#clark and bruce have been independently doing their things for a while

[mydetheturk]

OH YEAH ITS WEDNESDAY HAVE SOM WIP

~~

“Ring, contact Honor Guard Lantern Gardner,” Hal said. A green portal appeared, with a faint static appearance accompanied by the sound of dial-up. Hal frowned. They fought a lot but Guy always answered his calls.

“Is there something wrong?” Wonder Woman said. She finished taping Superman’s hand up and looked at Hal with an expression he refused to read.

“Ring, contact Lantern Stewart instead.” Hal grumbled a little but the call went through. 

“Hal? What happened? Is everything alright on Earth?” John asked. He blinked, squinting past Hal to see the other superheroes behind him. “Should I be using your name?”

Hal shrugged his one good shoulder. “Eh, it’s fine. What’s going on that Guy didn’t answer me?”

John made a face and reflected the view around. Guy was sitting serenely on the surface of Mars, his eyes closed and his face being cupped by what had to be an alien of some kind.

“Is Guy getting Vulcan mind-melded while I had to get my fucking shoulder broken by goddamn Darkseid?” Hal asked.

“Mind-melded, yes. Vulcan, no.” John flipped the view back around. “We ran into the local Martian population while driving off Granny Goodness. What’s left of the population, anyway. There’s more Kryptonians left than there are Martians, Hal.”

Hal whistled. “Damn. How many?”

“Just the one, we think. They’re doing a whole… Thing.”

[fluentmoviequoter]

Butterflies Aren't Just for Kids

Part 2 of Crushes Aren't Just for Kids

Pairing: JLU!Bruce Wayne x fem!JL!reader

Summary: Bruce hasn't asked you out yet, despite the League's interest in your new relationship. When he finally has enough and takes you away from their prying eyes and endless questions, you tell him why you hid your feelings for so long.

Warnings: fluff!!! John, Diana, and Wally get warnings for being nosy

Word Count: 1.6k+ words

A/N: Have I mentioned that I love this show? I considered basing this on The Once and Future Thing (s1 finale) but think that would be better as an independent rewrite. Also, I love Wally so much!!

Picture from Pinterest

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Plenty has changed since Morgaine Le Fay turned you, Bruce, Clark, Diana, and John into kids and back into adults to defeat her son. Bruce learned about your crush on him, as did John and Diana, and Bruce hinted that he’d ask you out soon. Being a superhero vigilante is a full-time job, though, and he has yet to find the time to do that.

Every time you set foot in the Watchtower, John and Diana give you questioning looks. You can tell they want to pry and hear about what’s happening with you and Bruce, but you also know they won’t believe you when you say nothing. Luckily, you still have easy access to all the hiding places Bruce installed in the multi-million-dollar space base.

While you sit in the cafeteria and eat, your thoughts drift to Bruce. He’s off somewhere fighting an alien with Clark, yet all you want is another quiet moment at his side.

“Hey,” Wally greets as he sits.

“Hi, Walls,” you reply with a smile.

“What’s up with all the weird looks?”

“What do you mean?”

Wally looks down and quickly counts the food items on his four trays. He speeds back into the cafeteria for another pudding, and you brace yourself for the wind that follows his return.

“Everyone keeps looking at you like there’s something big happening. They used to look at me like that, but you’re hogging my attention,” Wally answers.

“Sorry about that.”

“Seriously, it’s impossible to miss all of the looks. John and Diana look ready to snap every time you walk into the room.”

“I hadn’t noticed,” you lie. “I’m sure whatever they think is happening will pass soon and all eyes will be back on you.”

“As they should be, right?”

“Right, Walls.”

You excuse yourself, but not before you offer your cake to Wally. You ignore the looks Wally mentioned as you walk toward J’onn’s station in the heart of the Watchtower.

“J’onn, can you send me home? I don’t think I’ve got anything else to do up here,” you request.

“Certainly. I’ll let you know if we need you to return.”

“Thanks.”

A light blinds you temporarily, and when you open your eyes, you realize someone must have told J’onn you have a new home.

“I have got to talk to John about boundaries,” you mumble as you begin the short walk to Wayne Manor.

A few days later, you haven’t even seen Bruce. You’ve been pining after him for years, though, so what’s a few more days before that date he said he’d take you on? As long as it isn’t a theme park, you think as you walk through the Watchtower.

“We need to talk,” Diana says as she pulls you into a corner.

“About what?” you ask.

“You and Bruce,” John answers, stepping out of the shadows.

“What is this, an intervention? There’s nothing to talk about!” you whisper harshly.

“What happened after we left?” Diana inquires.

“He took me home. If you must know, he implied that he’d ask me out, but that is it! He may not even like me anymore.”

John shakes his head with a knowing look on his face. He can read you too well to lie to him.

“Look, I’m trying to be patient and wait for him to decide, ask, whatever, but it is getting very hard to do with you two drawing attention to us! Booster Gold asked me where the boyfriend was, and he didn’t even know who he was talking about!”

“Booster never knows what he’s talking about,” John argues.

“That is not the point.”

John smirks before he asks, “So, when you and Bruce have kids, do you think they’ll look like you two did in Mordred’s kingdom?”

The door behind Diana opens, and you realize you’ve been having this conversation outside Bruce’s workshop. While he was in it.

“Stop,” Bruce demands.

Diana nudges you, and you push her away. You’ll do something, but not because she encouraged you to, because you want to.

“What?” you ask with an exaggerated pout. “You don’t want to have kids with me, Brucie?”

Bruce rolls his eyes at your reply, but John and Diana stay beside you despite his bat glare.

“Are you going to ask her out?” Diana asks. “Because we’re all waiting for you to do something.”

“Clearly,” Bruce replies. “We’re leaving. Lantern. Diana.”

Before John or Diana can speak again, J’onn transports you and Bruce away. They’re left facing each other with a few answers and more questions.

“Where do you think they went?” Diana inquires.

“I’m- I’m not sure I want to think about that,” John answers slowly. “She is my friend, you know.”

“So is he.”

“Yeah,” John says, his voice laced with sarcasm and disbelief. “Sure, he is. Best friend, really.”

When you arrive in the manor, pressed to Bruce’s side just as you were in the amusement park, you don’t hesitate to turn and hug him. Bruce’s arms wrap around you loosely, and you step back when Alfred enters the living room.

“I’ll assume you’re the reason I’ve been getting so many dirty looks and questions from the League?” Bruce asks.

His lips are up at the edges, and you think he will smile at any moment. You can’t tell by looking at him, but Bruce feels like a kid again when he’s with you. He didn't experience childhood like he should have, so he lets himself be genuine with you. He’s done wasting time, he decides.

“You know, I’ve been fighting by your side for a long time,” you say. “But your hugs are way better than your grappling hooks.”

Bruce shakes his head and leads you toward the couch before Alfred returns with popcorn, a tray of snacks, and your favorite drink that you did not ask for nor mention. You thank him, and he winks at you quickly. He’s glad to see Bruce happy and to have visitors in the manor again.

“I should’ve hugged you sooner,” you muse as you reach for the food. “Could have been spending time here for years by now.”

“Why didn’t you say anything before?” Bruce asks softly.

“Why didn’t you?” you counter. You lick your lips before answering, “You’re important to me, Bruce. I didn’t want to jeopardize our relationship or the team, or, worse, put you in danger by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. There were too many unknowns.”

“So, you planned to, what? Wait until I said something?”

“Caged butterflies,” you whisper. “Cages don’t hold them very well. I would’ve said something eventually, but Morgaine put me in a position where I didn’t have to.”

“Then, technically, John told me.”

“You’re a jerk, you know that?”

Bruce smiles, and the butterflies you felt as a kid revive to create a hurricane in your heart. He leans in and brushes his lips over your cheek before saying, “I’ve been told… I’ve also been told crushes aren’t just for kids.”

“Jerk,” you mumble again as you turn your face toward Bruce.

“Oh! Oh!” John yells when you step out of J’onn’s transporter and onto the Watchtower. “Someone’s glowing. How them butterflies feeling?”

“Like kids again,” you answer honestly. “I guess I should thank you for forcing me to do something.”

“Lanterns have been making dreams come true for millennia.”

“There’s no way that’s true.”

“You don’t know that. You’re not a Lantern, or a mind reader.”

“It’s not true,” J’onn calls without looking away from his console.

“Man, we need better friends,” John tells you.

“You are my better friend.”

“Save that lovey stuff for the boyfriend.”

“I thought he was Diana’s boyfriend,” you argue, tilting your head as you hide your smile.

“The ploy of a mastermind to learn the truth,” John answers with a shrug.

“You really are spending too much time with Wally.”

John stands and beckons you to follow him. You do so wordlessly, but you run into someone as you round a corner beside him. Bruce grasps your arms gently to keep you upright before dropping his head to look at you.

“Here comes the bride,” Wally sings under his breath.

You and Bruce look up quickly, surprised to see Wally has joined John, and they are watching your interaction with far too much interest.

“And that’s why we’re glad Wally wasn’t included in Mordred’s spell,” you grumble against Bruce’s chest.

“What spell?” Wally asks. He doesn’t give anyone time to answer before he rambles, “Hey, have you told her about your childhood, Bats? I mean, you’re definitely a loner now, but good luck learning anything about him; he’s one tough walnut to crack.”

“I know,” you and John say together.

Bruce tightens his grip on you before requesting J’onn send him home. The Watchtower is no longer a haven from Gotham, not with the League’s new favorite topic of conversation: you and Batman.

“We should buy a vacation house,” Bruce says as you open your eyes in Gotham.

“Yeah. In Coast City, where Ollie can find us and bring the rest of the fan club,” you joke.

Bruce stays quiet for a moment, and you begin to ask him what’s wrong, but he cuts you off.

“Get ready. We’re going on that date I promised,” he says.

“You never actually asked,” you point out.

“Will you go on a date with me?” Bruce asks.

“I’d love to.”

“Then go get ready. I’m taking you somewhere we can be ourselves.”

“Where could you possibly take me that Bruce Wayne won’t be recognized? And if you say an amusement park I will walk out right now.”

“I was thinking Metropolis. The roof of the Daily Planet. I called in a few favors.”

“I take it back. You weren’t a cute kid… you’re still cute.”

“And you still have trouble with maintaining eye contact.” Bruce leads you to the stairs and spreads his hand over your lower back before he whispers, “We’ll work on it.”

[secretidentie]

movies that should be superbat fics

Inspired by the first full superbat fic I've ever read The Proposal by @blackbatofel

How to loose a guy in 10 day: Clark needs to write a story to break into the main stream so people will pay attention to his more important work and after hearing Cat grant talk about her love life he decides to write about all the ways you can drive a man away in ten days. Bruce Wayne is trying to adopt Dick and sign a deal for WE and both those things require him to prove he can commit to something and be a family man so he bets he can make someone fall in love with him in 10 days

The other woman: Bruce Wayne is dating lex Luther for PR reasons. Clark is dating lex for investigation reasons. When Clark finds out online that lex has a boyfriend he's furious about the infidelity and immediately tells Bruce. Bruce, thinking Clark is a heartbroken mistress, suggests working together to get revenge. Clark, wanting to comfort Bruce through his breakup, agrees to said revenge. Shenanigans insues.

