#dick and tim my beloveds

[cuephrase]

no, i am not thinking about dick and tim's relationship and how many awful, tragic moments of dick's tim has had a front row seat to. that night at the circus when dick's parents die. when his wedding with kory was ruined. when he kills the joker. when dick asks who adopted him if there is no bruce wayne and is met with silence. when donna dies. when dick breaks down in a burning building because blockbuster is dead and it's his fault. when dick is so full of self-loathing that he tells tim to forget he ever knew him. when bruce dies. when damian dies. when the worst happens.

i'm not thinking about how tim met bruce in a deep low and it colors how he views him. but dick? he has seen dick fall apart and hit rock bottom and it has never changed who dick is to him- his hero, his role model, his brother.

i'm not thinking about how unconditionally tim loves dick. how undeserving dick feels of tim's love. how bruce's death pushed them apart when they needed each other more than ever.

i'm totally not thinking about them

[wow-thisismylifeiguess]

Cryptid Bruce

Martha and Thomas Wayne struggled to have a child for years and Thomas meets a shady man who tells him that a child will come to them soon

Thomas just ‘??? okaaaaaay’s him but in a week, Martha bursts into his office looking frazzled

“We’re being haunted.”

“….”

“Don’t give me that look, Thomas Wayne. The Manor. It’s haunted. Alfred! Tell him we’re being haunted!”

And Alfred comes in, also looking frazzled but to a lesser degree.

The two explain that things are moving around the Manor without any kind of explanation, but Thomas doesn’t believe them. Until he notices things in his office also being moved. The weirdest event is when they start hearing a child’s giggles. No explanation. None.

Not until Thomas, sleep deprived after going over paperwork for one too many hours, pops into the kitchen and…there is a child. Sitting on the kitchen counter.

The child, a boy, turns. Grins. Waves.

“Hi, daddy.”

—

Bruce, they name him, can melt into shadows. He finds it hilarious. Martha thinks she’s going to go grey at her young age. She adores him. Thomas adores him. He’s their son now.

The Waynes have a mysterious child, but they keep their private lives very private, so maybe they just successfully hid a pregnancy? And then a child. For…three years. They think Bruce is three, at least.

Despite how odd of a child Bruce is, they love him dearly. He’s some kind of miracle. A…very weird, possibly magical(?) miracle.

—

Dick thinks his adoptive father is strange. Extremely strange. Bruce makes absolutely no noise when he moves. He doesn’t cast shadows but he seemingly is able to *blend into them*. His smile, whilst genuine, seems a little too sharp.

He thinks he’s a vampire.

Bruce laughs so hard, he doubles over.

“No, but I am the Batman, so I guess you’re not far off.”

“…is this a joke?”

“Nope.”

“A dream?”

Bruce pinches him and Dick yelps.

Bruce doesn’t explain to Dick what he is, because he doesn’t have a clue himself. He just…is.

—

But when Jason comes along, he has a million and one questions. Bruce blinks at him.

“How did you do that? You literally *melted* into the shadows!”

Bruce shrugs.

“No. *No*. Explain.”

“I…can’t.”

“You said no secrets, B!”

Bruce puts his hands up defensively. “It’s not a secret! I really don’t know! It just…kind of happens.”

Jason stares at him. Bruce stands there. He seems to flicker? The edges of his body go a bit transparent and Dick knows he only does that when he’s stressed.

“Leave him alone, Jay. He’s telling the truth. He’s just…like that. But he’s still Bruce.”

It takes Jason two months to accept it. By then, his questions are more from genuine intrigue and wonder. He hides under Batman’s cape and somehow it’s spacious? It can even fit Dick at the same time. No one (but Bruce) can even hear them when they’re under there.

And then one day, when he goes to take a nap under Bruce’s cape, someone else is there.

“….B?”

“…”

“You know what I’m going to ask.”

“…”

“*Bruce*.”

“No real names, Robin.”

“No one can hear me!”

