#hell; if they still wanted to have Jason turning back to the Titans side in the last episode

[disniq]

Sure! I'm sorry for the delay, it took longer than I thought to make my thoughts into something vaguely coherent lol

Also, this got long, so it's going under a cut and, fair warning; there be spoilers ahead.

Titans has two big failings for me; one is pacing, and the second is, as you sort of mentioned in your ask, that the interpretations of these beloved characters are trying so hard to be dark and edgy that it mostly just makes them supremely unlikable hypocrites.

Both of these come to a head in season 3's Red Hood arc.

It makes sense that they can't do a faithful adaption of UTRH, because Titans is the Dick show, not the Bruce show, and they don't want to try to do the Joker. That's fine, it wouldn't really make sense for this version of Jason anyway - he's older; his childhood trauma is a different flavour; he hasn't been with Bruce for as long; and everyone in this show is more violent and reckless, so Bruce benching Jason for being "too violent and reckless" wouldn't really make sense.

So they kill Jason off in the opening episode, and then they have Bruce kill the Joker and peace out of Gotham because, again, this is the Dick show. We have episodes 2 and 3 of Red Hood causing problems for Dick and the Titans - up to and including killing Hank which apparently we're supposed to be sad about - and then ep 4 where Dick figures out that Red Hood is actually just a pawn working for Jonathan Crane to break him out of Arkham Asylum.

Then we get episode 5, the flashback which shows us that an already suicidally depressed Jason also developed PTSD from the incident with Deathstroke and it's aftermath. He's having nightmares, panic attacks, and is unable to fight anymore. Bruce suggests therapy, which Jason commits to, but then Bruce benches him anyway, which leads Jason to go to Crane because a guy who makes fear gas can probably make an *anti*-fear gas, right?

Well. Sort of.

Crane gives Jason the wrong formula on purpose, and the result is a gas that makes him feel nothing at all. While he's under the influence of this drug, Crane manipulates Jason into proving he's no longer scared by going after the Joker, and then revives him to make him even more indebted to him.

This is all pretty sympathetic, and the next few episodes make a point of confirming that most if not all of what Jason did in ep 2 and 3 was Crane's plan. There's a scene where Jason questions Crane, and is promptly shown that Crane has other underlings who would be happy to replace Red Hood as his second in command.

When Jason undermines Crane again, Crane drugs him (uhh...double drugs him?) and ties him up. The Titans figure out where Crane is hiding and show up to wreck shit, and Jason (now detoxing from the drugs) seems almost pleased about this. Crane escapes, dragging Jason with him, but Jason has had enough of being used, knocks the creep out and runs. He broods on his own for a bit, and then contacts Dick because he realises he maybe fucked up.

So far so good.

I'm not gonna say it's perfect, because there are some really strange choices being made just in general (*cough*confessing that you murdered your teammate to a pair of hookers*cough*), but I can see where they've drawn inspiration from Arkham Knight and tried to connect the dots between the way Jason was treated in season 2 and said well, hey! A kid with RSD up the wazoo is gonna look for approval wherever he can get it, even if that's from a known supervillain who likes fucking with people's heads.

Now, if I were writing the show, this is where I would have Jason's redemption arc start. He walked away from Crane of his own volition, he made the choice himself to reach out to Dick. Crane is desperate and erratic, so having Jason on the titans side isn't any kind of deux ex machina "I know his whole plan and how to stop him" situation.

But because this is Titans, and they so love a bizarre 2nd act team breakup for increasingly stupid reasons, they don't do that.

Instead they pull a fake out, where Crane is evesdropping on Jason and Dick's conversation, and uses that information to lead the Titans into a trap that puts him back in control of the situation. It's never 100% confirmed if Jason was in on this plan or not, but I tend to think he wasn't. Either way, the Titans think he was, so his hope of redemption is dashed and he's drawn back into Crane's circus for another 3 episodes of lacklustre rivalry with Dick that goes nowhere before finally helping the Titans in the final episode.

What's more annoying to me is the way the supposed heroes talk about Jason during this time. When other Titans had been brainwashed, magically controlled, or even just had a violently emotional outburst, they get the benefit of the doubt. Jason doesn't. Gar is the only person asking how this happened, asking how they can *help*. Everyone else is ready to straight up kill Jason for his crimes, even KORI, whose b-plot this season is LITERALLY ABOUT FORGIVING HER SISTER FOR MURDERING HER PARENTS!!

Ahem Anyway.

I'm definitely rambling now lol, but yeah, I think they wrote a decently solid Red Hood plot that fits the Titans-verse, they just tried to make it last a full season when it was a half-season type arc.

Hello yes hi which are these Jason-centric episodes of Titans please? Because I tried it previously and gave up after like 3 episodes because literally every character’s characterisation was annoying me. But I wish to enjoy the Jason hours if that is possible without having to speed run the rest of the 4 seasons. If you please 💙

Oh that is entirely valid, and I would be delighted to help!

So, even though it's not technically Jason-centric, I really do have to recommend season 1 episode 6 "Jason Todd" which, as the name suggests, is his intro episode. It really sets the tone for his and Dick's relationship, and I don't think either of them ever fully recover from this first interaction.

Season 2 is a little trickier, because Jason's story takes place in the background of a couple other episodes - ep 2, 3, and 5, if you did want to skip through them for his bits - but this culminates in season 2 episode 7 "Bruce Wayne", after which Jason leaves the Titans.

Next, you want season 3 episode 5 "Lazarus", which is the flashback episode that bridges how we get from disillusioned Jason to the Red Hood. This is the only fully Jason focused episode, and for unrelated reasons also happens to be my favourite.

The rest of season 3 is... Complicated. It could almost have been good if they'd cut it off halfway through, but they drag it out and flip-flop too many times on Jason's stance for me in the end. I'm happy to give a more detailed breakdown if you want, just let me know!

And last but not least: season 4 episode 11 "Project Starfire" has the Jason Tim interactions, and is well worth skipping through for that alone imo. Jason is so much more settled in himself here that it makes all the suffering almost worth it.

[magnoliasandarson]

Happy Birthday

“Surprise!”

A knife was in Jason’s hand in the heartbeat it took for the lights to flicker on. His eyes darted from laughing face to smiling face until he had checked over everyone in the room- all in the time it took to drop his bag and raise his knife-wielding arm. 

Bruce was hovering like an uncomfortable shadow behind Damian and Tim, Stephanie lounged on his kitchen counter like a heathen with Cass predictably at her side, Alfred was filming with a gently scuffed phone, Kori and Roy were blowing party horns, Babs was even next to Tim, and Dick was of course at the center of it all. All in all, Jason was now faced with ten unwanted guests in his home. Go fucking figure. 

Dick was the one to step forward, wasn’t he always?, still grinning like a fool as he gently took the knife from him, “Took you long enough to show up, Little Wing,” the acrobat wrapped an arm around the larger man’s shoulders, “Figures you’d be late to your own party.”

Jason’s tongue felt leaden as he took in the red streamers hung from his rafters and the large Happy Birthday spelled in silver balloons. His hands felt clammy and he itched for the knife now safely tucked in his brother’s pocket. Unconsciously, his fingers curled into fists as he croakily said, “Didn’t ‘spect an ambush, Dickie.”

Dick tutted like Jason had just said he didn’t expect the sky to be blue, “C’mon, Jaybird, you know better than that.” He did, he truly did, but he didn't expect something for today of all days.

Roy stepped forward, grinning like a fucking idiot in a way that made Jason’s chest tighten, and pulled him into a bro-hug, “Happy birthday,” the archer’s grip tightened, and his voice lowered as he continued, “Star and I can blow this bitch to hell if you want to get out.”

Jason, while not religious, was ready to thank whatever higher power was out there that he had Roy and Kori in his life. Jason forced air back into his lungs and squeezed his fellow Outlaw, “I’ll be okay. They need this,” he patted the redhead’s back, a clear signal for get the fuck off me before I stab you, and accepted the armful of Tamaranean princess.

Kori, ever the least subtle of her teammates, gleefully exclaimed, “Happiest of birthdays, dear one.” She lifted them both off the ground and squeezed hard enough to make something in Jason’s chest creak, “I have informed the Bats that I will burn them if they don’t behave,” she pulled away enough for Jason to see her eyes glowing a fiery green despite her large smile, “and I have brought a present!”

Jason huffed a half laugh as he was lowered back down. Tim offered him an odd sort of half-hug that was followed by Damian's frankly ridiculous handshake. Dick tried to snag him in one of his nightmare hugs of doom, but Roy distracted him with some gossip about the old Titans. Stephanie fully attempted to spear tackle him (fortunately missing), and Cass managed to pin his arms for a hug. Babs simply gave him a stern look, and he was forced into a squatted embrace. He and Bruce just exchanged nods. 

But Alfred, Jason let himself be tugged into the old man’s gentle embrace, and he was immediately reminded of better days. Back when every single breath didn’t hurt, back when he could see an action movie without being tossed into fight or flight, back when he could work on a car without having a panic attack, back before he ruined everything.

Jason sniffed a little as he pulled away, blinking hard to push back tears that physically would never appear. He sat down at the table, tolerating the half-noogie Dick tried to give him before Kori nailed him with a star bolt, sending him staggering back a few steps. His smile turned genuine for a few seconds, right up until the cake came out. 

There was a large 20 emblazoned across the top in chunky red letters.

That can’t be right. He felt his face fall in real-time as he stared at the burning candles.

He wasn’t twenty. 

He had died when he was fifteen, four months before his sixteenth birthday. He came back in October, but he was catatonic for almost two years. 

He wasn’t twenty.

He hadn’t aged when he was dead. He hadn’t really aged when he was walking around brain-dead. Right up until they dunked him in the pit, the lights were on, but no one was home. 

A dead boy can’t age, right?

He wasn’t twenty- he didn’t even have a driver’s license. 

The candles on the cake burned all the way into the icing before he was aware again. Roy was on one side, Kori on the other, as they tried to pull him out of the darkness in his own mind. He loved them both so much it made his chest ache. Jason’s eyes flickered between the other faces at the table, and blurs of memories, shadows, and nightmares looked back at him.

He wasn’t twenty- he couldn’t be.

The world shattered around him in a ghoulish kaleidoscope of greens and reds, fire and blood reaching out and pulling him under. He never turned sixteen, he never turned seventeen, he never turned eighteen, he never turned nineteen- he couldn’t be turning twenty.

The monsters around his table lurched forward in a horrifying swirl of colors that made bile rise up his throat. The hand on his left arm was gently shaking him, but he was beyond that. Jason couldn't breathe there was fucking laughter coming from somewhere and he was scared-

Jason squeezed his eyes shut and bit firmly down on his tongue, trying desperately to regulate his breathing and heart rate. Blood filled his mouth as he shot up from his chair- I’m alive, I’m okay, I’m alive- His hands reached out for Kori and Roy, but they came up empty.

His eyes shot open-

HERE LIES JASON TODD

[grayson1996]

Just a little ficlet I thought up! ***

“I miss my mom.”

The admission was quiet, but Dick saw Jason’s head snap up from his phone, gaze indiscernible as he surveyed Dick. Probably trying to figure out what brought the confession on.

“Ok.” Jason said it like a statement, but Dick could hear the question in it.

“I miss how warm her body felt when she hugged me. I miss being able to bury my head into her stomach and breathe her in…. I miss breathing her in. I miss having a mom and knowing what it’s like to be loved by someone unconditionally. I miss growing and having her there to notice.” Dick got quiet a moment, a little unsure if he should continue sharing, but he felt the need to anyway. “Sometimes I miss being the youngest. My cousin was a few years older than me, all my friends at the circus were. Hell, even the Titans were. I miss being the one cared for. You know?”

Dick saw Jason set down his phone and turn to face Dick head on. After a moment Dick turned as well and matched his brother’s gaze. The confusion that was there making way to understanding.

“Yeah. I know what you mean.”

Dick felt himself relax slightly at the reassurance, closing his eyes he sunk deeper into his living room couch that the two were currently occupying.

“I miss wearing clothes that weren’t replaced as soon as they got holes. And I miss dishes made with cumin and cinnamon. And I miss my dad. God, I miss him so much. He was so calm Jay, he always smiled, he always knew that things were going to be ok, you know? He sang all the time, and no one sings here.” Dick felt his throat close at the realization, not even realizing all this was weighing on his heart until he let himself feel it. “No one sings here, and sometimes I forget about all them. It’s like my life is on auto-pilot and I just don’t think about it. But then I remember and it’s like my body is ripping itself open from the grief and I can’t... I can’t- just”.

Jason shifted in his seat, pulling Dick toward him as he started to get worked up. Breathes coming out quicker than intended. Dick let himself be manhandled into an awkward sideways hug. Unsure of where all this was coming from. For a moment it was quiet as Jason held him until his younger brother let out a heavy breath.

“Sometimes I miss my old apartment. Stupid, you know? The place was filled with water damage and mold and my Ma and I shared a shitty lumpy 20 year old mattress that should have been torched years ago…. But it still was mine, and now it’s gone.” Dick felt Jason shrug, arms still wrapped around him.  “I think what people forget is, that to be human is to find the good memories in bad. It’s how we go on. That’s why everyone says grief is a gift, it means you loved someone so much that you get to miss them.”

“That’s stupid.” Dick muttered defiantly, grinning slightly when Jason laughed. “Grief isn’t a gift, it’s the cost of getting to love.”

“Careful Dickie, your dangerously close to sounding cynical and that’s my shtick.”

“I didn’t say it was a cost I was unwilling to pay.” Dick pulled himself back, leaning onto the side of the couch to face Jason once more. “I just wish I had more time to save up before I had to cash in.”

 Jason nodded, leaning back himself, though still watching Dick with a careful eye.

“You don’t talk about this often.” Another statement, one Dick knew to be true. He never talked about his parents, not since his current family started to grow.

“Bruce never talked about his parents, for awhile I think I thought grief was locking away memories until they faded into existence. When I realized that wasn’t the case you guys were here and I didn’t want to bring them up in case you felt like… I don’t know… I didn’t love the family I had now?”

Jason stared at him dumbly for a moment.

“That’s the stupidest fucking thing you’ve ever said Goldie and that’s including the time you tried to convince Wally, B was a vampire.” Dick snorted at the memory, which Jason smiled at. “Remembering what you lost doesn’t negate what you have, and the adage that time heals all wounds is misconstruing. It doesn’t mean the injury stops hurting, hell your fucked up knee acts up every time it so much as showers. Just because something isn’t actively gushing blood doesn’t mean its fine, doesn’t mean you don’t still need to take care of it.”

Dick let out a heavy breath, he had forgotten how intuitive Jason could be.

“Yeah. You’re right.”

“Course I’m right, I’m the only one of you fuckers who consistently reads books without pictures in it.”

Dick pushed him roughly but without any heat, dodging the pillow Jason tried to lob at his face in retaliation. For a moment the two tussled, feeling younger than they had in a while. Only stopping when a wayward elbow sent Dick’s lamp thudding to the floor. Slightly out of breath Dick nudged Jason with his foot, the joviality making way for genuineness.