The hangover: batman, superman and green lantern are assigned to a mission in Vegas. They complete it easily and to celebrate lantern convince them to get drinks together even though the other two don't get along. When Bruce and Clark(who isn't supposed to be able to get drunk) wake up the next morning they don't know where they are, somethings wrong with Clark's powers, Hal's ring is in the bathroom sink, he's no where to be found and apparently the two of them got married last night. They have to figure out what happened and where Hal is before the next JL debrief otherwise they'll have to admit to Diana and the whole team that they fucked up a simple mission by getting shit faced on the job and Bruce would rather die than let that happen.

The holiday: when Bruce realizes he's either dumped, adopted or detested everyone in Gotham he's yearning for a change of scenery. He gets into contact with an old friend, lois lane, who's recently devorced but is still living with her ex husband. After finding out that she shares his desire for something different they decided to swap homes for a few weeks where they can both work remotely to experience life across the pond.

Titanic: a young Bruce engaged to Talia goes on a yacht cruise with the league of assassin's on the unsinkable ship designed by lex Luther by combining metals like lead with alien tech. Uncoincidentally Clark sneeks on the ship to investing in for kryptonite and criminal activities but ends up finding love as well.( Does this mean Clark has to die? Probably, but it's worth it for the plot. And Clark's sacrifice and worldview could be what inspired Bruce to quit the league and become batman)

You before me: After Bruce is horribly injured on the field he has to prematurely hand over the mantel of batman. Since his kids have done a good job at filling in for him, Bruce feels like he's lost his purpose. Alfred decides to hire Clark kent, an aspiring journalist from Smallville, as Bruce's caregiver so he can show Bruce a better outlook on life and hopefully convince him to reconsider ending his life(y'all know I had to even out the death score)

Bring it on: Bruce Wayne, owner of the daily planet, prides himself on the fact that his paper was the most awarded publication for the past 3 years. While gearing up for the 4th his new hire, lois lane reveals to him that his recently retired chef editor has been stealing stories from a smaller independent paper. That paper has been gaining traction this year and is being nominated for the same awards as them, including a pulitzer. After the owner of the rival paper, Clark, doesn't accept his apology or financial help, Bruce strives for justice and wants to make it right. During this he starts admiring Clark's work and starts falling from him. Clark,reluctant to let his guard down and be too trusting again, says he doesn't want pity from a billionaire pushing Bruce to do everything he can to turn his staff into award winners.... or atleast decent writers.(I clearly have no idea how journalism awards work)

[frownyalfred]

Hello! Big fan of your words. A bit intimidating really. I'd like to ask, seeing as you are aware of the fusion Superbat being created from Batman and Superman combined by the power of a Lantern Ring, how you would you go on to create a Trinity fusion composed of Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman? What would their powers be? Their personality? How would it have happened, and what lead to it? Would you prefer it to be by accident or on purpose? What would be the side effects afterwards of coming apart from such fusion? Do you have any thoughts on what it would have felt like to split apart from being fused for Batman and Superman in the fight with Nezha?

May a kind week come to you, drink water and eat vegetables daily.

That’s an excellent question! I have been meaning to write a post fusion Superbat version fic for a while now and haven’t gotten around to it. But I think it works because Bruce and Clark overlap in so many ways, and are startlingly human in the same ways sometimes.

Diana is different and definitely adds a new element to the mix. I think it would be much harder to fuse her into them just because she’s SO individual and independent. Maybe they could do it temporarily, with her splitting off after just a few minutes/moments. They’d be the untainted fail safe — all three of their abilities and knowledge, only packaged together for brief urgent periods. Like trying to harness lightning or something.

I usually prefer fusions to be accidental or at least not totally on purpose because the shock at being fused is delicious — both the reaction/horror to how weird it is, but also how right it feels, if that makes sense?

I think splitting apart is a horrible thing, but it only lasts for a few moments. The grief of being their own people again persists until they realize they don’t have to be fused to know the person across from them.

[bluespiritshonour]

Oh my God!

I just caught up with World's Finest: Teen Titans and I absolutely have to write this out:

First of all, I love this cover:

The thing that caught my eye: “you're grounded.”

Not the dramatic “you're fired” as if the motherfucker didn't raise that damn kid in his own damn house for YEARS.

(I know. I know. Bar on the ground, but what would you?)

Also, the anger palpable on Bruce's face and Dick's absolute disregard for it. I'm laughing here y'all. This is what teenagers act like. This is what fights between parents and children look like.

Also. Dick Grayson, I've been missing. You're back from war!

I love how curt he is. The “Get lost” hits in all the right places. We love a strongly-principled character that stands for what he believes in. With all the lukewarm Dick Grayson writing floating around I felt like walking into a coffee shop while it's snowing outside.

More of this writing, please.

I'd been waiting for this moment all through this series.

This conversation.

I compare things all the time. It might not be the right thing in every field but I think it serves well when it comes to comic books. We all have personal “canon criteria”—for example, mine are “Darwyn Cooke wrote this Bruce so I'm taking it as valid characterisation ” or “Every version of Bruce played by Kevin Conroy is valid”. (Minus Bruce Timm bullshit!)

Which was what cinched my hatred for Bruce after reading a Robin short story that Cooke wrote and alluded to Robin: Year One in it. I mean, I might not fuck with Dixon, but am I going to call even Cooke's Bruce OOC? No. It means Bruce is a jerk. Full stop.

Waid is one of the writers I respect (excluding Kingdom Come. I hate it and I can't put my finger on the why. But I just do: I hate it. I hate it for Clark. I hate it for Diana. And I'm a professional Bruce-hater so let's not even go there. I hate it for Dick too.)

And Dick and Bruce's relationship has a lot of baggage from the fact that a) Bruce is himself traumatised and fails to meet Dick's emotional needs b) he wasn't ready to be a father when he adopted Dick c) Dick simply suffers from being the eldest��the test child.

And very rarely have I seen writers manage to walk on the thin line of complicated-but-dedicated-and-strong.

Young Justice cartoon did it. Dick and Bruce's relationship is going strong. But they fight and have different values. And Dick can see all that is wrong with Bruce's approach to vigilantism in particular and life in general.

Grimm (Legends of the Dark Knight #149-154) did it right. Where Bruce hurt Dick deeply and made him feel unwanted all the while overthinking about Dick's well-being. Way to go, buddy! You can see the repercussions it has for Dick while simultaneously stare at this man who's tying himself into knots trying to think how best to parent.

I think that's what most Bruce and Dick comics miss: the excessive worrying. They don't show the worry, make them fight for drama, never address it apart from throwing out a “it's because Bruce's worried” (bitch, where?) and have Dick running back to Gotham at the first chance. It sounds an awful lot like “your parents hurt you 'cause they love you” bullshit.

I think World's Finest manages it well because foremost, Bruce says, in words, that he's worried about Dick's well-being. He's taciturn, he's putting constant pressure on Dick all in the hopes of making him quit Titans. All this makes him a jerk. But I don't hate him for it.

It's between Dick's “you don't trust me” and Bruce's “no, I don't trust them.”

Most teenagers clash with their parents. It's normal. That's what Waid has shown here and I love it. It feels very—normal?

Especially when the Bats aren't normal! Bruce sure as fuck ain't a normal parent. But there was something very bitter-sweet coming-of-age in this conversation.

Bruce does all those things that are bad for Dick and his growing independence. You're not supposed to handle teenagers like that.

He's worried and taking desperate measures. “If I punish him, then maybe he'll obey me and quit Titans and then he'll he safe”—lots of parents who don't know how to deal with teenagers do it.

But the sequence of it: Bruce is worried → Bruce wants Dick to quit Titans → for Dick it means proving himself to be better, to not get hurt (as if he can control that beyond a certain point) → Bruce being alarmed at Dick's insistence to stay with the Titans and taking desperate measures like benching him.

At least it makes sense.

Compare it to Dixon's Nightwing origin story, which honestly, personally I think was lazy writing. Drama for drama's sake. “You’re fired because you're spending too much time with the Titans.” The same writer also had Bruce say that he did it because he wanted Dick to strike out on his own. Blah, blah, blah.

And no matter whatever happens he'd never ever say it to Dick's face that he's worried about him because—well, reasons.

Robin: Year One logic:

I'm worried about Dick's health so I fire him. He runs off and can get hurt? He joins a school for assasins? None of my business. He can get hurt on his own, I don't care as long as it is not on my conscience. Peace.

—Bruce “professional narcissist” Wayne.

So, yes. When faced with this book(WF: TT), I'd call Dixon's writing lazy.

I'm also comparing this to several other instances when Bruce verbally says (never to Dick, mind you) that he loves that Dick's a better person and better vigilante than him. But in the same book he'd yell at Dick for exactly the same thing. (I consider that lazy writing, since BTAS made sure to show a shot of Bruce smiling whenever Dick was happy/not like him).

I like this thing here where he says it to Dick's face. He's still grounding him for “discipline's sake” or whatever—very, very IC for Bruce.

But he also lets Dick know that he appreciates his values, that are different—better—than Bruce's own.

I can stomach that.

Honestly Bruce's writing in this book felt like BtAS writing (pre-Bruce Timm fuckery). That's a compliment.

P.S. Waid's a good story-teller overall. His Superman: Birthright was one of the first Superman comics I read and I fell in love with Clark right away.

Peace ✌️😂

[bitterrobin]

IN FACT pushing past the incredibly boring idea that "Damian and Chris should be friends bc they both have evil parents" (which only exists bc I refuse to believe anyone's actually read Last Son and his Nightwing arc or anything w Talia pre-Morrison) - I instead believe Damian and Chris could have a much more interesting relationship if you build it around a couple things:

being a publicly known figurehead in situations that doesn't allow you privacy even within a closed community

becoming your own individual outside of your family and learning to explore the world/expand your horizons without any prior expectations

the contrast in childhoods/relationship w parents vs how similar their struggles are

To my knowledge, the idea of all the al Ghuls being worshipped within the League religiously hasn't been explored (if only to make Ras eviler bc scary cult things). In the Taxonomy-verse, a lot of Damian's au character is built upon him being regarded as a religious figure related to Ras (the League's god/Mother Earth's messiah). He's a piece of god, a piece of the Demon. He isn't his own individual to the worshippers and assassins. Everyone is a shared conglomerate, and Damian can't be any different. With Chris, he's publicly known in Metropolis as the alien boy who saved the city from Phantom Zone invaders and the god vessel of Night-wing to other Kryptonians (mostly Kandor). Damian is also known as the son of Batman and the son of Bruce Wayne/Talia al Ghul, and Chris is known as a Kryptonian under Superman's protection and Clark Kent/Lois Lane's son. Neither is allowed individual identities outside of their families. They are worshipped as something other, not human, not mortal. Their stories are fundamentally about striving for independence and identity when the world decides it for them. Damian fights bloody to define himself within the Bat-structure, while Chris always seems to give up his own happiness and individuality in service of other people. Somehow always ending up in the Phantom Zone no matter what. Damian will always keep fighting and Chris will always sacrifice himself - but they'll never be who they want to be. They can't endure being gods. They can't enjoy being children.

