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taming-bats · 11 months ago

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Batfam Crime Family Breakdown

I made a Crime Family au for a OC fic I'm writing, but the dynamics were too interesting to pass up diving into.

So, I present to you the Mask Family! #1 Crime monopoly in Gotham. Descriptions for Alfred, Dick, Jason, Tim and Damian are under the cut!

Bruce - AKA Black Mask. Head of the Crime family, and basically king of Gotham. After his parents were killed when he was a young boy and was handed a multi-million dollar company at the age of 9, he had focused on a sense of control. He sees Gotham/Gothamites like they can’t help it, and simply don’t know any better. He will know better for them. Other people might have similar backgrounds or share his feelings on the idea of protecting the city from itself, bu no one has the resources he does, nor the determination to do something.

He created the alias of the Black Mask and infiltrated every underground and back alley system until he runs them all. Bruce Wayne and Black Mask basically are the monopoly of night and day in Gotham. You can’t go anywhere without seeing their influence. He’s brutal when it comes to insubordination or even the hint of mutiny. Truly thinks he’s doing the right thing to keep crime as low as possible. Think’s he is doing what he can to protect his family and his city. He’s softened over the years due to his family, and because he’s grown his network where he never has to get his hands dirty unless he wants to. Loves his kids dearly though is tough on them when it comes to the family business.

“Mr. Wayne! Could you give us a comment on the recent movements of the Black Mask? Does it pain you to share your city with such a ruthless man?”

Bruce Wayne gives a smile, that tight, pained one he gives whenever reports ask about the Crime Lord. The media eats it up. No matter what he says, they read into his expression and think it must be heartbreaking for him to know not even he could touch the King of Gotham.

Alfred - AKA Agent Alpha. Like canon, he follows Bruce down the path he takes. In the first couple years of Bruce’s building of the Mask, he voiced his concerns about Bruce’s methods. However, having been trained in special ops himself, he understood that while some situations required a skilled hand, others required a boot to the neck. He adapted and became the guiding hand Bruce needed, and is still Bruce’s number one confidant and ally.

“Black Mask? Black Mask!” the comm had crackled dead in Alfred ear. He huffs and pushes himself up out of the chair. That boy was going to get himself killed in this mission of his. Drug dealers and gang members- What would Martha and Thomas think if they could see the two of them now?

Alfred does not let himself linger long on the thought as he grabs the keys and his own version of the Mask. No matter his hesitance at the start, he knew that there was no stopping Bruce now that he has his mind to it. He would save this city or die trying. He grabs his shotgun off the wall.

Dick - (24) AKA Blue Mask. First to come into the Mask family. His story here is the same for the most part. Some mob tried to take control of the circus- since it's traveling it's not technically in Black Mask’s territory. They are wrong <3. Feeling responsible for not having enough control to prevent the Grayson murders, Bruce Wayne fosters and adopts Dick Grasyon. However, Bruce in this iteration is more open with sharing his secret with Dick as he sees himself in the young boy. He invites Dick to join his crusade to help the city, and let’s Dick be the one to pull the trigger against the men who killed his family. It’s cathartic for the both of them, and a very cementing bonding experience. Dick is Bruce’s shadow for most of his young life, seeing Bruce in his most brutal/hands on years. At some point, Dick “graduates” to having a Mask of his own, and is now Blue Mask.

Dick stays in Gotham in this au. Dick is the eldest of the Mask family and loves his growing family dearly. He learned quickly about the lengths one should go to to protect the ones they love. To him, all of his siblings are the same age as when they entered the house. They are his babies and he will murder for them. He is Bruce’s number one informant.

“There you go, little wing! Hold it just like that and keep your shoulders back. When you feel ready, pull the trigger.” His hands give an encouraging squeeze to his brother's shoulders before taking a step back. He watches as Jason takes a breath and pulls the trigger. He catches him with a laugh when the kickback jolts his small frame. “Good job! That looked like a headshot to me, you're a natural!” Jason looked up at him with shining eyes, and Dick looked back with all the pride in the world. “Let’s show Bruce.”

Jason - (19) AKA Red Mask. Bruce found him on the streets when he was young- Yes, he was stealing from THE Black Mask and yes, Jason fought with a tire iron and claws to get away from him at the start. Jason thought Black Mask would make an example out of him, show that even kids weren’t an exception in Gotham. But Bruce took one look at the small, malnourished but resilient boy and fell in love with him. Jason, to Bruce, represents all the kids that he was too late to save. But he could save Jason. Bruce brought him home and exposed his secret immediately, as if Jason was already his son. The reasons Jason stayed were years behind them now, and he’s proven himself time and time again to be Bruce’s perfect foot soldier. He trained under Dick and Bruce and was rewarded with the title and role of a Mask much younger than Dick.

