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lazydoodlesandfanfic · 1 year ago

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Accidentally Finding Family (Bucky Barnes X Teen!Fem!Reader) *PLATONIC, PARENTAL

Characters: Bucky Barnes X Teen!Fem!Reader

Universe: Marvel, Avengers

Warnings: HYDRA, mention of kidnapping, mention of torture, mention of death of family, mention of amputation

Request: Hi can I request a teen reader where she is kind of like Bucky and is a hydra agent that is from the 40s and the team finds her in a base in cryofreeze and Steve and Bucky help her learn to adjust to the future and maybe Bucky helps her deal with nightmares? Or maybe she also has a metal arm and he helps her become less insecure about it idk. Also she ends up seeing Steve and Bucky as parental figures with cute family bonding? Sorry if that’s all over the place!

“Do you have any goals you have in mind for the next year or so? Next five years?” The question, targeted at Bucky, was being asked by his therapist. A few months ago, Bucky wasn’t sure what he would have answered with. A few months ago, Bucky was still filled with grief of a life lost, a life tainted with torture, his memories torn and ripped to shreds with only little fragments he could make out. But Bucky had done a hell of a lot of healing since rejoining his best friend. With therapy, Steve and Wanda’s help, those shreds of his past were being sewn back together, he’d come to accept that while his past is something he’d never fully recover from, he was still in possession of a young body, ready to try to live the life he actually wanted to live before HYDRA. A life with his new friends, and his one old one. He was ready to look into the future.

He sat back, relaxing into the settee, thinking to himself, before he let his thoughts leave his mouth. “A family.” He started. He looked over at his therapist, who smiled, nodding and notioning him to elaborate. “I loved looking after my little sister before the war. I loved looking out for Steve when he was still a punk… I think it’s always been a part of me to want to look after and care for people. Biological or adopted… the idea of having a child, someone to look after, someone to care for, be there for… to be needed by someone… I’d like that.”

“That’s definitely a doable goal I think. I think you’re finally in a place where you’d be able to be a caregiver. If you want to be sure, there are volunteering positions to help people at events- young children, camps for teenagers, so on, so forth. There’s also courses to give people more skills and knowledge on raising children that I can enrol you in?” She suggested. Bucky agreed. Not long after all of that, the session ended, and Bucky began his walk back to base to see if anyone had heard from the rest of the team yet. Almost all of the Avengers- except Bruce- had gone out on a mission. Originally he had been meant to go himself, but when the team found out that he had a session booked the same day and he might not make it, they removed him from it, knowing that his healing is far more important than another gun on their already overpowered team.

About halfway through the walk, was when his phone in his pocket buzzed repeatedly. He felt it easily, and he pulled the phone out, seeing Steve’s name on the front, and he answered it, pressing the phone to his ear. “Hey Steve, I’m on my way back now, are you already back?” He asked Steve, continuing his walk.

“Bucky I need to ask you a serious question and I need you to answer me to the best of your ability.” Steve’s serious tone made Bucky freeze on the side of the street. His eyes darted around the busy streets, finding a corner that was silent and hidden in shadows, and dashing over to it, before answering Steve.

“Alright. Ask away.” Bucky answered.

“Do you know of any other Winter Soldiers?” Steve asked, and immediately Bucky’s heart thudded.

“N-No. Wait, did you find more?” Bucky asked.

“We don’t know… she’s a kid, Buck.” Steve answered. Bucky wanted to be sick, his mind already racing on what exactly they had found. A girl, a young girl, a child, according to Steve. And from whatever information and evidence they had found, it was enough to point them back to the Winter Soldier program and him. Bucky squeezed his eyes shut.

“Is she alive?”

“Yeah. Yeah she’s alive, we’re trying to treat her for a few injuries, but we’re having issues… James I think… she’d really benefit with you being here.” He told his best friend. That seemed odd to Bucky. He was a mythical monster to the other weapons of HYDRA, used to scare them into obeying, and he had no doubt that stories of him, even after he had escaped, would have been used to bring fear, especially to children. Still, he trusted Steve and his judgement.

“Alright. I’ll be there soon.” Bucky answered shortly, hanging up, and his once leisurely stroll back to base, turned into a long sprint marathon.

He arrived back in less than 20 minutes, finding Natasha already waiting for him, her motioning for him to follow her. “How did you find her?” He asked her.

“They realised we were attacking them and raised the alarm, and seemingly let her loose with some of their other agents to try and slow us down. That didn’t happen though.” Natasha explained, power walking through the base.

“What do you mean it didn’t happen?” Bucky asked.

“She turned on them. She killed several of the guards and scientists herself and we found her in the process of trying to kill the head researcher. He’s getting medical care- it’s 50/50 whether he’ll live or not, not that I really care. After we stopped her, she surrendered to us, but she’s not talking and won’t let anyone touch her. We really don’t want to restrain her Buck, since that will undoubtedly make her worse, but I realised she was bleeding from her leg and we think she’s been shot but we can’t treat her.” Natasha explained, stopping at a door, and finally turning to him.

“How can I help with this? If anything, she’s going to have heard about me and become terrified.” He questioned, her features softening into a sad smile.

“Can you take your jacket off and your glove? So she can see it?” She asked. Bucky’s eyes darted down to his arm, flexing his robotic fingers, before looking up at Natasha, unsure and confused. “We’ll introduce you, just… be as soft and kind as possible with her, okay? Trust me.” She asked. Bucky sighed, and with some hesitance, he removed his glove, shoving it into his jacket pocket, before pulling his jacket off, leaving him with just his short sleeve shirt, his arm on full display. Bucky nodded to her, and she opened the door, stepping in and aside to let him in.

“Come on kiddo, I promise it’ll be over before you know it.” Bucky walked into the scene of Tony trying to talk to you, offering a small bag of fruity snacks, though you kept your head down and totally ignored his presence beside you. Bruce was on the other side of you, looking lost on what he can do without making anything worse. Steve was leant against the nearby wall, spotting Bucky and Nat first, and he stood up straight. Bucky glanced at him, before properly looking at you, and when he did, he understood.

You were sitting on the medical bed, legs stretched out, your head low, and your arms hugged against your body. Your arms were what Bucky hyper fixated on. They were metal, both of them, all the way up to the shoulders. You had tucked your arms to the best of your ability under the thin blanket that already had a growing blood stain where one of your legs were. Bucky wasn’t sure what had happened to you that meant you had to have both your arms amputated and replaced by robotic ones, or even if there was a reason or if they just did that, but that didn’t matter right now. You were clearly uncomfortable with them being seeing, and your hatred for being touched was something that Bucky empathised with.

“Thanks for coming so quickly.” Steve spoke up, making Tony and Bruce turn as well, and after a moment, Bucky watched as your eyes also looked up to see who was there, and met his. He was convinced he’d see you flinch, be terrified, and he would make this whole situation worse, but then your eyes left his, and fell onto his arm, and he watched you relax. You actually relaxed in his presence. That immediately made Bucky relax as well as he slowly stepped closer. Tony moved out of his way so he could be by your side.

“English?” Bucky clarified and you nodded at him. “Alright. I’m James, but my friends call me Bucky. I know better than anyone how scary this all is, and how you probably really don’t want anyone prodding or poking at you anymore.” He spoke softly, keeping eye contact with you. He caught in the corner of his eye that you raised one arm from under the sheets, hesitantly reaching for him, specifically his metal arm. He reached out as well, carefully taking your metal arm in his, and your eyes stared at his arm, as the metal sheets slid and moved to adjust, similar to your own, before you looked back at him.

“They hurt you too?” You asked quietly. Bucky swallowed hard, knowing who ‘they’ were, and he nodded.

“Lost it originally from falling out of a train, but they kidnapped me and did this… my friends have helped me adjust, and they want to help you too.” He explained to you.

“They…” You hesitated, looking down at your hand holding his, before continuing. “They took mine. I don’t know why. They just did.” You explained to him, and Bucky nodded along, listening to you while also clenching his jaw, trying not to cry. Trying not to squeeze your hand on accident because of his anger.

“They were wrong for doing that, they were pure evil, and I promise you, you’re safe now, and they can’t hurt you anymore, I promise.” He smiled reassuringly. “As soon as we tend to that bullet wound, we’ll get you settled in, you can start school, be a normal teenager, or as normal as you can be, how does that sound?” He asked, and after a lot of hesitation, you nodded, and with Bucky holding your hand, you allowed Bruce to tend to your wound.

You didn’t talk to anyone for the first week, other than Bucky, but slowly started talking to the others as time passed. They got you situated in one of the bedrooms on base, but after FRIDAY reported you kept hiding under the bed or locking yourself on purpose in the bathroom and sleeping on the cold tile floor, Bucky made the suggestion to move you into a smaller space. He didn’t have to go into detail when explaining you weren’t used to sleeping on a nice warm bed in a giant room, and how it probably felt alien and wrong to sleep there. Tony didn’t have any rooms that were smaller that could function as a bedroom, and it was Steve who suggested you move into an apartment with one of them, that someone clearly being Bucky. Bucky, like showing up to see you in the first place, wasn’t sure about that idea- worried he’d have a relapse with his nightmares and scare you, but he trusted Steve. Tony paid for an upgraded apartment- a two bedroom in brooklyn, still a small walk away from Steve if he was needed, and Bucky moved all his stuff in before they moved you in.

“This is the place.” Bucky told you, opening the door to the apartment, and you cautiously stepped inside, looking around. Bucky didn’t have a lot of things, so other than a bookshelf crammed with books, an old radio, the bulky television and some photos before the war on one wall and another wall of photos from after escaping HYDRA. James wasn’t sure how you’d react to all this, so he watched you diligently. He walked around, leaning on a wall, just watching you. He saw your eyes look around, before you spotted his old radio- one that was close replica to the ones before the war- and you seemed to relax, before walking over to it, gingerly touching it, before turning it on, tuning it a little, seemingly disappointed at the radio station, before looking around, and spotting the pre-war photographs, and walked over, looking at them, and smiling. “You like them?” Bucky asked, walking over slowly.

“They remind me of before the war.” You commented, before seeming to think and turning to him quickly. “Are you from before the war too?” You asked him. Bucky’s eyebrows pinched together.

“Are you? Y/N, what year did they take you?” He demanded.

“1940… 1945? I think? The war was still on…” You explained to him, looking back at the photos, spotting him in his uniform. “You were a sergeant?”

“Y/N.” Bucky stepped closely, gently grabbing your arm and turning you to face him. “You were kidnapped by HYDRA before the war? You were frozen?” He asked. You nodded. Bucky hated that. He hated that there was yet another thing you shared with him. Metal arms, HYDRA, lives before the war, being weapons, and thrust into a new world. He’d long accepted that it’s just his life now, but that it happened to you? A kid? He hated it. “Y/N… What do you remember about your life before the war?” He asked.

You talked for hours. Sitting down on the couch, you just talked about all you remembered, bits and pieces, sometimes certain memories popping up from talking and you’d interrupt yourself just to talk about them. You told him about your parents, your dad being in the army, your mom working in a factory where they made ammunition and ballistics, where unfortunately an accident happened with fire and an explosion, and your mother was killed, leaving you alone for a period of time with your dad other seas and unable to return, and no other family to care for you, before you were sent to go live with a foster family until after the war. That family were actually HYDRA. You didn’t know what happened to your dad, if he survived the war, and if he did, if he looked for you or if he was told you had died and he moved on, maybe had a new family. Maybe you had a step mother, half siblings, maybe you were an aunt now… but you didn’t know. Bucky took the time to text your dad’s name and rank in the war to Natasha and ask her to look into him, and she responded an hour later with an obituary, and a date of death and cause. Killed in action. Bucky told you the news softly, and it was then you stopped talking. You sat there for a period of time, just processing what he had said, and Bucky remained sat there, waiting for you.

“...I’m alone, aren’t I?” You finally spoke up. “I’ve lost everything.”

“Not necessarily.” Bucky pointed out. “If your dad was in the military, then there’s probably photographs of him. If any photos were taken of you and your family before the war, I know for a fact that Natasha and Tony can find them, and we can get them printed and framed for you, so you can have something of theirs… and you have me.” He told you. You turned to look at him.

“Really?”

“Of course. As long as you need me, I’m there. I’ve been through exactly the same thing as you, I know exactly how you’re feeling and I want you to be happy and to have as close to a normal life as possible. Since you live with me, that makes me your guardian. If you want to go to school, I’ll go to all your parent-teacher meetings and help with your homework. If you want to do after school activities, I’ll go to all your games and shows and awards. If you want to talk about the 1930’s and 40’s, let’s talk about it, if you want to talk about what happened with HYDRA, let’s talk about it or we can try therapy if you want. Whatever you want to do with your life, I’ll support you no matter what. I’m here for you, no matter what, and I’m not going anywhere.” He told you. You didn’t respond at first, and when you did, you didn’t respond with words. Instead, you crawled across the couch to be closer to him, wrapping your arms around him, and resting your head on his shoulder, and Bucky hugged you back.

“I’d like that. Thank you.” He heard you speak. He held you as the sun went down, and only after realizing you had fallen asleep and he was gonna have to carry you to bed, that he realized something. He’d done it. He’d reached his goal that he had set with his therapist just over a month ago. It was totally unconventional, nothing he could have predicted, but he’d gotten his family. He’d found the child he wanted, the person he wanted to care and be there for, to watch grow and thrive and to help them with that. He’d found you.

Hope you like it! If you have any questions, please send them in!

*Not my gif

TAGS: @dailyteambucky @mxrvelsaos @klanceiscannon14 @marvelhoeingismyhobby-blog @bellamyblakemorley @dummiesshort @freyathehuntress @abbybills22-blog @mutantjediavenger @theoraekensnotsosecretlover @alicedanganh @sleutherclaw @sleepy-coffee-bean @stawwpp @courtneychicken @graysonmalfoy @bellero @originalpottervengerlock @supernatural-pan @esoltis280 @lady-of-lies @lenaswritingandstuff @macbetheliza @mandywholock1980 @cdwmtjb8 @caswinchester2000 @determinedpines @huntheimpossible @automaticbakeryfreakshoe

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jessilynallendilla · 3 days ago

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DPXDC KID DANNY FIC REC

TITLE/LI NK RATING COMPLETED-WORD-COUNT SERIES

DP FIC REC HOME POST

let me know if the links aren't working and feel free to suggest any

KID DANNY

Eldritch Toddler T 7,466 SERIES

Bruce is not prepared for when John Constantine hands over a young boy who has been de-aged. While Constantine goes off in search of the one responsible, Bruce and his family are left to care for the child. Danny is a sweet kid, he isn't fussy either! This should be fine. They quickly learn to take Constantine's warnings seriously.

