#i admit i love when Jon and Damian turn to each other the judge the person in front of them

[talia-kane]

i know for a fact that if Jon met Talia Kane he would not short circuit for two reasons, 1) he’s already bisexual and 2) his bond with Damian is sooo much deeper than physical attraction, these two have been facing death together since they were children

[thevindicativevordan]

My Superfamily Set-Up

By and large I’m fairly happy with the upcoming Infinite Frontier status quo for the Superfamily. Granted that’s in part because I’m still convinced Kara will get an ongoing or mini in 2021, probably to coincide with her show returning, and PKJ hinted at plans for Steel on Twitter. But Kon has escaped the Titans dumpsterfire for a little while, and I’ve heard good things about Thompson as a writer as well. Kenan is popping back up in a one shot written by Yang that will hopefully herald more appearances in Batman/Superman. Jon is still co-protagonist with Clark in the main books, Tanya is in the Future State Shazam book and also a candidate for the FS Justice League book, so hopefully she’ll be in Titans Academy, and Lois is poised to be a big player in the upcoming Checkmate mini by Bendis. So fingers crossed, all the core members of the Superfamily will be in stuff come end of 2021.

Now that said, were DC to suddenly realize that I alone can save Superman, and asked me what kind of status quo I would like (whether for a mainline or Elseworld book makes no difference to me), this is the basic set up that I would go with:

Superman - I’d do a traditional status quo. Superman is disguised as Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter, married to Lois Lane, etc. I’d have Ma and Pa go back to being dead since I still am not a fan of them being alive. Note that this isn’t a reaction against Bendis, I loved Bendis’ run, but I do want to play with the traditional status quo a little bit before diving into something different. Especially since so many Superman writers have traditionally completely wasted the potential of Superman’s status quo.

Lois Lane - Similar to Superman I’d go with a more traditional status quo at the start. She works at the Daily Planet, she and Clark are married, she’s the best reporter in town, etc. I would eventually have her take over as editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet from Perry, I thought that was a great idea the New 52 wasted, and I love the idea of her and Cat Grant being rivals with the Daily Planet and Catco competing. 

Jon Kent - I’d restore kid Jon and toss him back to the Super Sons, not because I think what’s been done with him has been bad, but mostly because I don’t want to write him as Superman, I want to write Clark. Jon seems to be being set up to be co-Superman, and I just don’t have any interest in writing that. To restore kid Jon without destroying Bendis’ run which I enjoyed, I’d explain that teen Jon is actually the “evil” Jon we saw from the Super Sons of Tomorrow future. He went back in time and rescued his kid self from Earth 3, and explained to him that he wanted to prevent that future from coming to pass, but that he needed to take his younger self’s place to do so. Kid Jon agreed, after all he was terrified of becoming evil in both Tomasi’s Super Sons of Tomorrow and Bendis The Man of Steel, and has basically been in hiding watching the events and also studying Hypertime so he can learn how to avoid ending up evil. 

Clark and Lois would blow up at the Jons for the lie when Teen Jon judges he’s changed things enough for his kid self to return, but both Jons could point out that both Clark and Lois have kept secrets when they deemed it necessary from each other and Jon. That would be a neat conversation to have, and a way to continue the untraditional family dynamic that Bendis set up. You could keep teen Jon as a time anomaly until Hypertime catches up with him and restores him to his timeline, with him continuing to be Superman as penance, while kid Jon goes and pals around with Damian in Williamson’s Robin or whatever.

Superwoman/Kara Zor-El - I like the idea of Kara “graduating” to the Superwoman name. It’s open right now given Lana’s retirement, and I think it would suit Kara. I would keep Kara in National, it’s her own little corner to play in, but I would keep that development from (I believe it was) Andrea Shea, where Kara gets fired from Catco because she’s a terrible intern due to always running off to be a heroine. She and Kal talk, Kara admits she doesn’t really want to be a journalist, and so she goes and interns at STAR Labs. I hate how DC keeps turning all the members of the Superfamily into Clark clones. It’s goddamn stupid and I want them to please STOP. Why the hell would Kara want to go into journalism anyway? We’ve never even seen a damn journalist on Krypton! It’s a stupid thing they did on the TV show because they wanted to swipe Clark’s stuff. Let Kara be the scientist of the Els, the one who carries on the family tradition. What form that takes is something I’m open too, I liked Venditti making her interested in history in his annual, maybe make Kara an anthropologist? That would be hilarious. 

Also give Lena to Supergirl, they can be best friends, enemies, lovers, I don’t care. But Lena is wasting away in a vault under Lexcorp last we saw, and that’s a damn shame considering how popular CW Lena is. I’d also add Natasha Irons (who I’d rename Mastersmith) and Tanya Spears (Powerhouse) to Supergirl’s supporting cast, they could play off each other as three supergenuis women).

Kon-El/Conner Kent/Scion - I’m really excited to see what Thompson is going to do with Kon on the Suicide Squad, but here’s what I would do with him. Kon would finally be able to shake off the Superboy moniker and leave that to Jon. Instead he’d take the name “Scion” as a reflection of his origins, and a tie-in to his new status quo. In the wake of Death Metal, Lex Luthor would abruptly step down as head of Lexcorp, stating that he needs time to redefine himself in the wake of his latest attempt to justify himself as the true hero by serving Perpetua, ending up with him needing Superman to save the day again. While he is away, he’s turned over complete control of Lexcorp to his sole heir: Conner. Conner is now head of one of the evilest megacorps in existence, and is one of the wealthiest men alive. Conner knows this is just another maneuver by Lex in his neverending crusade against Superman, but he’s determined to not just be another pawn. He accepts control, renames Lexcorp Superman, Inc. His mission will be to transform the megacorp into the force for good it pretends to be. Conner will have to take on not only Lex loyalists and traitorous underlings who would love to be CEO themselves within Lexcorp, but new megacorps who have flocked to Metropolis in hope of establishing themselves, now that the former Master of Metropolis has abdicated his throne. Threats within and threats without, but armed with the powers/morals of Superman and the charm/brains of Lex Luthor, Kon is just cocky enough to think he can handle it.

John Henry Irons/Steel - It will be a big year for John Henry Irons. His private company Steelworks is about to go public and make him a billionaire. Lana Lang has accepted his marriage proposal and they’re due to be wed. His niece Natasha has left the nest and is off working at STAR Labs. Irons is posed to finally resurrect the decrepit Suicide Slum and allow it to catch up to the rest of the City of Tomorrow. However there are problems: new megacorps are moving into the city in the wake of Lex Luthor leaving, people are disappearing from Suicide Slum with dark rumors are spreading about the reasons why, and the people of Suicide Slum are accusing Irons of planning to gentrify the borough. Making matters worse, weapons that Irons designed as a young man are appearing on the streets of Metropolis, attracting negative attention from the media and putting Steelworks at risk. Irons is going to have to suit up and take up the fight all over Metropolis, from the darkest levels of the Undercity, to the bright deceptive board rooms at the top of skyscrapers in the city’s heart. Irons will have to reckon with his past to secure his future, and confront the evil Metropolis would rather pretend doesn’t exist.

Kenan Kong/New Super-Man - Look just give Yang a damn Kenan book and let him go wild. Right now is either the best or worst time to give Kenan a book given the situation with Hong Kong, but if anyone is equipped to deal with it, it’s Yang. I’ll just add that I would love to see Kenan on a Global Guardians team, but I’d also love to see Justice League of China as a spinoff book of the main Justice League. Kenan is as close as DC has come to their own Spider-Man/Invincible take on Superman, Jon sadly hasn’t really differentiated himself from his dad while Kenan is VERY different. I would love to see Kenan pushed more and would buy a new book in a heartbeat. Also put out a damn New Super-Man omnibus Jim Lee, for God’s sake can’t you abuse your power to push the character you wanted created and is actually good unlike most of Wildstorm? You’re shoving Grifter back into everything but not Kenan? Christ.

So yeah that’s the Superfamily status quo I’d establish. Keeping my Clark and Lois ideas close to my chest for now, but I might go into more detail later.

[heyitsani]

Pretend You Know This Song

Word Count: 2265

Rating: Teen and Up

Warnings: General Batfam chaos, Reverse Robins (not really a warning but eh)

Pairing: Damian Wayne/Jon Kent and brief hints of one-sided-ish Jason Todd/Dick Grayson

Notes: As I told @mlim8, this comic has been living in my brain rent-free since she posted it and I couldn’t resist.  Go shower it with the most affection you possibly can because it’s adorable and I love it.  And Mel.

This is also kind of just a shit post because I needed to get it out of my head.  So I wrote and edited in less than two hours.  Don’t judge.

You can also read this on AO3 here

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Damian and his father were already seated at the table in the small dining room the family used for regular meals when the others started filtering in.  It had been a particularly rough night on patrol, both Jason and Richard getting a little more roughed up than usual, so it was unsurprising that everyone was slow to wake.  Though, had it been a working day, he was certain his father would have managed to pull himself out of bed long before he actually did.

“Tim, I was unaware you stayed the night,” his father greeted his second eldest son as he entered the room.  Damian was unsurprised by the raised eyebrow and silence from his younger brother was he took the seat just to the left of the eldest of the Wayne kids.  It was as far away as he could get from the man he still struggled to be around.  Not that Damian blamed him.

There was a soft scuffing sound of socked feet being dragged on a Persian rug as Jason entered the room and slumped in the seat next to Tim.  Damian knew that if either of them had been more aware, they would be on opposite sides of the table as well.

“Good Morning, Master Jason,” Alfred greeted as he set a plate in front of the teenager before he set one down in front of Tim as well.  

“Morning, Alfie,” Jason intoned before diving headfirst into the plate of food without greeting any of the others around him.  It was all very mundane and ordinary for each of them.  After years of being a family, however mismatched they were, they had become terribly predictable.

More unsurprising than all of the other entrances to the dining room was Richard’s.  Despite having only been with them for a little over a year and still suffering the loss of his parents, Damian couldn’t help but compare the boy to a literal ray of sunshine.  He had no idea how the thirteen-year-old managed it, but he always managed to seem so cheerful.  Despite the various bandages and bruises that could be seen over what bits of skin were exposed, he still bounded into the room with a bright smile.  