They can be very similar when explored this way, but where they differ is their childhoods. Chris was raised by textbook abusive parents. Zod and Ursa never cared for him beyond what use he had as a portal to Earth. He was kept imprisoned, experimented on, treated as a tool and soldier and not a child. The only person who showed him kindness was Non, but Non lacked the ability to help Chris is any way besides silent comfort after the abuse had already occurred. Damian was not abused physically, but psychologically. He was manipulated with expectations, religious zeal, cult tactics of bombardment and the constant shifting of training goals. His father cared little for him and only began to start parenting him after Bruce came back from the "dead." His mother cared almost too much, she wasn't able to do anything to help him other than just removing him from the life he used to know. Chris knows what it's like to live in fear of those who should protect you, and Damian knows what it's like to live believing you are the best and then having that image utterly shattered. Damian wouldn't know what its like for a father to be ready to kill you with his bare hands, super strengthened fingers around your skull and an iron fist around your arm. He doesn't know of a mother who drives blades of radioactive poison through flesh, a mother who calls you a pathetic whelp and beats you until you lie covered in your own blood. Chris wouldn't know a father who tries his best but doesn't see you a person until it's too late, a father who'll always choose something (justice, the city, his other sons) over you. He wouldn't know of a mother who had no choice but to abandon you, a mother whose life you know would be improved if you'd just never existed.

But maybe they find each other. Maybe even when Damian resents Chris's ability to be unconditionally loved and Chris balks at Damian's need to prove himself even through death. Maybe they'll talk about things they can't have (a home, a purpose), maybe they try to be kids for once, maybe they try to escape the shadows of their parents but go down different paths. Damian will not be Batman, Chris will not be Superman. But they hold heroes in their hearts. They look at each other and go "maybe this time, we can be ourselves. no judgement. no world ending."

[dairy-farmer]

There's this DamiTim fic called, "That Unwanted Animal". And it's literally so good. Basically They were all a little older when Bruce died. Damian, iirc, was sixteen.

Dami was so horny for Tim. So possessive too. It was delicious. I really want underage or younger Damian grooming older Tim

Imagine Dick finding out about their relationship. Idk if their dynamics would have been the same in this AU since Damian and Dick had gotten closer in canon during his time as Batman. What if Dick thought Tim had groomed their baby brother? Damian would've been offended if it weren't helping him isolate Tim further, making sure that Tim is his all alone.

By the time someone manages to talk sense or prove Dick wrong, he's too late. Tim doesn't trust him anymore. He's even more attached to Damian, always clinging to him, always looking to him on what to do next. Dick screams at Damian that he broke Tim and that he doesn't trust that his obsession would even last since he snuffed out the fire that was Tim's independence and brain. But Damian have already accounted for that. He doesn't really care for Tim's independence. And he won't let his mind dull. After all, they make so much enemies, his mind would be his ultimate weapon against them in the event that Damian can't reach him in time to protect him.

And it's all Dick's fault really. If he only investigated more. If he only hadn't let his emotions get the best of him. His outburst about Tim and Damian's relationship had reached the other vigilantes. His beloved has been shunned and turned away by those blind fools. But they have made their relationship closer and stronger. He'll be sure to thank Dick and send him an invitation to their wedding

-🦆

i just read it!!!!!! it was so good!!!!!!! i love fics where tim's struggle is the idea that HE will be perceived as the aggressor even when he's the victim!!! one of my favorite fics where this happens is this fic by weirdalterego

i think that damian and tim's relationship and dynamic is very unique and different from that other batcest ones because in the age gap- TIM is the one who is older, the adult, the "mature" one which inherently shifts the power dynamic in his favor and in basically every other scenario that would be the case. but because DAMIAN is the younger person he absolutely holds a lot of sway and power as well as the ability to completely flip the power dynamics because of just how much bullheadedness and audacity he has. in their dynamic, damian is often the aggressor with tim. he's the one who attacks, and tries to hurt tim and tim is the one forced to defend or backed into a corner until he fights back. i think that in general their realtionship and one in which damian is pursuing tim is almost so unbelievable it doesn't even register as taboo because people's default assumption will be that TIM was the one doing something wrong, tim was the one grooming damian, taking advantage of damian.

tim being hit with the realization that not only do his friends and family not believe him about what's going on- they think HE'S the predator and not the victim. i truly think that tim, in a delicate and unstable state, would absolutely be rendered emotionally broken by it. and damian who has been trying to make him pliable and obedient would be there to comfort him, stroke his hair, tell him 'there there' while tim trembles like a frightened puppy and sobs while clinging to damian- the only person who cares about him. especially after dick tears into tim, launching horrible accusations that just make tim cry.

even worse is that dick is a venter. he vents to friends and dick has many friends and those friends talk and it's why tim had found no support from the community when he went looking for bruce. bruce and clark and so many leaguers are off-planet. maybe if they weren't they could've stopped dick...told him to think about what he was saying, if he REALLY thought tim was capable of such things. even jason, when he returns to gotham after a long-term undercover op, expresses immediate distrust in dick's conclusion.

jason knows predators, he knows pedophiles, he knows how they work, how they think, how they lay traps, how they lure. predators that prey on kids prey on them because they're young, small, and vulnerable. they rely on their inexperience and the fact that they don't know better or are in shitty home situations so no one is around to protect them. jason stresses to dick that predators and pedophiles follow their dicks and their desires, they're too fucking stupid to actually outsmart anyone or be discreet about what they want. if someone like tim was a predator they would never fucking know it.

but that's not what pushes the realization onto dick. it's kori. while dick is blasting tim's name over a call, kori's smile fades and grows thin lipped and grim. she comes to dick one night. flies to his apartment and asks to talk. she doesn't say that dick's an idiot but she asks what led dick to this conclusion. why he believed all these terrible things about tim. dick shows her the videos, the photos, he tells her what he saw when he walked in on tim riding damian on a rooftop while rain drenched both their bodies.

dick realizes that this hatred festering in his stomach is not something he's ever felt for tim. kori guides him through it. helps him see. how tim's face in the photos is always creased in reluctance, distress, and panic. how damian keeps asking tim, keeps touching him, keeps cornering tim until tim agrees to sex.

dick goes into tim's files and personal messages and sees unkind words and messages, hears how 'red robin' has been blacklisted from other cities outside gotham and, with dawning horror, realizes what he's done.

dick had never really healed from...from that night...on the roof...in the rain with tarantula over him. and then....he'd seen damian.

arching up and moaning trying to keep his cock in tim's cunt as his hips gyrated and slammed down...and all he'd seen was himself...younger and upset and disoriented and begging for it to stop.

dick almost throws up as he stares down at the messages. at the pictures and video.

bruce returns to a devastated dick and horrible accusations being thrown around about tim.

by the time they managed to quell rumors they realize damian and tim haven't been living in the manor for awhile. despite the fact that he always eats his meals at the manor, damian is almost always spending time at tim's apartment. bruce and burst in while tim is burying his face into a couch cushion, damian's fingers tangled in his hair and pulling tim's head up to stare at the laptop playing porn. damian is fucking tim roughly and not stopping even when bruce and dick arrive.

he refuses to stop even when bruce roughly orders him to. dick tries to get close to tim but tim just sniffles and retreats into damian's arms who strokes his back and soothes him while staring at both batman and nightwing with victory in his eyes.

dick blames himself for chasing tim into...into...damian's arms. he doesn't want to think or believe that damian was ever truly capable of such things but...hadn't he had no problem believing them of tim?

dick and bruce are thinking of ways to unfuck dick's massive screw up when...when an invitation comes in the mail. damian has freshly turned 18. which means its legal for him to get married.

which is what is happening. bruce gets stone-faced and is already thinking of how they can put a stop to all of this when more news reaches them.

tim is pregnant.

at least a few months already which is shocking to hear because they hadn't seen evidence of it when they'd last seen tim. but it's true. the pictures of a little blob in tim's womb are in his medical records courtesy of leslie who has known for months about what damian was doing but bound by confidentiality and tim's own close-lipped confessions.

dick stares at the pictures and invitations with numbness flooding his body and can't help but feel like this was all his fault.

[francisofgotham1]

Catholic Bat Family HC (inspired by @incomingalbatross)

This is inspired by @incomingalbatross's posts on the same subject that I absolutely adore because of all of the complexity around it (and how similar his code is to Catholic Christian teachings), and being a Catholic myself, I identify with it. Her works can be found here, here, here, here, and here (as well as a couple of asks).

Okay, here we go. First, a synopsis of the posts and asks:

Bruce was raised Catholic (and yes, Martha is Jewish, which is not the same thing as religiously Jewish). He drifted away in adolescence, but came back during his Training Abroad. He starts Confession with "I'm Batman" and added a chapel to the Manor.

Alfred is Anglican, and while he and Bruce have agreed to disagree, they strive for common ground.

Dick is "umbrella" Christian, i.e read the Bible to him, was taught pray, attended services, and was baptized, but it was never formal. When he came to the Manor, Bruce never pushed to convert because he's very sensitive to the "making a kid go against his dead parents' wishes" idea. He remained a believer, went to church w/ Bruce and Alfred, and deeply respects Bruce's faith, but he never had a deep connection with it all.

Jason, on the other hand, is FIERCELY Irish-American Catholic, has a battered rosary, and has a strong devotion to the Holy Family. He and Bruce click on this immediately, both how Bruce understands his troubles and how much Bruce wants to help him. And maybe Jason wants to become a priest? (aka Father Todd).

But then, of course, Jason dies and Bruce mourns hard. However, his faith is the only thing that keeps him sane and going. ( he prob. comes back bc of Superboy or Bat-Mite? But not solely the Pit).

Then Tim shows up, and things change again. Tim is Protestant (maybe), and so he starts debates with Bruce when things get quiet. It reminds him of Jason sometimes, and the contrast can be jarring, but it's good. Tim is also earnest about his faith, and somehow becomes church friends with Clark (who of course, is Midwestern Protestant). They probably end up converting Kon together.

Then, Jason comes back and he is angry at both Bruce and the Church because he's "struggling to reconcile what he used to believe with the tremendous, staggering injustice he's been put through and that he sees others going through." (copied from here). It is also a given that his relationship with Bruce and the Church are very intertwined. It means, though, that any progress in mending one leads to progress in the other. It all begins with Jason dipping himself in Lourdes (HEAVY symbolism there), and as it goes on, he and Bruce start to bond: helping in the field, trusting each other with territories, Bruce giving him the rosary back, going to Mass on the same church (but never speaking), etc. It's gradual, but it works.

Then Cass, Steph, and Damian comes in, and WHAM! Bruce is sent back in time, or "dies".

Dick comes into the faith fully in deeply regrets not having Bruce there with him when it happens. Damian goes along and becomes passionate in his own way. This acts like a beacon for the other siblings to come into the faith fully (except for Tim).

Jason keeps going with his journey, and eventually becomes the spiritual leader of the family (in a way).

Also, Selina starts kind of antagonistic, but thanks to a nudge from Bruce and her sister (Sister Maggie), she develops her faith independently from others

Father Brown is referenced as Bruce's spiritual adviser; Flambeau is also referenced to.

Now this leaves us with a couple of areas/characters to play around with: Tim, Steph, Cass, Duke, the Rows, Barbara, and more....

Which I will do in another post because this is way too long. Once again, go check out @incomingalbatross, she has some amazing work that goes beyond Batman (for example: Doctor Who, Dracula, Ranger's Apprentice, Catholic things in general, Psych, and more). Anyways, have a good one!!!

[sheep33hallow]

Moonshine, Sunshine (SuperBat)

Rating: G

Word Count: 1053

Tags: Western AU, Batkids, Pre-relationship

Summary: The leader of the Gotham Gang doesn't take too kindly to strangers. The only reason Clark is allowed entry on their land is because he has an excuse.

