#i like to image that she looks like martha wayne

[goddessofbees]

Lady Gotham and Clockwork definitely swap blackmail

Lady Gotham wanted a meeting with Dan and Jason, Dan being embarrassed by his pseudo aunt (she likes being called aunty Gotham), I like to think that Jason's her favorite. Clockwork would be there but he got busy with time (ha!)

[tacagen]

we are NOT!! TALKING ENOUGH ABOUT THIS PAGE. LIKE THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DEPICTIONS OF THAWNE TO EVER EXIST IN COMICS!! THE BLOOD!! THE BRUISES UNDER HIS EYES!! THE LIFELESS EXPRESSION!! THE HAIR!! THE BUILD!! THE EVERYTHING!! AND ITS A FUCKING CORPSE!!! HIS RENAISSANCE PAINTING ASS IS JUST LYING AROUND IN THE MORGUE WAITING FOR THE AUTOPSY!!!!

[bloomeng]

This is my official Batfam Magical Girl AU Masterpost (everyone clapped)

(image updated: 9/21/24)

I’m going to do a brief overview and then go into more details for those interested.

Bruce being from old money (and apparently being connected to Camelot) inherited a mysterious mineral with unknown properties. In its raw form it’s very unassuming, but when cut like gemstones and added to accessories it can be harnessed into a tool. By altering the mineral into a wearable item it allows the magic within to be channeled. The magic of the mineral connects with its wielder to create an outfit and (typically) a weapon. These outfits do not grant the wearer special abilities outside of the transformation and the weapon, but when worn the wearer is granted (what is basically) hammerspace and a nearly impenetrable outfit. The uniform granted is not something they can alter the appearance of but will change gradually overtime to reflect how the wielder has grown.

This mineral will henceforth be known as Arcanium. It operates on Kryptonite logic in that it’s— allegedly— super rare but also shows up whenever the plot needs it. (I’m aware it shares a name with a card game, but I wanted my Kryptonite spoof)

Martha Wayne unknowingly started the cycle by turning— what she thought was a rare gemstone— into a brooch. She died shortly after having it made and Alfred held onto it in her memory. Like canon Bruce goes on his journey of self-exploration to train. When he comes back he enacts his plan the way he does in Batman: Year One, where he goes out in basically just make-up, and it goes poorly. He wanders his manor trying to formulate a strategy and is drawn to his parent’s room and finds his mother’s brooch. Cue the first magical girl transformation. From there he alters the brooch to fit his bat aesthetic and the Batman Brooch is born.

Dick comes into his life the same way as canon. Bruce takes him in as a ward, Dick tries to track down Zucco on his own, etc. Bruce decides to use the other raw sample of Arcanium to turn into a second magical artifact. He lets Dick pick the theme, and thus the Robin Pendant is born. The rest is history.

(Before I continue I want to warn that I’m making shit up as I go, so some of this is subject to change as I move forward.)

The Robin Pendant is passed down from Robin to Robin. Each Robin got their own unique look while using it. Following canon, Dick and Bruce have their falling out and Dick gives up the Robin Pendant in a moment of anger. In this au I think Dick, not having the pendant to fall back on, tries to lead a vigilante-free life, but of course falls back into it. During a fight he somehow manages to stumble across Arcanium in its raw form. Recognizing it he takes it with him. Like Nightwing: Year One he has his conversation with Superman and decides to become his own hero. Using his knowledge of Arcanium from his years with Bruce he creates his own magical artifact and becomes Nightwing.

This is a good place to interject that I’m not changing any of their hero names. I was asked about it a couple times due to the caption, “Red Bow & Sailor Nightwing” on my Dick and Jason designs. It was just a silly caption, because I didn’t want to simply state “Jason and Dick Magical Girl au.” But being serious, I don’t really see a reason to change their names, with the exception of maybe Red Hood, seeing as I didn’t give him a red hood. My au operates on Sailor Moon logic where despite the lack of masks no one recognizes them, and it’s just vaguely explained by magic. I think it would be funny if Bruce chose to wear a mask anyway because he’s that paranoid, but we’ll see when I actually design him. Anyway point is Red Hood is lacking a red hood, maybe he secretly has a red hood on his jacket or maybe he really does go by Red Bow, I’ll leave that up to interpretation.