Damian watched him greet each family member over the top of the newspaper he was reading, grudgingly accepting the hug he gave the eldest so freely, before the teen bounced over to his seat by Bruce.  

“Morning everyone,” the boy greeted with a warm smile before turning that smile upward to Alfred as the man set a plate in front of him.  “Thanks, Alfred.”  The older man smiled and patted his head before heading back to the kitchen.  “I have an announcement,” Richard’s voice sounded from his chair, and Damian glanced up to see him smiling that smile with his hands clasped in front of him.

He could see the others at the table look over at Richard and regard him carefully.  Rarely ever did Richard not command the attention of whatever room or crowd he was in.  The acrobatic nature of him wanted the attention.  In a small, family setting it was no different.

“So I’ve decided!  When I grow up, I’m going to marry Jon,” he offered up freely, and Damian felt his eyes roll immediately before dropping them back down to the paper in front of him.  He heard his father let out a chuckle, something only Richard could pull from the head of the household, and he noticed Tim regarding Jason, who was frozen looking at the youngest.  “He’s kind, and smart, and handsome,” he listed but Damian found himself more interested in the growing smirk on Tim’s face as he continued to watch Jason for some reason.

A quick glance at the teen showed he was still frozen watching the youngest.  

“And he can fly!” Richard finished his list off with a bright smile on his face, seemingly proud of the list of reasons he had made in Jon’s favor.  And though Damian couldn’t exactly fault the younger for seeing Jon’s better qualities, he was a little disturbed given the age difference between his best friend and his younger brother.

“WHAT?!”  Jason’s outburst seemed to catch everyone but Tim off guard and Damian made a mental note to ask the other man about that.  “EW!!  NO!!! You can’t marry Jon!  He’s already so old!”  Damian glanced over at Richard as Jason ranted, clenching the paper a little tighter at Jon being deemed “old” when Damian was two years his senior.  He decidedly ignored the smirk Tim sent his way despite seeing it out of the corner of his eye.  Bastard. “If you marry him when you’re older, he’ll be like 1,000!!”  Damian watched Richard’s face turn confused, brows pulling together as Jason spoke.

While Damian didn’t see the harm in Richard’s little crush, he was still young after all, Jason seemed to be completely outraged by the idea.  A glance at the other two adult at the table told him his father was simply exasperated and trying to ignore the situation but Tim looked almost…amused as he typed into his phone.  He really needed to get to the bottom of that.

“Besides, you can’t even date him!”  Damian grabbed his tea as Jason continued and tried to go back to reading the paper.  “He’s gonna marry Dami!”  The words caught him off guard enough to cause him to spit out the tea he had just taken a sip of.  

“Wh-what?!?”

“W-we are not, Todd!” Damian found himself exclaiming, eyes wide as he took in the determined look on Jason’s face and the tears welling in Richard’s eyes.  Damn it all to hell, he grumbled mentally.  The last thing he wanted was a crying Richard.  

“Liar!”  Jason turned an accusing finger on Damian.  “I saw you smile at him during patrol!”  Damian sat there for a moment, stunned, before he noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye and looked over at Tim.  

“Drake!  Are you recoding?!”

That damn smirk slid back onto his face.  “No.”  

The sigh his father heaved from his end of the table was loud enough to draw Damian’s wide eyes.  He could see Richard with his face buried in his hands and buried in his father’s chest.  “You boys are lovely this morning,” the man said flatly, an arm wrapped around Richard’s shoulders.

“Father…!”  Damian gestured over to the other two, one who still hadn’t put down his phone and the other who was no glaring at the food in front of him. But his father simply raised an eyebrow and started to rub circles on Richard’s back.

“That is certainly enough of this conversation,” Alfred stepped into the room and immediately took Tim’s phone out of his hand.  Despite the protests from Tim, Damian knew Alfred would most likely delete the video.  “Can you boys please finish up your meal without another incident?  Master Richard, you have yet to touch your food.”  His tone went from hard to soft as he reached the youngest who was still clinging to his adoptive father.  “Why don’t we put this behind us for the time being and enjoy the rest of our meal?” There was a muffled sniffle before Damian saw Richard’s head nod and him slowly sit up.  But he kept his eyes downcast as he moved back to his chair and refused to look at anyone as he started to slowly eat.

Damian found himself clenching his fist to keep from getting up to comfort the boy.  He knew that after the year of practically being his father, he would always struggle not to be the one the teen turned to when he was upset.  But this time, it was Damian he was upset with.  So he pushed the instinct down and stood from his seat.

“Titus come,” he called for the dog who had been laying at his feet the entire debacle as he stepped away from the table.  “It is time for your walk.”  He didn’t bother to look at anyone other than Richard as he left the room, but not even a glance was sent his way.  It bothered him more than he wanted to admit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The evenings patrol had been quiet, and Damian found himself thankful for that given his mind kept going back to what had transpired at breakfast earlier in the day.  He could tell Richard was still upset about the events, but Damian had no idea how to make the situation better.  He didn’t want to encourage Richard’s crush given that yeah…maybe him and Jon were something to one another.  But he also didn’t want to stop him from behaving as a young teenager should.  The only thing he could think of to do was request that Robin join Nightwing on patrol instead of Batman.

And though the teen was a vigilant as ever, Damian knew him well enough to notice that he was always just on the edge of saying something.  It wasn’t until they took a moment to just observe the city below them that he seemed to have gained the courage.

“D…” he started, and Damian bit his tongue at the reprimand that wanted to surface at the nickname.  “I’m sorry I said I was gonna marry Jon,” the teen said quietly, latching onto Damian’s wrist.  The apology was definitely not what the elder had expected.  “I didn’t know you were dating.”  And though the almost heartbroken sound of Richard’s voice made his chest ache, Damian wasn’t sure what to say.

“N-No names in the field, Robin,” he chastised him carefully.  What was he supposed to say to Richard?  He didn’t want to lie but he also didn’t want to explain something he wasn’t even quite sure of himself.  The fact that Jason had picked up on it was enough to show that perhaps Damian wasn���t keeping his feelings as under wraps as he thought.  “Let’s head back.  I do not think there is any reason for us to remain out tonight.  We can have some hot chocolate before bed,” he offered as an acceptance of the apology.

And when Richard’s smile went from sad to it’s usual brilliance, Damian knew he had made the right call.  What the consequences of his lack of denial would be, he’d have to deal with them later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a few days since the incident that shall not be named took place and Damian found himself letting Jon into his Bludhaven apartment after having just handed Richard over to Alfred to take home after he had stayed over for the weekend.  He hadn’t been expecting his best friend, but he didn’t find it an unpleasant surprise so he didn’t complain.

“Dick already gone?” Jon questioned, glancing around to see the chaos the teen had left behind but not the teen himself.  Damian only hummed with a nod as he picked up various items the teen had upended or left behind.  He made a pile of things to wash and things to return the next time he was in Gotham, which likely would be in the next day or so.  “So….”

Damian looked at Jon over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow, noticing he was rubbing the back of his neck.  The bashful act immediately put Damian on edge.  “What?”

“Why did Dick tell me that he approves of our relationship?”  Damian froze in mid reach for an item and instead stood up, arms crossed over his chest. He knew he looked as annoyed as he felt. Damnit Richard.  “Are we in a relationship?”  

Damian huffed a breath. “Ignore him.  It was Jason who put the thought in his head the other morning,” he waved a hand at the other man and went back to picking up the items strewn about his apartment.  

“But now I’m very curious as to what exactly happened,” Jon teased, and Damian sent him an annoyed look before entering his room and depositing the laundry into his dirty clothes hamper. He knew that Jon would follow him, but he still rolled his eyes when he turned and found the taller man leaning on the frame of the doorway.  “And maybe I don’t want to ignore what Dick said.”  That caused Damian freeze for the second time in a matter of minutes.

“What exactly are you implying here, Kent?”  He let the laundry basket drop the few inches he had picked it up back to the floor, turning to find the man standing just behind him.  “Jon?”

Jon’s blue eyes traced over Damian’s face and the older man found himself holding his breath as the man searched for whatever it was he was hoping to find.  “Maybe I’ve just been waiting for some kind of hint and Dick finally gave it to me…”  Whatever Jon had been looking for he must have found because his warm hands rose to cup Damian’s face as Jon stepped a bit closer.  

“A hint toward what?” Damian whispered, focusing all his strength at resisting the urge to look down to Jon’s lips that were moving closer with each passing moment.

“That this would be a welcomed gesture,” the man muttered, leaning forward and effectively closing the space between their mouths.  And though shock reverberated through his body, Damian allowed his eyes to slip shut so he could enjoy the moment for however long Jon allowed it to take place. If he was going to offer this side of him so freely to Damian, who was Damian to deny him something he himself had been yearning for for years?

[fishfingersandjellybabies]

In Your Father’s Eyes - fic

Characters: Damian Wayne, Jon Kent, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Lois Lane, Alfred Pennyworth, little bit of Clark Kent and Tim Drake and literally everyone Pairing: jondami Summary: Of all the things and all the experiences they thought Jon and Damian would have, it certainly wasn’t this. But they’re all better for it anyway.  A/N: A commission for the lovely @heraldofsong! I hope you enjoy it. :) They asked for a bittersweety fluffy story about the Batfam’s reactions/reminiscing to Jon and Damian having a baby. I chose the middle name ‘Charlotte’ because according to the internet it meant ‘freedom’ or ‘free’ and I felt that described an adult Jon and Damian very well. Barry went with Lois downstairs in case Jon and Damian emerged while she was gone, he could rush her back up. Also, it goes without saying, the Flashes brought Steph, Cass and Kara back from the gift shop the same way. Jon is petrified of holding or even touching the baby sometimes. He eventually gets over that. Some vibes for this fic are ‘Mango Dream’ by Afternoon Bike Ride. 

~~

It was a quiet afternoon at the manor. The warm sun peeking through the curtains. Birds chirping outside. The contented crackle of flame in the fireplace as he and Alfred each sat in a recliner reading a book.

Then Tim called.

“Conner and I are on our way to the hospital. Just about there, actually.” He said urgently. “Damian and Jon were taken there by a group of Green Lanterns.”

“What happened?” Bruce demanded, jumping from his chair as quickly as his old bones would allow him. Alfred glanced up from his novel, closing it immediately.

