisen because of this, but you push that thought back. They don’t need to hear that.

All six of them are standing in front of you, and it only denies your fears of being alienated and inconsequential to the greats who are the family before you. You’re not sure why or how they accepted you wholeheartedly, but God, do you not just take the love that they give?

Your phone rings, and you look to see who it is. You pick up—it’s Jason.

You notice how Steph wants to go back to you once more, but you mumble an apology to her, telling her that your boyfriend was calling. She nodded and headed over to Duke to, what you can assume, is chit-chat.

“Hello! Good evening, Jay-love,” you hum.

Your viewpoints to Dick, who looks at you curiously. Your voice is far from loud, and you do not want to disrupt anything, so you mouth Jason’s name to him before he nods and continues talking to Tim, Cass joining in.

“Hey, baby, happy birthday,” a few words follow, but you can’t hear much because of the chattering around you.

“Ah, thank you. I miss you,” you chuckled. “Could you come again, though? I can’t hear well.”

You hear a chuckle from the other end. “No, it’s fine. I was just saying that I really wish I was there right now.”

“Oh, yeah,” you reply half-mindedly, looking over the group. “Your family’s really sweet. I feel cared for.”

“You are. How could someone not like ya’?”

“Thanks.” You giggle in reply. You play with the ends of your shirt while talking to him, finding yourself leaning against a wall. Breaking the conversation from the sudden end, you spoke up. “So, when again are you coming back?”

“Real soon. Promise.”

“Would it kill you to be a little bit specific? I’m asking you a-” You stand there, giggling, but the banter stops among the family when two hands cover your field of vision completely.

“Guess who.”

Immediately, you know. From his voice to the callouses on his fingertips to the warmth radiating behind you.

“You’re too old to be saying that.” You spit back, not thinking twice about what you were saying.

You hear a dramatic, exaggerated scoff from behind you as his hands pull themselves away. You turn back but do note how everyone’s eyes are fixed on you and the man behind. Only whispers could be heard—you feel your ears redden.

Despite this, have you ever had the ability to contain yourself around him? You dive straight into him and pull him tight. For the first time in a really long while, he’s here. He’s here, he’s real, and you’re not wasting a single second of it.

“Missed you too.” He mumbles on top of your head. He shifts you two so that his back is faced towards his family. “I’m really sorry that it took so long-”

“Tsk,” you put a finger to his lips, taking a step back with his hands finding their way down your waist. “Uh-uh, it’s my birthday, and I want none of that.”

“Okay, okay,” he sighed, a hand climbing up your spine and finding itself on your cheek as the thumb caressed the edges and crevices of you.

“Thank you.” You put a hand on top of his.

“Of course, birthday love.”

On your tiptoes, you give him a peck on the cheek after he redirects you to his lips, discontented with the first kiss from when he came back being so brief. It only lasts a few seconds, but you know you’re gonna get more later.

You feel a tenderness pool inside of you. There’s something about the way he gazes at you—so full of love, so full of admiration you can’t help but give back—that makes you forget that you’re just feet away from his family.

“About the party,” he cleared his throat, hand finding your lower back as you rejoin the rest of the group. “I was the one who orchestrated it.”

You hear a loud gasp from Tim. “Um, no? I was the one who had the idea.”

“I was actually the one who helped spark that idea?” Steph joined. “I think I deserve at least some credit here.

You find yourself standing in a room, never feeling more loved than now.

[on-the-clear-blue]

Not DDD but some tooth rotting fluff with Dadwing that I had written a while ago.

Dick had always had a kinda 6th sense when it came to Damian, they had been Batman and Robin together, *the* dynamic duo! So he knew when his little brother was upset, more so than usual.

It started after a failed capture, the Riddler had been out of Arkham for over 3 weeks, the longest that he had been out for quite some time.

Bruce had finally found Eddie's hiding spot and was staking him out for some time, trying to determine whether the Riddler was truly there or this was once again a decoy safe house.

Bruce regretfully has the communication skills of a particularly grumpy slug and failed to properly give Damian the brief on what he was doing after joining his father from a round of patrols with Dick.

It really truly wasn't Damian's fault that he rushed in and only really succeeded in flushing out the Riddler and driving him to ground once more.

And once again, Bruce the grumpy slug scowled, let out a grunt and demanded Damian back to the cave, further not explaining why Bruce tried to stop him from taking down the Riddler and why he didn't pursue.

---

Dick was surprised to come out of the locker rooms of the cave to his youngest brother, practically shaking with rage as he not so carefully pulled off his suit, and what was the most concerning to Dick was the quiet, but still angry mutterings coming from the boy.

Dick felt a pang in his chest at the words, his Arabic was not the best but he could tell more than a few foul words slipping from Damians lips, taking a small breath to prepare, Dick slowly approached his little brother, holding his hands up in surrender even before speaking.

"Hey Babybat? Dami? You okay kiddo? What are you-" Dick stopped mid sentence at the scathing glare that was leveled at him, blinking a few times as his brother collected himself enough to speak clearly, but his voice was rough with emotion, and his accent that was usually hidden away came back harder. (Something that Dick realized that Jason and Damian shared, the angrier they are the more they go back to their roots.)

"Do not attempt to placate me Richard, I am not playing your foolish games nor am I wanting to speak of my feelings, so I simply ask you to leave. Me. The. Fuck. Alone." At the end the boys words were ground out as he threw down the Robin chest plate and stromed past Dick, heading to the showers.

---

Dick knew it was a little bit risky, but something was clearly upsetting his little brother greatly, so here he was, standing outside of Damians room, letting out a small sigh, Dick softly knocked on the door.

Two short, one long: U

Three long: O

One long, one short, one long: K

Morse code, one of the first no vocal languages that all the birds and the Bats knew, Dick and Damian had used it more than a few times on the field.

The only thing that Dick received from that was a dull thud of something being thrown at the door and the much softer sound of it falling to the floor, but the rest of the room was an inky black.

Letting out a sigh, the oldest of the Wayne children grabbed onto the doorhandle and slowly turning it, pushing the door in as he popped his head in, seeing the sacrificed plush animal laying on the ground where it was thrown

Dick felt guilty being glad it wasn't a knife.

"Dami? Little D? Kiddo I am going to come in..."

Opening the door more, Dick slipped into the dark room, spacial awareness helped Dick circumvent the few basic traps laid around his little brothers room, and made his way over to the boy's bed.

Eyes adjusting to the dark quickly, Dick could see the small outline of his brother shaking under the covers, looking so small in the king-sized bed, sitting on the edge, Dick laid a hand on where he thinks Damians hip is, feeling his heart break a little at the small jump he felt as he did.

"Can you talk to me? Please? I want to help kiddo." The only response he got was a shaky drawn in breath and the form under the blankets shifting, sitting up and revealing his younger brother.

His jade green eyes practically glowed in the dark of the room, Damians glare more tired than angry.

(It was times like these that Dick had to force himself to believe that Damian was just his brother, that the boy was not his son, wasn't the boy he raised for a year and a half as his own)

Shuffling closer to the center of the bed, Dick softly placed his forehead on the boy's own before pulling back after a second, he had learnt that little touches of affection got him a lot farther (and a lot less stabbed) with Damian.

Sitting back Dick watched as Damian crawled over, closing the distance between them and leaned his head onto Dicks shoulder, his eyes fluttering closed as he took in several deep breaths, calming himself even further.

Dick didn't dare move while Damian re-centered only snaking his arms around the smaller boy once he felt Damian go slack against him, softly cradling Damian in his arms as he pressed a soft kiss to the boy's spiky locks.

They stayed that way for a while, Dick gently rocking them both as he held his younger brother, silently waiting for Damian to speak first.

"...Father is an idiot..."

Blinking at the words that finally came out, Dick took it in stride, "For a man that is called the worlds greatest detective he can't see two feet in front of him when his loved ones are involved."

Silence lapsed after a little while, only breaking again as Damian pulled back from the hug, staring into Dicks powder blue eyes,

"...is it bad that some days I hate him Baba?" The words crush him, hitting at Dicks heart far worse than anything he had felt before, throat raw and itchy suddenly, Dick tried to not let Damians choice of words affect him.

(Dick has never heard Dami call Bruce Baba, only a ever respectful Father.)

"I-I, Um...I have felt way about B more than a few times Dames...He tries his best but sometimes...some times I do" There was a shine to Damians eyes as he looked into Dicks as the man continued softly "But I don't think it's bad...no I think you are just growing up...It...it's the beginning to when your seeing B how he can truly be like." (A scornful son of a bitch, only that Martha was a wonderful woman...)

Damians face grew distraught, and the shine pooled until soft tears ran down the boys face, "I do not wish to hate Father, but why can he simply not...speak to me? He has not spoke to me outside of case work for over three days and even during that no more than a few words..." leaning his head against Dicks shoulder, the boy's words were muffled slightly as he continued

"Is...is it wrong to expect more from him Baba?"

Dick didn't have any words for his Damian, because he sure as shit isn't Bruce's at the moment, sweeping the boy up into his arms, Dick hled him close while laying the two of them down, Dick on his back and his boy on his chest.

Running a hand through Damians soft hair, Dick thought hard of what to say, "I will speak to him...and maybe Tim...I know you two still have disagreements but honestly for some reason he listens to Tim more than even Alfred...you deserve so much more than that kiddo..."

Dick felt the soft shakes as Damian cried ontop of him, it broke the man's heart to smithereens that even while overwhelmed by emotions his boy still felt the need to try and be as quiet as possible.

Once he felt Damians shudders slow, an the boys breathing came back to a normal rate, Dick reached into his pants and pulled out his phone, "I think we both gotta unwind a little bud...have I ever shown you Bob Ross?"

---

(They watch till the sun peaks through the black out curtains, well, it plays that long, but the two where asleep for a lot longer than that.)

(Bruce gets a very long talking too by his kids, and gets the cowl taken away from him until he gets therapy)

(It only works a little.)

(He made a new one)

[wondersinwaynemanor]

that time when Diana visited the Manor and Jason didn't know she was coming over.

Jason: Dick, you fucking suck. *shoves Dick to the side as they walk to the kitchen* Why did you wake me up at this hour? I need my fucking beauty sleep. I have to finish the book tonight!!!

Diana and Bruce glance at each other as the two boys enter the kitchen.

Bruce: Boys! Quiet down. And Jaylad, language.

Jason finally takes in his surroundings. His cheeks turn crimson by the time he sees Diana.

Jason: OH MY GOSH! *coughs, completely embarrassed* Hey, Diana! :"D

Dick snickers beside him and tries to contain his laughter: Hi, Diana. I almost forgot you're coming over.

Jason gives Dick the "What the fuck?" and "Why didn't you inform me?" looks.

Diana: Good morning, Dears. Join us for tea?

Jason internally panics: Give me a sec.

