#batman is a symbol to gotham but to bludhaven nightwing is just some guy who loves the city enough to go out every night and protect it

[remnants]

i think it can be argued that due to their different approaches to vigilantism, gotham may need a batman, but bludhaven specifically needs dick grayson.

[trust-and-jump]

The name Robin in Reverse Robins AU...

...doesn't exist. In mine, at least. You see, Talia used to call Damian her little shrike. The thing is, she did it in Arabic. The problems is that I write this AU in Russian and... In Russian shrike is сорокопут (if the wiktionary doesn't lie, it is pronounced as [sərəkɐˈput]) and it's a.... long ass word. So in the field it's totally useless as codename. And if i just put Shrike in it as Шрайк it sounds not edgy but funny and clumsy. And if you pronounce it fast it kinda sounds as Shrek, and, well, it's not what I want, obviously. Because I don't want vigilante name sounding ridiculous. I mean, more than they all already do. So... Sardu, yes. Or al Sard. I asked my father (who knows Arabic a little, i hope it was enough) to confirm, and, well. Sardu. Al Sard. Or, "as Sardu", "as" instead of "al". الصرد. the "r" not being english sound here. So. The Gotham mostly knows their little carnivous Bird as Shrike (well, some media tried to call him Shadow, hm). (and yes, still Сорокопут in my Russian text) But, well, in most stressful situation, or when Batman needs Damian to calm down, or get attention, or as the last method to stop from doing something (*cough* killing *cough*) he would use Sardu. Сарду. Сард. Not the 'Sardinian language', guys xD sorry for bad english and everything shjskdkdl

Also, Batman didn't fire him. Damian just outgrew his role of Shrike the Gotham's Shadow, violent sidekick of Batman; they were starting to argue a lot, Damian being always angry like he was when he just got to Bruce; and our dumb boy B didn't realize what was the problem. So, no real kdrama, just Damian being pissed because of his father not acknowleging him as equal. Because, you know, in the League by this age (16) he would be already a rightful Hand of the Demon, like his Mother was. And, well, an adult. Lol. So..... He dissapears, leaving only a note with 'freedom' in Arabic (he is his dramatic father's dramatic son, after all), Cass stays home, Bruce doesn't panic because Damian is far too good to easily get in trouble even in anger and alone, but he is, of course, worried. That is, until he finds out that Damian is still talking to Alfred and just ignoring his father. Also Alfred acting rather cold towards Master Bruce, and Bruce is like: "What did i even do wrong?????!!! He left himself, I didn't make him!"

Blüdhaven gains its own Shadow when the Gotham's one dissapears. (Some time ago he heard his father making plans about spreading Bat's influence and his trustworthy allies across the world. But before that, he was talking about trying to clean up Bludhaven. Damian doesn't become a symbol in this city like he was in Gotham. He just continues to silently terrify and catch criminals. He also realizes that without support of the police it's a little harder. Considering that there is no Gordon to fight alongside him, Blüdhaven police department is a nightmare to deal with, more corrupted. Infiltrating as a policeman would make it easier to purify the city, but Damian is not that desperate: he's not going to actually work with people, for god's sake!.. Yet. Also, would Jon Kent a. k. a. Flamebird stop trying to sell him a name Nightwing already?! He's not going to wear a Kryptonian legend just to humor him!..)

Bruce is also a little bitter, even if he doesn't let himself think about it much. Because, well, his partner left him alone. And for what. For Blüdhaven! Unbelievable. What is his son even trying to prove, living in that hole...

But, ah, well. It doesn't matter, because before Damian arrived, Batman kept everything under control, he's strong enough to do it alone, right? Right. If he's not focused enough to work all by himself, trying to get done the same amount of work they used to do together, getting injured more, exhausting himself, it's only his problem. No one else's.

Then why, after all that shit, does Tim Drake still show up at the door with diagrams, graphs, and PowerPoint presentation?

[zeroducks-2]

(newbie anon) thank you so much for the answer!! i will most definitely scroll through the tags you pointed out, just like you advised later after work! i did read and just finished the slade in tt03 meta that you linked, though.

i wanted to say, i agree completely with what you said in it by the way. while i am new to the comics, i did watch some of the animations series as i grew up, including tt03. i remember being creeped out and scared whenever he showed up on screen, and the fear that he ignited was not the kind of dramatic “oh noo he is gonna try to kill the good guys!!”, but it was the kind of fear that i/most people get when watching a horror-ghost movie, and i just wanted to run and get away from it.

also, while following the series, at one point i began to wonder “is it just me or slade is so obsessed with robin, in a very weird and creepy way..” but i was a teen back then, didnt have much/any critical reading therefore didnt catch the sexual subtexts/undertones of his actions.

anyway, for now, i only have one question, which is that: what is your reading/take on dick’s character? i was a marvel comics fan, so i understand the inconsistencies of characterization in comics, especially when you add the reboots etc into it. it’s basically a contradiction all over, multiple readings/characterizations based on which canon that you pick. but there must be a consistency in the writing from their initial creation (especially for character as old as dick, during classic era) to the current era.

(and for me, i judge & shape my reading based on that. what characterization did they have initially—from the classic era, and which stay consistent to that purpose)

ahh sorry this got very long :”) thank you so much for your answer once again!

Hello again, sorry it took me a while to get back to you. You ask a difficult question and I had to think about it a lot (then RL also got in the way you know how it is), and to be honest I'm still not sure how to answer!

Dick has been written in so many different ways that I can't pinpoint a constant. I read him as the first child of an abusive guardian, who can't really ever break free of the trauma bonding. I also read him as extremely parentified and in charge of the emotional well-being of his family, and of having shoulders broad enough to carry it (unfortunately for him). Surely I prefer when he's written as empathetic and emotionally intelligent rather than when he broods and acts brash, but that really changes according to who's handling him at the moment in the "canon continuity", or in any given DC byproduct like the videogames, WFA or an animated movie.

