#complicated bruce wayne

[sparkoflena]

As somebody who has written Batfamily fanfiction (mostly for myself but I have like two things public), Bruce Wayne's relationship with his kids will always be the hardest part.

Yeah, I could fanon it. But I do try my hardest to be at least vaguely canon-compliant in terms of characterizations/relationships.

BUT the history of Bruce Wayne as a father changes depending on the author you read, which Robin is Robin-ing at the time, and what trauma Bruce happens to be going through. Is he going to be deeply supportive of his kids and attend their events and be both awkward and proud? Is he going to hit his kids? Who knows, certainly not DC writers.

(I'm of the opinion that Bruce Lost-His-Parents-At-A-Young-Age & Adopted-Kids-Like-Him-To-Build-A-Family-He-Didn't-Have-As-A-Child Wayne ABSOLUTELY should be a Good Parent[TM], albeit a bit Overprotective Dad. But there are only a handful of authors who follow this depiction)

[sadwetcatmk]

[casscainmainly]

The Feelings About Dick Grayson Alignment Chart

Open to change.

[sittingonstandby]

Something about Cassandra Cain’s complete disregard for a civilian identity. Her identity being Batgirl first and Cass second. Being the daughter of Batman and Oracle first and foremost, but being the daughter of Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon separately and secondly. She chooses to call herself the daughter of Batman and she chooses to say that Oracle was like a mother.

I can’t even have coherent thoughts about it without getting physically ill.

[frownyalfred]

I don't think we talk enough about the masks Bruce Wayne/Batman wears and how they translate into the specific spaces that are associated with his character. That is, Batman and Brucie Wayne are both masks, but they aren't torn off immediately upon reaching one specific space. And what about the one who's just Bruce? The man sitting at the computer in the Cave isn't just Batman, but he's definitely more Batman than Bruce. The man patrolling Gotham is all Batman, and the man at a gala is all Brucie, but what about the man on the Cave stairs leading back up to Wayne Manor? He's Bruce-barely-Batman, but not much of Brucie. But the man reading the paper at the breakfast table in the Manor, decidedly not mentioning anything related to Batman or vigilante work, isn't wholly Bruce then, is he? He's a little Brucie, because Brucie doesn't know about Batman, beyond what he reads in the paper.

[pokeberry5]

girl experiences gender euphoria and is immediately slammed by grief

for @litttlittt <3. this was supposed to be a portrait of caroline hill, but litta mentioned tim looking like janet when dressed as caroline and identity issues and angst and things spiraled

something about tim not knowing if he's his mother's child or bruce's or neither's.

figuring out the looks:

i wanted janet to have that poofy 70s hair

[littlefankingdom]

I'm thinking about how it is canon that Bruce, as Batman, sends a gift to Hal Jordan's niece for her birthdays, even when he was mad at him for the Parallax' stuff. It demonstrates that Bruce CARES about his teammates, enough to care about their family, even when he is not in good term with them he cares.

And, also, just imagine all these people that gets a gift from BATMAN for their birthday, every year. The Kent. All Oliver's kids. Wally and Donna. Bart, Kon and Cassie. Hal's niece doesn't even know his identity, so it doesn't stop him. All of them had been getting gifts for years!

[darkeneddawning]

Escaped clone au

You know all those fics where Danny and Damian are twins but everyone first assumes Danny must be a clone? How about an au where Danny is Damian's clone who escaped the League after he was assumed dead. Damian could even have been the one to have "killed" him, back when Danny was a newly created, fully brainwashed clone minion and trying to kill Damian himself.

Danny gets adopted by the Fentons and canon goes on as normal, until Dan. Witnessing what would happen to the world should he turn evil really drove home to Danny how dangerous he is.

Even if he was confident he could be trusted with his absurd amount of power (which he isn't), what if the League of Assassins found out about him? Does he still have programming triggers from his evil assassin clone conditioning?

So, Danny does the responsible thing: he goes to Batman to turn himself in.

Cue Danny showing up on Bruce's doorstep with ghost hunting equipment, intel on the afterlife, and an almost unbelievable backstory. Somehow he still managed to be more well-adjusted than Damian.

More thoughts under the read more

Here's how I'm thinking Danny leaving the League went down:

After surviving his wounds but failing his mission, Danny (then an unnamed potential Damian replacement) knew there was no point in returning to the League. As a failure, he was meant to be disposed of. He even thought of simply allowing himself to perish, since that was what the League would do.

But he couldn't help but feel as though that would be a waste of a resource. Surely he could be of more use to the League alive than dead?

That tiny bit of rebellious logic is what caused Danny to go into hiding, only living on based on the off chance he would find opportunities to further the League's goals. Obviously, that mentality didn't last long after being exposed to the real world and meeting one Jazz Fenton.