Jason and Bruce had a big fight when he was 16 (probably having to do with who would be inheriting the Black Mask role in the future) in which Jason ran away. Knowing all of Black Masks tricks, he’s able to stay under the radar for a little bit less than a year. It breaks Bruce’s heart and infuriates him. He misses his son and is spiraling at the lack of control and is forced to conclude that he’s going to have to punish Jason if/when he finds him. Which he does, but more on that later. At the present day, Bruce and Jason still butt heads in Jason’s attempt to prove that he can be a leader if Bruce just lets him. Bruce is content in keeping the boys in the roles they have for as long as he can. There are many debates on which Mask was the most intimidating, but everyone can agree that you never want Red Mask to be sent after you.

“I’ll take the lower Eastside-”

“Good idea.” Black Mask cuts him off, “Blue, you’re with Red tonight.”

“What?” Jason snaps, “No way, I can do it by myself.” Black Mask gives him a look that Jason can decipher even through the unchanging skull mask. This wasn’t the night to start a debate. Jason clicks his teeth, “Fine.” Black Mask gives him a pat on the head as he passes and a burning of embarrassment and fulfillment comes from the approval. He slaps away Blue’s hand when he tries to copy the movement, to which Dick whines with disappointment.

Tim - (17) AKA Yellow Mask. When Gotham sees a heavy crack down for a few months, it’s a near complete cut off from the rest of the world. It shows what Black Mask could do, which scares a lot of people. But not Tim Drake. Tim Drake sees the opportunity for what it is. Unlike the rest of the world, who haven't a clue about the why, 10 year old Tim Drake marches up to Wayne Manor and asks to speak to Black Mask himself. Tim, the child, had known about the Mask family identity for a full year. And now Tim, the child, was offering to help Black Mask, the Crime Lord. Because Tim Drake knew where Jason was. Tim had known the entire time (a fact that Tim does not share.)

(He also doesn’t share the photos. The maps. The red string. He takes his time and eases the family into his presence, and then, into his hobbies.) Tim inserts himself into the Mask Family, brings Jason back, and simply stays. Jason and he have some tension because of this. Tim is happy staying in the shadows of the operation because it gives him a purpose behind all his odd interests and gives him challenges to grow from. He kinda gets the Mask title against his will but secretly is over the moon about it. He wants to be useful. He becomes Wayne Enterprises Co-CEO, and is Bruce’s eyes and ears.

“That's Debbie. She’s the head accountant on the Relay case, 5th floor.” Bruce nods to Tim’s words and Tim pretends not to preen at the knowledge that someone was listening to him. Bruce gives a hum and an ever-so-slight gesture to a man across the room with his glass of scotch. “Oh, Walter. He’s been skimming funds off his department budget for 5 months now. 14th floor.” Bruce raises an eyebrow and looks at him. “He’ll get cocky soon. See the watch? He bought it this week. That's nothing compared to what his internet history suggests.”

Damian - (12) AKA Green Mask. There’s not much to change here. Damian came into Bruce’s life at 8, already trained to kill. Something of a gift from the al Gul’s. Damian is just as brutal as Bruce was in his early years, but Bruce focuses on helping Damian be a child again. All Bruce wants is to be close with his son, much to Damian’s early protests. Bruce is terrible about spoiling Damian and letting him get away with things because Damian is the baby of the family. Because of this, Damian is Bruce’s trigger. Especially for the jobs that have to be done swiftly and quietly.

Damian realizes that there is more to learn then ways to kill, and learns from Dick about the ways of manipulation, how to present oneself to get what you want. With this, Damian often acts younger than he is to appear innocent and lovable. He tried to kill each one of Bruce’s kids at least once when he first came into the house, but after several impressive retaliations, Damian has seen their strength and recognizes how much he can learn from them. The caring nicknames and affectionate hugs were things that he pretends to only tolerate, but he becomes insufferable if he doesn’t receive affection from them.

“But Father, you promised!” Damian stamps his foot, letting the echo of the cave give the action more grandiose than it actually felt. Bruce responds to his childish outbursts more than his calculative reasoning.

Bruce sighs, kneeling down and cupping Damian’s face with gentle hands, “Yes, I know, Dami. But that was before you handcuffed Tim to the stairway railing for three hours.”

Damian crosses his arms and sets a pout to his lips, “He could have gotten out of them if he wanted to,” He mumbles.

“That is not the point and you know that, darling.”

________________________

Bonus:

Damian texting at 1am after not receiving a single pat on the head from his brothers all day: inshallah you will wake in the depths of nightmares most vile

Dick a millisecond later: bb bat wdym?? :(

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as-is-above-so-below · 2 years ago

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

Masterlist

Chapter 8, Chapter 10

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

chapter summary: Happy New Year from the Batfamily! (and also, SURPRISE WALLY NAME DROP! AAAAAAA)

December 2012

Strong winds tugged at Redwing’s cape, the yellow fabric billowing behind her on her gargoyle perch. People littered the streets below under the soft glow of neon and street lights; they poured in and out of various bars and nightclubs, despite the frigid temperatures and quickly accumulating layers of snow.