“That’s the thing…I…I’m not sure.” Tim offered. “I’ve already talked to Damian. He said neither of them were really hurt at all. Just that he needs us there. All of us.”

That was enough for Bruce.

Tim said he’d already called the others, and was in the process of sending Bruce the hospital coordinates. As Bruce and Alfred gathered their coats and head to the car, Bruce’s phone pinged again with a text.

I think you might want to bring your credit card.

Bruce rolled his eyes at Tim’s instruction, but checked his wallet anyway.

The hospital wasn’t in Gotham, or Metropolis, but a smaller city in between. A medium-sized research hospital that the League used often. Out of the way, but staffed with the most skilled in the world, and able to keep a secret or two.

Bruce could already see the gaggle of Green Lanterns on the roof as they pulled in to the parking lot. But judging by their relaxed body language, just like Tim had said, there was no emergency.

So what…?

Lois and Barry were in the lobby waiting for them. She smirked when she saw them, crossing her arms.

“What’s happening?” Bruce demanded. “Are the boys alright?”

“Perfect.” Lois let her smirk become a wide grin. There was a giddy shriek from nearby, and Bruce glanced over. It came from the gift shop, where he could see Stephanie holding something up, showing a confused Cass and judgmental Kara. “We were just waiting here for you to take you to the right ward.”

“Well, I must say, judging by everyone’s attitude, I can’t imagine it’s the ICU.” Alfred quipped. Barry laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Nope.” Lois spun away, all but skipping as she led the way. “Barry, you ready to catch him?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “We’re heading to the maternity ward.”

Bruce froze.

“…What?”

Barry was instantly at his shoulder, an arm hovering against his back.

“Ms. Lane…” Alfred said slowly. Laughter from the gift shop again, and now Bruce could see what Stephanie was showing the others – baby clothes.

“Wild, right?” She nodded, urging them both to follow. “But it’s true.”

“Apparently the boys were on a mission with a few of the Lanterns, on some planet.” Barry explained as he gently pushed them along. “This planet has way more advanced in vitro fertilization technology than on Earth. Than in the whole damn Milky Way. But apparently a major part of the fight was in a science lab. And I don’t know if it was from blood from injuries or sweat from exertion or what, but somehow both their DNA got into one of the machines, and literally hours later, a baby was being born.”

“An…alien child?” Alfred asked.

“You’d think that, but no. One-hundred percent Damian and Jon. So, only twenty-five percent alien, Kryptonian, from Jon’s side.” Barry hummed. “It wasn’t like their DNA was being added to an already incubating organism. Its creation came about because their DNA got combined.”

“At least,” Lois interrupted. “As far as we know. That’s why we’re here. They’re getting the baby checked out.”

Suddenly, Tim’s text made sense. “We have…nothing for a baby at the manor. Do…you and Clark have anything from when Jon was born?”

Lois’s grin softened. “Not enough to have everything they’ll need. But enough for the first day or so. Clothes-wise, anyway.”

“They’ll…they’ll have to come stay at the manor.” Bruce turned to Alfred, mind already in hyper drive. “Their…their apartment isn’t big enough. Right?”

“They live in a penthouse, sir, not an apartment.” Alfred smiled. “But I’m sure if you asked they wouldn’t mind coming home for a while. Especially with all the foot traffic of new aunts and uncles that they can surely expect.”

“You already know which room Clark and I are staying in, right, Alfred?” Lois teased.

“Of course, Ms. Lane.” Alfred chuckled. Barry suddenly dashed forward, holding the door open for the three of them. “I’m already devising the floor plans for everyone in my head as we speak.”

And even with the three women in the gift shop, the maternity ward was a madhouse of Supers, Bats and Leaguers alike. Tim was talking with Dinah and Ollie, showing them cribs and mobiles on his phone. Conner was talking with Diana, Donna and the two Wally Wests. Lois was already rejoining Clark, who was speaking with J’onn. Jason had already grabbed Alfred and was gently pulling him towards Koriand’r and Roy.

Barry was stepping up behind him. “Has Dick been…?”

Barry pointed, but it was useless, since Bruce had just spotted him. He was away from the crowds, further down the hall, staring into one of the closed doors, his arms folded across his chest.

Bruce nodded and gave Barry a short grin. Barry gently squeezed his shoulder before disappearing into their friends. Bruce inhaled and slowly walked forward. Everyone immediately gave him passing congratulations, and he smiled softly to each of them in return.

Dick didn’t look at him as he approached, kept just staring into the door. Bruce silently stood next to him, and glanced inside himself.

Damian and Jon stood there, next to a plastic crib. They were in matching teal scrubs that barely hid the few bandages they each had across their bodies. Nothing serious, like everyone had told him so far, but still enough that made his heart beat a little faster.

Jon’s wrist hung over the crib, and Bruce could see tiny fingers clinging to his middle one. His other hand was around Damian’s waist, rubbing calming circles against his hip. His head was up, nodding at whatever the doctor standing across from them and the crib was saying.

Damian, surprisingly, was opposite. His head was down, watching the child. His hand was cupping the baby’s head, stroking gently across its tuft of dark hair.

Bruce couldn’t see any other features on the baby. Its face was blocked by its fat belly and gleefully kicking feet. The hand not latched on to Jon’s waved every so often, where he could see a tube connected.

God, he couldn’t even see it and he adored this child already.

“Can you believe it?” Dick suddenly whispered. Bruce turned his head towards him, but kept his eyes on the door. He heard the baby give a loud squeal. Watched as Jon glanced down and grinned, shaking his captured finger. “Damian’s a dad.”

“So it appears.” Bruce smiled.

“He wasn’t one yesterday. There was no plan for him to be one, yesterday.” Dick continued, practically in awe. “This is…incredible.”

“The universe is an incredible place.” Bruce agreed. “…How long have you been here?”

“About an hour.” Dick admitted. “Damian called me when they hit Earth’s stratosphere.”

“Did you get to see the baby at all?” Bruce asked. In his periphery he saw Dick shake his head.

“They were already in there by the time I got here. Jon came out for a hot second to ask me to bring Lois to the ward when she arrived. But otherwise I haven’t talked to them.” Dick sighed. He shifted nervously from foot to foot. “…It’s almost laughable.”

“What is?”

“Damian’s the first of us to be a dad.” Dick smiled wistfully. “Mr. ‘I-Don’t-Need-Anybody’, Mr. ‘I’m-Not-A-Family-Person’, Mr. ‘Jonathan-and-I-Are-Too-Busy-To-Raise-Children’…and he’s the first of us to have a kid. A biological kid.”

“A biological child conceived and born in hours, from what I was told.” Bruce murmured. He chuckled. “Quite a…peculiar birth. Just like him.”

They lapsed into a silence then, as they continued to watch through the door. They could see both Damian and Jon conversing with the doctor, and suddenly, said doctor was lifting the baby from the crib, taking it out of view. The baby clung to Jon’s finger for as long as it could, even pulling a little as it was pulled away.

Almost immediately, Jon turned to Damian, and the two began to speak softly to each other. Damian’s face looked tired, nervous. Jon’s looked similar, but he smiled anyway, cupping Damian’s face in his hands. Damian clung to his wrists, closing his eyes as he leaned into one of the hands.

“…Do you remember when he was little?” Dick asked softly. “So tough and angry. I’d ruffle his hair and he’d try to cut my arm off.”

“He was a little…prickly.” Bruce smiled warmly. “Focused on nothing but Batman’s mission, and being the best. But you freed him from that viciousness.”

“I had help.” Dick laughed, watching as Jon leaned down and kissed Damian, before the two engulfed each other in an embrace. “Don’t sell yourself so short, old man.”

“Don’t sell yourself short either, Dick.” Bruce bumped his elbow into Dick’s side. “For as much as I loved him at the time anyway, much of his growth was because of you.”

“…Look at him, B.” Dick whispered after a moment. Bruce actually glanced at him now, and saw tears in his eyes. “Look how much he’s grown.”

Bruce put a hand on Dick’s shoulder, gave a squeeze as he glanced back towards the door. Damian was twenty-seven now, Jon twenty-four. Both tall and muscular, though Jon slightly more so, and both perfect mixtures of their parents. Each with their own lives, their own identities, creating their own legacies, their own destinies.

But right now all Bruce could see was the children they were. The friends forced together by their fathers, but almost instantly inseparable. The kids who were stronger than any man, and whose favorite game was to climb a life-sized replica of a tyrannosaurs rex that was nestled in a cave, and eat lunch in its mouth.

Damian said something and Jon laughed. Damian’s eyes lit up and his cheeks turned red as Jon kissed his forehead.

Bruce smiled too.

Friends from childhood. Lovers in adulthood.

And now, fathers.

Clark’s baby was a father. His baby was a father.

“I’m so proud of him.” Dick murmured, voice trembling in joy. “He’s just so happy, Bruce.”

Dick turned away, embarrassingly wiping at his eyes.

“God, don’t let him see me like this.” Dick laughed weakly. “It’ll ruin my chances of being the baby’s godfather.”

“It’s endearing.” Bruce promised, turning to look at him. “If nothing else, it’ll heighten your chances. Besides, you’ll still be its uncle no matter what.” A smirk. “And grandpa, depending on who you ask.”

“Oh god, Bruce no.” Dick laughed, wiping faster at his eyes. “I’m too young to be a grandpa.”

“How do you think I feel?” Bruce asked incredulously. “I just got told by Superman’s wife twenty minutes ago that I’m a grandfather!”

Dick looked over at him, eyes soft, the crinkles around his eyes more noticeable with his smile. “You’ll be a great one, Bruce. The very bes-”

There was the sound of a doorknob turning, a latch unhooking. Dick and Bruce both spun back around towards the door to the exam room to find it opening.

Suddenly, the whole hallway was silent, save for a light whooshing, electric noise. Clark was there instantly, Lois in his arms. Conner appeared with Tim, Jason was just finishing pushing his and Alfred’s way through the Justice Leaguers, and the Flashes were each dutifully helping Stephanie, Cassandra and Kara to their feet.

They all waited with baited breath.

It was Jon who was opening the door, and held it open for Damian to walk through. Damian, who had a swaddled bundle tight in his arms, stepped tentatively into the hallway. As soon as he was through the threshold, Jon was at his side, a protective arm around his back.