My main thing with Dick is that I associate him with emotional vulnerability, selflessness, hope, and the strength to keep going despite everything. As toxic as their relationship tends to be, Dick was the light of hope for Bruce and allowed him to keep going and find something worth fighting for. He chose the name Nightwing after a Kryptonian hero and then decided to become a beacon of hope for Bludhaven, a city so full of violence it was even worse than Gotham. He's a symbol among vigilantes and heroes alike and I guess he's a symbol for the DC fandom as well in a way.

My take on Dick is also that he's destined to never truly be happy unless everyone around him is happy, but this will never happen because the moment he manages to make everyone happy, he leaves to find another situation like that. This is because being a vigilante in DC comics is a sysiphean task - Jason can never go past his trauma of dying and having been unavenged, Damian can never free himself from the shackles of his heritage, Bruce can never stop being Batman because the same villains will keep haunting Gotham, and he will never elaborate the loss of his parents. Dick can never stop looking for the happiness and carefreeness he had from when he was a circus kid, unable to find his own center and inner peace, and so he will keep guiding young and old heroes on their paths without ever truly reaching his personal happiness and fulfillment.

I'm not sure this was the answer you were hoping to get, sorry if I went on a bit of a tirade. Again welcome to the fandom!

[capricorn-stark]

Unexpected Encounters Pt 2

pairing: dick grayson x reader, reader doesn’t know he’s nighwing yet

warning: nothing

a/n: this fic is for the lovely @daintykeith who requested this from me literally like a month ago - i didn’t expect to get as busy as i did, but thank you so much for your patience and i hope you enjoy it!!

part 1

There was a new hero in town. And he went by the name Nightwing.

It wasn’t surprising to you in the least, you had practically predicted a hero sauntering into Bludhaven since the very first day you moved there. In a city as messed up as it was, there was no chance some latex-clad figure with a hero-complex could pass it up—after all, Bludhaven gave Gotham a run for its money. 

What was surprising to you was the fact that you had run into this new hero on more than one occasion, and by this point, it was starting to seem less and less like a mere coincidence.

“I’m serious—I’ve been seeing this guy everywhere,” you began in disbelief as the blurry image of a man in a blue and black suit flashed across the TV screen, some blonde news anchor discussing the subject with notable interest while Dick Grayson laughed beside you on your couch. “It’s been, what, a month? And every other time I turn on GBS, they’re still talking about him.”

“It’s that bad?” the man grinned as he watched you fall back down onto the couch beside him, following your rather baleful gaze back to the screen. “I didn’t even notice it that much, honestly.”

“It’s not even just the news! I’ve run into him like a dozen times in the past few weeks in person,” you insisted, shifting to face him as he continued to chuckle disbelievingly. 

“You sure you’re talking about this guy? ‘Cus even the BCPD’s had a hard time tracking him down.” Dick nodded towards the photograph on the TV. “They can’t even get us a good picture.” 

“I didn’t know we had other guys dressed up in black and blue spandex and jumping off of buildings,” you deadpanned, causing him to laugh again. “I’m pretty sure it’s the same guy, Detective Grayson.” He raised his hands in surrender.

“Hey, fair enough-” His phone went off and he paused, shooting you an apologetic look after glancing at the caller ID. “Sorry - one sec.” You nodded and he picked it up, rising from the couch to head over to the hallway to speak. It didn’t bother you - you figured it was his typical phone call about detectives needing to do what detectives had to do. So, you turned your attention back to the TV where they were discussing Bludhaven’s new vigilante. “Addad wants me down to the station to look over a few case files,” Dick announced when he finally returned to view, pocketing his phone and hurriedly adding more after catching sight of your expression. “It should be really quick, it’s just—it’s really important.” 

“Right,” you started with an air of mild awkwardness, standing up as he moved to slide on his jacket. “Yeah, totally. Don’t worry about it.” He hesitated before reaching for the door, shooting you another glance and a little grin that induced a few stray butterflies in your stomach. Irrationally, of course. 

"I'll call you." 

He let that hover in the air before closing the door behind him, leaving you still standing by the couch.

Whatever it was that was going on between you and Dick Grayson was—well, you didn’t actually have a name for it yet. But it was definitely something.

It was later that very night when you received not one but two unexpected visitors via your apartment window. 

The broken window was the least of your worries when the black-and-blue clad vigilante began to rise to his feet, groaning as he straightened and freezing when he met your eyes. 

His face was rigid as he looked at you. You were still frozen on your couch, eyes flickering between him and the seemingly unconscious person on the floor. You would’ve reached for your gun, but unfortunately, you didn’t keep guns with you during Friday night TV marathons. Apparently, that was another bad idea in Bludhaven. 

“I’m not here to hurt you,” the man blurted out before you could break out of your stupor and attempt to chuck something at his head. “I was just dealing with this guy, that was an accident.” You both glanced at the shards on the floor and then back at each other. He winced. “And sorry about your window, that was...also an accident.” 

Your landlord was not going to be happy about this one. 

“Nightwing,” you finally managed, still glancing between the two figures. “You’re Nightwing.” The blue symbol on his chest (a bird? Crossed with a bat?) made that much clear. 

“The one and only.” There might’ve been a hint of amusement in his voice as he leaned over to grab the man on the floor single handedly. “You know who I am?”

“Who doesn’t?” you deadpanned, still eyeing him somewhat warily as he dragged him back towards your balcony. You wondered how exactly he was planning on heading out from there while carrying- “Is that Scarecrow?” you gaped, taking a few steps back as soon as you finally caught sight of the potato sack-like sheet obscuring the other man’s face. You could tell he was probably the real deal by the shitty stitched up mouth and the excessive usage of string around the neck. You still had no idea as to why he chose to wear his elementary arts-and-crafts project as his villain costume. “Isn’t he supposed to—why isn’t he in Gotham?” 

