#from the view point of a resident in gotham

[dc-polls]

Biggest DC Misconception

Round 1 - Match 5

Tim Drake grew up next door to the Waynes

Misconception: that Tim spent his entire childhood living next door to the Waynes, in a suburb of Gotham rather than the city itself. Canon: In the post-Crisis pre-Flashpoint era of comics, Tim Drake's family had at least one residence in Gotham City on the island itself, and are never directly referred to as living anywhere else. After Tim's mother Janet dies in the comics, Tim convinces his father Jack to buy a house in Bristol (a mainland suburb of Gotham) next door to Bruce Wayne (Alfred found the listing for the house and passed it along to Tim). A few years later in-universe Jack, Tim, and Tim's stepmother Dana have to sell that house (referred to as Drake Manor) and move into an apartment once more in Gotham City on the island itself. Some fans see Tim living in Bristol for part of his comics, or see other fans mention it, and assume that Tim grew up in that suburb next door to the Waynes his entire childhood. This leads to misconceptions about his family's relationship to the Waynes, Tim's relationship to Gotham City, and what his early childhood experiences may have been like. It can further lead to fans insisting Tim has less connection to Gotham than other Bat team members.

And another submission...

Fanon constantly puts Tim at Drake Manor as a child but he didn't move in until after Jack woke up from his coma. Alfred gave him a newspaper listing for it. Bruce made a secret tunnel to the Batcave under a cistern in the basment. And they had to sell it after Jack made some bad investments in the stock market, lost Drake industries, and they had to move back to the city. Tim was at Brentwood during this and had to go to public school and wasn't rich anymore, just upper middle class. (Also he didn't inherit Drake Manor as his father didn't own it when he died)

--

Stephanie Brown is from Crime Alley

Stephanie Brown was solidly middle class when she was introduced. Although a lot of her problems (pill popping mother, villan father, teen pregnancy) were viewed as "poor people problems" she was not. She had a regular house in the suburbs and had her own motorcycle and equipment (although she could have stolen it from her villan father). (I think she was supposed to be relatable in that these problems can happen to anyone but fannon has taken that away from her and said that those are poor people problems so she must be poor)

And another submission...

The misconception is that Stephanie Brown (Spoiler, later the 4th main continuity Robin, later Batgirl) is from Crime Alley, also known as Park Row, or sometimes other impoverished areas of Gotham City such as The Narrows. In the Post-Crisis Pre-Flashpoint era of comics, Stephanie is canonically from a mainland suburb of Gotham, not the island city itself. In her introductory arc, the Bats specifically track her down to the "Manchester suburb" which is seen as having a low skyline, unlike the tall buildings of Gotham City. In a later comics, Stephanie describes herself as Spoiler as the "defender of the suburbs", pointing out that Batman and Robin focus on the city. Why it's important to know: fans who place her childhood in Park Row or the Narrows are often drawing direct parallels between her and Jason Todd or Duke Thomas, and a contrast to non-urban-childhood characters, completely inaccurately, ignoring her actual canon experiences. Suburbs of Gotham still deal with similar issues, but they aren't interchangeable with the urban center itself. Characters can have parallels without having grown up in the exact same place as each other; the misconception flattens and simplifies all of them. Additionally, this era of comics had Stephanie dealing with stigmatized issues such as a criminal father, a drug addicted mother, a teen pregnancy, and childhood abuse. The canon made it clear these are problems kids in the suburbs may experience. The misconception that Stephanie is from Crime Alley reinforces the stereotype that crime, drug addiction, and teen pregnancy are only urban issues. Reinforces the classist myth that suburbs are "nicer" and "safer" than the city.

[stealingyourbones]

Submitted Prompts #130

*hands over a particularly shiny pebble I found on the side of the road and polished, in the style of a magpie gifting ther favorite human the One Pebble That is The Most Special, along with a sea urchin shell I found on the beach* I had a sudden idea!!!!

So, I've been reading some fics of Danny being married to the Core of the Realms (we need more of those, btw, they're really good).

And a student thought hit me:

As a halfa, Danny can easily go between dimensions, much more easily than the Ghosts. And the Core can't leave the Realms at all.

So they hitch a ride on their husband's shadow whenever he goes out into the world of the Living, so they can remain in the Realms but send a part of their consciousness with him. Naturally, this means a lot of movie dates, and walks along the woods and all kinds of dates between them (the position might've been kinda forced on them both at first "for the sake of Balance", but as they came to know each other better, the relationship developed, and it didn't just blossom. It grew exponentially, exploding like fireworks, until the most common gossip in the Castle was how much the King and the Core loved each other, and how they spent most of the time either curled up with each other, or giggling like teenagers in love).

One such date nights was a viewing of The Princess and The Frog movie.

Now, with his voice having grow deeper as adulthood caught up to him, and having shot up like beanstalks, plus having a spouse that looked mostly like shadows and smoke, of course Danny would go around quoting Dr Facilier's lines, and the Core acted out the part of the Shadow.

It was all so fun, neither could help it.

Too bad the resident Bats didn't think it so fun to watch some lanky fucker stroll the streets of Gotham at night, quoting lines from a very recognizable movie villain, while seemingly projecting his own shadow into existence, then opening a neon green portal and strolling through it while holding his shadow's arm and flirting with it.

Constantine almost had 10 different heart attacks that night when Batman called him and Zatanna to ask about the Shadow Man, who just so happened to be the goddamn King of the Infinite Realms. The shadow was new, there was nothing about such entities in their files. Although, when asked the next day, Captain Marvel seemed to sweat as the gods in my head seemed to all die a second time, this time of fright, as they realized the Core of the Realms had latched onto a new King and seemed to be in love with the guy, where before they'd despised Pariah Dark and refused his presence anywhere near them, thus throwing the Realms into a slow decline.

Well, at least it appeared THAT situation had gotten fixed at some point while they were on Earth with their son Billy.

[the-broken-truth]

Broken-Style Remix: No Peace For A Peace God

Broken: Hello, Everyone! My friend - @anxiousnerdwritings - allowed me to make a small snippet they created about a Minor God of Peace Reader leaving the Patheon they were in to live their immortal life in the mortal world; however, coming in contact with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman and the Amazons makes that rather difficult. Let's see how everything goes. Let the words weave together!

Note: [Name] is a Minor God of Peace in the Greek Patheon; I chose Greek because the Amazons have ties to the Greek Patheon. This one-shot will be told from a first-person perspective.

Based on my observations, it seems that people eagerly anticipate the point in their lives when they no longer have to work. They view it as a time when they can live off the money they've saved over the years or the pension they receive from the government. Sometimes, I wonder what my life would have been like if I were a human being, attending school, getting a job, starting a family, and growing old before passing away and potentially being reincarnated to start anew.

Alas, fate did not wish that kind of life for me; thus, I was given the life of an immortal, even if my former role in the patheon was not are important as others were.

I am [Name], a Minor God/Goddess and the God/Goddess of Peace in the Greek Divine Pantheon. However, I must clarify that the rightful title of Goddess of Peace belongs to Lady Eirene. Though I am a Minor God/Goddess, I possess some powers similar to Lady Eirene's, but not on the same scale as hers. I can bring about peaceful solutions amongst mortals in small groups, such as villages and some of the other minor gods who reside on Mount Olympus. Lady Eirene, on the other hand, is responsible for maintaining peaceful relations between full-blown towns and councils with Olympus' Elite Gods. Although we both perform our duties well, Lady Eirene's name is more well-known and overshadows mine. As a result, I rarely receive offerings and prayers, and although I know I shouldn't be upset about it, it sometimes hurts my feelings.

As time passed, I began observing humanity closely and grew curious about their way of life. I even found myself envious of them. I considered leaving Olympus and living my immortal life among mortals, but my duties as a divine being held me back. I thought I still had a place among the gods and goddesses of Olympus, so I stayed.

One day, Lord Zeus invited all the minor and major gods and goddesses from other realms to a party on Mount Olympus. I arrived just before the party started, but was stopped by Lord Ares and Lord Zeus before I could enter the Great Hall. They told me that I could come to the party, but I argued that I was also of divine origin and therefore should be allowed in as well. Lady Eirene appeared, sensing the tension, but instead of vouching for me as a fellow god of peace, she told me that I shouldn't consider myself a god or goddess since I rarely received any offerings or prayers. She told me to leave Mount Olympus since the night was for the "true gods". That was the last straw for me.

I told them that I would no longer listen to them and that I wouldn't be tied to them by my divine blood. I abandoned Olympus and my fellow gods and goddesses at that moment and descended to the mortal realm. From that day on, I would live the remainder of my immortal life as a mortal. I was finally free.

Although I have lived for centuries, I appear to be only 18 years old. During my long life, I have accumulated a vast collection of gems and treasures. With the aim of starting my life anew, I decided to sell a small portion of them and make a decent amount of money. I took my collection to an appraiser, who gave me a fair price. Since I didn't want to stay in Greece any longer, I used the money to purchase a ticket for the first boat out of the country.

Destination?

A place known as Gotham City.

The boat ride from Gotham was long but that gave me all the time I needed to make the proper plans I needed to start my life over: I would use my power to give myself citizenship by creating the necessary documents such as a birth certificate and social security number. Next, I would find a decent place to live before finding a job; I may have the funds I need to live on, but I still need a life for myself. I made a mental note to purchase a device known as a 'cell phone';; a passenger on the boat was watching something 'videos' on a social platform known as 'YouTube'. I was going to need this strange device and knowledge of these social media platforms if I truly wanted to be a human.

I acquired a cell phone and started searching for apartment listings in my area. I found a decent 2-bedroom unit with a bathroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, and a balcony. I contacted the realtor and he was eager to show me the apartment the same day. We agreed to meet at a local cafe that was currently hiring for a barista and baker, as it was located right down the street from the apartment. Before the realtor arrived, I managed to pick up an application from the hiring manager. We then walked to the apartment, which was rather nice with dark wooden floors in the living and dining rooms, tiled floors in the kitchen and bathroom, and carpet in the bedrooms. The rent and deposit were reasonable, and the realtor had the paperwork with him. He told me that if I signed it, I could move in the same day. I had a look at the leasing contract to ensure that there were no hidden terms, and upon finding nothing, I asked a few questions with the recording app on my phone to use as evidence in case the realtor tried anything suspicious later. After signing the paperwork, I received the keys to the apartment and mailbox. The realtor informed me that I would receive a copy of the lease in the mail, and then left me alone in my new apartment.

A week later, I returned to the cafe with the filled-out application for the barista and baker positions; after a test to prove I would be capable of handling the tasks under pressure - there wasn't really any pressure since I used my aura to keep everyone calm and acting decent and in order - I was given the job.

It would be another month when my mortal life started shifting in another direction upon meeting Bruce Wayne.

I was working the morning shift when a well-dressed male with piercing blue eyes walked into the cafe and walked over to the counter; there was no line since I already handled it an hour ago. He ordered a dark coffee and a strawberry cheesecake muffin before he took a seat in the booth; there was something about him that radiated sadness. He continued working on his laptop for about 2 hours, long since finishing his coffee and muffin; I made him another coffee, warmed up another muffin, and placed them before him, causing him to look at me with confusion in his eyes, I smiled at him.

"You seem like you are under a lot of stress, these are on the house." I said before walking away. Just then, the door burst open and 3 masked figures barged in with guns, causing everyone to scream in fear while cowering in their chairs but I refused to move from where I was standing. The leader of the group pointed his gun in my face but I looked calmly down the barrel before lifting my hand and moving the gun away before looking into his eyes - into his soul - and his secrets were revealed to me; he was doing this out of desperation.

"Do you think that she would want you to do this?" I asked, causing him to look at me confused, "I know that you are not doing this because of malice in your heart. I know that you are shaking in your soul with fear and anxiety. You want to be a good son and save the woman who gave you everything but this is not the way to do that."

"Then, what can I do? What other option do I have?" He whimpered at me. I reached into my pocket, pulled out a small ruby, and held it out to him before placing it in his palm.

"This is a Burmese Ruby. A Ruby of this size should be worth around $20,000; that should be more than enough to pay for her treatment and aid you in what else you need for a while. Please, never resort to this again; there is always a better way. Do you swear this?" I asked. He looked at the ruby, closed it in his fist, and sobbed before hugging me for a few moments and leaving with the other masked them. Everyone watched me for a while as I walked back around the counter to continue working as if nothing ever happened.

It would be about 3 days later when I received a visit from the Guardian of Gotham.

I had just arrived home after a long day at work, and the visage of a piping hot pizza filled my mind as I pulled out my phone and called my favorite pizza place and asked them to deliver my favorite [Pizza Type] pizza along with [Favorite Soda Type] soda with an [Dessert] in addition; I had some extra cash and I felt like I deserved something sweet for all my hard work. I sat down in my favorite chair and turned on my television to watch [Favorite TV Show] while waiting for my pizza. I was intuned with my show when I felt a familiar aura coming from my balcony, I looked in that direction and saw a towering figure standing on my balcony, watching me while blocking out the moonlight. I rose from my chair and walked over to the door before sliding it open and came face to face with a man in a bat suit. I looked at his face, the upper part of his face covered by his ask with a glare on his face as he looked down at me; however, his aura gave him away.

"You are aware that I don't have muffins and coffee here, right?" I asked with a raised eyebrow and a smile on my face; he looked shocked by my words and marched into the apartment, causing me to close my door and walk over to him with my arms folded, "Is there a reason you are wearing that suit and staring at me through my window, Mr. Wayne?"

"How do you know who I am?" He asked.

"Your aura gave it away - you're radiating the same sadness you were the moment we met. You can change outfits but your aura shall always remain the same.

"You can read aura? You are not human." He said.

"Nope. I'm not human, however, I do prefer to live like one; I've been living like this for the past month & a half and I prefer living to this than I did my previous life." I shrugged.

"If you aren't human, what are you exactly?" He asked.

"I'd rather not say." I heard a knock on the front door, and my mouth started watering, "Food's here! About time!" I walked to the door, greeted the delivery man, and paid for my food while giving him a generous tip before closing the door behind me with my foot since the food was in my hands; I looked around to see Burce was no longer there but I didn't care. Time to eat!

Life going forward would be difficult after meeting Burce Wayne because he didn't learn how to leave me the heck alone. He would come to the cafe and attempt to make conversation with me, trying to gain personal information about me. He would show up at my apartment as Bruce and Batman constantly trying to make me change my lifestyle to a 'healthier' one; he doesn't approve of the additional muffins I take home or the amount of frozen food I have in my freezer. Even when I am out in public, he somehow manages to find me and tries to interfere with my plans or worm his way into them. Then, he literally tried to tell me that I would be adopted into his family; no matter how many times I refused. He was really starting to get on my nerves.

It would be another month when I met another person who would attempt to uproot my life & alter it to their liking: The Man of Steel, Kal-El.

While working at a cafe, I discovered my passion for drawing, specifically digital art and animation. One day, I came across a contest on TV offering a drawing tablet as the prize and decided to enter. To my surprise, I won the contest and received the setup at my doorstep a week later. I set it up in the second room of my apartment, which I converted into an office. Initially, it took me some time to get used to the tablet, but soon I started creating digital art and animations, which I shared on my social media accounts. That was the beginning of my journey.

After accumulating a massive following on Facebook and Twitter, I received a message from an Animation Company stationed in Metropolis; they were requesting that I come in for a meeting for a possible partnership in regards to my art and animations. I agreed to their request and I received the time and date for the meeting; Metropolis was a decent distance away but I happened to have purchased a motorcycle last week and was looking forward to the meeting.

I got on my bike with my flash drives full of art and animations and headed to Metropolis for a meeting. Once I arrived at the building, I gave my name to the receptionist, who then took me to the meeting room. There, I presented my work and the representatives were thrilled with it. They offered me a generous signing bonus and commission for every artwork and animation I created for them. I agreed to do commission work as I wanted to keep my weekend job at the cafe but would work on their projects during the week. After reading and signing the business deal, I left the building. As I was leaving, I bumped into a tall man with light blue eyes, black hair, glasses, and a reporter's outfit with a camera around his neck, as well as a notepad and pen in his hands. He introduced himself as Clark Kent, a journalist and reporter for the Daily Planet of Metropolis. He wanted to interview me as the youngest person to be hired by the Animation Company. I offered to take him to lunch and give him the interview he was looking for after hearing his stomach growl.