I Found Him, He's Mine Now G 1,810 SERIES

Damian finds Danny alone in the park waiting for his (imaginary) dog with no parents in sight. That level of negligence is unacceptable and if he has to be this boy's guardian then so be it.

Mother Of The Storms And Her Star Child T

After an accident leaves everyone Danny has ever known dead, and clockwork injured. He brings a now younger Danny to an old friend. His old pal has the perfect place for him amongst her other wards. But Danny is scared and scarred, can the bat fam trace down the young boys origins? Leave it to the family of detectives.

Danny Finding A Family In The Shape Of A Bat NR

Clockwork sends Danny to alt dimension de-aged and injured after the reveal goes bad. Clockwork had a plan and lets Danny know so he can get set in this new world where being a hero is an actual job, and sliding Danny where he needs to be to gain an actual childhood and training. Bruce finds another blood child he didn't know about.

So You Suddenly Found Yourself The Father Of A Ghost Child.... G SERIES

Timothy Drake-Wayne would have it known that he did not get infected by Bruce's adoption problem. The kid hanging off of his coat just followed him home.

Cut Out The Middleman G 973 SERIES

Alfred adopts himself a grandchild.

(Un)Dead Beat Dad NR

Danny finally escaped his parents, and in his muddled thought process, went to see his mentor, clockwork. Clockwork, however, had no clue what to do and took Danny to his dear old friend, Gotham. Going along with this game of halfa telephone, Gotham took the now six-year-old boy to her most trustworthy knight.

It Takes A Mob NR 8,402 SERIES

Bill didn't ask for a lot from life. A roof over his head and a job to the pay the rent. He spent a lot of his adult life being the punching bag of a bunch of furries and has had every single bone in his leg removed on more than one occasion. That being said he wasn't a dumbass. He knew how to read a room and was smart enough to Know when the odds had changed. It's this reason that Bill has found himself in the possession of one tiny Meta in the city known for a strict rule against them. God, Bill should've never left the Goonion.

Gotham's Youngest Ghost NR

Somewhere in Gotham, a small child finds themself alone and lost on the streets of Crime Alley. Nearby, a liminally-challenged vigilante has no idea his life is about to be turned upside down. Again. This is all Clockwork's fault, Danny is sure of it.

My Boy, My Son G 18,210 SERIES

In desperate need of a vacation, Danny has Clockwork turn him into a five year old so that he can have the childhood he never got. Soon, five year old Danny finds himself running wild in Gotham only to be kidnapped by some weird teenager in a costume who decides that Danny is going to be his son. What's Danny to do but accept this new weird guy as his new dad and become a super cool crime fighting vigilante with his new adopted family who have no clue he's a two thousand year old ghost king?

Uncanny G

Jim Gordon sees a boy walk down Park Row. A boy that looks exactly identical to a tiny and terrified kid that he pulled into his arms and comforted after his parents died so many years ago.

Don't Leave Me In The Dark NR SERIES

What's Jason supposed to do when he comes home one night to find a crying child with only one arm, and Lazarus Pit green eyes, wiping their own blood up from his apartment floor? The answer is probably not, "Adopt them.", but, hey, he's never had the best plans and the kid looks like he weighs five pounds soaking wet. (Danny can't remember how old he is - he remembers being sixteen, but he remembers being six even clearer - just that the last thing in his head is someone rooting around his intestines and telling him he's a fascinating specimen.)

Sunshine T 2,826 SERIES

Dick finds a pair of young children outside in the cold. He takes them in as his own. Soon Jazz starts showing worrying signs.

The Son Of The Red Hood T

Clockwork intervenes in Danny's life so that he can learn all he needs to be king of the Infinite Realms, and hopefully this time he can actually be loved and cared for the way he deserves.

It's Strong, And It's Sudden, And It's Cruel Sometimes (But It Might Just Save Your Life) T 1,404 SERIES

[Attempt number-one-hundred had been successful.] When Dan woke up, his very first thought was his usual: ‘Goddamn son of a fucking bitch.’ That was when he realized that he didn’t say it out loud.

A Ghostling's Second Chance T

Due to a problem concerning ghosts, undead, and the reliving happening in lady Gotham's city, she asked for help from her dear friend Clockwork. one thing leads to the other and now team phantom must help the bats with cults, owls, talons, LoA, and... apparently being known as teen dads??? Team phantom also has to deal with being de-aged, good thing that half of them can pass as old beings who can be tracked back to the roman empire, or is the Egyptian empire older??

Alfred And The Tiny Attic Squatters G

Alfred discovers four tiny squatters hiding in the attic and spends a number of days coaxing them out while keeping Bruce and the rest of the family from imploding after they discover that Damian is not his only child. It only gets more chaotic when they discover other relations and that the children may be involved in many of the unexplained events going on around Gotham. Jazz just wants to punch Clockwork in the throat for de-aging them and dropping them in a alternate dimension where she is getting targeted by a combat furry crime boss and his bird-themed minions, several of who seemed to have developed a obsession with her that is giving her strong Vlad vibes.

The Joys Of Fatherhood T SERIES

He'd never expected this. It was a complete shock. But he was going to do this right, he was going to be the best dad ever to this precious little boy. His adorable little bird.

A Second Life G 159,219 SERIES

He wakes up with no memories. He knows things, but he doesn’t know why. Who is he? And how did he get here?

Baby Catastrophe (Literally) T

Everyone knows babies exist. Only a few know that Jason has a baby. And none of them know that said baby is a de-aged Ghost King with no survival instincts.

Imprint T

He screwed his eyes shut, held his breath, desperately wished that he was back in his safehouse, alone and blissfully unaware. But the weight in his hands remained, and when he opened his eyes, it was to the bean-shaped 'fuck you' the Lazarus Pit had kindly bestowed upon him, arms and legs folded up against his front beneath off-white muslin while tiny lips smacked softly. What the fuck. What the hell was Jason supposed to do now?

Please Don't Take My Sunshine Away T SERIES

After escaping from the GIW, Danny crash lands in Gotham. He's six years old, his entire life has burned behind him, and one of the Gotham vigilantes is running around with a stifled Core. What's a kid to do? A Jason Adopts Danny fic featuring De-aged!Danny, family feels, and Jason's Grand Master Plan going completely off the rails.

Dick Grayson V Gotham T

It's taken months, but Dick Grayson was finally able to foster Danny Smith, the kid who kept showing up to crime scenes and solving murders. But after reporters learn about Danny's existence, Dick returns to Gotham to wait out the media storm. Fortunately, Bruce is allowing him to help on this new Red Hood case. Danny's not supposed to be here. Not in this dimension, not in this kid body, not without his powers. For the last year, he's made the most of it and even developed a reputation of being a medium detective. But now, his foster dad is taking him to Gotham, where threats new and old challenge the stability he's found.

Raising Phantom T SERIES

Jasmine started working at Gotham's Public Library, while having to take care of her baby brother and going to college. Danny is frustrated at having to be in hiding as well as everything else poor in his life. Also there is something off about the man that comes in to check books out. His family included. Batfamily playing a game to figure out these two's life only for things to get serious quickly.

The Boy King And The Dark Knights T SERIES

Daniel Fenton may be dead, but he wasn’t suicidal. Unfortunately, avoiding Batman and his vigilantes get a lot harder when he’s stuck in a seven year olds body in Gotham. Clockwork so owes him for this. In which Danny Fenton fixes a broken family, grows a bit as a person, and makes another technically-dead friend. Not exactly in that order.

To Become Blue-Blooded T

Bruce Wayne was named Prince of Gotham for decades. He didn’t though about it much. The Wayne family being called the royal family of America, or the Bat family having great influence and prestige in the superheroes community was just another type of fame, of prestige, sometimes a tool but more of an annoyance. Danny Fenton knew the weight of the Infinite Realms’ Throne. It was the type of power that reached everything around you and changed all your ties in life and death. He took the smart decision when he refused. But the Realms needed a Monarch. And so Daniel existed.

#batman #danny phantom #dpxdc #long post #fic rec

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drunkenkissesatdusk · 6 months ago

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Prompt: Bruce is out on a mission, but tim needs an adult for parent/teacher conference. No one is available except Jason.

FATHER OF THE YEAR.

━━━━━━━━ WHEN TIM originally gave out the idea of Jason filling in as Bruce as a father, it was because they couldn't find Bruce anywhere - typical. Jason said, as long as Bruce wasn't home before the conferences, Jason would go.

"You have to be kidding me." Jason grumbled, taking the tamer clothing out of his younger brothers' hands and dramatically stomping over to the bathroom and changing.

Dick couldn't go, he was training (never mess with Dick when he's training). Damian couldn't go because... well... he's a child. Jason was the only option, but Tim grinned and shook his head whenever Jason asked if Tim asked Alfred.

Jason, wearing a plain pair of jeans, a plain knit sweater, and found a clean pair of Nike Air Force 1s sitting outside the bathroom door. He looked basic but could pass as someone nicer than he looked when he wore all his tactical and especially hand-crafted denim and leather outfit.

Jason faced Tim once more, glaring at his younger brother.

"You fucking owe me, you asshole." Jason snarled - he could've been nicer, but how would you have liked to fill in as a father and be forced to wear the most basic articles of clothing ever? Tim grinned as he snapped a few photos on his phone, dodging Jasons harsh swings towards the diligent boy.

Tim safely shoved his phone into his pocket, mediating the ongoing duel between him and his older brother, before the two settled on taking Dick's fancy Porsche to the conferences. Dick hated when people touched his car, but that's what made it all worth it.

On the way, Tim attempted to overtake the aux, but a recent incident sent Jason scrambling to shove away the teenager from the empty cord.

"You're still not over that? That was weeks ago!" Tim's face flushed red, crossing his arms over his chest and huffing. Jason sent Tim a glare, which almost effectively shut him up.

"Not enough weeks ago, Timmy. You don't get aux privileges for a while, little bro." Jason teased, subsequently shutting Tim up until they reached Gotham prep.

At the nostalgic school, Jason knew they wouldn't know him and know he wasn't actually Tim's father, but that didn't mean Jason wasn't nervous. At Tims school, one conference a year was mandatory, and usually Bruce freed up the time to go at Tims other schools, but this year was clearly different.

"Ah! Mr. Tim Wayne. You must be his father, Mr. Wayne." The teacher was new and didn't know that Jason was far from his father. Tim let the lie slip easily from his lips, and the two found themselves sitting across from Tims AP World History teacher.

It was awkward before the teacher began discussing Tims grades, and Jason grinned as he listened. He could publicly shame his brother while he posed as the teenager's father. Jason, feeling a power trip overtake him, grinned as he turned to Tim, his face flashing into a mock look of concern.

"Timmy, you should be focusing on his grades. Should the teacher be ensuring harder homework?" Jason turned to the teacher with a fake look plastered across his face. Tim turned to a look of slight anger and slight surprise - he couldn't be seriously doing this, right? "Are you not being pushed hard enough, Tim?" Jason grinned wickedly while staring at his brother.

This was payback for today; Jason was getting Tim back for what he'd done, making him pretend for the day. Tim was furious after they organized more and more difficult work for Tim, the two walking out of the room wishing the teacher a farewell.

"You're such a dick, Jason." Tim snarled, shoving the older boy softly.

"You did this to yourself, little bro." Jason grinned triumphantly, sauntering into his math teacher's room. Greeting the old man that taught Tim (and probably 37 generations prior), the conversation didn't open the allowance for any possible bargain of more homework, but after learning what he did, Jason was still on cloud 9 with all this information.

Tim was on the 9th level of Hell, in his eyes. This had been a disaster, inviting Jason to be a responsible adult landed him with almost all classes promising to be harsher on Tim and give him harder work.

To say the teenager was pissed off, was the farthest from the truth. Tim was beyond any grasp of pure anger floating over him. He went on to ignore Jason, but couldn't anymore when Jason took him out for ice cream.

"I'm never asking you to do that again." Tim frowned, eating away at his ice cream cone. The sweet vanilla flavor filled up his airway, making him eat more and more.

"We both learned our lesson today, didn't we?" Jason relished in todays events, leaning his head back as he grinned. Tim had a look of confusion as his head swiveled to stare at his older brother.

"Both of us?" Tim opened the floor for explanation, waiting for a response from his brother. Jason turned to Tim, a wolfish grin spreading across his face as he kept letting bursts of laughter flow from his lips.

"You learned to never rely on me for conferences, and I learned how sweet vengeance is." Jason smirked, finishing his ice cream and beginning the drive back to their house.

BONUS!! :

━━━━━━━━ TIM WALKED PAST Damians room, but the boys voice stopped him in his tracks. "How was Todd at being an actual adult?" He didn't even look up from his phone as he asked the question.

Tim stopped in his tracks, facing the younger boy.

"Never count on Jason to be an adult, but at least he bought me ice cream." Tim grinned. He was tired, so as soon as he had made it back to his bedroom, he was knocked out on his bed in an instant.

And he was a damn good brother, was Tim's final thought, before sleep consumed his every thought, and he wouldn't ever bother to tell anyone he thought that about his own brother.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ CECIL JAMES - okay if the ending was a little rushed, dont blame me i swear im almost through with school and writing will be my focus

also, this is my first request and im so nervous to post this

and its almost 3 am on a school night yikes

SORRY FOR ANY MISTAKES!!!

masterlist

#damian wayne #batfam #dc comics #dick grayson #jason todd #batman #bruce wayne #alfred pennyworth #bat family #batman comics #dc universe #ceciljameswork #tim drake #damian al ghul #batfamily #dc robin

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starwarsmum · 3 months ago

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And so begins Maribat BioFamily September! Thanks to @maribat-calendar-events for the prompt list! Posted on ao3

Day 1 Long Lost Sibling

Tim was having a bad day. He had woken up to news of a French supervillain that had apparently escaped notice of the Justice League and some, also unknown, French superheroes had defeated him. He was furious that he hadn't even heard a word about it, and was taking his bad mood out on the batcomputer.

“Timbo, what's happening?” Jason asked as he sauntered into the cave. Tim growled something unintelligible and Jason gave a once over of the screen. “Oh shit, is that about the French superheroes? Man, did you read up on the Ladyblog website? It was a hell of a traumatising read, I don't think I could think up some of that stuff even if Scarecrow were lending a hand.”

“How did we miss it?” Tim wailed, slumping at the keyboard. “I thought I knew so much about Paris, I was searching for MDC for so long, but how did I miss an entire supervillain?”