Nothing could keep the city of Gotham from a good time on New Year’s Eve.

She grabbed the hems near her midsection and clipped them together, securing them around her torso for warmth. Robin did the same on the next statue, tugging his hood over his wet hair. While cold fronts and heavy snow were typical for that time of year, the continued steady drop in bitter temperature over just a few hours wasn’t. She raised her gloved hand to her earpiece and tapped open her comms.

“Oracle?”

“Hi, Redwing! How are you this fine winter evening?”

“Cold. Unnaturally cold,” she grumbled, dusting the heavy flurries off her shoulders. “Could you pull up weather patterns and temperatures for the last ten years?”

Robin shifted from the balls of his feet to a seated position, his legs dangling below. He rested some of his weight onto his hands, pressed forward between his legs. “What’re ya thinkin’, Red?”

“I’m thinking that it was thirty degrees when we left the cave, and we’re about to drop into the negatives in the span of,” she turned back to look up at the clocktower behind them, “three hours.”

“Abnormal weather conditions don’t necessarily mean Victor’s involved.”

Batman crouched on his heels between them following his question, shrouded in his black cape. Like them, he had a winterized version of his suit on – the usual color scheme, but slightly bulkier with the extra layers and warming factor built in. The bat symbol at the center of his chest had more shine than his usual suit.

“I don’t know… I could be wrong, but this doesn’t feel right.”

“You have a good sense of climate, Redwing!” Oracle chimed back in. “The chill you’re feeling is way below normal. Gotham normally hangs in the thirty- to forty-degree range in December. And temps definitely don’t drop this fast.”

Batman hummed in affirmation, a proud smirk on his face. “Don’t ever doubt your instincts. Well done.”

“But why now? Freeze covered Gotham in ice in the middle of August before; he doesn’t need cold weather,” she wondered, looking to her father for ideas.

The bat tapped away at his gauntlet, pulling up the records from his last encounter with the man. “I found Victor so quickly before because it was the dead of summer. He could be using seasonality as camouflage.”

Oracle’s voice echoed in their ears again, “I’d be willing to bet he hoped we would be preoccupied with this evening’s festivities.”

A smart move on his end, considering they were just now noticing the weather fluctuation.

“Assuming he built the same kind of devices, there were three units I had to track down before they reached their full potential. My analysis then estimated it would have taken five hours to freeze the city over.”

The winged duo nodded solemnly, meeting each other’s white eyes. “It’s already been at least three. We don’t have much time,” Robin pointed out, rising to his feet again.

“I could reach out to KF and see if he’s available to help?”

“No need! I think I have an idea where at least one will be.”

“Care to share with the class?” she asked. Her forehead wrinkled where her eyebrows were concealed under her mask.

The boy smirked as he pulled out his grapple gun, his arm hanging loosely by his side. “Freeze is the sentimental type, right? Do you still have his wife at the lab?”

“Yes.”

“What better place to attack Gotham from than the tallest building in the city?”

“You think he’s at Wayne Tower?” Redwing stood with him, readying her own line.

“I don’t think. I know.”

Her eyes rolled behind the white lenses of her mask. “Fascinating.”

“What, my charm? Dashing good looks? Searing intellect?”

She stepped forward so only her heels balanced on the beast’s nose. Her arches and toes hovered in the air. She tapped the muzzle of the tool against her chin with pursed lips as she pretended to think. “Your enormous ego,” she finally concluded, laughing wildly as his boyish grin morphed into a hurt expression as she tipped over, letting her body fall head-first into the neon lights below.

Redwing allowed herself to freefall for a few seconds before firing the grapple hook. It caught on a nearby water tower, launching her back towards the sky.

In the year since Bruce had adopted them, Melanie had learned that Dick was right about at least one thing.

There’s nothing like flying.

Her earpiece crackled to life again. “Ego?!” Robin cried, appalled, coming into view about forty feet to her left. “My ego is well-earned! I deserve an apology!”

“And how might I get back into your good graces, Boy Wonder?”

“It’ll be midnight soon. I think a New Year’s kiss is in order.”

“Who else would I kiss?”

“No PDA on duty.”

“Golly gee willickers, Batman.” He took a high-pitched voice, mocking the original Robin. “Don’t be a party pooper. You swat spit Catwoman in the field all the time!”

“I do not. Even if I did, it would be different.”

“Hypocrite.”

“Focus,” Batman snapped, the blue halo from the Wayne Enterprises logo coming into view. Lo and behold, a structure resembling a stocky cell tower sat on the roof, pumping a cold front into Gotham’s atmosphere. Nearby, a similar unit lit up the Foxteca building; in the distance, a third condenser at the Sporting Complex.