You did not move over to Bludhaven just to have the Gotham baddies decide to relocate with you. Nightwing’s off-handed shrug wasn’t helpful.

“Maybe he wanted a change of scenery. Maybe he wanted to poison another city’s water system with hallucinogens.” He smirked at your expression. “Bad guys get bored too, y’know.”

“That’s cute,” was your response as you pointed back to the broken window. Out of all the apartments he could crash into, he had to crash into this one. “What am I supposed to-”

“Don’t worry about the window, I can take care of it,” he interjected somewhat hurriedly before you could finish, already seeming embarrassed enough. “Sorry.” 

More staring.

“Are you going to fix my window…?” 

“...no.” A pause. “Not personally, I can’t—I’ll send people over here. Later.” The silence ensued and you finally raised a brow at him, to which he gave you a rather sheepish grin. “We’ve seen each other a lot, huh?” 

Aside from this incident, there had been the time where you had been stopping by the corner store and he had shown up chasing after some of Tony Zucco’s men, sending a cocky grin your way before he took them down. 

There had been the time you had been at work and he somehow managed to take his fight with Blockbuster right outside your window, shooting you a wave mid-kick and barely avoiding a fist to the face because of it.

Then there was the time at your local cafe when he had literally just stepped in, suit and all, to get a cup of coffee at the same time you had gone in. 

There were so many instances where you had seen him around, fighting crime, stopping villains, and even just relaxing, that it had started seeming less and less like coincidences and more like he was, in fact, sticking around your area a little more than he needed to.

“Yeah,” you finally answered, still eyeing him in mild disbelief, “we really have. A lot.” 

“Coincidences, am I right?” The teasing tone of his voice was unmistakable. 

“Once or twice? Sure.” Seeing Batman during a night at Gotham could be considered a coincidence (and bad luck, according to urban lore and statistics concerning the likelihood of also encountering the Joker). Running into a person you knew in public could be considered a coincidence. Meeting the same vigilante about six different times when the rest of the city barely even had good, non-blurry pictures of him? Not a coincidence. “I’m pretty sure it’s more than a coincidence at this point. Do I know you?”

“Do you?” His playfulness hadn’t been reduced by a shred, and you moved to grab the broom to clear up the broken glass with a sigh. “I get asked that a lot - here, let me take care of that-” You brushed him off with a shake of your head, already having started yourself. 

“It’s fine. And if I don’t know you, this is even weirder.”

“I wish I knew you better.” 

“Seriously?” He shrugged again, still grinning. 

“Seriously.” You gave him another look before finally clearing away the glass. Nightwing had brought the still-out Scarecrow onto your balcony. You were surprised the guy was still knocked out. He must’ve taken a pretty solid hit.

“I really hope you were serious about fixing this-”

“I was, trust me,” he assured, watching you walk outside as well before he picked the man up again. He had the decency to at least look rather sheepish about the entire ordeal. “You won’t have to worry about it, I promise.” You shrugged at his words, but you somehow felt like he was actually being genuine about it. So you decided to wait and find out if you were right about him.

“Then I guess I’ll see you around, Nightwing,” you finally said after catching his gaze through his cowl, shooting him a little grin he returned easily. 

“I’ll see you around too, Y/N.” 

It sounded so off-handed and normal that you hadn’t even realized what he had said until he had swung right out of your view, leaving you standing at your balcony in complete disbelief.

How had he known your name?

[original-idiots]

Batfam Social Media: Waynes’ World YT #3

- because of popular demand they finally did a behind the scenes of dance vids Cas and Adri go around the city scouting and taking photographs of locations for the videos and then cut to them creating the choreo (sometimes with Dick or Reina or Steph) and to Adri and Damian composing, recording and mixing the songs to dance to.

- The great Gotham bake off started off as a joke. Dick tweeted he would do anything for a slice of the best chocolate cake. And suddenly the manor, his apartment and his office were receiving package after package, box after box of chocolate cake. Some were pretty good, some were downright horrible, and some were so suspicious Tim took to analyzing all of them for poison or crazy fan dna.

- the winner of best cake though was an ugly ass cake no one even bothered with for days until Jason decided to try it during a tea time video and he literally spaced out so long, Adri worried he was poisoned. Then he proceeded to scarf it down and fight off everyone who tried to steal a piece. Eventually he let them have a taste and it was declared winner. The tea time room though? Totaled.

- Bruce gave them one rule in allowing them all to go to the Gotham ComicCon. They werent allowed to use their suits. So they used each others. Dick went as Robin, pixie boots, scaly panties and all. Cass went as a Signal, Duke went as Spoiler, Steph was Nightwing. Tim deviated by dressing as Alfred (moustache and white hair included). Adri was the Red Hood and Damien would only accept Adri’s Nightingale armor.

-actually he wanted Batman but Jason stole it first. No legit, he stole Bruce’s REAL Batman suit and proceeded to brood and scowl at everything. He even won a contest for best impression but then needed a dozen throat lozenges the day after.

- during the summer of Gotham, everyone took to stripping around the manor. Yes they had centralized cold air but somehow it was still hot and everyone would take off shirts and just wear shorts and sports bras. It didnt really bother anyone except Alfred who conceded when he found the need to take off his own jacket. But then Tim and Adri went for coffee with Babs uptown. And Tim forgot they were in public and took his shirt off.

- the pics went viral for a solid 30 minutes before he took them all down...until Babs started reuploading them again.

- on Barbara’s Birthday she got tremendously wasted. Dick was right there with her, Jason was well on his way and Steph was already singing Kumbaya on the rooftop of the manor with Tim asleep next to her. Adri was holding Kate’s hair back in the bathroom and Damian went out on patrol because they wouldn’t let him drink. Meanwhile Cas and Duke took all the pictures.