“Boys, time to suit up,” Bruce said, sweeping into the cave and grabbing his own suit. When they didn't immediately start moving, he gave them a stern look and explained, “The Justice League are greeting the French Superheroes Ladybug and Chat Noir. Now that they aren't afraid of people with legitimate powers of being akumatised, they're asking for help with the recovery of Paris’ citizens.”

In a flurry of activity, Tim and Jason were dressed and headed to the Zeta tube. Tim felt underprepared - he normally had a full view of the situation, from multiple angles, but he had scarcely had time to start looking into Hawkmoth's motivations. He had skimmed some basic background, which told him that Gabriel Agreste had lost his wife a few years ago, but that was all he had managed.

When Ladybug and Chat Noir arrived with Wonder Woman, Tim felt horror rise up in him. How were they so young? Sure, he and the other Robins had started young - hell, younger usually - but they'd all had a mentor, and it was clear from the fights broadcast that that was not the case here.

Batman had made it clear that only he, his two Reds, Wonder Woman and Superman were allowed to be present during this first meeting. He had grumbled that it was unfortunate that Robin and Superboy were at school and couldn't be there, as having people of a similar age could help them feel more at ease.

“Welcome to the Watchtower, Ladybug and Chat Noir,” Superman said gently, offering a hand to the former. He gave a yelp when she said ‘Spots off’ and standing in her place was a girl with black hair, blue eyes and a weary expression. Chat Noir followed her lead and turned into a familiar boy with blond hair and a stricken expression across his face.

“Hi, I'm Marinette, and this is my partner Adrien Agreste. Yes, I said Agreste,” she said, eyeing them as though daring them to say something. Tim immediately admired the steely note in her voice, likely learned from being a teenager in the frontline of a war against an emotional terrorist.

She launched into an explanation of what they had been enduring over the past year, and Tim felt a mixture of horror and pity at what they had been through. When she finished, silence spread through the room and Chat Noir finally spoke up.

“So you can see why we want help,” he said quietly, showing none of the cocky self-assuredness he was known for. “If just for some therapy, m'lady and I need somebody to talk to. And I'm going to need someone to vouch for my character without revealing my identity to the hordes of angry people that want blood for what they've been through because of Hawkm- my dad.”

“Also, my parents are at their wits’ ends, I've been targeted in my civilian identity for the past six months and they want me out of the country for a couple of weeks while the trial goes through,” Marinette admitted. “They were hoping to send me to America since I was adopted from there, but they don't have any details of my birth family. It was a closed adoption and my birth parents were very clear that they didn't have the means to take care of me.”

“Well, we can help see if there's a direction we can point you in,” Batman said, stepping forward to place a comforting hand on both kids’ shoulders. “And I have contacts in America who can look after you if you do want to stay there for a while. They have the funds to house you for an indefinite period, should it come to that."

After that was a flurry of activity, Marinette giving a blood sample and Chat Noir being set up with a therapist and advocate for trials. Tim and Jason were left in charge of making sure Marinette made it home safely, after which Tim decided he was going to do everything in his power to help the pair.

_ _ _

“I don't believe it!” The shout tore out of him, horror and disbelief making him feel a little nauseous. But he had run the test several times and it showed a familial relationship between Marinette and one of the prominent families in Gotham. He had thought it strange that she just so happened to have the markers of a Wayne adoption, but would never have guessed this result.

“Tt, what is it, Drake?” Damian said, appearing behind him and scanning the information quickly. His eyebrows rose and practically disappeared into his hair. “Well, that is…interesting. I suppose congratulations are in order. It appears you are an actual older brother to someone.”

#maribat event #ao3 fanfic #ao3 #fanfic #maribat #maribat biofam sept #sibling!timinette

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simslegacy5083 · 20 days ago

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Today's (11/6/2024) Episode: Friendly Birthday Fun

Luigi and his family had been reminded that their lives were better together, and shortly afterwards they found themselves celebrating the friendships they’d made with others.

Luigi had recently grown closer to his family, and his relationships with his childhood friends were also changing as they grew.

First came Bruce’s birthday, and unfortunately, he turned out to be even more of a troublemaker as a teen. After his cake he snuck up on his two sensitive friends while they were playing pretend pirates and scared them so badly that they both started to cry.

“You’re the worst!” Elyse fumed as Bruce laughed. “Come on Skye, let’s go play on the swings away from this big bully.”

“Hey, don’t be like that” Bruce called, running after them. “How about we all go snorkeling? I promise I won’t scare you again!” He enjoyed messing with the others, but he’d play any game with them rather than be forced to spend his birthday hanging out with his parents and their adult friends!

He mostly played nicely the rest of the night, and the next evening he called to invite Skye to some sort of shady contest he’d learned about. The anxious young sim was smart enough to turn down his offer “Yeah, I don’t think my parents would like me doing something like that.”

“Your loss kid!” Bruce replied, “It sounds like it’s going to be epic, and because I’m not a little chicken, I guess I’ll just tell you how it went!”

Skye mentioned the odd invitation to his parents the next morning at breakfast, and his dad got quite upset.

“You did the right thing saying no and telling us. That doesn’t sound safe at all!” Once Skye left the table, Luigi asked Noemi to keep an eye on their son while he walked down the beach to see Beau. “I need to talk to him about that boy of his. I should have done it ages ago.”

His friend knew all about Bruce’s misadventure. “He said he was heading to a sleepover, but I caught him sneaking in this morning, beat all to dwam. I was yelling at him when I realized he was slurring his words and having trouble breathing. The clinic said he has a concussion and 2 broken ribs!”

“I’m sorry to hear that” Luigi replied, “I hope he feels better soon, and I’m sure glad Skye turned down his invitation to come along.”

Beau was appalled. “He tried to bring a child into whatever blood sport went on last night!? I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately. He’s always been a bit of a wild child, but this is completely unacceptable. Breanne and I are going to ground him until he’s ready for college!”

Luigi didn’t have the heart to tell Beau about the other unkind behavior Skye had reported. His friend was clearly already dealing with enough, and childhood pranks were nothing next to whatever the young reprobate was into these days.

Bruce was still grounded when Elyse’s birthday came along, so it was just the younger kids at Isra’s place for the party.

Hers was a joint celebration with her younger twin siblings who were also aging up, but Elyse seemed to be hiding from the festivities. “I’m not really feeling much like celebrating, to be honest” she told Skye. “Grandpar Wren just died, and I miss them too much to have fun right now.”

“I’m so sorry.” Skye sympathized “I just lost my grandma too. I loved her a lot and it’s hard not being able to talk to her all the time like I used to.”

He gave his friend a big hug and the two young sims sat talking quietly waiting for it to be Elyse’s turn to blow out her candles and open gifts.

“This wasn’t how I hoped she’d spend her party” Isra told Noemi, watching the pair from a short distance away “but she seems happier talking to Skye than she has been all weekend. Talking to you about losing my par made a big difference, and I guess a close friend is a blessing at every age.”

Noemi gave Isra an understanding smile. “We’re just down the beach if you need anything. I just hope our babies can stay so close as Elyse heads into high school and her teenage years ahead of my boy. It’s a big change and I really could have used some good friends when I went through it.”

Not long after that Elyse blew out her candles and spun her way into teendom.

Skye’s closest friends were once again both moving on to a different age stage without him, but Elyse’s friendly hug gave him hope that she wouldn’t completely forget about him while he was patiently waiting to join them.

View The Full Story of My Not So Berry Challenge Here

#sims 4 #sims 4 challenge #sims 4 legacy #sims4 #sims 4 nsb #sims 4 not so berry #sims4nsbstraud #sims 4 let's play #sims 4 gameplay #sims 4 lets play

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fleur-de-violette · 10 months ago

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Robins, titmice, and other spring birds

AO3

Summary:

There are a lot of things Jason doesn’t understand in the dynamic of the Wayne manor, despite being here for nine months. Maybe a rescue turning a little more dangerous than it should have been for Robin will help him see things clearly? Prompt: Adoption

Note:

Hey! Second bingo fic! So just to be clear, this is set in an alternate universe where Jason was taken in by Bruce before Dick stopped being Robin. Warning for (magical) hypothermia, grief, and near-death experience. I hope you’ll enjoy the story. Many thanks to @ohmytoddhewitt for beta reading !

There are things within the Wayne Manor family dynamics that Jason still has a hard time grasping, despite having lived there for about nine months now.

Dick and Bruce’s relationship is one of them. The two of them could look like a typical teenager and adult relationship at first glance (not that Jason knows much about typical teenager and adult relationships), but there is something more.

They are Batman and Robin, for starters. The news had taken him aback. When Batman had brought him to the cave after that weird night that changed his life, and had removed his cowl, Bruce Wayne had been the very last person Jason expected to find under it.

So, they are Batman and Robin. Heroes of Gotham. And yet, out of masks - sometimes even in masks when no one is looking - they act like a teenager and his parent.

Jason will also, one day, become a hero of Gotham. He had started training as soon as he had regained enough weight to do exercise. Maybe he will be Robin. Maybe he will be something else. But he could stay. In the manor.

Bruce had presented him with the adoption papers about a month ago. Something to link them permanently, to make him his son. Jason still doesn’t know how to feel about that. When he had tried to talk about it with Dick, the older teen had made a weird face and deflected the conversation.

But Jason doesn’t feel as if Dick doesn’t want to be his brother. Despite his rocky relationship with Bruce, he’s always nice and friendly with Jason. He just doesn’t understand why he’s been so dismissive of the adoption thing.

“The fast-food place in front of the academy is looking for staff,” Dick says carefully, pulling Jason from his thoughts as they eat dinner.

Bruce makes a sound, not a word, and that’s also something Jason has learned to get used to. How Bruce rarely responds with actual words.

Dick doesn’t seem to mind. “I was thinking of applying.”

Alfred gives him a disapproving look. His opinion on fast food is a secret to no one.

“Why?” Bruce asks, and that’s a word, but a lone one, straight to the point. Jason is kind of asking himself the same question.

“I was just thinking it was more than time I started making my own money, that’s all.”

Bruce let out a long sigh that makes Jason think maybe it isn’t the first time they have had this conversation.

“You already have enough things to do with your studies and our nightly activities. If you want to buy something, you can ask Alfred or myself for money. You know we have enough in this household.”

And that’s final. Dick doesn’t bother fighting, just goes back to his meal. Alfred tries to keep the conversation going by asking Jason questions about school, and Jason is happy to indulge.

He had started school in September, two months after meeting Bruce. While he was a bit of a late bloomer compared to his classmates in the beginning, he’s been catching up to them during the last few months. Barbara, Dick, and of course Alfred have helped him with homework when he struggled. By now, he was the first to answer in science class more often than not, and his English teacher had complimented him on his poems.

Alfred asks the same things to Dick. Jason knows he has a big math test tomorrow afternoon, something he studied a lot for in the last few weeks. But he just skims past it, not letting show the importance Jason knows the test has for him.

Jason can guess why. Test or not, Robin is needed tonight, and Jason can understand that Dick would hate being benched over something as silly as needing rest for a test. Especially since Jason had heard the night before that the Riddler had escaped and was planning something. He knew he wouldn’t want to miss a fight with the Riddler if he was Robin.

But he isn’t, not yet; he needs more training first. So, as soon as the dinner is finished, he jumps in the cave and puts on the training costume Alfred had made him. He wishes Batman and Robin good luck, and Dick ruffles his hair in a way that annoys Jason as much as it makes him feel all warm before jumping into the Batmobile.

A few hours in, and Jason wonders how long Dick trained for before being allowed to go out. Surely, he will be able to fly in the streets of Gotham with them soon. He isn’t a trained acrobat, but he handles himself well, he thinks, smiling as a Batarang falls right into the center of the target.

But then, there is the issue of the hero’s name. Batman had said maybe he could be Robin, but then there would be two Robins, and that would be confusing. He needs another name. Something close to Robin, but not Robin. How about Red Robin? He likes Red, but that’s the name of a burger place, so huge no. Dick calls him Little Wing, something that annoys Jason, but maybe he could make something out of it. He would be the Wings of the Night or something, and… no, that’s ridiculous.

Maybe he should pick a totally different bird name? The Eagle - but no, that’s a rock band. Or The Falcon maybe? It does have more style than Robin. But also, Dick had explained to him that the name isn’t meant to scare people, or inspire respect, but to bring hope, to symbolize spring and colors.

Well, he can say anything he wants, Jason isn’t calling himself Titmouse.

“Master Jason, don’t you think it’s time to go to bed?” Alfred interrupts him, standing behind the training mats. This is something that took Jason some time getting used to, too. Being called “Master”; he told Alfred he could just call him Jason, but the butler firmly refused.

“I would like to wait until they are back,” Jason says. He knows the idea of Bruce and Dick fighting the Riddler will prevent him from sleeping, anyway.

Alfred gives him a frozen smile, the face he makes then things aren’t going the way he wants them to, but he has to accept them anyway. “Very well,” he says. “But I do not want to hear you complain tomorrow morning when you’ll have to get up to go to school.”

Jason gives him his brightest smile. “I won’t complain. Promise. Thank you, Alfred.”

He keeps training for a bit after that, but they don’t have to wait long before they can hear the familiar roar of the Batmobile engine. And just as the car stops, Jason can feel the tension bleeding from it. Bad night, then.

“What do you want from me?” Dick asks as he steps out, soaking wet with a mixture of water and something that glows pale blue in the artificial light of the cave. “That I apologize for saving those girls? I won’t.”

“It was reckless; you could have drowned, and them with you,” Bruce replies in the same tone.

“But I didn’t! You will have to understand one day that I’m not eight anymore, and-”

“Here, Master Dick,” Alfred interrupts, giving him a towel. “It is quite cold in the cave.” He doesn’t say that it’s quite cold outside of it, too, but everyone is thinking it. “And Master Bruce, why don’t you go change while I take care of warming him up.”

His eyes are like daggers, and Bruce doesn’t talk back, even though Jason feels that he wants to. He just walks toward the changing rooms. When he passes next to Jason, he looks at him for a second before saying, “Jason. You should be in bed.”

He sounds tired, but Jason still has one more thing to do before going to bed. He runs quickly to where Dick and Alfred are and asks, “Are you really ok? Is there something I can do?”

“Nothing beside getting yourself to bed,” Alfred replies. “I’ll just make sure Master Dick here is not hypothermic or poisoned.”

Dick gives him a smile that Robin gives to citizens. It’s bright, reassuring, and fake. “I’m ok, Little Wing. See you tomorrow morning.”

So, with nothing better to do, Jason goes to his room, showers, changes, and goes to bed. Despite thinking that worry will keep him awake, he’s out cold before he can think more about the night.