The group took refuge on a neighboring rooftop as Batman cataloged the force they were going up against. “I don’t see Victor’s heat signature,” he mumbled, making a mental note. “You two distract his henchmen. I’ll shut down the weather machine then we'll move on to the next. We have to be quick.”

“Yessir!”

With the plan set, the two birds took to Wayne Enterprises, scaling the side farthest from the equipment. While they would work on the goons, Batman would sneak up the back to access the interface. Two loud cackles drew the attention of the dozen or so men to the teens; Robin traipsed the curbed edge like a tightrope while Redwing juggled R-shaped shurikens atop an exhaust vent.

“So,” Robin started. He spun on one foot to turn back around and go back the way he came. “You all have two options. You can surrender peacefully, and we leave you for the GCPD. Or, we can kick your butts, and you’re arrested anyway. Your call!”

Despite his generous offer, Regulator brutes charged them, a few hanging back while their gauntlets whirred to life.

Robin sighed dramatically, hopping down from the ledge. “They just never learn, do they, Wing?”

“They don’t, Rob. They really don’t.” She snatched one of the sharp weapons out of the air on its downward arch and directed it into the muzzle of a rifle. The gun backfired, causing its holder to reel from the bright flash of heat.

As Robin sprinted forward, Redwing jumped from the vent onto her partner’s locked and ready hands, propelling her into the air in their enemies’ direction. She swiftly moved between enemies, sometimes kicking some in Robin’s direction for an assist. She prioritized enemies with guns first, wanting them disarmed and out of the way quickly. Despite the freezing air, Redwing still felt a layer of sweat forming underneath her thermal layer from the effort of the fight.

Bullets pinged off the concrete and metal structures around them as they dodged and weaved through their trajectories; the sharp, tangy smoke almost overwhelmed her senses.

As the number of active targets dwindled, Redwing felt a hot muzzle press against the back of her skull; she immediately pivoted, barely knocking it away for the bullet to miss. “Oof, that was a close one!” she laughed, ripping the rifle out of the man’s hands. “Almost got me there!”

While she was quick to knock him unconscious with the butt of his gun, she wasn’t fast enough to avoid the massive hand that wrapped around her bicep and yanked, sending her skidding across the roof. Her shoulder audibly popped, and she groaned at the sound and sudden shooting pain down her arm.

As she tried to her shoulder it back in, the last lackey loomed over her. Allowing herself to get grabbed was a big mistake that allowed her opponent to hold all of the power, especially now that one of her limbs was out of commission. She could fight with what she had, but adjusting to the ache wasted precious time that she did not have.

At least, until a sticky pellet thudded against the Regulator’s gauntlet and activated, volts of electricity arcing through his arm to the ground. He stumbled back, leaving Robin open to slide underneath his grip and forcing him to topple by tripping his feet.

“You heard her, man! It’s not her time.” He, too, fell unconscious when the black-haired boy was finished with him.

“You good?”

She nodded, gripping her bicep with her opposite hand to brace it to her side.

“You were tellin’ us about being quick?! What the hell, B? What’s taking so long?” Robin pressed, helping Redwing up while nursing his own bruises at his side.

“These condensers are different,” Batman grunted as he typed at the machine’s terminal. “We have to shut them off at the same time. We’re going to have to split up.”

“You can’t figure out how to disarm them manually?”

“No. That will take hours, which we don’t have.”

He stepped away from his task to inspect Redwing’s limp limb, pressed against her side. The girl hissed as he tried to twinge it with barely any pressure, jerking away from his touch. Robin certainly had a busted lip and a few bruises of his own.

“It’s dislocated.”

“Batman, I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. I’m calling the Batmobile to take you back to the cave–”

“We need three people to turn these off,” Redwing cut him off, turning her shoulder to her partner. “Robin?”

He sighed deeply, gingerly looping his fingers around her wrist and bracing her back. “Alright–”

“Robin, don’t you dare–”

POP!

“GAH–” Redwing took a deep breath before letting out a whoosh of air. “See? All good!” She turned momentarily as if to look around, hiding the pained expression on her face. “Christ on a cracker, that hurt.”

Batman was pinching the bridge of his nose over his cowl, his head bowed and shaking. “Nightwing’s supposed to be my problem child, not you two.” He took her arm and tested her mobility, moving and rotating the appendage in all directions. When he was begrudgingly satisfied, Batman sighed again. “Fine, but you’re staying here. Robin, you go to Foxteca; plug this into the terminal before I give the signal. I’ll cover the arena.”

Robin took the flash drive from their father and tucked it into his utility belt. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, brushing a spot of blood off her cheek with his thumb.

She smiled warmly and shrugged. “I think I can handle pressing a button. I’ll be fine. Besides, you owe me a kiss.”