“Thank you. For letting me talk about them.”

Jason gave him a small smile, one without the useful veneer of snark.

“Anytime.”

[justanothervigalanty]

when I found my love ❤️🖤🤍 (Jason Todd x fem! Reader)

Jason Todd. But you always new him as jay. You were around 10 when you saw a small boy around 11 steeling tires of an old car in the dump. “Hay! You, this is my place back off!” You say to him “ho sorry kid but I need these if I want to eat tonight” the strange boy said picking up the tires. “It will cost you!” You say just as he is about to walk off. “Yeah, ok fair point. What you need kid?” He asked walking towards you. “I can’t give you money though! I have a cigarette?” He said jokingly. “I’m 10 and a half! Plus I don’t want money.” You say with a hand on your hip. “So what do yo-I need something to eat!” You cut him off. “Oh um ok I normally get a sandwich from a soup kitchen but they shut down” he signed putting down a tier and holding out his hand for you to shake. “I’ll share what I can get from this. Ok?” He asked “yes! Oh I’m y/n, y/n L/n” you say “nice to meet you y/n I’m Jason Todd but…around here I go by jay, you should figure out a new name as well it’s safer like idk umm maybe Jen ?” “Ok sure jen and jay sounds cool!”

after around three years you got to know him better and became his closest friend and had maybe kissed once or twice. But then he disappeared. Vanished. Like he was never there. Only a week after Jason’s disappearance you were descoverd and put into foster homes but avenchualy you met the Kent’s. Thay already had a son Conner and he instantly saw you as his baby sister. When you found out that your foster father was the superman you begged him to let you train to become his sidekick along side Conner! And one day he agreed! You were over the moon you may not of had powers but you were one heck of an engineer you had made rocket boots so you could keep up with your brother and dad and not to mention a total badass when it came to hand to hand combat. You were 14 when Bruce Wayne came to your home to ask you to enter the titans who really needed an engineer. “Can I? Please dad please?!” You practically begged him “oh god fine but Bruce if I come round and see her with a fucking stab wound, she comes home!” Clark made it very clear on that but the next thing you know you’re in the elevator with your dad and Bruce by your sides. When you step out every one is in the living room watching some murder mystery movie or something like that. “Everyone I would like you to meet y/n L/n - Kent.” Bruce said as he patted your shoulder. “Ok I got to go be careful n/n” Clark said as he kissed your forehead before leaving. “Hi everyone I’m your new engineer.” You say as everyone comes to meet you expect one a black haired blue eyed teen still sat watching the tv. “Omg hi I’m Rachael finally more teenage girls!” You smile at the girl and everyone comes to say hi and greets you. “Jason.” Bruce calls out “come and introduce yourself”. “No I’m good thanks B much rather be here right now there about to enter crime alley!” Said the boy. You recognise the name Jason and his attitude towards everyone it was all familiar like you knew him from your childhood but didn’t know were. Dick when over and turned of the Tv to get Jason’s attention “what the hell dickhead!?” He said standing up. “Jason we all know you like crime alley but come meet new kid” they both walked over “hi I’m y/n L/n - Kent nice to meet you” you said “Jason Todd good to meet-wait L/n?” He asked you like he had remembered something. “Um yeah that’s me formally L/n now L/n - Kent” you said trying to explain you weren’t born a Kent. “No you’re what…Jen? That’s your nickname right? Jen?” He asked “yes it is- holy shit jay!?” You responded as he pulled you into a hug “I never thought I’d see you again!” Jason said still hugging you “um what is going on?” Asked gar “yeah not trying to reck the mood but do you know echother?” Kory asked “um yeah we dated in crime alley… speaking of which” you said pushing Jason off you. “Where the hell did you go? You just left me i when to bye us some sandwiches and when I get back you we’re gone!” You said still holding his shoulder’s “I know I know Ieft you and I’m so sorry but um can we talk about this somewhere that isn’t in font of my dad?” He said with that stupid voice he used when you argued back a crime alley.

When everyone was getting ready for bed later you Hurd somebody knock on your door you opened it to see Jason “hay babe can we talk?” You pulled him in pining him against the wall. “Don’t you ‘babe’ me, you left that is by far the opposite of being a good boyfriend!”you said you were about to carry on yelling at Jason but just as you opened your mouth he kissed you and you couldn’t help but kiss him back because in all truth no matter how angry you were at him you couldn’t help but miss how he kissed you, how he used to play with your hair after you had nightmares or when he would play a old music tape on his VHS player that you when both dance and sing along to you had missed everything about him and in all honesty so did he.

[qcomicsy]

I was going to reblog with a comment but that post is already super long. But so true ! Like the ninja assassin thing with Dick is a modern retcon something that would be a Tim Cass or Damian thing to do. But writing a flashback for an adult Dick in the 2000s would be weird. By the 1960s he was firmly in canon 18 and in college. How are you gonna go back to the era of goofy and be like this is Dick’s angsty teenage years involved getting turned into a vampire and fighting Bruce over dating Talia. It just doesn’t make sense with how Long comics keep going. 80 years of comics and he’s only what 28. Like it’s very hard to keep a consistent character when everyone wants to make Dick Jason and Bruce new characters every few decades

Absolutely!

My personal view about how they kept retconning Dick's personality as a child and his relationship with Bruce is that it's a mix of complex things and bullshit.

The complex things is yeah, Dick and Bruce had their share of problems when Dick was growing up. They did start bumping heads a lot, but it was more like "this kid is turning into a man and is starting to clash views with his father (who is already someone who's not easy to deal with)" and "that's the part where he starts to develop who he is as person" (I won't get much into that because I haven't read many comics regarding Dick transition from Robin from Batman & Robin to Robin from Titans until Nightwing in the pre-death of the family era.) than the borderline abusive and toxic relationship they started to introducing in the late 90's to early 2000's portrayals of them.

It's complex because after rebooting everything it's hard to introduce such a long and gradual process that took almost ten years of development that is Dick's emancipation not only from working with Bruce but also following his every step as boy wonder. Specially if we think about the huge fall out they had right after Jason died.

It's bullshit because they started with those retcons when we had that long and embarrassing period of Super-hero history (late 90's to early 2000's) where everyone was trying to make super-heroes popular again but following alongside with a palpable embarrassment and self-conscious shame regarding any silliness and/or whimsical side the superhero universe. Like "we're making superheroes stories but this is for adults, this ain't for children 😡😡". Nobody wanted to be the "60's Batman TV show everyone makes fun of" and everybody wanted to be Alan Moore.

We had all this writers who grow up reading "Death of the family", "The Killing Joke", "Batman Year one" add were dying to recreate the 80's dark period glory, even if they didn't had the same writing skills for that.

I mean hate the Killing Joke all you want (I know I do), it has a shit tone of good writing.

It's bullshit because everyone was still sore about how Batman turned into a joke in the 90's after that one movie and for some reason everyone blamed Robin. It's bullshit because comic books are always influenced by the popular media around them, and while 40's Batman had the American Way and American Family Values™ 🦅🦅🦅, 80's Batman has Scarface, Taxi Driver and long urban tragedies.... 90's have Die Hard and every extra power macho fantasy under the sun.

I mean... This was 90's Nightwing.

he's so big and so stupid and one day I'm gonna top h–*gunshots*

No one wanted to see "good father" Batman, hell no one wanted to see any emotional shit in comics? Emotions??? In my manly comics??? Miss me with that gay sit emotions is for girls 😡😡 I wanna see big buffy man making his enemies cry 🔥⛓️☠️💪☠️😡⛓️🪚🔧

So you reach early 2000, everyone kinda hates or is kinda embarrassed of Robin, Batman is a former shadow of the man and the father he used to be. But you still wanna introduce new readers to your character (Dick Grayson) that (for better or for worst) is loved but only by the people who already know him, you're still embarrassed of his silly origins and the whimsical part of it.

So what do you do?

Personally I think writers thought Dick had it too easy as Robin, personally I think they were obsessed about making it real, personally I think everyone was obssessed and trilled with the idea of being the next Tim Miller and making their one fresh real edge introduction of the boy wonder. Personally I think this is all the new 52 was absolutely on for the Batfamily.

Personally I believe (and this is more a optimistic take) some writers were creatively trying to tie Dick's anger issues as Nightwing to his origins as Robin.

You have this chance of one in million (at te time) to reintroduce Nightwing (reintroduce Robin), now you can make it as real as gritty and as edge as you want. You can make it Robin cool again, you can introduce in a way that will sell well the dark story you where preparing for this character. And you also can deny any father and son relationship he could had have with Bruce Wayne and keep the big beef strong man without feelings reputation that people have been manufacturing by choice into Batman from ten years by now.

And what is more dark and character building than an abusive father?

I think writers thought that making Bruce abusive towards Dick and Dick resentful towards Bruce was the best way to launch this new universe as realistic and grittier. Not only making Dick's Robin introduction (and origin) more "real" but also separating Bruce even more from a emotional and father like figure that for some reason some writers (and fans!) despised to much.

Killing so many birds with one stone might as well call yourself David from the Bible.

And they were so certain this direction would be a success that the just notice their mistake now.

Anyways... A load of bullshit.

I personally don't mind Dick's Robin having anger issues, I think it's a natural progression from his first real serious introduction from back in the 80's, I also think it adds more to his character tying up his first trauma along with a long life of others and the result of having to deal with a frustrating job (that is vigilantism is) since literally ever. I like the idea that the perfect Robin wasn't perfect all the time and he also had (and has) other side of his personality that isn't as nice or likeable as it should and that's a thing he consciously have to work on as a person since he was a child.

However I also think writers did took to far sometimes and Dick history and specially his relationship with Bruce suffered from it. And I also agree that if everyone tries to reboot, retcon and fucking "subvert" a character every fucking ten years you won't even have a fucking consistent character to begin with (gestures vaguely to Jason Todd, Deadpool and now poor fuckin Damian and their wreck of comic book history).

[butwhyduh]

Kissing as a distraction

How would the batboys do it?

Dick: as Damian moves behind the counter to grab the visitor log, Dick distracts you.

“Hi,” he said with a sweet smile. You sat upright and smiled back.

“Hello. How can I help you?”

“I just wanted to say how beautiful your smile is,” he said moving closer. You flushed and looked down. “Seriously,” he said in earnest.

“You don’t go in a store to say that. What do you need?” You insisted despite the grin that wouldn’t leave your face. Behind you, Damian was on full view as he climbed a shelf. Dick frowned slightly and you looked at him confused. He moved even closer to an intimate closeness. He could see the interest on your face.

“A little kiss?” He asked. Your eyebrows rose and if your face wasn’t flushed before, you were certainly rosy now.

“A kiss? Really?” You stammered as the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen held your chin. He nodded lightly and tilted your chin up. You easily complied. He could feel your bounding pulse and if it was any other situation, he would have really enjoyed this.

“I suppose,” you finally whispered. Dick’s lips curled into a smile before he pressed them against yours. You held his arm as he kissed you before softly pulling back. His phone rang and he looked at it wistfully.

“Another time? I have to go,” he said sadly. And before you could respond, Dick was out the door and Damian safely had his papers.

“Wait,” you said and you finally noticed the crumbled paper shoved in your hand with a phone number on it causing you to smile.

————————————

Jason: you were the pretty girl that worked at the coffee shop and you just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Jason also happened to be without his Red Hood gear or a weapon more than his pocket knife.

“Jason,” you asked confused as he raced out the back of a club. He grabbed your hand to pull you along. “Wait! Where are we going?” He silently cursed when it turned into a deep end alley.

“Uhh, so here is the thing,” he mindlessly said as he frantically thought of a plan. Now you both were in danger and he still only had a damn pocket knife.

“Jason, what’s going on with you,” you asked, concerned. As far as you knew, he was the sweet literature major at Gotham U that occasionally came for a vanilla bean latte a few times a week. He realized a good distraction and hoped you wouldn’t get too mad.

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” he admitted before pulling your into a kiss. You froze for a few seconds before returning the kiss. His kiss was absolutely excellent. Jason held the sides of your face and you gripped his forearms eagerly.

The thugs looked at you both and decided that that couldn’t be their guy. No one in their right mind would make out in an alley when someone with a gun was hunting them. Jason even pushed you gently against the wall and you made a surprised moan. His tongue slid in your mouth and your mind melted a little.

When the guys were finally gone, he pulled back. You panted and stared at him. His hands didn’t leave your face.

“Wow. Okay,” you said. “Why now?”

“I’ve been meaning to do that for a while. Sorry, I should have asked first,” he said sheepishly before dropping his hands. Jason didn’t do that. You had a little smile on your face.

“I don’t know. If you hadn’t then I couldn’t do this,” you said pulling him back down for another kiss.

———————————

Tim: he’s just trying to get away from the most boring people at the gala. It doesn’t hurt that he thinks you’re super hot.

An hour talking about the economy affecting golf course values had Tim wanting to murder someone and he gently excused himself to the bathroom. After hiding in the toilet for as long a reasonably possible, Tim walked out to see the same men coming towards him. Shit.

“Mr Wayne, do you need anything,” you asked. Tim looked at you clearly dressed as waitstaff, black trousers and a white button down shirt. Your face was recognizable as probably consistent staff and Tim noted that you were quite pretty.

“Oh uhh, no. Thanks,” he said distracted. “Actually, can I kiss you?” Your eyebrows raised quickly. “Trying to avoid those guys. You know what? Nevermind... I’ll be fine-“

You cut him off with a kiss. You’d worked a few of these events and always had an eye for Tim. And when Mr Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne asked for a kiss, you wouldn’t miss the opportunity. Tim froze for a few seconds before returning the kiss. He held your waist with one hand and the other wrapped around your upper back to hold your shoulder and pull you closer. You made a little squeaking noise but didn’t pull away. Instead you wrapped your arms around his neck.

After a little while he pulled back. Tim’s lips were puffy and his cheeks pink.

“Can I get your number?” He asked, never once caring about the scandal of a billionaire’s son kissing the waitstaff at a gala. You grinned and looked down.

“Sure,” you said before giving him your number.

“A dance?” He asked, pulling you to the floor.

———————————

Older Damian: he was on a Titan’s mission and Nightwing told him to distract you, his partner. Nightwing couldn’t have guessed that Damian’s idea was to kiss you.

“She will never agree to the harness. She hates heights,” Damian said into his comms quietly to Dick.

“She has to. It’s the only way off of the building you both got in. Distract her and strap her to you and then jump out. She can be mad later. They are coming,” Dick said. Damian sighed but agreed before walking over to you.

“How are we getting out?” You asked, looking at Damian. He didn’t respond but walked closer. He grabbed the sides of your face and kissed you. You gasped and Damian slid his tongue in your mouth before you responded, sucking on his tongue a little. Damian clipped you to him and broke the kiss. He grabbed you by the waist and jumped from the roof.

You screamed and grabbed him tightly. Damian swung over to a certain building where Dick would pick you both up in a helicopter. You were panting and looked furious.

“What the hell, Wayne?” You said, shoving him but all it did was yank you closer to him by the clip. “Undo this,” you practically growled.