Jason leaves the kitchen, runs to the nearest bathroom and checks his reflection if he looks presentable because OMG HIS FAVORITE HERO IS HERE AND SHE HEARD HIM CURSING???? Jason bites his finger to contain his embarrassment. Once he's ready, he takes a deep breath and leaves the bathroom.

Once Jason re-enters the room, Cass, Tim and Damian have joined the rest of the family on the table. He sits in between Cass and Damian. He is quiet as he begins to eat breakfast. Tim and Dick chuckle across him as they already understand why he's acting that way. Diana and Bruce talk about the gala that's happening on the weekend.

Cass notices Jason, gets worried and touches his hand as if asking if he's okay.

Damian: Todd, you okay? You look like you just read a sad ending from one of your novels.

Before Jason can answer, Alfred calls from the kitchen: Can someone please help me carry the Croissants?

Jason immediately stands up from the table and goes to Alfred to assist him: Got it, Alfie.

Alfred knows all too well: Of course you do, Master Jason.

Jason returns to the table and offers the bowl of Croissants only to Diana, even missing Bruce's hand that reaches for one of the pastries.

Diana: Thank you, Jason. *smiles as exquisitely as ever and gently gives a soft pat on Jason's face*

If Jason knew acrobatic movements, he would do one now.

Dick sees his younger brother's enthusiasm and he adores it: Wish you were always here, Diana.

Tim: Everyone seems more cheerful whenever you're here.

Everyone else at the table acknowledges.

Diana: Would love to be here always. If Bruce doesn't mind.

Jason blurts out: Oh, he doesn't mind. We love you being here. Right, B? :"D

Bruce smiles: You know you're always welcome here, Diana. *steals a glance at Jason who shrugs*

When Diana leaves, the whole table is chaotic.

Alfred: Good thing we had Miss Prince over.

Dick: Little Wiiiing. Looks like you're not upset anymore.

Damian: Thought Todd was gonna pass out.

Tim: He didn't even curse. Not a single bit.

Cass just sits there and chuckles as she observes her brothers banter back and forth.

Jason presents his middle finger but mostly only to Dick and Tim's direction: Fu-

Bruce warns: Jaylad.

Jason: Ugh, I'm going back to bed.

Once his children slowly leave the room, Bruce has an idea.

That night when Red Hood is on patrol.

Red Hood draws his gun from the holster and points it to the thugs.

Red Hood: Leave this city. If I see your faces here again, I swear I'm gonna fucking -

Before he can finish his sentence, the thugs are already running away.

Red Hood turns around and he nearly jumps when he sees Wonder Woman flying down beside him. He automatically puts his gun away.

Red Hood: Oh. Hey.. Hey, Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman: Red Hood. *she nods his way* Will be joining you tonight. Batman said you needed help.

And for the rest of the night, Red Hood didn't use his guns. Not even once. He's already planning the things he'll say to Bruce tonight. And yes, he's angry because a little heads up would have been helpful, but either way, it's nice having your favorite hero with you.

Batman smirks as he watches from the shadows: Problem solved. Thank you, Wonder Woman.

[mokulule]

The Number You Have Called Cannot Be Reached 7

Part 1|Part 2|Part 3|Part 4|Part 5|Part 6

Ship: Dead on Main (Danny/Jason) Warnings: angst/depression and canon typical violence

I had wanted to do some tag appreciation for the previous part before uploading this but well stuff happened and I need to leave for work soon, so priorities and all that, and I bet ya'll rather want the update than my chatter XD But know that I really appreciate the comments and tags you guys leave me <3

Damian sat in a corner of the library, knees drawn up to his chest. The crumbled up piece of paper burned in his left hand. It shouldn’t. He’d had a hunch and he’d followed it. He’d been right! This was pertinent information. He should have informed Father immediately and yet… He breathed slowly out his nose. He turned his hand around palm up so he could glare at the offending ball of paper resting there.

He was right, but then why was he so uncertain? Why was he hesitating? He was Damian Wayne! Son of the Batman! He should not dawdle, that is not how he was trained!

No matter how much his so called siblings would tease him for his height, there were advantages. Like how when Todd had pulled the dazed Ghost to his feet, the short man had never really looked up which meant that Damian who was shorter had seen the way his eyes glowed green, unlike his father. Because a short while later, when he pushed away from Todd his eyes had been blue. Father would assume the ghost’s eyes were blue, because he hadn’t seen the green. Father would have no idea to look into what Damian had, because he’d missed a vital clue. A clue Damian had been withholding. Damian let his head fall down onto the arm holding the paper and sighed. He was withholding far worse than a clue now:

There were traces of Lazarus Water in the blood sample. Damian felt the childish urge to scream, but he would not give in, he hadn’t fallen that far. It always came back to this, always; like a curse on Damian’s family, one thing after another and it always ended up back there - by the sickly green glow of the pits.

Father wasn’t always exactly rational when it came to the Lazarus Pits or the League of Assassins or Todd.

And maybe Damian had gotten a little bit used to Father looking at him like his son. Maybe he just wasn’t all that excited for Father to look at him like Ra’s Al Ghul’s grandson again…

Alfred, the cat, slinked around the door left open a crack, instantly drawing Damian’s eyes. The tuxedo cat padded silently over to him and stopped. He looked expectantly at Damian with the same unimpressed gaze of his namesake. Damian cracked a fragile smile, and uncurled into a crosslegged position.Satisfied Alfred jumped into his lap. He started batting at the paper ball and Damian quickly stuffed it into a pocket and acquiesced to the demand for pets. It was barely a moment before Damian’s effort was rewarded and the purring started. Slowly, Damian relaxed back against the wall and his shoulders gradually came down from their tensed position. Animals were so much easier to understand than people.

The Ghost had purred…

The sound had been just at the edge of his hearing, but it definitely had sounded like purring. Father hadn’t heard it. Damian had asked him if he’d heard the cat, but he’d dismissed him as if he thought Damian had heard a real cat. There was no way he would have done that if he’d actually heard. The sound… it had been something else; there had been this inherent happiness to it.

Damian would admit he’d been startled. He’d never heard a human purr before. Not even Catwoman, his father’s illicit paramour, actually purred, not really. She did something with her voice at times, probably the closest a human could come to a purr, but not like the almost continuous sound of a real cat. Humans just weren’t built for it.

Which pondered the question, what exactly was the Ghost? He had reacted very oddly to Todd (Damian would admit in the privacy of his mind that he’d been alarmed to see the man nuzzle into Todd’s chest as if he was actually an overgrown cat in disguise). There was Lazarus in his blood, so maybe the reaction to Todd wasn’t so strange. He hadn’t reacted in any way special to Damian, but that wasn’t so odd either. Damian knew Todd was different. There was a reason Grandfather feared him. The Pits hadn’t revived him, they may have brought his mind back online and brought some lasting effects, but Todd had crawled out of his grave months before that; Todd was something else.

Maybe Todd and the Ghost were something similar?

Todd had definitely heard the purring. He had been completely unlike himself, there had been a complete lack of the usual hostility from him afterwards. Todd must have also seen the eyes, he had to have made the Lazarus connection. He hadn’t reported anything about it either. But again this was Todd, he wouldn’t share information with Father unless he thought someone’s life depended on it.

Whatever DNA had been in the blood sample was useless for analysis, it had been too damaged, so that didn’t bring them any closer to figuring out what he was.

Then there were the powers, Todd didn’t have those. Invisibility and intangibility… No, the Ghost couldn’t actually be a ghost, could he?

Alfred nudged the hand that had stopped the petting and Damian dutifully started back up again.

Richard often acted like he didn’t have two brain cells to rub together, something that fooled even Damian in the beginning, but he was surprisingly astute if he let you see if. Damian had presumed the Ghost codename had been merely a ploy to annoy Drake and Gordon, but Richard was not beneath hiding a theory as a joke. If he was correct, he would have all the power, if it wasn’t it was after all just a joke - it was a good strategy.

As if summoned, Richard stuck his head into the library and glanced around. He seemed just about leave when he caught sight of Damian’s nook.“There you are Dames-“ he strolled inside, “I wanted to say bye before heading home, so I’m glad I found you.” He crouched down next to him and smiled widely eyes crinkling with it. It was so effortless for him.

Damian frowned.

“Hey, you okay?”

Damian glanced up briefly. It wasn’t something he wanted to talk about, but maybe Richard could answer something else.

“Do you think the Ghost could actually be a ghost?”

And there was that sharpness behind the kindness, that moment of calculation of what might have brought this on, whether Damian knew something, before it was hidden behind a smile again.

“Dami-“ he started and lovingly ruffled Damian’s hair. Damian quickly batted his hands away, before he got the misconception that he liked it; because he didn’t! Blue eyes crinkled further and then he continued, “we’ve seen stranger, haven’t we?”

And that brought Damian to a stop, hands still raised protectively over his head. Alfred looked between the two of them and gave an affronted mrauwp.

“So sorry Alfred, old boy, didn’t mean to disturb you.”

While Richard appeased Alfred, Damian slowly lowered his arms. Richard was right of course, but there was something else too, the assurance in the flippancy. Whatever the Ghost was, it didn’t really matter, they would deal with it, like they did everything; everything had some sort of weakness. And the Ghost hadn’t actually been hostile.

The core of the issue was the Lazarus Water. Lazarus Water didn’t enter people’s blood on their own and Grandfather kept a sharp watch on all the pools. There was a very big risk the Ghost was affiliated with the League. Coerced? Created? Murdered?

Damian narrowed his eyes, it was useless to ponder without more information, but the League at least was something Damian could look into discreetly. If there was increased activity in Gotham he would find it. He didn’t have to tell anyone yet.

“You work out what was bothering you?”“Tt.” He quickly looked away from Richard’s knowing eyes. Unfortunately that left him open for another hair ruffle. Richard laughed and jumped away and back to a standing position in one smooth motion, before Damian could retaliate somehow. Damian glared and only got a soft smile and wave in return.

“See you in some days, baby bat.”

Damian pressed his lips together and waved dismissively. “Go, before I decide revenge is worth removing Alfred.”

Richard’s laughter followed him out the door and down the hall. Damian finally allowed the small smile to form. Whatever happened, whatever Father may think of him keeping secrets, he could at least count on his big brother to stay the same. Oo o oO

Tim had been reviewing the new proposals from R&D when Bruce had stopped by.

The spectral calibrator team had obviously been disappointed to learn they would be reassigned and that the larger project to tune into electromagnetic signals from other dimensions had been put on indefinite hold without the calibrator, but they were a professional bunch and they had quickly come up with some fresh ideas.

Tim really didn’t want to consider what use the thief would have had with the calibrator, but it was kinda his job. It was meant to help hone into the (for lack of better term) frequency of a given dimension and remove the noise from the various other planes of reality - he just really hoped they weren’t dealing with a science portal to Hell scenario. Magical portals were at least usually temporary in nature but most importantly they were the JLD’s problem, not Tim’s.