Arcanium does not just accidentally appear. At the end of the day it’s still a mineral and it’s not sentient, but the magic has an element of “the wand chooses the user.” It’s not so much a “chosen one thing,” so much as the magic can sense intention. It doesn’t care about the morality of the user, the magic is more seeking a symbiotic connection. (Meaning yes rogues can in fact wield artifacts.) Simply put, it wants a host that will be able to wield it. In its raw form the magic is dormant but it seeks to be… not dormant, so when it finds those who actually have the potential to create an artifact and use it, it reveals itself. It was not a coincidence that Martha had the inclination to have the brooch made, it was not a coincidence that Bruce was drawn to his parent’s room, and it was not a coincidence that Dick found Arcanium in the alleyway.

Each of the Bats have their origin moments with their own magical artifacts. I don’t have the whole timeline down, but I will say there was a lot of drama between Tim and Damian, because Tim was forced to hand over the pendant. Even though he technically relinquished it, emotionally the connection wasn’t severed. No one was sure if the transition would work, but Arcanium responds to whoever needs it more and therefore who will use it more. Like canon, Tim is having an awful time during that era. On top of all of it he’s had his title stripped from him and he can’t even argue because if it wasn’t the right move the pendant wouldn’t have responded to Damian. Dick tries to comfort him by telling him that Arcanium will appear for him when he’s ready, but Tim is furious and impatient. So like a well-adjusted person he decides he’s going to engineer his own magical artifact artificially. It goes as well as his attempt to clone Kon does. It’s not until Tim starts to get back on his feet that Arcanium presents itself to him. My thinking is that while Arcanium finds its users when they need it most, Tim’s case is abnormal. His acquisition of the pendant was unconventional from the start since he showed up and demanded to take on the Robin role. Arcanium is drawn to individuals who will actually use its properties. Tim tends to rely more on his own detective work, which renders the pendant’s properties pretty moot. Especially when he’s going off the deep end, he becomes a hermit meaning a) he wouldn’t really need/use Arcanium’s properties and b) he inadvertently limited his own chances of stumbling across it “in the wild.”

In a similar vein I believe Barbara’s journey is abnormal in that she forged her own Batgirl artifact that operates a little differently than the others, seeing as she made it without Bruce’s influence. After the accident she shelved it, maybe she passed it down to Cass, but eventually she gets it back. She created the Oracle identity without it, and for a long time the Batgirl artifact is something she avoids using, until she gets the idea to combine it with her computer to create a magic computer… sort of. She gets a uniform that is basically connected to the computer.

Going back to Damian needing the Robin Pendant more, its reaction to his acquisition was unique. As I mentioned previously the suits typically provide a weapon, well Damian is the exception. Unlike all the other Robin’s Damian didn’t need more weapons in his life, what he needed was guidance. For the first time the pendant granted Damian a magical animal guardian, which is how he gets Alfred the Cat in this au. Despite being an animal lover Damian is extremely pissed at this development. He wanted dual swords or a scarier animal at least. He can’t formally communicate with Alfred the Cat but he understands him intrinsically, though Alfred the Cat seems to be able to understand human speech somewhat. Only Damian seems to be able to truly understand Alfred the Cat. (Cue the antics of his siblings trying to figure out what the cat means or trying to control him in any capacity.) Besides being an animal, Alfred the Cat is also unique in that he doesn’t dissipate when Damian isn’t in uniform the way that the weapons do. Like the weapons he can be summoned by the pendant, but he seems to have existed prior to the pendant’s creation. (I’m toying with the idea that while in uniform, the cat would also get some sort of uniform.)

Before I get into Duke and his abnormalities, I want to address the Speedsters in this au. It’ll make sense after.

So the Flash. I want to say I don’t know if I will get around to creating full designs for them. I do have plans for Bart and maybe Wally, but I have determined how I want their mechanics to operate in the context of the au. Not all the heroes in this au are “magical girls,” in fact I’ve made the executive decision that you have to be human to wield an artifact. Arcanium may have magic in it, but it doesn’t grant its user magical abilities beyond the uniform itself. The speedsters retain their canon origins, hit by lighting blah blah blah, only with one key difference: they had Arcanium on them when they were hit. Instead of engineering an artifact Arcanium fused with their bodies granting them powers. I want to keep the magic transformation aspect (because it’s not a magical girl au without it), so instead of using a physical artifact as a channel for their powers, it’s instead the act of transforming that serves as a gateway to their speed abilities.