Being adopted by the Fentons was the best cover Danny could have asked for, since any odd behavior he couldn't hide while he was learning how to be "normal" was totally overshadowed by the sheer bizarre eccentricity of his new parents. He was still the neighborhood weird kid, but even that was a major upgrade from disposable tool, so Danny considered it a win.

Anyway, if anyone likes this idea, please feel free to have at it! Interpret it as you please :)

[ky-landfill]

Just listen to me. I’m on your side here, Jason.

[farshootergotme]

Dick 'my mental stability is hanging by the rope that snapped and killed my parents' Grayson met Bruce 'emotions aren't real if you don't acknowledge them' Wayne when he was 8 years old and he never recovered.

[prlssprfctn]

"Jason would be angry with Jaybin" / "Jason would comfort Jaybin"

Okay, what about both?

A scenario, in which Jason's first reaction on seeing himself so vulnerable, so little, so unaware of the future is to helplessly hiss. To grab himself by shoulders (by tiny, bony shoulders; oh, the malnourished kid he was!) and shake harshly, unable to hide his anger. But then, Jaybin's eyes feel with tears, and Jason freezes.

He doesn't want to be mean to this child. To the child that will die as a hero, that will do everything to save a woman that gave him birth, that despite all pain and cruelty, will choose to be kind to the very end. The one that won't even expect to be saved at the very end — just will want to die in his dad's arms.

So, he cries, too. His arms wrap around Jaybin's shivering body, and he can't help but shudder, too.

'I am sorry. I am sorry. I am sorry,' he whispers, again and again — for screaming, for being so cruel to them (to himself), for not being enough even after their death.

And Jaybin, because he is a gentle kid he is, hugs him back.

'It's okay,' he reassures him, wobbling lips curling in smile. 'We are fine. I know you are doing your best.'

[theerurishipper]

Honestly, I do love Dick as Nightwing and Bruce and Dick's complicated relationship, but sometimes I like the old days when things were sweet and simple you know? When it was just them and Alfred and they all had fun with each other. Like when they blew off boring parties to go on patrol by using Dick's bedtime as an excuse. When Bruce let Dick go off on his own and said he was allowed "a little escapade" and ruffled his hair. When Alfred always brought coffee and "turkey sandwiches with Swiss cheese" to the Batcave while Dick and Bruce happily talked about their nightlife escapades. When Dick would make Bruce laugh regularly.

When they discussed Hamlet while riding in the Batmobile. When Alfred picked Dick up from school and dropped him off on dates and helped him go behind Bruce's back on cases. When Dick and Bruce would play fight with each other. When Dick made Batman's meetings with Gordon "more optimistic." When Bruce was being a helicopter parent and wanting to know why Dick would want to go to a public school. When Dick would sneak off with Clark when Bruce wanted him to stay back to finish his homework, and Clark did it for him before Bruce noticed. When Bruce teased Dick about his failed date, and they talked about it and their love lives. When Bruce apparently told stories about Joker to Dick during rides in the Batmobile. When Dick was actually the one who named the aforementioned Batmobile. When they would banter even in between a serious case. When Dick would cling onto Bruce to annoy him. When Dick was contemplating how alone he felt, and Bruce just showed up to catch him and do a routine on the trapeze with him. When Bruce would call Dick "kiddo." When Dick even called him stuff like "Bruce-ter." When Bruce used to call Dick "chum." I miss those days.

Yeah a lot of these are from Robin: Year One but that's just because it's the one I remember most. But there's a lot of them just having a good time and it doesn't feel like we see a lot of that anymore.

[snakeredbirdbatkatana]

"I wasn't your equal, I wasn't your brother, you tucked me in. You packed my fucking lunch you were my Batman I was your Robin you were my dad, I just wasn't your son.

So yes I do hate him because all I wanted was for you to look at me like you love me. But I'm not Damian."

He doesn't turn to Dick or look at Bruce he walks away.

He doesn't look at the two men who will always mean Father and Dad.

He walks away it almost feels like peace as much as tearing apart his very soul can.

[casscainmainly]

The Feelings About Tim Drake Alignment Chart

Cass and Dick versions. Yes I do subscribe to oifaaa's Jason doesn't know Tim's name headcanon. Also, as usual, open to change!

[magicpiano]

I think there is a missed opportunity with batfam AUs where Bruce finds out about Damian and brings him home way earlier.

Imagine if Damian was brought into the bat family before Jason died, before Tim was Robin. So instead it is Jason Damian tries to kill so he can become Robin. Except, of course, he would be just a little kid. Baby. Only a bit older than a toddler really. It is hard to even be mad about it. Jason finds his stabby assassination attempts kind of cute. Bruce has no idea how to handle this.

[abisalli]

I need Jason and Bruce to have a relationship that is so complicated and bad. The only other option is for Jason to start haunting the narrative again actually