_____

“Hello Bruce.” Clark greeted from his spot at the bottom of the stairs. He stood on the grass, being mindful of the plants their herbalist, Miss Isley recently planted. 

Bruce sat in his rocking chair, whittling a chunk of wood, with a knife that looks similar to a knife set he gave Bruce a few weeks ago. 

The leader of the Gotham Gang doesn't take too kindly to strangers. The only reason Clark is allowed entry on their land is because he has an excuse. 

Dick waves at him from his spot on the top step. 

He waves back. 

“You saw the twins yesterday, Mr. Kent. Doesn't the leader of the Metropolis Misters have better things to do than to visit children he can't take care of?” 

Clark chuckles, rubbing the back of his head. “Well, saving infants from a pack of bison leaves quite an impression.” 

Tim comes around from him, age eight, with a basket full of eggs. “You know they call you Superman.” Tim points his thumb out like he was hitchhiking. “They won't say it to your face though. So they whisper.” He smirks at him. 

“And on account of Bruce telling them not too.” Jason says, age 9, coming from the other side of Clark with a headless chicken in his hold. He chuckles when he sees Bruce frown at him. Jason walks up the stairs to show the bird to Dick, who nods. 

“Good work, Jaybird.” Dick, age fourteen.

Jason lits up. 

“It's unkindly. Mr. Kent has a name. No need to inflate his ego.” 

“Mama told me, I was born without one.” Clark defends. 

Bruce puts his tools down, and picks his black cowboy hat up that was sitting on the porch banister. “Come on, let's get your visit over with so you can leave. I don't want to keep you.” 

Clark pats each boy on their head as he walks up the stairs to follow Bruce inside of the house. 

Bruce’s house is the largest on the ranch. The Gotham Gang makes most of their money through selling animals, and animal furs, along with a few medicinals they've become known for. 

Don't tell anyone what you saw. 

Clark remembers him saying that, the first time he met Bruce. A different black hat was on his head, along the black scarf that was covering his face, no longer there, hanging on his neck. 

“Easy steps. Damien is sleeping.” They bypass his son sleeping on the couch. A book hanging, looking like it's one turn of the boy's body from falling to the floor. 

Clark follows Bruce on a familiar path. He's been here enough times in the last few months to visit on his own, but Bruce won't let him into the house without being supervised. 

The other members of the gang have taken kindly to him, even a few have visited where he and his Gang have set up camp until they're able to buy more land. The Misters are used to moving around often, and some are still traveling while sending money back to aid in the land buying. 

Some have gotten jobs in the neighboring towns, and they've gotten more horses to accommodate all of the independence more of his gang has been experiencing.

His own horse, Krypton, has been liking the trips. Harley always brushes and feeds him like he's a part of the Gotham stable. 

“Here.” Bruce says. He opens the door, and sees the twins in their cribs. Helena is sleeping, but Terry has his arms up reaching for anyone. Bruce walks to one side of the crib, leaning over, he strokes Helena’s head. A soft smile as he looks at her. 

Clark walks to the other side, and gleefully picks up Terry. “Hey, buddy.” He holds Terry in his arms. “I've missed you.” He looks sideways at Bruce who isn't paying him any mind. “Even though I saw you yesterday.” He whispered to the baby as if it's their own inside joke. 

Terry grins at Clark and touches his face. 

He never had kids of his own, and he bonded with these two after protecting them. 

“Are you staying for dinner again, Mr. Kent?” Bruce reaches down, taking a sleeping Helena out of her crib. The baby whines for a moment before Bruce shushes and pats her back. “Dick killed and skinned a few animals, and he wants to try his luck feeding us all tonight.” 

Surprised. “Dick can cook?” He smiles, sounding proud. “You have some fine boys, er– should I say young men on your hands.” Clark bites his lips, suddenly feeling bashful when Bruce simply looks at him. 

Bruce eyes him. “You've really taken a liking to my boys. This.” His eyes squint for a moment, like he is collecting his thoughts. “You don't eventually want the twins back?” Bruce asks hesitantly. 

Caught off guard. “No, never.” He stresses. “They're better off with you. I-I just like them is all, and Dick and the others are a wonderful addition to know them.” 

Bruce hums. “And you're not trying to get more dirt off the Black Bat?” 

“What more dirt is there? You have a nice community, and good kids. Also, all I know is rumors about the Black Bat, it doesn't mean it is all true or how it connects to you Mr. Wayne.” Clark lifts brow at him, a smirk to tease. 

Bruce looks him up and down. “Alfred said you were fine people.” He said, sounding relieved. And Bruce’s shoulders seem to finally relax around him. He snuggles Helena more into his chest. “Well, I hope you'll stay. Well for Dick I mean. Tonight.” He emphasized. 

Feeling a little bold. He walks closer to Bruce. “I can always stay when the youngin are asleep. I have a bottle of moonshine my friend, J’onn made.” He can smell cigars on Bruce. 

“Mr. Kent.” He says, demurely. “I hope you'll take care of me if I should act unlike myself. I've been known to be weak to moonshine.” Bruce looks up at Clark, and grabs the opening of Clark's vest, tugging him closer, the twins end up bumping each other. 

“Letting me know all of your weaknesses, Bruce.” He sweetly jokes. Clark licks his lips, looking at Bruce's. 

“Ha.” Bruce laughs. “Not even close, farm boy.” 

[loisinherlane]

kon :) also lois :3c

am i doing this at work.... shhhh

Kon

Sexuality Headcanon: I love said BiKon but also I have a soft spot for gay Kon. I'm good with either depending on what I'm trying to write. He's definitely not straight. Attraction to men is real. Is attraction to women comphet???? I mean, he's been Told to be, and how is he ever supposed to separate that out from all of the things he is?

Gender Headcanon: He's sooo nonbinary. I don't have more specific label for him, but everyone make my gender is superboy jokes.

A ship I have with said character: TimKon ❤️ I'm really not a multishipper for him. I do have a fondness for all of his comphet girlies though.

A BROTP I have with said character: Lori!!! I'm a Lori girl, and I believe that cousin relationships are so important. I think Kon connecting with the Luthors who AREN'T Lex can be fun. And also having a same age cousin is a fun experience.

A NOTP I have with said character: T*na. Kn*ckout. Good Lord.

A random headcanon: Kon can find enjoyment in a lot of different careers, but he does get bored after a while. I think as an adult, he'll be the "I know a guy" guy because he's done so much.

General Opinion over said character: All you need to know is that when YJA premiered, I googled Superboy, saw his original costume, and thought, "That's peak character design." And he's the Mom Friend!!!

Now for Lois ❤️

Sexuality Headcanon: Bi! But also demisexual. She knows she likes men because that's expected, but she's never thought too long and hard about why she doesn't think about sex like the rest of the world seems to. She has bigger things to do. But I so believe she's had some intense relationships with women that were never consummated because she didn't Know. As an adult, after she's married, she realizes she's bi, but by then, they're in a committed monogamous relationship.

Gender Headcanon: Cis woman. Again, not something she's thought too hard about.

A ship I have with said character: CLOIS ❤️ And idk in what universe I'd want to see it, but COULD we do Lois/Talia?

A BROTP I have with said character: I know you said this too but. I want to see Talia and Lois interact. I don't know if they'd hate each other or be best friends. But put them in a jar and shake. I also love her dynamics with the Daily Planet staff.

A NOTP I have with said character: Superman/Lois Sorry I think I'm funny. Bruce/Lois.

A random headcanon: Lois wouldn't have gotten married if she hadn't met Clark. I don't mean this in a one true love way but the fact that everything about Clark made her question her own need to be independent. He is in a lot of ways the one person she can trust because he's the one person who truly trusts her.

General Opinion over said character: She's an iconic character, and people who don't like her don't like Women.

[bonebrokebuddy]

-Alright I’ve been tagged by @stealingyourbones to do the WIP Challenge. Rules Here!

Feel free to ask me about any of them and I’ll be happy to let u know what it’s about! :D (please i need encouragement to write about them and I don’t want them to be left in WIP hell forever)

Most of these didn’t previously have titles so I’m going to make them up as I go with some having brief summaries.

As I have chronic carpal tunnel so many (but definitely not all) of these are generally short prompts or fic outlines I need to iron out but many have surpassed 3k so I can safely declare some as fics. And there’s a Lot of stuff here so sorry that this is super fucking long but I’m still not including a shit ton of ideas so I can keep it under 100 for now.

I focus a lot on world building and ideas just keeps expanding to the point where I feel like I can’t write it out without having to explain everything else & so I tried splitting them into the smaller ideas & hopefully that’ll help!

@die-erlkonigin6083 ur being tagged now:

Ok so my written ones:

- Stuck In An Adventure: (Wally West getting stuck in a The Adventures of Superman reminiscent universe (radio show that ran from 1940-1951)).

1) Fawcett City: Through A Child’s Eye:

1.a) Sovereign Nation

1.b) Child Logic: A Brief Rundown of How Things Work in Fawcett City In This AU.

1.c) F’s in Math: Fawcett City Education Standards

1.d) Childlike Misconceptions (x40 I have so many ideas about this)

1.e) Fawcett City Food Culture

1.f) Plan to get Captain Marvel back into continuity in a way that's entertaining, makes sense, and would keep it relevant in the DCU while being able to keep more of it’s original Golden Age tone and make the worldbuilding so much cooler.

1.g) Currency of an allowance

1.h) Robbing Bank Customs

1.i) Issues With The Education System

1.j) Magic Taught In Fawcett Educational Programs

1.k) Medicine & Injury Differences In Fawcett Citizens

1.l) Ambient Knowledge of the Radio & Past Lives: Billy Batson

2.a) Booster Gold. An Exploration into a Modern Version Adaptation of His Online Rise to Fame and His Downfall

2.b) Booster Gold: TikTok Sensation (this is kinda fused with the one above but is more lighthearted in tone)

3) Booster Gold: The Backstory and Rant About an Underappreciated and Massively Relatable Hero.

4) Billy Theorizing Back.

5) Linda Finding Out She Had Twins (but retold based on a real story)

6) The Daily Planet’s Gossip Mill

7) The Worries of the Daily Planet Employees over the one & only Clark Kent/ The Daily Planet thinks Clark’s a Meta but for Different Reasons Than You Might Think.

8) Jimmy Olsen Needs Therapy

9) The Softness Behind A Mask

10) Office Gossip

11) An Electric Charge: All Powered Up

12) Psychic/telepathic Clark (apparently this was a fairly uncommon but still very much existing fan theory that I just thought of independently. But once I found out that it already existed, I lost hope and stopped writing it but it's Very much a theory I enjoy and love that explains literally most if not all of Clark’s abilities.

13) “You mean, you Don’t actually look human?!

14) SO MANY KRYPTONIAN BIOLOGY IDEAS:

14.a) FUN (x so many just give me a number and I’ll give you a certain amount of short prompts for kryptonian biology ideas)

14.b) Inconvenience for the Kents

14.c) Braces

14.d) Biology Discussion

14.e) Different Nutritional Needs. Turns Out Invulnerable Teeth Mean You Can Eat A Lot Of Weird Shit

14.f) Humans stood on two legs to punch things. Why the fuck did kryptonians have the same

14.g) Eyes: Windows To The Soul The Size Of An Orange

15) Man of Steel, Unable to Feel: The issue of Clark’s the association of pain with touch.