During our conversation, he told me about his family: His wife and work partner, Lois, his son, Jon, and his younger brother, Connor; as well as his parents John and Martha Kent. I expressed how lucky he was to have such a close family since I wasn't close with my family. He seemed sad for me and offered to have me meet this family and even offered to have me take the Kent Name for myself since I didn't have a surname, but I refused his offer and went back home to start getting to work on the content my new bosses wanted me to do for completion in 2 weeks time. However, that would not be the last time I would ever see Clark Kent.

I was doing work in my office when I got a video call from Bruce, who was still pestering me to join his family and become [Name] Wayne, but I continued to refuse him when I noticed there was another request for a video call from someone I didn't recognize; curiosity got the better of me and I accepted the call - it happened to be Clark.

Clark (Smiling): Hi, [Name]! How are you doing today?!

[Name]: How did you get my contact information, Clark? I didn't give it to you the last time we talked.

Clark: I happen to have a friend who knew you and I got your contact information from him, but that's not important right now! Have you thought about what we talked about?

Bruce (In the background): You were the one who broke into my computer and stole [Name's] Contact Information, Kent?

Clark: Bruce? Is that you?

[Name] merges the call between Bruce and Clark]

Clark: Bruce, why are you talking to [Name]?

Bruce: I can ask you the same thing, Kent. I'm am trying to convince [him/her] to accept the Wayne Name.

Clark: The Wayne Name? No way that's happening! [Name] is going to become a Kent!

[Name]: I'm not taking either of your names nor am I joining your families. The Bat-Family & Super-Family have nothing to do with me and I want nothing to do with either of you. Now, I'm working, leave me alone.

[Name] Leaves The Video Call]

After that video call, it was silent for about 3 weeks, I thought the two of them got the message and decided to leave me alone; however, I couldn't be more wrong.

It was around that time a 3rd Player entered the game and I was going to have a hard time shaking this one off.

The Princess of the Amazonian Nation and Defender of Man's World: Diana of Themyscira.

It was one of my days off and I had nothing better to do, so I decided to do something I hadn't done in a long while - go flying. I waited for the sun to leave the sky and the full moon to shine, I stood on the roof of my apartment complex and made sure no one was around before I allowed my Divine Power to flow through my body and took off into the thick layers of clouds. Using the clouds as cover, even though I was almost certain no one could see me from this height, and if they happened to see me, they would have most likely mistaken me for a bird. I was enjoying myself, feeling the breeze on my face when I felt another aura quickly approaching me; I stopped flying and floated there for a while I noticed a figure approaching me and stopped a few feet away from me - A Woman.

No.

An Amazon Warrior.

"I am Diana of Themyscira - Princess of the Amazon Nation. I have served the gods faithfully and have always been able to sense when someone of divine blood was near. Imagine my surprise to find a Divine One masquerading as a human and living as one. I heard of your actions from 2 Males I have been working with to protect Man's Word; I can feel it within you - You are a God/Goddess, I can tell from your aura." Diana explained to me, I exhaled before folding my arms while looking at her.

"You are correct, I am a God/Goddess of Peace; however, I am a Minor God/Goddess. I was sick of the way I was being created on Mount Olympus and decided to leave and live as a human. I have been enjoying life as I have been now; with the exception of Bruce Wayne & Clark Kent bothering me to join their families, alas, they refuse to take no for an answer." I exhaled with a shake of my head at the thought of all of Bruce's & Clark's attempts.

"They shall not get the chance. You are of Divine Blood and you need to be treated as such. You shall come with me to Themyscira and we shall worship you as you are meant to be." Diana said.

"I'm not interested. I love being a human." I said.

"You are not human...and you shall not continue to live as one. Come with me willingly, or I shall take you by force." Diana warned.

"I said that I am not interested. Goodbye." I said. She charged at me and attempted to grab my arm but I vanished and teleported back to my living room in a flash of gold light.

I ran my hand through my hair, pulled out my phone, and requested a month's vacation from both of my jobs. Once I received confirmation on both ends, I called a friend who owns a cabin in the woods, away from Gotham & Metropolis, and asked to use it for a month. He agreed since he owed me a favor. I packed a few things such as clothes, my sketch tablet, grade & color pencils, and my wallet. I made sure my bike was locked securely and asked my neighbor, who I was on good terms with, to watch my house while I was out of the city. After receiving confirmation from her, I went back inside to grab my suitcase before teleporting to the cabin's location since I had been there before. I knew where the spare key was and went inside to get some sleep. I just wanted to relax.

Currently, I was sitting on the porch of the cabin with a cup of coffee in my hands when I felt 3 Familair Auras approaching my current location; I knew they were going to find me eventually but I was surprised it took them this long - my vacation was going to be over in 3 days; might as well deal with this now. I sipped my coffee just as a black bat-themed jet appeared over the treeline before hovering on the ground and the cockpit opened as Batman jumped out and started walking towards me as Superman and Wonder Woman landed on the low grass at the same time, glaring at each other before glaring at Bruce who was standing before me, telling me it was time for me to join his family.

Superman matched over to his dark-dressed friend and grabbed his shoulder to push him away from me while barking that I was going to go to the Kent Farm in Smallville, Kansas to live with his Pa & Ma; he already told them about me and they were looking forward to meeting me and welcoming me to the Kent Family.

Wonder Woman pushed the two men apart and roared at them that I was a God/Goddess, therefore I needed to be treated like one and not a human as I have been living for the past few months. I would go with her to the Amazon Island and be worshipped as I was meant to be; while that would have interested me in the past, I wasn't interested in it now.

As for me, I just sat there watching them before exhaling, 'Just as there are geniuses in Humanity, there are also idiots.'

[End of the Remix]

Broken: And done. What do you think, @anxiousnerdwritings?

[finniestoncrane]

Hello! , if it is not a bother I was wondering if I could request number 9?

I’m mixed but am white (Italian, German, African American, Scottish). I currently reside in California but I moved around a lot in childhood from Maine to Massachusetts. I am neurodivergent with recognized depression, and anxiety. I play guitar, listen to music, doodle occasionally, play video games, write, study herbology, and love to engage in theoretical discussions about science and/or spirituality. My favorite colors are forest green, black and ice blue. I love all music except for trucks and drugs country music. I’m especially fond of Blondie, Hozier, The Buzzcocks, The Toy Dolls, No Doubt, Colter Wall, and 1950’s crooners. I love action films and noir films (James Stewart, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra..) I enjoy learning about history and where traditions come from, as well as herbology, and quantum mechanics. I love reading comics. I also enjoy watching Rick and Morty, South Park, and The Simpsons. I have both ear lobes pierced but rarely wear earrings, I also have my cartilage pierced. I want to get a tattoo of a horse for someone who was close to me, and a tattoo of Yellowstone National Park because my father would take me nearly every summer when I was a teenager. I am a natural brunette and tend to dye my hair whatever color I feel like, currently it’s “Starry Night.” A blueish black with highlights as it fades out. I have hazel brown eyes (they change color if the light hits them right and makes them a pretty ember.) I have a marking nearish my left kidney from a kidney stone procedure.

I apologize if I added too much, or if it is too much.

🎀 No.9: Ever Fallen In Love With Someone 🎀

tell me a little bit about yourself and i'll give you a rogue pairing a/n: ah i hope this wasn't too obvious of a pick but i truly think this is so right! and don't be sorry, this was perfect 💚 1k milestone info! 🔞minors dni🔞 • kofi • tag: finnie1k

ok so first of all, the three states you've mentioned are all ones, for the most part, that i (as a non-american) associate with nature, especially maine and california for the forests and trees. so you have a connection with plant life

depression and anxiety, i feel ya on that one, and i think ivy would too? she takes on quite a burden and deals with it in a solitary fashion. i think he worries and fears stem from the world being cruel and unforgiving, mostly humanity, and that's true of a lot of people with anxiety or depression

your creative energy is so obvious, and i think that's something ivy would appreciate. gentle music, beautiful art, anything you could gift to her that came from your soul and was made organically. given that she's definitely the kind of girl who sends immense amounts of flowers for every gift, all grown by her of course, it makes sense that she'd love to receive a "home-grown" gift in return

pam is a scientist, and she's deeply spiritual at least in the sense that she's open to feeling nature and healing powers, so she'd be up for a debate on the subject, or even just long nights discussing it with you in depth, especially if you both agree or can offer some information or insights the other hasn't ever considered before

your favourite colours remind me of those precious dark sky spots within deep forests, where nature is untouched and you can see the stars clearly because there's very little civilisation around you. a perfect spot for spending time with pam, and the fact that your hair matches that is so neat!!

the crooners and the noir films are giving off so much romance and lovey-dovey vibes and i can't think of anyone more deserving of some genuine romance than ivy. i think along she'd be interested in older things, from a nostalgic point of view in relation to the aesthetics only, given that gotham is her home

ok so history, herbology and science are all very pam things! it's almost perfect, like you were made for each other! traditions, especially relating to preserving and appreciating nature, are close to her heart. and someone on the same intellectual level with her with regards to science would mean she has someone to talk to about those things, meaning she's not as alone anymore

a tattoo of a park??? are you kidding me? nature tattoos would be an exceptional edition to your already perfect self, and she'd appreciate it to no end. same with the little mark on your body from your procedure, anything that makes you unique and natural and a piece of art. and your eyes changing colour from the hues of the earth and of wood to the sun and the flowers would have her completely enamoured

[awhitehead17]

Lost and Found

Tim & Kon & Bart, Friendship, Angst, Injury, Hurt and Comfort, Recovery.

Summary: Tim just about loses his mind when Kon goes missing and no one knows where he is for over a month. When his best friend is eventually found, it’s not the happy reunion Tim would’ve liked it to have been.

Enjoy! :D

When the familiar sight of large red letters pop on his screen, Tim resists the urge to scream. It’s the same sight he’s been seeing for almost four weeks now and he’s sick of it, the same message appears on his computer screen telling him his latest search, his latest trial, has yet again failed. He resists the urge to put his fist through the screen.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out Tim attempts to control his raging emotions. He buries his face into his hands so he wouldn’t have to view the screen in front of him. He’s tired. He’s stressed. He’s at his wits end.

It’s been four weeks since Kon disappeared and no one has seen him since. His best friend just vanished without a trace and Tim couldn’t find anything about what happened to Kon. One day he was there and then the next he wasn't.

By now Tim’s exhausted all of his resources. Trying anything and everything he could to try and find out what’s happened to Kon. The best theory he’s come up with is that Kon’s been taken, but by who and why remains the mystery. Tim’s one of the world’s greatest detectives and yet he can’t find his own missing best friend. What does that say about him?

He’s currently in Ireland of all places, after his most recent lead having lead him across the Atlantic Ocean to the European country. The lead had turned out to be a dead end so the trip had been a waste of time but it doesn't mean Tim has stopped searching. Granted he hasn’t got most of his equipment with him as it’s all back at the cave in Gotham, but he has enough to continue with the hunt for his best friend.  

Bart was the last one to have spoken to Kon. Apparently his team’s resident speedster was on the phone to the Kryptonian the night prior to Kon going missing, according to Bart they had been discussing where the best place to get burgers in America was. A topic of conversation that really didn’t hold much reason to be suspicious about.

Nevertheless they most definitely searched all the burger joints the two of them had mentioned just in case. They didn’t find him but one could never know.

In the search for Kon, Bart had exhausted himself to the point of collapse – certainly an impressive feat for his kind. The speedster continuously was circumnavigating the earth looking for any signs of Kon at all. By week three Wally had pretty much put a leash on Bart, not to stop him from looking, but to stop him from almost killing himself. If it’s not a leash it’s high supervision at most.

Cassie hadn’t been much better. After feinting during a mission due to exhaustion, Diana had all but banished Cassie to Themyscira for recovery and also to keep tabs on her.

Tim himself hadn’t escaped the close monitoring from his own mentor. When Tim got injured during a routine patrol, along with his body giving out due to the lack of nutritious and sleep he wasn’t getting, Bruce banned him from any case work and mandated bed rest until he had fully recovered. Even after he got put back on the roster for patrol, Bruce had either Jason or Cass shadowing him the entire time if he was solo patrolling.

Now Tim struggles in front of his screen once again upset and frustrated because he can’t find his best friend.

Everyone’s been looking for Kon, not just Tim’s team. Bruce is keeping an eye out and hasn’t reported anything, Diana is also keeping a lookout but remains silent, and even Clark has had absolutely no luck in finding Kon. To begin with they turned their eyes to Luthor being the culprit but for once the man is innocent and seemed just as upset about Kon’s disappearance as they are, he's got his feelers out looking for the missing Kryptonian too.

Being without Kon reminds Tim of the wretched time when Kon had died and Tim had to deal with life without him. Morbidly he wonders if that time had been better than now, at least back then he knew, at present he had no idea what’s happened to Kon.

“Timmy?”

At the sound of his nickname Tim sits up right and looks over his shoulder to find Dick standing across from him. It didn’t take much to guess what his brother is here for. Over the last four weeks Dick’s been in Bludhaven dealing with his own cases out but he’s been a constant presence on the other side of the phoneline which Tim appreciates.

When Tim announced he’s going to Ireland to continue his search Dick surprisingly hadn’t hesitated in offering his support to come so Tim wouldn’t be alone. Tim’s not stupid, he knew Dick offered so he would be able to watch over him so he doesn’t overwork himself as he has done in recent times. Tim doesn't protest against it though because he enjoys Dick’s company and wants his brother nearby.

Tim sighs. “Hey Dick.” That’s when he suddenly yawns, his tiredness catching up on him and pulling at his consciousness.

Dick approaches where Tim’s set up shop at the kitchen table of the Airbnb they’ve rented for their time in Ireland. His brother looks over his shoulder at Tim’s laptop screen, a frown forming on his face. “How long have you been sat here?”

“Dunno, lost track of time,” Tim shrugs nonchalantly. At this point he doesn’t even know what day it is, he only knows how long Kon’s been missing for now.

Reaching out slowly, Dick closes the screen of his laptop, shutting it so Tim could no longer see the damn red letters. His brother crouches down by his chair and meets his gaze, his hand coming up to cup the side of his face.

“You need to sleep kiddo. You've been sat here for a solid twelve hours, you’re not even out of your suit from last night.”

Confused Tim looks down at himself and sure enough he’s still in his tunic and leggings, although the armour is off. He hadn’t even realised. In his mind he figures twelve hours isn’t too bad, it was during week two of Kon been missing when he spent a hard core 50 hours in the cave, barely leaving the screen other than to go to the toilet. Last night Tim met up with some contacts in hopes of gaining information about Kon. Unfortunately he came back empty handed.

As Dick stands up he grabs hold of Tim’s arms and pulls him up as well. It’s a good thing Dick had hold on him because the moment he’s standing Tim sways and almost loses his balance, Dick keeps him up right and steady.

Deciding to not fight against his brother, a battle he’s lost many times in the past, Tim allows Dick to guide him away from the computer and towards his temporary bedroom. Despite not being on his laptop Tim’s mind is still reeling, trying to come up with ways he hasn’t tried yet in which may be successful in finding out where Kon is.

Just as the two of them reach the bedroom a gust of wind blows through the house followed by a few doors slamming. The noise has them pausing and turning around and Tim could only blink in surprise when he sees Bart standing there in the middle of the hallway looking frantic and even out of breath.

“Dude,” Bart gasps as his chest heaves up and down, he pauses for a moment to breathe properly.

At his pause Tim has no clue what to think. Had Bart just ran across the Atlantic Ocean? What for? What’s happened? Before he could ask any of his questions Bart continues talking.

“I know where he is.”

Tim’s moving before he even knows it. Pushing away from Dick he moves towards the ginger speedster, the two of them in sync without even having to talk, and Bart turns his back so Tim could climb on. Ignoring Dick’s protests Bart grabs hold of him tightly, hands Tim the goggles he uses any time they do this, and without wasting another second Bart sprints away.

Within minutes Bart slows down to a stop and places Tim back on the floor. Ripping the goggles off his face Tim frantically starts looking around, looking for any signs of Kon while also glancing at the speedster.

“Where is he?”

Tim doesn't even care where they are, all he wants to know is where Kon is. If this is the area where Bart’s claiming Kon is then he should be visible somewhere right?

As he looks around he notices how the surroundings feel somewhat familiar but he's not in his right mind to give this location a name. Familiar rocks are scattered in front of him, the ocean spreading out wide beyond the rocks and a massive cliff hanging over them from behind. Only if Tim wasn't in such a frantic mindset he might have actually appreciated the scenery.