Maybe the thief just really wanted to listen to some alternate universe rock?

Yeah, fat chance.

Tim had not found signs of the stolen items being resold, which pointed towards the thief having specific buyers or he was building something himself. At least the spectral calibrator was safe in the Cave.

A small beep notified Tim that the decryption program had a match on the passcode for the phone Bruce had dropped off, and he rolled over to have a look. The phone was not a brand Tim recognized, it was from the pre-smartphone era and didn’t even have a camera. It had been easier for Tim to just take it apart and hook it to power to get it up and running - it was then he noticed that someone had modded the receiver and transmitter, it also didn’t have a sim card.

Despite the lack of sim-card, when Tim looked at the now open phone it claimed to have a full signal from the most prominent telecompany in the larger bay area. Tim raised an eyebrow - curious. The text messages were empty, and a root around in the settings found that read messages were automatically deleted after 24 hours - the thief were really keen on keeping his secrets.

In the “phone book” which was a rather quaint old school term for the contact list, Tim finally found something that alluded to a normal life. Something that could maybe give them some information: Dad, Jazz, Mom, Sam, Tuck, Val - pretty sparse contact list. All the numbers had the same area code, which put them somewhere in the Midwest, if Tim was remembering correctly.

Tim considered for a moment then pressed the up button until he reached “Mom” again and pressed enter. Butt calls had been a real problem with this phone type if people forgot to lock them, it wouldn’t be so strange if Tim didn’t say anything. With any luck they’d get confirmation on the name Danny.

There was a single dial tone then a feminine voice announced:

“The number you have called cannot be reached.”

-

Woohooo yay, I think we're done with "the detectives detective-ing" for now which was the extend of my notes before writing the last two parts (parts 6 and 7 are going to be a single chapter once they go on Ao3). Hope you enjoyed, I got a serious case of Damian feels while rewriting chapter 1 for Ao3 (here's a link if you missed it), so that's the explanation for why Damian decided we needed his pov Next

Masterpost for subscription

[anonymous-existences]

Chapter 6 : Phantom Luck

Double Update is so crazy of me frfr

[𝙶𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚖 𝙲𝚒𝚝𝚢, 𝙶𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚖 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚄𝚗𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚢, 7:00 𝙰𝙼]

Danny was filling applications with Dante's and Valerie's Help, "Okay so Dash is planning to get into is... Law? Wow— ambitious as always Dash." Valerie chuckles "is that a Compliment or an Insult." Dash tilts his head "give or take see it as you see it." Valerie waved her hand. "Danny and Dante are taking Aerospace Engineering, that makes so much sense considering their obsession with space and stuff. Tucker is getting IT Management which also makes sense and I'll be getting into Criminology." Valerie says happily. "Ambitious Are we Valerie." Dash says sarcastically and Valerie glared at him with daggers.

"Yeah but atleast I have the talent for it." Valerie rolls her eyes and Dash just frowns "I have talent for law too." Now both are glaring at each other. "Aerospace Engineering is so cool..." Tucker states as he looks up what Aerospace Engineering is. Danny smiles and Dante just eating some candy beside Danny. "Me and Danny are gonna go out for a while you guys can stay here, call us if you need." Dante stands up and Danny nods. "stay Safe Danny.." Dash muttered meekly but It made Danny Giggle, "Cya later Dudes." Tucker waves just slightly, "I better see your ass later Dante." Valerie winks. "Ew." Dante glared at her and pushed Danny's Wheelchair away whilst Danny was Laughing.

As Danny and Dante went through the Crowd they accidentally Bumped into someone and Their things fell on Danny's Lap, "Oops, Sorry!" The Person says and Danny just laughs it off, "it's no worries!" Danny waves his hand dismissively and looked up at the person and gives him back his fallen items and Oh my God it's Tim Drake-Wayne, "Oh!" Danny stared at him and he also looks surprised. "You're Danny! From the Technology Geeks Channel—" He says almost excitedly, "You're Tim Drake!" Danny also says Excitedly, "Can I get your Autograph?" They both said in unison and Both Nearly jumping in surprised before Danny laughed.

"And a picture too." Dante added as he pulled out his phone. "Ofcourse! As long as I get an Autograph from The Danny. Aka the you should ask Danny, if things aren't going your way Guy."(Ref to "you should ask Danny." fic by corkinavoid) Tim Quotes One of Sam's Past Sayings which Made Danny's heart warm up and smile widely. Dante took a photo of the two and they exchanged Autographs with each other. "Me and Some of my family members are really big fans of you guys, can I get your number so they can meet you all too?" Tim asks politely which made Danny Excited and Both exchanging Numbers as well. "My friends would love to meet you as well— I mean if you saw the "I'd propose to him I get a chance" videos and clips then you'd know." Danny and Tim both Chuckled.

"I'll see you around Sir Danny and Sir Dante." Tim bows his head slightly and walks off, Danny waving goodbye... "He took a bit of my hair didn't he?" Danny sighs and Dante nods laughing. "I hate this fucking Phantom Luck." Dante groans. "Please come back negative." Danny says. "I don't wanna be another frootloop's son, atleast Ellie can make them soft with her cuteness but me? I'm not cute? I'm just a nerd." Danny just groaning with Dante. "I'm gonna go insane Before I even finish college.." Danny sighs and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Atleast I got an autograph and his number... It's still... Feels like a set up." Danny closes his eyes in agony.

"I know that Damian Wayne likes you because he was one of your first subscribers along with CoffeeAddict smth smth forgot that guy's name." Dante yawns. "Yes, he says he loves our Eco-Advocacy— which I mean— Sam could've been an Eco-Terrorist if she was still alive and in Gotham. She'd probably be excited if she met Ivy..." Danny mutters and leans his head to the resting pillow on his Wheelchair as Dante just Nods. "Let's just get this over With and go Home to rest yeah?" Dante looks down at Danny and Danny Nods.

They headed back to the Baxter Manor to let Danny rest. Hopefully to get more peaceful sleep if possible, he deserves it... He truly does.

Dante combs Danny's hair gently as Danny Promptly fell asleep as soon as he laid down, "Oh Ancients... When will we ever have some Normalcy in our life.", Dante says with a pained expression. He wanted to cry in fear for the future that's so mysterious and Cryptid. He wanted to destroy everyone who had hurt his family. He wanted to Get Revenge on Maddie Fenton and the GIW for killing his sister and his friends. For killing the innocent. But for now he swore to himself that he'll let Danny settle down and get comfortable in the new city before he does any of that, for now he can't leave his dear Brother's side. Not when Danny is obviously struggling to fit in and settle down his Anxiety.

He still catches Danny Trembling in the sight of The color White, It's so sickening and Sad that he had to suffer like this, that he had to be afraid of the color white. That he had to... He had to be afraid of people in general. It made Dante's core tremble in grief. Dante tried the "What Would Jazz Do?" Or WWJD in short Method... Yeah. What would Jazz do? She will comfort and console the two who's cores are bonded and connected. She knows both are suffering if one is in pain as well. What would she do? Especially when she's no longer with them... What should he do? What should Dante do now? He's scared too. He misses her so much too.

Why did she have to be the one to die? Maybe if she was behind Jazz she would have never gotten shot, Maybe if—.... Jazz would be upset if she ever found out I am thinking like this... Jazz would comfort him and cuddle them both into a tight mama bear hug. She felt warmer than the embrace of their own mother, Maddie. She was more of a mother anyone else could ever be for Dante. They miss her so much. What would... Jazz do right now? .

Dante stood up and gently closed the door behind him as he left, he greeted the two elders outside who was just watching Cujo playing with the other dogs and Dante left not without saying a proper "I'll be back later" goodbye to the Elders and Riding off with his bike with his helmet on. He kept riding. He took off his plates. He went invisible and Intangible and he sped off hoping to let out some steam through going 100+mph with his Unnaturally Fast Bike. He kept riding until he ran out of gas in the middle of the road near back Wayne Manor. It was a very odd Coincidence... This couldn't be a coincidence.

Soon his invisibility faded off and he stares at the Manor with Those Blue eyes that Had Red Rimmings before his emotions took over him again and it became a Piercing blood Red Once More. He then promptly filled his Bike with Ectoplasmic Gas that came through his chest, not realizing that his Ecto Being's Exhaustion is allowing the cameras to see him, he filled his gas and went back invisible before speeding off again silently. He wanted to escape the current mind set of his. Jazz would scold him if she found out he did something reckless. He stopped by a tree with that thought and lit an ecto-cigarette instead, he took a deep breathe before speaking to himself.

"Right... Jazz would be mad... I should do the things Jazz would be Happy about for now.. even things that just won't make her mad... Goddamit. I miss her so much." he wipes the tears that dare fall down his cheeks. "Fuck.." he couldn't stop them from falling and eventually he just curled up under the tree to sob in silence with his Ecto-Cigarette. "I'm sorry jazz... I don't think I can always follow your morals, I hope you're not disappointed in me... I miss you so much." He just sobs with broken voices as he felt his Heart shatter and more tears fell as he stared into a picture of him, Ellie, Vlad, Danny and Jazz before everything went to Tragedy Massacre.

"I'll make sure to avenge you. Truly I'll avenge you. I'll dismantle The Ghost Investigation Ward and Kill Fucking Maddie Fenton. I'll make sure of it. I'm so sorry for what I'm gonna do." He sobs out as he kisses the picture. Goddamit. He misses his Older Sister so much... So much. They're gonna pay for what they've done to the people of Amity Park and Jazz. One day Dante will be the one to Kill Maddie Fenton with his Own Hands. he'll the one to tear her soul apart and let it suffer in the Nightmare realms. He'll do anything to dismantle and Get revenge on those who have wronged him.

But for now he needed to act into the Normalcy part of his and Danny's new life... Dante puts his Unlit Cigarettes in his pocket so he wouldn't litter and put on back his helmet. He drove off with his bike at a normal speed and with the Plate Back to not get himself pulled over. He doesn't wanna bother the Baxter Elders. They've done so much for the people they're not even related to, even going as far as Having installed a Wheelchair Elevator for the stairs for Danny because they don't know he could float. Dante uses that elevator when Danny is asleep in his chair and he doesn't want to wake up his little brother.

He wonders how Ellie is doing. She's been out in the Himalayas and having fun last he heard from her. Vlad and Clockwork are still smitten with each other, Clockwork going as far as calling Vlad his Husband by Ghost Culture Laws. "So embarrassing.." he mutters under his breathe as he thought about Vlad and Clockwork's Zesty Gay Relationship. "Why must they always be so flirty Infront of me... I do not need to see Live Action Older Men Boy's Love." Dante groans and focused on the road.

Dante planned to go home to the Baxters for now. Ancients Please don't give them more hardships. He's too tired for that Shit... Especially that Jazz isn't there by the twin's side, it's an even harder task to keep sane.