16) A brief complaint on the lack of depictions of Batman’s Diet and Workout Regimine in fics because there’s so much comedy potential

17) A Meal Even The Flash Won’t Eat: Bruce’s Protein Shakes

18) Inside-out Space and Time (Dissecting the rock of eternity & it’s ability to travel time without the Speed Force)

DP X DC:

18) Critique on DP x DC twin AU

19) Guide on realism in twin interactions for twin au fics & how twins actually work.

20) Jason Todd’s Fenton Family Reunion

21) Discussion of Theme Similarity of 90’s Superboy and the Danny Phantom Cartoon.

22) A Summoning Going Dead Wrong (an ask commandeered from @stealingyourbones that got stuck in WIP hell and is FINALLY nearly done. I just need someone to unfuck my formatting & it’s all set.)

23) Wait What Do You Mean There’s Two Of You?

24) DP x DC What Do You Mean You Thought This Was A Nuclear Blast Zone?: Explaining the Metagene’s Existence in Amity Park, How Amity Park Was Hidden from the DC World, and the Discovery of It Not Being A Wasteland.

25) A Brief Reminder of Death and Revival: Blood Blossoms in Gotham

Based off of this post (which I am making a reply to but i gotta generate more ideas that fit with the theme first. Got the lore part done tho which is nice)

26.a) Wally West trips into the Backrooms.. wait why’s it all floating and green?

26.b) Speedsters can get healed by GZ

26.c) Speedsters get hurt by GZ contact

26.d) Speedsters gain extra powers when in contact with GZ

26.e) Too Much Of A Good Thing: Ectoplasm Overload (Flash Family)

26.f) How The Fuck Is This Working: Bafflement of the Fenton’s Building Conventions (Flash)

26.g) Lichtenberg AU Flash x DC (x2)

27) Familiar Branching Scars: Lichtenberg AU Captain Marvel x DP where I go way into specifics of magical theory and magical lab procedure than I should’ve

28) Danny’s Not Alive: The Issues That Come With Collecting a Ghost’s DNA

29) Ambient Ectoplasm Quality Warning: Health effects can be immediately felt by sensative groups. Healthy individuals may experience difficulty breathing and throat irritation; consider staying indoors and rescheduling outdoor activities. Please retreat to the GZ for your own safety.

30) tired TA Peter Parker who works a job at a university sponsored lab doing microfluidics

31) College Wally West complaining to his friends about his lab job & the difficulties trying to be a “real scientist”

32) They didn’t tell you being a Clone would come with an inferiority complex and the necessity to tell everyone around you that Not The Same Person Don’t Compare Us (yet I still I want to stand by their side and not in their shadow). (Kon-El)

Brainworms i need to write but have them recorded in my audio app & not transcribed yet:

33) Dash & Booster Gold, Ex-Star Quarterbacks

34) Frozen in Time (DP and the Flash Family)

35) I’m Not the Black Flash!

36) Ghosts In Space (do x dc)

37) The Contrast of Life and Death (Flash Family x dp)

38) Inhuman amounts of Speed. (Flash)

39) Opposing Forces: Same Energy (flash family x dp)

40) Metagene: How the Activation of an Integrated Virus Changes That Much Shit if it Activates

41) A Ghost and An Alien Walk Into A Bar…ow

42) A Ghost from the Future: A Mentor in the Past (Bart Allen)

43) Billy Batson: learning magic theory

44) Jimmy Olsen: Traumatized Beyond Belief (Taos discussion about how the character is handled)

45) Jimmy Olsen: A Neglected Superfamily Core Member By The Fans

46) A Parental Bond and Parental Worry: Clark Kent & Jimmy Olson

47)  Trust and Betrayal: Clark Kent Losing a Child’s Trust

48) Help I Think I Accidentally Adopted A College Student What Do I Do

49) A Brief Dissection of the Broad Symbols the DC Hero’s Stand For and Goals they Want: Personal Characterization Help

50) Anger Feels The Same As Happiness (The Feeling Is Just As Intense) (Bart Allen)

51) Shadows of the Future, Traces of the Past: Bart Allen is Not Okay (YJ cartoon)

[flashflashhundredyarddash]

dick "eldest daughter syndrome" grayson

so dick grayson grows up an only child raised by alfred pennyworth, who is kind but very emotionally distant, and bruce wayne, who is kind but goes through phases where he borders on being emotionally neglectful and also lowkey suicidal

so dick internalizes very early that he is bruce wayne's Normal People Translator and although he can't really articulate this as a kid he is subconsciously aware that he is one of bruce's bullet points on the list bruce wayne keeps which is titled "Reasons for Living" (fellow contenders include alfred, clark, diana, ace, jim gordon)

it's not that bruce is intentionally using dick as an emotional crutch but bruce has kind of lost the baseline of how normal people behave and they are Trauma Bonded because they fight very violent crime every night

because bruce and alfred are dick's baseline for how People behave dick is a very intense person who becomes deeply attached to people very quickly and while he can socialize like a normal person for periods of time once you are Actually Friends with dick grayson/robin you are like wow you are a freak but i still love you

so this is how dick grows up and then when he hits his teens and realizes that he views bruce as a dad and they start fighting more and more dick is like bruce i just NEED you to tell me that you love me and view me as a son and bruce is just INCAPABLE of telling dick this so dick is like fine i am leaving and becoming my own person

cue dick learning emotional growth and finding his found family without being smothered under the weight of batman/bruce

and then one day dick finds out through the news that there is a new robin :)

cue dick grayson suddenly developing eldest daughter syndrome in the span of 0.5 seconds

dick grayson TRIES to be nice to jason but jason makes it SO FUCKING HARD and bruce makes it SO FUCKING HARD but dick doesn't want to tell anyone about his problems BECAUSE DICK SOUNDS SO PETTY IF HE TELLS PEOPLE HIS BILLIONAIRE GUARDIAN ADOPTED ANOTHER ORPHAN KID AND PROBABLY SAVED HIM FROM A LIFE OF DESTITUTION AND CRIME AND ALSO BRUCE IS A GOOD PERSON AND DICK STILL LOVES HIM BUT ALSO DICK IS SO SO ANGRY

but dick isn't allowed to tell people he's angry because he is supposed to be a calm and collected pillar of the superhero community :)

:)

and then jason dies

and dick was the worst big sister ever because maybe if he had been a better person or brother jason would have reached out to dick or bruce and jason wouldn't have died

and then tim

at first with tim it starts out with "I am not going to repeat the same mistakes with Jason" and then dick genuinely just starts to love tim and views him as his little brother

and tim has to deal with an even more emotionally distant and HIGHKEY suicidal bruce so now dick grayson's eldest daughter syndrome has kicked into FULL GEAR so he tries his best to shield tim from it and give tim the emotional support tim needs and dick is still :) not :) angry :) at :) bruce :) about :) it :) because bruce just lost a child and is grieving but bruce you still have two living children right here in front of you BEGGING you to reach out to them and you just won't do it :)

like obvs dick gets angry at bruce about a LOT of things but dick just refuses to acknowledge that the root of it is the obvious emotional neglect so dick is just dealing with symptoms because bruce won't deal with the actual problem

dick isn't all that close with cass initially because Cass is independent and tends to do her own thing more often than not but also her and bruce just Click in a way dick doesn't with bruce and dick is like this :) is :) fine :)

oh look now jason is back from the dead.

cue bruce dying, dick now has to take care of damian, and tim has run off

ELDEST DAUGHTER SYNDROME ELDEST DAUGHTER SYNDROME

now dick is ACTUALLY TAKING CARE OF BRUCE'S YOUNGEST CHILD BUT DICK IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE ANGRY AT BRUCE ABOUT IT BECAUSE BRUCE IS ACTUALLY DEAD THIS TIME AND THE BURDEN OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ISN'T FALLING TO DICK SIMPLY BECAUSE BRUCE IS AN ASSHOLE

AND NOW DICK'S DAD IS DEAD AND HE HAS A KID SO DICK IS MENTALLY REPLANNING HIS ENTIRE FUCKING LIFE TO TAKE CARE OF HIM AND TIM IS MISSING AND NOW DICK IS BATMAN AND DESPITE DICK'S BEST FUCKING EFFORTS HE JUST NOW HAS TO SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE PICKING UP THE PIECES OF BRUCE'S

WHICH IS THE EXACT FUCKING OPPOSITE OF WHAT DICK WANTED TO DO WITH HIS LIFE

BUT BRUCE IS DEAD SO DICK CAN'T BE ANGRY AT BRUCE BECAUSE IT'S NOT HIS FAULT

(it is a little his fault)

and then bruce comes back

duke sometimes feels like an outsider intruding on the family but dick loves their one-on-one time because dick actually feels like a Proper Big Brother and not like he has to micromanage duke and bruce's relationship which is such a relief

at no point has bruce ever apologized to dick or literally ever reached out to dick barring some Intense and Fraught encounters and dick never says anything to bruce dick just kind of learns to live with it which sucks and is not the ending dick wants but sometimes you just compromise and warp yourself for the sake of people you love. because the tragedy of it is that dick does love his dad but since he's older he has a better support system outside of bruce and knows his limits better

when bruce offers to adopt dick dick is immediately like YES YES YES YES LIKE BRO THAT'S BEEN THE CRUX OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP ISSUES FOR YEARSSSSS

dick grayson kins marcia brady

[invisibleanonymousmonsters]

Father of Mine – 2/2

Character: Bruce Wayne x Daughter!Reader

Summary: With the tragic passing of her mother, Y/N learns to the truth of who her father is.

Word Count: 4,100+

Warnings: absent father, subtle violence, mention of family death

A/N: The reader is described as tall in this fic. Bruce Wayne is 6′2 and I’m tall, so I’m indulging myself with no apologies. Read it or don’t.

Part 1

Bruce was working in the cave when Alfred interrupted him.

“Master Wayne, a guest has arrived unexpectedly.”

Bruce gave him a strange look. Hardly anyone showed up to the manor unannounced.

“Ms. Y/L/N,” Alfred added.

“Right,” Bruce sighed.

“She’s waiting for you in your office.”

Bruce found Y/N pacing in the room, refusing to take the seat that he was sure Alfred offered her.

“Y/N,” he greeted, remembering how she disliked the formalities last night.

She whipped around at his greeting. “Am I your charity case now?”

He feigned confusion. “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.”

She looked offended by his lie. “Don’t insult my intelligence. You paid all of my outstanding expenses that my mother left me.”

Bruce opened his mouth.

“Don’t try to lie to me,” she warned.

Bruce closed his mouth.

“Look, I don’t need your help,” Y/N sighed in obvious irritation. “Did you or did you not pay them?”

He took in a shallow breath, “I did.”

Y/N clenched her jaw as Bruce finally admitted his deed.

“I was only trying to help.”

“You can’t just throw money at me and expect it to make up for being a no-show.”

Bruce tensed. 

Did that mean…Did she know?

“You read the letter?” He asked.

“No,” she clarified. “But I figured it out.”

“I had no idea,” he tried to tell her.

“I don’t care,” she almost snorted.

“You have ever right to be angry with me…”

“I’m not angry. I’m annoyed.”

She took a defiant step toward him and crossed her arms.

The heeled boots she had on caused her already tall height to make her be eye to eye with Bruce. 

How many people had faced off with Batman and cowered with fear? 

But she didn’t submit or show any signs of intimidation.

“Do you think I cried myself to sleep every night as a child, wondering where my dad was or why he didn’t want me?” Y/N hissed.