“I apologize for kissing you but it was necessary for the mission,” Damian said, unclipping you. You rolled your eyes. “You would have never jumped on your own.”

“So even the kiss was fake, thanks,” you said, stepping away from him.

“No it wasn’t.”

“What?”

“It wasn’t fake,” Damian said before pulling you back in for another kiss. You responded roughly kissing him back. Almost teeth more than lips. Then you pulled away and slapped him.

“Stop kissing me without my permission,” you growled before slamming your mouth against his. Damian smirked against you while kissing back. You two violently kissed until Dick arrived with a helicopter. His eyebrows were raised as you both climbed in because that was the last thing Dick expected.

[ragingbookdragon]

The Start of Something Great

Outlaws x Tamaranean!Reader

Word Count: 2.5K Warnings: Explicit Language, Mentions of Violence and Past Abuse

Author's Note: So this is technically the start of all those One-Shots with the T!Reader. In order, they are the one you're reading right now, then this one, this one, and this one. Enjoy! -Thorne

**********************************************************************

She watched the group socialize from her position in the corner; she’d never been out and open like Kori was. She’d always preferred to watch in silence, to observe…the years she spent captive, formed her mindset of watching and waiting for moments of weakness. Speaking of Kori, she watched her step into the room with Dick; their hands tightly clasped together.

Fighting a laugh, she glanced out the window, turning her attention to the waves as they crashed against the rocks below the tower. She wondered why she was here. She wasn’t a part of the Titans…not really. Her animosity towards leniency on justice put her at odds with just about everyone within the group, and especially the Justice League. Well, except for Diana; the Amazon was the only one who truly understood her reasoning.

But as for letting criminals go free? It didn’t happen. Rarely ever, did (Y/N) allow a criminal to walk away from her, and her mind drifted to the memory of her first mission with the Titans.

***

She stepped out of the smoldering hole in the warehouse wall and strode to the criminal crawling from her. Placing her foot square between his pelvis and spine, she stepped down with all her strength and listened to his spine crack under the strain. He let out a bloodcurdling scream and she rolled him over with her foot, glaring down at him, watching as he begged.

“Please!”

A white hot star-bolt formed in her hand and she raised it, speaking coldly. “The women you assaulted and killed did not want to die either.”

The man began to cry as she flung the bolt, watching his body incinerate, and turn to ash; she turned and began walking away, ignoring the concerned look from her sister, and the angry looks from her teammates.

They hadn’t even gotten five feet into the tower when Dick was on her like a beast to a fresh kill. “What the hell was that, (Y/N)?”

She glowered, warning him darkly, “Watch how you speak to me, Richard. I am not Kori. And you should believe me when I tell you that what I feel for you is nothing short of loathing. And loathing is quick to turn deadly should I be pushed.” (Y/N) turned to leave when he moved in front of her again.

“It doesn’t matter what you feel! You owe us an explanation!” He shot back.

She barked a cold laugh. “I owe you nothing, least of all an explanation.”

“You murdered him!”

(Y/N) narrowed her gaze. “And the point you are trying to make is?”

Dick threw his hands into the air. “It was wrong!”

“Was what he did to those innocent women also wrong?” she countered and he all but recoiled.

“Of course! But that doesn’t—��

“But nothing. He was a despicable criminal, and he deserved to die for his crimes.” (Y/N) turned around and began walking to the door.

“We aren’t executioners, Kiyahnd’r.” Dick admonished.

She froze in her spot and glanced over her shoulder, her eyes frosty towards them. “Perhaps not you, Richard. But you were not raped and beaten repeatedly as a young child.” Her gaze narrowed. “My justice is absolute in the face people who do the same thing that was done to me and my sisters. Never forget that.”

***

(Y/N) blinked, dragging herself from the memory; it hadn’t been long after that, that she found herself tangled in combat with the Justice League. Apparently, she had held out against them far longer than anyone ever had, managing to overpower The Flash and Martian Manhunter. She had almost defeated Batman when Wonder Woman and Superman intervened, subduing her. That was a fun day for (Y/N), and she remembered how Batman had made her concede killing people…mostly anyway.

The years had been decent to her and she came to terms with her life, even branching out into modeling like Kori did. They ruled the runways. But the “lone wolf” style she’d developed while in captivity still ruled her, and she found it increasingly hard to keep continuing the team. They had all gathered in the room, and she rose from her seat.

Immediately, the talking stopped as everyone turned to stare at her; Dick smiled at her from his seat, Kori perched herself across his thighs. “You alright, (Y/N)?” She met his eyes before moving to the table and setting down a small metal piece. It clinked and their eyes moved to it, as Dick questioned, “What’s that?”

“You know what it is, Richard.”

He glanced over, looking at the item, and took in the realization of what it was. “Your key to the tower?”

(Y/N) nodded. “As of now, I formally relinquish my role as a Titan.” Ignoring the shocked gasps and stares, she continued. “I will be leaving at dusk.” (Y/N) made her way to the door. “Thank you…and goodbye.” She didn’t wait for their replies, moving to her bedroom.

She closed the door and sat beside the window, occasionally glancing at her packed bag. (Y/N) had money saved up over the years, from odd jobs to her professional modeling career worldwide and she still had big money rolling into her bank account from other various sources. She would be alright; she just needed to find a place to live on her own and thrive.

A knock tore her from her thoughts, and she turned to the door. “Enter.” In walked Kori and Dick, and she sighed knowingly. “Delivering the parting words?”

“Kiyahnd’r…are you sure you want to leave?”

(Y/N) rolled her eyes. “Very.”

They sat down on her bed, a couple feet away, and Dick leaned forward. “You don’t have to leave, (Y/N).”

“I am aware,” she noted. “but this is something that I want to do.”

“Why Kiyahnd’r?”

(Y/N)’s eyes flitted to Kori. “Because this is not where I belong.”

“Don’t say that, (Y/N). You—”

She raised a hand. “Do not try and cushion the blow, Richard.” She rose and stared out the window. “It has been plain to see all these years that you all will never trust me.” (Y/N) glanced at Dick. “Or accept me onto your team.”

Dick went silent, and Kori nudged him. “Say something.”

“What do you want me to say? She’s kinda right.”

“Dick!”

(Y/N) stopped Kori. “Do not be angry at him, Koriand’r. Richard is right.” She paused. “I am not you Koriand’r…I allow my past to define how I live my life.” Her eyes moved to her sister’s, and a hint of sorrow crossed her tone. “I cannot let go of our pasts. It will haunt me forever, and I need to find my own path…away from this place.”

The two of them went silent, then Dick said, “If you don’t have anywhere to go…Jason’s been in need of a partner lately.”

(Y/N) scoffed. “That moronic imbecile? Certainly not.”

Dick snickered as Kori sighed. “Jason is not stupid, sister.”

“Truly? There have been a few times where he has fooled me.”

Kori sighed again, as Dick rose from the bed, moving to (Y/N). “Look…I know you think I don’t like you—”

“You do not like me.”

Dick rolled his eyes and corrected, “Wrong, Miss Know-It-All. I happen to like you very much. In fact—”

(Y/N) cut him off, turning to Kori. “Be cautious sister, you apparently have competition for Richard’s affections.” Kori and (Y/N) giggled as Dick raised his hands in exasperation.

He marched to the door with them still raised. “I give up! I came in here to wish you goodbye and good luck, and this is what I receive!” He was almost out the door when (Y/N) pulled him back, spinning him around to pull him in for a brief but heartfelt hug.

She pulled away and glanced at him. “For all you have done for me…and for all the times you have tried to help me…thank you, Richard.”

He grinned up at her and squeezed her round her middle. “See…you love me after all.”

(Y/N) rolled her eyes and picked up her bags. “Do not push it Dick. You still anger me.”

“You aren’t the first person to tell me that.” Dick shrugged.

She snorted and moved to the door, stopping and glancing at them. “And I most certainly will not be the last.”

***

The flight to Gotham City was quiet, and she remembered the first time she arrived.

***

The portal opened and she fell through it, still fighting off the Psions who followed her. They crash-landed into a building, and the rubble was lit up like the sun as she threw star-bolts at them. The fighting lasted for a few minutes, and in the end, she stood victorious among the scattered body parts. Her mind raced as she tried to remember where her sister had gone, and the next thing she realized, a Psion was on her back.

She cursed in her native tongue as it clawed at her, and gathered energy into her palm to kill it when it flew off her, landing a good distance away. She rolled to her side and coughed; a hand appeared in her vision, and she looked up to see a man in black standing over her.

His lips moved, and she knew words were coming out, but it sounded like gibberish. The hand extended towards her more, and she took it, allowing him to help her stand. He kept speaking and she rolled her eyes, reaching out and grabbing his face; she brought their lips together, and words and languages flowed through her mind.

She released him and he simply gaped at her, too stunned to move; she snorted. “Apologies. My race learns by psychophysically connecting with one another. The most effective way is through oral contact.”

“…You just learned to speak English from kissing me?”

She nodded. “Is that what you call it? English? What a strange name it is.” The corner of his mouth rose, and she stood up straight. “I am Kiyahnd’r of…well…it does not matter.” She paused. “My name is Kiyahnd’r.”

He nodded. “I’m Batman.”

***

(Y/N) felt the corners of her mouth raise at the memory; it had been a very long time since she’d thought about it, and it reminded her of how lucky she’d been to learn the languages from Bruce. Kori only received a small amount from Dick; (Y/N) had received twenty-three different dialects, all fluently. The fleeting memories lasted only so long, and the plane began to ascend, signaling her arrival.

She stepped off of the plane and made her way to the baggage claim, picking up her bag and moving to the doors when she saw a familiar man. (Y/N) stared as he walked towards her.

He stopped in front of her and smirked. “Need a ride, doll?”

She rolled her eyes. “Dick called you then.”

“Called a few hours ago saying you were leaving the Titans and coming to find me and Roy.”

(Y/N) scoffed. “I was coming to Gotham. I was not coming to see the both of you.” She glared at him.

“Sticks and stones, (Y/N).”

“Go crawl into a bush, Jason.”

His hand curled around the handle of her suitcase and he lifted it, nodding his head to the door. “Car’s outside.” Jason moved forward, and (Y/N) was left with no choice but to follow him. She watched as he put her suitcase in the trunk, then turned to her. “You hungry?”

“Are you going to cook?”

Jason paused as he was getting in the driver’s door; he looked at her, an eyebrow raised. “Do you want me to cook?”

She moved to sit in the passenger seat. “So long as you make something good.”

He grinned as he sat in the seat, starting the car. “I always make good food.”

(Y/N) let out a ‘hmpf’. “We shall see.”

***

The drive to his apartment was slow and when they arrived, the sun was setting low beyond the skyline. They climbed the stairs and entered his apartment; (Y/N) hummed. “I wasn’t sure that your apartment would be as tidy as it is. It is rather shocking.”

Jason grunted as he moved into the kitchen, pulling out pans from the cabinets. “Sorry doll, the role of messy Robin is Tim.” He paused and glanced at her. “And sometimes, Dick…but mostly Timmy.”

(Y/N) snorted and motioned to her bag. “Where should I put my things?”

Jason nodded down the hallway. “Second door on your right. I changed the sheets and cleaned it, so you should be happy.”

She said nothing and walked to the bedroom. It was a little dull for her tastes, but nothing she couldn’t fix with a trip to the department store and IKEA. She walked back out and sat at the bar, watching Jason cook for them. When he was finished, they sat out on the balcony sharing a bottle of wine.

(Y/N) swallowed it, gagging, “Earth wine is disgusting.”

“Wine’s a peculiar taste,” he snorted, taking a sip. “You have to get used to it.”

She grunted and replied, “I do not want to be used to it. It tastes like…I do not even know what it tastes like. All I know is that it is disgusting.”

“You’re just a Debbie-Downer, aren’t you, (Y/N)?”

“I do not know what that is but I can tell it is not positive.”

“Nevermind.” Jason chuckled and they lapsed into a comfortable silence, eating their dinner, and when they were finished, they climbed to the roof and watched the stars; Jason leaned over. “So, why did you leave the Titans?”

(Y/N) sighed quietly, murmuring, “I did not want to be within their company any longer.”

He eyed her. “And?”

“And I did not want to be ostracized anymore.” (Y/N) inhaled. “I am not Kori. She was accepted easily within the Titans because she is kind and sweet. But I? No…I was never one to be accepted. My attitude and stance on how I deal with criminals was not something the Titans were too keen on keeping.”

Jason listened silently, then tipped his head. “Dick told you to come find me then?”

She shrugged. “More or less.” (Y/N) glanced at him. “I assume he had an inkling that because we are so similar in our mindsets on criminals that we would get along and be able to work together.”

“Red Hood, Arsenal, and Supernova,” Jason grinned. “It’s got a great ring to it.”

(Y/N) rolled her eyes. “I regret this decision already.”

He scooted closer and slung an arm around her shoulders, ignoring the way she growled low in her throat. “Don’t be like that, doll…we’re gonna make a kick-ass team.”

(Y/N) opened her mouth to retort when a light shone in the sky; she glanced at Jason, tipping her head to it. “Well…let us go and show what a team we will make.” She rose, holding out a hand. “Shall we, Red Hood?”

Jason glanced at her hand before taking it, smirking. “Hell yeah.”

[the-atlas-sister]

Protector (Batsis Reader) Pt. 2

"I can't believe he grounded me!" I yelled, pacing back and forth in my room back at the manor.

Alfred hadn't said anything as we got back or even as he cleaned, stitched, and wrapped my wound.

"What happened wasn't my fault, ya know?" I turned to Titus, Damian's dog, who sat on my bed. He tilted his head, seemingly confused as to why I wasn't his master. "I was just walking and it's not my fault I was kidnapped."

"Bruce is just trying to keep you safe," Dick said from my doorway. I turned to see both him and Damian standing at the door. "He's just upset that you didn't get yourself out of that situation when you could have."

"I already told you, I didn't want to reveal our identities," I protested as Damian sat on my bed next to Titus. "If he was really going to kill me, I would have teleported away, but I knew you or the Titans would save me." I felt Damian grab my hand but I ignored it.

"Just don't be too hard on him Y/n/n," Dick said. "Bruce lost someone that way before."

"What do you mean-" I felt Damian tug on my wrist. I turned to see him with a syringe with a blue liquid in it. "Stop that!" I exclaimed, yanking my hand away and swatting at him.

"Hush," Damian said, pulling my hand back, sitting me on the other side of Titus. "Grayson, tell your story."

"Before either of you, after I quit being Robin, Bruce adopted another kid he found off the street," Dick began. I felt Damian poke the syringe into my forearm. "His name was Jason Todd. Bruce made him the second Robin."

"Of course he did," I mumbled.

"But then he was kidnapped by the Joker," Dick continued, his eyes darkening. "The Joker beat him, tortured him until he was almost dead. By the time Bruce got there... it was too late." My eyes widened and I could tell Damian even looked taken aback. "Bruce blames himself. He never recovered after that night. But he still refused to kill the Joker."

"He still stuck to his code?" I questioned.

"Always has," Dick confirmed. He sighed, glancing at me. "When he got the call from Penguin, he thought he'd lose you too."