How Bart knows Kon is in this location is a question Tim will ask later on, it’s not important right now as the only thing that matters is getting to Kon. Where is he? What condition is he in? Is he…

Tim’s shaken out of his thoughts by Bart tugging on his arm and begins pulling him in a direction.  The two of them climb over particular shaped rocks, Tim following Bart step for step impatiently wanting to know where his best friend is.

“C’mon, he’s by the water. I don’t know what state he’s in because I immediately ran to get you to bring you here. But he's here.” Bart informs Tim over his shoulder as they clamber over the rocks.

A minute or two later Tim finally sees Kon for the first time in over a month. It’s not how he wanted to reunite with his best friend but he’s finally found him after all this time.

As Tim reaches Kon’s side, he finds his best friend’s body slumped against the rocks in an uncomfortable position, his head bent one way, an arm twisted behind his back, one leg stretched out with the other curled up close to his body. Further observation shows Kon's clothes being wet and ripped in places, he’s by the ocean so it’s easy to assume he’s been in the water, he’s shoeless but not sockless and his skin appears to be unharmed although that doesn't mean there isn’t any internal damage.

Taking great care, Tim kneels down beside Kon and gently places his fingers against his neck to check for a pulse. With great relief Tim feels it immediately, it’s not as strong as it should be but it’s there. After confirming he's alive Tim reaches out to carefully move Kon’s head, straightening his neck out so it doesn’t hurt him, and with Bart they rearrange Kon's body so he’s lying in a more comfortable position instead of in contorted position as he had been. After they’re done it simply looks like Kon’s decided to take a nap on top of some rocks.

Cupping Kon's cheek, Tim gently shakes him, trying to rouse him from unconsciousness. “Kon? Hey Kon, can you hear me? Conner, c’mon wake up for me.”

When a few minutes go by with no success Tim shares a concerned look with Bart. While it’s great Kon’s breathing it means nothing if they can’t get him to wake up even if it’s only for a few minutes.

“What's going on?”

The new voice makes them both jump, neither of them having expected anyone else to be nearby. When they look over their shoulders they find Dick and Wally standing nearby looking at them with worry and trepidation.

“He's not waking up.” Tim tells them, his voice thick with emotion. “He’s not waking up! Why isn’t he waking up! Kon. Kon please…”He starts shaking Kon harder, desperately trying to get his best friend to open his eyes.

Hands appear on Tim's shoulders and starts pulling him away from Kon.

“Tim, Tim you need to calm down. Getting worked up isn’t helping the situation.”

Ignoring the familiar voice speaking gently into his ear Tim fights off the hold on him, he’s fighting to keep his place at Kon’s side as the hands force him to move away. “No! He’s here, why isn’t he awake?” His normal ability to think rationally currently doesn’t exist. Tim’s world has narrowed to only Kon and how he’s not waking up.

Tim’s jarred out of his spiralling thoughts when two arms wrap around his chest like steel bands and he’s physically picked up and forced away from Kon. The person who picked him up turns them around so Tim's no longer looking at Kon but rather at the rocks surrounding them, he tries to fight against it, trying his best to get back to his best friend’s side but the arms lock around him and keep in place.

“Timmy, I know bud, trust me, I know. We’re going to help him okay.”

“I don’t, I – what happened, wait no, why-” Tim struggles to make even one coherent sentence.

“Tim, I promise…”

The promise never gets finished because there’s suddenly a blast of air followed by a loud crashing sound. Tim startles at the sudden sounds and feels the person who’s restraining him also jump at the unexpected noises, the two of them turn around and stare as Clark makes an appearance. He must have come straight from Metropolis considering he's in his office suit paired with the glasses and everything.

Clark says nothing as he strides forward to where Kon is. Wally, who has Bart in his arms, makes space for the man to be able to bend down beside him. Everything falls silent and tension rises as they wait for Clark to react, the man most likely scanning Kon for his injuries and assessing him in ways they can’t.

After a few minutes Clark straightens up and glances around at them all. Tim feels the arms around him adjust their hold, no longer restraining him but hugging him close to the person behind him, it’s only now Tim realises it’s Dick.

“I’m taking him to the fortress.” Clark speaks up, his words resolute.

No one dares argue with him but Tim feels a burning desire to yell when Clark bends down and gently picks Kon up and carries him in his arms. That’s his best friend, the one who has been missing for four weeks, Tim’s only just got him back and now he's losing him again. Everyone stays silent as Clarks takes off into the air with Kon and they continue staring silently until the man of steel could no longer be seen.

The arms around Tim squeeze him gently and bring him back into the moment. “C’mon Tim let’s get back to the house, we can wait for further news there. Wally, you and Bart are more than welcome to join us.”

Tim misses the speedster’s response as everything turns into a haze. He knows Kon is safe, now, but it completely destroys him that he isn’t by his best friends side. If Bart’s spaced out expression is anything to go by he must be having the same feelings as Tim.

The two older Titans work together to get Tim and Bart back to the house, Tim can’t be certain as the journey is a blur but he’s pretty sure Wally made three round trips in order to get them all back at the house. Alongside Bart Tim sits on the couch feeling completely detached from anything, unable to get the images of Kon’s lifeless body out of his mind. He doesn't know how long he sits there for but eventually his mind loses the battle to stay conscious and before he knows it he falls asleep completely exhausted from everything that’s happened over the last month.

========

“What the fuck happened to you, man?”

It’s the question they’ve all been thinking and now hopefully they can get some answers.

“I’ve told you already. I don’t know! I don’t remember anything.”

Or perhaps not.

In frustration Tim groans, letting his annoyance be heard clearly by the two other occupants in the room with him. In the bed Tim is currently sat next to is Kon, propped up by pillows and covered with blankets, looking exhausted but awake. On the other side of the bed Bart is sat in a chair with his feet propped up on the mattress.

At his noise Kon rolls his eyes. “Well sorry Tim, I was pretty out of it and remember next to nothing about the last month and a half.”

Tim winces at Kon’s sharp tone. He looks up at his best friends apologetically. “I didn’t mean it like that Kon. Sorry. It’s just – god you have no idea how sick and worried we all were. If we could have anything that would help us understand what happened to you I’d feel better and then we’d be able to help you.”

Kon shakes his head dejectedly. “I don’t know what to tell you Tim, I wish I knew more but I don’t. Everything is just… blank.”

“It’s weird you ended up in Ireland of all places, well Northern Ireland, at Giants Causeway nonetheless. Did you wash up there by accident? Were you placed there on purpose?”

“I don’t know Tim.” Kon snaps at him. Tim admits he deserved it that time, he’s getting lost in his thoughts and throwing out burning questions he has.

After his sort of breakdown when they returned back to the house in Ireland, it finally clicked in Tim’s mind where they had found Kon. The UNESCO site of the country, Giants Causeway, is known for the natural phenomenon of hexagonal shaped rocks, that’s why they looked familiar as Tim had seen pictures of it before. How Bart had found him there was apparently pure luck according to the speedster. He hasn’t yet gone into detail of how he found Kon but Tim will work on getting the answer out of his friend soon enough, there may be clues in how Bart found him to what in fact had happened to Kon. It’s important enough to focus on, however for now that’s for a later date.

“Your memory will probably come back in time,” Bart pipes up blinking at the two of them, “didn’t they say temporary amnesia is most likely to happen? Your memories should return eventually. Or they won’t. But they might.”

“They did say that but its not definite so it’s not exactly helpful right now.” Kon comments with a frown.

Tim mimics the action, feeling his own frustration at the situation grow. It’s been two weeks since they found Kon, half of that Kon had been isolated by Clark at the fortress as he recovered and woke up from what had been a five day coma. Once Clark deemed Kon well enough he allowed the young Kryptonian to return to the farm where he’s on strict bedrest for a few weeks until results and answers came back to what had happened to him.

When he returned to the farm Tim and Bart were finally allowed to see Kon. Despite knowing Kon had been found and was recovering in the fortress, Tim didn’t truly relax until he saw Kon awake with his own eyes. The relief he felt was almost knee buckling when he entered Kon’s bedroom and found his best friend sitting up, weakly grinning at him like the last six weeks hadn’t been hell.

Unfortunately while they got Kon back, his best friend had returned not remembering anything from his time being missing. It was a major concern but not one they could do much about. The doctors who Clark trusted to care for Kon, didn’t have any answers they could provide, other than saying what Bart had pointed out: the memories may or may not return and if they do it will take time.

The lack of answers leaves Tim torn in between wanting to go out and search for said answers, because whoever the fuck kidnapped his best friend deserves an ass beating (they deserve something far worse than that Tim thinks to himself, at least the morally grey part of him anyway), and then not wanting to leave Kon’s side so he can keep him in his sights at all times.

It kinda says what way he’s leaning too considering he hasn’t left the farm in four days.

Kon yawning breaks Tim out of his thoughts and his eyes dart straight to his best friend, who despite has done nothing but sit in bed all day, looks exhausted. Stretching in his seat Tim meets his gaze.

“Is there anything you want or anything you need? Pain killers? Fresh water? Sun lamp?”

His concern has Kon scowling at him. “I don’t need to be coddled Tim, I appreciate the care but you’re over doing it.”

Not taking offense to the comment Tim narrows his eyes at Kon. “As if you haven’t coddled me before when I’ve been injured. I just want to make sure you’re alright Kon.”

“Yeah but that’s different, that’s-”

Tim cuts him off before he could finish that sentence. “I swear to god, if you say it’s because I’m human, imma beat your ass into next Tuesday.”

Bart snorts and Kon’s sheepish expressions tells Tim everything. He grits his teeth and counts to ten. He reminds himself this isn’t the time to have the whole meta/non-meta argument yet again, and because Kon is injured he’ll let it slide this time.

Standing up Tim glares at Kon and shakes his head huffing as he does. “Anyway, I’m going to grab some of Ma’s soup, Kon you’ll eat at least half alright. You need to start getting nutrients back into your body. Bart I’ll bring you up a bowl too.”

Bart beams at this. Sending Tim a sunny grin he asks, “can you also bring some of the fresh bread she made this morning. That stuff is amazing!”

Tim snorts. “Sure.” He was planning to anyway but he’ll be sure to bring extra.

As he moves towards the door a thought crosses his mind. Before he could think better of it, Tim turns around and darts over to the bed and wraps his arms – gently – around Kon and holds him tightly. Kon startles at the sudden contact but doesn’t push him away, his arms come up and weakly wrap around Tim in return.

Fighting the burning sensation in his eyes which threaten to turn into tears Tim presses closely to Kon, letting his head rest against his best friend’s.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” He whispers softly, his voice thick with emotion. “I missed you so much, I’m glad you’re back.”

Kon doesn’t say anything in return, not that Tim was expecting him too, but the squeeze he gets is an answer in itself.

Unable to resist Tim presses a kiss to Kon's temple before finally pulling away. He lets his best friend go and quickly heads for the door before anyone could say anything. Tim could feel the emotion building up inside of him and knows he needs to step out of the room to be able to get a hold of himself, being able to get the soup is a good diversion alongside it.

He means it, how he’s glad Kon is back. Once Kon is up on his feet they can work together in solving what had happened to him in the time he had been missing and fix together those missing pieces of his memory.

[op-sys-chaos]

Val is in 6th place*

Several DP rogues are directly under her on the leaderboard, some spots varying and some staying the same.**

Dash holds spot 15 pretty regularly, though sometimes his ranking slips when some of the tougher rogues show up

More of the rogues are scattered below Dash, some holding their spots consistently and some battling it out within a certain few places and constantly trading spots amongst themselves

Jason first came to the 25th monthly tournament. Lady Amy extended invitations to the other city ghosts to send their champions to compete. Only Lady Gotham responded at first, knowing Jason would get enrichment and enjoyment out of it. She was so proud of him for knocking Val out of the top 5 (she previously held the 5th spot) and taking 5th for himself.

The next month, Jason brought Harley along. Harley loved it, and comes back whenever she has time. She holds onto spot 8 pretty consistently whenever she competes. Harley brings Pam along half the time, and Pam either cheers from the stands while chatting with Sam and/or Undergrowth or participates herself. Pam’s placing wildly varies depending on who’s fighting that month. She’s usually somewhere in the top 10, though.

The month after, Jason brought Damian. He loved it too, and the two now have “monthly bonding” scheduled which is really just their joint trip to the Necrosis Arena.

After hearing about how much Lady Gotham’s knight, her harlequin, and her environmentalist loved it, Sir Metropolis decided to send a knight of his own. Superman so often had to hold back in fights. He might enjoy letting loose.

Superman was shocked to learn about his city spirit, but was willing to attend the tournament. After figuring out that yes, he really can let loose here, he slowly climbed through the ranks. Jason’s not afraid to bust out the kryptonite, and he respects Val and Sam a lot so he lent them some, so Clark can never beat those three. And he absolutely can’t beat the Phantom trio. So he’s usually around 7th or 8th on the charts, though he shows up maybe twice a year since he’s usually too busy. Superman agreed to keep the fights a secret because he knew the JL would try to shut them down.

By the 30th monthly tournament, other cities had started sending heroes and villains alike. At that point, it escapes containment and people found out. It became the worst kept secret in the hero and villain community. Knowing the issues this might cause, Lady Amy enforced a truce. Any travelers heading to or from the Necrosis Arena were under immunity, and anyone attempting to harm them would be banned from the tournament and unable to find the tournament until they agreed to keep the truce. If a hero made a mistake, not realizing the villain was traveling there, they were quickly forgiven. But if they truly could not keep the truce, they ended up banned from Amity entirely.

And actually, the heroes saw the benefit in that too. Villains who were in it for the love of violence ended up massively decreasing villainous activities because they got their fill at the Necrosis Arena, especially because they could stay and participate in the regular, non-tournament battles. There were people who had standing challenges with each other, ready to throw down at a moment’s notice when the other needed a fight due to bloodlust or whatever. Mostly, Lady Amy tried to pair up villains, but the Phantom trio also agreed to be on call if need be. They could even set up duplicates and let the duplicates “die dramatically” (complete with special effects) to fulfill the bloodlust for villains who truly needed to watch someone die.

And after a bloodlust episode like that, they were usually sent to the Arena’s resident therapist, Dr. Jasmine Fenton. She had a wonderful reputation for helping villains learn to process their emotions in non-violent ways, even fully rehabilitating a few of them.

The heroes, on the other hand, viewed the Arena as training. People with all kinds of powers (or none at all, just martial arts training) participated, giving them all types of combat practice. Plus, there were no stakes other than placement on a chart (except in the yearly tournament). They also took young protégés there to train in a low stakes environment, while also showing them how violent this job can get and asking if this is what they really want to do.

Word of the Necrosis Arena never reached non-hero/villain-associated civilian ears, thankfully. Lady Amy didn’t want this outlet for violence to turn into a public spectacle or a cash grab via betting - in fact, she’d strictly forbidden betting among Amity civilians who’d chosen not to participate. And the civilians who had heard of it knew better than to spread the word about it.

Eventually, the Necrosis Arena would gain something of a sacred status as a neutral battleground to be used for fun and training. Occasionally, people would settle disputes in one-on-one battles, but those were rare and usually handled somewhere where permanent damage to others had not been magically forbidden by a powerful entity. (Anyone who would have sustained a permanent injury was instead turned intangible by Lady Amy’s magic at the last possible second and declared to have lost the fight. Lady Amy’s magical presence covered the full arena, allowing her to easily accomplish this.) Some wanted that magical protection to avoid harming their enemies permanently while trying to handle situations, though, and so preferred the arena as a battleground to settle things.

However, as the arena’s prestige and patronage grew, Lady Amy’s power grew, and she was able to set a new system in place. The arena gained a sub-section called the Necrosis Court, where you could set terms and conditions for victory in a battle if you wanted to settle something via combat. For example, if you agreed to never kill again if you lost the fight, and then lost, you would be magically barred by Lady Amy’s power from ever killing again, a power backed by the city spirits who would help reinforce her spells when the subjects of them came to their cities.

Use of the Necrosis Court wasn’t common, though. Trial by combat had fallen out of favor, and was mostly used in extreme circumstances. However, Jason did manage to magically stop the Joker from killing people or indirectly causing someone’s death ever again, which was very impressive. It took a lot to get him to agree to that, and Jason had had to agree to let the Joker kill him again if he lost. Thankfully, he didn’t. The fight wasn’t even close; Jason had a lot on the line and fought like hell for it. Every Gotham hero and villain attended the fight, and they all rejoiced at the outcome, especially when they realized that the magical effects of the contract would force it to be kept. None of the Gotham villains were ever stupid enough to agree to something that drastic as a condition again, though. The Necrosis Court rarely saw use, but its use was certainly effective.