Bruce didn’t respond.

“You think I give a fuck about the father-daughter dances? Or whatever the hell people think dads are only capable of doing?” She narrowed her eyes. “The thing is…I didn’t need you. I didn’t need you then and I don’t need you now.”

Bruce felt sick as he listened to her.

“I have the sneaking suspicion that you wouldn’t have been there for those anyway,” she added roughly. “My mom loved me more than enough. I didn’t need anyone else. And she made damn sure of that.”

“So I’m not your charity case to make yourself feel better after my mom made it clear she thought it was better to keep me from you, than to ever tell you that I existed. Says a lot about what kind of person she thought you are, huh?”

When Y/N finally stopped, she was taking deep breaths.

Bruce wondered how long she had that all bottled up. He didn’t think anything she said was a lie. Y/N didn’t need him. That had become clear.

She had grown up to be a successful, intelligent, and independent young woman.

And she got that way without a father figure of any sort.

After a few moments, Bruce finally bowed his head and cleared his throat. “I never intended on making you feel like a charity case.”

Bruce saw as Y/N took in a deep breath and the guilt slowly took over her expression.  

“Look,” Y/N sighed, “we finally know the truth. Let’s just…let’s just move on with our lives. OK?”  

Bruce couldn’t deny that the suggestion hurt.

After processing the news over the past week or so, he realized he wanted to get to know her. This wasn’t the first time a child of his had been dropped on him far too late. He had failed Damian in so many ways because of it. 

But Y/N was a young woman, fully developed and independent now. And Bruce couldn’t help but wonder that him being absent from her childhood had only benefitted her.

“If that’s what you want,” he finally told her.

Y/N didn’t know him well enough to hear the underlying pain in his words.

So she simply nodded and walked past him, having nothing more to say.

——————

Bruce adjusted his tie. He wanted nothing more than to rip it off his neck.

But he was on his best behavior tonight.

This year, the Gotham Gazette was given the honor of hosting the Pulitzer Prizes. And since Bruce and Wayne Enterprises donated quite a large sum of money to the Gotham Gazette, they felt inclined to invite him.

Bruce had every intention of skipping, until he found out that Lois Lane was receiving an award and Clark would also be attending.

He figured the least he could do was congratulate her and say hi to both of them.

That’s why he was trying to find them as soon as possible so he could and get the hell out of there.

Bruce finally spotted Clark talking to a woman whose back was to him. All he saw of her was the black dress and y/h/c hair. 

He made his way over.

Clark noticed him when he was a few feet away.

“I see you’ve finally left your cave,” he teased with a lift of his brow. “I honestly didn’t expect you to show.”

But when the woman Clark was speaking to turned to look at him, Bruce swore he felt his heart stop.  

Y/N’s eyes widened slightly, clearly just as surprised at seeing Bruce.

None of this went missed by Clark. “Oh, do you two know each other?”

Bruce didn’t know how to respond. What would Y/N want? 

So he hesitated.

“I shot him for a cover once,” Y/N answered quickly.

She was a shockingly smooth liar.

Maybe she got that from Bruce, too.

But she didn’t realize that Clark could hear her heart rate quicken, catching the fib.

“And how exactly do you two know each other?” Bruce asked, recovering quickly.

“Y/N works with Lois a lot,” Clark answered. “She basically refuses to work with any other photographer.”

Y/N managed to force a smile.

“I should actually go find her and say my congrats,” she answered. 

“And I need to hunt down a drink,” she mumbled. 

Both men caught it.

Clark was rather taken aback by how she fled.

The Y/N he knew was always charming and kind, usually life of the party. He’d never seen her dodge a conversation in such a way before.

As soon as she was out of hearing range, Clark gave a intimidating glare to Bruce.

“Want to tell me what that was about?” He asked Bruce.

But Bruce only clenched his jaw.

“Past fling?” Clark asked with a somewhat disappointed tilt of his head.

“No. Nothing like that,” Bruce quickly corrected.

Not only did the idea make him feel sick. But if rumors started of the two of them being romantically linked, Bruce knew it would only make Y/N hate him more than she clearly already did. 

Thankfully, Clark took his denial seriously.

“She’s not my biggest fan,” Bruce added darkly.

“Y/N is a good friend,” Clark told him – almost in warning. “Lois and her have become rather close over the years.”

Then Clark smirked. “She does know how to hold a grudge though. And she’ll make your life hell...if you deserve it.” 

Bruce’s brain hurt as he realized how easily Y/N and his path’s could’ve crossed. She had been friends with Clark and Lois this whole time?

“I’m happy for her,” Clark added.

“Happy for her?”

Clark looked at Bruce as if it was obvious. “She’s being awarded tonight, too.”

How could Bruce not have realized? Why didn’t he think of looking at the list of people being awarded tonight? He’d been dreading attending so much that he didn’t even consider it.

“Bruce?” Clark asked with concern.

“Hmm?” He was not one to hum or mumble.

“You alright?”

Bruce didn’t have a lot of friends.

But Clark Kent was one of them. And him and Diana had noticed how Bruce was acting off for weeks now. Bruce was notorious for remaining stoic and giving nothing for people to try and guess what he was thinking or feeling. But they both knew it was something different. 

Someone over Bruce’s shoulder suddenly waved Clark over.

“If you’ll excuse me,” Clark told Bruce politely.

Bruce’s first instinct was to leave now that he knew Y/N was also in attendance.

But he knew he couldn’t act so cowardly.

Was he really that scared of his own daughter?

His eyes glanced around the room looking for her.

He spotted Y/N at one of the bars.

Either her conversation with Lois had been quick, or she simply used that as an excuse to get away from Bruce.

Bruce walked up beside Y/N at the bar.

He knew she felt his arrival by the way her body tensed.

“Had I known you would be here I would not have attended,” he told her while looking straight ahead.

Y/N ignored his apology. “How do you know Clark?”

“He’s a friend,” Bruce answered casually.

Then he allowed himself to take a sideways glance at her.

Her jaw was clenched.

He wondered what thoughts she was holding back.

Y/N really did remind him of her mother.

When they were together, Bruce was convinced she was the prettiest girl in the world. He wondered if Y/N had found someone in her life who told her the same.

“Congratulations on being honored tonight,” Bruce offered sincerely.

“Thank you,” she answered shortly.

A beat passed between them.

Bruce was about to give up and leave her be.

“Does Clark think I’m one of your one-night stands now?”

Y/N might not know Bruce well, but everyone was familiar with his romantic history. He wasn’t one to keep the same woman around for long. 

“No,” he quickly answered. “I made sure to prevent such a rumor from starting.”

Y/N finally slowly turned to him, her annoyance clear. “And you’re convinced that he really believed you?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes, Clark has always been rather good at detecting a lie.” His tone was so confident that it left little room for argument.

But Bruce knew a losing battle when he saw one.

He dipped his head. “Enjoy the rest of your night. Congratulations again.”

But Bruce lingered, debating if he wanted to say what was on my mind.

“You look very beautiful. Just like your mother.”

There was nothing creepy or contrived about it.

Y/N blinked at the compliment, completely taken aback.

“Goodnight, Y/N.” Bruce dipped his head and finally surrendered, leaving the party.

Y/N felt a presence behind her shoulder as he watched him leave.

“Was Bruce Wayne just hitting on you?” Lois asked with amusement.

“No. Not at all,” her tone was dazed and confused.

“He’s a good guy,” Lois told her lightly.

“Doubt it.”

“I mean it,” Lois insisted. “The media has given him a bad image. But I think he likes it that way,” she shrugged. “It’s not easy for him to open up. He’s not quick to trust.”

Lois thought she was building up a possible suitor for Y/N, having not a clue that she was describing Y/N’s father to her.

But Y/N was too busy thinking about how much Bruce sounded like her.

—————

A few weeks had gone by since Bruce and Y/N had run into each other at the ceremony.

It got Bruce to thinking: would he and Y/N had run into each other at some point in life – even without her mother’s posthumously confession?

Y/N knew Lois and Clark, lived in Gotham, seemed to know the same people through her work that Bruce was forced to interact with to keep up his persona.

Would he have sensed a connection had that been the case?

The possibilities kept Bruce up at night…along with the guilt that had already been eating away at him since he first read the later. And he’d read it 100 times more since.

Of all the boys, Dick was the only one that knew of Y/N’s existence. And if he hadn’t been at the right place at the right time, Bruce never would’ve told him. He had just been in shock after reading the letter that he blurted out the realization while Dick was in the same room.

Since then, Bruce didn’t linger in a room alone with him, knowing Dick would finally let all of his questions loose. And Bruce wasn’t ready to answer them.

While Tim was the one to connect them, he never followed through with what the situation was. He already had too much to deal with on a daily basis. Tim simply thought he was doing a nice favor for a beautiful woman. 

But if Bruce had told him, Tim would immediately do every possible background check on Y/N. He would be suspicious of the timing and underlying motives. He would probably assume that Y/N’s end goal was to get money or fame – or both. Bruce knew eventually Tim would come to the conclusion that Y/N wanted neither of those things. But it would still get an unnecessary rise out of the boy.

Bruce didn’t even want to think about how Damian would handle it. He knew his son felt a certain level of pride from being the only blood-son of his. Knowing he had a sibling – and an older sister at that – would most likely enrage him. And that wouldn’t make anything better. 

Jason…Well, Jason would get a kick out of Bruce letting down yet another child. And it would just be worse that she was blood related. He’d be curious about Y/N. Hell, he’d probably be tickled by the no-bullshit attitude Y/N had towards Bruce and her harsh efforts to keep him out of her life completely.

Now, Bruce sat at a Justice League meeting.

They were only a few minutes into a council session when his communicator started going off.

The boys knew not to contact him unless it was an emergency. So, he quickly excused himself and stood to leave the room.

“What is it?” Bruce answered, his Batman voice in full form.

“There’s been an attack at city hall,” Dick reported back hurriedly.

Bruce frowned. The boys had handled much worse things on their own before. There had to be more to it than that.

“Scarecrow,” Dick confirmed. “He released a fear toxin. It’s bad Bruce. The mayor has been infected, along with half of their staff. I think it’s a new string. Our antidote doesn’t seem to doing anything. Even if it did, we don’t have nearly enough for the amount of victims.”

“The others?” Bruce asked quickly – meaning Damian, Jason, and Tim.

“They’re fine. Jason’s trying to get everyone out before they inhale too much. Tim and Damian went after Scarecrow. GPD is in a panic.”

Bruce turned to see Clark had raced to his side. Clearly he had been eavesdropping on the conversation. But the expression in his face prevented Bruce from getting into an argument about it.

“What?” Bruce asked him, knowing something was wrong.

“Lois and Y/N were at that council meeting,” Clark breathed out.

“We’ll be there soon,” Bruce told Dick before hanging up.

—

Bruce thought he knew fear from the few times his boys had been in trouble. But it was nothing compared to the fear he had knowing it was Y/N this time. She wasn’t a trained vigilante; she was just an innocent civilian. Bruce had not insured that she was trained and could take care of herself.

As soon as Clark dropped them on the ground, they were in the midst of the chaos.

“Lois!” Clark yelled.

People were too distracted to notice Superman and Batman had arrived.

Bruce looked over to see Lois rushing to Clark. He could tell it took all of Clark’s willpower not to embrace Lois from his relief.