“Me?! No, no, no, you’re supposed to kiss me–”

“If I have to tell you two to focus again, you’re suspended for a week.”

Batman wasn’t one to make threats lightly, and neither Redwing nor Robin wanted to find out how strict the man was feeling. Redwing laughed and shoved him away before heading over to her station.

It took Batman and Robin some time to get to their respective locations. Long enough for the eerie silence to make the hair on the back of her neck stand. Nothing but the cold wind gusts and mechanical buzzing in her ears.

Something was missing…

“Batman, Robin. Do either of you have eyes on Mr. Freeze?” she questioned, taking cautious steps toward the middle of the skyscraper’s roof.

“Negative.”

“No, why?”

The air shifted, setting off alarms in her mind. Redwing dove forward just in time to not get crushed by a giant mecha suit’s fist. She rolled easily and sprang to her feet, finding herself face-to-face with the man himself. The temperature dropped noticeably around the icy metal, the vapor from her breath thicker and more visible than before.

“Ah, the Girl Wonder. I was expecting Batman.”

Victor Fries played into his villain persona well. His voice didn’t just have a cold tone; the vibrato sent actual chills down her already taut spine.

“Sorry to disappoint, Victor,” she replied, readying her fighting stance. “I guess he just didn’t think you were much of a threat.”

Her opponent chuckled darkly, his heavy steps clunking on concrete as he closed in on her. “She thinks she’s Batman,” he growled. “How quaint.”

Redwing slid under his downward swing, sprinting back toward the weather machine at the now far corner. Freeze just caught the corner of her cape, which she immediately released as soon as she felt the familiar tug. Out of his reach again, she tapped her comms back on. “Speak of the devil!”

“He’s there? I’m coming back to you–”

“There isn’t time!” the girl interrupted, narrowly sidestepping an ice ray. The ends of her hair had long since gathered an icy sheen from the wet air and subzero temperatures. “We have to do this now!”

Her evasive skills would be the hot ticket item for their next team meeting, considering how often Redwing was snatched up during this encounter.

Freeze seized her by the back of her neck, stopping her in her tracks and lifting her off the ground without effort. She scrambled for one of the pouches on her belt, only for it to be torn away and slammed into the ground. “I don’t think so, little bird,” Freeze snarled and pulled her face forward, stopping just short of smashing the protective barrier around his head. Redwing was forced to ignore the chattering in her ear, focused only on steadying her breathing and figuring a way to do her part and shut down the terminal behind Freeze. The man adjusted his grip, now keeping her suspended from the front.

“Why…are you…doing this?” she choked out, slowly slipping her hand over her stomach, then her breastplate…

“Batman and Mr. Wayne took my Nora from me,” he shared as if it was obvious. His corpse-like, blue skin was infinitely more horrifying up close. “I intend to retrieve what is mine and leave this wretched city a tundra when I’m done with it!”

“Redwing, now!”

“She’s not…your…property.” Finally, she pressed the ‘R’ on her chest, dispensing another golden shuriken, and, with a year’s worth of practice and great skill, hurled the star at the red switch.

Flip

“No!”

The cold front spewing into the night sky immediately started to narrow until it dwindled into nothing, the various gears and pieces slowing to a stop. She assumed, in the distance, the other machines and beams had similar reactions. Already the heavy, white storm turned into soft flurries, more representative of a New Jersey winter.

The plan had worked.

“Red, hold on! I’m coming!”

“No!” Victor roared again, charging to his creation, only to find a black screen. The drives permanently disabled the software once it was shut down, making it inaccessible. Forever. “You insignificant little witch! You’ll pay for this!”

And suddenly, the bruising pressure was gone, and she was flying again.

And flying.

Then falling.

Her ice-tipped hair bit and stung her face as she slapped at her hip, gloves meeting her suit helplessly with wide eyes.

He took her belt; her grapple–

And no cape. She’d ditched it, effectively clipping her own wings.

She wanted to scream and call out for Robin or Batman, but the panic and violent terror gagged her as she plummeted toward the empty city street. Would her father be the one to retrieve her broken, bloody body, or her brother?

Not Jay, anyone but Jay…

Jason

A body slammed into hers with a grunted Oof, knocking her path to the snow-covered pavement off course. It was like colliding with a brick wall. Her body jerked from being caught at the waist before being enveloped in a tight hold and turned in the air, nose pressed against a firm chest; she smelled musky sweat, gunpowder, and the lingering twinge of mint toothpaste.

They soared for about two seconds before their trajectory arched back to the ground. When they finally hit solid ground, the other person hit first, cushioning her landing, before they tumbled down the street. When they slowed to a stop several feet from the initial impact, the cage around her loosened, and her loose body flopped face down into the crisp snowfall.

“Red! Red, hey!”