Most of the use of the Necrosis Arena was for fun and training, though. And Lady Amy enjoyed having it stay that way. As did the rest of the combat community. After all, there’s nothing quite like a fight to the death where no one can actually die.

*In the yearly tournament, Amity Parkers like Val rarely win. You can only win once before being barred to avoid someone claiming the massively coveted prize year after year, and they don’t want to be barred from the biggest fight of the year. So those who can win a top spot usually throw the fight once they reach the top ~20. Those who are there for the love of the fight will challenge those who reach the top spots to fun one v one battles the next day, but let those who are there for the prize actually compete to win it.

**As a side note, the board placement reflects who actively fought that month. They do keep notes next to the placements about previous title holders though. Basically, if Superman didn’t fight that month but was in 7th the last time he fought, under the person’s name in 7th is “Superman” in small letters. Sometimes there’s like 5 people who hold a small letter title under a spot, since they all each held that location the last time they fought but hadn’t fought in a while. There’s no limit on the small names under a position, and it’s always interesting when all of the small names show up at once. People love to see which 7th place holder is the true 7th place fighter. Those fights are always a hit.

DPxDC #14

Amity Park has been irrevocably changed due to the portal. The town is seeped with ectoplasm. The citizens have become liminal.

Amity Park has gained sentience, gained its own city spirit. Lady Amity, Lady Amy for short. Lady Amy has made sure that the needs of her people are being met.

Liminals need enrichment. So she created a coliseum, named Necrosis Arena. Citizens can fight whenever and whoever, even those from the realms. There is even a monthly tournament, open to all. The winner receives a weapon or something of equal value. In the yearly tournament, however, the winner can get anything they want (within reason) from the Ghost King.

Necrosis Arena has a leaderboard of the top 50 list of all fights. And a dedicated stats board for the top 10.

Talks about the coliseum break containment of Amity Park and reach the ears of the JL/JLD. Several people are sent out to investigate.

When the league gets to the coliseum they see something they never thought they would. There on the leaderboard in the number 5 spot is the name Jason Todd-Wayne - Red Hood, Knight of Lady Gotham. And coming in at number 25 Damian Al Ghul-Wayne - Robin, Knight of Lady Gotham.

[trendingnewsbite]

Misha Collins Casts His ‘Supernatural’ Co-Stars on ‘Gotham Knights’ (VIDEO)

It’s the game almost every TV show fandom has played at some point: Who from one show we love play on another show we love? And since Misha Collins is always down for some fun, we decided to ask Gotham Knights‘ resident Harvey Dent to do the mashing up and give us his picks for a Supernatural–Gotham Knights casting session. But be warned, he jokes before unfurling his choices: “This is not…

[misstring]

The Secret I Almost Uncovered (Tim Drake x Reader)

Reader Gender: There is no mention of any gender.

Warnings: Nothing particular that stands out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where are his parents?!

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

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

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

Okay, he's a rude one.

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

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

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

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

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

I nod.

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

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

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

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

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

“Dami,” He whispers out before falling asleep.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I-- Where am I?” he asks me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why do I still love this city?

---Fin.

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

[apixrl]

HERE'S TO A GREAT F*CKING LIFE.

jason todd x fem!reader

warning(s): death themes. blood. angst (sorry in advance).

word count: 5.0k

song: butterflies // abe parker

note(s): scrapped from an old jason fic of mine but turned the first part into a oneshot. kinda wanna write it again but idk :') stan jason for clear skin <333333

For the first time that September, Gotham City's usual dark and gloomy sky was sprinkled with an array of shining stars. A golden crescent moon hung over the city, acting as the finishing touch for the canvas of night. The sheet of light only added to the beauty and wonder of Gotham's fairground.

Classical circus music played from the ferris wheel as it spun round and round. The carriages made their way around the gigantic wheel, smiles and laughter spreading as the passengers reached its highest point. Horses bobbed up and down on the colourful carousel, and all sorts of spooks flowed out of the haunted house. Finally, the stalls that ranged from shooting games to hook-a-duck were filled to the brim with crowds. It was one of those nights in Gotham where it was like the city never slept.

While most were occupied by the bright dazzling lights of the amusement park, a pair of teenagers found more entertainment in their own company. Leading from the fairground was a great extending pier that stretched out far into the outer waters. The only guidance given was the light from the overhanging moon, its rays rippling against the water that surrounded.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Y/N spoke in awe, leaning against the fencing of the wooden pier, inhaling a breath of salty air to relieve the tension she had felt that day.

"Almost hides the fact that Gotham actually has a bunch of psychotic pansies running it half of the time," Her friend said as he met her side. One hand was filled to the brim with cheap prizes that had been won on their night out, and the other was maintained by a half eaten stick of candy floss. The two were sharing it between them.

"Psychotic pansies?" Y/N repeated, a rather amused but questioning tone in her voice. Lending her a side smirk and a shrug, the ebony haired boy rationalised his choice of words.

"Those were Bruce's words... not mine,"

"Yep. Sure thing, Jay,"

Y/N's sarcasm elicited a chuckle from her friend behind her. A few rustles that indicated movement, the boy, name of Jason Todd, put down the mass of prizes and joined Y/N's side. He cleared his throat, his free hand running through his hair.

There was a temporary silence that followed after. Both teenagers holding their gaze out to the view at the end of the pier. The only movement from either of them was the occasional picking of the soft pink candy floss in Jason's hand.

"Thanks for tonight," Y/N eventually said, hand reaching out to grab a large portion of the floss. One that made Jason's brow raise. She didn't even go to eat it primarily, her fingers kneading through the delicate and fluffy cloud-like candy.

"Don't mention it," Jason responded. The front of his shoe occasionally scuffed itself against the small stones that lay on the ground's surface. Small plops could be heard as the tiny minerals trickled into the water below. "I know things have been bad at home so... thought you could do with the distraction,"

He was right, things had been bad. Y/N's parents were hanging on a final thread of adoration for each other, attempting to snip the string through constant fights and screaming matches. Upon overhearing many, many arguments between them, she remained unsure of the true reasoning - her only conclusion being that, sometimes, people simply fall out of love. And the ones who don't realise from the get go cling on like there's something worth saving. A divorce was just around the corner and it felt like she was the only one in her family aware.

Y/N was thankful for Jason being in her life, as it meant she could retreat to him if she needed escape. And since Wayne Manor (where he resided) was so spacious, her presence was rarely ever an issue. She stayed there for an entire week once and Bruce never took any notice. He had been far too preoccupied with riddles left by the Riddler as well as a project at Wayne Enterprises, so he hadn't spent much time at home. Y/N always laughed at the memory of his face when he found out her visit had been one extended stay. It was one of the rare occasions where the Bruce Wayne actually cracked a smile and laughed. The memory was pleasant, one she missed from her own home and childhood before it all went wrong.

"Yeah...," Jason turned after hearing Y/N shiver. The hoodie she was wearing gave barely any warmth against the late September air. The evening had been quite deceitful and teased a warm autumn night. Making many feel the harsh chill of what seemingly felt like the cold itself laughing at its own deception.

"Here," The boy said and stepped back, shrugging off his jacket and handed it over to his troubled friend. She smiled in thanks, taking it with hesitance before she slipped it on. Once snuggled into the soft layered coat, Y/N gazed at Jason with a saddened and guilt-ridden eye.

"It's not just home that's bad," She admitted. Jason looked over, wanting elaboration.

"What do you mean?"

"W-well... you know that guy I'm talking to? The one from my school?" She paused to gain confirmation, and after a quick 'you mean Michael?' from Jason, Y/N continued. "He um, called it quits with me last night,"

Jason blinked in surprise. He hadn't been expecting that at all. As far as he was aware, Y/N and this Michael had been crushing hard on one another for a while now. She would sit in Jason's bedroom talking about the cute good morning texts she'd receive every single day from him. How he'd flirt with her in Math or how his friends told Y/N he really wanted to ask her on a date but was too nervous to do so. They had been supposedly pining for ages, and oh how it made Jason want to find the closest wall, pretend it was Michael, and then shatter it into tiny, miniscule pieces.

He hated it. He wanted Y/N to speak of how he flirted with her, not the guy who went to her school. He wanted her to see his good morning messages and get flustered, a lovesick grin plastered to her perfect face which he never grew tired of. He wanted his face to be one she never grew tired of. What did this Michael guy have that he didn't?! Jason did everything Michael did and with so much more care and attention. He knew Y/N in a way Michael never could, and in Jason's deepest desires he knew her in a way Michael never should.

See, Jason was too struck with a crush, only on his best friend and poor Y/N had absolutely no idea. Jason had never plucked up the courage to tell her how he felt. There had been a number of attempts, but things always got in the way. Things always got in the way for Jason.

Not to mention, telling her made him vulnerable. If she didn't return his feelings then he'd get hurt, and their friendship would most likely be the cost. He couldn't lose her like that. She was one of the few people in his life that he cared about the most. Having her as a friend was better than not having her at all. So smiles all around it would be.

"What happened? I thought you guys were... y'know..., " He trailed off in order to imitate kissing actions with his hands, an action Y/N cringed at physically and rolled her eyes. With a gentle shove, the girl shook her head before replying.

"Please never do that again... but yeah. Were, "

"Oh... what happened? Did he finally realise he's not good enough for you?" Jason forced a smirk. "Or did he finally catch a whiff at those stinky armpits of yours? Hm? You big stinker,"

"No. He did not. And if anyone's the big stinker here it's you," Y/N sent her friend a look. "Nobody fights crime in spandex without sweating up a storm,"

"At least I have to do something in order to smell ba- hey!" Jason stopped as Y/N went to swat him round the back of the head. She giggled and muttered 'revenge stinker' and it was Jason's turn to roll his eyes. "Okay, okay. Just because you stink doesn't mean you get to hit me,"

"Wow, it's almost like you don't go out at night looking for fights with a man dressed like a bat. I think you can handle little old me throwing one your way,"

"Whatever," Jason let go of her sarcasm. "Anyway, what were you saying about Michael? Why'd he end things?" Her smile faded once back on track, a frustrated groan leaving Y/N's throat.

"He just decided I'd been a waste of time and was untrustworthy," Despite her efforts to sound as nonchalant as possible, Jason sensed a form of hurt in her voice. It was easy to notice one's coping mechanisms when they also happen to be your own. Jason used the exact same method to prevent anyone fussing over him, but with a Father figure heavily practiced in interrogation, Jason rarely got away with his. Which meant it would be the case for anyone he held dear who tried the exact same thing.

"What's he talking about? You're neither of those things, fucking jerk,"

Y/N merely shrugged as a means to downplay the situation. Something that surprised Jason. Usually Y/N vented everything to him but for once she seemed reluctant. The two would dive into an endless train of insults regarding the person that irritated them, the words growing so completely inappropriate and bizarre the saddened feelings became ones of amusement and humour.

Frowning faintly and focusing hard on the candy floss in front of him, Jason allowed his terrible stubbornness to do more good than bad for a change. He scooted closer to his friend and deliberately nudged her shoulder.

"Come on. You can tell me more. It's not like I'll go punch him in the face or anything,"

"Jason...,"

"Alright, alright. I will absolutely go punch him in the face but only if you tell me,"

By now her head had turned away, making Jason smirk in a confident victory.

"Even if your head isn't facing me I know you're grinning," When her head didn't turn Jason leaned forwards and prodded her three, maybe four times. "It's rude to ignore your friend, doofus. Especially when he's being a nosy asshole in order to get you to talk,"

Y/N watched him out her eye corners. Jason rested his arm on the wooden fencing of the pier, head held upright by his hand. Finally, a rather complacent yet innocent smile was planted on his lips. He could see the cogs turning in Y/N's head, her tolerance slowly cutting shorter by the second as she looked at him. The moment her head hung forwards in defeat Jason silently celebrated. At the same time as making himself comfortable for the bitch session that was about to take place. Or so he thought would take place.

Y/N fiddled with her fingers awkwardly, clearing her throat and thinking hard on how to begin. It was obvious she didn't really want to, but she knew Jason wouldn't stop bugging her until she told him what went wrong.

"Well, the reason he said that is because... because he saw us at that party Bruce forced us to go to last week," She stopped, a deep breath evident to Jason from the cold, night air. Y/N's eyes avoided her best friend as she said her next words. "After seeing pictures online, he now thinks we're dating and it turned into this whole thing when I told him we weren't, so y'know... he said I wasn't worth it and that I should just leave him alone,"

"Oh," Was Jason's first response. His primary instinct told him to leap for joy that he had a fighting chance, but he was conscious of the fact you were clearly upset. So perhaps that wasn't the most sensitive reaction to give. It could always come later, when he was alone in his room with nobody to catch him in the act. Where his dignity could remain intact. "Didn't... didn't you tell him that we're just friends?"

"Of course but -," She sighed. "He just called me a liar. Like, a lot. Over and over," Her face disgruntled. "I'm sick of hearing the damn word,"

"Piece of shit. He's the one not worth it," Jason angrily grumbled, brows furrowing together at the thought. The fact this guy had the nerve to talk to Y/N in that manner and call her such things. The disrespect had his blood boiling.

"I don't know, I can't really blame him," Y/N said. "I would be pretty insecure if I saw the person I wanted to date attending posh parties with the son of a billionaire, too,"

"You think that's why he did it?"

"I'm telling myself that in hopes I can make the guy sound like less of a dick, but even after I reassured him he just kept making it worse," A slight pause as she sighed again. "I think it was the dress you bought for me that was the final straw,"

"Seriously? You had nothing to wear so why wouldn't I have got you one? That's what friends do," Jason shook his head in dissaproval. "Maybe he was just insecure like you said. But if I was him I wouldn't make that a reason to end things with someone as great as you. Son of a bitch clearly can't see beauty when it's standing right in front of him. I wouldn't be looking at the dress because of the price, I'd be looking at you in the dress because you made it even more perfect than it was,"

"Wait... what?" This time her gaze locked to Jason's in surprise, the words leaving his mouth the last thing she expected. Sure, Jason had complimented her at the party... but something as generous as perfect? Surprised was an understatement, really. The most she got out of him at the party was that she looked nice. And only when Bruce prompted him to give the compliment.

"What?" Jason almost instantly responded. Now it was his turn to downplay his words in order to palliate his implication. He looked away, doing his best to remain cool. Perhaps he had gotten carried away in his ramble, but he told no lie. Y/N was stunning at that party and Jason spent the whole night battling all urges to cram his lips against her own and reveal how he truly felt. Had Michael even looked at the public photos and thought 'wow, I'm one lucky guy if that's my potential girlfriend' ? Probably not. But he should have. Fucking asshole. If only he was aware of how lucky he was.

His attempt to play cool seemed to work in his favour. Y/N watched him, her heart's sudden lift at his words falling to her feet again. Unbeknownst to his actual meaning, she assumed Jason's reaction indicated he was oblivious to what he had just said. Which sent her more rock-bottom than she already was.

"Nevermind," She said. Y/N felt the candy floss in her grasp loosen and before she could catch it, the breeze took it away. It slowly floated down to the water. Once it hit the surface, its shade darkened and disintegrated before it sank below the depths. "Thought I misheard you,"

Y/N turned her gaze to him. God, it hurt to look. His luminous blue eyes matched with his raven painted hair sent her into such a spiral of emotions she practically felt her cheeks heat up with humiliation. The jawline that had altered his appearance over the years from a premature sweetness to a charming handsomeness sent butterflies to her stomach, fluttering everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. They came and went like heavy rain, always catching you at the worst of times, without preparation.

It was unknown to the seventeen year old how it happened. Better yet, when. She was attracted to a boy who had for so long now just been a friend. Yet here she was, questioning her feelings and what would happen if their friendship went that one step further. Michael was her first attempt at denying her true feelings, though soon became her way of preventing Jason from finding out the truth. Well, the parts she'd left unsaid anyway. Everything from Michael cutting ties and the fact he had genuinely wanted to ask her out was not fabricated.

Y/N sighed as her mind gave her no break. She felt bad telling her friend continuous lies about her emotions. Jason was the one person where secrets weren't kept, they could tell each other anything. They both knew so much about each other there was little left to tell. Yet here she was hiding the most important thing that needed to be shared. Maybe it was time. Even if she got hurt, she just had to let it out. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep it inside. Humans can only tolerate so much secrecy before they start to lose their mind from the strife it gives.

So with one heavy breath as mental preparation, in and out slow, she chose her next words carefully.

"To be honest I don't even know why I made such a fuss about it,"

Yes you do.