"Oh," I mumbled, pulling my legs to my chest. "I just thought he was being a helicopter parent."

"Some of it probably was," Dick chuckled. "Just remember, no matter how much he pisses us off, he does care." With that, he walked out of the room.

"What the hell did you put in me?" I hissed, pulling my wrist from Damian's grasp.

"Microtrackers," Damian answered casually. "Wayne Technology."

"What!" I exclaimed, jumping up and scrambling about, rubbing at my skin. "Get it out! Get it out! Get it out!"

"Calm down Y/L/N!" Damian said, watching as I crashed into the things in my room.

"Get it- Ow," I groaned, my wounded arm ramming into my wardrobe.

"Calm down," Damian said, standing up and dragging me back to the bed. "You have to be careful."

"Are you going to treat me like this too?" I asked as he forced me to sit. "Like a glass doll? Something that could shatter at any moment?"

Damian's eyes softened, which was a sight to behold. "I lost my grandfather, I would prefer not to lose a sister, even if we do not share blood," he said.

I jumped up, wrapping my arms around the shorter boy's neck. He stiffened, patting my back awkwardly. "You're not a horrible brother," I admitted, pulling away.

"And you are not an awful sister," Damian said, his face serious. He cleared his throat. "Get some rest, just because you are injured does not mean I shall go easy on you in training."

"I wasn't counting on it," I chuckled.

Damian nodded before leaving the room. "Titus," he said. Titus jumped up, rushing toward his master.

Damian could be a little demon child but he had his moments.

Find Part 1 on my masterlist: https://mooskey.tumblr.com/post/661991989629304832/%F0%9D%9A%83%F0%9D%99%B7%F0%9D%99%B4-%F0%9D%9A%84%F0%9D%99%BB%F0%9D%9A%83%F0%9D%99%B8%F0%9D%99%BC%F0%9D%99%B0%F0%9D%9A%83%F0%9D%99%B4-%F0%9D%99%B2%F0%9D%99%BE%F0%9D%9A%82%F0%9D%99%BC%F0%9D%99%B8%F0%9D%99%B2-%F0%9D%99%BF%F0%9D%99%BE%F0%9D%9A%86%F0%9D%99%B4%F0%9D%9A%81-%F0%9D%99%BC%F0%9D%9A%A2-%F0%9D%99%BC%F0%9D%9A%8A%F0%9D%9A%9C%F0%9D%9A%9D%F0%9D%9A%8E%F0%9D%9A%9B%F0%9D%9A%95%F0%9D%9A%92%F0%9D%9A%9C%F0%9D%9A%9D

[tadpole-san]

poison ;  j.t.

pairing: titans!jason todd x reader, pre-established relationship, best friends

warnings: mentions/allusions to (attempted) suicide, jason just needing someone in his corner, spoilers for titans s2e12

a/n: 1000/10 this is meant for  @cipheress-to-k-pop, kudos to her for inspiring this and simping over jason peter todd with me - so here’s an exploration of what happened between jason leaving rose and showing up to donna’s funeral

Gotham is, by no means, a small city. And it's easy to come back to, after everything.

After the Titans disband - again, and you’re honestly left with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

After your best friend gets kidnapped, tortured, and thrown off a roof.

After you find him driven to another roof, ready to step off with nothing to catch him, because he’s ready to go somewhere you know you can’t follow.

And after Jason Todd leaves on a motorcycle with Rose Wilson, because he is going somewhere you think you can’t follow. Except can’t isn’t the right word - you shouldn’t follow him, you think. Because Dick was the one to talk him off the roof, like a brother is supposed to, and all you can remember is the wind roaring in your ears and blocking everything out except that Jason wants to jump, Jason wants to die,  I don’t know how to help him. The words die in the back of your throat, and if Dick hadn’t been there-

You don’t want to think about if Dick didn’t make it up there when he did. So you’re avoiding Jason - which is all too easy to do when he’s supposed to be on the other side of the country. Until he calls you and you realize he’s here. In Gotham. The two of you are still connected by the same city.

He doesn’t say where the two of you need to meet, but you know exactly where to find him in the vastness of Gotham’s skyscrapers and abandoned warehouses.

By the time you make it to the top of - surprise, a skyscraper - your legs and lungs are burning. It makes it all the more apparent that you haven’t gotten the same level of Batman-training, and that a busted elevator forcing you to take the stairs is already a sign of bad luck. When you’re able to push the door leading to the rooftop open, you spot the gargoyle first, and it somehow manages to make you smile. All the years you’ve known Jason, the guy who’s become your best friend, and you’ve lost count of the number of times you’ve been able to find him hunched up next to the stone monster. Even now, the shades of yellow on his hoodie stand out like muted sunlight.

“Hey.” The sound of your voice and the opening door gets him to turn around. His legs are dangling over the edge of the roof. You know he’s just sitting there - just sitting, nothing else - but it’s suddenly harder for you to take another breath, and when you move towards him, it’s in a sprint. There’s a spot left for you between him and the gargoyle, one that you take without hesitation as your hand grabs at his jacket. He’s taken aback, you can tell - his eyebrows furrow and he opens his mouth to say something, only to close it a second later. This close, and you can see how his eyes are rimmed with red. Like he’d been crying.

There’s a stinging sensation at your eyes that makes you think you must look the same. Your fingers tighten around worn fabric, and it grounds you. Jason wasn’t wearing the hoodie that day. This isn’t the same as that.

“Are you okay?” you finally ask, pulling your knees up towards your chest instead of dangling them over the edge. You’re too close to the edge already. “Where’s Rose?”

When Jason finally speaks, his voice is rough in the way that it gets when he’s had a few beers. You know this voice well, the same way he knows his way arounds brews, and this takes you back to the first time you'd met him when you were kids, at the bars that your dad and his uncle would get together at.

“I don’t know,” he says. Then he laughs. “I don’t care, you know? Fuck Rose-”

“Could you scoot back?” The question almost rips itself out of your throat, despite your efforts to keep it in until he’s finished telling you what happened. But all you can see are his shoes dangling over the edge, stories above the street, and when you look at the street, you’re imagining his body leaving its impact on it. You can feel Jason’s eyes on you, and you wait for him to tell you to stop being a pussy.

Instead, he mirrors your position and pulls his feet up, tucking them in as he pulls himself away from the edge.

You can breathe again.

“Sorry,” you mutter, finally making eye contact with him again. “I just - I’m sorry.”

I’m sorry I wasn’t there.

I’m sorry I’m such a coward.

I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.

I’m sorry I’m such a bad friend.

“Why the hell are you sorry?” Jason asks, brows furrowing. Now he’s really looking at you, and it’s so heartfelt that you need to drag a hand down your face so you can hide. At the same time, it makes you so angry, because all you can remember is a room full of broken and awful heroes, painting him a villain who would drag out their darkest secrets, their deepest pains, to taunt and jab them with.

How could people do that to a kid? How could they do that to Jason, who - sure, he was rough around the edges, and cocky, and he went out of his way to be a little unlikable sometimes, but he was good. He was one of the best goddamn people you knew, even if you were saying that with bias.

You’re pulled out of the daze you’re in when he calls your name, and you try to speak around the words that are lodged in your throat, clogging it up. “I’m sorry,” you repeated, and the Vice around your throat tightens. “I wasn’t there when it mattered. With you. At the Tower. When they - and you-“ At this point, you have to suck in a deep, shuddering breath. One that has you keeling forward, head falling between your knees.

“Woah. Woah, woah, hold on-“ Jason wrestles his arm out of the sleeve you’re holding onto, and then you feel him pulling you back from the edge. It’s his turn, and he does it with ease, like you’re nothing but air. There’s that training again. “Jesus fuck, you - come on.” Just like that, the two of you are collapsing and folding in on each other.

Jason has gone so incredibly still, like he doesn’t know what he should be doing, and it makes you want to cry - except you don’t. You don’t know if you can feel anything else besides being scared or pissed off - at the Titans, at him - that couldn’t possibly be fair - at yourself. He’s so still it’s like he’s a corpse. “You get hurt somewhere?” he asks, and you shake your head, even as he’s awkwardly patting you over. “Someone pull some shit on you when you ditched the Tower?” You shake your head again, and you register that you're holding onto his hand.  You squeeze, tight. It’s warm. He’s warm. There’s blood flowing through his veins.

He’s okay. He’s alive.

Jason’s hand is squeezing yours just as tight, and it grounds you - he’s keeping you grounded - long enough that you can start to breathe again. Enough that you can keep talking.

“I fell asleep.” The words are eerily similar to Gar’s own sentiments when the two of you wandered into the kitchen  to find an already-fractured team. “I didn’t - I didn’t sleep for two days, you know that? You don’t really get any of that when there’s a psychopath torturing your friend and it’s your fault.”

“It ain’t your fucking fault,” Jason’s quick to say, words frosted with the kind of accent that’s married to a childhood down in Crime Alley. You haven’t grown out of yours, but his has gone sparse since Bruce Wayne picked him out. “Don’t fucking say-”

“Gar and I were supposed to have your back down there.” You press your lips in a thin line, eyes meeting his. “I’m supposed to have your back.”

“I was being a stupid little shit. Hank was right.” Fucking Hank. You think you could attack him, probably. Pick a stupid fight.

“We always think it’s our fault.” Now your words are deliberate. “And we always think we’re the fucking poison. ‘Cept we’re not.” Jason groans, and you can feel him start to pull away. You don’t let your grip loosen, so he uses his other hand to push his hair back roughly and pull the hood over his head, yanking the fabric down so you can’t make out his expression.

“I wasn’t gonna jump.”

“Yeah, you were.”

“I mean just now. I saw your face. I know what you’re thinking.”

“I thought you were gonna fall.” His lips twist into a grimace, and you let go of his hand to shove your own into your pockets. Your fingertips are cold.

“I would’ve caught myself.” Finally, the traces of Robin Jason - cocky, uncaring, cool - are coming back. “Could teach you how, if you want.”

“Do you want to catch yourself?” you ask, not quite ready to fall back into lopsided and carefree with him. “‘Cuz if you don’t, I gotta be the one doing the catching, Jason. Even when you’ve got some kind of - I don’t fucking know, a Superboy doing it.”

“Why?” The little shit has the audacity to smirk. “You jealous?” Incredulous, you stare at him. And then you take your bag and you swing it at his shoulder, only for him to smack it away.

“I’m being serious.” It amazes you how Jason does that - switches at the flip of a coin so as to replace the real shit he’s going through with throwaway comments like that. Sometimes, he’s a real asshole. Even as he’s staring at you with an entirely different expression now, one that makes you wonder just how much he knows about how he makes you feel.

“You need me to catch you?”

“Sometimes,” you admit, turning your head as he shifts closer to you, enough that your knees bump against one another. You push against him, and it turns into an exchange that lasts until your knee is sore. By the end of it, you can feel Jason laughing in your ear. His eyes aren’t red anymore. You take the sleeve he’d shrugged out of and get your arm through it, leaving the two of you awkwardly cramped against one another, and he laughs even more.

“Why can’t we do this shit at the tower?”

“Because you get - you’re all moody, you ass. It’s weird.” You can feel the weight of him on your shoulder and it makes you sigh. “You - look, we gotta talk. For real, you know that?”

“We did,” he mutters, a bit more sullen now. But there’s another elbow to your side, so you think that maybe it’s a bit better. For all that Gotham is home to the world’s evils, you can still love it if it can bring this out in Jason. “You know I say shit to you that I’m not saying to anyone else.” That elicits a half-hearted grin out of you, and you knock your fist against his. His eyes rake over bruised knuckles.

“You asked me if I was okay,” he says, thumb brushing over them. “Are you-”

“Someday,” you interrupt, because it’s a fruitless question. There’s no being okay, and you realize how your own question from earlier is naive. “I’ll get past the fact that we’re gonna keep almost dying. Like the shitshow with Deathstroke. And the fact that the assholes that are supposed to be heroes are full of shit.” Jason’s expression is all-too knowing, and you wonder if he’s figured out that the reason you went to San Francisco had nothing to do with wanting to be a hero and everything to do with not being able to handle Gotham alone. Maybe it’s better to just have yourself - to not have to lean on anyone else to keep on living, but then you look at the boy in front of you. And you know that if Jason only had himself, you wouldn’t be sitting with him right now.

He’s probably figured you out already. He’s Robin. For all that you poke at him for being boneheaded, you know that Batman’s taught him all the ways to see through a person. Even without x-ray vision.

Then he gives you a lopsided smirk, and you know he’s chosen not to say anything. Instead, he hauls himself to his feet - and you with him - with graceful ease, letting you link your arm with his in a way that has your hands brushing together.

“You still haven’t told me what happened with Rose,” you say. At that, he makes a face. One that draws another laugh out of you, because it has his features scrunched up in a scowl that departs from the betrayal you’d found him drowning in when you’d first gotten here.

“You wouldn’t fucking believe - come on.” He uses his foot to toss his bag in the air, catching it with one hand and slinging it over his shoulder. “I’m not doing this unless we’re getting a burger or some shit.”

“What, she break your heart, big boy?” You manage to catch the elbow that’s headed for you, even as Jason kicks you in the back of the knee for that comment. It’s quips and banters that are coming back, a routine the two of you fall into even after weeks apart. Jason’s shouldered the door to the stairwell open - losers first - and you find yourself casting one final look to the lone gargoyle before you step inside.

Gotham is, by no means, a small city. She’s unforgiving and cruel, and her metal arches and stone beams are interwoven with a history of poison. Some days, you wonder if it’s too late - if you’ve already got it in your veins, running through your blood and killing you from the inside. Leaving a city like her was easy.

And it’s easy to come back to, despite everything. Because if Jason isn’t poison, then maybe you’re not, either.

DC Taglist:

@cipheress-to-k-pop

[jmblyajones]

Titans: Prodigal (3x12)

1. Garfield really turned into a bat… I mean if he was gonna change, I’m glad it had meaning behind in. I am kind of wondering how a bat will do in battle but I’ll take this win for now. The CGI was a1 too! Also it was great to get an insight on why Gar hasn’t changed in to other animals. The writers listen when they want to chile.

2. How are we getting Dick’s soul back when he comes back from the lazarus pit?? Do you lose your soul in this DCU’s version? lmao

3. They took pictures of Dick’s dead body 🥴

4. Why is Barbara arrested? This makes no sense.

5. Jason was annoying asf. Why are we pretending like Dick was jealous of Jason? This storyline is overused and inaccurate. Just like calling Bruce an abusive foster dad. Jason was impulsive as all get out and he never listened. he always got himself in to trouble but somehow we’re blaming it all on Dick? FOOLISH.

6. I love Komand’r saving Conner but she just automatically knows how to use her new fire powers? Among other things, I wonder why the writers just switched up everything with Starfire and Blackfire’s storylines. Blackfire is good? Y’all need to quit playing with me.

7. Dick and Kory’s child… that little girl is adorable as hell but why y’all bring her into this foolishness? Is this the writers way of saying dickkory is still endgame? This was the only dickkory thing about this season so far. This scene would feel/ be different if this season Dick was trying to wrestle with his feelings for both Barbara and Kory. The vision of mar’i would be his way of telling himself Kory is the one. Just a very big missed opportunity for development.