- Gotham Nights 2 followed Tim, Dick, Adri and Bruce as they went on nightshifts at work. Jason was Adri’s camera man, and Cas was Dick’s for his a bust in Bludhaven. At Wayne Tower, Tim and Bruce were providing insight and facts about the company and it was going so well until a new intern spoke the forbidden words of the tower. “Sorry Mr. Drake sir, we’re out of coffee” and it all went downhill from there.

- because of how much Alfred was seen prepping snacks and readying coats in the last video, people requested to see a day in the life of the Wayne’s ever reliable butler Alfred Pennyworth. It was all really wholesome, talking about cleaning, cooking and his favorite things, until he showed pictures from when Bruce was young, and from when Thomas Wayne was young and everyone in the comics went batshit over how Alfred didnt ever age in them.

-thus the hashtag #AlfredIsImmortal came to be.

- it was Steph (off duty) who decided she wanted to go “vigilante hunting”. It was Adri, Cass and Duke that gave no arguments. Only, they didnt tell Jason, Dick, Tim or Damian who were on patrol that night what they were doing. Imagine Jason tensed up on his sniper’s nest paranoid that someone could see him, suddenly hearing. “OHMYGOSH GUYS WE CAUGHT THE RED HOOD!”

- The Solheim vlogs became a quick favorite because not only were viewers getting inside the world of the Royal Morgensonne family, Adri had brought over a hundred of the refugees of her country who were staying in Gotham back home for the Midsummer festival.

- but of course, these are the Waynes. Because Bruce gavr the private jet for use of the refugees, they took a commercial flight which got delayed. It was fine until Steph and Tim got bored and found a costume shop.

- when they go to Castle Morgensonne, Dick saw the tallest tower and decided to accept the challenge. What challenge? Exactly. He climbed it then proceeded to dive off it into the loch below. The others followed and the staff were so scared they thought there were ghosts in the tower. Until Adri climbed up there with them and yelled it’s okay. And if the princess approves, why not?

- while some of them went on a traditional Midsummer hunt with Adri and her brother the King, Tim and Duke decided to have a photoshoot in the nightbloom fields east of the castle where the grass and leaves of the wildflowers are such a dark green they almost appear black. They get incredible pics and also get incredibly lost until someone from the hunting party accidentally fires at them with an arrow, thinking they’re game.

- “Yeah, accidentally.”Jason said at the end.

-because they all watched the movie Midsomar together everyone was a little skeptical of all the flower fileds and maypole dancing and singing and Jason and Tim went full crackhead after drinking something they were offered and kept declaring they were ready to join the cult. It turns out it was just crushed beets and they were just being stupid. But Damian wasnt going to tell them that when he offered it to them.

- the Solheim tradition of black items being burned in a central bonfire commenced, Dick drank some of the “crazy juice” and Cass was crowned Mayqueen for being the best dancer.

-Duke was also given a gift because the band heard him singing along and brought him up on the stage.

-when they got back everyone realized Tim had mislabelled the number of at least five prerecorded videos that were posted while they were in Solheim and gave him soooo much shit about it he said fuck it and started numbering them with ridiculous equations, random symbols and letters or, just not at all.

-also when they got back Commisioner Gordon got jacked.

- Dick notices it one night on the roof of the GCPD, Gordon takes off his coat and the sleeves and buttons of his shirt are HANGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE. Batman and the Comissioner are trying to have a serious discussion and Nightwing is poking Gordon’s biceps. “When did you get these?!”

- the next day Dick invaded the GCPD gym with a camera to film him during a workout and LORD. The onlie thirst was real, Barbara found it so funny she made it go viral herself.

____________

Part 1

Part 2

[misstring]

The Secret I Almost Uncovered (Tim Drake x Reader)

Reader Gender: There is no mention of any gender.

Warnings: Nothing particular that stands out.

Synopsis: Security guards at museums working graveyard shifts have one of the most reports to do with broken glass, burglaries, and vigilantes falling through the glass roof.

Other notes: Reader is working as a security guard and at a cafe.

Working at a museum is like working in another world, all of the tools, mummies, paintings, and other priceless artifacts take you back into time. Working a graveyard shift as a security guard in a museum that is located in the heart of Gotham is like working with electrons. An electron can be anywhere at any point of time, likewise, at any moment, lights can flash by the windows, a window can crack, or even, on occasion, a vigilante, not Batman, will fall through the ceiling.

Tonight, it was a Ti--I mean-- Drake that fell through the ceiling. At least I think it is. All I see is brown and going from process of elimination, Batman--dark blue or black--, Nightwing--in Bludhaven but otherwise blue, very blue--, Red Hood--red and gray, generally--, and the little guy, Robin,--bright red and green, to the point you can see him from across the city if you are high up enough-- it is. There is also the fact that he stayed on the floor for 15 minutes before he actually got up and took a deep breath in and sighed.

I brought over a first-aid kit but by the time I managed to gather up the courage to speak to him, he vanished leaving a note reading 'Sorry, will have a check sent to fix it later'

I mean, sure. They all did that and who sent the check? Batman? No. Bruce Wayne. The Bruce Wayne. Since when did they have a connection with him? Is it part of the job? There were times when the Waynes would donate large sums of money to help out organizations and there were stories of when someone from that family helps out an average citizen in Gotham, struggling to make a living.

Ah, Gotham. I call it the City of Perpetual Darkness. It can be night and it'll be dark, during the day when the sun is shining down as bright as it can, the pollution is enough to darken the sky. People cough, left, right, and center, there is crime happening behind every building, in alleyways, and, ever since Batman showed up, a crazy lunatic rallied up a bunch of people and used the symbol of fun and laughter for fear and terror--an author wrote a horror story of one in the sewers, luring kids in--haven’t read it, heard it was good.