"Fuck this Life and Fuck this Phantom Luck" Dante scoffs under his breathe as he drove off back to the Baxter's Mansion not knowing that Tim was already getting DNA tests out of paranoia that he and Danny might be Another set of Biological Children to Bruce or Maybe Separated Clones of Bruce. It could be both but one is better than the other.

Oh Paranoid Tim Drake-Wayne. He who is digging their past and biological Mother and everything. Dante could never know for now that their bio family gets a bit crazy... Maybe too crazy sometimes.

Normalcy was never an Option for the Phantoms.

[bittersweetcreep]

Luna runs into civillan Damian again

Author's Note: This is part 2 of my Talia Al Ghul and Red Luna post, but you can read this as a standalone.

Part 1 here

A nice breeze rustled the tree's leaves, and sitting underneath that very tree was Luna. She was spending her free time sketching away in her sketchbook. Art was a nice way for her to relax and let her guard down. It can be so taxing to be constantly aware of her surroundings, It's nice to let go of that need to be ready for an incoming attack. That's the reason why she didn't sense a presence coming towards her. She didn't sense them sitting on the grass next to her, she didn't feel their stare.

Feeling a hand tuck her hair behind her ear was the moment she realized someone was there. Turning her head, she was met with Damian Al Ghul. He had this look of confidence and was wearing a devilish smile when he spoke his voice was filled with fondness as he greeted her. "Hello Luna."

Choosing to be polite, she signed back to him °Al Ghul. What do I owe the pleasure of seeing you this time around?° moving his fingers, he began to stroke her cheek. He seemed to be admiring her. "Don't worry your pretty little head, I'm not here to kill anyone. I'm not even an Al Ghul at the moment." She noticed he used the words 'at the moment', so he must be staying with his father at the moment but will return to Talia. Now that Luna thinks about it, who is Damian's father? After all, Talia wouldn't just procreate with anyone. It's probably best she doesn't know.

°If you're not here on a job, then why are you here?° Resting an elbow on his knee, Damian was once again wearing that devilish smile while he spoke. "I'm here for you, I wanted to spend time with the Red Luna who bested the heir of the League of Assassins and Talia Al Ghul herself." Picking himself up off the ground, he extended his hand for Luna to take. "What do you say, Luna? Will you do me the honor of showing you a good time?"

There was a moment of silence between them before Luna responded °As long as nobody gets killed, I don't see the harm.° putting her art supplies and sketchbook in her messenger bag, Luna took Damian's hand. Once being pulled to her feet, she signed one more thing before they left. °Don't make me regret this.° bring her hand up to his lips he reassured her. "I wouldn't dream of it."

He took her to a large warehouse like building that had the words Palette Paradise on it. The building was surprisingly walking distance from the park they were at. Once inside the building, they were greeted by a receptionist who opened a door for them. Damian offered his hand, giving Luna a reassuring smile. Deciding to trust him, she took his hand as he guided her inside.

The door closed shut behind them, leaving them in a pitch-black room. This put Luna on edge, but then the room lit up with millions of floating lights. Blue, pink, and yellow covered the sky around them. It truly was a beautiful sight, one where Luna couldn't look away from. Damian couldn't look away either, but it wasn't the lights that had his attention it was Luna.

Her eyes shined even brighter than those lights, and she had the biggest smile on her face. She was radiating pure joy and wonder as she stared up in awe at all of the colors in the sky. Damian swears he was falling for her all over again.

Entering the next room, they were greeted by the sound of birds chirping with a sunny sky. It had this peaceful atmosphere to it, but a sudden struck of lighting broke that atmosphere. The loud sound startled Luna, causing her to jump back into Damian's arms. Then dark and stormy clouds started to surround them both with low lighting coming from under their feet in an ashy purple tone. It suddenly started to rain too but for some reason she wasn't getting wet.

The sudden sound of laughter coming from Damian snapped the girl out of her surprise and shocked. Twirling her around, he placed his hand around her waist while clasping her other hand in his. "Follow my lead." They began to dance while staring into each others eyes. For some reason, Damian staring at her with his dominating gaze is making her feel shy, and her cheeks seem to be heating up too. Why is she feeling like this? And why is her heart racing? Can he hear the pounding her heart is making?

After exploring the other rooms, they left Palette Paradise. Damian wanted to treat her to something sweet, saying he had a place in mind. What Luna didn't know was that he was treating her to Puff Perfection, a high-end bakery that's known for their luxury desserts only the rich can afford. Tugging the back of the teen's shirt to get his attention, she informed the boy of the cost of this place °Not here, this place's desserts are costly. I know other places that are much more affordable.°

Placing a hand on her head, Damian gave a reassuring smile. "There's no need to worry about prices. You can trust me to treat you to something sweet." Trusting his words, she (with some apprehension) stepped inside of Puff Perfection. They were immediately escorted to a private table on the balcony and were given a shared menu that's filled with nothing but desserts.

Luna planned to get something cheap, but seeing all of the mouth-watering desserts that thought was thrown out the window fast and her sweet tooth took over her. There were so many tasty desserts with so many flavors. How can she choose one when her sweet tooth is telling her to eat them all. "Hey Luna, look right here." Damian pointed his finger to something called The Sweetheart Special. Reading it, the special comes with a triangular raspberry and rose essence cake covered in a pink ombré buttercream, a pink ombré macaron tower with rose Italian buttercream and hibiscus rose chocolate ganache and a rose milk tea latte.

"You wanna get that?" Giving him a thusiastic nod (which is just her nodding her head up and down super fast) Damain calls their waiter over and told them,"We'll be getting The Sweetheart Special." Luna was surprised to see the waiter back so soon as they didn't even wait for a full minute, but that thought was long gone when he served them their drinks and desserts.

Picking up her fork, she took a slice of cake into her mouth and let out a satisfied moan. Luna swore when she took that bite she bit into a slice of sweet berry paradise. Wanting to share this little slice of heaven, she took a portion of her cake and held her fork out for Damian to take. He leaned over and took a bite off of her fork.

Luna took a sip of her rose milk tea. When placing her cup back on the table, she was met with the sight of a macaron. Pressing the cookie to her lips, she took the hint and bit into the macaron. Damian took what's left of the cookie into his mouth. They took their time eating the rest of their desserts and continued feeding each other while making menial chatter.

"So you're telling me you don't have a TV or a laptop, but you have a flip phone that can only call people?"

°And a apple iPod.°

"You should come over to my place sometime. I could show you a few TV shows you might like or even a movie."

°We'll see°

Luna looked over the balcony to see the sky painted in an orange hue and the sun setting far off in the distance. This is usually the time she would be heading home to get ready, but the thought of her time with Damian coming to an end saddened her. There was a selfish part of her that wanted to skip her vigilante duties to stay with Damian a little longer, but she knew she couldn't.

°I should be going, I have something that can't be left unchecked.°

"I understand. My father is expecting me soon anyway."

Getting up from their sets, they walked past many rows of empty booths. Now that Luna thought about it, the whole place was empty when they first walked in, and the Palette Paradise was too. It didn't make sense with a place like Puff Perfection she expected the place to be jam-packed, but there wasn't a single customer in sight. Deciding not to dwell on it, she continued to follow Damain past the receptionists desk (she chose not to say anything when he didn't go to pay them) and towards the entrance were he held the door open for her to go through.

°You made today a real dream, makes me wish i could stay with you and never wake up°

"Luna." he said her name in a breathy tone as he looked at her with all the love and passion he held for her. With one hand, she continued to sign while the other reached for her phone. °We should do this again sometime. Do you mind if I get your number? I would like to schedule our next meet-up. °

Taking the flip phone from her hand, Damian started to put in his contacts. "I was thinking of taking you to the glass pebble beach to do some swimming, maybe take you jet skiing too." Finished typing in his number, the raven-haired teen handed her phone back to her °I don't have a swimsuit° she looked at her phone to see his number with the name 'Your Personal Demon❤️‍🔥' attached to it. "Don't worry, we can stop and get you one on the way there. My treat."

°Ok, then I hope to see you soon.° leaning forward, Luna placed her lips on Damian's, catching him by surprise. Pulling away, he was met with her gentle smile. Giving him a small wave, she turned around and started making the journey to her house. Leaving behind a lovestruck Damian.

Bonus Sense

Walking through the mansion's doors was a glowing Damian who had this dreamy expression on his face. He was practically floating off the ground as he made his way to his room without a care in the world. He even passed Dick without so much as giving him a glance, which freaked out the ravenette as he's never had an interaction with the kid without hostility. With a million questions Dick headed off to the man who always had the answers.

Rushing to the billionaire's office, he slammed the doors open and screamed, "Bruce! Something's wrong with the hellspawn!" Looking up from his paperwork, said man responded to the raven-haired male in a calm tone."In what way is something's wrong with Damian?" "I walked past him without being threatened, insulted, or being stabbed, and he had this weird look on his face that Damian would NEVER be caught dead wearing by anyone, let alone ME."

Looking back to his paperwork, he responded to Dick "Well Luna does have that effect on him." This confused the circus boy."I know that much, but he was out as Damian, not Robin." With a dismissive tone, the affluent man answered him. "And now she knows Damian Wayne." Running a hand through his hair Dick let out a frustrated groan. "What did he do this time?"

Without missing a beat, he asked his question, "He took her on a date, and from what you're saying, it went well." "I guess that explains why he's acting like a Disney princess, and let me guess he used the Wayne's name for this date of his?" There was a small pause before he answered with a simple "Yes." Bruce looked up to see Dick making a face. "And you allowed this because?" Letting out a deep sigh, he started explaining himself "Talia for lack for a better word 'persuaded' me and Damian promise to in his words 'play nice with the mediocre villains and your non-biological son'."

"Hmm.... for how long?" The billionaire rubbed his temples to ease the incoming headache. "Originally, he proposed 2 weeks -" "Go figure." Bruce gave a stern glare. Dick chose to shut his mouth and let the man continue. "I propose 6 weeks with the addition of providing all the resources needed for more dates with Luna." Dick cocked his head to the side. "And if he went back on his word, you'll pull back all of those resources?" "Exactly, and I have a feeling these dates with Luna will keep him on his best behavior."