Redwing let out a low groan as she was flipped on her back and shaken, eyes squeezed shut. “Am I dead?”

Robin was visibly relieved both at her consciousness and her ability to speak. “Nah, you can’t die just yet. It’s 12:06.”

January 2013

Jason.

Kevlar hands delicately cradled the sides of her neck before frosty, wet lips pressed into her rosy cheek. The sentiment continued across her face – on her forehead, nose, the corner of her lips. Some barely touched her flesh, overlapping with the edges of her mask or hair. Each word he spoke was punctuated with a loud peck.

“I - love - you - so - much.”

Redwing mustered the strength to softly tap his cheek with two soft pats. “Love you t-too. Good…save…” she wheezed, arm dropping back down and displacing some white fluff back into the air. If the fact that her whole body already hurt was any indicator, she was in for a world of hurt over the next few days.

Robin allowed her a moment to gather herself before slipping his hands under her shoulders and forcing her to sit up. He moved to one knee, some joints cracking and popping at the effort, and wedged his arms under hers until the crooks of his elbows settled in her armpits.

“C’mon,” he ordered, rising to his full height, hoisting Redwing to her feet. He slung her good arm over his shoulder, adjusting until he found a comfortable position. “You have to get back to the Cave. The Batmobile’s right here.”

Immediately, her heels dug into the road. “Wait, Freeze–”

“B has it handled. You’re in no shape to fight. You need to go.”

“Mmm’kay…”

For once, she complied with his orders, feet dragging as he mostly carried her to the car. The driver’s door opened for them, and Robin took the utmost care in lowering his other half into the seat before swinging her legs in.

“Happy New Year, Rob.”

“Happy New Year, Red.”

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farshootergotme · 4 months ago

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Occasionally I picture Nightwing calling Red Hood "little wing" in front of others and people looking between this huge, 6'0 feet tall man with growing white hair, and then Nightwing, a shorter man who has flawless skin, probably around his 20's, and a fit but not too buff build and they just- don't know what's happening. Is it some kind of inside joke they aren't aware of? Why is Nightwing acting as if he's years older than Red-fucking jacked-Hood?

Nightwing: Little wing, you actually were decent in that fight! I'm impressed.

Hero, who was helping during this fight as well, listening in to the conversation: little...?

Red Hood: Wow, feeling very appreciated right now. Got any other backhanded compliments in there?

Hero: Wait, excuse me-

Nightwing: As a matter of fact-

Red Hood: Nope! I'm outta here. Screw you!

Nightwing: You know you love me!

Red Hood: In your dreams, dickhead!

Nightwing: Hey! We don't use that-

Red Hood: Not listening!

Nightwing: Jeez, kids these days...

Red Hood: I'm an adult and fuck you too!

Nightwing: What? Thought you weren't-

Red Hood: See you never, I'm out.

Hero: ...

Hero: what the actual fuck?

#Dick Grayson is a big brother #and that means he gets to be an asshole sometimes #he lives up to his name #and this random hero is just having to witness these idiots bickering #and be very confused about it #when your brother looks older than you but you still call him cute nicknames #“that's a grown ass man”#Nightwing: and that grown ass man happens to be my little brother #Nightwing: deal with it #dick grayson #nightwing #jason todd #red hood #batfam #batfamily #probably ooc #but that's what happens when you want these two to have a decent relationship #sorry canon #dc comics #hc dick has a permanent 20 yo look #meanwhile jason looks like he's on his 30's #tbf he's had a pretty stressful life #and death doesn't do any favors #having that in mind don't ask how dick grayson still looks good #might be his secret superpower

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call-me-oracle · 6 months ago

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barbara gordon in the boy wonder #1

bonus:

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shit-talker · 11 months ago

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I feel like people dont lean into just how complicated dick and jasons relationship could and should be.

Give me these two boys who were thrown together, who didn't really fit together or get along, whose age gap was just a little too big for them to fully understand each other when they met, forced into this role of brothers even when they didnt feel that way.

Give me a young jason todd, so confused and annoyed that the guy who's supposed to be his big brother, his mentor won't even come home once a week to have dinner, who doesn't talk to him, and ignores everything he does.

Give me a hurt dick grayson, who is so angry with bruce and pissed off at the idea of being replaced that he just cant look at his new brother, even though he doesn't blame him.

Give me a dick grayson who never fully saw jason todd as his brother until it was too late.