He doesn’t complain the next morning when Alfred wakes him up. He wants to, but he doesn’t. He promised, after all.

Instead, he gets himself dressed and goes down to get breakfast. Dick is already at the table when he comes in. “Good morning,” he says as Jason sits down, and his voice cracks a little on the words.

“What happened to your voice?” Jason asks as he takes some tea and a piece of toast, thanking Alfred.

“I slept with my hair wet yesterday. It’s nothing. It will pass.”

Jason hums. The manor is warmer than some of the places he lived in, but it’s still old and there is only so much isulation work one can do on a stone structure. It can get cold on February nights.

Alfred looks like he wants to say something more, maybe a comment on how this wouldn’t happen if Dick had shorter hair. It goes down his neck, nearing his shoulders now, and he stubbornly refuses to cut it. This has been one more cause of disagreement in the manor.

But he refrains from saying anything, and just drives them to the school without a word.

Jason goes through his morning classes as usual, trying not to fall asleep during the boring parts of the lessons. It’s only when he’s at his locker to get his lunch that everything goes wrong.

“Hey, street rat!”

He turns to see Augustus Wright. He sighs. Turns out there’s only so much anti-bullying presentations can do, and so much here means nothing. The boy is in his grade, a bit tall for his age, and had chosen him as his victim since the beginning of the school year.

“What do you want?” he asks sharply. He doesn’t call him “September” like he did last time, because he’d rather not get punched in the face again.

“Do you know what my father says about you?”

Jason doesn’t look at him, and focuses on getting his lunch out of the locker instead. “I don’t know, and I don’t care. Your father is an idiot who has an addiction to bad financial investments.” Or at least that’s what Bruce says. But he has the feeling the comment will not help him in his quest of not getting punched in the face.

As expected, Augustus’ hand flies toward him. But he doesn’t hit Jason, like he had expected him to. Instead, he hits the lunch box, and to Jason’s dismay, it flies out of his hands and falls down on the floor, the content of Alfred’s carefully prepared food spilling everywhere.

This is spoiled food. The one thing Jason can’t stand.

He clenches his fist. Bruce might be angry at him later, but that won’t stop him. That kid is going to regret it.

“What’s going on here?”

Jason turns toward the sounds, only to see Dick leaning nonchalantly on the lockers. His voice is deeper and lower than usual, so much that Jason barely recognizes it. It makes him look even more impressive, cold and collected.

Augustus seems a bit scared, which makes Jason smile. He might be taller than Jason, but Dick is taller and stronger than both of them. “You’re not supposed to be outside the high school building,” the bully says.

“Yeah?” Dick asks. “And what do you want to do? Call someone? And then you can explain why my-” his voice cracks a little - “little brother’s lunch is on the floor?”

Augustus looks like he wants to sink into the floor. “He’s not your real brother anyway. My father will hear about this!”

Dick tilts his head. “So he can talk about it with Bruce? I would like to see that.” He takes Jason’s arm. “We’re leaving,” he says, and they walk a little before conveniently running into the school janitor, who is talking with the superintendent. Did Dick plan that? “Excuse me, sirs?” he says, “Augustus seems to have made a mess in the corridor, would it be possible to help him find the materials required to clean it up?”

He gives them his best smile, the one that gets people doing whatever he wants, and with that, they’re gone. Because he has that kind of power, the superintendent doesn’t even question why he was in the middle school building.

“I had it handled,” Jason says when they’re out of hearing range, in a small corridor that runs between the two buildings.

“What, you were gonna beat up that kid?”

Jason doesn’t answer that.

“Jay, you know why Bruce trains us. It’s not for-” he coughs in his hand when his voice cracks again, and starts over. “It’s not for this.”

“He tossed my lunch to the ground,” Jason objects.

“I know,” Dick says as they sit down. “Do you want mine?”

“What about you?”

“I’m not that hungry,” Dick replies, handing him his lunch box. Jason opens it and splits the food in two, but true to his word, Dick barely eats his share.

“What, is the math stuff stressing you out that much?”

Dick shrugs. “Maybe,” he says. Jason doesn’t understand why it would be. Dick had always been excellent at math; he and Barbara have helped him more than once and Jason knows for a fact that Dick can do college level problems without struggling. He’s always at the top of his classes, if not the top of the school. The only thing he can maybe be worried about is being the second best and not the best, which seems like overkill.

Unless he’s aiming for a scholarship, like the one Barbara has. But that makes no sense. While the Gordons aren’t exactly poor, having her studies fully funded because she was at the top of the school in several subjects still makes things way easier for them. But he doesn’t get why Dick would need it: Bruce would gladly pay for whatever college Dick wants to go to.

“Or maybe you’re actually getting sick,” Jason says. “What even happened last night?”

Dick sighs and looks around to make sure no one can hear them; his voice barely audible, he says “Riddler had two girls in glass containers under a pool of some sort. There was something in the water, a chemical we think he got from Freeze - we still don’t know how. Anyway, a powder was slowly falling into a bowl that would pour it into the water once full. Then the two products would react, and the water would freeze, breaking the glass container with the increased pressure and killing or at least badly injuring the girls. B wouldn’t have solved the riddle in time. There was only a small opening on the pool, just for the powder to go in, Batman couldn’t fit; but I could. And so could the girls once I freed them.”

Jason doesn’t miss a word. “That is so cool,” he says.

“Well, B didn’t seem to think so. But yeah, I stand by my choices.” He coughs into his fist again. “Even if if I do end up being sick, B will never let me hear the end of it.”

Jason smiles a little at that. There is something nagging in the back of his mind - how easily a cold could turn into something worse when he was on the streets - but he doesn’t say it. Dick is talking about this so nonchalantly, he guesses this is how things happen in Wayne Manor: you get sick, you rest for a few days, and that’s it.

Dick looks at his phone and says, “Well, time for me to go, I guess. I need to do some last minute studying.”

Jason sighs. “What do you still have to learn? And what about your food?”

“Keep it,” Dick says. And with that, he’s gone.

Jason is in the middle of his biology class when he opens his phone under the desk to see two missed calls from Bruce.

“What’s going on?” he texts back. “I can’t answer a call, I’m in class.”

He immediately sees Bruce typing back, “Have you seen Dick?”

“Just about one hour ago, at lunch. Why?”

“Find him and get him back to the manor. Alfred is on his way to pick you up.”

No more information than that. But, given what Bruce and Dick do, this might be a life or death situation. Jason raises his hand.

“Excuse me,” he says. “I don’t feel well, could I go to the infirmary?”

The teacher gives him a suspicious look before saying. “Of course. Joshua, go walk him.”

When he leaves, he hears Augustus laugh a little, but that is the last thing on his mind. Joshua is a small kid with round glasses. He’s friendly to Jason because Jason took his place as Augustus’ favorite target. He’s been less friendly to him since Jason’s grades have started to threaten to take his place as best student in the class. But right now, he’s content with just walking with him in silence to the infirmary.

For a second, Jason thinks he could run. Joshua has asthma, he would never catch up to him. But then, how would he explain that? People would be looking for him, and that would be a mess. No, he has to be more subtle. He waits until they reach the infirmary and Joshua goes back to class. Then, he politely asks the nurse if he could rest a bit in one of the beds. Again, he gets a suspicious look for his trouble, but he lets him lay on a bed.

He waits a little, just long enough so he can see the nurse on his phone, not paying attention to him, before getting up and silently making his way out of the infirmary. Step one of his plan is a success.

Jason walks into the high school building, fast and silent. He moves into another corridor whenever he hears someone coming his way. He knows which room Dick is supposed to be taking his math test in as of now. If he’s not here after all he said about this, Jason is going to kick his ass.

But, thankfully, Dick is in the room when Jason looks through the window. He’s focused on the sheet in front of him. When he sees him raise his head, Jason makes huge signs through the window. He distinctly sees Dick mouth, “What the fuck?” before the older teen gets up, says something to the teacher, and leaves the room.

“This had better be important,” he says as soon as he sees Jason. If anything, his voice is worse than it was in the morning.

“I guess it is, or else Bruce wouldn’t have asked me to come get you. Alfred is waiting for us outside. Come on, let’s go.”

He takes Dick’s wrist to lead him out of the school, and is immediately taken aback by the fact that there seems to be is no heat radiating off his skin.

“You’re cold!” he exclaims.

“What can I say? It’s cold out. We’re not here to talk about my shitty circulation,” Dick replies, twisting his wrist out of Jason’s hand as he walks next to him.

“Alfred,” Dick says as soon as they see the butler outside. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know anymore than you do,” Alfred replies. “I got a call from Master Bruce asking me to come and pick you up while he was getting back to the manor by his own means. Are you quite alright, Master Dick? You look-”

“I’m fine, Alfred,” Dick says as he sits in the back seat. Jason takes it as his clue to sit in the front, next to Alfred.

The short drive from the school to the manor is silent. When he looks in the rear-view mirror, Jason can see Dick has his arms around himself, and his eyes closed. He must be really upset at the interruption of his test. Not that Jason can blame him, but he’s sure Bruce has a good reason to call them back.

“What is this about?” Dick asks as soon as they walk in the manor. From where he’s standing behind him, Jason can see his shoulders shaking with rage.

“The two girls you saved yesterday were hospitalized this morning. We think the compounds all three of you have been in contact with is the cause.”

Whatever Jason had been expecting, that wasn’t it. Apparently, the same goes for Dick because he just croaks, “What?”

“Apparently, it can be absorbed into the skin, slowly decreasing the body’s temperature. Have you felt any symptoms that make you think of that?”

Jason holds a breath. Dick’s wrist had been cold to the touch, earlier. And he’s not shaking with rage, Jason realizes. He’s shivering.

“I… I guess I’ve been cold, but nothing-” his voice breaks toward the end of the sentence and he coughs loudly.

“Dick,” Bruce asks slowly. “Did you swallow some of that water?”

Dick nods, his eyes toward the floor. “Just after saving the second girl, there wasn’t time to get both of us out before my air ran out. But I didn’t drown. I spat that water out almost immediately.”

There is a second of silence, where Jason thinks maybe Bruce is going to yell, before Dick asks in a very small voice, “These girls… they are in the hospital because of me, no need to sugarcoat it. Are they going to be okay?”

“They will,” Batman, not Bruce, says as he takes Dick’s arm. “And so will you.”

Jason follows them anxiously to the living room, where Alfred is already waiting for them. Jason hadn’t even realized he left. “I saw your instructions regarding the care currently given to the two young ladies. There is nothing being done for them at Gotham General that we can’t do here,” he says to Bruce.

Sure enough, the couch has several blankets and heat packs, and Jason can hear tea being made in the kitchen. There is also an IV pole.

“Isn’t that overkill?” Dick asks. “I told you, I feel cold, but nothing too bad, I can-”

“The girls are physically smaller than you, but you were exposed for longer, not to mention you had some of the product in your throat,” says Bruce, not leaving room for protest.

“We just don’t want severe hypothermia to set in,” Alfred explains gently. “It’s better to start administering warm fluids now than to take any risks.”

Dick lets out a long-suffering sigh as he falls onto the couch, pushing his sleeve up and presenting his arm, a silent agreement to the IV. Alfred gets to work; without any other word, Bruce leaves the room.

Once they’re both gone, Jason slowly moves next to Dick on the couch. The older teen is still shivering, but he’s stubbornly on top of the covers.

“I’m sorry about the math test. I know it was important to you,” Jason says tentatively.

Dick doesn’t reply, just gives him a look. “If it helps,” Jason continues, “you’ve been having great grades all year and you will continue to do so. I’m sure this won’t stop you from getting the scholarship if that’s what you’re after.”

Dick blinks. “Thanks, Little Wing,” he says slowly. “It was stupid anyway.”

He doesn’t elaborate more than that.

After a while, Jason asks, “Do you want to watch TV or something?”

“You don’t have to stay,” is the answer he gets for his troubles.

“Yeah, but I want to. And we’re watching something,” Jason decides, taking the remote and turning on a crime show. When he turns back to Dick a few episodes in, he finds him completely rolled in the blankets and still shivering, cold apparently having won over stubbornness.

“I’m okay,” Dick tells him, his voice not much more than an airy murmur. “Stop looking at me like that.”

Jason quickly looks away, unaware he was looking at him in a certain way.

“I don’t-” Dick coughs. “I don’t regret it. We don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t saved them,” he says.

Jason doesn’t say anything to that. “I hope they will be okay,” Dick adds.

Jason nods. “Yeah.” He doesn’t like that. He doesn’t like Dick who is cool and who saves him from bullies and who is Robin being reduced to a shivering mess, curled up under the covers despite the fact that the heat packs are enough to make Jason hot from the other side of the couch.

There is a knock on the door – a useless measure, the door is always open – and Bruce comes in, something in his hands.

“Alfred made soup,” he says, carefully. “If you want some.”

Dick doesn’t move from where he’s buried under the covers, doesn’t look at Bruce. “I’m not really hungry,” he says through chattering teeth. And when Bruce doesn’t seem satisfied with that, he adds, “I ate well for lunch.”

“No, you didn’t,” Jason interrupts.

If looks could kill, the one that Dick shoots him would have sent him straight to the grave.

Bruce puts the bowl on the coffee table and squats down. “I know you’re not hungry. But your body is fighting an unknown, and you have to get all the strength and warmth you can have. Can you at least try?”

Dick still doesn’t look at him. “I don’t think I can eat,” he says.

Bruce tilts his head. “Nausea?”

Dick shakes his head. “No, I…” he gets one of his hands from below the blanket. His shaking fingers are pale and barely twitch. “I don’t think I can eat,” he repeats before pulling his hand back under the covers.

Bruce’s expression breaks in a way Jason hadn’t seen before. It’s not pity, or even worry, though there is some worry in there. It’s just utter sadness. “Chum-” he starts.

“I can help,” Jason interrupts again. “I can help you. I won’t make it awkward. I promise.”

He did it several times with his mother, when she couldn’t lift her hands or was shaking too much to hold a spoon. “I can help,” he repeats. He’s been feeling so useless since this whole thing started. He can do this.

“Ok,” Bruce says slowly. “Ok, Jaylad, I trust you.” And with that, he’s gone. He’s not good with seeing someone in pain or weakened. Jason had noticed how Bruce wouldn’t look at him when he removed his shirt for medical exams, in the weeks after he’d been brought to the manor.

Jason sits on the table and takes the soup in his hands. “Okay,” he says. “How do you want to do it?”

Dick closes his eyes slowly. “You don’t have to do this,” he says.