[missbluesunflowersstuff]

Some Damian Wayne headcanon

This is my personal vision, I came to this conclusion since Damian is always running ahead, waking up earlier than Bruce for patrols, running to a pet and stuff . Please respect

Damian is (contrary to popular belief) a child with a lot A LOT of energy (do you really think this boy could survive the league if he is lazy? Wrong! Think again) and in the start this was a pain for Bruce's old bones (he become Robin just because Bruce doesn't know what to do with this boy energy)

Dick was the first to notice this. As Robin, Damian never stopped, training, running, playing with his pets. The realization came one night on patrol, Damian was dangling his feet while eating, noticing this Dick tried to remember when he saw this boy stay-still and the thought led to another

and being friends with a speedster made him know how to handle all of Damian's energy easily. Dick took Damian to the arcade, directing Damian's energy into toys and video games and still come out as the best brother in the world, win-win

Dick never told anyone and let everyone figure it out for themselves (he is a little shit)

Every single one realize it out in some point and in the most weird/terrible/inconvenient/normal way possible (the situation varies a lot depending on the person)

Bruce and Tim are the last one to find out

Bruce, actually refuse to believe it in the start ("my children are fine" parent meme), but after he seeing Damian and Jon's interaction he remembers the strange conversation Babs had with him a few nights ago about Damian, he regrets not listening to her sooner, but doesn't admit he was wrong ("Damian is fine" "fuck you")

Tim is the last of them all to notice, it hits him like a brick that Steph threw at him once. He only noticed it when Damian was 14 and, just like Dick, it was because of something silly and harmless, they were in a boat and Damian was impatient, Tim told Damian to calm down as there was nothing to be nervous about, and Damian just said "I can't"

This made Tim try to think of something to try to calm him down until he realized with quick reasoning that even though Damian was a stoic child, he was not someone who stays still

this leaves Tim with a bittersweet taste in his mouth, how did he miss this? and just from his younger brother!

Determined to deal with this Tim holds an emergency meeting with the others, which leads to more resentment as no one is surprised by the news (Tim even sees Jason and Steph giving Dick money - sometimes Tim hates his brothers)

"Listen, replacement, we all here know that this boy has a lot of energy and needs to spend it on something or he disappears into the world, so take him on some patrol, make him jump around some buildings and then sit down to eat, do this regularly and he and you will be fine" - Jason

"Took him to arcade or dog park is also helps a lot too" - Steph "Just let him use his energy on some activity first and then talk to him while he eats or rests, often you don't even need to do anything on patrol, just talk to him when he sits next to you after"

"Are you telling me I could have been on good terms with Damian all this time? And you all know how and never told me?" - Tim

"Oh Timbo, you're a stalker, we thought you would realize it sooner" - Dick is a smug bastard

Some days Tim hates his brothers

Also Damian has received enough training to learn to control himself, to hold himself in place even when he doesn't want to, but he prefers not to do that only if the reward is extremely good

Some batkid headcanon: Damian || Duke || Cassandra || Stephanie || Tim || Jason || Dick

[riptideripley]

Chapter two of: Addicted.

word count: 1,836

Roman sat up out of his bed with a groan, waking up to his 7:30 alarm. He sat up and was instantly sore, giving him a fresh reminder of last night. He sighed and grabbed his phone off the charger, eyes widening when he saw 3 missed calls from Rhea. He instantly called her back as he flipped the covers off his legs and stood up to stretch.

"Hey Rips, what's up?"

"Did seth tell you"

"Tell me..what?"

"Well he set up a breakfast "date" for us to go to so we can talk. It's at 8:30 so hurry up."

She spat out and hung up quickly leaving Roman stunned. He put his phone back on the charger and grabbed his essentials out of his suitcase, heading to the bathroom.

Rheas POV

I hung up almost instantly after talking to Roman. Why the fuck would Seth set this shit up knowing I'm still pissed?! I glanced over at Dom who was peacefully sleeping, god he looked beautiful. I gently shook him, "Hey Dom..I have to go soon alright?" I spoke softly not wanting to really disturb him.

"Yeah..? Alright mami be safe" he mumbled tiredly back to me, kissing my hand before turning to the other side to get comfortable. I smiled and got out of bed, walking to the bathroom to check myself out. I've already went to the gym, showered, and did everything a woman needed to do. I checked the time and saw it was already 8:10 so I grabbed my mini bag and headed out the door, giving Dom a kiss on the cheek before leaving.

15 Minutes Later.

I arrived and I'm instantly irritated. I see Roman and Seth sitting at a small squared table off to the corner, walking over there. "Rhea! Glad you could make it." Seth said with a smile in which I returned one as I sat down. Looking at Roman just made me sick.

No ones POV

All Roman could do was look at her. I mean he felt guilty and tried everything to apologize, but he knew it would take some time.

"Rhea look, I know I've already explained everything to you. I'm really sorry alright? I never meant for him to find those messages and find out everything."

Rhea sighed, stirring the coffee stick around in her black coffee Seth ordered for her. "Yeah..I guess I accept your apology. I just don't want Jimmy around me ever. again."

"Alright I can promise that no worries" he responded with a smile, finally all of this would be put to rest.

"Soo..how's you and Dom?" Seth questioned, taking a sip of his coffee. "Things are..meh. Same old same old I guess" Rhea responded with a slight smile, not wanting to go into detail about the truth.

Truth be told, after Dominik found out about Rhea sleeping with Roman things went sideways for a while. He wouldn't book hotel rooms with her, he wouldn't even sit next to her in the car rides with the group. It took him a few weeks to finally talk to her and at least..attempt to move on from it. Things went well for a while and then they didn't. It took them a while to get back on track and just let things smoothe over on its own.

Roman looked around taking in the scenery when he spotted someone. Dean. He damn near jumped up out of his seat to go run and hug him but remained composed. "Rhea you know you can always talk to us right?" "Yeah..Yeah I know" she spoke which snapped Roman out of his zone. He was too busy looking around and staring at Dean to realize the conversation they were having. They were going on and on about the whole situation from Elimination Chamber and how her relationship was with Dom. He felt bad truly but god it was just unfair Dom got to have her and not share.

Rhea checked her phone and stood up almost instantly. "Hey I um- I gotta go. Something happened with Damian and Finn" she spoke quickly, grabbing her coffee cup and leaving.

Seth noticed Roman staring at someone and looked, it was Dean.

Flashback.

"Dean this isn't fair and you know it."

"Oh cmon Seth. You know he'll never love you the way he loves me just fucking face it dude."

Roman just sat there completely silent and out of it. He was in love with his two best friends and didn't know what the fuck to do. Seth walking in on him and Dean didn't make things any better for him either.

"One day Seth you'll realize. Nothing and no one can replace me in his life."

End of flashback.

Seth's blood boiled and his heart sank. Dean was the one person he didn't want to see ever again after those words Dean spoke to him. Roman seemed to notice this and sat there quietly, his gaze shifting off to look outside the window.

"Go talk to him, I know you want to."

"Seth I-" "Go."

Roman silently stood up and made his way over to the table were Dean was sitting alone. "Holy shit- Ro?" Dean spoke damn near choking on his drink. Roman chuckled and smiled. "Hey Dede..haven't seen you in a while you know. Ever since you went to AEW you kinda ghosted me" he spoke and took a seat in the chair across from Dean.

"Shit dude sorry about that. Works have been busy and you know how shit is" Dean spoke feeling guilty about just leaving Roman alone how he did. "It's fine I get it, how'd you like it over there?" Roman questioned.

"Awe man you've got to come watch one of my matches if you aren't busy- I'm having a blast" he spoke, seeming very enthusiastic about it which made Roman chuckle to himself. "I'll try, hey did you uh get a new number or something" he asked as he pulled out his phone from his pocket. "Shit- I did, here give me your phone"

Seth just sat there. Watching as Dean typed his new number into Roman's phone. This whole interaction just made him more and more pissed off, so he stood up and walked out of the building. Roman noticed and just sighed in his head, continuing his conversation with Dean.

When Seth got back to the hotel, he was not expecting the scene he saw in the lobby.

"Damian what the absolute FUCK is wrong with you huh?! You go out with Dom for one fucking night and come back with a pregnancy?!" Rhea was fussing at Damian at the top of her lungs. From what Seth gathered within the 5 seconds of him being there, Damian and Dominik went out to a club and Damian got someone pregnant. Thank god this was a WWE only reserved hotel or shit would've hit the fan quickly.

Finn was pacing around furious while Dom just stood there silently. He knew who the girl was sadly and if he told Rhea it would just make her more mad. He noticed Seth out of the corner of his eye and sighed as he quietly walked over to him.

"Is everything..good?" "Fucks no. I mean you hear what she's saying" Dom responded very quickly as he sat down in a lounge chair with Seth.

"So he got someone pregnant huh?" Seth asked as he sipped on the coffee he got to go. "Yeah..I mean I told him it was a bad idea to go home with the girl but he didn't listen to me. And I mean you know the whole thing between him and Finn right?" Seth shook his head no.

"Shit dude you've got to keep up with the locker room whispers. Apparently they're in some sort of relationship without a label on it, it's confusing shit and I just gave up on trying to keep up with it."

"So that's why he's so mad.." "Yup."

At this point Roman had returned and Rhea's former tag partner Liv showed up from all the commotion. "Rhea! Calm the fuck down ok?" Liv spoke as she held onto Rhea's arm to pull her back from slapping the taste out of Damian. Rhea snatched her arm out of her grip and walked off to go calm herself down. Dominik took this opportunity to stand up and go after her to make sure she didn't break anything like she tends to do. Damian stood there pissed after being yelled at like a fucking 2 year old but to be honest he deserved it.

Hours later. 7:30 pm.

It was a saturday so everyone tended to head out to a club or something to relax and have fun. Rhea invited Roman,Seth,Liv,Dom, and Bianca out to a bar for the night to cool off. When Roman arrived, he spotted Rhea alone and went to go talk to her. "Hey you alright? Where's everyone else?" "Oh hey..well the girls and seth are over there bothering some people. Dominik decided not to show up and instead went to Damian's room" he nodded at her words and ordered him a double whiskey.

"See you ordering the same thing as me hm" Rhea spoke and chuckled to herself, sipping on her glass of whiskey. Roman smiled and took a sip of his drink when he received it, looking off in the distance at Seth.

"You two still messing around?" Rhea asked, trailing her foot up his leg. She knew she was wrong for doing this but she couldn't help herself when he looked that good in his all black tight fitted shirt and sweatpants. Roman noticed this instantly and chuckled to himself, running his hand up her leg. "Yeah..we are. Is that an issue Miss Ripley?"

"Oh not at all..I can change that tho" she spoke with a smile and finished off her drink, Roman doing the same.

Fast Forward to the next morning.

Rhea sat up and looked next to her, instantly jumping out of the bed. How the fuck did she get in bed with Roman of all people? She quickly dressed herself and was about to leave but was stopped at the feeling of a hand on her waist. "Leaving now Rhea?" a familiar voice of Roman's in her ear.

"Yes Roman..Dom is probably worried sick about me alright?" she spoke and shoved his hand off of her. "Fine, go ahead and leave. We'll talk about this at some point" he spoke and watched her leave, loving every second of the view. He turned over in his bed and grabbed his phone, calling Dean to plan to meet up.

Rheas POV

I banged on the door, trying everything to wake at least Dom up. Finally he opened the door and looked at me, not seeming too happy to see my face.

"So..Roman again huh?" shit.