8. “Is it ok if I call you my girlfriend” aww.

9. Dick on some “Unite the Titans”. Let’s see how long this lasts.

10. Smh Komand’r leaving is Conner’s villan origin story 😭😭. He is gonna be on his Lex Luther shit next season. BELIEVE THAT!

11. HOLD THE FUCK UP!!! YALL HEAR THAT SCORE WHEN KOMANDR ASKS CONNER TO HELP HER??? THAT IS THE CLASSIC SUPERMAN SCORE BUT AT A DEEPER REGISTER!!! I swear I typically don’t notice things like this but wow how do you miss it??

12. At the end of this season, I need Jason to take a break like Dawn did. Just a trip to a DC city no one has ever heard of that has no cell service.

13. “You’ll never be a Titan again”

14. Conner done fucked shit up jesus. Evil Conner has arrived sooner than I thought🥴 The hold of a first love man. Punani be powerful!

15. Ok Barbara let’s reboot Ms. Oracle 👏🏾

16. I really hate everyone up down and through this batcave. I’m sorry but y’all got no choice but to blow that mansion up.

I have to say, this episode was better than the rest. There are still things that pissed me off but there are things I really enjoyed. Gar and Rachel working together and Gar opening up to Rachel. Conner turning on Kom was predictable in the moment. Not gonna lie, I thought Kom would turn on Conner lol. This is the perfect time to bring out Conner’s Luther side. It did break my little Konner heart. I feel like it is taking Donna and Tim forever to reunite with the Titans. Their story is dragging a bit for me. Dick… it’s always at the end of the season when he wants to work with his team. I’m over it. This should be a season thing.

[pandoraimperatrix]

WANDERING WORLDS

DickKory | Core Four Centric | Cannon Divergence | Longfic

Summary:

Dick Grayson is dead. His life taken by his own brother. The Abel to Jason’s Cain. Consumed by grief, Rachel gives in to despair, losing control, a portal opens, but from it no destroyer of words come through. Now Kory has to deal with the death of the man she loved and with this stranger that looks exactly like him, but isn’t.

————————————–

Chapter Thirteen – By any other name

Still lying on his bed at the hotel, Dick turned the invitation card in his hands. Traveling across realities, finding a world and people he once was sure were lost forever, that all had become somehow normal concepts through the last months since he had time to get used to them. But that thing… That piece of paper and the words written on it. That was crazy.

“What do you think he means with this, Donna?” he had asked her when it was only the two of them after a good training session.

“He decided to accept you, stupid.”

READ ON AO3

Dick didn’t think so, it felt much more like that this world’s Bruce was making a statement. The card could be printed “You Are Not Him” all over, front and back for what Dick was concerned. He didn’t want to admit even to himself, but it hurt a little bit. Why would he care if a man that, under the wrong circumstances, could start the end of the world, thought about him?

He squished water from this bottle on his neck, using the thermic shock to ground himself to the moment. It was too easy sometimes, to float away or get trapped in his own maze of thoughts.

“Are you really letting me go alone?” He cringed as soon as the phrase left his lips, and the condescending rising of Donna’s eyebrow didn’t help.

“You’re not going alone, you’re taking Kory…”

He had taken a deep breath there, irritation taking his whole body, irritation he knew, had nothing to do with Donna.

“About that, I wish you’d stop the insinuations-“

“Bird boy,” she said in that patronizing tone that drove him crazy since they were kids, “I’m not insinuating anything, I’m affirming. Look, if some parallel Garth fell from the sky you would not see me losing time with bullshit.”

“Well, I’m not you, and neither is Koriand’r.”

She snorted.

“Obviously.”

The thing with him and Donna was that, even when he was in his worst behaviour, it still felt somehow justified because she found a way to come through and above him. Prettier, smarter, yadda yadda. And as much as it infuriated him it was nice. It was nice to have someone that he couldn’t hurt easily, that he didn’t have to hold back his worst side like a boiling potato. Someone who he knew wouldn’t leave him at a wrong word, but only roll her eyes, kick his ass, and tell him to do better.

He had never had that with Bruce. He thought he had that with Kory. But she didn’t even told him who she really was. And when things got tough, when he became tough, she gave up on him, and decided to fix things on her own.

His phone buzzed, and he let down the card at the bedside table and reached for it. Dick scrolled over the Titans chat, and all the activity after Koriand’r posted his picture the previous night. Rachel’s dramatic memes made him chuckle, but his thoughts darkened again when a new text came.

Selina was having breakfast with them at the hotel.

No word from Bruce.

Donna was wrong.

But if she were, what the hell he was dragged to Metropolis for?

*

The conversation with Donna was still replaying in his head with mixed thoughts regarding Bruce when he met Koriand’r in their way to the elevator. She was staring at him, so much that he almost missed when she ignored him. Last time she stared at him like that, he had to be a gentleman and ended with a bruised jaw as payment.

“What? There’s something on my face?” He asked slightly annoyed.

God… She blushed. Dick swallowed dry. Don’t let Donna get to you, you are not a teenager anymore, he tried to say to himself.

“No... It just came to me, that we hardly see each other outside of the tower, I’m used to find you in an apron serving breakfast in the morning.”

“Glad to hear you’re used to me,” the flirty remark escaped him before he could stop himself, and the elevator dinged, doors opening, but no one entered. For a few tense seconds, he worried hard about what would she say or if she would say anything.

“Kinda didn’t have a choice,” she said in that suave self-assured tone of hers that he could only dream of simulate convincingly, nevermind embodying it authentically, which only made it all more attractive in her “you stole my best friend and my kids, it was that or losing for a x’anyan.”

After that he lost completely the war against the muscles pulling his lips into a smile.

“A what?”

The door opened again, she walked across him leaving first. Their bodies didn’t even brush, but Dick could feel the electric discharge of her movements prickling his skin.

“So, there are some things other me didn’t teach you,” she said, standing outside, she had braided her long fluffy hair, and it fell over her shoulder leaving one side of her neck completely naked, he tried to not obsess so much about the elegant lines curving from her jaw to her shoulders.

When he was able to move again the doors were almost closing again.

“Told you,” he whispered, but close as they were, even without her alien powers, she’d be able to hear him easily, “I was a bad student.”

The look she gave him, then. In another world he would have kissed away that smile. In another world they wouldn’t even left the hotel room.

But there was no they and, no matter how Donna tried to make him believe it was just that easy. It was not her.

“Excuse-me,” a man said, reaching for the elevator button and forcing the both of them to move and break their stare competition.

He didn’t feel guilty, not really, but a deep sadness settled in his stomach as he watched her walk in front of him.

She was not her, she would never be his Kory.

Because his Kory was dead.

He could fall in love with this Princess Koriand’r too, of course, it would be terribly easy. And maybe he was already half-way, but he couldn’t cross that path. He couldn’t because the truth was, he didn’t want to. He didn’t want the responsibility of loving that woman, when truly, his heart ached for someone else. She, he realized, as he watched her approach the table where Selina was already waiting for them, deserved so much better than borrowed love.

*

“There he is,” Selina said standing up as they approached, she had already kissed Koriand’r as if they were old friends. They matched in that easy way they approached people, a certain grace he would never have. Selina reached up to him, her many bracelets clinking to each other like wind chimes until her hands, warm and skinny held his face.

“Isn’t he handsome, Miss Anders?”

“Please call me Kory.”

Selina turned the corner of her eyes to Koriand’r, a twinkle in them that, although it was not the woman he had grown up with, Dick could recognize exactly what it meant.

“Clever way to dodge the question, but I’ll let it slide.”

“Nice to see you, Selina,” he breathed putting his hands over hers. Automatically, Dick leaned in, as he would do as a little kid, she smiled, and the crinkles around her eyes deepened.

“Wonderful to see you, kitten,” and then she let go with a sigh, sitting down. She had chosen a table at the balcony with a view to the river “I told your father I’d be meeting you for breakfast,” she started with an annoyed tone, “but you know he doesn’t do mornings, and god knows he needs his beauty sleep…” She trailed off looking down and choosing a macaron. “Don’t worry, you’ll see him tonight.”

Dick didn’t hide his wince as he also sat. He wanted to have a nice breakfast, he really wanted too, but if that’s how she’d be handling the situation from the start, he had no choice but fight her bullshit with honesty, raw and clean.

“Selina… What are we really doing here?”

She frowned, looking genuinely confused at his question, which only made his anger brew a degree hotter.

“Honey, isn’t it obvious?”

He let out a shaky bitter laugh at that. Obvious. Did that word even mean anything any longer?

A dark, impossibly warm, hand covered his under the table, and he relaxed the fist he didn’t know he was holding tightly on his lap.

“No,” it was all he managed to say through his teeth.

“I don’t want to blindside Bruce. And this is not my conversation to have. But remember what we’ve been talking about all this time.”

“We don’t even talk about Bruce,” he snapped.

Dick couldn’t have foreseen the betrayal he was feeling, because he had known all that time that her calls were nothing but lip service to Bruce. That he did, in truth, not trust him at all. That all Bruce thought of him was that he was an impostor trying to steal the place of the undoubtedly perfected version of the son he’s lost and blemish his legacy. That, after Donna couldn’t give him the proof the wanted, he sent Selina to get it by any means necessary. That this whole thing of taking him away from San Francisco and the rest of the Titans was just the set up.

“Baby,” Selina called so sweetly that not for the first time, he wanted to fall for the trick, he wanted to go along, just to find out what would happen, when they figured it out that there was no scheme, that it was not a trick. It was just him, even if for better or for worse, he was not what they expected or wanted to be. “You don’t talk about him. He talks about you all the time.”

“Even if that was true,” he moved his hand under Koriand’r’s, holding it properly. He didn’t know where she had become Koriand’r instead of Kory, but the divide felt right. Maybe it was after both Gar and her told him they had trouble picking him and the dead man aside. If this was not the woman he had thought internally as his wife, he didn’t need to push her away. He could accept the comfort of her hand.  “He’d be talking about his real son.”

“You look pretty real to me,” she said in a dismissive tone. “Pretty real anger issues too.”

“I’m not him, Selina. You think you know me, you act like so, but I’m not.”

He was this close of standing up, but the hand holding his grounded him, even though there was no other force other that it’s delicate weight being exerted.

“You still need Bruce, that’s very much the kitten I should have held closer back in the day,” there was real regret in her voice, and a whole lot of grief.

How could she know? How could she even imagine what hearing that meant to him? Even if she meant to someone else.

“That’s what you think this is? A second chance?”

“Why not?” She said with an unnerving smile that brought a glimpse of the tricky thief of her youth. “You told us, Bruce killed me in your world, you can think me a fool for standing beside him still after hearing that. I’ll let you. And twenty years ago, this story would be enough to send me straight to eastern Europe with a one way only ticket. But kitten, we’re old now, we’ve lost enough. We take what we can and we make the best of it.”

He wanted to talk back, he wanted to scream at her face that his whole family was dead, that it didn’t matter how she saw it, to him, it was not worth it. This second chance, it couldn’t be worth it if the price was his Kory, his children, even his Selina, to whom he hadn’t talked since he was a teenager. But how could he? How could he when she was there in front of him, beautiful, infuriating. How, when the hand now clasped to his was warm and pulsing with life.

Dick bit his words and turned his gaze to Koriand’r, she seemed to be waiting for him. Her beautiful green eyes questioning. He shook his head. It’s fine, he meant. She gave him a little smile, and patted his hand a couple of times before letting go.

*

Later, Dick caught his image at the mirror, and for a moment he was back at that bathroom in a Wayne Manor he could recognize even though he had never been truly there before. Eyes enlarged, eyebrows arched, he massaged his rising chest over the tight white shirt. The man in that mirror looked like a monster. It was anxiety inducing to think that, in so little time, only two things remained from him. The scar, that sometimes was the only thing that had the kindness to remain and prove to him this was not all a dream, and the long hair he didn’t know what to do with now.

He jumped when someone knocked at his door.

“Dick? Are you ready?”

His eyes trembled shut, and Dick tried to even his breathing.

“Just a minute.”

But a minute became two, and then three, he thought she had left without him when the door clicked open forcing to him to move his head in its direction as she let herself in.

“What’s wrong?”

She had chosen an off shoulder periwinkle sink dress that at the same time hanged elegantly to her angular frame and looked like it could fall apart at any given moment. Like a nymph in an old panting. The skirts flared when she walked towards him, the fabric shimmering silver.

“Dick?” She asked again, brows frowned in concern.

If she were his Kory, he’d have stood up and kissed her, and kissed her and kissed her. To hell with Bruce, to hell with Selina, to hell with this stupid gala. He’d locked the door and loved that dress off her only leaving the room when the hotel sent someone to see if they were still there.

But she was not.

So, he just tried to smile.

“My hair,” he swallowed, his face heating.

“Uh?” She blinked.

“I don’t know what to do with it, it’s too long.”

Her laugh was like little silver bells, frown relaxing.

“Lemme help you, then. In Tamaran most men have long hair, you know?” Koriand’r rushed closer to his side and put one knee on his bed, gently nudging him so he’d be with his back towards her. “My father’s hair goes to his waist. Can’t wait to tell Donna you had a diva freak out.”

He didn’t comment about the tense she used to refer to her father, she had lost a lot too, didn’t she? He wondered how it made her feel, being so far away from her people. He hardly ever talked to his Kory about her planet, too afraid bringing up beyond their flirting in her native language would make her miss everything and want to go back.

Dick held a sigh when her long fingers slid into his hair, peeking at their reflection through his lashes.

“You just came with me to gather blackmail material,” he managed in a low voice, “now I see.”

Their eyes met in the mirror, but the contact was brief, and she went back to concentrating in his hair.

“Isn’t blackmail material if I keep giving it away free, but now you gave me ideas. Do you have a comb or a brush?”

“Yes, in the bathroom.”

He watched her move to fetch the materials she’d need biting the trembling of his lip, and when she was back, it felt a little bit easier.

--------------

There’s a conversation between Dick and Bruce that I’m trying to write but I keep avoiding it and putting other stuff between that and where we are in the story, it’s so annoying even though I’m the one writing and technically have all the control lmao.

I hope you’re doing well. I’m my usual self, and right now very into soft romance with just a little tinge of longing and angst because that’s the thing fueling this simulation lmao. I watched Matrix 4 (finally) and WW will be drinking a lot from that, you can thank Miss Lana and tell her she owes me 20 bucks for the first act of that movie.

Shout out to @escapism-through-imagination for being such a good friend and listening me babbling about how I suffer writing fic, you know, a work nobody ever forced me to do.

[robinofgothamcity]

♡ prompt: "you accidentally get sent into the future and see how you both turn out.”

♡ pairing: dick grayson (anyverse / nightwing) x fem reader

♡ lyric inspiration: “I said that’s life and as funny as it may seem, some people get their kicks stomping on a dream but I don’t let it get me down cause this fine old world keeps spinning around.” 

♡ note: not checked for grammar or spelling mistakes / again like what I said with my Jason fic, you don’t necessarily use the TITANS universe to imagine this fic. i just used this version of dick for no reason. 