#jason todd #dick grayson #batfam #nightwing #red hood #robin #two halves of one whole thrown together and called brothers #dick doesnt see jason as his brother until hes gone and that leaves him with this huge amount of regret #and so when tim comes along dick feels this need to compensate for what he didnt do with jason #and thats where the figure of older brother dick who is kind of overbearing comes from #its because he didnt do that with jason and look what happened #and thats a huge part of the anger jason feels when he comes back to gotham #the mentality of 'why wasnt i good enough for that. what does this kid have that i didnt. why does he get what i deserved'#im rambling #i just love them so much #batfamily #batbrothers #batman #a death in the family

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cluescorner · 9 months ago

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I gave myself a writing challenge and I am fascinated by it

So basically I put the robins in a randomizer to give them a new order/role (because I just...kinda wanted to see what would happen + I like role-reversal AUs) and got results that are giving me a fucking brain blast.

Stephanie, the first sidekick who defines the role

Tim, the sidekick who dies and comes back wrong

Dick, the sidekick who saves Batman from himself

Damian, the sidekick who was never supposed to be a sidekick but would go on to prove everyone wrong

Jason, the youngest sidekick who is still the Kid Wonder

...So this is fucking wild. I've got some ideas and several of these fit perfectly (Dick's role is pretty similar to his one in canon), but some of these are fucking INCREDIBLE to explore (Steph being the first Robin is something I never even considered but tbh I kinda love it).

I probably won't write a fic or anything because tbh I don't like publishing my writing that much, but I might expand this into a full AU and post about it. I might randomize other stuff too (ie, stuff that I cannot change vs stuff that I cannot keep the same) but this fucking rules as a starting point.

#uhhh what am I calling this??#randomizedrobinsau #stephanie brown #oh my god I am so excited to figure out how tf to write this.#because she's my favorite of these characters and having HER be the first sidekick + the one who has a mentor/older sister relationship #with the others?? kickass. though I'll probably keep her and Tim's relationship as 'dating-then-exes' because I think it's funny #and then SHE can be the Robin who Tim got fixated on + figured out her identity?? holy fuck and then the angst of Tim later dying #Tim Drake #tbh I kinda wish he'd gotten a different position because 'sidekick who dies' Tim has kinda been done a lot with the standard #reverse robin aus. But it'll still be fun to write. Definitely going the Joker Junior route with this because Batman Beyond kicks ass #Dick Grayson #He'll honestly probably be the easiest. Like...his role has not changed much outside of being younger/not the one who defines this #But I still think it'll be good to see how well I know Dick beyond his eldest brother thing (which is my best way of relating to him)#Damian al ghul #damian wayne #oh this is gonna kick ass #Bruce does not want his son to be a sidekick but Damian just kinda forces his way into that role #and everybody doubts him because of his history with the league but he later proves himself more than capable #to the point that he can set out mostly on his own and still thrive #Jason Todd #Jason being the baby of the family is also something I have never thought about but holy shit it could kick ass #I really hope that I don't roll 'Jason must die' or 'Robin 5 must die' on the randomizer. I just kinda want Jason to live this time #But unfortunately I double-screwed him because he's on the 'must happen' wheel twice now. I did not think these prompts through #TBH I am so happy that none of them rolled their OG roles. because that would have been so fucking boring

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marionluth · 4 months ago

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Title: Shattered

Fandom: Batman (all media types)

Summary: AU: Jason, a few weeks after his return to Gotham and 2 and a half years after his resurrection, is struggling. Having revealed his identity to Bruce and Dick, knowing Tim replaced him as Robin (and son/ brother) and that Bruce not only didn’t kill Joker, but is also now actively stopping Jason from doing it, Jay loses it. Betrayed by those he loved the most, resentment and thirst of revenge engulfing him entirely, he is coping by not coping. When Batman encounters a scene of brutal massacre he knows Red Hood was behind, he seeks him out to confront him, only to find him in a broken catatonic state.

Status: Complete One-shot

Rating: T

Pairings: None/Gen

Warnings: Alluded Suicidal Thoughts, Violence, Drug Use

Links:

AO3

FFNET

#dc fandom #batman #jason todd #fanfiction #dick grayson #alfred pennyworth #angst #hurt/minimal comfort #unresolved shit #family drama #Bruce wayne tries to be a good dad #dick grayson tries to be a good older brother #alfred is a good parent to all #jason uses drugs #jason flirts with death in an alluded way #jason todd deserves better #emotional confrontation

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snakeredbirdbatkatana · 1 year ago

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I have a baby brother he's a little fucking shit but let me tell you I would kill for him however I would also sacrifice his ass to our other siblings I am the oldest so I feel like I can say that. I love Dick Grayson but I find it hard to believe he never pushed one of them off a building like he's giving people unrealistic expectations.