[kawaii-queen-kaiju]

Killer

Maribat March - Prompt 8

TW: Panic attack, gun/murder (in self-defense), mention of blood

-

The sound was echoing in her head. Playing on loop, over and over. Marinette tried to hide from it, burying herself in her ridiculously expensive duvet, but she kept hearing the bang, feeling the heavy metal of the gun in her hand. Seeing the man's body hitting the ground, laying in a pool of his own blood.

She let out a shuddering breath, burying her face deeper into her feather pillow, wrapped in a silky soft case. She doesn't deserve this kind of luxury. She's a killer.

Marinette sat up abruptly, flinging the comforter off of her, and herself off of the cloud-like mattress. She scooted back, pressing her back into her bookshelf, digging it in painfully. Good. She's not a hero, she deserves the pain. She killed a man, and with no Miraculous Cure to save him he would stay that way. Sobs wracked her body as she curled herself into the smallest ball she could.

A knock at the door made her freeze, breath getting caught in her throat. She knew it was just one of her siblings, Bruce, or Alfred, but all she could hear were gunshots, echoing in her ears. All she could see was the man in the horrible clown mask pointing a gun at Red Robin. All she could do was wish that it hadn't gone down the way it did. Wish that that stupid goon hadn't had a hidden handgun, wish that it hadn't been a kill or be killed situation. Wish that she hadn't chosen to be a monster, chosen to be no better than the criminals she fought.

"Pixie! Hey, it's okay, I'm so sorry, just breathe with me!"

Distantly she could hear Jason's voice, breaking through the haze of self-deprecation she built up around her. Jason, her brother, who was always there for her when the culture shocks of Gotham hit her particularly hard. Her chest heaved as she tried to pull further away, pressing the bookshelf further into her back and making her whimper. She didn't deserve his kindness, doesn't he understand? She killed someone! She broke one of Bruce's only rules! Oh God, she broke the no-kill rule. Bruce was going to disown her and ship her back to Paris, and he'd tell everyone one what she did, and she was going to go to prison and rot in a cell for the rest of her pathetic life! It's what she deserved, so she couldn't blame him.

Jason picked her up and she flailed. Why doesn't he understand?! She's a monster! She's a killer!

"So am I."

Three words. Three words, and her mind halted in its tracks. "I know how hard it is, Pix. God, I was a wreck after the first time. I still get nightmares. But it wasn't your fault, Pix, it was his. He was going to kill Tim, and you had a choice to make. You and Tim, or that scumbag, who was probably going to sleep just fine tonight if you hadn't stopped him." His teal eyes flashed with regret, shadows of horrific things dancing in them. "You made a choice, and I can promise you, none of us are going to criticize you for it. Hell, it's the choice any of us would've made if we were in your shoes."

Another knock sounded at the door, and she jumped, but didn't fall back into another panic attack, thankfully. Dick poked his head in, giving her a soft look. "I've got all the Disney Princess movies queued up and loads of ice cream when you're ready, M."

She took a shuddering breath in. She didn't deserve this. All this pampering and ice cream. She's a killer! But... so is Jason, and Damian, and Cass, and she's 90% sure that Tim isn't as clean as they think. She still loves and trusts them and knows they're good people. Maybe...

Maybe she still is, too?

[fahbev]

More shit for my dpxdc merfolk au!

No I’m not censoring boobs. I have Opinions TM on this matter, don’t get me started. Basically: If mermen don’t get their nipples censored by unnecessary clothing, neither do mermaids.

I’m trying to have some diversity with body types in these designs, for no reason other than wanting some variety.

For Cass [Sting Ray] I can’t really decide on a body type I like for her. I’ve drawn her before with the “conventionally attractive girl body type” (bc that was my reference pic and I turned it into Cass lol) and I liked it bc she’s fine like that. But I also love her being more bulky/muscular like she is in WFA. But for this design, I am spreading my Chubby Cass Propaganda TM. Okay, she’s not that chubby, but I like the idea of her moving past her whole living-weapon thing and gaining some weight bc she’s not training 24/7 anymore. Obviously she’s still very physically fit ofc; she’s the best fighter in the world.

Steph I kept exactly how she is in canon bc she’s already perfect just the way she is. Though I am considering making her a bit more muscular.

Dick’s also pretty similar to canon, but I made him a bit slimmer. I always imagined him as more of a lean muscle kind of guy but dc loves giving all of it’s characters of the same gender the same exact body type.

Duke I made more square. He’s based on an eel so the rectangle body just made sense to me.

Jason’s just huge and Damian’s just small.

Next up is Babs. Then comes Bruce and Tim. Danny’s last bc I haven’t figured out what fish he’s gonna be yet lol. The rest of the fentons are human so I don’t really need to redesign them so much besides maybe different clothes.

FURTHER RAMBLING UNDER THE CUT bc i put a lot of thought into these

Steph is a betta fish. Ik that doesn’t make much sense bc they’re tropical (i think?) and domestic and like super aggressive and only the male ones have those pretty fins— but suspend your disbelief! She a mermaid. I’m using some real science but some of it’s just me playing with fish like dolls. ANYWAY! The reason she got fired in this au was bc her long, beautiful fins were way too fragile and Bruce stopped it bc she got hurt too easily. Nowadays she binds her fins close to her body and attaches fake ones for swimming as Spoiler. Either that or they’re not vigilantes at all in this au, I’m still deciding. I also based her hair on her Robin look.

Dick is a flying fish, bc of COURSE he’s a flying fish. What else would he be, huh? I have visions about him jumping out of the water and sailing over or onto the Fentons’ boat. The transition on his waist is supposed to mimic the nightwing symbol if you can’t tell. That’s another design element I’m trying to vary— fish to flesh transitions.

Cass is a Sting Ray. She was originally gonna be a manta ray, but when i looked it up, sting rays were the ones with the more round shape i wanted. Mantas had much bigger wings, which were absolutely not gonna fit on this paper. But sting rays are cool! They’re super friendly, some aquariums have little “petting zoos” where you can pet the sting rays! And also, yk, stinging. I’m betting the ones at the aquarium didn’t have stingers that can affect humans tho. I may have to do further sting ray research. Yes that bigass thing is attached to her back everywhere except for her neck and the base of here head (bc i love drawing hair too much). Her arms are, ofc, not attached to it. I made her a ray in the first place bc they have very good camouflage at the bottom of the ocean. I saw this picture of a ray blending in but it was ominous af. It felt perfect for her.

[your-regular-toast-enjoyer]

An awkward smile pt. 2: Yandere Damian Wayne x Reader.

Damian Wayne x reader. Yandere!Damian Wayne x reader/ Yandere Damian Wayne x Reader

Word count: 4834 words

Part 1 HERE

TW: GN reader, Yandere, kidnapping, adult Damian Wayne (inspired and mostly based off of Damian in Batman beyond & Injustice 2: Gods among us), toxic family relations, obsession, someone getting stabbed with a katana, semi-vivid description of death. Other than that, there's no s*x or anything of the like.

It was dark outside, and still, you could hear the persistent chirping of some feathered foe just outside your balcony. You had attempted to fall to rest for over an hour, yet the constant outside noises kept distracting you from your goal.

Closing your eyes tight, you tried to let sleep take its place, but the bird seemed to take offence to this and turned up the volume of its screechy chatter. Giving up on your long-awaited sleep, you slowly sat up. 

A cold breeze blew in from your left, right through the doorless opening to your balcony. The sandy-coloured walls had been darkened with the shadows cast by the moonlight, which shone brightly that night. 

You sat alone in the enormous silken bed. Damian was fulfilling his duties as the Head of the league, overseeing large-scale plans of destruction. 

“Demon Spawn no longer, now a fully-fledged Demon”, you whispered to yourself. Speaking to yourself was a habit you had since you were a child, but after Damian brought you to 'Eth Alth'eban, you started doing it more frequently. There was no one else to talk to except Damian and his mother. The servants either didn’t speak a word of any language you knew, or they were too afraid of conversing with the spouse of the Demon. Both were equally likely possibilities to you. 

Looking at the balcony again, you thought about going out and admiring the moon. Damian would have a fit when he came in, and you weren’t lying in bed, ready for him to tuck you in, but it wouldn’t matter. As long as you stroked his thick hair and kissed his plump lips, it’d all be fine. No one would get hurt.

Crawling on all fours over the green and gold silk blankets, you slowly reached the edge of the bed. Swinging both of your feet over the side, you reconsidered momentarily. Should you really get out of bed, knowing full well that Damian would end up agitated? 

You stood still. 

Then, the bird screeched out again, and you felt a burning desire to see the perpetrator. Letting your foot gently fall on the brown tiles, you carefully made your way out on the balcony. It was high up, at least four or five stories, if you jumped, you’d die. That was probably the only reason why Damian had let you have it. He didn’t believe that you’d rather die than stay with him. He was right, partially. You had no wish for death, at least not such a gruesome one. But you were desperate. Desperate people sometimes do things they wouldn’t have under normal circumstances.

Looking out into the darkened view of 'Eth Alth'eban, you considered its beauty. Large sandstone buildings stretched as far as the eye could see, their doors and windows cut into intricate patterns reminiscent of flowers and plants. Their roofs were inspired by Chinese architecture, their building style Arabic and the city’s layout western. It was a weird combination, but it somehow worked wonderfully. “Like Damian”, a small voice in the back of your head whispered. You ignored how this city perfectly encompassed Damian’s heritage, his strangely frankensteined accent and how, if he hadn’t been so… psychotic, as Tim had put it, he would have been just as wonderful as the city he ruled with an iron fist.

Leaning over the roundly carved railing of the balcony, you spied after the screeching little antagonist who had kept you awake. It was neither on the wonderfully curved roofs around you nor on any of the near-growing palms. You were much too preoccupied with attempting to find the annoying menace to hear as the door to the outside hall unlocked and slowly opened.

“Beloved!” Damian’s brass voice rang out throughout the room and you swallowed hard. “Bullocks…”, you whispered gently, as you turned around and slowly peeped out from the side of the balcony’s entrance. 

Damian hadn’t noticed you yet as he scoured the entire bedroom and adjacent bathroom on the left side of the bed. “I’m here”, you muttered quietly, afraid of his reaction. Turning around fast, Damian stared you down, his green eyes shining like a cat’s, ready to pounce at any moment. 

“What were you doing out there?!” Damian practically hissed. 

“I was just looking for a bird that kept me up”, you tried to keep your voice level, but it was difficult when you had seen what Damian could do if provoked. 

The man in front of you raised one thick eyebrow, a clear sign that he didn’t believe you. Despite the curses you had mentally thrown that damned ball of feathers previously, you now wished deeply that it would call out once again. Damian moved his tongue to the inside of his right cheek as if he was looking for any pieces of food that might’ve gotten stuck there. Slowly one of his feet started tapping the floor impatiently, his head bopping along to the rhythm gently. At first, you were at a loss for what his body language was trying to tell you. But then you realised. He was waiting to see if there really was a bird or not before he took any further action. 