When Damian glanced up with his wide, shocked eyes – he looked at Bruce first. Then Clark, then Lois, then finally landed on Dick.

“I…” He croaked. Closed his mouth, cleared his throat. Let himself smile slightly as he returned his gaze to Bruce. “We…we have a daughter.”

He turned the baby outwards slightly. Her eyes were closed, but skin was the perfect mixture of Damian’s tan tones, and Jon’s pale colors. She had Jon’s wild curls, but very clearly Damian’s nose and eyebrows. There were immediately a few gasps and coos among the nearby Leaguers.

“Healthy?” Clark asked. “She checked out okay?”

“Completely perfect.” Jon exhaled in excitement. “Doc said she looks like every other baby he’s ever seen, all the way down to the DNA.”

“Anything about…powers?” Clark pushed.

“Dad.” Jon rolled his eyes. “She’s only a few hours old.”

“The doctor told us to monitor her as she grows, and go over your, Jon’s, Kara’s and even Conner’s personal histories.” Damian explained instead. “And if she does at any point present powers, it will likely follow the same timeline as the rest of you.”

Lois stepped forward, gently pressing her hand to the baby’s head. Like always, she asked the question everyone else was too nervous to.

“What’s her name?”

Jon and Damian glanced at each other, and Jon let out a light laugh.

“Martha.” Damian whispered, looking straight at Bruce, with a quick glance to Clark. “Martha Charlotte.”

“Hello Miss Martha Charlotte.” Lois cooed, leaning down to kiss the baby’s head. Martha just yawned, and curled back into Damian’s chest.

“Whose last name?” Dick asked gently, taking his turn to step forward. “Martha Charlotte Kent? Martha Charlotte Wayne? Hell, Martha Charlotte al Ghul?”

Damian smirked and Jon looked heavenward as he mumbled, “To be determined.”

Dick laughed as he looked between the two men. He let his laughter die out and asked, “You two nervous?”

“Is it that obvious?” Jon countered incredulously. “I mean…jeez, I’m still afraid to hold her!” He leaned into Damian’s back. “What if I…I don’t know, squish her, or something?”

“You won’t, Beloved. I promise.” Damian teased, leaning back to kiss at Jon’s cheek.

Dick smiled, and couldn’t help himself. He leaned forward and pressed his temple against Damian’s, looking down at Martha. She gave a contented sigh.

“I am so, so, so proud of you, Damian.” Dick whispered, squeezing Damian’s arm. Lois nodded in agreement as she ran a hand through Jon’s hair, before returning her attention to the baby. “”I am so proud of you both.”

Damian let himself smile, let himself exhale in what almost sounded like relief as he leaned into Dick. He stood there a moment, let Dick and Lois fawn over the baby, before glancing up again. Clark was watching with a bright smile, one almost too big for his face. Waiting excitedly for his own turn, but clearly quickly losing his patience.

Then he looked to Bruce. Bruce who had just been staring silently since they stepped into the hallway, eyes wide, lips parted. A faint, awed smile was etched gently into his face, and it made Damian’s own smile widen. He slowly stepped away from Jon, Lois and Dick and towards his father, angling towards Clark in the process to include him too. “…Father?”

Bruce looked up at his face, the adoration clear in his old blue eyes.

“…I have a daughter, Father.” Damian breathed, looking towards Martha. She smacked her lips sleepily, and Damian’s smile, impossibly, grew. Let himself smile wider than Bruce had ever seen. “And I just…she is already my whole world. I…I’ve never loved someone so quickly.”

“That’s what having a child does to you, son.” Clark smiled.

Damian’s grin faltered, just slightly. “I’m sure it was not this way when I arrived in your life.”

It was a self-depreciating joke, made to downplay Damian’s importance to every single person in this hallway. But Bruce didn’t take it. Bruce didn’t dare play into the darkness that still plagued his youngest’s mind.

“On the contrary.” Bruce hummed, taking hold of his elbow. “I might have loved you even quicker.”

Damian snorted and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he just kept looking at Martha, shifting his hand to run across her tiny cheek. His voice was barely a breath. “…I have a daughter.”

“And she looks like you.” Bruce noted, poking at Martha’s nose. She scrunched it up and shook her head. Damian laughed, and held her even closer. “…I’m so happy for you.”

Damian looked up then, almost in surprise.

“You’re going to be a great father.” Bruce whispered, squeezing Damian’s elbow. “The best of any of us.”

Damian turned back towards his husband just in time to see Dick grab Jon and wrap him in the biggest hug he could. As Dick released him, Jon glanced over at him. “…And he will be an even greater one.”

Jon, who of course heard the whole conversation with his powers, grinned sheepishly.

Damian giggled as Jon stepped towards him, and kissed his forehead, then leaned down to do the same to Martha. A moment later, he allowed himself a deep breath. “Well. You ready?”

Jon glanced over his shoulder, towards their waiting brothers and sisters, to the entirety of the Justice League waiting behind them. He exhaled sharply. “As I’ll ever be, today.”

Dick laughed as he and Lois helped pushed the new parents forward. As Clark stepped closer to Bruce and hugged him in quiet glee.

“Welcome to the family, Martha.” Dick grinned, gesturing out to everyone, before looking down at the sleeping newborn in Damian’s arms. Damian and Jon looked happily at each other. “We’re so happy you’re here.”

[akimmito]

I’ll still be with you

Previous | AO3 | Next

Master List

Chapter 2: The blue of the sky

Maybe, I can never see this sky again...

The raindrops fall in silent lament, drowning out the noise of the city that is prey to its tears. He just watches the clouds above him, ignoring the water and allowing himself to soak, the white uniform shirt sticks to him defining the muscles he hides underneath, the hair almost covering his eyes as it drips following the rhythm imposed by the sky.

"From here, I can't tell if you're crying or not."

Damian looks away from the dark sky and meets his best friend's vibrant blue, a brilliant color among all the gray that surrounds him. Since that fateful night everything has lost its meaning, didn't he want to make his father proud? Didn't he want to show that he could do great things? Didn't he want to find his own way?

"You're going to get sick, let's go to class."

"No, I'll stay here..."

"Shall I call Alfred or Dick? You don't look good. ”He keeps staring at the blue, sees it blur with the boy's conflicting emotions. Jon is still three years younger than him, it doesn't matter that he's already nearing puberty. His features are still childish, he still lights up as if he were his own sun without needing the star that revitalize him.

"I'll be fine, I just need time..."

Why do I feel this way?

Jon just watches him before nodding, doesn't say anything else, and walks away. He gives him little glances the further he walks back to the classroom, for several days he has been that way, sad. And as if the skies of Gotham felt it, the same amount of time it has been raining, shedding the tears that the teenager is not able to let go.

Damian looks back at the clouds, feeling his eyes sting. In an attempt to contain the sensation, he closes his eyes and just lets himself be felt, the drops soaking him even more, knowing that Alfred won't be happy when he sees him dripping so much water that he could give a whole neighborhood drink. But the rain stops falling on him and he opens his eyes again, a black umbrella protects him.

"I extended a permit to your teacher, come with me."

Damian feels the return of the rain abruptly on him and sees Drake walking towards the main entrance, unlike him, his brother is so neat that he doesn't seem to be walking in the rain. He looks at him for just one more moment before walking behind him.

Before, when he first arrived, he saw Drake as someone inferior, as a piece to be eliminated from the board in order to achieve his objectives, he earned his contempt and a cold shoulder that prevailed until now. Drake is the hardest to read, always hidden behind a sympathetic image, easy to ignore, easy to underestimate and forget that, of all the Wayne family members, he's the most dangerous. He runs Wayne Enterprise better than Bruce, everyone says, the efficiency of the company grew as soon as he got the full job a year ago. Drake is nineteen years old and it's already everything Bruce never asked for, but is proud to have.

If I were like him would my father be proud? Would he love me more?

They move silently through the damp streets of the city, Damian has his eyes fixed on the drops that crash against the glass of the window. There was no comment, Drake just handed him his jacket and now it's just as wet as the rest of him.

He don't want to keep thinking, he just want your mind to push all the thoughts that drown him and let he breathe easy. He feels tormented by not being able to fulfill his father's expectations, by the quiet years in the company of Richard and that were broken by the abrupt return of Bruce, by the time it left and will never return, by the lost happiness, for the torn illusions and for the dreams that are impossible to reach on a horizon that recedes with each step he takes.

"I'm Sorry."

Damian turns to Drake immediately, he's suddenly with the blue of the sky that is dimmed by sadness.

"Why?"

"It's my fault, I brought Bruce back."

He doesn't say anything, maybe that's enough, because his brother returns all his attention to the streets.

The sound of the rain envelops them and the cold is almost welcoming. Damian closes his eyes and leans against the glass, he doesn't care about the destination as long as it's as far as possible from the mansion, the school and everything that haunts him. Because he failed.

I just have to resist… it's the only thing I can do.

I'll not change my father's mind.

I'll not change overnight...

The lack of movement brings him back to reality, the noise of the drops hitting the car is not heard either. They are under cover.

"Where we are?"

"My home."

Sure, Drake lives in the city. Like Todd, he follows the patrol routes imposed by Batman, but no longer lives in the mansion. It's just Bruce, Alfred and him...

A sense of tranquility floods him, it's not the mansion. It's a place without shadows, but neither with a light that he doesn't deserve. Follow Drake up to the tall silver, barely noticing the details of the apartment, though it0s more of a complete building. He vaguely remembers that it's the old theater near the alley where his grandparents died, it was not important and still is not, it is almost surprising how detached he feels to the whole thing, when that event was the first and great event that he brought to life to Batman. He could say, without shame, that he feels closer to the death of Richard's parents, because he always spoke to him about them and made him part of those moments, he made them his family.

"Why are we here, Drake?"

He sees him wandering aimlessly until he stops in front of a door, gives him a glance before entering the new environment. Damian follows him, assuming the answer to his question is there.

A room so small that it could be a matchbox, at odds with the large space enjoyed in the previous room. Stacked books and scattered papers are the main decorations, but the most important are the two computers. Drake works in that little 4x4 space? The place is visibly uncomfortable.

"Drake."