“…I didn’t kidnap him.”

“What his name?”

“Timothy Drake.”

“FROM DRAKE INDUSTRIES?”

And Tim wakes up, rubbing his eyes. He looks exhausted and way too skinny, and all of a sudden, Jason understands why Dick has cooed at him the first night Bruce brought him home.

“Um…hi.”

“B, we’re keeping him.”

Jason doesn’t need to see Bruce’s face to know he’s smiling.

—

Damian just…appears. Bruce suddenly understands his parents’ reactions to his first appearance because nearly the same exact thing happens. Bruce wakes up from a nap. He doesn’t need to sleep very often, something Tim finds incredibly annoying, declaring it to be *unfair*. He wakes up, and curled against his chest is…a boy. Who looks a *lot* like him.

“Uh.”

The child wakes up, blinks at him w striking green eyes.

“Hello Father.”

What the fuck.

Dick slams his way into Bruce’s office, followed by Jason and Tim, who are bickering with each other.

“DAAAAAAAD, THEY WON’T SHU- oh. Steal another kid?”

“…he just appeared.”

“That’s the excuse you used for Jason.”

“No. Literally. I fell asleep. No kid. Woke up. Kid.”

“My name is Damian.”

“That’s no fair. You came pre-named?”

Damian is as odd as Bruce. Actually, he’s weirder. And stabby. Bruce finds him *delightful*. He adores him.

—

Dick is Nightwing, Jason is Red Hood (no death, he just thought it was a cool name), Tim is Red Robin, and Damian’s Robin.

Bruce is Batman. Despite being in his late 30s, he still looks like he’s in his mid 20s.

—

Batman stands in front of a bank robber who’s going on about their evil bank robbing plans. Nightwing pops his head out from beneath Batman’s cape.

“Can you get to the point?”

Red Hood pops out next.

“I’m getting bored.”

Red Robin follows.

“This is sad.”

Damian.

“Scum.”

Batman sighs.

“Why are all of you here?”

“Missed you.”

They all chime in.

The robber.

“How…how the *fuck-?*”

“Language. There are kids around.”

“B, I’m 23.”

“Says the boy taking a nap in my cape. And I was talking about Red Robin and Robin.”

“…’s comfy.”

“I’m eighteen???”

“F- Batman! I am not a child!”

There’s some shuffling sounds, no doubt Red Hood moving over to ruffle Robin’s hair.

“Whatever you say, Tiny Demon.”

And then Red Hood shrieks.

“No stabbing your brothers, Robin.”

“He called me small!”

“…you are.”

“This is insulting, F- Batman. I will grow to be as big as you. No. *Bigger*.”

The robber watches in confusion, mild amusement, and horror.

Batman sighs.

“We’ll talk about this later. Now, you were saying? Blowing up the bank, terrorizing the people.” Batman yawns. “Anything else?”

“Just take me to Arkham. I think I’m insane.”

[frownyalfred]

Jason, holding up a pill bottle: yeah so they only give you the good shit if you say you're thinking about harming yourself AND others

Tim: ohhh --

Jason: you have to say AND, not or

Tim, typing on his phone: AND others, gotcha

Dick: JASON --

[ditzybat]

bruce: everyone this is mia mizoguchi, she —

jason: okay we need to host an intervention, this is getting ridiculous

damian: i thought when he brought the starfish home he would realize his problem

tim: this is bruce we’re talking about, bruce who collects robins like pokémon, of course he doesn’t see his problem

steph: hopefully this one won’t die, we all have at least once and it’s making me think the mantel is a curse

dick: i think bruce needs to go to the child hoarding equivalent of alchohlics anonymous - nothing against you though mia!

duke: honestly it’s not that bad, you get free housing, a vaguely parental shaped figure, food, and a complimentary red head or super when you join this child bird-hero militia

mia: i have parents, why am i even here??