“Are you OK?” Clark asked as he dipped his head and his eyes raced across his wife’s body.

“I-I’m fine. I got lucky. Somehow I was out of range of the gas explosion.”

“Y/N?” Bruce interrupted. “Did you see Y/N?”

“She was helping these kids get out and I was getting shoved out of the building. I tried to get to her but it was impossible with everyone’s panic. I think she’s still in there.”

Before Bruce could turn to Clark to come up with a plan, Clark flew into the building. A few people finally noticed the presence of superheroes and started murmuring.

“Nightwing, Red Hood – I’m at the front entrance of City Hall.”

Clark flew back to them not even 30 seconds later.

Y/N was unconscious in his arms.

“Oh my god,” Lois muttered at Y/N’s condition.

“She’s gone into shock. We need to get her to the medics,” Clark informed them. “She was exposed to the toxin more than the others.”

But Bruce was already shaking his head. “They won’t be able to help her.”

Clark gently handed Y/N to Bruce as he explained, “There are others in there.”

Just then Nightwing and Red Hood dropped in front of them.

Nightwing immediately recognized Y/N and his eyes shot up to Bruce with worry.

“Nightwing, I need you to take her back to the cave,” he tried to sound as controlled as possible.

Bruce was confused why Dick hesitated to take Y/N out of his arms.

“Do you have the batmobile? I brought my motorcycle,” Dick sounded apologetic when he explained.

Jason stepped forward before Bruce could answer. “I got her.”

As if she were the most fragile being ever, Jason carefully took Y/N’s unconscious body from Bruce’s grip. He could see in Bruce’s gaze that she was someone special. How and why, Jason would figure out later. 

Jason had seen Y/N trying to help as many people before she was completely poisoned from the toxin. She’d risked her life to help. 

Watching Jason cradle her into his body caught Clark off guard, always seeing the brute strength and almost animalistic energy from Red Hood whenever they so happened to fight beside each other.

“Meet us at the cave,” Bruce clarified. “Alfred will know what to do. We have to help out here more.”

Jason nodded before he hurried away with her and rushed to his hidden car.  

——————

Y/N’s eyes snapped open and she shot up, sitting in a cot.

“Hey, hey, hey,” a voice she didn’t recognize said beside her. “You gotta relax.”

She turned to see a mammoth of a man sitting beside her, wearing vigilante gear with at least two guns being displayed at his sides. But it was the red helmet completely hiding his face and true voice that made Y/N feel uncomfortable.

“What the fuck,” she groaned at the sight of him.

Just a few seconds later, two men rushed into the room.

Bruce walked in still in his Batman uniform, but without his cowl – to Jason’s shock.

Clark was beside him, making Jason confused as to why he was still here. Surely he would want to be with Lois. 

Y/N took in the sight before her.

“You were poisoned with a new strand of Scarecrow’s toxin,” Superman explained.

Y/N had seen plenty of pictures and shaky video of him. But now that the man stood before her, she immediately recognized him.

“Clark?” She gasped.

He didn’t say anything. But his expression didn’t fight her realization, just silently waited for the truth to settle.

“Does Lois know?” Was her next question.

Clark smirked at that. “Of course.”

Y/N gave a slight nod.

But now her attention switched to Bruce. 

The Batman symbol was large across his chest, and his cape was still intact.

She looked around her surroundings and then up at the ceiling.

They were in a cave.

“You’re…you’re…” she couldn’t finish her sentence.

“Batman,” Bruce finally offered.

Y/N’s eyes were wide with panic.

How was this possible?

Now that the others had exposed their identity, Jason felt inclined to take off his helmet. Clearly, it was making her uncomfortable.

The hiss of his helmet being removed caused Y/N to finally look away from her father and to Jason, who still wore a domino mask. But it was far less frightening than the helmet.

“We’ll give you two a moment alone,” Clark spoke for both him and Jason.

Jason nodded and stood up from the seat beside Y/N, and walked out. 

Clark lingered in the doorway. “I’ll be right outside if you need me,” he told her.

He might’ve revealed his Superman identity to her, but she was still his friend.

Y/N managed to nod in thanks, but was clearly still shook by all this news.

Bruce very slowly made his way to the chair that Jason had just been sitting in.

“How are you feeling?”

She shook her head. “Body’s sore. Migraine is killing me. What happened?”

“You were more exposed to the toxin more than the other victims. Jason brought you here. We had to make a new anecdote, and quickly.”

Bruce wanted to add that she could’ve died. But he didn’t see the use in scaring her.

“Oh,” was all she managed to mumble.

An awkward silence settled between them.

“Very few people know the truth about me,” Bruce explained.

Y/N’s gaze flickered up from her lap to look at him.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me. But I figured I couldn’t ask you to allow me into your world if I didn’t allow you into mine.”

She was silent.

“Y/N…” Bruce cleared his throat. The time had come. “The reason I left your mother was because I was starting this life. I pushed her away to protect her. I knew I couldn’t be the man she deserved while also being Batman. Had I known the truth…”

His words died out. It was starting to become harder to control his emotions.

He leaned forward in his chair, just getting slightly closer to her.

“Had I known about you, I would’ve…” He cleared his throat to try and hold back his tears. “I never would’ve abandoned you or your mother.”

He leaned back then. “But I know those are just words. And to you, they probably sound like empty promises for the past.”

“She never knew?” Y/N whispered.

In the few moments she was allowed to process this information, her mind immediately wondered if her mom had known about Bruce’s double life all along. And that’s why she kept him away from her.

Bruce shook his head.

“Thank you…for trusting me enough to tell me your secret,” Y/N finally told him. “I promise I’ll never tell anyone,” she quickly added, feeling like she just needed to clarify that to him.

He gave her a small small, “I know.”

Y/N winced as she thought about how terrible she’d been to him all this time. Now that she knew the truth – the whole truth – she was looking at everything with a new perspective. Even what she knew about Bruce Wayne, the spoiled socialite... it was clearly all wrong. 

He used it as a cover. It was all a cover.

“I’m sorry for how I’ve treated you,” she whispered shakily.

But Bruce shook his head before she could even get the apology out.

“Do you think it’s too late for us?” She breathed. 

Could they ever find any fragment of a father-daughter relationship?

Y/N was an adult – she had been for years now. And she made it clear she didn’t need nor want a father.

“Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time this has happened to me,” Bruce sighed.

Her brow furrowed. “This meaning…?”

“My son, Damian. His mother kept him a secret from me. She didn’t reveal his existence until he was nine. And she only did it in an attempt to disrupt my life.”

“This seems to be a rather strange pattern in your life,” Y/N couldn’t help but point out.

Bruce glared at her, causing her to chuckle.

“My point is,” he continued, “I don’t think it’s ever too late.” And he cleared his throat quickly. “That is, if you want to try.”

“I think I do,” she answered with a shy smile.

It was the first time she’d done so in his presence.

“I don’t know anything about raising a daughter,” Bruce rubbed his face as he attempted to make the joke. But she could tell there was sincerity there, too.

“Well, I’ve already been raised,” Y/N laughed.

There.

That laugh.

It brought Bruce back to his teenage years. It sounded so much like her mother. Her face lit up just like her’s had.

“You remind me so much of your mother,” he gasped.

Her face dropped at his confession.

“Really?”

He nodded. “She said you were just like me. But there’s more of her in you than I think she ever realized.”

Bruce saw his much his words effected her.

Y/N’s eyes were shiny with tears, but she managed to hold them back.

“So what now?” She quickly asked, obviously trying to distract herself so she wouldn’t have a complete emotional breakdown.

“Well, Alfred should have dinner ready soon. Would you stay?”

She gave him a tear-filled smile. “I’d like that.”

“You can meet the rest of them,” Bruce told her casually as he stood.

“The rest of them?”

He nodded. “Well, you only have to meet Damian now. You already met Jason, Dick, and Tim in passing.”

“And here I thought you had no idea how to be a father…” Y/N muttered with amusement.

Bruce helped her get out of bed, making sure she was alright to stand and walk on her own.

“Well, depending on which of them you ask, they might tell you that you’re right.”

--------------------

Thank you to everyone who read the first part. Let me know what you think <3

BONUS: This Game of Ours

[jinx-jade]

Broken promises Part 3

“Why the fuck is Demon spawn at the League’s old base!” Jason growled.

The Wayne’s had all made their way down to the bat-cave. They were currently looking at the computer screen where Damian’s tracker was sitting in the league’s destroyed base.

As far as they were aware, the League had switched locations two years ago after the attack. It was strange for Damian to go back to a place that was nothing but crumbled buildings, let alone go back to the league when he made his stand very clear that he would never return.

“Shall I prepare a form of transportation to Nada Par?” Alfred asked, already heading to do so.

“Yes please Alfred,” Bruce said with a sight. “Jon, why don’t you head back home and see if you and Clark could patrol Gotham tonight.”

“Oh, uh, ok. Let me know when Dames is back?” Jon asked.

“Of course, but he might be grounded for a bit,” Bruce answered.

Jon nodded his head in understanding before leaving for home.

The bat kids made bets as to why Damian would seemingly willingly go back to Nada Par. The speculation continued the whole trip until they landed at their destination.

They searched the whole base with no luck. It wasn’t until they specifically followed Damian’s tracker that they found him.

Damian appeared to be sleeping under a large tree in some kind of garden with plants and animals that they have never seen before.

Next to Damian was an old sword that had been stuck in the ground for at the very least a year. There were vines and flowers wrapped around it, the sword itself was on the smaller side and definitely not one of Damian’s swords.

The bats moved closer to the large tree only for Damian to startle awake. He blinked at them a few times.

“Tch. What are you doing here?” Damian asked. His voice was a bit raspy as if he had been crying. Based on the redness and puffiness of his eyes, he might have been.

“What are you doing at the league’s old base?” Jason asked, not very happy to be back in Nada Par despite it being nothing but rubble.

Damian didn’t answer, instead, he leaned his head back against the tree, appearing to be ignoring them and the question.

“What kind of sword is that?” Dick asked about the blade in hope that changing the topic would get a response from him.

“... It’s a Kodachi…” Damian answered after a few moments of silence, keeping his head leaned back against the tree, his eyes closed.

“Ok, and what is it doing in this garden?” Dick questioned softly, being the best one out of the bats that know how to word things and work around Damian’s walls.

“...” Damian didn’t answer, instead, a single tear rolled down his cheek, shocking the bats. It was the first time they had seen the youngest bat cry. It became clear that Damian must have tilted his head back in an attempt to not cry in front of them.

The area was quiet, unsure of what to do.

“Swords placed in the ground are often used as grave markers of a fallen warrior that died in battle.” Tim reads, having looked it up as an excuse not to look at the crying former assassin.

The group went quiet with the realization that Damian must have been visiting someone’s grave, and that today some time ago, must have been the day of their death.

Damian eventually got up from his spot under the tree, he wiped his tear trails before walking past his family towards the exit.

“... Let’s…  just go,” Damian states, only for Cass to grab the sleeve of his shirt as he passed her.

Cass then proceeds to drag Damina back to his previous spot under the tree having them sit down, she hugged him close, and to their surprise, Damian started sobbing. Cass just rubbed a soothing circle into Damian’s back while combing through his hair and shushing him.

At this moment in time, Damian seemed like a heartbroken little kid, not some cold vigilante, ex-assassin.

The other bats were still frozen in place till Dick moved towards Damian and Cass, wrapping them in a hug. Slowly all the bats joined them under the tree.