“I kinda do. Since you can’t hold the spoon.” When he sees Dick’s face, he adds, “I’m not judging you, or seeing you any differently because of this. I just want this dinner to happen the best way possible for both of us.”

Dick opens his eyes. “You’re right. We can do this like you want.”

Jason nods. He slowly puts a bit of soup in the spoon and moves it toward Dick’s face, making sure the oldest sees all his movements. When he reaches his mouth, he makes sure to be as gentle as possible. Dick, to his relief, doesn’t say anything and just lets him feed him. It’s only when the soup is about half finished that he mutters, “Sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.”

“Thank you, then.”

“Yeah, that you can say.”

“Thank you, Jason. You’re a good kid.”

You’re a good kid. How many times had he heard this from his mother? Thank you, Jason, you’re a good kid. I don’t deserve you, Jason. I’m sorry, Jason.

He would never hear it again. He would never feed her like this and, as terrible as it was, he finds himself wishing he could. He wants to forget about that one morning where he woke up to find her cold, colder than Dick currently is, and pretends he’s still taking care of her.

An icy cold finger gently goes to wipe his face, removing a tear he didn’t know was there.

“What’s going on, Little Wing?”

Jason wipes his eyes quickly. He’s the one who should be taking care of Dick, not the other way around. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

Dick tilts his head, keeping his mouth stubbornly shut when Jason tries to feed him more soup. “That doesn’t look like nothing.”

“I miss my mom, that’s all,” he says honestly.

Dick hums in understanding. “I miss mine too, a lot. I miss both my parents. Especially in times like this.” He looks everywhere but at Jason when he says, “Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if they were still there. If I was still at the circus with them.”

Jason hums. “Being with Bruce is probably better for me,” he says, because objectively, it is. Unlike Dick, and unlike most people he sees at school, Jason never had a proper childhood. He doesn’t even remember a time when he didn’t feel like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“Probably,” Dick says. “I’m sorry, Jason.”

“I told you; you have nothing to apologize for.”

“We should have found you sooner.”

Jason doesn’t know what to say to that. He’s not the only Crime Alley kid in need of saving, and no matter how much Batman and Robin try, they can’t save everyone.

“It’s okay,” Jason says. “You found me.”

Dick closes his eyes. “Yeah,” he says. “Bruce did.”

They don’t talk much more after that. Alfred brings dinner for Jason, smiling in approval when he retrieves the empty soup bowl. They watch some more TV, only interrupted by the regular sound of Dick coughing, and Jason can feel himself falling asleep when Bruce enters the room again.

“I have a lead on where the Riddler could have gotten the compound,” he says without so much of a hello. “I’m going there tonight, to find more about it, and hopefully a cure. We’re going to save the girls, and we’re going to save you.”

Dick makes a sound of approval from where he’s even more buried under the covers. It’s clear that he’s not in any state to be Robin tonight.

“I can help,” Jason says, standing quickly. “I can help you. I’ve been training, I could be Robin!”

“No,” Bruce says, and that’s final. “I am not endangering you. Stay here with Dick.”

“I’m okay,” Dick says, still not moving, and definitely not okay. “He’s right, you shouldn’t be alone. Jason is capable, and-”

“No,” Bruce repeats. Before Jason or Dick can add anything else, he’s gone.

“Alfred is on the comms,” Jason says, both for Dick and for himself. “He will call me if I’m needed.” To be honest, he’s not really ready to leave Dick alone while Bruce, Alfred and probably Barbara are racing to find a cure. He still feels like everything can go south so fast. And to think just a few hours before they were joking over lunch.

“He’s going to find something,” Jason adds. “And you will be better in no time.”

Dick doesn’t say anything.

And so, they wait. Jason puts the TV back on, but Dick isn’t really watching anymore, completely curled up on himself around the heat packs. Jason feels himself getting lulled to sleep, and Alfred is too busy to tell him to go to his actual bed. So, he lets himself drift on the couch.

Jason wakes up to a sound he doesn’t recognize and what feels like a block of ice hitting his shoulder. He blinks and turns toward Dick.

He immediately feels blood rushing to his body, pumping into his ears. Dick’s face is ashy gray, his lips turning blue. But it’s the sound that comes from him that freezes Jason in fear. He’d only heard one person breathe like this; an older homeless man who had developed pneumonia. Things didn’t end well for him.

Dick’s lips move to form the word help but no sound comes out of his mouth. He coughs, and something falls down his chin. It’s not blood, but it’s not spit either.

It’s ice, Jason realizes with horror. Thankfully, it melts quickly, but Dick is coughing up ice.

That, more than anything else, gets Jason to move. He jumps on his feet and runs toward the cave. He doesn’t have any breath left to explain the situation to Alfred, but the old man seems to understand, hurrying upstairs with him. Dick is still in the same state when they reach the living room, and Jason blindly follows the orders Alfred gives him, knowing he probably won’t remember much of it later. Together, they get a portable oxygen machine to push warm air into Dick’s lungs, hoping it will ease his breathing.

Dick is looking at them with wide eyes the entire time, but, thankfully, he seems to relax a few minutes after they put on the mask.

“Take care of him, Master Jason,” Alfred says. “Master Bruce should be back shortly.”

So, Jason stays there and watches Dick like a hawk. But eventually, as Dick is resting, his breathing once again regular, he finds himself pulled once more into unconsciousness.

“B?”

Jason wakes up with a start. Dick is awake, his eyes big as he calls.

“B?”

Jason quickly moves next to him. “He’s not here. He’s looking for a cure.”

Dick blinks, like he doesn’t really understand what’s going on. Maybe he doesn’t, Jason thinks. He’s suffering from severe hypothermia and breathing difficulties. Jason wouldn’t be surprised if he was confused or delirious.

“He’s not here?” he asks, a little sad.

“No, but not because he doesn’t want to be.” To be fair, Jason isn’t sure if Bruce would want to be here, but he decides to humor Dick. “He’s trying to save you. He can’t lose you.”

There is something strange that passes into Dick’s eyes, something that reminds Jason of that day one month ago when they talked about the adoption, something that is not confused at all, and he says, “He can. He will.”

Jason feels very cold, like he’s the one who’s been in contact with the dangerous chemical. “No,” he says. “He will be back, he’s going to save you, and-”

“In a month,” Dick continues. “I will turn eighteen. And I will be no one to Bruce.”

Jason blinks. This wasn’t about giving up, then. “What are you talking about?” he asks. What does turning eighteen have to do with all of that?

“Foster care ends at eighteen.”

And suddenly, everything makes sense. Dick’s behavior around the adoption papers. Working at the fast-food place. The scholarship.

“You’re not adopted.” It’s not a question. And Dick just thinks Bruce is going to give him up after he turns eighteen? “Why?”

Dick doesn’t look at him. “I don’t know,” he says, and Jason doesn’t push it.

“But even then,” Jason argues. “You’re much more to him than his foster kid.” Has Dick not seen the way Bruce looks at him? Has he not heard the way he talks about him to Jason? Has he not seen him breaking in front of his suffering, earlier? “You’re Batman and Robin,” Jason says, a desperate attempt to make sense of what he wants to say.

Dick let out a small laugh, a sad, quiet sound. “Not for much longer. He will find another, better Robin.”

“What?” Jason’s voice breaks a little. That doesn’t make any sense. “No, that’s not-”

“You said it yourself. You can be Robin.”

Jason’s hands instinctively go to cover his mouth, letting out a choked sound. He said it, but he didn’t think it would have such an impact on Dick. He didn’t mean it in a way that meant he could be a better Robin, just that he’d been training to help them in the fight.

“No, no. No, I don’t-”

“I know,” Dick says. “You’re a good kid,” and there are these words again, Jason is a good kid. He’s a good kid, but he’d been unable to save his mom. He’s a good kid, but he’s been unable to not hurt Dick with his careless words. “I couldn’t hate you if I tried. And that’s the thing: it would have been so much easier if I could just hate you and think everything is your fault. But you really don’t like to make things easy, do you?”

He stops a bit, to take his breath, and Jason doesn’t know what to say, he doesn’t know how to make things better. He doesn’t know how to make Dick see how much Bruce loves him, and he just recalls how many times Bruce had told him how proud he was of Dick, yet all he ever heard between Dick and Bruce is technical talk or arguments.

“It’s okay, Little Wing.” And Jason wants to scream, because nothing is okay. “Don’t cry.” Jason wants to reply that he’s not crying, but he’s not sure about that. “I understand. You will be a good Robin. And you will be a good son. You deserve it.”

Jason wants to yell, he wants to say that there is no such thing as deserving to be a son or deserving to be a parent, it’s either something that you are or aren’t, and that a lot of people, people like Augustus Wright, probably think his mother didn’t deserve to be a parent and maybe she doesn’t but she was there. She was there. But what comes out of his mouth is, “I don’t have to be Robin. I don’t want to be Robin if I have to become Robin like this. I can be something else! I can be Titmouse.”

Dick raises an eyebrow. “Titmouse?”

“I… whatever!” Jason angrily wipes his eyes and turns out he is crying. “I can be another spring bird! I can bring warmth to Gotham’s winter.”

Dick smiles, and it doesn’t fully reach his eyes, but it’s something. “I would like some of that warmth, if that’s not asking for too much,” he says. “I’m so cold.” One of his hands sluggishly goes on Jason’s face, removing a tear. Despite himself, Jason shivers at the contact, but he doesn’t move away.

“I can-” he says. “I will-”

“I know,” Dick replies to what hadn’t been spoken. “You’re a good kid,” he repeats, and Jason lets out a sob. “Even if it was a lie, I’ve been happy to call you my brother.”

The hand that had been on Jason’s face falls back on the couch, and Dick’s eyes slowly flutter shut. Jason’s heart misses a bit. “No.” He moves so he’s practically on top of Dick. “No, no no no. Don’t fall asleep.” He can’t handle this. Not again. And even if Dick was right and Bruce was ready to lose him, Jason really, really isn’t. “Don’t leave me alone. Please don’t leave me alone.” He’s whining, he knows he’s whining, but he can’t help it. He’s never been a child, but the last nine months had been the closest thing he had to a childhood. So now, he feels like a child, and a child is whining. “Don’t leave me alone.” Is he really that powerless? Is there really so little he can do to keep what he loves?

A hand moves him, takes him away from Dick, and he wants to fight, but his limbs feel like jelly, and he watches in a dazed state as Bruce introduces something into Dick’s IV line.

And then, as Bruce moves his hands away from the IV to discard the syringe, everything that just happened washes over him. How Dick thought Bruce was ready to leave him. How these kinds of feelings aren’t born overnight. How he never heard Bruce tell Dick anything nice, and that probably means he hadn’t said any at all during the last nine months, probably more. It rushes over him, and he needs to do something about it.

And, like that night in Crime Alley nine months ago, his first reflex is to lash out.

“It’s your fault!” he screams, punching Bruce. His fists aren’t hurting him, he doesn’t even put any strength on them. “It’s your fault!” he repeats, and he melts into Bruce’s arms when Bruce holds him. “I know,” he says, and Jason blinks because how could he possibly know? “I just didn’t know what else to do. I won’t force you to be Robin if you don’t want to.”

And he just moves away from the couch, leaving Jason on the floor to ask himself what on earth was he talking about?

“Master Jason,” Jason blinks and Alfred is here. He apparently did some arrangements around Dick, and Jason lost some time. “I think it’s time for you to rest in a real bed.”

Jason blinks again. He wants to protest, but he’s bone tired. “I’m not leaving Dick,” he says.

“Very well,” Alfred says, and he makes a sign to Bruce to carry Dick to his room.

As they make their way upstairs, Jason almost regrets his lashing out. Because Bruce is so careful, so loving, so fatherly with Dick that there is no doubt about his feelings. But then, why the adoption thing? Why did he offer Jason, but not Dick?

That’s a question for tomorrow morning, he thinks as he falls into the bed. For now, Dick is safe, saved by Batman, and he can fall asleep knowing he will still have time to untangle everything that just happened later.

Jason wakes up next to a furnace. He checks the heat packs, only to find them long cold. The heat produced in the bed isn’t anything artificial. He turns toward Dick, who is still asleep, and the heat the older boy radiates is a nice change from everything that happened the night before. Though, Jason thinks as he studies Dick’s flushed face and his labored breathing, maybe that’s even too much heat.

Jason quickly gets out of the bed, and dashes toward the corridor. He stumbles upon Bruce, who is walking quickly toward the room.

“I just got news from the hospital-” Bruce starts.

“Let me guess, the girls had an immune response to the cure?” Jason finishes for him and Bruce nods.

With Alfred, all three of them move into Dick’s room, who blinks and groans when he sees them, apparently waking up. Bloodshot blue eyes land on Jason, and he feels like he’s under a microscope.

“You’re okay?” is the first thing he asks Jason, and Jason nods. He wonders if Dick remembers the last night, or if he’s just asking this out of habit. He takes the safer route. “Yes. You’re not contagious, it’s an effect from the cure.”

Dick blinks again, and Alfred hands him a glass of water with a pill that he looks at for a few seconds before asking, “The cure?” And then, as if everything comes back to him, he turns toward Bruce and asks, “Are the girls okay?”

Bruce sighs. “More or less like you, except for the fact that they didn’t go into respiratory distress.” Dick looks away in shame at that. “There is no way to tell for sure, since this is very experimental, but the doctors expect the fever to last a few days, and then break on its own.”

Dick finally takes the pill and some of the water Alfred gave him before falling back into the bed. “Okay,” he says. “Good.”

Bruce looks like he wants to add something more, but Alfred clears his throat. “You should probably sleep it off then, Master Dick,” he says, but it’s clear he’s talking more to Bruce than to Dick.

Bruce seems to accept that now is not the time to talk and puts one of his hands on Jason’s shoulder. “Come on, Jaylad. Let’s give him space.”

Just before leaving, Jason takes a step toward Dick’s bed and kneels down. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he says, both because it’s true and because no one else said it.

Then, he follows Bruce and Alfred to the living room. Alfred had cleaned up all traces of the night Jason and Dick spent on the couch and even prepared dinner. Jason wonders how he does all that. Alfred, he decides, is probably not human. That is the best explanation.

“B,” Jason starts once Alfred is out of hearing range, probably going up to try to get some food into Dick. “What I said yesterday-”

“No, you were right. I brought you into this life, but that doesn’t mean you have to be part of it. When I first took Dick in, he was angry and reckless. He would go out every night on his own. At that time, we created Robin. It was the best thing both him and I could find. But,” Bruce’s fingers tighten on his fork as he eats, “that was naïve and reckless on my end to think I could keep him safe out there. What you saw yesterday… It wasn’t the first time something like this happened. Dick knows it, and he made his choices. Still, Robin isn’t suiting him anymore, and he doesn’t want to keep working in the way we currently do. This is why, when you showed interest in vigilantism, I offered you to be Robin. But, if with after what you saw yesterday you don’t want to do this anymore, I can understand. You can keep training for self-defense, and you will always have a home in this house.”