[theaceofarrows]

Jason: People vastly overestimate their capacity to hit a target with a gun

Jason: Maybe do to the popularization of action movies and video games. It's much harder than it looks, especially past 20 meters

Jason: [shoots a Two Face goon 1500 meters away] Not for me, though. I'm built different

Dick, Tim, and Damian: [all groaning] We know

[overwhelmedandlonely]

It’s hilarious to me that the Drake’s live next door to Bruce. I haven’t read all of Tim’s backstory so maybe they moved him and his dad into a house next to the Wayne manor after his mom died but if not, can you imagine little Tim who knows Batman and Robin’s secret identities sitting in his room with a camera taking pictures into the Wayne manor.

Just.

There’s Bruce Wayne eating breakfast. Dick is currently throwing his homework in the trash out of frustration. Jason opening the door after a nightmare and asking Bruce to stay with him until he falls asleep again. Dick coming to visit and teasing his little brother over dinner. The everyday mundane things alongside the super.

And then after Jason dies, he watches constantly for life but there’s just… nothing. He occasionally spots Alfred meandering the halls, but otherwise the manor is dark where it was once so full of life.

And he realizes he can help not only Batman, but Bruce Wayne.

[pokeberry5]

inspired by those textposts about dick rocking up to the rest of titans with tim for the first time and kori et al. being like: is that the stalker kid???

bonus:

warm ups:

[brucewaynehater101]

Fuuuuuck. Alright. Here's some angst :)

~~~

Richard Grayson hardly sleeps. He'll wake up screaming and thrasing in his bed. He'll cry out and throw his pillows and howl at the unfamiliar room.

It takes months before the boy starts seeking out Bruce after his nightmares. The older man had tried, consistently and constantly, to be there for the kid. He was rebuffed every time until one night Dick clung to his shirt and refused to let him go.

It gets easier after that, with the child seeking comfort from his foster parent, and the dark circles under Dick's eyes decrease.

~~~

Jason Todd sleeps with his dresser in front of his door. From the state of his blankets, Alfred and Bruce suspect he doesn't actually use the bed (much preferring to hide under it, in his bathtub, or in the closet).

The boy doesn't cry or yell or whimper in fear. At night, his room remains absolutely quiet. Yet, from the lethargy and the afternoon retreats to his room, it's obvious Jason is having difficulties with his sleep.

It takes months, months of building trust and navigating setbacks, until Jason falls asleep on the couch out in the open. From there, the kid stops moving his dresser and starts using the bed. He even, on rare occasions, will seek Bruce out at night.