They stayed there for a few hours in silence, the only noise being the small almost magic-like creatures, and Damian’s broken sobs.

Once Damian seemed to be done crying and out of tears, Cass asked the question they were all wondering.

“Who’s here?” She asked, placing a hand on the ground next to the blade.

“... You know, the League of Assassins was originally the League of Shadow because it was their job to hide in the shadows to protect our ally the Order of Miracles,” Damian said, tears still stuck in his throat.

“They disappeared for about two hundred years so the League became independent as the League of Assassins. When the Order returned, Ra’s and the Grand Guardian wanted to bind the two organizations together, so they betrothed the heirs of their organization to each other.”

Damian went quiet for a bit, but the bats weren’t known as the world’s greatest detectives for nothing. They could all guess whose grave this was now that Damian had explained that much.

“... we were twelve when she died…” Damian said with a shaky breath.

“Hey, breath, you’re safe, we got you,” Dick said soothingly combing his hands through Damian’s hair.

After a few minutes, Damian seemed to have calmed a bit from his previous worked-up state.

“....She died before we could keep our promise to each other,” Damian said, pulling up his sleeve to reveal a mark that could have been mistaken as a tattoo bracelet with how decorative the mark looked.

“What was her name?” Bruce eventually asks, his voice soft as to not disturb his morning child.

“...Marinette, Marinette Lenoir Wang” Damian said as a stray tear rolled down his cheeks.

About two hours after Damian had finally stopped crying and finished telling them about his betrothed did they start heading back to the jet. On the walk back Damian collapsed, most likely from emotional exhaustion, so Jason ended up carrying him on his back.

It was so strange to see the youngest bat so emotional and tired.

Each of the Waynes promised to help him heal, no matter how long it took.

Each of the Waynes received a mark on their left wrist, similar to Damian’s.

[anastasiaskywalker4]

MisterLuu

That is actually the best pairing DC can make out of Trinity aside Lois and Clark. Or Bruce

and Clark for that matter. They both fit Bruce well, though Diana is even more matched with

him. In fact she's the best match romantically for him out there. At least so far. Though

number of fanfiction and arts on the net would suggest that that spot is reserved for

Superman not Wonder Woman :D

Except maybe for Silver and Julie - all Batman's love interest are abusive and downright

toxic. Selina, Talia, Adrea, Jet. Because in terms of comics and not relationships it fits

Gotham mold. People just tend to forget it after rebirth run. Yeah the one that made Batman

impotent and unable to do anything without the Cat around. Exactly that one. And tend to

forget how terrible as human beings his lovers really are.

Going back to the point. Both Talia and Selina tried to kill him multiple times in the past, or

those close to him. Whatever right? Who wouldn't like a lover that tried to end you few times

over. Both assaulted him physically and emotionally. Repeatedly. Both scared his body and

his mind. Repeatedly. Both tried to seduce his wards (adopted sons if u like), just to get to

him. In Talia's case that was basically pedophilia. That's just sick and makes you want to

puke. Both are possessive bitches, Cat threatening his flings while they are in bed while

Talia, well Talia can even go as far as beheading (to her credit she was right with this one).

Both makes him a goddamn hypocrite. Both face no repercussions after a cold blooded

murder while at the same time he berates Diana like a dick when she came to look for his

friendship and support after Max incident. Difference is she had no choice while Selina or

Talia most certainly had. Great move Bats, hypocrite much? And most importantly they both

lie and betray him, and leave him. Over and over again. Again, that's a constant with Cat

and miss Al Ghul. Diana never showed any of those traits with any of her lovers.

Get any counselor or psychiatrist to read actual Bat love history throughout the decades

and they would be writing books on how disfuncional they are. For a love-hate dynamics

they work fine. Or for some adrenaline fueled sex, but that's it. Hell, he even banged Dinah

when they were on adrenaline high. It all has a clinical term. Trauma bonding. As opposed

to authentic bonding. Which he could have with WW, had even one of them tried.

They did not though. Out of fear of ruining their mutual respect and deep bond. In

pre-flashpoint it may have been a thing if Diana acted on it. Again, Diana, not Bruce, so cut

the crap on how he was deflecting her. He was in doubt, yeah, but clearly was ready to give

it a go. She was the one that got scared even though she was clearly had over bat hills in

love with him. Even Martian stated this to Supes. Pre Crisis ? Not really. Some flirting and

kissing, nothing more. Post-flashpoint, New 52 and Rebirth ? Also not, though DC like to

tease those two. Forever Evil gets a hint that Bruce feels more than friendship towards her,

much to Selina's dismay. And that goddamn tension when they got to spends decades

together in another realm. Mostly from Diana side again. But no. The real canon love that Diana had for Bruce was during pre-flashpoint, not counting alternative universes. And it

was so strong that it showed her loving him more than her mother and sisters. And her

lasso forced her to admit it when facing Mera. But Bruce was "dead" at that point. So yeah,

never acted upon this. Pity. You could see she regretted it.

Aside their comics history in canon universe, realistically speaking Diana is way more

similar to Bruce than Selina will ever be (or Talia for that matter). Even though at a the first

glance they are nothing alike. She's the light , he's the darkness. She believes in love and

trust, tries to see the good in everyone. He's cunning, distrustful and downright realistic to

her idealistic approach. She's honest and straight while he will not hesitate to lie or to use

violence to get results. And you know what? It makes for great couple chemistry and

tension. It may be a cliche, yeah, but Yin and Yang dynamics work. That's why Clark ends

up with Lois all the freaking time. Even on elseworlds he and Diana are a thing only after

Lois is out of the picture. But that's not the most important thing. Yin and Yang provides for

a tension yes, but it would never last in the long run. For a relationship you need also

something in common. And Bruce has that in spades with Diana.

They might be on opposite side of the spectrum but than you realize how much alike they

really are. They are both kindred spirits. Both born fighters, warriors at heart. Arguably two

of the best in the world. At least Diana is according to Batman. And judging by Wonder

Woman's choices in man that is a highly important trait to her. Both endlessly fighting for

others. Both have utmost respect and admiration for each other. Both tirelessly train to

make themselves physically and spiritually better. Constantly. And to make the other better.

Their sparring sessions are legendary. And heated. Both with a great heart and

compassion. I would argue that Bruce's compassion is even bigger than Diana's. Even

though their methods might differ they share the same goal, which he has with no other

woman. Both have the heart of a warrior and are pushed by the circumstances of their

upbringing to reach for impossible dreams. They are also two of the most stubborn and

obstinate people in DC universe. Both perfectly capable of operating solo, and yet both

performing the best in a team. And yes, Bats is a great team player. Both natural leaders

that other heroes follow without hesitation. Both selfless and able to sacrifice for those they

value, trust and love. None of the other Bat trollups have any of those traits. Not to mention

they emotionally and physically find the other highly attractive. One being a literal goddess

and the other perfect male specimen. As for Batman, his relationships tend to collapse due

to a lack of trust. He's either unwilling to bring his romantic partner fully into his world or he

can't bring himself to trust completely. While Selina got his trust now, it's recent

development. And a mistake judging by latest issues. Again. One would think he's smarter.

When it comes to Diana, he trusts her. Fully. She's not privy like BatClan is to his world, but

they aren't that close in mainstream DC. She's not a psycho with daddy issues or a violent

narcissist. List can go on. Selina on the other hand doesn't have that much in common with

Bruce than she has. Not even close. He loves her, yes. But I don't see Di leaving him

countless times over the choices he makes. Or lying, or betraying, or trying to sleep with

Dick to spite him or... you get the point. Though there is one thing that gives Kyle an edge.

Immortality. Diana won't die unless killed. It doesn't make for a great long term relationship

prospect. But then again, those are comics, and he's a goddamn Batman. He would find a

way :)

The thing is - there is no other woman that fits his world as much as Diana does. And Bat is

capable to loving deeply and going to great commitments with a special woman. He showed

it with Andrea, he showed it with Silver. Problem is he always got burned. Every time he let

his guard down and opened himself. And he would have to do it when it comes to Wonder

Woman. She deserves that. It's hard to imagine with current Bruce, but it is most definitely

possible. It would be harder than with an ex criminal or an assassin though. Because there

would be much more on the line. The other two would crawl back anyway if he messed it

up, Di wouldn't.

There is also another aspect to this outside comic universe. His partners tend to be minor

characters compared to WW. She has her own series, JL, JL dark and every major

crossover/event happening in DC. They don't. And so does Batman. Both are one of the

most popular DC characters.

Besides changes to Bruce writing that are needed to make this work (cough.. pre flashpoint

Bats... cough), it would require fitting it to their distinctive titles. And frankly Diana can easily

function without any love interest and generate money. It's even easier that way. It fits her

as an independent, strong female character. Arguably most iconic of them all. And It's most

certainly easier for DC with a tease here and there than an actual WonderBat in mainstream.

Maisterluu wrote this is a comment on a YouTube video which is dow in the comments. They make really good points for ww and bats. No hate to other DC ships with ww and bats.

[luthiensaralonde]

If they do bring Clea in, what do you hope to see for her character? I feel like Emilia Clarke would be an awesome Clea.

1) A better outfit. I do have some faith in the costume designers to deliver something better than what she wears in the comics. I've been disappointed in costume designs before, but I've also been impressed a lot. They better keep the purple though.

2) For her to be with Stephen. The MCU has made weird choices with canon pairings before. Like Nat/Bruce was very random. (not saying I HATED it, but it was so random), and I would hate it if they added Clea just to stick her with a different Avenger--or Stephen with someone like Wanda, another Avenger or an already established character in the MCU (who is not Christine Palmer). So if they're going to write her into the MCU, I want them to be together. They have such a beautiful, interesting, and complex relationship. It would be a crime if they kept them apart.

3) For her to be age appropriate. So yes, your choice of Emilia would be incredible. However, I think she already has a contract with Marvel for something? I can't remember. But I want the actress who plays Clea to be age appropriate for Benedict Cumberbatch. He is 45, and if Clea does come around, it probably won't be for a while, making him even older. So It can't be an actress in her 20's who would probably look like a literal child standing next to him. Let's get an actress well in her thirties or forties. This is one of the reasons why I love Christine Palmer. Rachel and Benedict are the same age. Not that a twenty something can't be in a healthy relationship with someone older, but Hollywood does have a tendency to pair very young women, barely adults, with obnoxiously older men.

4) For Stephen to treat her well. So in the comics, he does love Clea, like a lot. He's absolutely crazy about his wife. But he's distant and she often feels unloved by him. And when she brings this up, he is very nonchalant, and stoic about it. Like he thinks she's being silly. It's very cruel and It's one of things I hate about their relationship. I would want the MCU to change this. It wouldn't be OOC for Stephen to show emotions and love toward her. I genuinely blame the male writers of the past for that portrayal. Don't get me wrong, they did an amazing job developing Clea into a strong, independent woman who was an absolute girl boss. So I'm not complaining about that, but unfortunately that was a common trope back then to have men unfeeling, like they're too good to show true emotion and love to someone, and have the woman only there as a plot device. We've seen a bit of it with Tony and Pepper. So it would be nice for them to depict a more healthier version of their relationship. Honestly, we need that more than anything for the MCU because women are so often treated like garbage in the MCU. Not just by male characters, but by the writers and even the fandom. They are often pushed aside as token female characters and not given complexity, healthy love and the respect they deserve.