Jason has to keep himself from murmuring a “Whoa.” This is the first time he heard Bruce talk that much since the speech he had when he arrived, he thinks. But there are several things that bothers him with what had just been said.

“No, I… I want to help. I know it’s dangerous, and I know danger. But these girls, they wouldn’t have been saved without Dick, would they?”

Bruce stays silent for a moment, not looking at Jason. “I don’t know,” he finally says.

“Okay.” Jason doesn’t push. “Okay.”

“But,” Bruce continues, “there have been situations where he undeniably saved people, so I guess your point still stands. Though, if you don’t want to-”

“You said Robin didn’t suit Dick anymore,” Jason cuts him, not wanting to go back on his involvement, fearful Bruce would change his mind about letting him go with them. “Did he tell you that?” Because this doesn’t make sense at all, given the conversation he had with Dick last night.

“No,” Bruce says, “He didn’t need to. His behavior has made it clear he needs a change, even if he might not see it yet.”

Jason blinks. Well, that was… a very Bruce thing to think. He doesn’t ask about the adoption thing. Part of him wants to ask, wants to know what made the difference between him and Dick, but part of him is afraid Bruce will backtrack if he asks too many questions, like he almost did for vigilantism.

Neither Bruce nor Alfred had said anything about school, so Jason assumes he’s allowed to skip today. He’s glad. He doesn’t hate school, but he doesn’t think he can handle it today, especially if Augustus or his friends start to pick on him. Especially without Dick. When he goes to see the older teen, he finds that Alfred had closed the door. The butler tells him to let Dick rest for now.

So, here Jason is. Not really knowing what to do and still full of adrenaline. He offers Alfred some help with the housework but, as usual, the old man firmly pushes him off after a few tasks. Bruce takes his computer and starts working on something in the living room, so he takes it as his clue to get a book and read.

They stay like this for a while, all three of them in silence. Jason regularly raises his head toward either Bruce or Alfred, and sometimes toward the stairs to check if he hears anything from Dick. But he’s totally absorbed into his reading when he hears, “What time is it?”

Jason raises his head quickly, not having heard Dick going down the stairs. It looks like the Robin stealth isn’t hindered by a fever.

Bruce, as expected, isn’t phased by the sudden apparition. “We’re just before midday,” he says, without even looking up from the thing he’s working on.

“I need to go to class,” Dick says and that has Bruce look up in an exasperated way. Jason is also kinda exasperated; he was hoping Dick wouldn’t remind Bruce and Alfred about school.

“I think not,” Alfred says, turning back sharply from whatever he’s doing. “You are still feverish, and, I would think, exhausted from the ordeal your body went through just last night. Go sit on that couch with Master Jason while I go fetch some lunch for the lot of you.”

Dick looks like he wants to argue, but he knows Alfred is right, and there is no way to argue with him anyway. So, instead, he just sighs, thanks him, and goes sit next to Jason.

“Are you okay?” Jason asks.

Dick looks steadily in front of him. “Yeah,” he says.

“You’re an excellent student, missing a day or two won’t hurt your grades.”

“Yeah.”

“And it’s not as if you could follow class properly with a fever anyway.”

Dick turns toward him. “You’re probably right,” he says. And then he smiles. “Looks like you gave me a bit too much warmth, right, spring bird?”

Jason immediately feels his cheeks heating up. “So, you remember what happened last night?”

Dick turns back to look at the wall. “Yes. Look, I was… I wasn’t in my normal state. What I said-”

“No, you were right. I mean, I’m glad you said it. I still want to help, but it doesn’t have to be by being Robin. I can be something else.”

Dick turns back to him with a smirk. “Titmouse?” he asks and his voice is still not back to normal but the gentle teasing heals something inside Jason’s heart he didn’t know needed healing.

“Shut up,” he says.

They stay in silence for a while before Jason dares ask, “Do you want to be adopted.”

Dick let out a long breath that makes Jason wish he hadn’t asked before saying “I don’t know.”

Jason doesn’t push it. He doesn’t know how to respond to that, anyways. After a time, Dick talks again. “But what I said is true. For however long it lasts, I’m proud to call you my brother.” His knuckles move to hit Jason’s head gently. “And if it’s still your choice, I would be happy to be your partner in the streets of Gotham.”

#dc #batfam #fanfiction #my writing #dick grayson #jason todd #bruce wayne #whump #dick grayson whump #hurt/comfort

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cas-kingdom · 2 years ago

Text

The Avengers Masterpost

Main Masterpost

one shots

You Called for Backup (Peter x Tony) - Peter really should think before he sends any kind of text message to Tony Stark.

When You Wish Upon a Star (Peter x Tony) - Peter won’t get out of bed. Enter Tony Stark.

The Adult is Talking (Peter x Tony) - Peter starts neglecting his health in order to study for tests he’s going to pass whether he revises or not. It’s time for Tony to step in, and he’s not happy.

But It’s Tradition, Peter! (Peter x Avengers) - “Tradition is tending the flame, not worshiping the ashes.” Peter learns this, surrounded by the ones he loves the most.

Inked (Peter x Tony) - Tony gets a tattoo. The only problem is, he’s drunk.

Itsy Bitsy Spider (Peter x Tony) - There’s only one thing Peter’s afraid of, and Tony thinks it’s hilarious. Which it isn’t. Not at all.

A Dad for Christmas (Peter x Tony) - Peter has the perfect Christmas present for Tony.

When All is Dead and Gone (Peter x Tony) - Tony had never thought he’d love someone as much as he did this kid. Or: How I wish the ending of Infinity War had gone instead.

I’ll Wait (Tony x Steve) - Alone on Titan with nothing but the phone Steve gave him, Tony makes a decision he should have made a long time ago.

Breathe (Tony x May) - Tony tells May what happened on Titan.

Not Without You (Steve x Bucky) - It’s the end of the line for them both.

All I Want (Peter x Tony) - Peter gets one last conversation with Tony.

A Letter to Tony Stark (Peter x Tony) - From Peter Parker

Mini America (Tony x Steve x reader) - You accidentally pop Tony’s blow-up bed.

A Simple Misunderstanding (Peter x Tony x reader) - Tony walks in on you and Peter.

Normal (Steve x Tony x reader) - Being the sister of the world’s greatest hero has its advantages and disadvantages. While attempting to do something a normal teenager would do, things go wrong, and it takes a Captain America and an Iron Man to make you feel better.

’S’ is for ‘Steve’ (Steve x reader) - Steve told you not to get that tattoo. You got it anyway.

Call It Magic (Thor x reader) - Your fear of thunder drives you into a certain god’s arms one night.

Happy Birthday, Old Man (Steve x reader) - The one thing you shouldn’t do on Steve’s one hundredth birthday is call him old.

Remember When (Bucky x reader) - Bucky finds you awake and upset one night.

Bucky, You’re Not Punny (Bucky x reader) - Bucky thinks he’s funny. He’s really not, but he still gets you to laugh.

Finally (Steve x Bucky x reader) - You see Bucky for the first time after the ice.

My World (Bucky x reader) - With both Tony and Steve gone, it’s just you and Bucky against the world.

Fix You (Bucky x reader) - It’s been six months. You and Bucky are living in Brooklyn. You’re trying. He’s not. The both of you need to fix what’s left before there is nothing left to fix.

The Notebook (Bucky x reader) - You find Nakajima’s name in Bucky’s notebook and ask him about it.

There’s a Snake in My Boat (Bucky x Sam x Zemo x reader) - Sam makes you try the snake drink he had in Madripoor. Needless to say, it’s not the first time you’ve been sick all over Bucky.

Call It True (Loki x reader) - Loki helps you sleep after a trying few days.

For You (Loki x reader) - Loki realises you’ve been injured since New York, and you never told him.

Brave (Loki x reader) - At the end of time, it’s your turn to be brave. With Loki and Sylvie in search of whoever’s controlling it all, you and Mobius return to the TVA to figure out what’s going on. The goodbye is hard, beginning and ending in tears, but a goodbye can be a promise of another hello.

drabbles

Steve x Clint (“You can try harder than that! I’m tough!”)

Steve x reader (“I love bagels! How did you know?”)

Bucky x Steve x reader (“I need a place to hide! Quick!”)

Peter P x reader (“Why are you embarrassed? You shouldn’t be.”)

Peter P x reader (“Hey! That’s mine!”)

Tony x reader (“Make one more egg pun, I dare you.”)

Steve x Bruce x Tony x reader (“Did I stutter?”)

Bucky x reader (“Smile for the camera!”)

Steve x reader (“Just come down… I promise I won’t do anything.”)

Peter x Tony x reader (“Don’t tell me you’re ticklish here, too.”)

Steve x Tony x reader (“Would you just quit it?”)

Tony x reader (“Can I have a go in the suit?”)

Steve x reader (“It’s three am! Where have you been?”)

Steve x reader (“Say that again looking at my face.”)

Tony x Peter (“C’mere, kid.”)

Tony x Peter (“I’m proud of you, kid.”)

Peter P x reader (“Honour is dead but I’ll see what I can do.”)

Sam x reader (“You lose. I tickle. Deal?”)

Tony x reader (“We should head back to the party.”)

Tony x reader (“Can I hug you?”)

Tony x Morgan (“It’s okay… I still love you.”)

Bucky x reader (“Don’t make me chase you.”)

Bucky x reader (“Wait, what are you going to do with that?”)

Bucky x reader ("I miss the way things used to be.")

Zemo x reader (“I apologise. I did not mean to wake you.”)

Bucky x reader (“I couldn’t sleep by myself.”)

Bucky x reader (“I may have accidentally adopted a dog. Don’t be mad?”)

Bucky x reader (”How about a compromise? I’ll kill him first, and if it turns out he was friendly, I’ll apologise.”)

Clint x reader (“No, no, don’t worry—it’s fine.”)

series

Iron Heart (Peter x Tony) - Five times Peter called Tony his dad, and the one time Tony called Peter his son.

Chapter 1 , Chapter 2

extra masterposts

Irondad & Spiderson Masterpost

#the avengers #masterpost #the avengers masterpost

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lightningthunderstorm · 2 years ago

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The Damned Trinity

Continue the Damned Trinity story

Wonderman aka Jason Prince

Wonder Woman aka Diana Prince’s biological twin. In this AU she didn’t leave the island while he was left on the land of men, where he has lived for thousands of years.

In those years, he has learned how to use his powers for the greater good and mankind. Like Diana, his moral compass is pretty out-dated so he will kill when necessary. Jason acts all well and good but he often shuts people out and doesn’t connect to anyone due to the fact that he will outlive every single being eventually.

Did try to get to Themiscyra a few times, didn’t end well is a very loose description. Which resulted in him hating on the Amazons, especially his Mother.

Batman aka Jason Todd

In this AU,Batman aka Bruce Wayne died in the explosion while saving Jason Todd from it. He later took on the mantle of Batman. Like Red hood in the canon, he was ruthless and violent, however he did not kill but rather haunting the criminals to honor the legacy of the late Batman. ( But he would make goddamn sure that you can never walk or hold something again).

Used rubber bullets, but keep one real bullet for the Joker and he would make sure to aim that gun to the Joker’s head. Joker was however on the loose and hasn’t been seen for quite sometimes. Jason was still searching for him tirelessly.

Superwoman aka Kara Zor-el / Lara Kent

Six years ago, a spaceship crashed into the Kent family’s farm carrying a teenage girl and a small newborn baby boy. The Kent took them in and raised them as their own children. Now Kara is a university student and she begins to study in Metropolis while being Superwoman and protect the innocences.

Kara is more or less a hot-headed and determined gal. She’s extremely protective of Kal and it took her more than a month to put him down somewhere out of her sight. The Metropolis university was the first success attempt of the Kent to encourage her to look after herself. They had to compensate that with her speed she could go back and check on Kal any time in the day.

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puresugarstick · 1 year ago

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Sneak peek of Beast.

This has not been seen by a beta reader.

We are standing outside the Diamond Tower where according to reports billionaire and Gotham City Councilmen James Barlowe was murdered in his penthouse. Although police have yet to comment as to a motive, The No Rulers, No Master graffiti is evidence that this is the work of the elusive Anarky and Bedlam that have been terrorizing the city since early Spring. This is Olivia Ashford reporting for GNN.

Jason leaned back on the couch flipping the TV off,, his fingers tapping in agitation off his helmet where it sat next to him as he. Barlowe had been on his list. His business ventures having been morally repugnant. The home he ran for troubled youth had been a front for underage prostitution. He would ply the boys with drugs all the while the promising future wealth. The sick bastard had destroyed hundreds of boys lives. It had taken Jason months to learn this. This was the fourth target of his that they had taken out.

He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. If these fuckers didn’t stop they were going to blow Jason’s case before he even had a chance to make it. He doubted these two idiots, who appeared to be teenagers if eye witnesses were to be believed knew what kind of case could be built with the corrupt politicians and wealthy elite they were killing.

Jason grabbed his tablet off the coffee table and reviewed the file he had on them. He was pretty sure who their next victim was going to be. This time he would be waiting, because he would be damned if two knock off teenage vigilantes were going to blow his case against Bruce Wayne. He didn’t think they would hit tonight, but none the less he would be waiting.

He studied the grainy images that had been taken from CCTV form when they crashed a Gala a month ago. They both were small, lean. Anarky dressing gray camouflage pants and a black hoodie with the anarchy symbol on it, Bedlam was in all black cargo pants and his hoodie emblazoned with his name is red on the front. He couldn’t see their faces, Anarky used a white mask while Bedlam used a simple black bandanna to cover his face from his eyes down. Jason stared at those sapphire colored eyes. Behind the coldness he could see a glimmer of intelligence.

