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on-the-clear-blue · 6 months ago

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Dead Man's Diner pt 2

Danny had to admit, Lunch Lady was an excellent teacher.

Sure they were blitzing though a cook book thst was more tape and hope the paper, but Danny was for once actually understanding and enjoying being taught.

Cracking an egg into a bowl, Danny held it close while whisking quickly, not fully incorporating the flour in his pancake batter before dumping a good sized dollop on the flat top, smiling from the brief sizzle that he heard.

There was a sudden cacophony sounds from the front of house (which was the dining area? He never knew that before) putting the flat top on low, Danny looked over to where Lunch Lady was floating only to find nothing.

Blinking a bit, Danny wiped his hands off OK his apron as he poked his head out, frowning at the diner car, "What was that..." his words were cut off by one of the blinds slats bending as if pried open, and as he squinted, Danny saw two figures watching from a distance ontop another rail car.

Vigilantes

Danny felt his heart flutter with excitement, while not as cool as maybe Martian Manhunter or StarFire (since y'know...fucking aliens, Space) the Gotham caped community were interesting, if only since Batman and his Flock were Sam's low key obsession, she had even gone out as Robin for multiple Halloweens, and don't even get him started on the fan theories about them all.

Smirking he tapped the bar, allowing thr blinds to snap closed, "Sam is so going to flip that I saw the Birds before her." Letting out a little giggled, Danny quickly swore as he smelt a bit of burning and rushed to flip his pancakes.

---

Tim was, in Dicks opinion, the most concerning member of the family, sure most days he gives of "miserable wet cat" energy but even then Dick had seen his little brother easily take down guys that even Bruce had trouble with.

That wasnt even touching on his um...mental quirks

The less he speaks of the time period between Bruce's and Kons deaths till their eventual return, the better.

Putting down the binoculars, Dick stole a glance over at Red Robin, who was frowning deeply at his wrist computer, scooting a little closer Dick leaned over to see what was happening, "Whatcha do~oing?"

So entranced by what he was reading Tim jumped a little, an elbow flying out to where Dicks face had been a second ago as he turned and glared.

"Don't...! Do that Wing! Ugh..." shaking his head as he let out a huff Tim took his eyes off the small monitor and looked up at the diner car, pointing at it as he spoke scornfuly.

"That place does not exist."

"Like, legally? I am sure Batburger doesn't either-"

"No." Tim said, cutting the older vigilante off, "It doesn't exist physically."

"Timmy..." Dick said as he ran through the protocols for when RedRobin got a little too many insane things in his head.

"Get that look off your face Wing, it really doesn't exist, like..." letting out a sigh, the teen tried to put his words right "Don't look straight at it but a bit to the side so it's to the side of your eye." Pointing to a middle distance a bit away from the diner cart, Dick sent a small frown at his brother but did as he was asked.

"Holy leaping lizards..." Tim, somehow, was right, since when Dick just looked about a few feet away from the diner, it started to waver turning...transparent? And a little blue? But when he looked at it closer it was just a normal, abet run down looking diner.

"Exactly, no need to bench me till Agent A stuffs me full of anti-psychotics!"

"That was one time Tim, and you were having a mental break down."

"I am not lying when I say we killed Santa Claus Dick!"

"Sure Tim...sure"

---

Danny drummed his fingers on the breakfast bar, nursing a cup of coffee as he waited for something to happen.

He knew thst he was being watched, he had a vague idea who was doing the watching, but was starting to get a bit bored waiting for them to get closer.

Pausing mid sip, a grin spread across Danny's lips, "Hey cart? Can you do something that might draw those guys over here? Let's get some customers!"

Some how, Danny's grin only grew at the rumble of the cart, and he xould hav sworn he heard a sound that was a mix between a train horn and a chuckle.

---

Tim shot his brother a stinging glare, swatting at his arm as he blushed, he did every much indeed accidentally killed Santa Claus and took an impromptu trip to Apokolips to give DarkSeid coal.

His next rebuttal to Nightwing was cut off as the diner cart shuddered as if it was in an earthquake before it stilled, and the banner that was across it suddenly gained a new line.

[JUST NOW! VIGILANTES AND HEROS GET ONE FREE SIDE OF FRIES! COME ON IN BEFORE THE OFFER ENDS!]

Tim was silent for a moment, watching the cart to see if there was any more changes before turning to Dick, who had lost the joyful energy that he always seemed to have.

"RR, plans changed, we are going to investigate inside."

Tim gave a sharp nod, his bo staff elongating as he grappled down to the train tracks below, his boots crunching gravel underfoot as he slipped from shadow to shadow, getting closer to Big C's diner.

---

Danny was in the back, flipping through his cook book as he heard a bell ring, jolting up, Danny could see through the service window and see who came in.

He had never met a real hero before, not like the two that had just came in, feeling nervous, Danny fumbled with a small notebook as he came out from the kitchen, grinning at the two Birds.

"Heya! Thanks for coming to Big C's! Names Danny and I am kinda the only one in today, what can I get you both?"

His eyes flickered between the two vigilantes, noticing new things each time he looked at them, like how Red Robin's cape had buttons instead of being sown on, or how Nightwings suit wasn't slick but actually textured.