“god, this is the last time I do any kind of work with ANY OF YOU!” you yelled at Dick as he bit on his inner cheek. all of you had been fighting off a bunch of crooks and at first, you thought it was okay.....that was until one of the crooks pulled out his hidden magical abilities, “at the very least, we could’ve called Klarion for help!” 

Damian gave you a look as if what you were saying was stupid, “I’M JUST SAYING! WE’RE ALL FUCKING HUMAN AND ZATANNA ISN’T EVEN IN THE COUNTRY TO HELP!” you yelled back. 

Dick was trying to remain calm as he hadn’t seen one of the criminals approaching him. he was too busy charging one that was heading towards you. you; however, had saw them out of the corner of you eye and practically sped to Dick which is what the criminal wanted. 

he wanted you and Dick out of the way in order to get Damian trapped. as you and Dick had passed each other with the notion to save each other, the crook pulled out a gadget that opened up a portal. 

“NIGHTWING!” “( YOUR HERO NAME )!” 

+

the two of you went to grab each other but it was too late. you and Dick had gotten sucked into the portal as you let out a piercing yell. Dick tried grabbing you, hoping that wherever the two of you landed, he would get the hardest impact. 

soon enough, both you and Nightwing collided with the ground. you instantly shot up, preparing to fight whoever was around. Dick had took in the surrounding and whispered that the two of you were safe. 

“where the hell are we?” you asked, trying not to panic, “we need to find another portal back. Damian is on his own!” you fidgeted with your fingers as Dick waved you off. 

“if anything, Damian might be more in his element,” he whispered, “you forget how Damian grew up. I think he’ll be fine. he probably already called Bruce or one of the boys.” you tried to figure out how the hell Dick was so calm about the situation. 

Dick took off his mask as you followed along, “I think are biggest issue might be trying to figure out what year he took us too. I can’t imagine he took us in the past so we might just be in the future,” Dick explained. 

both of you walked down the hill that you had landed on and saw you were in Bludhaven, “I think we’re in your home territory,” you murmured. Dick sighed in relief. he was more relieved that both of you landed in his hometown because had you landed in Gotham, he felt like that would’ve landed you in more trouble with the Bat, “I didn’t think Bludhaven was this ran down,” you told Dick. 

“hey!” he exclaimed, “it isn’t as bad as it looks!” you giggled trying not to catch attention from anyone. the two of you made it down the hill when the realization hit you. Bludhaven had snow falling all over the town and you nor Dick were even mildly dressed in clothes to handle the cold. 

“do you have clothes in your apartment? it’s freezing out here!” you exclaimed. Dick gave you the side eye, “I do but if we landed in the future, my future self might be there. we can run into a store and get clothes there.” 

“and do you have cash? bc if you’re carrying a debit card, that would be really weird to see a transaction from the future,” you replied. Dick took out his wallet and pulled out a crisp 100, “I stand defeated,” you murmured. Dick rolled his eyes as the two of you saw a department store at the corner of the street. 

before you could pull in, you heard someone scream you hero name, “hey! those are sick cosplays!” they said running up to you. you gave him a confused look before realizing, you had to pretend that you weren’t actually yourself, “thanks! it took a lot of work,” you tried to say. 

“I bet. it looks super realistic too! ever since she stopped fighting, it’s been super weird not seeing ( your hero name ) around.” you stood confused, wondering what he meant by that, “oh! you’re supposed to be Nightwing! that’s awesome! do you think I can get a picture!” he asked. 

you looked to Dick who just shrugged and agreed. the two of you smiled for the photo as he scanned it, “thanks! I swear, you look exactly like her too! but clearly that can’t be right since the actual ( your hero name ) is pregnant allegedly!” he said as he turned around to leave. 

“pregnant?” you yelled, holding onto Dick who was laughing hysterically, “it’s not fucking funny! I’m pregnant in whatever year this is!” you yelled. Dick could see the panic in your eyes, “he never said it was actually true. he said it was alleged that you were,” Dick tried to emphasize. 

you walked into the department store, which ended up being a Target, and ran to the women’s section, wanting to get out of your hero costume as soon as possible. once you and Dick grabbed the clothes, he quickly paid for it before the two of you darted to the bathrooms to get dressed. 

you managed to come out faster than Dick as you held onto your costume by hand. with curiosity plaguing your mind, you saw a magazine and looked at the date. 

December 22, 2024.

you sighed in relief. the two of you had only gone three years into the future which was a good thing....right?

“we’re three years into the future,” you told Dick. he nodded as you walked outside, “we can check if future you is actually home and if he’s not, you making some portal to get us back home!” you threatened. 

“at this rate, I would’ve preferred if Damian would’ve been the one to come along,” Dick retorted. you pushed him to street, making him stumble over his feet, “say some snark shit again and see where that gets you,” you told him, “plus, you think I want to get stuck in the future with you? I would have preferred Jason if we’re going to be honest. at least he would’ve been more entertaining to be around.” 

Dick remained quiet, not knowing how to respond. 

the two of you had a weird relationship with each other. at times, the two of you got along, to the point where some thought the two of you were together while other times, you practically hated his guts. no one knew why the relationship was this way but his heart felt a pang as you confessed that you would have rather been here with Jason than him. 

“way to kill a mood,” Dick said. you rolled your eyes, “you literally just said you’d rather be with Damian! don’t blame me for this shit. plus, if it wasn’t Damian, I’m sure you would wanted Starfire next,” you added on. 

Dick looked at you stunned, “what makes you say that?” he asked. you rolled your eyes, “please, it’s not hard to tell that you and Star have a thing for each other,” you said, this time more quietly than before. Dick didn’t know how to respond but quickly for him, he didn’t have to. the two of you had arrived to where lived or at least hope he still lived there. 

the house wasn’t big, not in the slightest; however, it was big enough for him on his own. the two of you looked inside of the window and saw that someone was facing their back towards it. 

“whose that?” you asked Dick. he shrugged, half of him annoyed at you and the other half not knowing who it actually was. the two of you remained looking at the person, hoping they turned around so you could get a look, “it looks like you if I’m going to be honest,” Dick replied. 

you sighed, “I don’t think it is but sure,” your statement was quickly taken back as the person finally turned around. it was in fact you...fully pregnant and opening up the window. you let out a piercing scream as Dick quickly covered your mouth, trying not to get caught. 

“can you shut the hell up?” he whisper screamed, “you’re going to get us caught!” he continued. you took his hand off your mouth, “do that shit again and you’ll be dead before you can even see your future self,” you threatened, “plus! that’s me! pregnant as fuck!” 

Dick tried not to laugh at your last statement but couldn’t, “if you’re pregnant, I wonder whose kid it is and why the hell you’re even at my place,” he wondered, “it’s probably yours,” you joked, making the both of you laugh quietly. 

you remained looking through the window, watching as you stood up and got different things from a box. you were whispered things you couldn’t exactly heart but one thing you did notice was the huge ring on your left finger. 

you whipped your head to look at Dick as his eyes widened. his future self had walked into the living room, giving you a peck on the cheek before bending down and kissing your stomach, “hey bubba! treating your creator well?” he asked. 

both you and Dick looked at each other speechless as you put two and two together. you were pregnant....with Dick’s child, “you better because your mom might kill me if you’re giving her a hard time,” he joked before placing a kiss on your lips, “we should eat before John gets hungry and your dad thinks we ditched out on the plans,” you mentioned. 

“John?” you whispered to yourself, wondering why the hell you named your future kid John, “John was my fathers name, you know, before he passed,” Dick confessed. your eyes widened, “oh, is it?” you murmured back, not knowing what to say. 

the two of you walked closer the door as you noticed your belly again. it was bigger than you realized as Dick had to help you down the stairs. you watched yourself get into Dick’s are as you were struggling to put the belt around you. eventually, Dick drove away and left the two of you alone again. 

the air was thick with silence as you had no idea what to say, “parents huh?” Dick asked with a chuckle of nervousness, “yup....and you’re the dad,” you added on. Dick nodded as you sat on the curb with your hands on your knees, “and you’re the mom,” he replied. 

you let out a laugh of disbelief as you couldn’t make up anything to say, “crazy right? I think we’re married too,” you finally looked at Dick as he stared at you, almost lovingly, “is there an issue with that?” he asked as seriously as possible. you shook your head no, “nope. just weird that we were the ones that ended up married and having kids together,” you said. 

Dick slowly grabbed your hand and held it softly. 

“I mean it could be weirder...it could have been Jason or Tim,” he said out loud. you shrugged, “I mean, that would have weird too,” you played with Dick’s fingers and bit your lip, “I guess we should try and find our way back? we wouldn’t want to change the future,” you gave Dick a hopeful look. 

he nodded as he helped you up but without hesitation, he pulled you in for a searing kiss, “I’ve been meaning to do that for a while now,” he whispered as he put his hand on your cheek and caressed it softly with his thumb. 

a few seconds later, both of you saw a portal opening with Damian screeching from the other side of it, “COME ON YOU BUNCH OF IDIOTS!” he yelled dramatically. you laughed, looking to Dick, “you heard the boy, let’s get the future started,” Dick nodded grabbing your hand and stepping into the portal. 

[stressedoutcanary]

Hold On - Jason Todd x Batgirl!Reader [PART 2]

WORD COUNT :- 2.3k

Warnings ⚠️: I don't even know if there are any...Swearing maybe?, mentions of kidnappings, actual kidnapping oh and also violence and angst :)

A/N 😋: I got lost while writing this so judge accordingly people. Also forgive me for any mistakes. I TRIED.

Part 1 , Part 3

•°•°•°•°

“JASON STOP!!!!!”, your voice echoed in the silent warehouse.

Jason stopped in his tracks as soon as he heard your voice, his mind was brimming with thoughts, questions and worst of all, emotions.

“Well, well, well, look who crawled out of her little cave”, He said smugly as he finally turned around to face you. The voice was his, you’d recognize that voice anywhere but it felt cold, devoid of emotions, hearing him like that sent a shiver up your spine. You could feel your determination slipping.

Even though you had your cowl on, Jason could still see how much his rampage was hurting you but he couldn’t stop now, not when all he had left to do was to capture Joker, beat the living shit out of that asshole and show Bruce how much of a failure Batman’s moral compass really is.

“Well? Got nothing to say now?... Why am I not surprised?”, Jason scoffed.

You took a deep breath, you were breaking down inside but you sure as hell weren’t going to let that stop you. You spoke, voice barely above a whisper,  “Jason...Jay...Stop all this...Please, come home, come back to the--”

“Manor? Home? Did you hit your head (Y/N)? Why in the hell would I ever go back to a place where NOBODY GAVE A DAMN ABOUT ME, WHERE HE REPLACED ME AS IF I MEANT NOTHING?!”, Jason didn’t want to lose control of himself, not in front of you. So with visible effort he calmed himself down, took a step forward and gave you a deadpan look.

“You all left me”

Your blood boiled at that statement.

“How dare you?! We lost you! We mourned for you! I mourned for you!”

Tears welled up in your eyes, listening to him you wondered whether he truly believed the words actually coming out of his own mouth.

“The Jason I knew was a roughed up street boy who still cared when many didn't, who called Bruce out every step of the way, who had this ridiculous favoritism for bread, who had the guts to take out a tire from the fricking Batmobile”, despite the dreadful situation you smiled remembering those sweet memories.

You looked him in the eye, pleading in a way, and you spoke softly, “The Jason I knew was The Robin to my Batgirl. This-this is just not who you are Jay, not really...So can you just stop?”

He looked unfazed by your words and cocked his head to the side.

“Princess, the only way you can stop me is if you fight me, knock me down real hard, make sure that I won't get back up again. Tell me Batgirl, can you do it? Do you actually have what it takes?”, he waited for an answer he knew wasn’t coming. As expected, all he was met with was silence.

Long, Painful Silence.

With that Jason knew what he had to do, he put on his red helmet and swung out of the nearest window, you couldn't stop him, for all your big talk, you just couldn't. He was right you failed him.

•°•°

You jumped awake with a start, bolting upright and immediately regretting your subconscious decision, the throbbing pain made you clutch the back of your head with your palm and you closed your eyes again to achieve some semblance of reality as a way of grounding yourself.

‘It was just a dream (Y/N)…just...a...dream’

You tried to lie to yourself knowing deep down that it was a memory, something you have already lived through, something you regret everyday. You swallowed the lump in your throat. It felt dry and your whole body was sore. You really should've called in early and then maybe Dick would've been the one stuck in this crapy situation and not you.

Pushing past your perplexed state you got up and took in your surroundings, there were vines hanging from the open roof, a LOT of flowers and some Venus flytraps by the corner. It wouldn’t even take being a detective to figure out where you were; The Botanical Gardens.

“How the hell did I end up here”, you muttered under your breath. This was getting out of hands.

“See Pammy I told ya Girl-Bat would rise and shine by now”

“I can see that Harls”

‘Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, just great, is nobody in Arkham these days’

The duo descended down from the open roof through one of the vines and stood in front of you. Harley looked as happy as a 10 year old about to get their favorite toy and Ivy seemed to be interested in anything and everything that did not concern you. Classic.

“Why the hell did you both kidnap me?”

You jumped forward and grabbed Harley by the collar of her dress, in retrospect it wasn't the best move but it's not like you were thinking straight at the time anyway.

A vine wrapped itself around your waist and you were tugged back by such force that you were sure there was gonna be a big bruise there tomorrow. You skidded across the floor and finally stopped when your back connected with a bench. You were just too drained to fight back so instead you just crawled up and sat on the bench with a grunt.

‘Not fighting my way out of this one so for once let’s try talking’

“Whoa, should ya really be this obnoxious when ya got a concussion?”, Harley burst your thought bubble as she looked you over.

“Wait, Did you just call me obnoxious?!”

“But don'tcha worry I am a doctor and I got a PhD”

“In psychology!”

“I will fix ya in no time”

“Are you even listening to me?”

Just like that you saw Harley leave the room to go get some medical supplies, or well at least you thought that that's what she was going to do, you turned your face towards Ivy hoping that she can fill in the blanks.

“So you both finally done babbling? And here I thought it was never going to end.”, She looked at you from where she was petting her plant, and made her way over to you, something about her seemed genuine. You got the feeling that whatever she had to say, it won't be a lie.

“Try and not mind what Harley does, she's just happy to make new friends for girls night.” She sighed before continuing, “As for your question, last night we were near the Gotham Central Park when we saw a masked man dragging your unconscious body out of a building and into a van parked in the alley, so we kil-- we took care of him and brought you here”, She shrugged as if that explains why the Poison Ivy just saved your life.

"Wait that means Red isn't here", you whispered more to yourself than to others.

“Pam is Red!”, Harley said cheerfully as she came back out nowhere with a bunch of boxes which would've made you very uneasy if your mind wasn't already preoccupied.

“What Harley means to say is that if you are trying to ask about that gun loving leather jacket vigilante who wears a red helmet, then no we don't know where he is”

Her words sunk in and yesterday's memories flashed in your mind, your eyes widened under your mask as the realization hit you like a bus.