"I realised after we stopped talking that I maybe didn't like him as much as I thought,"

Be real. You never liked him. A good math buddy but that was it.

"Well... why'd you feel the need to get upset?" Jason tilted his head to the side in confusion, making a good point which Y/N already knew the answer to. She quickly turned away from him, nerves hitting her like a brick had just been lobbed directly at her face.

Because there's no distraction from you anymore, doofus.

"Y/N?"

She blinked out of her train of thought, eyes lifting up to meet his. He was already gazing down at her, awaiting a reply. Y/N gulped despite a dry mouth, not really sure what to say. She was speechless, in fact. Once again blown away by her best friend's good looks. How was it possible for someone to be so attractive?! Her mind was a flurry of flustering thoughts that in her frozen stance, Jason slowly began catching on. And it seemed Y/N was able to express how she felt without needing to utter a single word.

The boy could read expressions and body language so easily due to his training, so Y/N wasn't getting away with anything in that moment. At first he was unsure, the entire concept something he had imagined in his wildest dreams. But it was when Y/N's eyes trailed down to his lips that the realisation hit. Her beautiful, E/C eyes, filled with want and yearn and her pupils dilating was merely the cherry on top.

In that small fragment of time where Jason realised. His heart pounded in his chest. Everything felt weightless and like no other feeling he had ever encountered before. He had all the confirmation he needed, and whether Y/N realised that Jason didn't know. But there was no way he was letting her wonder any longer.

Just as her stare drifted back to where it started, Jason took it upon himself to lean towards her. His eyes locked firmly onto hers, searching for anything in their intense, near-staring-contest-gaze that hinted she was off-put with anything he was doing. One can only imagine the adrenaline rushing through his veins when Y/N stayed put.

It was there that Jason left a gentle peck on her lips. A sample she could have more of if it suited her expectations. To him, it wasn't nearly enough and he resisted the want to kiss her harder. Just to be sure that she wanted it too, Jason pulled away, chills crawling up his back when Y/N followed - pushing their lips back together to prolong what both had wanted for so, so long.

He felt a smile form on Y/N's lips as they kissed, something that only meant what he had done was the right thing. That how he felt for Y/N was how she felt for him. That those curiosities were shared and the kiss was only the trigger to allowing them to become reality. Their eyes closed in their tender moment, Jason bringing his hands to cup Y/N's cheeks. Holding them so delicately as if they may shatter under his touch. He felt intoxicated, seeking more of her as each second passed. Her hands wrapped around his neck, fingertips grazing the nape, sending tingles of excitement straight to his chest and so intensely Jason's thumping heart near deafened him.

Everything felt so right. Everything felt so unbelievably perfect. So wonderous and amazing that the mere memory took his breath away. Gotham's moon gleamed on as the two embraced in the moment both of them discovered untold sentiments.

And Jason would have paid millions for that night to have ended exactly like that.

00:15

00:14

00:13

Jason's eyes opened, the memory from the previous week leaving his head as fast as it had flowed in. Except that wasn't the memory of what actually happened. It was the memory of what he wished had happened, instead.

Y/N felt nothing for him but friendship. Michael had asked her out. She undoubtedly said yes. Of course she said yes.

Why would she feel anything for a guy like you anyway?

00:12

00:11

00:10

The cloak that clung to his back felt like a thousand ton weight, one he had to drag fifty miles in order to get rid of. His battered and beaten frame screamed for a saviour as he tried to reach for the door handle one last time. All it would take was one...last...stretch...

00:09

00:08

00:07

She probably friended you out of pity. God, she would probably love you out of pity as well. Not that she ever loved you at all... not in the way you wanted. Definitely not in the way you had always, oh so desperately, wanted and needed for so, unbelievably long.

What would Bruce think? His sidekick failed him and so did his son. If he had just listened a bit more. If he had held back his temper for a few seconds longer. Maybe, just maybe, instead of being at the hands of the Joker... he'd be sprawled out on the couch having a movie marathon with the one person his age that actually made him feel human.

00:06

00:05

00:04

His feeble hands reached for the handle once an eternity had passed and granted him permission to grab a hold. A hefty tug that more than likely worsened his internal bleeding gave Jason enough clarification that the door was barred shut. Only an aggressive kick or shove would break the hinges and give him an exit.

If he could only... stand up...

A soft beep suddenly forced its way into his eardrum, making him stop and rotate his head to the opposite end of the room. At least to the best of his ability - his neck struggled to keep his head upright and even his eyes found it difficult to move around in their sockets.

Across the way sat a device with a timer painted in bold and bright red, that even his blurred vision could make out as clear as day. A timer, counting downwards all the way to zero. Further study wasn't required, Jason knew what it was immediately. And with as little time left as there was, he lost all means to try and escape the radius.

00:03

Nice one, genius.

You really screwed yourself over now. How did Bruce ever believe in you? How did you ever believe in yourself? That you thought you could actually pull off being as good a Robin as Grayson? As good a boyfriend as Michael? The boy who clearly had more guts than you because he actually told the girl how he felt while he had the chance?

00:02

Maybe it won't hurt as much as they say it does.

You know...it could just... tickle you from this distance.

As simple as falling asleep. Maybe. Hopefully. Please don't let it hurt.

00:01

He barely had the opportunity to cry a final tear. For goodbyes he'd never be able to say, for goodbyes he never said. For apologies he never said. For every single point in his life where he messed up. Regrets of all sizes and consequences flashed in his final moments, with no way to amend them. No way to atone or make them right.

Goodbye Alfred and Y/N, goodbye Bruce. Goodbye to all those missed opportunities. Here's to a great fucking life that you never deserved to have.

Jason Peter Todd stared directly toward the bomb, that would be his inevitable demise.

00:00

"W-well... you know Michael? The one from my school I really like?" She paused to gain confirmation, which she received. Jason nodded slowly, head cocking to the side in question afterwards. Y/N felt her smile erupt into something wonderful. "He finally asked me to be his girlfriend, and I said yes!"

Jason froze in time, eyes not focused on his friend, nor were they really focused on anything behind her either. He aimlessly gawked at nothing, letting the information sink deep into his skin as sharp as a knife. The candy floss in his hand wilted to a certain degree, the same way his heart plummeted straight to the floor. After a moment to process, he noticed how his friend expectedly awaited a response to her news. Y/N's smile never wavered, only grew with excitement that punched Jason so hard in the gut he felt the need to coil over from the pain.

"Oh... that's... that's really great Y/N. I-I'm happy for you," Jason forced out, sending a feigned smile in her direction to show his support. No matter how livid he was to hearing Y/N's news, being an asshole about it wasn't fair. Y/N missed his insincerity, too bubbled with joy to even consider his upset. Instead, she started to ramble about the how and the when of Michael finally asking her out, not checking if she even had Jason's full attention. That showed how truly and genuinely taken she was by this boy, how her heart ebbed for him the whole time. Jason's mask went up at the thought. The mask that hid his true emotion.

He had been so close. So, so close. If only he had grown the guts to say something earlier as he and Y/N reached the highest point of the ferris wheel. To take her hand in his and finally tell her how he'd been feeling. Part of him wanted to let it out, make some big, romantic gesture in Y/N's direction that would have her head over heels for him. Exactly like the stories and movies showed.

But he knew with his luck she would just laugh. Make it into some big joke and thump his back to congratulate him on the trick.

Except none of it was a trick.

Y/N looked out to the pier's view, her smile brighter than the shine of the moon above. In another instance Jason would have admired it, but the smile wasn't for him so how could he? It was for another boy. A boy who beat him to it and got the girl. The girl Jason wanted so badly he wasn't sure what to do with those feelings now he knew those feelings weren't reciprocated.

Due to this, Jason reached for his phone in his pocket, praying there was a message from Alfred or Bruce to call the night off early to put on his nightly uniform. When there wasn't anything, Jason decided to take matters into his own hands. Suddenly going back to the fairground for a couple more rides no longer sounded like the perfect end to a once perfect night.

"It's getting late... I think we should get Alfred to pick us up," He interrupted forcibly, not caring for cutting his friend off mid-sentence. Y/N frowned and then pouted her lip once she processed what he said.

"What do you mean, Jay? It's not even ten yet," Y/N protested, a certain whine to her voice that Jason purposely ignored.

"I know, I-I'm just tired," He cleared his throat and was already walking back up the pier before Y/N could respond. There was a scowl on his face now, a shadow casting over once his back was turned from Y/N.

"Oh. Okay. We can go then... I guess all that Robin work catches up to you," Y/N laughed awkwardly when her light-hearted attempt was overlooked. She stopped to pick up the prizes that Jason had forgotten, or he just simply lost all want to carry them around. She found it odd, his sudden change in mood. Jason had been fine the whole night up until the last couple of minutes. What was wrong with him?

"Sure," Was his reply. Hands shoving themselves into his pocket as his walk became sluggish. Y/N caught up to him, studying him for a good second or two.

"Are you sure it's just that?" She asked, knowing that action all too well. There was something he wanted to say, from the way his lips were tightened and his eyes were focused hard on his trainers as he walked on. Jason glanced back at her, reaching to grab a few of the prizes when he saw Y/N nearly drop a few and made his answer pretty clear.

Maybe if Jason had been more confident with his feelings and if Y/N had pushed him a little more on what bothered him so, the conversation may have taken a different course and not cut so short. But alas, like all things went for Jason, luck was never on his side.

"Positive,"

Never.

[docgold13]

365 DC Comics Paper Cut-Out SuperHeroes - One Hero, Every Day, All Year…

December 8th - Superboy / Jonathan Kent

Jonathan Samuel ‘Jon’ Kent is the son of Superman (Clark Kent) and Lois Lane.  His birth was facilitated by the machinations of Brainiac during The Convergence story event.  During this tale, Brainiac gains access to the ‘Vanishing Point,’ allowing him to view the various histories of the Multiverse.  Brainiac then collected various cities and inhabitants from different timelines, trapping them in domes on a planet outside of time and space.  Versions of both Lois and Clark were among those collected and deposited in a domed Gotham City.  Removed from Earth’s yellow sun, Clark’s powers as Superman quickly abated.  

The two were trapped in this city for many months and during this time, Lois became pregnant and gave birth to their child.  They name their son Jonathan Samuel after both of their fathers.  

Following the Convergence Event, the Kent family arrive during the beginning of the New 52. Superman and his family live in secrecy for many years, moving to California and adopting new identities.  Lois becoming an anonymous author, while Superman continues his superhero duties quietly and behind the scenes.  Jon grows up with a relatively normal life unaware of his nor his parents’ real identities.  Jon begins to develop superpowers similar to those of his father, Superman as his closes in on his adolescence.  After he and his mother were kidnapped and almost killed by Intergang, his parents finally reveal their true origin to him.

In the DC Rebirth continuity, the Post-Crisis Superman has been re-conceptualized as the main Superman, along with his wife, Lois and their son Jon.  The family now resides on a farm in Hamilton County.  Jon’s powers continue to emerge and he joins his father on an adventure that pits the two against The Eradicator.  

Now going by the name ‘Superboy,’ Jon enters into a partnership with Robin (Damian Wayne).  These two so-called ‘Super Sons’ initially did not get off on a good foot with one another; with Damian seeing Jon as naive and undeserving of his great powers and Jon seeing Damian as rude and egotistical.  Throughout their adventures together, however, the two become great friends, fostering an alliance very similar to that maintained by their fathers.  

Later, Jon’s grandfather Jor-El visited the Kent family and offered to take Jon on a trip to better educate him about the known universe.  His parents were reluctant to let him go, but ultimately allowed it.  It proved a fateful decision in that Jon ended up trapped in a black hole and marooned on Earth 3 were he had to contend with Ultramar and the Crime Syndicate.  He is eventually able to escape and return to Earth Prime.  Due to the time dilation of Jon’s encounter with the black hole, what was a years-long journey for him had only been a couple of weeks for his parents; and Lois and Clark were shocked to be reunited by their now older, teenage son.  

Following a battle against Rogol Zaar, the Houses of El and Zod meet with the heads of several planets to discuss Zaar's and Jor-El's roles in Krypton's destruction. Jon suggests forming the United Planets, and the Legion of Super-Heroes appears and offers Jon a membership in their ranks.

A version of Jon Kent features in the television series Superman and Lois portrayed by actor Jordan Elsass.  The young hero first appeared in the pages of Convergence: Superman #2 (2015).

[seraophic]

INTRODUCTION  TO  METROPOLIS .

     i .    the  city  of  metropolis  is  based  in  new  york  and  is  comparable  to  both  cleveland  and  new  york  city  itself  —  primarily  its  layout  of  multiple  boroughs .   each  one  is  separated  by  either  hobb’s  bay,  metropolis  river,  or  west  river .   ferries,  trains,  or  cars  are  required  to  travel  through  the  boroughs .  the  city  itself  was  originally  founded  in  the  1700′s   —  first  as  a  dutch  settlement .   today,  metropolis  is  a  global  hub  for  business,  politics,  news  media,   technological  advancement,  economics,  and  environmental  sciences . 

     ii .    the  style  of  architecture  and  decor  can  be  described  similarly  to streamline  moderne  -  a  subgenre  of  art  deco  which  full  blossomed  mid-  century ;   these  dates  range  primarily  from  1930-1950′s .   with  this  shift  from  the  roaring  20′s  came  curved  corners,  wide  and  tall  buildings,  and  brighter  aesthetics .  this  was  not  only  implemented  in  exteriors,  but  on  the  inside  of  homes,  diners,  and  places  of  business .  metropolis  follows  suit  in  these,   adapting  a  charming  mid-century  aesthetic  while  combining  it  with  the  best  technology  offered  today .   in  addition  to  its  bright  white  and  gold  appearance ,   metropolis  is  an  incredibly  tall  city.  a  majority  of the  boroughs  are  filled  with  massive  skyscrapers  —  each  one  ranging  in  operation  and  business .

   iii .   prior  to  superman’s  arrival,  the  people  of  metropolis  were  described  as  a  good,  but  not  necessarily  nice  bunch  .   the  deeper  you  get  into  the  city,  the  more  hustle  and  bustle  it  becomes  ;  the  less  time  people  have  for  each  other .   superman’s  arrival  softened  their  hearts,  and  now  metropolites  are  a  tough  but  incredibly  good  group  of  people .  the  city  demographics  can  only  be  seen  as  a  melting  pot .  due  to  its  proximity  to  new  york  city,  metropolites  are  an  incredibly  diverse  community,  with  ethnic  groups  and  races  from  all  over  the  globe .

    the  boroughs  are  as  follows :     new  troy ,  queensland  park,  park  ridge,  bakerline,  st.  martin’s  island,  and  hell’s  gate .   primary  map  reference  here  and  here . 

BOROUGH  1 . ]   NEW  TROY . 

    i .   this  is  the  borough  most  associated  with  metropolis ;  the  place  with  the  largest  populace,  distance,  and  most  points  of  interest .   there  is  a  ferry  leading  from  the  bay  of  this  area  to  gotham  city .  new  troy  is  broken  down  into  four  districts :   midtown,  downtown,  central  business  district,  and  hobb’s  bay . 

      [  POINTS  OF  INTEREST  -  MIDTOWN  :   the  daily  star -  the  first  news  outlet  clark  ever  worked  for,   most  of  the  daily  planet  gang’s  apartments  or  residences .  both  lex  luthor  and  mercy  graves  have  residences  in  midtown  as  well .   ]

    ii.    this  is  where  you’ll  find  both  of  clark’s  previous  apartments ;  the  first  being    [   344  CLINTON  ST .  ]   kon  briefly  took  residence  there  when  clark  moved  out.  the  most  recent  complex  can  be  found  on  [  1938  SULLIVAN  PLACE   ] ,  and  owned  by  bruce  wayne .  as  per  my  main  arc,  clark’s  current  metropolis  residence  is  a  penthouse  near  their  old  complex .  their  new  location  has  a  perfect  view  of  the  metropolis  skyline  and  quick  access  to  both  the  daily  planet  and  lexcorp.   cat  grant  and  steve  lombard  live  only  a  few  streets  over .   lana  lang,   lois  lane,  mercy  graves,  and  lex  luthor’s  primary  places  of  residence  are  also  located  in  midtown . 