I finished brushing up the shattered glass, which scattered the floor. After taping the location off and writing the report, I ended my shift as the next guy started. I nod, my eyes already partially closing as I haven't been able to sleep with the mayhem the past couple of days. He sighs out as he reads my report. I sign out and leave.

Gotham is never safe for anyone. You can be Oswald Cobblepot and still be in danger. Last I know, someone saw him fighting Red Hood. That was a while ago, though. See, there's a danger for everyone, yet no one wants to leave. It has this addictive aura where once you are hooked, the symptoms of leaving are withdrawing into oneself, looking off into the distance towards Gotham City for extended periods of time, and feeling like a part of your soul is missing.

I look up. People scream all the time, but this one was different. It was not the normal scream of fear or joy, rather a yell of frustration. I'm intrigued. Watching people in pain? Not my thing. Trying to help out someone in trouble? Last time I did that, I was sent to the hospital for several weeks and undergone several surgeries. I am perfectly healthy now and I do not want to ruin that streak. Do I dare, though, a quick glance as to the source of this cry?

The alleyway comes up. I dare, more than a quick glance.

Brown, that almost blended in with the dirt but the shine of the golden stripes gave him away. I stay silent and watch as he taps the brick wall and asks "Why?" He looks up again and aims a gun towards the sky. A grappling hook shoots out of the open end, into the sky and grabs onto the top of the building. He pulls on it and it falls off the building. He falls on his back and sighs. He moves his hand towards his ear and says "Will be late, taking a nap," before falling asleep in the middle of Gotham.

Where are his parents?!

A small figure scales down the building and lands next to Drake. He looks down, slaps Drake a bit and says, "Drake, get up," rather loud and it echoes off the wall. The little figure looks at me. "What do you want? I will kill you if you take another step towards us."

I look around me, no one. Who is he talking to? Oh, wait. He's talking to me!

"Yes, I am talking to you, " he had a sword out in front of him. "Stop looking around like a bumbling idiot."

Okay, he's a rude one.

Before I can answer, Drake gets up and stops the little one from charging at me. He looks at me with recognition and smiles, “You’re that security guard from the glass-roofed museum. Thank you for always bringing us the first aid kit when we fall through the roof.”

The little one exclaims something, but I do not listen; my phone is ringing. I answer my phone and my boss yelled at me, asking where I was. I glance at the time, I ran.

I got into the shop 10 minutes later than usual, but I managed to sneak in a small nap before starting my shift. One of my co-workers had taken cover for an hour into my shift and I started later than usual. He hands me a macchiato with four shots of espresso, my favorite. I thank him and I clock in. It was still dark outside, a couple of hours before anyone in the city would even start to trickle in.

“Hello, what would you like today?” I say, as a small figure comes to the front. I recognized him, Robin, or the little one.

He looks at the board and then at me, “May I have a--” his face showed surprise before it was replaced by his normal scowl, “Oh, it’s you.”

I nod.

He just sighs and asks, “May I bring in Drake so he can rest in the corner?”

I looked to the back, no one was there. Everyone left and I was the only one in the store, aside from the little one. “Yes.”

Relief spreads through his otherwise tense expression. He goes outside and half carries a partially unconscious man. “Come on, Drake,” he whispers out, trying to carry the taller man, but only succeeding in keeping him upright and dragging across the floor. I hurry over and help him onto a bench, bringing him a blanket I kept in my locker for my naps.

His head turns towards Robin and he asks, “You promised to get me coffee.”

Robin clicks his tongue and scowls, “Tell me that when you slept for more than 20 minutes per night. I do not care if your friends are in danger, or if you have to solve this case to save hundreds. If you cannot take care of yourself, you cannot take care of anyone else.”

“Dami,” He whispers out before falling asleep.

He turns towards me and apologizes for the inconvenience. I offer him a cup of hot chocolate and he deepens his scowl. “I am not a child.”

“I never said you were,” I say, fixing myself a cup of hot chocolate alongside the other one. I place the cup in front of him and as I drink my drink at the front. No one really cared except for the owner, who was not in at the moment.

Police sirens whiz by and Robin stands up, “Someone will be back for him,” he says, leaving the café through the front door.

I collect the two empty cups. He may act like an adult but he still had his childlike innocence within him, minuscule, but prevailing. What an interesting turn of events.

I wash the dishes and as I set the cups on the drying rack to dry, Tim-- I mean-- Drake sits up and shouts, “Damian!” He looks around with his eyes wide as he realized two things: 1. He wasn’t in his safe house or wherever he goes after the vigilante work, and 2. He just gave away Robin’s secret identity. Or maybe more, but I wouldn’t know.

“Good to see that you are alive. Robin said someone would be here for you soon,” I say, picking up my Wonder Woman blanket from the floor--she is a great person, Princess Diana, if you ever get the chance to meet and talk with her.

“I-- Where am I?” he asks me.

I smile and point to the top of the menu which had the store name.

“Who are you?” he asks me, looking intently at my face.

“I can ask the same for you, Timothy Drake-Wayne. You aren’t what you show yourself to be.”

“Actually,” he says without missing a beat, “My name is Drake because Tim Drake gave me my name. He insisted that I use Drake. What am I, a duck?”

I burst out laughing. “What? Is your name Alvin, or something silly like that?”

He looks at me with seriousness coated over his face. “How did you know?”

How did I know? How did I know what? His name? “It was a random guess,” I still my laughter.

He sighs and as sirens whiz by in the opposite direction, he says, “Well, I’ve got to go. Hope business is well,” He leaves through the door calling out, “Thank you for letting me take a nap here.”

“Wait!” I call out behind him, but it was too late.

Gotham has many secrets. Some are buried with people, others buried through lies. I tried to uncover them. The mystery shrouding the vigilantes; I was so close to uncovering one, so close to blowing out the cloud from my vision before my one chance slipped through my fingers.

Why do I still love this city?

---Fin.