The missing people, the creepy mannequins, the medical journals regarding surgeries, the weirdo in the white mask instead of a face, the poster of some Pretty Dolls parlor; Now it all makes sense!

“Pyg!”

"Huh?", the women in front of you almost jumped at your sudden revelation.

“Lazlo Valentin aka Professor Pyg that's the son of a bitch who is behind all this mess, he's the one who has got Red Hood And it's all my fault! Now, He might be dead already! I should've known, I-I should've figured it out quicker, I should've done something, DAMN IT!!”, you buried you face in your hands due to the building frustration within you.

“Don't be like that”, you heard Harley's voice as a hand was placed on your shoulder, she sat down on the bench next to you, you turned your head and eyed her warily, seeing nothing but concern.

“Don't give up. Clearly this Hoodie person means a lot to ya so you get off your ass and go get him, don't you Bat People always find a way”, you looked at her for a moment, then jumped up on your feet.

“Can't believe I am saying this but you are right Harley, I need go and I will find a way to save him, but before leaving I wanna know something”, you looked Ivy in the eyes as you worded your next sentence, “Why save me?”

“It was just my way of replaying you for saving Harls from that clown once”, instead of elaborating Ivy just crossed her hands over her chest waiting for you to leave. You gave her a warm smile, something they are not used to seeing, from a bat of all people.

“Thank you Pamela”

With that you were out of that detour and onto finding the path leading up to Jason.

•°•°

Somehow you reached the safe house without running into some kind of trouble, with how your day has been going, you were completely expecting something else to go wrong. Thankfully it didn't. You took out a spare comms unit, keys for your bike and some aspirin to dull the headache.

Soon you were whizzing past vehicles at full speed triying to contact anyone available at the moment.

“Come on pick up, pick up, pick up! What's the meaning of giving us an emergency button when no one picks the damn thing up”, you spoke into a dead line, wishing you could just bang your head against a wall, on second thought not a good idea.

Two minutes later the call was finally picked up and a screen appeared on the dash of your bike, it was from the batcave and you could see Dick, Damian and Bruce in sitting in front of the computer, Tim was connected from what you assumed to be the titans tower. However Dick was the first one to pop the question.

“(Y/N) what's the emergency? Are you okay? We haven't heard from you since last night”

“Look no time to explain. Jason's been taken by Pyg and I need you guys to give me a location. Now”, you said gritting your teeth as you narrowly missed a truck for the second time this evening.

“Todd's captured? *tt* his incompetence precedes that of Drake”, Damian's snarky remark made Tim snap his head up.

“Hey!”

“Boys”, Bruce's stern voice made them quiet enough for the time being, “Batgirl you are injured and your emotions can compromise the whole rescue, go back to the safe house and let us handle this”, Bruce ended the transmission and it made you angry.

'He said that they are going to handle it, that means they know where he is, so now all I have to do is to get Dick to spill it out'

You dialed Dick back, hoping he would understand what you are trying to do.

“I know why you specifically choose to call me back and No I am not letting you go head first into danger without any of us with you especially when you are compromised”, Dick's tone was stern but laced with concern.

“Dick the last time Bruce said he will handle it, Jason died, look I know what he is trying to say, I get him, I can't blame him for wanting to look after me but you have to understand I have to be the one to get him back”

“Why?!”

“Because I can't lose him again! The last thing that I said to him was that I might never forgive him! Never forgive him for something that's not even his fault! You are my only hope at getting him back, please don't take that away from me, please”, you pleaded with him as you slowed down the bike to a stop.

The line was silent for a while, the thought about saying more to him crossed your mind; what you are feeling about Jason, how much he matters to you, how you've failed him more than once, but ultimately decided against it and instead you just waited for his reply.

You deflated as soon as you realized that the line was cut but the ping of a notification caught your attention; The map to the possible location of Jason.

“Dick Grayson, you big softie”, you smirked, your bike roared as you made your way on to the free way heading fast towards the Gotham outskirts.

Meanwhile at Professor Pyg's 'supervillain headquarters' :

Jason slowly woke up, assessing the situation he quickly came to the conclusion that he messed up and now he is tied up to what seems like dentist's chair.

“Great, there has got to be a new record I've set in this family for messing up and getting kidnapped”, Jason muttered under his breath, he tried to tug at his restraints to get free but it turned out to be fruitless. A blinding light was switch on above him and he grunted due to the intensity.

“Man, what is up with you people and light?! Turn it off already!”, Jason said as he tried to adjust his eyes accordingly, when he came to, he was met with his captor himself.

Jason just stared at the man in front, moving towards him, wearing a pig mask and holding a butcher knife. He has seen enough crazy but this guy might just rival the Joker himself.

“Pyg know you broken. Pyg make you perfect”

“WHAT THE F--”

°•°•°•°•

(I like to think I am funny)

Cute little extra note: Yes it is the second time I'm leaving you guys hanging and NOPE I do not regret my decision.

Tagging: @ladyperceval

[elareine]

I had a thought for a prompt: What if Tim had a Costco membership, for getting groceries for Titans Tower right? But what if he got himself a Costco sized tin of those Danish Butter cookies (you know the ones that everyone’s grandma uses the tin for sewing supplies?) for his and Jay’s apartment. Que every single one of their siblings, friends, and Bruce sneaking into their apartment to steal some. Because Alfred DOES NOT let them into the manor for reasons.

That is a hilarious prompt, thank you, love!

(Also thanks to @atasteforsuicidal for explaining what exactly Costco does XD)

It started with Dick. 

Which, okay, not too weird. Tim and Dick were close, and if you asked Jason under torture, he would admit that the two of them managed just fine these days, as well. So Dick was a regular visitor these days, and with his metabolism, him sneaking some cookies from the big tins wasn’t too surprising. 

“Eat something real,” was Jason’s only reply, and then he made Dick some pasta because no one in this family could feed themselves.  

Stephanie was a lot less subtle about it. She marched in with a fervent: “God bless your kitchen” and ate everything in sight. Nothing unusual about that. 

Duke was next, though Jason only retroactively added him to the list. That kid was just charming as fuck, dropping by to ask for some opinions and making such a show of stealing Jason’s quesadillas that Jason never noticed him going for the cookies. 

The problem really started when Damian broke into their kitchen. 

Jason didn’t even figure it out until after it happened, which bugged the hell out of him. Apparently, the hellspawn was willing to do the song-and-dance of slipping through their alarm system but didn’t care about being recorded. Possibly because nothing Damian was all that bad, as far as Jason could see. He went through a few of their assorted tins and boxes, ate a few things, crammed some cookies into his bag, and… left. Maybe the kid had just been hungry on patrol? 

(Jason still replaced all of Tim’s coffee, just in case.) 

Only that wasn’t the last break-in. No, they had nightly visits by two speedsters. Two. Jason was amazed they had any food left at this rate. This was why Tim had become a Costco member; they would be broke otherwise, inheritance or not. Damian broke in again. The second time, he even brought Jon. 

Jason just wished he knew why their kitchen had turned into midnight-snack central. When he complained, Tim just laughed at him.

It didn’t click until Roy fell upon the tin with a cry of delight. “Oh, Jaybird, you bought the good stuff!” 

“They’re just cookies.” 

“Yeah, but the good ones.” For some reason, Roy looked… disappointed with him? “You really don’t appreciate the finer things in life, do you?” 

Normally, Jason would’ve taken that as the starting point for a rant about quality in food and art in these modern times. Right now, he was too busy experiencing an epiphany. “Is that why fucking everyone is trying to burgle our kitchen?” 

Roy patted him on the shoulder sympathetically and inhaled another cookie. 

Sadly, Jason didn’t feel any better about the madness just because he now had an explanation. They still had the nightly visitors, and more daytime ones than ever, too. Even Damian stopped pretending and just invited himself over for lunch. 

One night, Jason switched on the kitchen light, saw Bruce standing there, and switched it right back off. 

“Barbara is now my favorite sibling,” he declared upon returning to the bedroom. 

Tim didn’t look up from whatever he was typing. “Does she really count as a sibling? She does have a dad.” 

“Half sibling, half future sister-in-law, then.” Jason would feel more awkward about that sentence if he wasn’t literally sliding under a blanket with Tim. In their bed. In their apartment. Sooo. No stones to throw here. “Anyway. She’s my favorite.” 

“Any specific reason?” 

“She didn’t yet try to steal those fucking cookies.” 

The typing stopped. 

Jason groaned. “…seriously?” 

He must’ve sounded truly pathetic because Tim actually put the laptop on the nightstand and scooted his way over into Jason’s arms. “She stopped by when you were out with the outlaws yesterday.” 

“And there goes my last hope,” Jason sighed. 

Tim showed his sympathy by cuddling in closer, which Jason appreciated, but he wasn’t done with this whole thing yet. 

“It tells me I need to start baking again,” he grumbled into Tim’s hair. “If ya’ll are going that crazy for some fucking butter cookies, you should try my mom’s recipe.” 

“Yeah, but if you make them, Alfred will love them.” 

“What does Alfred have to do with this?” 

“He forbade those cookie tins from the manor years ago. No one wants to cross him, but… the lure of the forbidden…” 

“So we’re in some sort of reverse psychology experiment?” Jason chuckled. That. That actually explained a lot. Except—“Wait. If you knew—why did you buy it in the first place?” 

Tim mumbled something unintelligible. When Jason poked him, he raised his voice, but not by much. “It’s kinda nice, isn’t it?” 

“Oh.” Jason cupped Tim’s jaw, gently tipped his head so they were looking at each other. “Sweetheart, you know they would visit with or without the cookies, right?” 

Tim just looked at him. “Kinda?”

They had done this for long enough that Jason just asked: “You want logical or emotional reassurance?” 

And Tim knew he could reply: “…both.” 

“Literally every single one of them has a trust fund. They can afford all the Danish butter cookies in the world. Dames could just break into Cosco—and you know he would, cause it’s a corporation, so ‘stealing is ethical.’” Jason allowed that to sink in. Then he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Tim’s temple. “And they love you very much.” Just like I do. 

When he thought that Tim got it, he nodded and let go, allowing his boyfriend to hide his face in Jason’s neck again. That turned out to be a mistake, for Tim chose that moment to strike: “You know the same goes for you, too?” 

Jason took a moment to blink. “…Nah. It’s definitely the cookies.” 

“Sure, Jay.” Tim pressed a kiss to the side of his neck. “Keep telling yourself that.” 

Jason hummed. A peaceful quiet settled over their bedroom. 

He waited until Tim was just settled in, his breathing starting to slow down, to say: “By the way, Bruce is in our kitchen.” 

“I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that.” 

[catxsnow]

I want to see Tim go absolutely feral.

Tim Drake, the guy who always has the right intentions, even with the sometimes wrong means of doing so. The guy that always seems to know what he's doing and is always one step ahead. The guy that always has everything under control because he's already planned everything out from the moment he steps into a room.

It always seems that he's so in control of every situation that nothing could go wrong. It's true for the longest time. Bruce trusts Tim to keep everyone safe on his own. If there's anyone that's going to get every civilian out alive, it's him. Everyone knows that Tim won't ever cross that line.

Until he does.

It was an accident, it really was. Tim had been getting stronger, his moves more agile than ever before. He didn't realize just how hard he could swing his bo-staff and just how precise a hit to the temple could be. Tim didn't realize that he had taken the last breath of a man until it was too late.

He wasn't scared of what Bruce was going to say, or Dick, or Jason - or anyone. That wasn't what he was scared of. It wasn't that he was petrified at how easy it was to kill someone. No, Tim was scared because everything that he had ever done finally clicked into place. Why was he the one that had to risk his life to save the bad guys? Why was he the one that needed to reach the brink of death just so that some scumbag could live and breathe again?

Tim couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't keep putting himself out there when he knew there was a better way. And so he did the one thing Batman refused to do: he killed. Tim broke free of this ridiculous rule that Bruce instilled into him. He was tired of it, tired of coming home broken and bruised.

They were minor at first - criminals scumbags that had no family and no one to miss them. Breaking free of Batman's vice grip of justice to find his own way - the better way. His brother's trying to bring him back before it was too late. His friends were unsure of what happened to their headstrong leader.

Tim got lost in the darkness far quicker than some of their enemies. He worked his way up from petty criminals to the ones that really matter. Boomerang. Calculator. Clock King. Kid Crusader. Mad Hatter. Joker. Ra's al Ghul.

It's Ra's that finally tips the scales. His brother's siding with Bruce on his quest to stop Tim. Cassie and Bart realizing that Tim has completely lost his moral sense of direction. It's Kon that stays with him. Kon believed in his best friend because Tim has never proven him wrong.

It's when he's standing above Ra's dead body does everyone realizes just how far he's gone. The league in shambles, blood soaking his hands, the criminals of Gotham - hell, of the world are starting to fear the Robin that they never had to worry about before. Everyone is scared because Tim's lost it.

Tim's gone completely feral against his enemies because he's so fucking bad at himself for wasting his years bedridden and in pain when he could have been doing this all along. He's pissed at Bruce for persuading him to fall under his moral code and keep everyone alive. Why is it his choice that everyone gets to live?

Why does the Bat get to decide that the people that have killed so many get to keep breathing themselves? He shouldn't have that power. No one deserves to say that people like Joker get to keep living after everything they've done. Tim couldn't stand by anymore - whether or not Bruce agreed with his plans.

So when the day comes that Bruce has to face his son, it's horrendous. It's not very often that Tim has seen Bruce cry. Damian's death. Jason coming back to life. Dick getting shot in the head by KGBeast. There are very few cases that Bruce breaks down. Seeing Tim for the first time since Boomerang's death? That was one of those times.

Tim's bo-staff is blood-stained. His knuckles bruised and scarred far worse than ever before. New cuts on facing from facing his foes like never before. It's not the physicality of it all that makes Bruce like this. It's the look in Tim's eyes that breaks his heart.

The look of someone who doesn't care that they've killed, that takes pride in those that they've killed. Tim's got that empty, horrendous look in his eyes that Bruce has only ever seen that look in the people that Tim's already killed. No one came back once they had that look in their eyes.

It's that night that Tim realizes that he can't have anyone getting in his way - not when the safety of everyone is at stake. Why stop at the Joker or Ra's? Lex, Deathstroke, hell even Darkseid? Why let those people roam free when they can be stopped? Tim has the power, he's always had the power to put an end to it.

It was Bruce's code that held him back before, and now, it was Bruce himself. So Tim gives him the ultimatum - stay out of his way, or become an enemy. If there was one thing about Batman that Tim knew, it was that he was never going to stand aside when someone was in harm's way.

So what was Tim supposed to do? Let Bruce take him to Arkham to miraculously bring him back to his old self? Nothing about him had changed - he was still the same boy he once was. The difference was now his mind had been cleared of all tainting Bruce had cast on him. Tim couldn't lose to Bruce, not when he still had so much work to do.

Tim did what he had to. He did what no one else in Gotham managed to do. He got rid of the Bat, once and for all.