       [   POINTS  OF  INTEREST   -  CENTRAL  BUSINESS  DISTRICT :    avenue  of  tomorrow,  lexcorp  tower,  the  daily  planet,  waynetech,  stagg  enterprises,  s.t.a.r  labs,  the  wgbs  broadcasting  building,  and  the  lena  luthor science exploratorium .    ]

    iii.    the  avenue  of  tomorrow  is  a  popular  street  in  new  troy  that  surrounds  metro  square   (  a  time’s  square - adjacent  block  ).   this  is  the busiest  area  of  metropolis  and  is  seen  as  a  scientific  hub,  holding  branches  of  waynetech,  stagg  enterprises,  hamilton  technologies,  project  cadmus,  ivo  labs,  and  s.t.a.r  labs . 

    [     POINTS  OF  INTEREST  -  DOWNTOWN  :   multiple  shopping  centers,  theaters,  metropolis  university,  metropolis  museum  of  art,  the  jules  verne  extraterrestrial  museum,  and  centennial  park .  ]

   iv.    centennial  park  is metropolis’  largest  park  and  recreation  area,   modeled  similarly  after  central  park  in  nyc .  there  are  multiple  ponds,  public  activities,   live  bands,   and  frequent  city-wide  events  held  there .  after  superman  is  killed  at  the  hands  of  doomsday,   a  massive  statue  is  raised  in  his  honor   —  which  also  acts  as  his  public  tomb .  there’s  a  similar  statue  built  for  superboy  after  his  death  during  infinite  crisis.  booster  gold  will eventually  build a  base  beneath  the  park.

   [   POINTS  OF  INTEREST  -  HOBB’S  BAY :   the  ace  o’  clubs   -  a  well-known  bar  for  information  trading.  bibbo  bibowski  is  regularly  seen  here  dealing information  to  superman  and  clark  alike .   and   f.  fleishman’s  pawn  broker  -  this  is  a  pawn  shop  that  specifically deals  in  superhero  and  alien  merchandise .   ]

  iv.   hobb’s  bay   ( also  known  as  suicide  slum )   is  a  neighborhood  on  the  southwest  side  of  new  troy,   based  off  of  the neighborhood  where  jack  kirby  grew  up .    this  area  holds  the  highest  crime  rate  of  the  city,  and  was  once  believed  to  be  ignored  by  superman,  which  they’ve  since  made  efforts  to  correct .  clark  kent  began  reporting  on  the  area  and  brought  it  to  the  public’s  attention  for  renovation  and  assistance .   steel  primarily  operates  out  of  this  neighborhood  ;   his  base  located  in  an  old  warehouse  known  now  as     “  the  steel  works   ”.     both  guardian  and  gangbuster  are  visible  heroes  here,  too . 

BOROUGH  2 . ]   QUEENSLAND  PARK .

  [   POINTS  OF  INTEREST  -  QUEENSLAND  PARK  :    memorial  park,  sweet  justice  (an  ice  cream  shop),   and  the  planet’s  printing  facility .  ]

  i.   this  is  where  the  original  dutch  settlement  was  founded  in  metropolis,  along  with  the  original  daily  planet  building, which  was  destroyed  in  a  battle  with  lex  luthor .   it’s  since  been  relocated  to  new  troy .  the  old  grounds  have  been  repurposed  into  its  offsite  printing  press .   queensland  park  consists  of  primarily  five  different  neighborhoods : mount  royal,  newtown,  north  bridge,  old  city,  and  pelham — where  the  whites  reside .  this  area  is  mostly  used  by  upper-middle  class  citizens  who  take  trains  or  ferries  into  new  troy  each  day .   

BOROUGH  3 . ]   PARK  RIDGE .

   [   POINTS  OF  INTEREST  -  PARK  RIDGE  :    vernon  plaza  -  a  shopping  center  for  the  borough,  and  shuster  arena -  a  popular  outdoor  arena .   ]

  i.   park  ridge  is  the  primary  suburb  of  metropolis  and  the  most  connected  to  the  mainland .  this  area  is  most  similar  to  queens /  far  west  nassau  county  of  long  island,  ny .  it’s  constructed  of  two  primary  neighborhoods  :  vernon  and  racine . 

BOROUGH  4 . ]   BAKERLINE .

    [   POINTS  OF  INTEREST  -  BAKERLINE   :    midvale -  the  small neighborhood  where  kara  originally  crashed  .   ]

  i.   the  northernmost  borough,  split  into  three  districts :  lafayette,  oaktown,  and  hamstead .   similar  to  queensland  park,  this  is  a  residential  area  -  holding  mainly  middle  class  residents  ;  the  olsens  live  in  this  area .  there’s  a  central  train  that  runs  near  the  olsen  neighborhood  into  new  troy,  which  is  about  a  45  minute  train  ride .   midvale  is  a  small  neighborhood  located  just  to  the  west  of  bakerline .  this  is  where  kara  zor-el’s  ship  originally  crashed . 

BOROUGH  5 . ]   ST.  MARTIN’S  ISLAND .

  i.   located  to  the  east  and  just  south  of  bakerline,  slightly  northeast  of  new  troy .  similarly  to  other  boroughs,  it’s  split  into  two  primary  districts :  uptown  and  east side.   this  borough  caters  to  the  wealthiest  of  not  only metropolis  citizens,  but  global  population  as  well . movie  stars,  ceos,  and  world  leaders  have  been  known  to  take  up  residence  on  st.  martin’s  island .  the  island  itself  is  a  point  of  interest .  tourists  frequently  visit  this  area  to  try  and  spot  their  favorite  celebrity  and  experience  the  high-end  shopping  districts .

BOROUGH  6 . ]   HELL’S  GATE.

   [   POINTS  OF  INTEREST  -  HELL’S  GATE   :    metropolis  international  airport,  and  dalton  tower  -  once  used  as  a base  for  the  birds  of  prey   .   ]

   i.   an  outer  borough  just  south  of  st.  martin’s  island  and  split  into  two districts  as  well :  tealboro  and  senreville .   this  area  is  highly  industrialized,  and  almost  always  under  some  kind  of  renovation .  due  to  its  low  population,  many  city-destroying  fights  are  drawn  out  there  when  they  can’t  be  contained  in  the  city .  the  metropolis  international  airport  is  located  in  tealboro, with  multiple  trains  and  ferries  leading  right  to  new  troy  or  st.  martin’s  island .

STRYKER’S  ISLAND  PENITENTIARY .

  i.   not  a  borough  in  itself,  but  situated  between  queensland  park  and  new  troy  sits  the  world’s  leading  superpowered  prison .  it’s  located  on  an  individual  island  and  highly  secured,  holding  not  only  metropolis’  worst,  but  superpowered  beings  from  all  over  the  world .  there  was  once  daily  tours  of  the  facility  to  keep  it  running  due  to  an  expense  cut .   superman  made  an  appearance  at  the  next  city  meeting  to politely  discourage  that .   tours  are  only  allowed  on  incredibly  special  occasion -  against  superman’s  wishes  to  lockdown  the  facility  entirely . 

SUPERMAN  AND  METROPOLIS .

  i .    superman  can  regularly  be  seen  committing  acts  of  heroism  -  both  in  everyday  circumstances  and  in  world-threatening  situations .  they  regularly  speak  up  in  press  conferences  and  attend  city-wide  galas,  and  charity  events  to  promote  growth  of  the  city .  that  being  said,  it’s  hard  to  not  see  superman  at  least  once  if  you  reside  or  regularly  travel  to  metropolis .   he’s  a  vocal,  active,  and  daytime  hero . 

  ii .  clark  is  easier  to  miss,  which  is  entirely  their  goal .  he  works  at  the  daily  planet  and  is  most  likely  found  hunting  down  stories  for  his  investigative  reporting  job .  clark  is  a  big  advocate  for  the  small  businesses  in  a  city  surrounded  by  massive  corporations,  and  will  always  promote  them  in  his  day - to - day  writing .  there’s  no  place  on  this  planet  clark  loves  more  than  metropolis .  though  smallville  is  a close  second,  metropolis  has  truly  become  their  home .

[deathlyzz]

Jerome Valeska and parallels with the Black Dog from European folklore.

All factors are taken from the same source and based on it. Some statements may be exaggerated, but this is just an amateur post and you are always free to express your point of view.

The black dog has always been closely associated with death, darkness, and ghostly visions from the other world. Any resident of Gotham, whether a cop, a civilian or a criminal, at the name of Jerome Valeska shudders at least a little. Jerome Valeska is a man who only wants chaos, violence and a grand finale. Jerome and Death are synonyms. Not a single appearance of the red-haired has occurred without death. 1x16 - Jerome's mother's death. (Lila Valeska) 2x03 - Death of Jerome's father (Paul Cicero) and death of Jerome himself.  3x13 - Dwight Pollard's death. 3x14 - the death of innocent people during the carnival and the presumed death of one of Jerome's clown makeup artists. 4x16 - Uncle Jerome's death. (Zachary Trumble) 4x17 - death of innocent people. 4x18 - the death of innocent people, Jerome and Jeremiah's former personality. Being a harbinger of death, the Black Dog always goes to where someone will die soon, and therefore rarely stay in the same place.    Is there anything to be added here? Just one appearance of Jerome makes everyone think: "How many deaths will be there this time?"

The black dog is very smart, brave and loyal. He does not run after a stick or ball thrown to him, and he never sits back if they have important business to attend to. Jerome Valeska is smart. He may not be a scientist, but his latest idea was truly brilliant. Courage may be present, but in this case one has to think a lot: was it courage or a simple absence of fear?

Loyalty to your cause is also loyalty. Although all of his actions are terrible and not good, Jerome has never shown himself as a good guy, except in 1x16. But after that episode, he showed only his true face, not pretending to be a good mayor or a sane forensic scientist.

Yes, Jerome Valeska will never obey someone. It's obvious. In 2x02 Jerome taunts the cannibal, clearly enjoying his power. In 4x16, we learn that he's the one planning the escape and is clearly hostile to Jonathan Crane's incompetence comment.

And even if we consider this despite the canon, then Valeska clearly does not like being dominated in any way. He must control everything, no one else.

Images of the Black Dog in literature that fit the description of Jerome:

- In the first graphic novel "Welcome to the Jungle" from Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" series, Black Dog was called in to track down and kill Harry.    (3x14: Jerome wakes up and immediately tracks down Bruce Wayne, whom he wants to kill too badly.)

- In J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, the black dog Grim is considered an omen of death

(By Steambastet on Tumblr.)

[queenoftodd]

Dinner & Its Capitalist Agenda (Jason Todd x Female!Reader)

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Summary: Reader is dating Jason and accidentally wears vibrating panties to the first dinner with the Batfamily.

Pairing: Jason Todd x Female!Reader

Word Count: 3,278

Warning(s): Smut (fingering, penetration), Swearing.

Note: The idea for this was inspired by the film “The Ugly Truth”. If you want to be added to a taglist feel free to message me. 

This was not how this night was supposed to go. How would you ever overcome the undying humiliation of tonight? You had been so excited to try on the gift that Jason had gotten you, that you didn’t bother to ask why the new lingerie came with a remote, one that you tossed in your clutch to ask him about later. This was also partly due to you rushing out of the house to Jason’s car, because you were both very late. Add that to the list of poor first impressions that you would be making on his family. 

The two of you had been dating for almost six months now, and while you had met Dick and Jason’s best friend, Roy, you still hadn’t met the rest of his family. There really wasn’t any reasoning behind this, you both had very busy lives. Both of you set on making the world a better place by exposing Gotham’s corruption. You were an up and coming journalist for The Gotham Times, while Jason was a--well he told you he was a military contractor for Wayne Enterprises, but you always do your own background checks. You sort of stopped digging after the news headlines saying that he was dead, if he wanted to tell you then he would tell you. Besides, you were too in love with him to care. 

According to Dick and Roy, his family has been dying to meet you. You had to admit that you were nervous, but determined to make the best first impression that you could. You would be meeting Bruce fucking Wayne. Despite the assurances that Jason gave you that Bruce was a regular guy, you still could not contain your excitement. Both as a journalist, but also as a longtime resident of Gotham. Vicki Vale would have a field day with you. You had even begged Jason to help you pick out something to wear that would both suit his sexual fantasies, but be modest enough to meet his father, and Alfred Pennyworth. Caretaker and grandfather-adjacent. 

Of course you had decided on a crimson cocktail dress. Just enough opening in the chest to give Jason the perfect eye-view of your cleavage, but not enough to make you feel uncomfortable to meet his family. Jason didn’t want to bombard you with all of his family just yet, especially considering that you didn’t know about his vigilantism. So he strictly requested that the guest list at tonight’s family dinner only be anyone legally adopted by Bruce Wayne (and Damian of course). 

This came to the rundown of everyone that would be there tonight. That was expected to be there tonight, at least. Jason did warn you that their jobs tended to keep them very busy, and his family might be called away to handle their respective responsibilities. You understood this of course, you were very familiar with being on call. Especially in Gotham.

Dick Grayson was a former Detective in Bludhaven, and you had met him at least three times over the course of being with Jason. Tim Drake worked at Wayne Enterprises and did something corporate-wise that Jason didn’t care enough about to explain it to you. Damian Wayne was the only biological son of Bruce Wayne and was currently in his senior year of high school. Jason informed you that he could be a smart-ass and bluntly rude. The last one that would be attending was Cassandra Cain. Jason said that she didn’t talk very much as she was raised to be mute, and only spoke in small increments when comfortable. 

Your mouth gaped at the sight in front of you. The grandiose gate before you held all the secrets of wealth within the “W” centered in it. You could feel his blue eyes on you, your face was a mixture of emotions. Nervous, excited, and--did your underwear just vibrate? You shake the thought away, blaming it on your nerves as you turn towards your boyfriend.

“You ready?” He asks, waving up to the security camera outside the gate as it opened. He glanced back at your soft face, unable to contain the smile he got from looking at you so in awe. You did not grow up like this, in fact your family had never had a house of their own. Seeing the mansion that the man you called your boyfriend had spent several years of his life baffled you. Of course you had seen pictures of Wayne Manor, but never did you think that you would be a guest. You reached for his hand, giving him an assuring squeeze as he continued down the driveway towards the manor. 

When Jason pulled into the parking area in the front of the manor you could make out four shadowy figures standing by the curb. Your back instantly straightened when Jason came to a stop. “I told them to meet us inside.” He groaned, placing the car in park. You were thanking the heavens that the glass was tinted so that they couldn’t see into the car, because the butterflies were coming in swarms in the pit of your stomach now. Taking a deep breath, you turned towards Jason. A glare forming on your face when you notice his amused expression. 

“Y/N, you look amazing, how are you?” 

You opened your mouth to speak being interrupted by his lips on yours, silencing your thoughts. The feeling of his hand on your cheek as he pulled you closer. “Knock ‘em dead, beautiful.” His smirk sent a warm boost of motivation your way as he parted from you, and climbed out of the car.

After a few seconds of mental motivation, you followed suit, reaching for the car door handle when it opened for you. Jason standing at your door, outstretching his hand for you to take as you climbed out. You prayed that your smile wasn’t too awkward or seemed unhappy. Jason brought you over to meet the figures you noticed earlier. Dick was a familiar face, which eased you a bit as you pulled him into a small embrace. 

“I’m great, it’s good to see you.” You beamed. You could already feel the eyeroll from Jason behind you. What could you say? You enjoyed any time you got to spend with Jason’s older brother. Next was Tim, who held a more shocked expression as he looked at you. Jason had to be the one to introduce him, as he was shaking your hand, but his mouth was hung open. “It’s nice to meet you, Tim. I’m Y/N.”

“You’re with him?” A laugh didn’t fail to escape your red lips as you dropped your handshake from Tim to press Jason back with your right hand, sending him a warning look before showing a gracious smile to Tim. 

“For six months now, yes.” You giggle and immediately feel Jason soften at the sound of your laugh. Next their was Damian Wayne who glanced at you in a way that made you feel like you were under examination. “You must be Damian.”

One of his hands was cradling his chin as he took your hand, eyeing you quizzically before placing a kiss to your knuckles, your eyes widening. Now that was definitely unexpected. “Todd, I’m impressed. Now I’m done waiting here for you imbeciles, I’ll be inside. Y/N, pleasure.” 

And with that he walked straight into the mansion without another word. Your eyebrows knitted together as you turned towards Jason, his mouth hung agape, along with the rest of his brothers. A tug on your arm made you realize you had almost forgotten someone. Cassandra. She was smiling at you, it was small, and seemingly shy, but excited? You extend your hand to her with a small smile and she takes it, her smile brightening. 

“Hi Cassandra, my name is Y/N.” I gesture towards Jason. “I told Jay that you were the sibling I was most excited to meet.”

She shook her head pointing to herself and your eyebrows furrowed until she said. “Cass.” You nodded in understanding, repeating her nickname until she gestured to you. “Y/N. J-lover.”