Thank you for reading! This is also published on wattpad and ao3.

[bigskydreaming]

AU where Dick and Jason realized early on that their differences were actually all due to the same problem, one they had in common: Bruce is an ass. And so instead of continually butting heads, they agreed to call a truce and not let Bruce’s continued status as an Ass come between them. Allied against the Ass.

And thus they actually had a good sibling relationship, with Jason going to Dick when Bruce’s Asininery grew to unbearable levels, because GOD could Dick relate, and no way would he betray his little bro by letting Bruce know where he is or let him see Jason before Jason was good and ready. Because if Dick had had a Dick-like buffer when HE was a teenager butting heads with Bruce in very similar ways, their own conflicts would likely never have grown to the point that they did in canon, and cause a split as deep and long-lasting as the one between Dick and Bruce in canon was.

And maybe when Jason was grown enough that it was time for him to step out of Bruce’s shadow and adopt his own new identity, make room for a new Robin, he and Dick become partners. 

Only Jason being Jason, flat out REFUSES to be the Flamebird to Dick’s Nightwing, the natural other half of that duo, because Flamebird is a terrible name Dick, fuck you, that’s why. It’s LAME. 

Except Dick being Dick, flat out REFUSES to be something other than Nightwing, because he already picked it and is established and he LIKES it and everyone who knows anything about that name (even if its just other heroes who know Clark or Kara well) knows that Nightwing’s partner is supposed to be Flamebird, anything else will be WRONG, god, Jason, you’re the English lit snob, WHY DO YOU HATE SYMBOLISM??

And so finally they settle on a compromise that works for both of them: they’ll BOTH be Nightwing and Flamebird. They’ll take turns, switch off roles. 

Dick’s pleased because a) he gets his way and he’s a shit like that and b) aww his little brother really DOES love him, he’s willing to be Flamebird even some of the time so they can be a proper team, because they’re family, they’re brothers, and that’s more important than pride to both Dick and Jason even if they’re both so obviously prideful that this isn’t always evident. 

And Jason’s less obviously but still equally pleased because a) he didn’t totally cave, he resisted the power of Dick’s unapologetic guilt trips which is no easy feat and really it’s just the principle of the matter, principles are very important to Jason except when they’re not, he’s a shit like that, and b) aww his big brother really DOES love him, its so obviously important to him that he invite Jason into this identity that matters so much to him as a symbol of his independence, him being his own man separate and apart from Bruce, its a family thing, a brother thing.

And then they’re both pleased for an entirely different reason, the reason being that they’re both little shits who fucking love mischief and chaos in counter to Bruce and Batman’s rigid order and control. Oh, the glee once they realize the havoc that their constant switching has on villains and criminals. 

Because see, its not that hard to tell that they do it. Jason’s much bigger and broader than his acrobat older brother by this point, they have entirely different manners of movement even though they know all the same fighting styles, all the same gymnastics tricks. Their differences in size and center of gravity and muscle mass make it impossible to do everything the same, even if the moves are identical. Not to mention Dick physically can’t NOT run his mouth incessantly, whereas Jason’s quite content to stick to some well-timed cursing and catchy threats as punctuation for his beat-downs.

So its common knowledge that sometimes Nightwing is Nightwing and Flamebird is Flamebird and sometimes Nightwing is Flamebird and Flamebird is Nightwing except really doesn’t that still mean Nightwing is Nightwing and Flamebird is Flamebird even when Flamebird is Nightwing and Nightwing is Flamebird?

You see where this might begin to become confusing for their foes and hard to keep track of.

Especially since the Brothers Batty have gotten GOOD at compensating for their obvious differences, they crouch wherever possible in order to mask the difference in heights, they use shadows to obscure muscles and proportions, and they know each other well enough to mimic each other’s patterns and type of speech and banter when its for a good enough reason, like say, fucking with their bad guys’ heads. Like the order of prioritization goes Pride -> The Principle of the Matter -> Standing Firm Against Bruce’s Asininery -> Brothers -> Mischief and Mayhem.

See, its not that they don’t have clear priorities, its that their priorities aren’t immediately obvious to normal people aka non raised by the Goddamn Batman, that Emotional Toddler That We Nevertheless Desperately Seek Approval From, Ugh, Why Are We Like This, Why is HE Like This, Oh Right, We’re Like This Because HE’S Like This, Ugh FUCK BATMAN.

Point being, its not always easy to tell them apart in combat, let alone distinguish which one you’re talking about. 

And sometimes after a long week of patrolling Dick and Jason just kick back at home and replay the audio from their stakeout and resulting beatdown of the latest cabal of supervillains to try and set up shop in Bludhaven, cackling with glee as they listen to their targets ranting about those two damn Birds breathing down their necks.

See apparently, the Boss is really mad about an op Nightwing busted up the other night and one of his suck-up subordinates was like ‘Ugh yeah, me too, Boss man, he totally ruined that meet I was trying to set up with a couple of Gotham Rogues for you’, and then someone else is like no you nitwit, not THAT Nightwing, the OTHER Nightwing, the big one, the first one! You’re talking about Flamebird! 

And then someone else would be like shut up you dumbass, the first Nightwing is the SMALLER one, the one always running his mouth, everyone knows that! The big one is Flamebird! Y’know. Except for when he’s Nightwing.

And then someone else is like, that doesn’t even make sense, why would the first Nightwing be the smaller one, he was FIRST, obviously he’s the older and bigger Nightwing and what are you talking about anyway, the smaller Nightwing isn’t the one always running his mouth, he’s the angry one who says the really fucked up shit that makes you wanna crap your pants cuz like I fucking kill people but that shit is DARK

And then the Boss is like “EVERYONE SHUT UP! Alright. Look. There’s an easy way to settle this: Are we all talking about the Nightwing that hits harder than he kicks or the Nightwing that kicks harder than he hits?”