You stayed where you were, on the balcony, holding the side of the entrance tightly as you were only letting your head into view from the inside of the room.

The seconds seemed to pass incredibly slowly, and your fingers and toes turned cold despite the tropical weather. Damian sighed and was about to take a step closer to you when the infernal fowl finally whistled its hellspawn song. 

Damian stopped in his tracks, his jaw slowly losing its tenseness. A gentle “oh” pressed its way through his lips as he stood still, looking awkwardly towards you for no more than a second before regaining his composure. 

“I apologise, my beloved.” It came out more as realisation than as a true apology, but you’d take it. Damian rarely admitted fault when it came to anything.

“It’s okay”, you whispered, but it was not and you knew it. You shouldn’t have to be afraid of the man you married. It was wrong. It never felt like this with Tim… You reprimanded yourself mentally for thinking of your old friend. If you just ignored the bizarreness of Damian’s obsession with you, the fact that he forced you here against your will, that he may or may not have killed Tim, and everything else relating to the darker sides of his love, then your life might have seemed like a movie. You supposed most wouldn’t consider living in gilded luxury as a horrible fate, even if that entailed being locked within the confines of a room or next to your husband’s side for the rest of eternity. You lived in a cage of gold, with yourself being adorned in the finest fabrics and fed the best-made food imaginable. It was all too much. You had never enjoyed this type of excessive opulence and it all felt forced, a useless attempt at covering up the cracks in your relationship with gold.

Damian bowed his head down, just a bit, enough to make him seem less threatening. Opening his arms for you to step into, “Come, beloved. It’s late. You should be asleep”. Your younger self would’ve fought back, spat insults in his face or avoided his gentle caresses. You had been naive to have thought it mattered. 

Tentatively stepping straight into his chest, your face pressed into his silk robes, you let him wrap his strong arms around you. Tightening his grip around you like you were a stuffed toy and he was a child. “I missed you, my love”, Damian gently whispered in your ear, the hairs on your neck standing up straight, you knew that meant nothing good for you. As he guided you towards your shared bed, he stopped just short of the edge, gesturing for you to crawl under the covers, you complied. Damian went over to one of the many intricately carved wooden closets which lined part of the left wall. As he softly pulled open the closet doors, you observed how the muscles in his arms pulled tautly. His arms had gotten more muscular than they had been back in Gotham, you supposed that Bruce’s and Damian’s training styles worked on different areas of the body, not that you knew anything about Batman’s training regiment.

When Damian had pulled out a long and loose silken dress, the same type that you were currently wearing. Undressing and redressing in his nightwear, he took his old clothes and threw them in a woven reeds basket next to the bathroom door. 

Turning to you, he smiled. Striding to the side of the bed, he climbed under the smooth covers as well, pulling you close and kissing the top of your head.

“Did your day go well, beloved?” You nodded, you knew that this was a test. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for your day. He did. But what he really wanted was for you to return the question. To feel that you cared just as much about him as he did you. If you didn’t ask him back, he’d turn agitated and come tomorrow a servant would lose their head. He would never physically hurt you, he worshipped your skin like it was made of diamonds. But, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t punish you by letting you know that your action or inaction was the cause of multiple servants’ deaths.

“What about you, Damia-” You caught yourself, Damian despised it when you used his full name. He’d often cite how you’d called his brother Tim and not Timothy, so it was only fair that you used his nickname, as well. 

“-Dami”, you corrected smoothly. 

He hummed, content. “Thank goodness”, you mused to yourself. 

It didn’t take long for Damian to fall asleep, he had always been a light sleeper, but he was also quick to fall asleep. You supposed that was useful for a soldier. Being able to sleep as soon as your head hit the pillow and wake up at the slightest disturbance. It took you a while to sleep. The thoughts of all your old friends, family and especially Tim flooded your mind. How did you let it all go so wrong?

You sat in the league’s massive library in the early morning. The first time you were alone in months. Damian had been forced to oversee an emergency and you had reassured him that he could simply drop you off in the library and you’d be there when he came back. He decided to trust you. Besides, it wasn’t as if you were really alone, there were guards stationed on the outside of the library doors, ready to capture you and bring you to Damian, should you decide to run. Still, this was the most alone you had been in a while and you had missed being by yourself. Dancing around on the polished wooden floor, with a book in your hands, you laughed loudly.

“What’s so funny?” An unfamiliar voice questioned with an amused lilt.

You stopped immediately, looking in the direction of the voice. A man with bone-white hair and even paler skin stood in front of you. His eyes were covered by green-tinted sunglasses and his age was hard to discern. Younger than Talia, but older than you was your best guess. Then again, from what Damian had told you, Talia was near immortal, so you supposed that most people were younger than her.

“Nothing.” You replied courtly, not wishing to appear rude, nor wishing to get this man killed for interacting with you.

“You were dancing around with a book, laughing like a madman, darling”, the man chuckled. Staring deadpan at the man, you noticed how he wore a deep green cepken. Green was reserved for the Al Ghuls. Either this man had stolen his vest, which was unlikely as he would’ve been killed for such an offence, or something else was going on. “Who are you?” Your voice was much louder than you had intended and your eyes swiftly turned to the library’s door, hoping that the guards hadn’t heard you.

“Ah, interested in the stranger, are we?” The man smirked, he had the same calming yet unidentifiable accent as Damian, although the stranger’s were on the thicker side. Taking a step back, you made sure not to trudge on the long viridescent robes that your husband had made you wear. You were tempted to threaten the pale man by calling the guards but decided to simply turn around and start walking away. The library was large enough for multiple people to be within it and never see or hear each other. Besides, if the man posed a danger, the large floor-to-ceiling bookcases would prove excellent in helping you hide. 

As you walked, you heard the man come running up behind you. “Aw, come on sweetheart, I was just teasing”, he threw his hands into the pocket of his loose trousers, walking alongside you. 

“Please leave me alone or explain who you are”, you spat. Before Damian took you, you might’ve held a more tactful tone, but a combination of getting used to the royal treatment and having lost the naivety you held before your kidnapping, had made you uncaring of others’ perception of you. 

The white-haired stranger didn’t seem to mind though, instead, his smug smile broadened, “Ah, of course! How could I possibly refuse the order of the Demon’s spouse? Dusan Al Ghul is the name.” 

You stopped in your tracks, and so did Dusan. “Al Ghul?” You exclaimed surprised. He looked nothing like Talia or Damian. His hair was as white as snow, theirs was dark, bordering on black. His skin was like ivory, both Damian and Talia held a golden tan, Talia, more than Damian. Something was wrong, you discerned. Yet, when you let your eyes take in his face, you could see the resemblance to Talia. Same roman nose, same high cheekbones and same broad face.

“Albinism”, Dusan offered, his tone amused. Like he had given the same explanation hundreds of times, but never stopped finding others' reactions hilarious.

“Oh, I-I’m sorry”, you stuttered out, your intentions hadn’t been to offend the man.

He waved your concerns off with a limp hand movement, “Don’t worry about it. I’d probably be confused too if some ghost-looking man claimed to be the son of Ra’s Al Ghul.”

Now your confusion was made worse, son of Ra’s? Wouldn’t that make him the true heir of the League of Assassins, not Damian? You wanted to ask, but you were afraid of further insulting the man. You settled on consoling him for the death of his father. Damian had told you that Ra’s died in an attack a few years back, how long ago? You had no idea, but it couldn’t hurt to be polite after the stunt you had pulled earlier.  “Oh, I’m sorry for your loss.” It came out as little more than a whisper, and Dusan raised his eyebrows mockingly.

“Don’t apologise for that old idiot’s death. It was well deserved. I certainly felt next to no sorrow over his long-overdue end.” 

“Still. Losing a parent must be hard.” You tried to justify.

Dusan shook his head and raised his shoulders, “Eh, he cast me aside for my appearance, I seldom thought of him as a father.” 

That’s why he isn’t the one sitting on the League throne, you realised. Ra’s had rejected him for his condition. 

“I see, then I’m sorry for you not losing him earlier”. Your eyes widened, that wasn’t how you had meant your words to come out. You had often ended up with quotes like that one when you were around Tim. Too comfortable to think how your overly-analytical thoughts might sound to others. You must’ve gotten too relaxed in Dusan’s company without realising it. You gulped audibly, ready to apologise when the white-haired man let out a burst of roaring laughter.

“Oh wow! I can see why my nephew likes you. Yes. That is exactly what you should console me for! My father passing too late!”

You chuckled quietly as well, your infamous awkward smile pulling on your lips. It felt refreshing to not have to walk on eggshells while conversing, you had almost forgotten what that felt like. Feeling emboldened, you asked a question which had plagued you for a while, “How old was he anyways? I always hear everyone call him immortal, but surely not, right?”

Dusan took a second to think, then grinned sheepishly, “Don’t judge me for not knowing the exact year, but I believe he was around five hundred years old when he passed.” 

If your jaw could’ve dropped to the ground, it would. “Five hundred?!” You exclaimed.

“Yeah, Talia is a hundred and fifty. Guess my age!” Dusan gave your shoulder a push, he was strong and almost drove you into one of the bookcases beside you. 

You stared at him in bewilderment. Talia was a hundred and fifty! She didn’t look a day over thirty-five! You knew of the Lazarus pit’s powers, but still, to the uninitiated, it was astonishing how well it truly worked. Taking a good look at Dusan, you thought he couldn’t be more than twenty-seven, maybe twenty-eight. However, if Talia was a hundred and fifty, he would have to be a hundred and something as well. “A hundred and ten?” Your answer was less of an educated guess and more of a wild shot in the dark.

Dusan looked impressed, “Close, a hundred and five.”

You looked over at him again, debating if it would be appropriate to joke about his non-existent plastic surgeon. Suddenly, Dusan’s face turned even more mischievous, “You really think I look five years older? Wow! Unbelievable! What if I said that about you?!” He dramatically threw a hand to his forehead and held his shirt tightly, posing like a character from a Shakespeare play. He looked absolutely ridiculous, and you laughed loudly. It was hard not to, Dusan seemed like a natural-born entertainer. The first of his kind that you had seen in the League.

Dusan was gone when Damian picked you up again. The green-eyed man had been impressed with how much more energy you had for him that evening, even joking around like you had done back in Gotham. Damian came to the conclusion that perhaps your previous apathetic behaviour was simply a result of you being an introvert, and not getting alone time to recharge. Grayson had once explained the concept of introverts vs extroverts to the youngest Wayne, and if Damian was honest, he had thought it was all a bunch of pseudo-science, not to be taken seriously. Yet, here you were, living proof of the theory presented by his brother. It encouraged Damian to let you stay on your own in the library more often. Every time you returned to him, you’d be more energised than the last. 

What Damian didn’t know was that you weren’t alone in the library. No, every time Damian let you alone in the library, his uncle would know and join you. 