"Bruce is being unfair to you." Damian frowns, his brother doesn't face him, he can only see him in profile while he turns on one of the two computers. The light illuminates his face, making his dull expression better to see. "I was also unfair to you six years ago and I remained so for a long time, I was stuck in your version of ten years. I'm sorry for that too, you deserved more. We're family."

It was never a secret that Drake held a grudge against him and to receive such a sincere apology, admitting that it wasn't just Damian who made mistakes, it's a new and unfamiliar feeling. It's not exactly unpleasant, although it does cause him some discomfort.

"I know it was an accident. I can't judge you for that, I've been close to passing that line… ”He falls silent and begins typing, opening files and an email. Damian begins to suspect that those computers are not for work, he looks for the switch and when the whole room is properly lit, he can see everything in greater detail.

Stacked books are magic, since when has Drake been interested in magic? It's no secret that he feels rejection towards it, so it's strange. The scattered papers, for some that he can read, are bank accounts and other documents related to a certain Gabriel Agreste. On the far wall are a couple of photographs, guarded as if they were a secret. Red Robin and a spotted heroine, Drake and a young girl with bright blue eyes and a kind smile. He can only assume that it's the same woman.

"What is all this?"

"The memories of my trip."

Damian doesn't make sense in his words, but doesn't push. He's tired of pushing.

Just hold on... this place is at least much better than the mansion.

"I'll go."

"Hm?"

"I'll leave Gotham and I'll not return." Only until then does he look at the screen, there is another photo of that same woman, but in the design of a French Marie Lenoir passport, he's sure that this is not her real Name. Next to it's also one of him, Timothée Rothchild. That just confirms it's not her real name. "There is something I must do and it will take me a lifetime."

"Why are you telling me?"

"Do you want to come?"

Damian just watches him open another document and this time, it's his photo with a blank passport.

I wanna go?

Maybe that's the time to go back and find my way...

---------

I don't know if I managed to express well the feeling of melancholy and of being... lost, yes. I hope I have made it.

What did you think?

[bisexualsforprompto]

“Tongue Tied” Maribat Mondays ‘Mute’

@maribat-mondays and thanks to @caffeinetheory for beta reading!

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Damian didn’t have a soulmate and he was fine with that fact.

Well ‘fine’ wasn’t the right word but he had learned to accept it. It wouldn’t have been acceptable in the League of Assassins and it’s not like he needed one after seventeen years of not having one. Damian would never admit it but he did feel...inferior sometimes when he saw all of his family who had soulmates. Only 2% of the population didn’t have one.

Dick had Kor’i, Tim had Connor, Jason had Roy, his father had Selina, and Damian was pretty sure even Alfred had one (though the old man never said who it was). Where did that leave Damian?

At first he had thought it might be Mar’i, the Grayson spawn. Then he thought maybe Emiko. He had even considered Jon! Sometimes he wondered if he even had liked any of them romantically or if he was just trying to make up for his lack of a soulmate.

Not that it mattered. It wasn’t like Damian cared if he had anyone special. He’d been used to being ignored or judged all his life. His own father had forgotten his birthday and of course he was pitted against his cousin as a child. One less person to judge him? One less person to ignore him? Sounded fine to Damian. It definitely didn’t bother him when his father wasn’t there for his thirteenth birthday, he’d call anyone ridiculous for suggesting such a thing, but did he really need someone else to forget birthdays? Compare him? No.

Damian Wayne didn’t need a soulmate.

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Marinette was late.

Shocker.

She rushed to the bus, hair a half brushed mess and Tikki just barely making it into her purse.

“Wait!” She yelled before the bus pulled away. As she hopped on the bus out of breath she watched as Miss Bustier shook her head and tutted disapprovingly.

“Marinette what did I say about setting an example?” She said quietly placing a hand on the girl’s shoulder. Marinette shoved it off, the whole ordeal made her angrier than normal and it could surely only get worse. Marinette walked slowly to the back of the bus ignoring the whispers.

Alya and Lila sat together rolling their eyes at her and as always Sabrina and Chloé openly shunned her. Marinette sat alone with misery as she watched Adrien look at her out of pity and snap his head back. Marinette sighed and was prepared to put her headphones in until they reached Wayne Enterprises, but of course before she could reach the safe haven of melody Lila had to open her big mouth.

“You know my soulmate lives in Gotham!” Lila said causing everyone on the bus, save Marinette, to stop what they were doing and listen to Lila. Alya brightened next to her best friend, “OMG Girl! Who is he?!” Lila giggled.

“Well you may have heard of him so make sure to keep quiet about it, but he’s Damian Wayne!”

“Bruce Wayne’s son?!” Alya marveled, Lila nodded with feigned modesty. “Woah! What kind of bond do you have?!”

“Well, until I met him at one of the Wayne galas when we were eight I couldn’t see the color of his eyes and he couldn’t see the color of mine. When we saw each other it was like the world exploded into blue!” Lila sighed. Rose swooned, “So romantic!”

“Doesn’t Damian Wayne have green eyes?” Asked a quiet voice. Everyone turned to Nathaniel, Lila shooting daggers with her eyes.

“Well-“ she started nervously.

“Wait, Adrien, dude, haven’t you met Damian Wayne?” Nino asked to the blonde sitting next to him.

Lila visibly paled though Marinette didn’t know why. It wasn’t as if Adrien ‘spineless’ Agreste was going to speak against her.

“Yeah I did.” Adrien gulped, “He has blue eyes…” Marinette rolled her eyes and put in her music, Adrien was such a hypocrite. First saying that as long as they knew the truth everything was fine to openly lying for Lie-la.

“Can I see your soulmark?” Asked Rose, she loved seeing the romantic mark that was received on both soulmates after they met each other.

“Well- I- it’s in a private space if you know what I mean!” Lila chuckled.

“Don’t worry, Lila, we believe you.” Adrien said.

“So annoying.” Marinette whispered into her purse. She saw Tikki give her a confused look. She didn’t realize why until she spoke again, “What?” But no sound came out. Marinette started yelling frantically only for no sound to come out once more.

“What’s going on?!” Tikki asked in a hushed whisper. Marinette shrugged and went into full panic mode. She ran through the possible scenarios of why she had gone mute. A miraculous side effect? But glancing at the tiny red goddess next to her who was as confused as Marinette that couldn’t have been the case. An akuma? No they were out of Hawkmoth’s range. Maybe Lila was an evil witch who cast a spell on her? Well probably not, Lila was less of a witch and more of a b-

Suddenly it hit her. Marinette grabbed her notebook and began scribbling furiously. She shoved it next to Tikki who read it wordlessly.

There’s a soulmate connection that activates when the two are in a certain radius of each other, until they meet the two will be mute. The bond is really rare.

Tikki brightened, “That’s wonderful Marinette!” She exclaimed as she continued to whisper not to alert anyone around Marinette (not that the class could care less about her).

What are you talking about Tikki?! This is a disaster!

Tikki gave Marinette a puzzled look. Marinette looked like she was sighing though no audio came out.

Gotham is huge! There’s no way I’ll find my soulmate before the trip is over! Then I’ll be mute forever! I won’t be able to be Ladybug if I can’t say the transformation phrase! Then Paris will be doomed! Hawkmoth will win and I’ll never get a hamster or meet my soulmate or-

“Marinette!” Tikki flew back into Marinette’s purse in a flash and Marinette shut her notebook abruptly. Miss Bustier stood in front of her. “Are you ready?” She asked expectantly. Marinette gulped and nodded noticing everyone else had already exited the bus. Sighing silently Marinette stepped out of the bus and became face to face with Wayne Enterprises.

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Damian had been complaining about the fact that he had to come with Grayson to meet the school kids for their tour. Dick pointed out Damian was in school which lead to Damian’s signature “TT.”

Only this time something was wrong. Damian no longer heard his voice. He started to say something again only for no sound to come out. Dick gave him a confused look before brightening.

“YOUR SOULMATE!” Damian winced at Grayson’s volume. He lifted an eyebrow as to say “what of it.”

“You must have the mute soul bond! I bet your soulmate is in the French class! Oh my gosh I can’t wait to meet them!” He practically squealed. Damian was about to protest, after all, there were plenty more plausible reasons for his sudden muteness and it could’ve been sheer coincidence that the French class came when (if) his soulmate came to Gotham. “It’s so romantic! When you guys meet you’ll be able to speak again! Then your soulmark will appear!” Dick all but swooned.

“I prefer him mute.” Commented a low voice. Dick and Damian whipped their heads around to see Jason, who was certainly not dressed to be in a formal work environment, smirking at the situation. “As much as I like Demon Spawn silent, do you really think he has a soulmate?” Jason asked raising a cocky brow trying to get a rise out of the youngest Wayne. Damian retaliated shouting words at Todd...which he couldn’t hear. Jason starting snickering at his brother’s predicament.

“Come on Jay, be nice!” Dick said, “Besides it’s not like-“

Dick was cut off by the sound of the double doors of Wayne Enterprises opening. An Italian girl with quite untasteful hair, green eyes, and an ugly orange ensemble walked into the building as if she owned it. She was followed by an entourage of students. Damian recognized one as Adrien Agreste, he never liked that boy, far too much of a pushover. When Adrien met his gaze a look of panic flashed across his face before he averted his gaze.

“Odd,” Damian remarked silently as he was rendered mute from whatever cruel trick the universe decided to play on him. Damian sighed although nobody could hear it, that would take some getting used to, he hoped his torture would end soon.

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Marinette hoped her torture would end soon. Her other classmates, people she had once called friends, were picking on her before they had left her to go into the Wayne Enterprises building. Lila has tried to rile Marinette up by mentioning ever so craftily that the Italian had a soulmate whereas nobody would ever want to be with a bully like her.

The fact that her muteness came into play and Marinette couldn’t say a word back only made it worse. When Lila couldn’t get a response out of the bluenette she shoved her into a nearby rose bush with all too many thorns.

Marinette hadn’t missed the winces from the sudden display of violence that had come from Alya, Adrien, Rose, Mylené, Juleka and surprisingly Chloé (though Chloé had tormented her she wasn’t about to get her hands dirty and get physical). That didn’t change the fact that they didn’t do anything to help her. They simply let her sit in the bush picking thorns out of her skin while they walked into Wayne Enterprises. And of course teacher of the year Caline Bustier hadn’t seen a thing either.