Which is when someone’s like “Well Flamebird’s definitely the only who hits harder - “ and it all starts up all over again.

Meanwhile, at home, Jason and Dick are on their sides, trying not to bust stitches they’re both laughing so hard.

And don’t even start with the times people hire Deathstroke to kill Nightwing. Because first Slade has to clarify. He’s like: “WAIT. Which Nightwing? Cuz I’ll only kill one of them, the one that’s really - usually - UGH FUCKING HELL - Look I’ll kill one of them but the other one’s off limits. So it depends on which one you want killed.” 

“And they’re like, well which Nightwing is off limits?”

And Dick and Jason REALLY get a kick out of the audio of what THAT devolves into. (They’re in the rafters of the warehouse the meet is happening in the whole time. This is just too fucking good to bust up any sooner than they have to. Slade looks hilarious when he’s frustrated).

Meanwhile, back in the Batcave, a highly confused Bruce is listening to the same audio, Barbara having sent it to him in order to keep him from doing something dumb like storming off to Bludhaven the second he heard Deathstroke was in town and pissing off both his eldest two because CLEARLY, they do not need his help. 

Tim and Damian have no idea whether to sympathize with Bruce over their brothers’ refusal to take this situation as seriously as they obviously should be, or to just find it fucking hilarious. 

Cass and Duke aren’t hindered by the same need to be Team Bruce ever or by weird and arbitrary standards of professionalism, so they just find it fucking hilarious. Their older brothers are the best.

[sassycassie-s-writing]

I Want One

By: SassyShoulderAngel319

Fandom/Character(s): DC, BatFam - Dick Grayson/Nightwing, Jason Todd/Red Hood, feat. Tim Drake/Red Robin

Rating: PG

Original Idea: I saw a chat post from Tumblr on Pinterest whose dialogue is in the story.

Notes: (Masterlist)(By Character)(About Me) This one was so much fun for me to write!

^^^^^

“Hey B?” Dick asked when Bruce answered the call. “Can a friend and I come over from Bludhaven to use the bat-computer in the next couple days? We just need it to run a tracking program that neither of our computers have the processor for.”

“Of course. You know you can, Dick,” Bruce replied.

“Great. Thanks Bruce. But, uh, before you hang up, uh, the friend is a girl. We’re literally just friends—she’s also a few years younger than me so I’d feel a little uncomfortable dating her. Can you tell Jason, Tim, Damian, and them that before we get there? I don’t want to make her feel awkward by getting teased.”

“Yeah, no problem,” Bruce said.

“Thanks Dad. See you in a couple days.”

“See you soon, son.”

^^^^^

“Before we go into the Batcave, I have to warn you,” Nightwing began. I shuffled in my seat. “My family can be a little… intense.”

“Dude,” I said, “your family is the BatFam. I’d expect nothing less. ‘Sides, I can handle them.”

“Don’t underestimate them,” Nightwing warned.

“I won’t,” I said.

Nightwing drove the rest of the way into the hidden Batcave. We climbed out of his car. The lights flickered on. I stared around in wonder.

“Whoa! This is so cool!”

“Thank you,” a deep, modified voice commented.

I whirled to see Batman himself lurking just outside the reach of one of the lights, in full costume. There was the ghost of a smile playing on the edges of his shadowed lips.

“Welcome to the Batcave,” he said.

“Thank you, sir.” I crossed over to him and stuck out my hand. “I’m Star Beam.”

A powerful gloved grip grabbed my hand and shook it. “Batman,” he replied.

“Yeah, I kinda put that together,” I said, voice going a little squeaky.

“B, you’re freaking her out,” Nightwing said, plopping down at a computer that was bigger than my bedroom.

“Apologies,” Batman said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“No, no. It’s fine—you didn’t scare me. I just didn’t think you’d… be here.”

“Well, I make a point to meet my sons’ friends. Just to make sure they’re all hanging out with decent people.”

“… Right.”

“Miss Star Beam, if I can borrow you for a moment, please,” Nightwing said from the computer. Batman nodded towards his son, indicating I should go over there. I nodded to him in gratitude and went over to stand behind Nightwing. “So. Now you’ve met Batman.”

I nodded. “Yup,” I squeaked.

“You a little intimidated?”

“A little,” I admitted.

Nightwing chuckled and plugged his flash drive into the computer to run the tracking program. “Don’t be too intimidated. As long as you fight for the side of justice you’ll never have anything to fear from him,” Nightwing joked. I smirked slightly.

“Good to know,” I said.

As we watched the tracking program do its work, I perched on the arm of the high-backed desk chair and peered at the dozen or so screens in front of me as they all filled with information. Nightwing watched it with placid passiveness but I leaned back, overwhelmed by how much was happening.

Suddenly a thunderous engine roared into the cave. The man on top of it wore a black super suit with a red bat symbol on the chest, combat boots, a brown leather jacket, and a red helmet. I tilted my head down and looked at the newcomer with raised eyebrows.

“I want one,” I said to Nightwing.

He smirked. "The man or the bike?" Nightwing asked.

I smirked back. "Yes."

Nightwing chuckled as the newcomer (who I recognized as Red Hood) killed the engine and swung his leg off. "'Sup, Dick?" he asked, pulling his Red Hood helmet off to reveal black hair and a red mask. "Who's the girl?"

“Dude! Secret identity!” Nightwing protested, gesturing to his mask.

Red Hood put up his hands in surrender, helmet getting tucked under one arm. “Sorry man. I assumed she knew since you kinda suck at keeping secrets.”

“What are you talking about? I’m great at keeping secrets!” Nightwing protested. “I haven’t told anyone you’re still alive.”

“Fair point. So, who’s the girl, again?”

"Red Hood this is Star Beam. Star Beam, this is my brother Red Hood," Nightwing introduced, not looking up from the computer.