This routine of yours went on for months. A few days every week, you would ask to go to the library. Damian would relent as you initiated deep kisses with him, convincing him to let you stay for hours by appearing overjoyed in his presence. You had even once jumped into his arms, folding your legs around his waist, as he came to pick you up from your “alone time”, as he called it.

One late afternoon, Dusan and you had been joking around in the library. The way the bright sun entered the large windows, hitting the sandy walls, the large bookcases and Dusan’s green-tinted spectacles, it all felt familiar and freeing.

“You’re pretty spry for a hundred-something-year-old, you know?” You teased the man, as Dusan climbed up on one of the bookcases to fetch a book that had caught your eye. “Yeah? How would you know? What other hundred-year-olds do you have to compare me with?” He laughed as he threw the book at your feet, jumping down and sauntering over to your side. As you bent down to pick up the book, you mumbled your response, “Your sister. But she’s even more active than you.” Dusan heard you, despite your attempt to partially hide your answer and he smirked. “Oh yeah? How would you know? You’ve only ever seen me in the library, darling. You don’t know what I get up to on the outside.”

Shaking your head at his silliness, you turned to look directly into his glasses. “What do you get up to, then?” 

Dusan raised his chin, and you knew he was about to come out with a teasing response, “Well, I quite like to train with the katana… and flirt with charming and intelligent individuals. Although, the latter I also do quite often in the library.”

You blushed a little, you knew he was just joking, but you couldn’t help but play along with a challenging smirk. “Oh really? How many people visit the library regularly?”   

Dusan cocked his head to the side, pretending to count, “Two, unless you’re bringing your husband along secretly, which I’d find just a bit awkward.”

“Just a smidge”, you agreed with an awkward grin. Deciding to join in on the teasing, you crossed your arms, your eyebrows drawing upwards in mock disgust as you joked, “Don’t you think you’re a little too old for me?”   

Dusan shrugged as he looked at you from the top of his glasses, his pinkish eyes on full display. You had seen them a few times before, but that didn’t change the fact that they appeared like the most beautiful spinels to ever exist. It was such a shame that he hid them behind the green-tinted lenses. “Don’t they say age is just a number?” You both laughed louder than ever before. Looking to the side, you both realised that you were right in front of the closed library doors. Dusan and you turned to each other, and giggled again, this time more quietly. As you kept your gaze on the white-haired man and he kept his on you, something started to bubble in your stomach. It had been there for a while. Those feelings. Dusan wasn’t really the type of guy you would’ve usually gone for back in Gotham, but here? In a palace where you were trapped by your obsessive husband, who had kidnapped you and maybe even killed your best friend. Dusan was the only good thing you felt like you had left. Dusan felt the same, or at least he very much appreciated your company. You knew it to be true because if he didn’t, he wouldn’t have risked getting caught by Damian, just to meet you for a few hours. You would have usually felt bad about having such intense feelings for someone else when you were technically married to Damian. But the circumstances around your wedding made you feel as if the vows exchanged were nullified. You had fought Damian, and anyone else who aided him, all the way up to the altar. It had so clearly been against your will, yet none had stopped it. 

You kept repeating this in your head as you carefully stepped closer to Dusan, reaching up for his glasses, and gently taking them off. Your movements were slowed as much as possible, giving the man ample opportunity to stop you. He didn’t. Instead, he tenderly touched your cheek. This was the closest you had ever been to him physically. You noted how he held the same scent of burned incense as Damian. Leaning towards you steadily, he halted right as his lips were hovering above yours, giving you time to step away. You stood your ground, and Dusan placed a heavy kiss on your lips, closing his eyes.

Just before you leant in to reciprocate the affection, the library doors swung open. Damian stood there. Fuming. He had been informed by the guards of the loud laughter and had immediately sensed something off. He had been correct.

You didn’t know how it happened. It felt as if Damian had suddenly teleported next to you. One second, you stood with Dusan close to you, the next he lay bleeding on the tiled floor.

Your scream echoed throughout the entire library. Guards surrounded you and the two Al Ghuls. You were about to run to Dusan, when he discreetly lifted his hand, stopping you. He knew it was over for him, but he could still save you from Damian’s wrath.

“Nice spouse you got there, nephew. I thought you probably didn’t mind me smooching them a bit. You know, a family shares everything, r-right?” His speech was interrupted by Dusan heaving quietly for breath. Damian had stabbed him straight through the abdomen, and not in any of the safer areas. Of course, he hadn’t, Damian was a professional in the field of killing, he knew exactly how to snuff someone’s life out slowly and painfully.  

“How dare you?! You filth!” Damian roared, and you flinched.

“Ah! I see that the two of you have something in common! T-that’s what t-they said as well!” Dusan attempted to laugh, but it came out more as a wheezing. You were confused by Dusan’s words, you had been the one initiating the kiss. Then it hit you. Dusan was taking full responsibility for the kiss. He was making sure that Damian wouldn’t hurt you. You stared at his pink eyes, they were getting glossy and it frightened you. 

Damian’s nostrils flared, his face heated and his teeth ground each other harshly. He was giving you the same impression as a bull seeing a Matador flailing a red cloth in front of it. “You will pay for touching my beloved”, Damian whispered. Somehow, his quiet tone was more horrifying than his yells. 

“You stabbed me dear nephew, isn’t this payback e-enough?” Dusan uttered in his best attempt at a jovial manner, you knew he was doing this for you. You knew he didn’t want you to realise that he was scared, but his eyes betrayed him, and the worry behind his irises was clear as day. 

You took a step towards the two men, and your eyes travelled to the slim hole through Dusan’s stomach. The red splatters of thick and warm blood were everywhere. It contrasted terribly well with Dusan’s milkwhite skin, a few drops had landed in his long snowy hair. A maroon pool of the thick liquid mixed with the dust of the floor was spreading out from underneath the only friend you had left. You noticed how Dusan’s deep green cepken was stained darker around the pierced flesh, yet it hadn’t turned colour. It was almost calming the way the vest covered the actual wound, it was hiding the actual damage from your sight. That was something Dusan was grateful for as well. 

The man had known that this would happen sooner or later. His nephew kept constant tabs on you, besides, Dusan had never been known for being discreet. He didn’t mind dying like this. He had lived a long life, longer than he had ever wanted, and despite his horror at not knowing what came next, he didn’t mind dying after having kissed the only person who ever cared enough to get to know him. It seemed like a poetic ending for someone as old as him. 

As Dusan’s body turned cold, Damian had turned your head into his shoulder, whispering gentle praises and apologies for not being there before tragedy struck.

His long and thin fingers raked through your scalp, gently scratching the skin in a comfortable rhythm. It would have been nice if the dead body of your only friend didn’t lay behind you.

After Dusan’s death, you lost hope. He had been your only ally in this strange and unwelcoming place. And as much as you hated to admit it, he had reminded you of a more extroverted version of Tim. The way you just clicked instantly, the way he didn’t mind your at times bizarre humour, instead indulging in it. It felt just like when Tim was there. You loathed yourself for his death, entirely your fault. But what was even worse was that it wasn’t just Dusan that you mourned. It was Tim’s possible death as well. 

Somehow, having seen Dusan’s passage from this world to the next gave you a sense of melancholic closure for both him and Tim. It was as if, by seeing Damian’s reaction to Dusan kissing you, you could imagine his reaction to Tim’s friendship with you.

These were the thoughts you contemplated every night as you stared into Damian’s beautifully carved face, born to look perfect. How cruel was the world? To give a monster the magnificence of an angel.

A/N: There was technically a bit of Dusan Al Ghul x reader in this, but it's my horrendously OOC version of Dusan. Dusan is not an OC, I don't really like to use OCs in works based in other universes, other than the reader themselves, of course. Dusan is very much a real character within the Batman extended universe... I urge you guys to search him up, the real version is much cooler than my ESTP/ENTP-ified version. Anyways... I hope you enjoyed it! (And thank you to the anon who requested a part 2).

[wednesday-if-it-was-tuesday]

•🔔🔔🔔•

Now we ring in the annual bat chess tournament.

Round 1 goes as such:

[Alfred v Damian] Three draws until Alfred took the W. Wisdom really does wonders.

[Bruce v Tim] Nerd on nerd defensive play until Tim gets ahead in material and narrowly closes the deal.

[Dick v Steph] Stephanie cramming four hours of chess theory a day off competitive adrenaline for the last week paid off and check mate.

[Harper v Comish Gordon] Gordon was not aware chess was this complicated. Harper leads.

[Luke v Harley] Luke loses on time because he’s not used to having to click the clock and forgets during Harley’s mid game rambling.

[Duke v Talia] Duke also did not prepare and he traded too much material without knowing how to checkmate on low stock. Talia slides the win.

[Cass v Selina] Quiet and slow game running the time low for both of them. Comes down to who can walk their pawns to promote faster and Cass stays one square ahead.

[Jason v Barbara] Tension is rising and Babs knows Jason’s nerdage has collected him too much chess knowledge for her to beat him on pure skill. However, emotional manipulation is a viable strategy. He throws the board and is disqualified. He then leaves to take Damian and Duke for ice cream.

Round two 🔔🔔🔔

[Alfred v Tim] Strong opening by Tim suggesting either the Catalan or Queen’s Gambit. Alfred keeps his dark square bishop safe and ready to counter. It’s a close match, but Tim misses the line and blunders a queen. Cut to a few moves later with a mate in three and Tim resigns.

[Steph v Harper] They mutually agree they’d rather do bullet instead. A nasty knight placement gives Steph the change to clear a helluva lot of material right before the clock clicks.

[Harley v Talia] While entertaining a nice conversation about their lovely sons, a rook/queen mate seals the deal and Talia continues. Harley then steals a quarter of all the boys ice cream.

[Cass v Barbara] Cass pulls a slick queen trap into a bait and switch. W Cass.

Final round 🔔🔔🔔!!!

You may be thinking, there’s 4 people left, how is this the final round. When the bats are good at chess so it’s time things take a turn. This year the final round is four way chess. Harley takes the mic to announce the game and the rest negotiate bughouse teams after the game is over.

Alfred pushes his pawns for a more aggressive approach with Steph taking him up on the quick trades. Talia slips into a bishop/queen/pawn line breaking into Steph castle while she was busy. Cass is going defensive on the knights with a nice fianchetto to prepare for action; she’s going material over mates to start. Alfred and Steph are weak from trading making them desperate and easy to beat out in the long run. Alfred and Cass take a combined attack on Talia and Steph jumps in. As the clock runs out Steph is mated and Talia in a rough check. Tick. Tick. Tick. And right before time Cass makes a sweep on the remainder of material to secure the win.

She smiles as if it was all natural talent knowing full well she’s been reviewing chess theory and their personalities and strategies to create the best plan of attack and secure this years trophy after last years out in the first round fiasco.

Good games all around and chess pieces on the floor.