(though Anarky and Bedlam and described as teens they are 19 and 20 in this. this will be a Tim/Jay fic)

#timjay #jason todd #writing #tim drake #anarky

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randomestfandoms-ocs · 1 year ago

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Gotham OC Masterlist

Arrowverse || DC || The Batman

Name: Allison Queen

Story: Killer Queen

Face Claim: Meg Donnelly

Name: Bellatrix Bullock

Story: Nothing Town

Face Claim: Jenna Ortega

Love Interest: Sapphire St Cloud & Bruce Wayne

Name: Chrissa Wayne

Story: Blood On The Walls

Face Claim: Malina Weissman

Name: Dakota Dent

Story: Devil Within

Face Claim: Peyton List

Name: Felicity Nygma

Story: Misery Loves Company

Facec Caim: Taissa Farmiga

Love Interest: possible Bruce Wayne

Name: Ginevra Maroni

Story: Loaded Gun

Face Claim: Isabela Moner

Love Interest: Bruce Wayne

Name: Isolde Kean

Story: Malevolence

Face Claim: Anya Taylor-Joy

Isolde Kean would never call herself a good person, but she was a powerful one. And in Gotham, one was far more important than the other. She was a survivor, she had the pull she needed to stay on top in the most corrupt city in the country. She never regretted the choices that she made, she had made her peace long ago. But when Martha and Thomas Wayne are shot one night, everything starts to change. And ruthless corruption is no longer the way to stay on top.

Name: Josette Cobblepot

Story: Saviour Complex

Face Claim: Sabrina Carpenter

Love Interest: possible Bruce Wayne

Josette Cobblepot knew what Gotham was like; she wasn’t stupid. But she had no interest in being involved, no desire to be one of Carmine Falcone’s lackeys or a GCPD puppet. No, she was happy to just not get involved. But when her own brother is shot by a cop for his alleged involvement in the Wayne murders, Josette learns that there’s far more to her brother’s supposed bouncer job than she ever thought. Josette Cobblepot never wanted to be involved in the seedy side of Gotham’s politics, but she’s starting to learn that it isn’t up to her at all.

Name: Leander Zane Hayes

Story: Condemn Or Crown

Face Claim: Ben Barnes

Love Interest: Ophelia Wayne

Name: Leonie Murphy

Story: Murphy's Law

Face Claim: Kathryn Newton

Love Interest: Jim Gordon

Name: Lorena Falcone

Story: Get Out Alive

Face Claim: Victoria Pedretti

Love Interest: Jim Gordon

Name: Ophelia Wayne

Story: Condemn Or Crown

Face Claim: Lily Collins

Love Interest: Leander Zane Hayes

After spending her teenage years overseas, attending boarding school in Europe, Ophelia Wayne found herself surprisingly optimistic about returning to Gotham to learn to run her family business. She was, that is, until 24 hours into her return, when she and her brother witness their parents murdered right in front of them. Suddenly the legal guardian to her traumatized younger brother and the heir to the biggest company in Gotham, Ophelia finds herself thrust into a world of shadows, lies, and betrayal, where the only way to survive is to win a game she’d never wanted to play.

Name: Piper Gordon

Story: Kill V Maim

Face Claim: Dove Cameron

Piper Gordon had tried law and order, she really had. She would have said that she gave it the old college try but, well, she’d never tried college. Still, while Jim had been off becoming a war hero, Piper had joined the GCPD. She knew firsthand how corrupt her city was, her long deceased father had been all the proof she needed, and she really thought that she could be the one to fix things. Her partner, mentor of sorts, Harvey, had quickly cleared her of that notion. There was no “cleaning up” the underbelly of Gotham, there was only saving your own ass as best as you could. And sure, Piper could have done that. She could have played by the unspoken rules of the city, could have taken the right bribes and pulled the right strings and made out like a bandit, all things considered. But Piper had never been a fan of being in anyone’s pocket, of belonging to anyone but herself, so she took the next logical step.When Jim Gordon returned home, renown veteran and newest officer in the GCPD, he knew that things would have changed, and knew that Piper would no longer be the little girl he’d left behind. He just didn’t expect her to be the Princess of Crime Alley, one of the most respected and feared crime bosses in the entire city.

Name: Sapphire St Cloud

Story: Nothing Town

Face Claim: Emma Myers

Love Interest: Bellatrix Bullock & Bruce Wayne

Name: Sarina Strange

Story: Wildfire

Face Claim: Sadie Sink & Abigail Cowen

Love Interest: Bruce Wayne

#masterlist #gotham oc #dc oc #randomestfandoms construction

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as-is-above-so-below · 2 years ago

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In the Middle of the Night (Jason Todd x OC)

Masterlist

Chapter 7, Chapter 9

story summary: Melanie Withers and Jason Todd do everything together - including but not limited to stealing tires off Gotham's famous vigilante. The newest additions to the Wayne family begin their journey, learning how to navigate their new family, life as vigilantes, adolescence, grief, and rebirth.

chapter summary: Teenage fluff, sibling bonding, and Dad!Bruce

Shoutout to @lethalchiralium for beta'ing this chapter :)

July 2012

Bruce checked his cufflinks in the mirror before buttoning his jacket, meeting their eyes in the reflection. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Don’t cause too much trouble while I’m gone.”

“I can’t believe it. Another date with Selina Kyle,” Melanie teased, her hands on her hips. Bruce had been fretting over his appearance for the last hour, rifling through his suits to pick just the right one (they all looked the same to her), meticulously combing his hair, and asking for their opinions on about a dozen different ties. “Why are you so nervous? You’ve been together for years, it’s not like you have to win her over.”

“You always have to impress. Every time,” he advised, taking the massive bouquet Alfred offered to him. “Whether it be a grand gesture or something small. Having a long history with someone doesn’t mean you’re allowed to be lazy. Remember that advice.” He bonked the top of her head with the flowers, stray water from the stems clinging to her face. She sputtered, wiping the droplets with the back of her hand. “And as you said, Bruce Wayne hasn’t taken Selina Kyle on a real date in a long time.”

Alfred then passed along two small boxes with a ‘W’ impressed onto their face. Jason snorted and reached for one. “Seems a little soon for a proposal, Bruce,” he pointed out, then the box was swiftly moved out of his reach. He pouted frowned and went to pounce when Bruce cleared his throat.

“These aren’t for Selina. They’re for you.” He handed the confused teens their respective gifts. “You were meant to get these months ago, but I decided to have them specially made, which took longer.”

They briefly made eye contact before cracking open them open. A thin gold chain with a ‘W’ pendant, about the same diameter as a penny, lay in hers. Jason’s contained a thicker necklace of the same material, sans any charms.

“When I was about your age, my parents gave me one. My father said ‘a gold chain should be a staple in every man’s wardrobe,’” he explained, patting the spot where his necklace rested under his collar. “When Dick became my ward, I had some of my parents’ jewelry melted down to make a chain as my father did for me. Now I’m doing it for you. I made yours thinner to be more feminine, but if you’d like something else I can change it.”

“No, I love it. Thank you.” Melanie pulled the delicate piece loose from its holder and held it out to Jason. “Can you help?”

He smirked, took it from her, and motioned for her to turn around. Her wavy hair already tied up and out of the way, Jason gingerly draped the necklace before moving closer until he could see the tiny clasp enough to fasten it. His fingers brushed against the soft skin as he fiddled with it, sending sparks up his fingertips. He did his best to ignore it, and finally, the latch caught, and he lingered for split second before tapping her shoulder.

When Jason’s touch was gone, Melanie finally allowed herself to shiver, the spots where he had grazed her burning underneath her skin. She quickly did the same with him, the clasp on his chain bigger and easier to work than hers had been.

“Perfect,” Bruce beamed when they faced him again, smiling themselves. “I have to get going. Remember, no patrol, and try not to–”

“Cause too much trouble,” the teens droned at the same time.

“Exactly. Just have to make sure you were listening.” With one final adjustment in the mirror, Bruce made for the door. “Be good!”

They were, indeed, not good.

After Bruce left, the pair settled into their routine of Melanie typing as Jason recited the synopsis of a book she was supposed to have read for her paper. He watched over her shoulder, occasionally pointing at the screen to tell her where to make corrections. When he wasn’t talking with his hands, he was drawing light circles on one of the elbows resting on his thighs.

Melanie was smart, but God did she hate Literature class.

Jason is mid-explaining what the green light in The Great Gatsby means when Dick appears in his bedroom doorway, knocking twice. Melanie peeked around her laptop, where her body was nestled between the length of his legs, head resting on his stomach. “If Dad sent you to check in on us, we’re fine. We’re behaving,” she told him, before going back to finishing her (read: Jason’s) thoughts on the electronic page.

“Behaving?! Absolutely not. I won’t have it. Let’s go.”

“So Bruce didn’t send you to babysit?”

“A little birdy told me that tonight’s date night, figured I’d see what you guys were up to. Clearly, you need my help.” Dick winked at them before jumping forward, grabbing Jason by his ankles and effectively yanking them both down the bed.

Jason glowered at the ceiling, irritated at the man for ruining his alone time. It was hard enough getting Melanie alone nowadays, with schoolwork and training and gymnastics, without their brother interrupting what was supposed to be a night off.

“Suit up, we’ve got places to be,” he said, holding up…the keyfob for the Batmobile?

Melanie closed her computer and placed it higher up on the mattress, then rolled off of Jason. “Dad said we can’t patrol without him,” she pointed out, leaning back on her hands.

“We’re not patrolling, just doing some sightseeing!” Dick sang, twirling the keyring on his index finger. “Beats this snooze fest.”

Jason rolled his eyes as he sat up, legs still splayed in front of him. “For your information, dickwad, I like school. And we were enjoying a quiet night off,” he grumbled, then stretched forward until his hands wrapped around his feet, stretching his muscles and spine. Jason had quickly put on weight with regular homecooked meals and frequent exercise. From what he could tell from the files on the Batcomputer, he had already surpassed Dick in size when he was the same age. Growing pains were bothering him, but it wasn’t anything a bit of stretching couldn’t fix. “I’d kill to drive the Batmobile, but–”

Dick snapped his fingers and pointed with finger guns. “Sold!” he said, like an auctioneer, with a wicked, mischievous smile.

The black-haired boy tilted his head up from his stretch, brows raised. “You’re not serious. Bruce will kill us.”

“Bah, what Bruce doesn’t know, won’t hurt him. Besides, if he does find out, he can’t ground all of us. We just have to stick together.” He offered his hands to pull each of them off the bed. “Remember, young grasshopper: I exist for the sole purpose of raising his blood pressure. You must learn to ask forgiveness, not permission.”

“Whose bright idea was it to interrupt my evening with an alert that the Batmobile was activated?”

The thick heel of Bruce’s loafers clicked on the hard floor of the Batcave as he paced back and forth, echoing over the profound silence from his children. Dick, Jason, and Melanie were lined up in their uniforms, arms behind their backs like soldiers, eyes straight ahead. All three sported tousled, wind-swept hair, Melanie’s tangled in bushy knots over her shoulders.

“I admire your solidarity. Truly,” Bruce admitted with pursed lips. He stopped in front of Jason and leaned into his face. “Very touching. I don’t want to punish you, lad. This could all be over if you just tell me which one of you decided to take the Batmobile for a joyride.”

Dick nudged him with his elbow. “Hold.”

Bruce shot a nasty glare in his oldest son’s direction. Dick had gotten into plenty of his own shenanigans growing up, especially when the League created the Titans for their partners. The loyalty between the Titans only went so far when it came to getting grounded. However, as Selina had pointed out months ago, he wasn’t prepared for sibling collaboration.

He straightened up and buttoned his jacket. “No one? Last chance.” After another stretch of silence, he sighed deeply and shook his head. “Alright, I warned you. I don’t want to do it, but I guess I’ll have to ground all of you.”

“I don’t even live here–”

“Grounded.”

“But we have to patrol!” Melanie whined, waving at her costume. Her hair fell into her eyes, which she blew back in annoyance. The strand floated back down unceremoniously.

“You climbed onto the hood while going sixty miles an hour!” He turned to Jason next. “You drove the damn thing! You are thirteen years old!”

“Almost fourte–”

Bruce cut him off by addressing Dick. “And you encouraged it! You used your vocal ID!” He pointed at each of them with every statement. Bruce sighed yet again and pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something along the lines of Thirteen years old and Still stealing my cars. These kids were going to be the death of him. “Fine,” he growled. “You can patrol. But otherwise, you will stay in your rooms. You will only come out for meals and patrols for two weeks.”

“Dad, come on! That’s not fair!”

“This is not a discussion! I’m tempted to revoke everyone’s access to it in the first place!”

Melanie promptly snapped her mouth shut, having decided it would be best not to make the situation worse. Dismissed to the locker room after a thorough reaming and the promise of an extensive refresher on emergency vehicle use and driving safety, they all stripped out of their suits and into the comfy house clothes in their lockers. They stared at each other for a moment until Jason choked. Melanie immediately lost her composure, cheeks red from trying to hold in the fit of giggles that inevitably ruptured.

Dick dropped his entire weight onto the locker next to him and wheezed helplessly as his siblings melted into a puddle on the floor. “H-Holy shit, he-he’s pissed,” he croaked, covering his tear-filled blue eyes. “I don’t–know if I’ve ever m-made him so mad!”

High-pitched screams filled the air, Jason gripping his stomach. “I c-can’t breathe!”

“‘A-Almost fourteen’, I can’t believe you–”

October 2012

Bruce let the glass door to the conference room shut behind him with a soft rush of air. After his phone buzzed for the third time in his pocket, he briefly excused himself from the Wayne Enterprises board meeting. Dick had called twice, and now Alfred was the one who had tried to reach him. Probably because they know he always picks up for Alfred. “It’s one competition, Alfred. There will be plenty more.” Bruce checked the time again, not wanting to take too long. “Look, I really have to get back-”

“Master Bruce, I’m afraid I must insist. It’s not just a competition. This is her first.”

“Melanie said it was fine. She knows this is an important meeting. She told me not to come.”

Alfred sighed on the other end of the line, and Bruce could picture the exasperated look the butler was most definitely wearing. “Sir, if I may,” he offered. “You do realize Miss Melanie is a teenage girl, correct?”

The man paused, lips pressed into a thin line as he looked over his shoulder at the board members expectantly waiting for his return. “…Dammit.”

“Indeed, sir.”

“Can I make it?” he asked, referencing his watch again.

“If you leave now, you just might be able to sneak in.”

Bruce promptly hung up and poked his head back into the boardroom. “I’m sorry, everyone, I’m such a ditz. I completely forgot that I have a family event tonight. You’ll have to excuse me. I appoint Lucius as my proxy.”

“But Mr. Wayne-” A dark-haired woman in a pantsuit stood near the end of the table, looking completely appalled at his sudden departure. Oh well.

“I really have to go. Apologies again!”

Melanie dismounted the beam and hit the final pose of her routine, facing the judges’ table before quickly turning on her toes to the crowd. She had competed on the uneven bars and done a floor routine before finishing on the balance beam.