Red Hood gave me a once over. "Pleasure to meet you," he said.

"Likewise," I said. We shook hands.

“So, are you Nightwing’s girlfriend? Everyone here knows he could use some action since his last breakup,” Red Hood said. Nightwing’s grip tightened on the computer mouse but he didn’t say anything, letting me handle it.

“No,” I answered placidly, keeping my temper in check. “Just a friend.”

“You’re literally sitting on the arm of his chair.”

“Oh yeah because that is so indicative of a romantic connection,” I said sarcastically. Red Hood actually smirked. “I’m sitting on the arm of his chair, nitwit, because we’re working on a case in Bludhaven together and needed this computer and I don’t see another chair down there and thought standing was a little too annoying.” Red Hood’s smirk grew wider when I called him a nitwit.

"So what're you doing here, little wing?" Nightwing asked, still not looking up from the computer. "Man I really need Red Robin for this…"

Red Hood plopped down in the other desk chair that I previously hadn’t noticed since it was in the shadows, spinning it around and sending it sliding across the tile floor. He shrugged. "Just wanted to stop by and use the computer," he said. "But you're obviously using it."

"We can be done quick if you can get Red to return my calls," Nightwing remarked. "Then he can run an algorithm that’ll pick up on the clues we’re looking for so we don't have to watch."

Red Hood pulled out his phone, yanked off a riding glove, and dialed a number. "Hey, Replacement. Get your…” He glanced at me giving him a raised eyebrow. “… butt down to the cave and help out Nightwing so I can use the computer," he said after a few moments in which no one answered. He hung up. "Expect him in five minutes," Red Hood said. I raised an eyebrow.

"Replacement?" I quoted, confused.

"Yeah. I was Robin. Then I died. Red Robin replaced me as the next Robin. Then became Red Robin."

“Yummmmm!” Nightwing sang under his breath. I snickered.

Red Hood kicked his feet up on the desk.

“Boots. Off. Now,” Nightwing ordered without looking away from the dozen or so screens.

“Fun sucker,” Red Hood accused.

“It’s impolite, Hood. And we have a guest.”

“Another vigilante by the looks of her. You don’t mind if I put my feet on the desk, do you?” he asked me.

“It’s considered bad manners,” I said without answering directly.

“Hood, get your feet off my desk,” Batman called from somewhere in the cave.

Red Hood rolled his eyes with an exaggerated sigh and set his feet back on the ground. “You guys are all so proper and boring,” he complained.

“Better than Red getting down here and flipping his lid because you’re contaminating his precious computer,” Nightwing pointed out.

“Mm,” Red Hood grunted. He got off the second desk chair and strolled off over to an elevator, getting in it and leaving momentarily.

“You didn’t tell me your brother is hot,” I said to Nightwing.

Who shrugged. “Didn’t know what kind of person was your type so I didn’t think it was relevant,” he said.

I whacked him in the chest. “Nightwing! You and he look rather similar and you’re a handsome dude. You could have told me that!”

“We’re adopted. All of us. Well, not current Robin but—”

Ding! The elevator opened to Red Robin.

“Hey! Wassup, Dick? Jason said you needed a hand on—”

“Red! Do the words ‘secret identity’ mean anything to you? They certainly didn’t to Hood!”

“Ohhh! Sorry bro. I didn’t know we had a guest! J—Hood didn’t mention anything about a guest in his voicemail. My bad.”

Nightwing sighed. “It’s okay, I guess. What’s the harm of knowing first names, right? It’s not like I’m the only with that name in the world. Or even in Gotham or Bludhaven.” He suddenly looked several years older than he was, like his brothers drove him crazy but he still loved them with all his heart.

“Red Robin. Nice to meet you.”

I stood to shake his hand. “Star Beam. Likewise.”

“Right. Let me help. What are you up to?”

“We need you to run the algorithm that searches for certain parameters in this tracking program.”

“No problem. Move.” Red Robin pushed Nightwing’s chair away from the desk and pulled the one Red Hood had been sitting in up to the middle of the desk. “Okay…”

The elevator dinged again and Red Hood stepped back out, now holding a sandwich. “What’d I miss?” he asked.

“Nothing. Red is as bad with code names as you are and is now running the algorithm we need.”

“Hmm,” Red Hood, grunted. “Hey Star Beam, how did you meet this idiot?” He nodded to Nightwing.

I shrugged. “Luck, I guess,” I said. “Right place right time. Or wrong place wrong time.”

“Yeah… we beat up some muggers and both got knocked to the ground at the same moment and bonked heads,” Nightwing said. “But we won!” I nodded.

“So what’s your tragic backstory, Star Beam?” Red Hood asked.

“Who says every vigilante-slash-superhero has to have a tragic backstory?” I challenged.

Red Hood shrugged. “Me. Based on experience.”

“Mm,” I grunted. “I don’t really have a tragic backstory. And even if I did, you’d have be reach Friend Level Four to unlock it.”

“Nerd,” Red Hood said.

“Look who’s talking, Mr. Read Every Jane Austen Novel,” Nightwing said, spinning around in the desk chair.

“Shut up, Nightwing.”

“Hey Star Beam? Nightwing? I think I found what you were looking for,” Red Robin said.

“Mm. Guess my plan to ask Star Beam out to dinner will have to wait then,” Red Hood deadpanned.

Nightwing and I both spun away from the computer monitors to look at him. “What?” we both asked.

“What? Your face is pretty even with your mask on, so I might as well,” Red Hood said. “Life is short and I’ve already died once so might as well embrace impulses to do whatever.”

“Ttthhhanks?” I muttered. “Sure I’ll go to dinner with you sometime.”

“Pick you up in Bludhaven?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Red Robin made a gagging noise and Nightwing rolled his eyes. “Of course this would happen. This is why I never bring friends over! Because you just flirt with them!”

Red Hood shrugged. “Impulsive, remember?”