---

Dick looked at everything he could as he stood in the diners door, it looked like a typical 50s styled mom and pop kinda place, an old radio buzzed with songs of a bygone era while the seats were cracked pink leather vinyl.

He could hear someone moving in the back, resting a hand on his eskrima sticks, Dick stalked further in, it felt real enough...

He could feel Red Robin knock into his back as the person from the back came into view, it was a teen, and holy hell did he look like Bruce Wayne adoption bait, raven hair, blue eyes and a cheesy looking grin.

He couldn't be older than Damian, who had turned 16 a few months ago, the teen was just so...tiny.

Danny, that's the name given to them, and Dick can see it, he looked like a Danny.

Pausing to look to Tim, Dick smiled back at the teen, "Well...can we see a menu?"

#dpxdc #dc x dp #danny is a little shit #he is just a little guy #tim drake #tim drake has problems #red robin #night wing #Dead Man's Diner #batman #bruce: what do you mean “we had to go in it offered us fries”#does this count as a coffeeshop au?#part 2 #tim drake is a menace

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on-the-clear-blue · 4 months ago

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Welcome to Gotham pt1

Inspired by Baby Birds and Bat Caves written by IzzyMRDB

Tim was always a tad strange.

At least that was what other people told him when he did something they thought was "weird" or "concerning for his age"

Like really, was following a girl he thought was a subject abuse home in the guise of having a crush on her to get evidence really that wierd?

His court ordered therapist said it was but she didnt know what she was talking about.

And he was right by the way, he was able to place an anonymous call a wellfare check, and he was proud to say that after a little digging he was able to say that the girl was safe with a foster family!

Though now all of Gotham Elementary thought that he made the girl switch schools because he was "creepy and stalkerish"

That last one wasnt even a word, he had looked.

All of this lead to him having a lot of free time and people trying to avoid him, and unlike what his therapist said he wasnt lonely, he was just feeling left out.

Such is the reason why Tim was now standing 3.649 meters behind Batman and Robin wearing a oveesized black hoodie with said hood pulled up, a bandana tied around his face his fathers old film camara weighing heavily in his hands

The camarea was something he wasnt allowed to touch, having a place of honor on the high shelves in his study, but with a bit of reaching and a small jump, it had ended up in Tims small hands.

Peering through the view finder, Tim felt his jaw slowly fall open az he saw more than just Robin and Batman in it, more than the glittering lights of the city, what Tim saw..

Was...

Magic.

Colors like a kaleidoscope swirled around the two of them, the darker and more neutral of them curled around the Dark Knight, like wrapping him in shadows and camouflaging him into the city

There were a few dark blacks and reds that clung to Robin, but the boy wonder was like a blinding star, shining with brilliant greens, yellows and blues as he adamantly spoke to the Bat about something.

Tim sat staring at the two for what felt like ages, only remembering to flutter the button to capture the two of them at the last moment, catching the two of them swing off the building.

After taking that picture, Tim could well..

He could see the colors around everyone all the time, most of the people at school was a mix of green and blues, some deep reds, but most of the people had dull empty colors, none of them had the same vibrant colors of Robin, or the browns and grays that hung onto Batman, he wanted to see them agian. He needed to see them again.

It took a few weeks for Tim to find them again, Miss Mac had almost caught him twice sneaking out and he had to wait late for his live in nanny to pass out for good.

Tim didnt put any sleeping pills into her late night scotch, totally not.

Once again dressed in his "Recon" outfit and the camera in hand, Tim camped out on a rooftop of a gastation outside of Bristol, it had high sightings of the Batman through the years and was a likely place for him to stop early on in his routes.

Set up behind a noisy fan, Tim heard a pair of distinct thumps, he was lucky, he had prepared to camp out for hours...

Moving silently up onto his knees, the young boy licked his lips under his tied on mask, raising his fathers camara, Tim spyed through the veiw finder once agian, only to frown at what he saw.

Robin wasnt shining as he should, the dark that clung to Batman was swelled up and swirlling like an angry storm, it lashed out and the dark blues and blacks around Robin lashed back out in turn.

Both were stiff, looking as if they had just finished an argument...

Tim watched helplessly from the sidelines, Robin was supposed to be bright, the Light of Gotham, and Batman waz supposed to be soild, like a rock...but both of them were not, and Tim didnt like it one bit.

He still took picture of course, even if they were fighting they were still THE Batman and Robin...

...

Three weeks later and Robin was different.

Not just in his colors which had gone from burning scarlets to cheerful reds, depressive navys to a brilliant periwinkle, it was drastic...it was different...

Tim loved it and was worried at the same time

Robin was shorter, gone was the muscles and tricky flips and spins, now Robin was small and had one hell of a right hook

Tim had gotten a great shot of the Riddler getting socked in the face...

But this all made Tim worry, had Batman replaced Robin? Was this a new boy? Tim didnt know.

And Timothy Drake hated not knowing.

...

The processional dark room his parents kept in the basement was a true blessing, the red light washed everything out, leaving the world in shades of scarlet. It was Tims little safe space, ever since he looked through the camera the lights around people had started to hurt his eyes, and the single color of the room was so nice...