It's not easy, for he may return to sleeping in his closet on rough nights, but he learns that it's safe to sleep in Wayne Manor.

~~~

Bruce Wayne doesn't sleep. He passes out.

He'll stay awake for days at a time until his body just gives out on him (or, when it becomes a danger to his health, Alfred enforces sleep).

It takes months, months of pestering and endangerment and bargaining and deals, until the man gives in to Tim's demands of self-care. It's a tedious dance, but Tim is able to convince the older man to sleep in his bed and almost every single night.

After a while, it's not as difficult to get Batman to rest. It's nowhere near healthy levels (and certain cases can impede this goal), but it gets closer to where he was before Jason's death.

[sleepire]

SCREAMING.

[decapod-appreciator]

Q: juno why havent you been posting art

A: I got really into dc comics and its been the only thing I can think about. sorry! blame my friends

(as one image under the cut)

[teaandduckss]

Robins on a Rooftop <3

[insonniacaotica]

Normal Person: *sees Death Note* I like this anime, I will recommend it to a friend

Tim Drake: This anime is genius. I will recreate the exploding drawer to hide my secret files

Bruce: I feel like I should be concerned but I'm just glad you decided to recreate the drawer and not the diary.

[chiyana]

Bruce: now, for the last part of this meeting

Dick, Jason, Tim, Stephanie, Damian, Cass, and Duke: ?

Bruce: -turns around to bring up a power point presentation, the title card of which just reads 'Please Be Normal About Tim'-

Bruce: -turns back around-

Bruce: ...Tim why are you the only one still here

Tim: I just like power point presentations

[gaywineauntsstuff]

“Tim Drake never got enough recognition in Gotham.”

ARE YOU JOKING???

HES THEIR LIL GUY???

There isn’t one hero from the main Batfamily who doesn’t canonically like tim???

Hell even Jason think Tim is “the best of us” (much to my chagrin, the beef between the two middle children is always so iconic to me) and JASON HAS TRIED TO KILL HIM

Like Jason?? If it was Jason??? Who never got enough respect I’d get it?? Not entirely bc in recent comics (Nightwing -specifically the 2021 annual for one instance but honestly anytime these two interact in rebirth and Gotham war)

Dick isn’t in Gotham bc he didn’t get any respect and he fucked off and became the justice leagues favorite lil guy and then turns out Bruce just sucked at people thing and he was actually secretly also his lil guy

Babs is literally depicted and omnipotent 1/2 the time and while I think fanon exaggerates her strengths a bit too much (or just leaves her out entirely) and canon disrespects the sanctity of her character all the time the CHARACTERS in the series don’t

Anyway

THE PERSON WHO NEVER EVER GETS ENOUGH CREDIT AND IS LOOKED OVER BY BW THE MOST

Is STEPHANIE MOTHERFUCKING BROWN

NOT ONLY WAS SHE THE FUNNIEST, MOST CHARMING AND LIKABLE BATGIRL (I’m right be quiet) SHE WAS AND IS ALWAYS JUST A BREATH OF FRESH AIR AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE MUCH LATER STAGES OF BATMAN AND ROBIN (dick and Dami edition) SHE GETS DOGGED ON

BRUCE DOESNT THINK SHES GOOD ENOUGH FOR WAYY TOO LONG

JASON (fun mirror horror landcore but yeah they’re not friends)

DICK DIDNT THINK SHE COULD DO IT (he was wrong, he realized this like a good boy)

TIM GOD DONT GET ME STARTED ON THIS LIL SHIT (affectionate)

[timdrakewhump]

“Don’t make me do this..” I mutter to nobody, sitting alone in my room at three AM, “I can’t believe I’m being forced into this!” as I open another word document, titling it with a Mitski lyric, “why couldn’t someone else write this?” I question, uploading another chapter to AO3

[necrotic-nephilim]

Roytim is such a fun crack rarepair for me! Dick’s best friend sleeping with/dating Dick’s baby brother Timmy is 10/10 drama on a more personal note than I’d picture it with Jason. Absolutely no shade I just have always read Dick as being more protective of Tim and Damian.

Do you have any Roytim headcanons to share? <3

oh i LOVE RoyTim on it's own! likely bc i'm just a Tim multishipper and if it fits i ship, but Roy is especially fun via the Dick connection. and i 1000% agree, *especially* pre-Flashpoint, would even argue it's outright canon that Dick is far more protective of Tim and Damian than he ever was with Jason (not out of dislike, but simply bc Dick and Jason were never all that close and the tragedy of losing Jason was losing what could've been, not what he already had) and especially with Jason as Red Hood, Dick holds no particular protective brotherly feelings toward him. it's all Tim and Damian. so you're so right, the drama of RoyTim is just a smidge more upped than of JayRoy and i'd love to share headcanons-