You could see why everyone in this family was so charming and mannerful. The way he carried himself from the top of the stairs to meet you in the foyer echoed a confidence you could only dream of. You felt Jason’s hand squeeze yours and you mentally cursed at how clammy they had become. Bruce’s smile radiated the room, but you could tell by the way Jason tensed next to you that this was a rare occurrence. He had told you many stories of Bruce’s stoic--or in his terms, resting bitch face. 

“Well...she’s not wrong.” You heard Jason mutter behind you, you smiled as she released your hand following Tim inside. That was when you playfully whacked his arm, before taking his head and walking up the steps to the manor’s entrance with Dick leading you two in. Upon entering the house, you entered the grand foyer. Greeted by a man whose face has graced many Gotham media covers and stations.

Bruce fucking Wayne.

“Y/N L/N.” Bruce grinned, extended his hand to shake yours and you met it with a firm grip. Tucking your clutch underneath your armpit. You swallowed your saliva as you shook his hand. Giving what Jason considered to be your breathtaking smile, beaming at Gotham’s wealthiest bachelor. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard great things.”

“Mr. Wayne, it’s lovely to meet you as well.” 

A flex of your armpit sent a jolt up your cervix, catching you by surprise. This resulted in you jolting forward a bit, Bruce now shaking Jason’s hand, as they turned to you. You cleared your throat to throw attention off of the present fluctuation occurring by your pussy. What the literal fuck was going on? “Y/N/N, are you okay?” Jason asked and you nodded, already feeling your cheeks heat up. Running away to examine yourself before dinner was not a part of your goal to make a good first impression. 

Removing the clutch from your armpit provided a relief from the sensual feeling emerging below. Bruce had excused himself to head to the dining room, when Alfred came to meet you both in the foyer, briefly as he was finishing up in the kitchen. He was excited to meet you, but he had to tend to something in the oven. This gave you a moment to turn to Jason. 

“Are you feeling okay? You just jumped out of nowhere.” I nod assuring him, considering the feeling subsided, it shouldn’t be that big of deal to draw attention to. 

“I’m fine, I think it was just the nerves.” You lie, wanting to find a better time to excuse yourself to the bathroom to sort whatever was going on with you, out. Unfortunately he can read you like an open book, but for the sake of tonight, he just pushed it aside to discuss later. You followed him to the dining room where everyone was already seated and you had gotten a seat between Tim and Jason. Dick was across from Tim, Cass was across from Tim, and Damian was across from Jason. Bruce sat at the head of the table between Damian and Jason and once Alfred brought the courses in, he was to sit at the other end near Damian and Tim. 

“Oh Miss Y/N, let me grab your purse, I’ll put it by the coat rack for you.” You handed him the clutch with a small smile of gratitude as he left the room briefly before coming back to take his seat on the opposite end of Bruce. You thanked him as everyone was looking eagerly at Bruce. Judging by context clues, they were waiting for him to make the first move to eat. Once he began to cut into the steak dinner that Alfred had made, the knives and forks clattered around you to also begin their descent on their plates. You smiled lightly as you began to dig in yourself when a buzz whipped up your folds, making you tighten your grip on the fork and knife. 

A gasp passed your lips as a pulsating throb began in your pussy. You could feel Jason’s eyes on you, growing concerned as he noticed you weren’t looking anywhere but at your plate. “So, Y/N.” You’re eyes fluttered to Bruce, hoping your breathing was normal as you shifted in your seat. “How did you two meet?”

You cleared your throat, focusing on the sentence. “Jason l-loves to tell this story, right Jay?” You practically moan, shoving several pieces of steak in your mouth to avoid speaking. “This is oh...s-so good..” Your boyfriend’s eyes widened at the sound of your moan. For some reason his girlfriend of six months was getting turned on at the dinner table in front of his siblings and he didn’t know what to do. Jason had to distract them, mentally cursing himself as he opened his mouth to speak. 

“It’s not that exciting of a story. Dick, how’re things in Bludhaven?” This diverted the attention from you for a while while several whimpers fell from your lips as you squeezed your legs together. You couldn’t take this anymore. Jason placed his hand on your thigh leaning towards you. 

“Why are you moaning?” That’s when it hit you. The lingerie, Jason had gotten you vibrating panties. Your eyes widened, gripping his arm tight as you couldn’t stop yourself from moaning into his ear, your breathing heavy. 

“Fuck.” You moan holding tightly on his arm. His body shielding you from seeing Bruce or Damian. “Lingerie. I’m...s-so wet, Ja--ah!”

“What--you’re wearing them right now? Where’s the remote?” He whispered through gritted teeth. He was struggling to contain himself at the breathiness in your moans. Fuck, the remote, you gave your clutch to Alfred. 

“Clutch.” You managed to get out, focusing on containing your breaths, your body felt so hot. There was no doubt that you were so close to your climax. Jason grabbed your wrist pulling you from the table, surprising everyone at the sudden action. 

“We have to go. Thank you for dinner, Alfred.” He nodded towards the lovable butler. Then he nodded at everyone else, still shielding you from everyone. “Bruce, Dick, everyone, it’s good to see you.”

Without another explanation, despite numerous protests Jason rushed you to the exit near the coat rack where your clutch was, but it appeared to be open. Two feet away was Titus, Damian’s dog. He was chewing aggressively on the remote currently causing you to moan in pleasure. Your hand flying to your mouth as your knees grow weak. Jason steadied you by the door before wrestling the remote from Titus, who would’ve bit him if Jason didn’t move quickly. Jason shut the remote off, taking the batteries out for extra precaution as he handed you your clutch and rushed you out the door. 

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Jason put you in the car and he raced out of Wayne Manor, speeding down the street before pulling down a trail by the woods. Once he parked you turned to him in confusion before he pulled you into a kiss. It was heated and you could tell by his eagerness that he was just as horny. Considering that he cut your climax off before you could get there, so were you. You felt your dress skirt ride up as Jason pulled the troublesome panties down smirking against your lips at the feel of your soaked pussy. 

Your breath hitched in your throat as he began to tease your clit, eliciting a louder moan. One you were grateful to let loose without worrying about his family. “Couldn’t let the panties have all the fun, now can we?” He huffed, moving his attention to your neck as he started on your neck. Sucking until his lips popped off your pulse, bound to leave a mark. He quickened his fingers pace, removing your panties completely as he inserted his ring and middle finger inside you. “Fuck me, Y/N/N. You’re so wet for me, huh?”

All you could do in response was whimper a small hum in agreement. Your vision was so blurred as his fingers fucked you deep in your soul. The car seat you were in flattened back, causing a laughter of surprise to fall from your lips as Jason climbed on top of you fully. You sat up to help unbuckle his suit. He had gotten all dressed up for you, a white button down tucked into some black dress pants and dress shoes that he had borrowed from Dick. His shirt was not buttoned all the way, exposing his chest. 

“Y/N, fuck--you have no idea what you do to me.” And with that final thrust you climaxed, your eyes fluttering open as your body convulsed, releasing a warm euphoric feeling all over his cock, and the passenger seat of his car. You didn’t have a chance to catch your breath as Jason’s grip on your hips tightened and he continued to ram into you with this newfound stamina. His breath quickening and his moans of your name growing louder. 

The belt was now somewhere else in his car, as he lowered his pants and boxers underneath you enough to ready himself at your entrance. You laid back down as he pumped himself, groaning as he was already so hard. It had taken you a few times to get used to Jason’s size, but now your pussy called itself the expert. You gasped, as he rubbed his cock up against your pussy, he smiled at the effect he had on you. How easy you unfolded beneath him.

You jolted back when Jason slammed into you, thrusting deep inside you. It didn’t take him long to find the right spot and stick to it. His grunts and moans harmonizing with your screams and gasps. “Fuck, Jay, oh--” Your vision began to blur as he picked up his speed, moving his hands down to your clit to rub it agonizingly slow. Thus increasing your pleasure. 

You caressed his arm, looking up at him as you moaned breathily, “Come for me, Jason.” A look of relief flashes across his face as his own euphoria engulfs him. He pulls out of you, climbing over to the driver’s side partly to take a breath. 

“You’re going to be the death of me, Y/N L/N.” He chuckled. “I can’t believe you wore those tonight.” You weakly smacked him on the arm as you pulled the car seat back into place. 

“You bought me lingerie, you rarely buy me clothes--I got excited.” Your y/e/c eyes widened, looking at him, running your hands down your face. “Oh no! I totally ruined it tonight.”

He could tell you were upset, especially knowing how badly you wanted to make a good first impression. “No one noticed, I got you out before they did.”

“Are you sure?”

“I love you too, beautiful.”

“I’ll just tell them you were nauseous.” He shrugged, buttoning up his pants, gesturing for you to put your seatbelt on. “If they ask what happened.”

“I love you.” You say before leaning over the console to kiss him as he started the car again. 

And Jason would tell you any lie you needed to hear in order to be able to meet face to face with his family again. Even if it meant making his siblings take a blood oath not to mention it. If they didn’t, there were always second impressions...right?

[the-witches-you-couldnt-burn]

It's final

Dedicated to my best friend K, who exclusively reads angst (yes I know she is crazy).

Warnings: domestic disputes, panic attacks & mental breakdowns.

Ao3

———————————————

“Why are you such a fucking bitch?”

She froze, her anger steeled within her. Their argument was abruptly silenced, both tempers flaring high enough to threaten the heavens. Heaving breaths from their vocal exertions became louder than their previous yelling. A pang of fear struck her heart as she wonders whether the neighbours had heard them and called the police for a domestic dispute.

Marinette was furious. She wasn’t a saint during this war of words, and had said somethings she shouldn’t have. She had started this argument with the intentions of lessening his reckless behaviour, but ended up stating in anger that his mother would be stopping his behaviour too. That line lead to his outburst and the state they were in now.

Cheeks flushed red, particles of perspiration dotted their skin, bodies wound with tension. She swiftly motioned towards the door, hand reaching to the knob. Jason grabbed her other wrist, deep seated sadness displayed over his features, immediately regretting his words spoken by ire. Her head tilted downwards, stubbornly refusing to meet his eyes.

“I didn’t mean it,” his voice cracked, any traces of rage had melted into sorrow.

“You never do, but it hurts the same.” She shook her arm, detaching his hand from her wrist. His grip was firm but unwilling to deny her, her free will. She picked up her purse, slinging the strap over her shoulder. The door opened, she could feel his stare on the back of his head. Her sigh filled the empty space, without turning she said, “I think it’s better that we seperate, we aren’t good for each other. I’m willing to keep up appearances with your family at the gala but then I’ll move my belongings to another apartment.”

She turned around, rushing into his embrace, tears shed from her eyes. A final hug goodbye. His stray tears raced down his cheeks to reach their raven hair finish line. He made no move to respond to her hug. Usually he’d have wrapped her in his arms, especially after an argument like this. But this one was different. This would be their last.

“Au revior, Jason.” She removed her body from his. It left him wanting to pull her back but it was as if his muscles had necrotic back to a corpse. His eyes flicked down to his invisible chains, begging his arms to move, to capture his lightning bug and never let her go. He looked back at her, she stood there, seemingly wanting him to say something, anything.

“I’m sorry.” His hoarse voice whispered, he desperately wanted to pepper her face with kisses and beg her to forgive a cretin like him. His voice broke as he uttered, “Please.”

Blue eyes met blue eyes. Marinette’s head shook slightly, non-verbally denying him. A bitter laugh escaped her mouth, she brought up her hand cover her crazed smile. “I’m sorry too.” She sobbed.

She rushed out the door, practically sprinting to the elevator. As the strong metal door closed, her sobbed echoed around the empty box. She broke down, months of fights and building tensions had weighed her down, her creativity had been primarily funnelled into ways she could improve her relationship. Il vaut mieux prévenir que guérir (It is better to prevent than to heal).

When the door closed Jason’s knees collapsed, a hollow echo resounded through the hallway. Their shared apartment would be no longer. No more hello, good bye kisses; no more delicious meals shared between the two; no more sleepy morning kisses. He looked down at his hands, clenched fists. A primal cry left his throat, he felt it to his core. He would have rather had his heart ripped out, he would have rather have died again, than to feel this pain.

——

It was the night of the gala, only four days after their fight. Marinette had only come back to their condo once to collect some clothes and her sewing machine. Only the essentials were taken, the rest could be gathered by movers.

Jason was a wreck. He had worked multiple overtime shifts to avoid the festering wound that was his bleeding heart. Preparing for his family’s ball was tough, this would be the first time they would see each other since the argument. He sported a fresh haircut which was left messy, his white button down top hugged his muscles perfectly, was paired with a slate grey blazer and matching dress pants (both gifts from Marinette).

He was fiddling with his tie, the gala’s atmosphere was already suffocating due to insufferable and rich hotshots, and his tie decided that he didn’t need to breathe. Marinette didn’t care for appearances but knew his family lived under the watchful eye of the media, so she always made sure they were matching. But tonight, tonight he had no clue what she was wearing and had received no colour matching instructions, so he went with trusty rusty red. It was the first thing the fashionista made for him and he will always cherish it.

His eyes widened as he saw her enter. She wore a midnight silk black mermaid gown that had a chiffon overskirt that was black fading to blood red. Her hair was down and curled, a silver feather hair clip pinned back the left side of her hair, exposing her magnificent facial features. Cerulean eyes framed by dark painted lashes, scanned the room.

Her heart caught in her throat, she had entered the doors to the banquet hall. She came with the intention of saying her silent goodbyes to the family who had taken her in when she had no one else. She had been suffering in silence for the past few days, her only support system being the Wayne Clan, but couldn’t bring herself to tell them what had happened. She couldn’t do that to Jason, she wouldn’t make them choose between him and her, she dreaded to hear their answers. Resigning herself to reside in silence, she came here to keep up appearances then fade into obscurity, but she saw him and her breath died in her throat. He looked as handsome as the day she left him. She wiped her sweaty palms on her dress. She walked towards him; he spotted her and did the same. They met in the middle, on the dance floor.

“You look amazing Marinette.” He swallowed the urge to call her pixie, it hung heavy in his throat. He needed to create distance between them, that was the first advice in ‘How to be civil after a breakup’. During the silent nights, he delved into any written text that would give him refuge and advice.

“You too Jason.” The pit in his stomach grew, he should have known she would take the same path. Never would he hear ‘Jay’ or ‘Jayjay’ from her plump red lips again. His shoulders slumped a fraction before he shooed away his depressing thoughts.

Their conversing was viewed by many around the room. They were the odd couple of the family. Jason, despite his rich adoptive home worked in security and charity whilst Marinette was a hardworking fashionista who had built her own fashion empire. They were from two different worlds and only fate knew that they’d meet.

He bowed and held out a hand to her, a lopsided smiled danced across his face. She smiled sadly, she would miss her dork, she would miss his smile. Her hand brushed against his calloused palm, their fingers locked together. She hesitated before placing a hand on his shoulder, ‘just one dance’, she could do this.

His hand found her waist, warmth bloomed upon his cold skin. He was always cold since he died, only his temper had warmed him. But then he met her. Marinette was his warmth, she made him feel like he was a child again, bathing in Gotham’s rare sunlight. His lightning bug brought him warmth and he had lost it.

They swayed to the classic instrumental melody. Neither looked at each other as their bodies flowed, ‘it was just an act’, they chanted as a mantra within their minds. ‘It means nothing, soon this will be over’. It struck her, this would be the final time they would see each other. A quiet sob escaped her, she was unable to do anything to stop it.

Jason’s head snapped towards her, sweeping her away into a private garden. Between her weeping she apologised for the state she was in, hyperventilating soon after. Jason guided her to a bench and clasped her hands in his.

“Hey, hey! Mari look at me. Deep breaths in and out, ok?.” Screw creating distance, this was his girl, he will fight anyone who says otherwise. Marinette slowly began to wind down from her panic attack, eyes misty and her water-proof mascara blotchy but still intact. The temperamental man wiped her cheeks free from trails of liquid fright.

“I’m so sorry for everything Jason. I never should have said that thing about your mother, that was cruel. I can’t keep hurting the people I care about. I can’t keep you happy. I’m just not enough.”

Her cries broke down his own walls, exposing his vulnerability to the Gotham night. “Fuck the word enough. It’s synonyms: sufficient, ample and adequate, could never describe what you mean to me.” He pressed his forehead on her, blue eyes fluttering shut. “I’m not sure if any of us will ever be enough for anything. There’s no point in begging for it.”