Shaking the devolped photo, Tim smiled as he hung it up to dry, even now, he could see the static hues around Robin 2, he was less bright than the first Robin, but Tim was sure that would grow as he did...

Sighing as he picked up the old camera, Tim slowly made his way up to his fathers study, Miss Mac would notice if it was gone for too long after all, slipping through the heavy door of the dark room, Tim blinked a few times as he made it through the piles of boxes and items that had been stashed at home by his parents.

They sent things home from their travels all the time, Miss Mac had to sign for them all the time, he had never really paid them too close attention, they made his stomach twist and that pesky part of his brain cry because his parents care more for trinkets and artifacts than for him...

Tim had to stop and squeez his eyes tightly closed as floods of emotion swept over him.

He had done so well...why did he have to think about it, why did he have to think about them now, he had been happy...why why now...

His eyes stung as he opened them again, spots swam all over his vision for a few seconds, the dakrness of the basment lighter now, and while most of the spots left, some grew brighter around his vision

And some of his parents boxes were glowing.

Not unlike how people glowed, but where people had swirling colors, the boxes glowed with a bronzish gold

Dumbly stalking over to one of the glowing boxes, Tim set the camera down as he clawed at the cardbord, trying to get it open before the old tape gave way and dust flew into the air.

After a flurry of sneezes, Tim looked down at the box of ancient looking wires and electionics, most of them glowed softly, but what shone brightly was...

It was a cricle of chipped and rusted steel attached to a stand, brass sprigs attached a silvery mesh ball to the center

A old timey mircophone and broadcasting setup, it crackled as he picked it up softly, small hands holding it carefully as he lifted it up, the microphone had a golden halo around it, it was...special...

---

Two nights later, a small voice echoed out on a long dead channel of the radio.

"H-hello? I-is this thing on?" The voice was muffled, distant and quiet, it was young, far to young.

"I-I dont really know what i am doing but...um..." there was a long pause, the faint sound of papers being shuffled before the voice returned "M-My name is Wyvern and...I want to talk about well...everything to anyone that will listen."

There was only static in return, but the Silence listened, and the Darkness watched.

---

Tim started a radio show, kinda. He was only really talking into the microphone about useless things, about what he saw happen with Batman, the weird glows he saw around town, but today was the third day he had been broadcasting and he finally had something more interesting to talk about!

Plopping his school bag down by his door, Tim trudged through his dirty room, kicking his clothes out of his way as he made it over to his desk, once covered with homework, but now held his set up.

Climbing up onto his chair, Tim worried his bottom lip as he flipped through his prewritten pages, he needed to sound more adult, more professional.

Clearing his throat a few times before he clicked the old broadcaster on, Tim waited till the small light blinked green, smiling Tim started his written intro.

"The lights flicker off, and the moon casts its lights down on the city, men like rats scurry under its rays, something is afoot tonight. Something calls out, and hopefully, you listen, Good Evening Gotham, I am your host Wyvern," Tim felt a rush as he got through his script wirhout stuttering, he was almost lightheaded, and lights swirled in his vision, "Tonight I have more than my usual broadcast, I have seen something, I have been made witness to plans of wickedness that i can not stand for."

Breathing was hard for Tim as he slowly spoke, his body felt cold and strange but he had to finish...

"This is a message to the citys protector, to our Lady Gotham's Dark Knight, the one who does riddles has plans of harm, and she bids you to heed this warning, He shall be found where Sterling meets Beck along the twisting turns of her streets..."

As the last words slipped from Tim's mouth, he felt like a marionette with its strungs cut, his limbs were heavy and his body ached, he was corvered in a cold sweat.

Why did he talk about that? He didnt mean to talk about that, he didnt know anything about the Riddler...he was going to talk about...w-what was he going to talk about...

Drawing in a deep breath, Tim drew himself up slowly, "S-Sorry listeners, um, d-dont know what that was all about um...L-Let me catch my breath ugh...h-heres some music..."

Fumbling around for a moment, Tim pulled out his Ipod, turning the volume up, Tim hit shuffle on it as he struggled to pull himself together.

---

John Constantine grimaced as he heard tinny music pour our from the small radio sat on a side table by his chair, the cigarette between his lips staying unlit as he leaned back into the stiff cushions.

As much as he tried not to care, the kid on the otherside of the radio had started to worry him, he clearly didnt know what he was doing and tonight was proof of that, what ever he was using had magic and was sending it out in droves...

Tonights "episode" was thankfully not that bad, simply invoking a city spirit as its host isnt something that could kill him, but it was still worrying that said spirit was Gotham, where Gotham was involed, it attack dog not far after it.

Eyes flicking between the radio and his phone by it, John gave a grumble as he grabbed it, flipping it open, he punched in a series of numbers knowing he was opening a can of worms...

Or in this case. Bats.

#batman #batfam #tim drake #tiny tim #he is just a little guy #pre robin tim #dick grayson #only breifly #Welcome to Gotham #part 1 #why am i writing this while i have two other stories to do?#john constantine #magical tim drake

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