i think it makes for a fun "crush on your older brother's friend" situation. where like. Tim knows it's unrealistic and he has no *actual* intentions to chase it when he's just 15/16 and Roy and Dick are in their twenties, often hanging out around Tim. and Roy is handsome, he's funny, he's similar in personality to ppl Tim has dated (Steph, Kon) so, it's a crush. one that he hides *well* and never makes it Dick or Roy's problem, and one Tim never expects to pan out. he just fantasizes about Roy a little bit and mostly grows out of it by the time he's an adult.

i think more fics need Lian, so i like the idea of them co-parenting Lian. especially if they're both. sort of bad at it. like Roy loves her and he's trying, but he's doing this basically alone and it's not like he has experience. Tim also has no experience. neither of them know what on earth to do. it's a very cute idea that just relies on the two of them being terrible at parenting and Roy getting so mad that the first time Lian says "dada" she says it to Tim that he considers breaking up for a good five minutes.

how they get together can happen in a lot of ways, but i'm interested in the idea of Dick asking Roy to talk to Tim during Tim's Red Robin arc. Roy has experience helping kids through his work helping young addicts and nothing else has worked, so he offers to at least try with Tim. and Roy, who also doesn't handle grief well, understands at least some of what Tim is going through. especially since Roy dealt with Oliver dying and then suddenly coming back, he's at least open to the idea Bruce could be alive. he's just around to try and help Tim keep some emotional stability, but it ends up with Roy helping with the search and somehow, falling for Tim along the way

they go to sitcom levels of chaos trying to keep the relationship hidden from Dick. they *both* know Dick is far too protective of Tim to react well to it. but also, i think Roy would get *just* a bit of an ego about sleeping with Tim under Dick's nose. he makes a point of strutting around when Dick invites him over, finding reasons to be shirtless just to make Tim squirm a little bit. it's that sort of kink where you're excited about the risk of being caught. that fits these two so well and i can't explain it.

because Roy is used to mentoring younger heroes, i think he would have a bigger than normal moral panic about dating Tim. he fights his feelings for a *while*, to the point Tim can tell Roy is fighting his feelings and he's trying to convince Roy he's fine with this. Tim telling Roy about his childhood crush does not help. it makes Roy feel *worse*. it makes them take things very slowly, and i could see Roy being the type to never fully touch Tim until Tim is 18, no matter how much Tim insists it's okay.

i do think they have unhinged sex when they actually get into it though. no matter how sure Roy is that he'll be gentle the first time, the minute he gets his hands on Tim, it is feral. there is blood and foul dirty talk and Tim cannot walk the next day. i think Roy makes for a very mean dom, the type who will make fun of you for being a mess in bed. he just has those vibes, and it works great for getting Tim to just. turn his brain off.

i think Roy, who's struggled with picking hero names before, would be someone to try to force Tim to let go of Red Robin once the whole Bruce thing is over. it's not Tim's name and Tim doesn't need to keep punishing himself with it. Roy is nice about it at first, but then i do think he threatens to set that damn suit on fire if Tim keeps wearing it and doesn't come up with a new hero name. and the worst part is, Tim does know he's serious.

when Dick does find out, chaos. an absolute shitshow. when Roy tells him, Dick punches Roy in the face before he even finishes explaining himself. it's a pure gut reaction. even Bruce isn't as protective over Tim as Dick is. it takes a *lot* of convincing from Tim that it's okay and he wanted this before Dick calms down, and he still doesn't talk to Roy for like a month until the rest of the Titans are forced to hold an intervention reminding Dick of his own dating history with age gaps, like Babs. Dick does cool down, but he is not afraid to stoop to "you're fucking my brother" in an argument bc he wins everytime when he brings it up.

i think Tim is the protective partner. everyone *expects* it to be Roy, he's older and more experienced, but it's Tim who will absolutely lose it if someone threatens Roy's or Lian's life. like not fanonish "committing murder" Tim, but more so canonish "i have a contingency plan for everything" Tim. Roy has had to hold him back a couple times. honestly i think the moral conversations Roy and Tim have are so interesting. because Roy will cross the line for those he loves, so bc of that, Tim is careful to make sure Roy is never in a position where he has to protect Tim bc he knows it would turn lethal quickly. it's a very "i know what you're capable of and you don't scare me but i won't let you become a worse version of yourself bc of me" sort of self preservation vibe. i think it'd be very neat. Tim fights like hell when he's close to death bc his thought is always "i refuse to let Roy feel like he has to avenge me" which i find very crunchy.