“I hate goodbyes.” She whispered, lips inches from his. Their breaths mingled, cheeks flushing. The icy Gotham air whipped at their skin causing them to move closer to the other for sanctuary.

“Then let’s not make this one.” Fireworks. That’s what they felt when their lips connected. All of the week’s tension unraveled within this lip lock. Their teeth clashed and hands tugged at hair in desperation to close the distance between them. When she entered the gala tonight, she had been so ready to say, ‘adieu pour toujours,’ but was glad she didn’t need to.

C’est cela l’amour, tout donner, tout sacrifier sans es poir de retour. (This is love, giving it ones all, sacrificing everything without hope of it being returned.)

[bigskydreaming]

Hello, hello, tis I, your friendly neighborhood ‘dude who is obsessed with people making jokes and insults out of Dick’s name’ back with another episode of Why No But Seriously Why!

In today’s episode, we’re going to focus on the fanon of the swear jar. That thing ordained by Alfred that makes many an appearance in fics and headcanons....including ones that also show Jason and/or others calling Dick a Dickhead and other things all willy nilly and suchlike and forthwith.

How does this track, asketh I? Does Alfred provide exemption clauses for making fun of your brother, to the others? Does Alfred not consider making crude insults out of the name Dick to be a swear? Does Alfred, a born Brit, hailing from the land of the “We’ve Been Calling Richards ‘Dicks’ For Longer Than The Rest Of You Have Been Calling Them Rich’s,” not consider the fascination with making penis jokes out of the name of a child he’s helped raised from the age of EIGHT to be uncultured, crass and frankly unacceptable in any house he resides in?

I’m just saying, does it really make sense, and is the risk of pulling readers out of your story if they’re NOT amused by the jokes made of his name really worth whatever it is you feel is added to a story BY making the same old jokes about Dick’s name?

As I’ve said many times before....Dick Grayson? Fictional character. Has no feelings that actually need protecting....OUTSIDE of fiction. Making jokes about his name from beyond the fourth wall, just people commenting on a fictional character’s name? Go wild, go crazy, have a freaking Bacchanalia. Truly does not matter, if you ask me.

But IN universe? IN fiction? Totally different story, because look what those jokes require or make assumptions out of:

1) That Dick truly has no protective or defensive feelings whatsoever about his childhood nickname, and genuinely feels nothing about people habitually taking his choice to keep it as an invitation to insult or mock him.

1b) That Dick doesn’t in any way ever perceive peoples’ insistence on associating his name MORE with the insults and penis jokes than they do with it just being a name, to in any way be a slight against his beloved parents, of the “well they should have known better than to call him that” variety.

1c) That Dick has no negative feelings whatsoever about the fact that even his close friends and family regard his name as being no more worthy of respect or being ‘offlimits’ than the average Gothammite or public citizen might regard it, despite the fact that his close friends and family are perfectly aware of the public’s history of looking down on Dick for his origins and thus you’d think would WANT to appear different than them in Dick’s eyes.

1d) That Dick has never at any point expressed anger, frustration or bitterness that he can’t even have his name respected without even loved ones superimposing their own associations on top of it, no matter what it means to HIM.

2) That Alfred truly has no opinions whatsoever of the other charges in his care disrespecting Dick’s name and its origins stemming from his first parents.

2b) That Alfred has never expressed this opinion to any of them or made his displeasure about such jokes known.

2c) That Alfred doesn’t find it disappointing that the rest of the family and associated friends and allies seem disinclined to separate themselves from the general public’s opinions of Dick’s name by regarding it with a little more respect as at least a sign that they regard Dick himself with a little more respect than the general public.

3) That Jason or none of Dick’s other friends or family have never taken the initiative to wonder for themselves how Dick might actually feel about the frequent jokes or insults, and if shockingly, he might not actually be fond of them.

3b) That Jason or Dick’s other friends or family have chosen not to care or respect the opinions of Dick and/or Alfred or anyone else who states or suggests that these jokes or insults aren’t welcome.

4) That none of Dick’s other friends, be they Titans, or Uncle Clark, or siblings like Cass or Damian or frankly anyone, ever speak up in defense of Dick’s name and suggest that there’s a significant lack of respect around it and thus around him, that they personally take a very dim view of. (Even when Jason’s best friends include Dick’s former fianceé and own longtime BFF).

5) That nobody has ever bothered to think that only EVER being addressed by some form of insult by even his own siblings might possibly have a slightly demoralizing effect on someone’s self-esteem over time.

5b) That nobody has ever bothered to think that making sexual jokes about his name and thus innately sexualizing Dick from even his earliest days in Gotham, when coupled with the hyper-sexualized stereotypes people often apply to Romani individuals and further coupled with the suggestive rumors surrounding Bruce’s reasons for taking in a young boy, might possibly have contributed over time to Dick having an extremely skewed view of himself as an innately sexualized being no matter what he actually did in terms of sexual behavior.

I mean.....there’s more. If I felt like it.

But the point is......there’s a LOT of implicit assumptions that creep in alongside the seemingly harmless jokes and insults surrounding Dick’s name, the second you start to really focus in on how it might appear from his POV....IF you include even just the possibility that he DOESN’T like it.

EDIT: Also, lots of people have pointed out that its just sibling culture to make fun of a sibling in ways that you wouldn’t be okay with someone outside the family making the same jokes. And this is absolutely true! BUT. My issue here and why I don’t think the Dickhead jokes fall under this umbrella, is because I can say in my experience being from a blended family, and from what I’ve discussed in the past with other kids from blended families....there are ‘rules’ about this sort of thing, when you have adopted siblings, and the one near-universal truth that I’ve always found is that anything that stems from an adopted sibling’s first family, the one you do NOT share with them, is absolutely off limits. You mock them for something that originated outside your family, you’re the asshole, because at that point, you’re literally no different from outsiders to your current family making fun of that sibling. That ‘joke’ is not YOURS to make or share in, if you do not have the history with the thing you’re basing the joke on, that your sibling has with it. Shared history is the entire basis of siblings being able to mock each other while still citing solidarity against outsiders, and in adopted families, there absolutely are elements of each others’ lives that YOU are the outsider to, and it absolutely falls on you to respect that just as you’d want your sibling to respect the same of you in turn. If Jason absolutely would not be okay with Dick or anyone else making jokes about Catherine or his life with her, he should not be okay with making jokes about Dick’s name, circus origins, or other aspects of his life that stem from or call back to his time with his first family. The same holds true of all the others as well.

The other aspect of this name-calling not falling under the excuse-umbrella of just being typical sibling culture is its entirely one-sided. Show me the tendency where Dick responds to these everpresent jokes or insults by even light-heartedly calling Jason and the others insults like Hey Asshole, or Dumbass or anything like that. When things are entirely one-way, the impression given is not that of a camaraderie of back-and-forth. It becomes just one person or multiple people punching down in a way they feel confident from experience the other person will NOT respond in kind, which gives them an outlet for venting frustration, resentment or aggravation which risks them nothing, because they KNOW Dick won’t retaliate, and at that point that exchange becomes something very different from a general sibling back-and-forth....because there’s no ‘back.’ What you end up with at that point is literally just hostility, no matter if more mild than other cases, and a situation where one sibling is simply taking ADVANTAGE of the opportunity afforded by another sibling’s good nature and refusal to engage in hurt feelings even while you feel free to cause those feelings in them. And that’s just not a good look. Its just not. And even if you find those exchanges humorous yourself as a writer or a reader, you might want to keep in mind that to plenty of other readers, its making even the characters you like and INTEND to be liked, just....come across as kinda not cool assholes instead.

END OF EDIT.

And here’s the other point:

Its not really about his name, and never has been.

His name is simply emblematic of how EASY it is for people to fall into the trap of just....choosing to overlook Dick’s POV entirely, the second its pitted against other characters and what they might gain from their POV....even if that ‘gain’ is as simple and basic as the slight moment of humor Jason gets from making a joke or mocking insult out of Dick’s name.

Here, let me present this another way:

Every single person alive has SOMETHING they get defensive or protective about. SOMETHING that they’re like no, this is offlimits to people, this is not for their consumption, their entertainment, its not for THEM to take and twist into something other than what it is for ME, because its MINE. This is basic human nature. EVERYONE has this feeling about SOMETHING that’s particular to them.

And with Dick, most of the things that we’re generally given to view him being protective or defensive about are either almost more about other people than him - such as being protective of his family members - or else, they’re things that he’s not ALLOWED to be purely defensive or say, territorial about.

Like for instance, the name Robin.

Think about how Robin is pretty much one of the ONLY things Dick is largely deemed to be defensive or proprietary about.....BUT how that’s also largely used NOT to have him wholly in the right for feeling that way.....but to put him in conflict with the other Robins, given that they also have strong feelings about the name regardless of its origins, and its not solely Dick’s anymore.

Now here’s my question:

If for example, you go with the take that Robin was Dick’s mother’s name for him, and that’s why Dick is so protective and defensive of that name.....why would he be any LESS protective or defensive about his mother AND father’s OTHER name for him....given that the only possible reason for him TO stick with the name Dick all throughout adulthood, is that its the form of his name they referred to him by, and thus, clearly, it DOES carry emotional significance for him?

See what I’m saying?

Why is it, that the only time so many people see Dick laying a claim to something, being defensive or protective of something that’s HIS, standing up for HIMSELF.....is when the waters are murky, when its not a clear cut case of him being wholly in the right, when it pits Dick against someone else and says both are at least somewhat valid?

Why is it so RARE to see people imagine Dick putting his foot down in defense of himself, in defense of something that’s HIS.....where its 100% crystal clear that he has every right and reason in the world to feel this way, where there’s no doubt whatsoever that he’s on the correct side of thinking “this is mine and I get to say this”?

Even about something as simple and basic as his own name?

And why is it the only time we seem to see people sticking up for Dick or weighing in on his behalf, its in the case of extreme actions like him having been raped or abused? Why are there hardly any stories of people looking at alleged family and friends bitching about Dick or heaping insults on him or his capabilities and saying hey, he’s been doing this while most of us were sitting in middle school detention, you could show him some respect? Why do none of the people who value and respect Dick so highly ever seem to weigh in like THAT in stories?

My challenge, should you choose to accept it, is just to look at the above list of possible reasons why Dick might not be thrilled about how people use his name....and just IMAGINE what it would look like, if Dick just said to another character....”Hey. Could you cut that out. I would appreciate it if you didn’t do that.” Even just “I really don’t like that.”

How does a scene like that go? One where Dick is wholly and completely justified in putting his foot down, in feeling that someone is overstepping or paying him an insult or a disservice?

We hear all the time in fandom about how in the name of ‘humanizing’ Dick and ‘making him more relatable’ some people focus overly much on emphasizing his flaws, his alleged temper, his secretiveness, etc.

I’d like to argue that flaws are not actually the only staple of humanity. Risking making a character more dislikable is not actually the only way to make them feel more human or relatable. THIS is another way to do that. Make them defensive, proprietary, territorial, even prickly.....but with REASON. With CAUSE. With JUSTIFICATION. Because people are ALLOWED to be, when people are being a - all irony intended - total dick to them.

And there is a long, LONG history in fanfics, of people being exactly that to Dick, and him just....smiling.

EXCEPT for when his choice NOT to smile, and to actually take offense and push back......pits him against another character but with the other character usually being granted just as much right and reason to not give way.

So? I’m saying you have right here a perfect example of how to flip the script on that. To make it abundantly clear that Dick has just as much right to put his foot down with even people who love and care about him and say hey, you’re doing something I don’t like, that in fact even hurts me, and I want you to stop.

Why not use it? Why does there always seem to need to be an ARGUMENT about whether or not Dick is in the right to feel wronged in some way.....when its so abundantly clear that he’s given no shortage of reasons for that in practically every other fic?

And consider.....if you’ve never previously entertained the idea that Dick might take offense to how people treat his name, or feel defensive about it......what else might you be overlooking that he could feel that way about, and is there any reason why you think you tend not to view Dick as being defensive of HIMSELF and things that are uniquely his?

*Shrugs* Just food for thought, mayhaps.

[pink-bird-30]

Titans 3x10

Spoilers Ahead

Read at own risk!!!!!

I don't think frustrated is a strong enough term for me to explain how I feel about this episode, but of this entire season as a whole.

Dick mf Grayson, what has happened to you?!?!?!

First off, why go back to the hospital to look at the eye test board? Are you admitting to your hallucinations or just the writers jerking us around? What is the importance of seeing the figure in the eye exam if they are not going to explore it further?!

Glad to see Gotham is back on its usual shit of setting itself on fire and all the residents acting like this is something new. Bruh, I think Gotham was constructed on Hellfire with how often things go sideways; I can't even imagine the taxes to live there.

I'm interested in Gar reading up on the Lazarus Pit. For anybody that knows about Ra's al Ghul, you know that when you get tossed into the pit, you lose your soul. SO are we witnessing the shell of Jason or or the writers forgot the basics of the comics and forgot to put that important piece of the puzzle into play here. Cuz if so, you waited until episode 10 of a probable 13 episode season to explain that Jason lost his soul?????? and still didn't even get to the point because Gar was interrupted by Gotham bullshit.

Why did they make the people of Gotham seem rabid and not, idk, sick? They drank Crane's Toxin and they're acting like dogs with rabies that can pull their joints back into place? like what?

The inconsistency in this episode killed me. Dick and Babs went to a bar causally in the middle of this hell hole of an episode for drinks. And Babs ordered a fucking coffee???? bro, the water is contaminated and you're ordering coffee?!

I'm not even going to touch Donna with a 10ft pole right now because I just don't understand why they had to show her trials with Lydia. It look away from the main plot that was disrupted last episode since we were in the Shadowland getting Tim and Donna back, but still didn't continue that plot into today. What happened to Tim, where is Bruce, how did Donna get to Gotham from wherever the Hell Bruce's other Manor was? Just why?!

I'm glad season 2 Dick showed up for .5 seconds to turn himself in. That was refreshing to see some normalcy from him. This whole scene had me annoyed because Dick talks about them being "family" and what not, but where have you been all season? You have no idea what is going on with any of these people. Does he know Kom and Connor are a thing? Does he know Kori is still hallucinating just like him? Does he realize Gar is the only one who genuinely cares about Jason? Dick has som twisted view on what family is.

The scene when they are all driving to turn themselves in. We are given a scene where Kom is vulnerable and showing her fears of being taken in by the police. But when they pull up to the precinct, we see Dick and Kori exit their own vehicle. So you are telling me that wE COULD OF HAD A SCENE OF DICK AND KORI TALKING ABOUT WHAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN? AND THEY DIDN'T SHOW IT?! WHERE IS MY SOFT DICK THAT WOULD SHARE HIS INSECURITIES WITH KORI ABOUT THE DECISIONS HE'S MAKING. (I will obviously be writing a fic about this later).

Jason and Crane are really annoying me now. Crane is a "good bad" but I don't get anything from him. He seems lazy and unconcerned and it bothers me. He's not actively trying to take out the Titans, but instead uses a video to do it form him? I don't know if that is because I'm so used to performative villains in these kinds of shows, but even the past two season the villains were always ready for more. Crane makes me bored. I kinda liked it better when Jason was unhinged.

Big surprise, Gotham cops are dirty.

Okay, we need to break down what happened with Kom and Kori. I'm really torn about whether or not Kom took Kori's power's on purpose. Kori is a very passionate person, whereas Kom is collected and preserved. Their personalities clash all the time, and it makes it hard for me to believe whether Kom is good or not. Kori talks about needing to save others and do what is the best for Gotham, where as Kom is always concerned with their status as Queens and thinking of themselves first. This is what makes me believe Kom did it on purpose when the opportunity presented itself. If not, I do believe she would have found another way. As for Kori, I think she has a right to be unsure of Kom's motives, she knows her sister better than all of us (which is fucked cuz, how are we to know them without knowing their past). In the end I think Kom needs Kori's full trust to break her.

As of right now, Crane has only managed to knock one person down, which was Barbara. But he still has an entire team of people to pull apart and it's taken too long. Slade managed this in 5 seconds last season.

In this entire episode, only one thing rang true, and Dick put it perfectly: "Gotham is on it's own." Which is sad considering Bruce wouldn't have let it go this far. Gotham needs Batman, not the Titans.

After thoughts:

Where is Tim? is he okay? Does Dick care this kid basically died and never mentioned anything about it again?

Bruce, where did Donna leave him? Is he in a safe place where he can't try to blow himself up again?

[Edit cuz people are jerks, It was great to see Rachel again]

Guys, we really need some good shit next week cuz I'm tired.