#older brother #older sister #batfamily #good sibling nightwing #dick grayson #tim drake #damian Wayne #Jason Todd #I firmly believe that mother fucker pushed Jason off a building when he was being dramatic #older sibling privilege I kick your ass no one else #Bruce Wayne

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armed-with-a-waffle-iron · 1 year ago

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This page is everything to me. Rose, Dick and Joey all melting my heart by just being them

#rose wilson #and her older brothers #she deserves good things #dick grayson #joey wilson #ravager #nightwing #jericho #teen titans #dc comics

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cr1mson5returns · 1 year ago

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I want to preface this thought by saying that I didn't read a lot of comics that featured Dick when I still actively read things that were in circulation at the time. The last time I really kept up with comics that were regularly published was 2011, shortly after the New 52 reboot, and I ended up giving up on comics because of the reboot. So I don't know a whole lot about Dick pre-New 52 or post-New 52. I get a lot of my information from the DC Wiki and fans who've more closely followed those storylines in other series.

That said, I just feel like Dick is the sort of older sibling to look at you, realize you're having a bad day, and ask you if you'd like to make no-bake cookies together. He'll reason with you that this is the best possible way to fix your bad day. The oven isn't involved, so there's no timer to set that can be promptly forgotten, ergo no real danger of burning the house down. The making of the batter is messy and delicious and he'll teach you the right ratio of peanut butter to cocoa powder that'll get them just sweet enough but not so sweet your face falls off. Unless you want your face to fall off, that's fine, too. Plus there's an art form to laying out the little soon-to-be cookies on the sheets, you know. And by the time he's finished arguing a point he didn't have to argue, you're both in the kitchen and pulling ingredients out of cabinets and you've sort of forgotten you were even having a bad day. It's just really nice to be here in the presence of someone who isn't going to force you to talk and doesn't pretend to have answers for any of your problems. He just wants to give you something to do with your hands and your brain that'll make a new, happier memory on this otherwise shitty day.

#i just really like the idea of dick as the older brother who doesn't position himself as the expert on your life #at least not all the time #maybe he gives good advice but he's not gonna force it on you #if you want him to give you advice he wants you to ask for it specifically #dick is soft and kind and warm because he's been so sunken into anger before #he knows how it feels to hate #he knows what it's like to despair #he actively chooses to position himself in love and joy instead #and that's why he's the heart and soul of the dc universe #dick grayson #nightwing #batfamily #cr1mson's thoughts

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robocops-a-christ-allegory · 1 year ago

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Dick Grayson heads Im really sorry if you hate him but I really wish Dorian Chase could come back and start bothering him again.

I just like how they interact.

#Ive posted the 'Dorian shoots a guy and then gets confused about why Dick doesnt like that' scene-#-here before but its a really good one. Summarization of their whole dynamic #I dont go to Dick Grayson so I feel like he might have like 1000 older mean guys giving him bad advice hanging around #Rendering Dorian redundant but I think Dorian's really funny about it #Keeps bothering Nightwing because Nightwing knew his brother and is trying to act like hes doing him a favor.

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anndiscworld-phile · 3 months ago

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mmm, this reminds me of a joke on you're wrong about, basically "wish we could give dads a practice family first, so they didn't have to wait for the second family to get it right"

jason does not know dick as a mentor really, or a good brother, or a friend. and it's not really anyone's fault, truly. dick was trying to be a grown up, be independent, which meant Not Being In Gotham. where jason was

but yeah, everyone gets dick "the good supportive brother" and jason just has to watch those healthy sibling dynamics and try not to not to hold it against the rest of the family

The absolute angst of Jason coming back and seeing Tim interacting with Dick and realizing just how close they are. They do stuff together, all the time, stuff Dick never did for Jason no matter how much he begged. He’s put off with it- doesn’t want anything to do with Dick. He died and Dick got a new perfect little brother he actually liked. Hell, he even comes to Sunday Dinner- something not even Alfred could convince him to do when Jason was still alive the first time.

It gets worse as the others show up- Dick showers them with affection. If they question whether they belong or not, it’ll never be because of Dick. No, Tim, Damian, Cass, and Duke will never know the Dick he knew.

But he doesn’t know that the reason Dick tries so hard is because of him. He felt he’d failed Jason- and when he died he left this gaping hole in Dick’s life. So yeah, he shows up to Damian’s Art Shows, and takes Tim skateboarding, never misses Cass’s ballet performances, and drives Duke four hours to see his favorite band. And yeah he’s at every single Sunday dinner, even if him and Bruce are at each others throats- he shows up and he sits down, and he listens to his siblings as they tell him what’s going on in their lives. Because of Jason.

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as-is-above-so-below · 2 years ago

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

Masterlist

Chapter 7, Chapter 9

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

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

July 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They were, indeed, not good.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dick nudged him with his elbow. “Hold.”

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

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

“I don’t even live here–”

“Grounded.”

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

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

“Almost fourte–”

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

“Dad, come on! That’s not fair!”

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

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

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

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

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

October 2012

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

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

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

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

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

“Indeed, sir.”

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

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

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

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

“I really have to go. Apologies again!”

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

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

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

Who knew the performative sports world was so vicious?

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

He really didn’t come.

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

Dad!

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

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

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

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

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