Marinette sulked as she picked out more thorns, at this rate, she'd never be done. They had probably already convinced Miss Bustier to leave her behind. She could feel Tikki subtly helping out with the rose bush thorns from behind where she couldn’t be spotted and where Marinette couldn’t reach. She turned around to her kwami and gave her a subtle smile. Tikki gave her a sad one back, in all her years she never had a holder who had been treated in such a manner.

Marinette felt slightly victorious as she plucked out the very last thorn from her shoulder and stood up carefully walking out of the rose bush. She ran her fingers through her hair noticing that she’d need to take her pigtails out because on had gotten too many thorns in it. She sighed as she let her hair down, something she seldom did, and walked into Wayne Enterprises.

Little did she know, she’d have an uproar awaiting her.

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“Good morning!” Dick greeted as he walked towards the French class. “Before I begin the tour, is this everyone?” The red haired French teacher didn’t look around before nodding.

Dick furrowed his brows. Damian was unsettled by the teacher’s reaction, but it was probable that she had done a headcount before they left the bus. Dick clasped his hands together, “Okay! I’m Dick Grayson and I’ll be your tour guide along with my brothers Jason Todd-“

“Nah count me out.” Jason said in English, “I only came here because Tim forgot his coffee and since I was the only one home he wouldn’t fucking leave me alone about it.” Dick sighed, rolling his eyes.

“I’ll be your tour guide,” he started again in French, “And my brother Damian Wayne will be too.”

Damian’s eyes scanned over the crowd falling on Adrien once again who had looked as if he was going to be sick. Damian raised an eyebrow, the leader of the flock of French students shared the same expression.

“Wait,” said the redhead girl who was standing next to the leader of the students, “Didn’t you say Damian Wayne was your soulmate?” She smiled. Damian scowled, this wasn’t the first time something like that had happened but he wasn’t keen on dealing with it when he had no voice.

“Um yeahhh.” The brunette laughed nervously, “This must be a different Damian Wayne, the last name is very popular!” Damian wished he had his voice just so he could point that the opposite was true.

“But Richard Grayson,” begun a tall dark haired girl with all black covering her, “Lila, that’s one of Bruce Wayne’s sons and he said that this Damian Wayne was his brother.” The Lila girl paled.

“And didn’t you say Damian Wayne’s eyes were blue?” Asked one of the other students. Damian smirked, he did like seeing justice getting served.

“Wait! Adrien said that too!” Suddenly everyone’s eyes were on Adrien.

“Wait dude, I thought you meet Damian Wayne.” Adrien looked as if he was drenched in sweat.

Suddenly another person burst through the door. Damian couldn’t see who it was because the crowd was blocking the view, whoever it was must’ve been petite. He did hear the teacher call out, “Marinette! Where have you been?”

“Wait, so you were missing someone?” Dick asked rubbing his temples, “What a mess,” he whispered to Damian. Damian rolled his eyes, he had dealt with far worse than this.

“Marinette, you’re supposed to set an example! Why were you gone?” The teacher asked sternly. No response. The Lila girl took the opportunity where the negative attention wasn’t focused on her.

“She’s such a bully Miss Bustier, she threatened me before we came in here! I bet she went to find something to hurt me with!” She began to cry. Even though just seconds ago the students knew she had been lying they comforted her. Damian couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

While they consoled the liar Miss Bustier pulled the Marinette student with her. Damian was finally able to get a good look, she was short as suspected with gorgeous blue hair and bluebell eyes, she was pale and obviously of Asian decent. His eyes traveled to her lips.

“Wow.” He heard himself say. Damian jumped. He glanced at Dick, “Did you hear that?!” Dick nodded,

“That must be your soulmate!” He exclaimed.

“Not necessarily, I-“

“Only one way to find out!” Dick grinned. He took Damian by the hand and pulled him over to the girl and the teacher.

“Marinette! Stop ignoring me and speak!” Miss Bustier shouted. The girl looked exhausted. Dick tapped her on the shoulder. Marinette spun around to be met with Damian’s face. She blushed as she almost slipped.

Damian caught her as she tumbled backwards, “Thank you monsieur!” She said. “I can speak again!” She exclaimed to no one in particular.

As Damian took her hand to lift her back to her center of gravity he noticed that a robin picture had appeared on her hand. He had a matching ladybug on the hand he helped her up with. He cracked a small smile.

“I guess we're soulmates.”

—Bonus—

“Lila Rossi I presume,” Damian said as he walked with Marinette over to the liar who was still being wrapped in a hug by her classmates. Lila smiled nervously when she saw who was standing before her.

“Oh uh hi, listen what happened back there-“

“Save it.” Damian said narrowing his eyes, “Expect a call from my lawyers.” He said. Lila retreated out of the building causing Miss Bustier to run after her.

“But Damian!” Adrien cried.

“Don’t you dare.” Damian heard Marinette say next to him. He was surprised by the amount of bite in her voice. “Lila’s lies were hurting people, your refusal to tell the truth was hurting people. Consider yourself lucky that Lila’s lying didn’t get all of you in trouble.”

“You know she was lying?! Why didn’t you tell us?” Alya shouted to Marinette.

“I told you multiple times. I stopped because none of you listened.” She deadpanned. Damian couldn’t help but be impressed, his soulmate had a handle on things. “And Adrien knew too. He didn’t say anything at all.”

“You lied for her dude?!” Said Nino folding his arms remembering him covering for Lila when Nathaniel pointed out Damian Wayne’s eye color. Adrien guiltily nodded and Nino shook his head, “Not cool.”

“Come on guys! I just didn’t want Lila to get akumatized.” Adrien said waving his hands in surrender.

“They were all lies!” Alya cried as she searched through her phone. “I had to write lies on my blog! I lost over half of my followers, I thought they were just jealous of Lila!”

“Lila told me that she could partner me with one of the best Manga artists in Japan so I stopped working with Marc. We broke up because of her lies!”

“Prince Ali told me he wouldn’t talk to me anymore because of the people I spend my time with! I was so confused and when I asked him about Lila he said he didn’t know her, Lila just told me that he was protecting her by not speaking about her. I lost my best friend!”

“Seems like you should’ve listened to my soulmate.” Damian spat before taking Marinette by the hand and leading her away.

“We’re sorry Marinette.”

“A lot that does now.” Marinette said as she followed Damian without looking back. “Thank you.” She whispered into his ear.

“No problem Angel.”

Taglist (my Maribat list):

@northernbluetongue

@queen-of-the-trash-planet-tm

@luciferge

@legendaryneckjudgestudent

@interobanginyourmom

@beaversuenightly

@worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry

@mochinek0

@shamefullove

@emjrabbitwolf

@actual-disaster-human

@littleredrobinhoodlum

@elijahcoser

[exhuastedpigeon]

Queer Robins Club  Mature Words: 4947

In which the Robins aren’t so good at keeping their sexualities a secret, not that most of them would want to anyway.

Or

How each of the Robins accidentally came out and made a club to commiserate together

Also on AO3

The Robins had a lot in common at face value: they were all dark haired, they were all good looking, and they were all lost boys that Bruce picked up one way or another. When you dug deeper, you could see where they differed.

Dick was light and hopeful, even though his past had been dark. Jason was sharp and cutting, but he cared more than anyone would ever know. Tim wasn’t just smart, he was cunning and he’d do what he had to to make sure things went right. Damian put on a good front, but sometimes he was just a scared kid who wanted to do his best.

They were all incredibly different, but there was one thing that all of the Robins had in common on the inside; they just hadn’t admitted it yet.

Dick

Dick wasn’t sure how it had happened; he really wasn’t. All he knew was that one minute, he and Wally had been watching a movie in Titan Tower, and the next they were making out. It had happened so fast he wasn’t sure who had moved first, probably him, but Wally had gotten with the picture pretty quickly.

It hadn’t taken long for Dick to lose his shirt and Wally to straddle him, the movie forgotten in the background. Dick wasn’t sure how long they kissed for, only of the feel of Wally’s hands in his hair and his tongue in Wally’s mouth.

He was pulled out of the moment by the sound of someone loudly clearing their throat. Wally pulled back, his hair messier than usual and his lips wet and puffy. Dick felt a swell of pride in his chest because he did that to him, but then he looked away from Wally to where the noise had come from.

Roy Harper stood in the doorway with a smile plastered on his face as he watched. “Well, don’t stop on my account.”

“It’s not what it looks like?” Wally said quickly, moving so that he wasn’t straddling Dick anymore. He was blushing, his cheeks almost the same color as his hair.

“It looks like Dickie here has a thing for redheads,” Roy said, still smiling. “I get it, we’re hot. I mean, you’ll never get your lips on mine, Richard, but I’ll understand if you feel the urge.”

Dick took a deep breath and looked at Wally as Roy walked out without another word, which was weird for Roy; he always had something to say.

However, Dick didn’t have time to think about that, because Wally had run from the couch to the door to lock it and then back to the couch before he could blink.

“Would it be weird if we did that again?” Wally asked, fast as ever. “Because I think we should do it again.”

All Dick had to do was nod, and Wally was on him again. This time there wasn’t any holding back. There were hands everywhere and Wally’s mouth on his neck. All Dick had to do was sit back and let his instincts kick in; he couldn’t even bring himself to worry about what Roy might be saying or doing, but maybe he should have.

-------

“Bruce,” Oliver said with a smile, walking towards the other man. “I hear we have a little more in common than we originally thought.”

For his part, Bruce had no idea what Oliver was talking about, but he didn’t say that. He wasn’t going to admit that he didn’t have all the information in front of Oliver Queen.

“Arsenal tells me that Nightwing swings the same way that he does, which is to say both ways,” Oliver said with a chuckle and Bruce put the pieces together. Oliver thought they had even more in common now because both of their protegés liked both men and women, only Bruce hadn’t been aware that Dick swung both ways until that moment.

“Of course,” Bruce said with a nod, wishing for an alien invasion or global crisis to get him out of the current conversation.

For once in his life, he got his wish, but he didn’t forget what Oliver had told him. He filed it away for a later date, knowing that Dick would tell him when he was ready. That didn’t stop word from spreading around the Justice League, but since Bruce knew, it didn’t bother him, and since Dick was open about it, it didn’t seem to bother him either.