With Bruce Wayne gone, Tim had no one holding him back. No one to try and sway his moral compass that all this killing was wrong. No one to stop him from cleaning up the world from people that didn't deserve another breath. Batman was gone, and it was Tim's turn to be the protector of Gotham - the right way to protect Gotham.

It was at that moment did everyone realize just how far he was willing to go. Clark, who swore that Bruce could bring his son back home. Dick, who was horrified that Tim was able to go as far as to kill his adoptive father. Kon, who swore that Tim always knew what was right, suddenly faltering at every choice he's made.

Kon, who realizes that this whole time that he was back Tim up, that he was only pushing his father and father towards the edge. Killing Bruce, that had been the final push to get him to fall. Tim would never be able to return to that ledge, not when he had dived headfirst off of it. Kon, who realized that he was the one that was encouraging his best friend to become a monster.

Dick, who knows that he has to face Tim for what he's done. Dick, who tries to stand up against his little brother who murdered their father. Dick, who's on his knees, pleading for Tim to realize what he was doing and that he was going too far. He could forgive him for Ra's, JOker, hell all the other petty criminals that had been disposed of. But Bruce?

Bruce who had given them so much had created this life for them when they had nothing else. Dick couldn't look past that, he could never look past that.

When Tim gives him the ultimatum - the same one that he had given Bruce - Dick can't accept. He can't get on board with this, this mad way of justice. Dick lets Tim defeat him because he can't fight his brother, not even after everything that he's done. All he can see while looking up at Tim from his knees is the little boy that was so filled with joy, so filled with hope to make the world a better place.

Dick's broken because how the hell was he supposed to stop someone who he practically raised, that would now go to no end to take out every criminal he could. How is he supposed to take down Tim until he can't get back up when all he can think about was the first time that he brought Tim to the Titan's Tower and seeing the same joy on his face the first time he arrived all those years ago.

Tim falters, only for a moment. He can't take Dick down as easily as Bruce because he knows that the only reason that he's given up is because he is too broken to fight back. Dick has so much hope in him that Tim will realize that this is wrong. He doesn't; he doesn't realize that what he's doing is wrong because he's not wrong.

It's that split second that everything happens so fast that he can't control it for the first time since he started this mission. Dick moving so fast in one last hope that Tim will come back as himself because he sees that flash of hesitance. It's his last mistake. Tim moves out of reaction, not thinking about his movements but pushing Dick so hard that he stumbles towards the ledge of the building they're upon.

Dick grabbing onto the ledge with all his strength with Tim just standing above him, staring at his brother without thinking to help him back up. He gives him the same ultimatum once more. Dick doesn't have the voice to reply, his throat is tight and it feels like claws dragging down it. He can’t breath, can’t think properly. Dick’s destroyed at what’s become of his brother. 

He doesn't need a response, it's his release of the ledge that answers Tim's question.

Dick takes a final fall, just as his parents had. The fall that started this whole thing - that brought Tim to where he is now. The fall that ended the Grayson family, once and for all.

another (longer than ten minutes this time I promise) ficlet angst! Because apparently I like making you suffer. Had some help this time with @pricetagofficial @river-bottom-nightmare @screennamealreadyused and @subtleappreciation

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Okay, a lonely place of dying thoughts. This will be long

So, I just finished re-reading a lonely place of dying. before I get to far into it: This is specifically to analyze the way the character and information is presented to the reader. It’s not to say “so and so is a bad character” or “this is a bad plotline”.

Starting off: they were definitely playing it super safe for the comic reader when they introduced Tim. It feels as if he is introduced literally as an audience avatar. For a large portion of the time before we meet him, we literally are seeing through his eyes -- the panel is positioned so that we would be at his head height, looking at whatever he’s looking at. we never see him except for his hands (so the audience can presumably imagine themselves in his shoes).

this isn’t the way they usually frame unknown characters or characters whose identity is obscured to create an air of mystery -- and there’s an excellent comparison in this same plotline, because there is a character with their identity obscured, who was framed a different way

[image: first two panels are of two face, who is wearing a trench coat and a fedora that casts a shadodw and obscures his face so we cannot tell who he is. His face is completely in shadow. he is talking to someone behind him. he says "Tomorrow. The zwei brothers warehouse. Two am. Now go back to your wife. the fat lady's about to sing." in the next panel, we see him from behind. the back of his head is entirely in shadow to avoid giving us any hints as to who he is. the man he's talking to, Gerry sky, says "whatever it is -- later." two face says "now. 'payroll activation'" and gerry says "okay, okay -- now."

next there's a panel with the dialogue whited out. We still see two face, wearing gloves and having nearly all of his skin (except for his face, which is always in shadow) covered. First we look at him from above and he is small against a dark room with a bookshelf in the background. Then there's a closeup of only his gloved hand as he turns off the radio. We see him from behind (thighs up) as he stands in front of a window, then another shot of his gloved hand trying to touch the radio. and both his hands clench in fists. He hits the radio, breaking it (his body is still off screen except for his arm and hand) and then at his feet we see the broken radio. end image]

end image/begin commentary - Framing of two face on panel

Notice: The presumed “camera angle” is dynamic around Two face. We see him from multiple angles -- from both in front and behind. When we are looking at the same thing he's looking at, we are positioned behind him, like we're looking over his shoulder. the close ups on his hand are not positioned as if he's looking at his own hand and we are in his head pay special attention to the panel he's adjusting the radio on and the fourth panel of the page -- we're looking from the side of him or from behind him and under his elbow there.

Two face is our mysterious bad guy. This is how they visually frame a character they want an air of mystery around.

compare that to the framing around tim

[image: first, we are looking through a camera that is continuously taking pictures of Batman as he stumbles down a slide, walks shakily to his batmobile, and takes off. then the camera is lowered (we see the hand that is lowering the camera in the view, it is below us as if we were looking through this person's eyes) and put inside a duffle bag. after that, we see something in the conrer of the screen -- an arm wearing a jacket?) and puddles of blood, then a bike tire -- but not the rest of the bike, which is off panel -- cutting through the puddles of blood. next pages shows a bunch of internal monologue that has been blockedo ut. a series of batman and robin pictures from the newspapers and a picture of batman swinging on a line in a scrap book. (in the first panel, batman and robin looking victorious in pictures, the second panel some headlines: “batman attacks mom” and “batman on the rampage” and “batman collars dope ring”. the third a picture of reporters interviewing gordon captioned with “batman batters bandits”. we can see the hand grabbing this picture as if we were holding it.

then we appear to be behind whoever is on the page, looking at his elbow, as he opens up a drawer, then we're back "inside" his head again as he holds up a photo with the graysons (john, dick, mary) and the drakes (tim and his parents). 3 year old tim is sitting on 12 year old dick's leg. end image]

end image/begin commentary - Framing of  Tim in Panel

okay sorry forgive me but this is fucking fascinating in my opinion. Notice that for two face, most of the close ups on his hands were specifically away from his point of view -- we weren’t positioned where his eyes were, but looking from the outside in.

For tim, we’re almost always looking through his eyes, contrasting to two face

and for tim, even when we were not looking through his eyes, in the very first page, he wasn’t even on panel -- we knew nothing about him, we just saw the edge of his bike. the second page we saw a bit of his arm but we never zoom out far enough to see his whole body and definitely not his face -- even if it would be obscured by shadow.

The first read through, I assumed they were going for an air of mystery, but the contrast between how they handle two face and tim to me makes it clear that they weren’t -- it might have been an unintended side effect, or a bonus effect, but it wasn’t the main purpose. The audience is literally viewing most of the panels Tim is in through Tim’s eyes. He is almost literally an audience avatar.

My general hypothesis here (which I think I am supplying proof of) is that Tim is intended to be an avatar in universe for the “average comic reader" (with some assumptions made by the writer about the average comic reader re: race, age,  gender, socioeconomic class)

For more support of this, let’s see how Tim talks about batman and robin --

[image: 3 comic panels from batman 440 featuring newspaper clippings (in the first panel, batman and robin looking victorious in pictures, the second panel some headlines: “batman attacks mom” and “batman on the rampage” and “batman collars dope ring”. the third a picture of reporters interviewing gordon captioned with “batman batters bandits”. there is internal monologue from (the framing of the scene implies tim drake, but at this point he is unknown to the audience) reading “He seemed happier with dick. Now, I guess it’s like he just doesn’t care. But I want him to care again. I want him to be the batman I remember.” then, we have panels from the new titans 61 dick, as nightwing, is reaching in to talk to tim. he grabs tim's arm. dick says, “I don't believe this. that man raised me. I've gone through hell with him and because of him. Don't lecture me about him until you've cared for him and loved him as long as I have”. dick puts his helmet on and drives off on his bike. before leaving, he says "when jason died, he took robin with him." Tim cries and calls after him: "I... I was only thinking of the team... of what Batman and Robin meant! You can't let a legend die like that, Dick..." end image]

end image/begin comment - Tim’s perception of Batman & Robin

Notice in the first panels (with the newspaper clippings) that Tim is reminiscent, he specifically talks about ‘teh batman and robin’ that he remembers. The narrative puts more significance for tim on the fact that batman is not happy and he is not the batman tim remembers, rather than the fact that batman is beating people nearly to death (tim notices this, and it seems to be a “because batman is so clearly sad” thing -- which this is not I believe intended to be a commentary on tim’s priorities, since the general narrative seems to be using bruce’s ultra-violence as a sign he’s angsty).

Then, compare dick’s reaction to bruce with Tim’s.

Dick’s connection to Bruce is extremely personal. Bruce, Batman, whatever, is his dad and raised him and, like he said, put him through hell sometimes. His connection to Jason’s death is similarly personal.

Tim’s connection to Batman and Robin is extremely abstract and idealized. He is thinking of them as, say, a comics reader might think of them. As a crimefighting team who are not together anymore, and this is bad.

this is just bulletpoint 2 in “tim is supposed to represent the audience”, not intending to be a condemnation of tim.

Thirdly

[image: first, a comic panel from Batman 440 showing a close up of Tim’s hand as he reads a paper and him thinking ‘No! the haly circus is closing?’ then, a series of comic panels from the new titans # 60. first, we see mr haly (off screen) and his cigar (on screen) as haly gestures at a photo of the flying grayson's on the wall. then he says "Yeah. Cost us a fortune and brought down our selling price. You know, sometimes I sit here and just remember the good old days. We were barely breaking even back then, too -- but man, were we having fun. then, we see dick grayson wearing jeans and a red shirt, walking through the circus ground. first, he looks kind of dejected and his hands are in his pockets. the narration box reads "he leaves, trying to reconcile the past and the present. Kids grow up and change. but why should everything do the same? The animal cages stink with waste. Was it always this way? At times like now, he wishes for never-never land." then, dick turns as he hears something and says "Hunh? That scream?" end image]

end image/begin comment - Nostalgia as a Theme

Nostalgia is an EXTREMELY strong theme in this comic. Batman is different, he’s not like he used to be. Haley’s circus is different and at risk, but Dick goes back and meets the performers he used to know -- some are still the same, some are in a more rough situation (alcoholic clown). Someone’s trying to kill his friends in the circus, it’s not really a place of childhood innocence for Dick.  Dick explicitly wishes to be in never-never land (the imaginary far off place where you never grow up)

How things should be -- both in Tim’s mind and Dick’s mind, Haly’s mind  -- is the idealistic past, but we clearly can’t go back to it -- Dick says that the first thing Bruce taught him was how to grow up.

Next bulletpoint:

[image: first are some comic panels showing Tim Drake talking to Dick Grayson and Alfred Pennyworth in wayne manor. Tim says “You know, since I was able to read, I clipped every article I could about Batman and Robin. Heck, I used to fantasize about what it would be like to be robin. I study hard. I get mostly A’s. I work out. I’m no circus acrobat, but I’m pretty good, I guess. But mostly, I read aobut you two. You’ve both been so important to me in so many ways. And when I see that without Robin Batman is going off hte deep end, I know there’s serious trouble.” next, we see Dick stepping forward and talking to Tim. he says "But you haven't told me anything I don't already know. I want the rest of it. All of it." end image]

end image/ begin commentary - textually a fanboy

Textually, Tim is presented as a Batman and Robin fanboy -- that’s how he found Batman’s secret identity (link)

He studies Batman and Robin from afar. He reads about them. Kind of like a comics reader would. he wants to be Robin. Again, superhero comics have some wish fulfillment element and definitely wanting to imagine yourself in a character’s shoes is an appeal for many fans. Tim wanted to imagine himself in robin’s shoes and fantasized about being him -- there’s kind of two layers here, one is the presumed audience member reading tim, wanting to imagine themselves in his shoes as he interacts with his heroes, the other is tim, who wanted to imagine himself in dick’s shoes.

re: the second posted image in this set: Tim hasn’t told dick anything that dick doesn’t know, because tim doesn’t know anything dick doesn’t know -- he is the comic reader here. That’s also why he’s so up-to-date on all of the other comic character’s stuff -- we see him list off all of the teen titans, he talks about jason’s death casually, he knows that alfred is batman’s confident -- he pretty much has all of the information that a reader of DC comics would have if they just got beamed into the DC universe at this point.

[image: first, two panels, one showing tim smiling and thinking "Wow! And I thought Harry did it. Man, Dick is good". tehn we see dick holding some photos and talking ot tim, who is at his bike. dick says "These pictures, two face is back in town, isn't he?" Tim says "You can tell, just from them? Wow! You're even better than I thought." the next scene is in the batcave. Dick is nightwing and is about to leave on his motor cycle, alfred and tim are behind him. tim says "no, not nightwing, Dick. don't you understand -- Batman needs Robin!" he turns to look at alfred and says "Doesn't anyone understand?" Alfred says "Perhaps, young man. Perhaps master Dick understands profoundly -- perhaps that is why he brought you here." tim looks surprised. end image]

end image/begin commentary: The old robin’s approval

another very important thing here: DC plays it as safe as possible with tim’s introduction, trying to make the audience like him, and one is definitely establishing that Tim both looks up to dick and thinks he’s cool (first two panels) and that he has dick’s presumed approval/blessing to be robin (last three panels). it’s also important to note that while tim is portrayed as competent, he never shows up Batman and Nightwing -- he rescues them because two-face lured them into an expert trap, but he doesn’t outdo either of them on fighting or detective work. this has an in universe explanation -- he is 13 years old, just starting out -- and an out of universe explanation -- if he’s not showing up anyone’s favorite character, he is presumably more palatable and less threatening for the presumed reader.

that’s what i mean when I say taht DC played their intro of tim very safe -- he falls in with the established characters, already likes them, is practically already a fan of them with full fanboy connotations. The idealized past is presented as something as desirable, both to the reader and to the characters themselves, and there is a strong current of nostalgia and returning things to how they “should” be with Batman having a robin. Tim voices what many readers may feel: That batman lost his way, that he needs Robin, and he gets to act out those feelings in the comic. the text acknowledges that they can’t just force dick back into it, that people have to grow up, and dick passes the mantle to tim.

overall I think that tim’s employment here was effective, but I look forward to seeing more when he’s allowed to be himself rather than an audience avatar. I understand lots of people like audience avatars and he was wildly popular presumably for those reasons, but I personally found the plotline lackluster at points.