It had taken quite some time for Dick to work something out and get her into competitive gymnastics. Not being associated with a particular gym provided its challenges but Dick’s reputation from volunteering as a gymnastics teacher at local community centers in Blȕdhaven (and, obviously, as a Wayne) lent a helping hand. They paid their dues and were allowed to compete, but not without some media backlash.

Many parents and media personalities expressed their distaste. Some called Dick’s presence an ‘unfair advantage’, given his pedigree as one of the world’s top trapeze artists. Others claimed their father had to have paid panelists and association members off and that there was no way that a street rat from Crime Alley could bear actual talent in less than a year.

Who knew the performative sports world was so vicious?

Dick clapped wildly and pumped the air from the coach's area. She beamed, waving both hands and scanning the crowd for her family. A sharp whistle caught her ear, and she finally found them in the front row further down. Jason removed his fingers from his mouth and then resumed his jumping and hollering; Alfred applauded politely next to him. Then, Melanie realized–

He really didn’t come.

Her shoulders and expression dropped minusculely, disappointment evident only to those who knew her well. While she did tell Bruce that it wouldn’t be that big of a deal if he missed the competition, Melanie had held out hope that he would make it. Alfred nodded to his left, and she followed his direction along the courtside bleachers. Still in a sharp suit, clapping quietly by the door to not draw attention, was–

Dad!

Melanie’s smile brightened impossibly before she moved to the sidelines, hugging Dick tightly as he lifted her off the ground.

After the award ceremony, Jason’s body smacked into hers, nearly knocking the wind out of her. He rocked them back and forth on each foot, her shoulders locked into him by his arms. Jason pressed a small but lingering kiss on her rosy cheek, about an inch from the corner of her mouth. Cameras clicked and flashed in the background as she grinned at him, about to speak before she saw her dad coming toward her.

She handed Dick her trophy and took off in a sprint, then launched into Bruce’s arms when she was within range. “You came!” she squealed, squeezing his neck as her legs wrapped around his waist. He held her easily, swaying as he hugged her. “Look!” she exclaimed, holding her medal up to him. “They put my name and score on it and everything!”

“I knew you could do it, sweetheart.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, letting her gush over the engraved details.

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wrenchinator-central · 9 months ago

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I really enjoyed the Amazing Spider-girl run. I was too young to read it growing up, but when I discovered it, I read the whole run from start to finish. The premise started out as a “what if”. What if instead of losing their kid during the original Clone Saga, she survived and inherited her father’s powers. Peter loses a leg in a fight with the green goblin and retires. His and MJ’s kid, Mayday Parker, starts having her father’s powers in high school, and when the green goblin’s grandson starts making an appearance, dons the Ben Reilly costume to take up her father’s mantle. I think it was supposed to just be a single issue story at first (kinda like the first spider-man comic in “Amazing Fantasy”). It went on to be one of the longest continuous runs of a female lead comic series.

Sort of like the Batman Beyond show that came out in the 90s as well, this scratches a niche “passing of the torch” itch. The biggest differences in presentation were that Spider-Girl took place in the current time, and Batman Beyond took place in the future, and while Bruce Wayne is quickly supportive of Terry, Peter spends most of the series unwilling to let his daughter step into his shoes and only eventually becomes reluctantly supportive of her endeavors. I loved the irony of that, because she’s doing the same stuff he did at her age. Irony thy name is Parker. But she was t just Peter Parker with breasts, she was her own character. Sure, she’s her father and mother’s daughter, but she’s also much more. She’s a a rebel who goes against her parents wishes. She’s a basket ball playing jock who gained her powers just in time to make a super leap in basketball and smash the backboard. She’s has the heart of Spider-Man down, while putting her own spin on the role.

Another thing I liked was the legacy characters. Mayday has her own rogues gallery and team-ups, but we also get to see familiar faces and situations. The Fantastic Four are now the Fantastic Five, and Mayday has a crush for a while on Franklin Richards (Reed and Sue’s son). J Jonah Jameson is still kicking around and harassing reporters, but he’s also mellowed out a bit (I don’t think he was nearly as anti-spider with Mayday). Electro dons his old costume, but it’s to bring out OG Spider-Man to get his daughter some help with her own electric powers that are out of control. We get a clone arc, and learn that even after all these years MJ is terrified of the Spider-Man black suit after Venom terrorized her years ago. It’s a mix of the old and the new that blended really well.

There’s one issue that keeps sticking out to me all these years later. It’s the issue after Spider-Girl fights a recurring villain who’s an 8-ball themed serial killer and inadvertently kills him. The entire issue is without dialogue, just Mayday swinging around New York trying to come to terms with what just happened. It’s very haunting, and was a reminder that under the mask, she was just a teenager. I don’t remember Peter really going through that in his earlier run and I really like that, apart from Uncle Ben dying.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately in the face of never ending stories that need to end, Spider-Girl ended in the early-mid 2000s. What’s definitely tragic is that apart from appearances in the spider-verse comics, she’s been largely forgotten by Marvel. The “Renew Your Vows” Annie May Parker has filled the hole she left, and while she’s good, I like Mayday more. Annie is very much a part of the active Spider-Family with her dad and mom, while Mayday got to be her own superhero. Last we saw of her was a bit of a cliffhanger, and I hope that one day Marvel decides to return to her story and let her don the webs again.

Ok, I'm getting sad thinking about how much comics suck these days, so let's try this. Tell me about the comics and characters you guys love, past or present. Sperg out all you want. Tell me everything you like about them. Gush. Go into detail about your favorite plots and why they're so special to you. Ask me about mine, if you don't feel like talking about yours.

Everything might suck these days, but we don't always need to dwell on it, right?

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darthvashtique93 · 2 years ago

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Return of the Hawk

Chapter 15

“All quiet on the Western front,” Red Hood spoke into his earpiece.

“I doubt you made it past the cover of that book,” Red Robin responded in his ear.

“You don’t know what I read in my free time!” Hood responded harshly. Red Robin muttered something in a language Red Hood did not know. “What was that, replacement?” Red Hood demanded.

“Enough you two,” Batman silenced the two boys. “If you’re done with patrol, go back to the cave.”

Continuing his leap from roof to roof, Batman finally landed on top of the highest building in Gotham. He frequented it often. He liked it up here. It was peaceful and quiet. Shayera would love it, he thought to himself. Batman then mentally berated himself. Ever since she saved his life a few months ago, he felt like a lovesick teenage boy. He needed to get a grip. He needed to – he was not alone. Someone was trying to sneak up on him. Without warning, Bruce threw a batarang while turning to face his attacker. “Ow,” a voice in the shadows said. “Geez.” A hawk…man appeared from the shadows, rubbing his head with one hand and holding a batarang with the other.

“Who are you?” Batman demanded.

“Woah,” the hawk held up his hands, dropping the batarang in the process. “I don’t want to fight you.”

“Why were you sneaking up on me?”

“Honestly, I didn’t know how to approach you.”

“What are you doing here on Earth?”

“I’ve actually been here since before the invasion. I defected from Thanagar a long time ago.” Batman stared at him silently. The hawkman squirmed underneath Batman’s intense glare. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea. “May I put my hands down now?”

“No.”

“Look, I don’t know how else to say this. But there’s another female hawk and an intergalactic bounty hunter here in Gotham looking for Hawkgirl.” Batman’s facial expression gave nothing away. “How do you know this?” Batman demanded.

“I’ve been following the female hawk for a few weeks now. Earlier this evening she met with a bounty hunter named Lobo. I don’t know why – “

“Lobo?” Batman sounded slightly…worried.

“Yeah. You know him?” Batman didn’t respond. “Anyway,” the hawkman continued. “For some reason, he thinks that Hawkgirl is here in this city.”

“So why should I care?”

“Wherever Lobo hunts, a path of destruction follows. If he believes Hawkgirl is in Gotham, he’ll have no problem burning the city to the ground to find her.” Batman stared at the hawk in front of him, trying to get a feel for him. He seemed to be telling the truth. But there was only one Thanagarian he trusted, and she was at his manor at the moment. “Why should I believe you?” Batman asked.

“You have no reason to believe me. And I’m sorry about what my kind did to your planet two years ago. But my loyalty is no longer with Thanagar. They’re crazy and ruthless and scary. I hated living there.” Batman stared blankly. Once again, the hawkman’s body language said he was telling the truth; but if he had learned anything from Shayera, it was that Thanagarians were expert liars. And the stupid masks didn’t make it any easier to spot a lie. “Take your mask off,” Batman demanded.

“Seriously?”

“I won’t tell you again.”

“Fine.” The hawkman pulled his mask off. Brown hair and blue eyes. “Hi,” he said. “My name is Carter Hall. I work as a curator for the Gotham Museum of Ancient Artifacts.”

“Hol?”

“Yeah. It’s a very, very common surname on Thanagar. On Earth, I spell it H-A-L-L.”

“You can put your mask back on.”

“Thanks,” Carter said pulling his mask back over his head. “So, what are we gonna do about-“ He stopped mid-sentence. Batman was gone. He had simply vanished. “Huh,” Carter said as he turned around. “That was rude.” But he was sure Batman would be in touch soon. He knew Carter’s identity after all.

Bruce ran up the stairs, still in his uniform minus the cowl. As soon as he made it back to the cave, he had hacked every street camera, every cellphone camera, and every black box and car camera. A camera found on the outside of a small café on the lower side of Gotham captured the image he was looking for. And as soon as he saw it, he ran. Jason and Tim stared at him in shock as he sprinted past them.

“What in the…” Jason was speechless.

“Maybe he has another concussion?” Tim guessed. He ignored their questioning stares and kept running. He didn’t stop until he reached his room. He threw the door open. Shayera immediately sat up in bed, body alert, ready for a fight. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her wide green eyes staring at him filled with worry.

“Lobo has been spotted in Gotham. Batcave. Five minutes,” Bruce whirled around before Shayera could reply. She didn’t know what to say. “Crap,” was the only word that came from her mouth.

“Lobo is here?” Wonder Woman asked.

“Lobo?” Green Lantern thought aloud. “You mean that stupid Main Man guy? I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him.”

“I don’t understand,” Flash said as he paced angrily back and forth in the batcave. The founding leaguers stood in attendance.

Shayera sat in a swivel chair, looking down at her feet. The last time they were all here, Shayera had quit the team and flown away. Deciding it was better to remain invisible, she kept quiet and let Flash continue. “How the heck did Lobo enter Earth’s atmosphere without detection? I thought you guys were on the lookout for hostile beings?” Flash directed his question at Green Lantern and Superman. Green Lantern responded by cracking his knuckles while simultaneously glaring at the young speedster.

“Come on, Flash,” Superman interrupted, “that’s not fair.”

“I thought you were monitoring the stars, Superman. What happened?” Flash demanded to know.

“Even I need to take breaks, Flash. I’m not God,” Superman answered.

“There are so many ways to respond to that statement,” Batman muttered.

“Flash, now is not the time to point fingers,” Wonder Woman stepped forward.

“We’re the Justice League. We’re better than this. And what’s your excuse, J’ohnn?”

“I have none,” the Martian Manhunter stated solemnly. “I can only offer my sincerest apologies for my lack of vigilance concerning Shayera’s safety.”

“Well,” Flash paused not expecting that response from the Martian. “I forgive you.”

“Are you guys done yet?” Batman asked in annoyance, “It no longer matters who’s at fault. Lobo is in Gotham.”

“Do you trust this…Carter?” Superman asked.

“He’s not lying about this.”

“We’re taking the word of another hawk…again?” Wonder Woman spat as she glared at Shayera. Shayera barely glanced at Wonder Woman. She wasn’t ready to face Diana’s wrath.

“I have evidence,” Batman said as he walked to his computer and, with a few commands, brought up a picture of excellent quality. It was Lobo meeting with a dark-skinned hawk-person.

“Where’d you get this photo?” Flash asked.

“A café across the street from that alley. After many successful robberies, the owner upgraded his security system to state-of-the-art Wayne Tech.”

“An owner of a café was able to afford that?” Superman muttered.

“It’ll surprise you what you can afford when you’re not living off a reporter’s salary,” Batman quipped.

“Really? You’re still upset about the computer? I told you I’d pay you back. And look,” Superman motioned to the giant screen, “you’ve already replaced it.” Batman scoffed.

“How does Lobo even have Shayera’s scent?” Wonder Woman questioned, ignoring the two. “You don’t think the Thanagarians hired him, do you?”

“Uh…the picture clearly shows him conversing with a Thanagarian. I think it’s safe to say the Thanagarians hired Lobo,” Flash said with an eye roll. Wonder Woman opened her mouth to respond to Flash but was interrupted by Shayera. “Can you zoom in on his waist?” Shayera asked softly. She really didn’t want to be here. Batman gave a nod before zooming in. A sword was strapped to Lobo’s waist. A silver sword with a golden handle. Incredible craftsmanship. Flash whistled, “Nice weapon.”

“It’s mine,” Shayera frowned. Batman turned to look at her, along with the other leaguers. “It was given to me on my 10th birthday. My father forged it from a space rock. The handle is made of Nth metal. The blade itself has been forged from an asteroid. I hid it in my room before I was sent to Earth. Issi must have found it,” she finished quietly. “She always wanted my things.”

“That’s how he obtained her scent,” Green Lantern said. “What are we going to do? It’s only a matter of time before he finds her,” he said, looking at Shayera for the first time since this small meeting began. Shayera felt his eyes on her. She looked away. Clearly, she wasn’t ready to face her mistakes.

“I can throw him off her scent,” J’ohnn offered. “It won’t hold him off for long, but long enough for us to come up with a better plan.”

“Good idea,” Superman said. “But we should probably move Shayera. Maybe we can smuggle her to Themyscira?” he asked Wonder Woman.

“If that’s what is best,” Wonder Woman growled through gritted teeth. Wonder Woman didn’t want that traitor anywhere near Themyscira.

“Shayera stays here,” Batman stated. “Moving her could make it easier for Lobo to track.”

“I concur,” Martian Manhunter said. “It is prudent for her to stay in one spot while I attempt to draw Lobo away.”

“Then it’s settled,” Flash said. “Shayera stays here; Martian Manhunter does his…thing.”

“Yes,” Batman concluded. After a silent pause, Batman said, “You can all leave now.”

Shayera sucked on her lower lip, holding in her laugh. Batman – Bruce – was…something. A warm feeling spread in her chest. “Polite as always,” Superman mumbled as the leaguers filed out. Flash gave Shayera a swift hug before following his teammates out of the cave.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13461097/1/Return-of-the-Hawk

#bathawk #batman x hawkgirl #bruce wayne x shayera hol #shayera hol #hawkgirl #batman/hawkgirl

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