Jason

“What is it with you Robins and redheads?” Roy asked. He was pinned against the wall outside of a seedy bar in Gotham, Jason’s thigh between his legs.

“Not Robin anymore, am I?” Jason shot back, his mouth on Roy’s jaw. He didn’t know what had happened to prompt this, but he wasn’t mad about it. In fact, Jason was pretty fucking pleased.

“Whatever you say, Jaybird,” Roy muttered, grinding against Jason’s thigh and sending a jolt down his spine.

To clarify, Jason didn’t have a thing for redheads, just the one redhead.

Instead of replying, Jason attached his mouth to Roy’s. He wasn’t thinking, he didn’t want to talk about it, he just wanted to feel Roy’s skin under his hands and mouth on his mouth.

If he had been thinking at all he would have suggested moving to one of his safehouses. They were in Gotham after all; there was a very good chance that someone in tights would find them and interrupt.

“This could be considered public indecency,” a voice said and Jason’s stomach dropped.

“Hey there, Dickie,” Jason said as Roy laughed into his shoulder.

“This seems fitting,” Roy said. “Is this payback for when I walked in on you and Wally?”

“No! Not at all. I’m just saying, you’re in public and anyone could see you. I’m pansexual so I’m not one to judge,” Dick said quickly and Jason resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Just, use protection and maybe go inside.”

“Fuck off, Fingerstripes,” Jason said with a laugh and Dick pulled out a grapple gun and took off, giving them a wide smile as he did.

“As much as I’d like to keep doing this,” Roy said, “we should probably get back to the mission.”

“Or we could go to my safehouse,” Jason said and Roy nodded with a shiteating grin.

They ended up on the floor of the living room, naked and sweaty. “Bedroom,” Roy said, pushing off the ground and walking to the bedroom, leaving Jason on the floor alone.

When Jason looked in the mirror, he saw something broken and ugly that can’t be fixed, but the way Roy looked at him made him wonder if he was wrong about himself. Roy was a hero that Jason would never be; he deserved better than the broken pieces of a former Robin. He deserved better than Jason.

“Stop thinking, would you?” Roy said from Jason’s bedroom.

“Wasn’t thinking,” Jason said, grabbing his boxers off the floor and landing on the bed next to Roy. “Not really.”

-----

Jason was perched on his favorite gargoyle smoking a cigarette. He looked out at Gotham and sighed; it felt good to be back for more than a few days, but he had spent most of his time avoiding any and all of the Bats.

As if he had heard his thoughts, he felt the presence of Bruce behind him. “Welcome back, Jason.”

“I’m not sure how long I’ll be around,” Jason said. It was a lie; he didn’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon. He could feel Bruce being awkward and broody behind him, so he put his cigarette out and turned around.

“I just wanted to say that you’re always welcome home,” Bruce said, clearing his throat, “Dick told me-”

“Of course he did,” Jason said with a laugh. “Don’t try to make this a bonding moment. I’m bisexual, not dying.”

“Okay, good,” Bruce said with a nod, his cape flapping behind him as he turned. “Come by the Manor for dinner sometime this week; Alfred would love to see you.”

“Sure thing, Big Bat,” Jason said, jumping off the roof and grappling to the next building with the grace and skill that only the Bat-family possessed.

Tim

It wasn’t the first time that Tim and Kon had ended up in a pretty heated sexual situation. If Tim had his way, it wouldn’t be the last, but this was the first time someone had caught them. It was a pretty compromising position, Kon on his knees with Tim in his mouth and Tim’s head leaning back against the wall, eyes half shut.

Cassie’s eyes went wide for a second before she schooled her face into a blank look and said, “Bart owes me twenty dollars.”

“You bet on us?” Tim asked, sounding completely put together, which was a feat in and of itself because Kon was still on his knees and Tim was still half hard.

“I lost ,” Bart said, appearing in the doorway. “How’d I lose?”

“You’re not as smart as you think you are,” Cassie said with a smug grin and a shrug. “Pay up, speedy.”

“Get out,” Tim said and Kon laughed against his leg, breath warm and calming. “Now.”

“Okay, okay,” Bart said raising his hands up in front of him. “I just don’t see why you didn’t tell us you guys are dating; we’d have been cool with it.”

“We’re not dating;” Kon said, “we just help each other out.”

“Oh, cool,” Bart said with a smile, zooming out of the tower without another word. He was probably off to tell half the Justice League about what he had just seen.

“Why do I have the feeling that everyone is going to know about this in about five seconds?” Tim said as Kon zipped Tim’s pants back up and stood up.

“Because it’s Bart and they will,” Kon said with a shrug. “It’s not like it was a secret.”

Tim laughed and nodded. “That’s true; I’m honestly surprised B hasn’t already figured it out. He keeps adopting queer kids.”

“Yeah, you all are pretty queer. Did I ever tell you about the time I saw Dick, Kori, and Wally together?” Kon shuddered. “That was the first time I heard about a threesome.”

“Well, since you’re technically only 3, that’s not surprising,” Tim said, nudging Kon with his shoulder before they joined the rest of the team. Tim already had a text from Bruce telling him that he would always be a part of the family no matter who he dated.

Tim honestly wasn’t sure if he was more impressed that Bruce had been so direct about it or with how quickly he had found out. Bart really did have a huge mouth.

Damian

It wasn’t even a good kiss. It had been a simple peck, and somehow they had managed to be discovered. Damian blamed Jon for it, but in all honesty he had wanted to kiss him too. Maybe if it hadn’t been Jon, Damian would have been more cautious, but it seemed that he wasn’t as in control of himself where Jon Kent was concerned.

And of course it had been Drake of all people to catch him. Drake, who would love the blackmail, which he would probably use to take back the mantle of Robin.

“I don’t care; you can tell whoever you want,” Damian said as he followed Tim across a rooftop the next night. He put on a an angry front, but really Damian was terrified that Drake would tell someone about what he saw between himself and Jon. He had merely backed out of the room with his hands up after he caught them and not said a single word.

Drake just laughed. “I won’t tell anyone, Damian, but you should know you’re a part of a time-honored Robin tradition now. Getting caught kissing a boy in Titan Tower goes back to Dick’s days as a Titan.”

“That’s unsurprising, seeing as Grayson would kiss a tree if it looked at him right,” Damian said, leaping onto a fire escape and away from Tim so he could think by himself. “It won’t be happening again.”

------

True to his word, Drake didn’t say anything to anyone. Or, if he did, they kept quiet about it. It took Damian almost three weeks to let his guard down in that regard, and when he did, it was only because Drake went off-world with the clone and Wonder Woman knock-off.

Damian and Grayson were training in the Bat Cave when Todd walked in with a smug look on his face that made Damian’s stomach drop. Anytime that Todd looked that full of himself, someone was going to get hurt.

“A little birdy told me that you have a crush, Damian,” Todd said, leaning against the wall with a smile that was all teeth. Damian wanted to hit him in his perfect teeth.

“Oh let the kid live, Jay, like you haven’t had crushes before,” Grayson said, jumping out of the training pit and walking over to Todd. “Wouldn’t want me to tell everyone about your most recent, would you?”

“Not to be a spoiler, ” Todd said with another sharp smile, ignoring Grayson, “but I’m pretty sure Dami here has a crush on our very own Steph.”

The knot in Damian’s stomach untwisted and he looked at Todd with contempt. “You never were a very good detective were you? No wonder Father doesn’t ask for you help with cases that need a brain.”

Damian knew that he lashed out when he was feeling vulnerable, but it didn’t stop him from doing it. He wasn’t sure if he was more frustrated that Todd was teasing him to begin with, or with the fact that Todd assumed his crush would be on a girl at all. It was very heteronormative for a man who proudly boasted his bisexuality whenever he was given the chance.

Not that Damian could be anything but straight; he had to produce an heir in his lifetime, not just for Batman, but for the League. That had been drilled into him for as long as he could remember. He would be a dutiful son, a dutiful heir, and he would do what was expected of him.

---

“So, do you - are you dating Carrie?” Bruce Wayne asked as he sat across from Damian at dinner, trying to make casual conversation because Dick told him to at least try. “You seem rather infatuated with her.”

Damian looked like he had swallowed a lemon and Bruce bit back a smile at the expression. “I’m not.”

“It would be fine if you were,” Bruce went on.

“Well I’m not,” Damian said, “and I’m full. I will see you for patrol, Father.”

“That didn’t go well,” Bruce said as Alfred cleared Damian’s dishes.

“It did not,” Alfred said. “Maybe young Master Damian falls closer to Masters Dick, Jason, and Timothy than you sir.”

“Oh,” Bruce said, realization dawning on him. “I should talk to him, make sure he knows that I don’t care about that.”

The Club

“Which one of you nitwits told Father that I’m - that I’m-” Damian stammered as he stormed into the Batcave where Tim and Dick were sparring and Jason was polishing his helmet. He stopped and hit a punching bag instead of continuing.

“Use your words, Dami,” Dick said with a half hidden smile. He was the only one who could get away with looking at Damian like that. If Tim had smiled at him, Damian would have thrown a knife in his general direction, and knowing Damian’s accuracy, it would have hit him, too.

“Who told Father that I’m gay ,” Damian hissed, body rigid as he said the word, like it would bite him.

Dick stopped sparring and looked at Damian. It was a moment of distraction that lead Tim slide tackling him. Dick toppled to the ground and he waved Tim off who was wearing a shiteating grin. Jason flashed a smile at Tim who grinned wider; they had bonded since Jason started seeing the Justice League’s therapist about his PTSD. It was a big step for Jason.

“No one told him you’re gay,” Jason said before Dick could speak. “He probably figured it out on his own. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, well, besides Timmers over there.”

“Fuck off,” Tim said, then realized what Jason said and said. “I mean, thank you.”

“Drake, you were the only one who knew,” Damian said and Jason’s head snapped to look at Tim. “You have betrayed my trust, not that I ever should have given it to you.”

“Trust me Damian, I didn’t tell B,” Tim said, wiping the sweat from his face with a towel and jumping out of the training pit with ease. “ I didn’t know you were gay until you came in here yelling about it. If anything I assumed you were bi. It seems to be a theme with this group.”

“I’m pan,” Dick said. Jason assumed it was a kneejerk reaction with him at this point, always correcting people who said bisexual.

“Well if Dickiebird is pan, Replacement is bi, I’m bi, and you’re gay,” Jason said, stretching his arms over his head lazily, “we could start a Queer Robins Club.”

“I never said that I’m gay,” Damian said. “I merely asked who told Father that I am.”

Dick gave Damian a soft look that reminded Jason that Dick had helped raise Damian. “Dami, it’s okay if you are, and it’s okay if you’re not ready to tell anyone. Just know that we’re all a part of that same community and we’ll be here for you.”

“I might not be,” Jason said helpfully, giving them all a charming smile. He saw Tim roll his eyes, but Jason liked to think it was a fond thing, not an annoyed thing. “What I’m just saying is that I might not be around for it. I already died once; who’s to say what’ll happen on my next patrol?”

“Do you always have to be so dramatic?” Tim asked, lazily leaning back in a chair near Jason.

“You’re one to talk,” Jason shot back with a smirk.

“We were talking about Damian,” Dick said, giving both of them a look that clearly told them to shut up, “If you two could stop flirting for five minutes.”

Tim’s chair fell back onto all four legs with a clang. “I’m not flirting with Jay.”

“I am flirting with Tim.”

“Shut up, all of you,” Damian said, eyes flashing angrily at them. “I will admit that I am not attracted to women the same way that most boys my age are. I assumed I was simply more mature than they, but now I’m forced to reconsider.”

“Did you want to talk about it?” Dick asked, sounding a little strained as he said it, like he knew it was a conversation Damian should have with Bruce. Jason was kind of impressed that Dick even made the offer, not that he’d ever tell Dick that. Then he’d want to bond and that would be too much for Jason. He didn’t need another reason for therapy; he had plenty already.

“No,” Damian said quietly. “Father has talked to me enough. I just have to deal with Mother at some point.”

“Not yet though,” Jason said with yawn. “Avoid it; that’s always my philosophy.”

“Is that why you and Drake haven’t had intercourse yet?” Damian asked. Jason could see the smirk on Damian’s face that told him he knew exactly what he was doing.

“Timmy is a class act; I’d have to take him on a few dates before I took him to bed,” Jason said. “Or, maybe he’d take me; either way would work for me.”

Tim was visibly red, his cheeks splotchy and his eyes anywhere but Jason. Dick swooped in to save the day, as always. “Damian, why don’t we work on your escrima stick skills?”

Damian huffed but nodded and followed Dick to the training pit where Dick had him on his ass within seconds.

Jason and Tim stood ten feet away from them, relatively alone and closer than Jason remembered them being. “I hate him,” said Tim.

“Liar,” Jason said with a smile. “Don’t you worry, baby bird, I like it when you blush.”

That made Tim blush more, but he flipped Jason off and stood up. “I have homework. Have fun with those two.”

“Like I’m sticking around without you,” Jason said, grabbing his helmet and following Tim out of the Cave. “I might even venture into the Manor to see your pretty face, sweetheart.”

Tim rolled his eyes, but he didn’t tell Jason to go to hell, so he took it as an invitation to join him in the Manor’s library while he studied. Jason would never understand how Tim managed to not only spend most of his nights patrolling, but also attend Gotham U full-time and still research the goings-on of Gotham almost as thoroughly as Bruce.

Jason grabbed a copy of Jane Eyre and flopped into a leather armchair while Tim sat at a desk with his homework. “I can’t believe the demon child is gay. That’s 4/4 on Bruce acquiring queer kids, 5/5 if you count Cass,” Jason said a while later, when he heard Tim’s typing slow.

“He didn’t realize it until other people told him either,” Tim said, shutting his computer with a snap. “Best detective in the world, my ass. I’m claiming that title for myself; he hasn’t earned it.”

-------

“I call the first official meeting of the Queer Robins Club to order,” Jason said dramatically, chomping down on a french fry after he spoke. They were sitting in a booth at the back of one of Gotham’s growing number of Bat Burger restaurants.

Tim had to bite back a smirk as Damian looked over his shoulder to make sure that no one had heard Jason. He was slowly coming to terms with his sexuality, but Tim knew that it would be an uphill battle for Damian, harder than it had been for Dick or Jason or himself.

“This feels a bit informal,” Tim said, stealing a fry of Jason’s tray and laughing when Jason tried to steal it back. “Maybe we should have a headquarters and tee shirts, so that everyone knows we’re all queer.”

“I will not wear a shirt,” Damian said and Dick laughed.

“Be nice, guys,” Dick said, putting Damian in a headlock and rubbing his head until Damian tried to bite him. “Hey, not cool, Damian.”

“Why are we meeting at all?” Damian asked. “I could be training.”

“That’s exactly why we’re meeting,” Dick said giving him a smile. Tim fought the urge to roll his eyes; Dick and Damian were closer than Tim and he ever had been. Dick was half-brother, half-father figure to Damian. “You need to get out, actually be a kid for once.”

“I’ve never been a child, Grayson,” Damian said and Jason snorted. “Have something to add, Todd?”

Tim watched as Jason’s lip curled. Two years ago Tim would have thought it was a dangerous look, but he knew Jason better now. He knew that look meant Jason was thinking. “I watched you eat three funny face pancakes this morning while watching cartoons.”

“Irrelevant; you all watch the same cartoon,” Damian said, digging into his boxed meal.

“You realize you’re eating a kid’s meal , right?” Tim said with a laugh, watching as Damian pulled out the bagged toy. “You’ve got a toy in your hand.”

“A toy that I won’t be using,” Damian said and then Jason let out a real laugh.

“I know for a fact that you have your Red Hood toy on your nightstand and that you play with it,” Jason said giving Damian a smile. “Just be a kid, Dami; it won’t last forever.”

-----

Damian tumbled through Jon Kent’s window one afternoon wearing his street clothes and a determined look.

“We’re going to a movie,” Damian said, and when Jon looked at him with a slight frown he added, “Please?”

Jon sighed but stood up. “How are we getting there?”

Damian smiled brightly, holding up car keys. “I appropriated one of Father’s cars for the occasion.”

“You’re 14,” Jon said flatly, pulling a sweatshirt on over his head. “We’ll fly instead.”

For a moment Damian considered reminding Jon that he knew how to drive, but he decided against it. “We should go, it starts at 7.”

“I just need to tell my dad,” Jon said, but Damian grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “What?”

“Live on the edge, Supes,” Damian said, flashing a smile at him that made Jon’s cheeks turn pink. “Let’s go.”

At the theater, Damian paid for the tickets and the biggest popcorn and drink the theater had to offer before they made their way in. Jon lead them to the middle of the theater. It wouldn’t have been Damian’s first choice; he preferred to be near an exit with a view of everyone else, but he was trying to make a good impression.

“This better be good,” Jon said, but he was smiling in a way that made Damian’s stomach flip and he wasn’t glaring, so Damian took it as a good sign.

“Is my company not good enough for you, Kent?”

“Nope,” Jon said, shoving a handful of popcorn into his mouth as the previews started.

------

Eight rows back in the same theater, Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent were slumped low in their seats, eyes on their sons and not the screen. Both had baseball caps pulled low on their heads and they looked altogether very suspicious.

Damian and Jon hadn’t noticed them yet and Dick didn’t think they would; they looked like two kids very much enamored with each other and disengaged with anything else that was happening around them. Both set of Kents and Waynes were actually very sweet for different reasons, but Dick wanted Damian and Jon to have their first date in peace.

Dick quietly slid into the seat behind Bruce and leaned between him and Clark, making them jump as he did. “Really, you two?”

“This is a great movie,” Bruce said, eyes front, but Clark looked down.

Dick grabbed them both by the ear and pulled them out of the theater. On his way out, he saw a couple in the back corner giving them a look; they looked familiar, but the dark made it hard for Dick to tell, and he didn’t have time to take a closer look as he pulled two fully grown superheroes out of the theater.

Once they were out in the lobby, Dick gave them both his best Disappointed Bruce Face ™. “Sneaking into a movie to watch your kids on a date? Really?”

“They snuck out,” Bruce said quickly, face still passive.

“When they sneak out, it usually isn’t good,” Clark added, having the decency to look ashamed of himself, “and when we saw they were here, Bruce said we should stay to make sure they don’t get themselves into trouble.”

“Haven’t you learned to not listen to Bruce yet?” Dick asked with a smile. “Now, get out of here, and let your kids have some space. They can keep themselves out of trouble for a night.”

Reluctantly, the pair walked out of the lobby. Dick waited until he saw Bruce’s sleek Mercedes pull out of the parking lot before he slipped back into the theater. It wasn’t hypocritical, he was just playing good big brother, that’s all.

He sat in the last row, closest to the exit and turned his eyes to the screen. He could see Dami and Jon easily; they had moved closer together while Dick was in the lobby and he smiled at that.

Midway through the movie, Dick remembered the familiar looking couple and subtly looked over at them. One of the men was big, broad shouldered, and probably taller than Dick, his shoulders clad in a tan leather jacket. The second man was shorter and smaller, but his polo was stretched tight over muscular shoulders; his dark hair was pulled into a bun and his fair skin was almost luminescent in the light of the screen.

It took him maybe 15 seconds to realize it was Jason and Tim. Together. On what looked like a date.

What the hell was happening?

Dick stood up; he suddenly felt like he was watching something he shouldn’t. He took one last look back at Damian and Jon, Jon’s head on Damian’s shoulder. Then, he looked at Jason and Tim; they were so close that if it wasn’t for the armrest, they would have been in each other’s laps. It made Dick smile, seeing all of them happy and together.

When he got to his bike in the parking lot, he checked his phone; he had a text from Tim that said, “We thought we could avoid the family in Metropolis… don’t tell B.”

He laughed and tucked his phone back into his pocket before kicking off and heading back to Bludhaven.  Maybe he’d call Wally when he got home; they hadn’t had a guys night in a while and everyone else was coupling off, so why not him, too?

At the next meeting of the Queer Robins Club, Tim and Jason still teased each other across the table, Damian still had a scowl on his face, and Dick still played peacekeeper, but it was good. It reminded them that no matter what happened, they always had each other, and they always had a few big things in common. Mainly, they all loved Bat Burger fries, and they’d always be Robins at heart.