To me it was always important to maintain Batman’s identity of not having super powers and having to rely on engineering, which is why the Batfam have to physically build their artifacts. In a similar way I wanted to retain the integrity of the Flash’s identity of being meta but also still human. Which brings me back to Duke. I know in canon that Duke inherited his abilities, but for the sake of the au I’ve decide that he either had an accident when he was young in which traces of Arcanium fused with him or his parents had it in them and he inherited it from them, but regardless it’s less potent, but operates similar to the Speedsters. For years he couldn’t fully transform or use his powers and it wasn’t until— with Bruce’s guidance— he was able to create an artifact that allowed him to channel his abilities and transform. Even though he is a meta I wanted him to still have some of those Batfam qualities in there.

But what about the Superfam? They’re not human so how do their transformations work? The answer is simple: They’re not “magical girls.” At least not real ones, they’re faking. They’re not human (Kon and Jon are technically half human but they still get their abilities from their Kryptonian DNA), and thus cannot forge a connection with Arcanium. Truthfully I’m about to get silly— even sillier than this au already is— but I have decided that Clark is a fake artifact wielder. I like the idea that Batman has been operating longer than Superman has, so when Clark decided to become a hero in his own right his only example of how to style himself was from the bat themed vigilante, who might as well be a cryptid, operating out of Gotham. Only blurry pictures of him existed, so Clark designed his outfit based on his Kryptonian origins and Batman’s aesthetics. He had no idea about the existence of Arcanium or how it worked. This is also why Kon’s design looks so much like his canon outfit with a few magical girl elements (and definitely not because I think the lines in his canon suit already lend themselves well to a magical girl aesthetic and didn’t want to change much). Later when he gets to know Batman more he learns about the transformations, to which he panics and invents his own transformation using Kryptonian tech (ex: MAWS’s transformation). For years Bruce goes crazy trying to figure out Arcanium’s effects on aliens and if it grants them abilities on top of the ones they’re born with, and if Clark has plans to use it as a weapon, and how he managed to forge the connection in the first place— Clark comes clean as a fake once they reveal their identities to each other.

Side tangent but I find it hilarious that Green Lanterns are— by technicality— already “magical girls,” considering they’re granted magical accessories that give them powers and transform their clothing. Hal is very clear with the JL that he is nothing like Batman and constantly feels the need to assert that he is not a magical artifact wielder. The non-human members of the team still lump them together anyway.

Things I haven’t figured out:

- what each of the batfam’s weapons are

- what each of the magical artifacts are

- what to refer to magical artifact wielders as

Stepping outside the canon(?) lore of the au for a minute, obviously I’m redesigning DC characters using inspiration from a genre, because that’s what “magical girl” is. It’s a genre. This is why I refer to it in quotes and don’t call them magical boys, because I am always referring to it as a genre, which isn’t a gendered thing. However, in universe they wouldn’t call themselves magical anything, the same way the characters of Sailor Moon don’t refer to themselves as magical girls, but rather Sailor Scouts. As of right now I’m sort of just referring to them as artifact wielders, but I feel like Bruce would come up with a better name. On a similar note, throughout this whole thing I’ve been referring to Arcanium in it’s wearable state as an artifact. I don’t know if that’s the best term, but I can’t think of anything better for the generalized form of Arcanium outside of it’s raw state. For now I guess it will be “artifacts” and “artifact wielders.”

- how the wonderfam fits into this

I really can’t think of a reason why Wonder Woman would be a “magical girl” in this au. She was born with abilities, she’s not human, and I can’t see her altering her uniform to match the aesthetic. A transformation would just be a waste of time for her. I could to see maybe Cassie or Donna wanting to match with their respective teams, and perhaps maybe that’s why they would alter their uniforms? All I know is I want see Tim, Kon, Bart and Cassie as a matching “magical girl set.”

Fin… for now.

[I’m just going to put this here preemptively, because I’ve gotten messages about turning my au into fics or tiktok skits. You’re free to use this lore HOWEVER you MUST credit me not just for the designs but for the creation of the lore. I’ve put a lot of time and thought into this and I love that people love it, so I just ask for recognition. If you want to make something that’s inspired by my designs or loosely based on my au, just a simple credit for the inspiration is fine. You’re free to change things this is just how my own au operates. Regardless I would prefer to be tagged so that people can find me but also because I’d love to see other’s work.]

Current designs:

[acid-ixx]

mild spoilers for chapter six for my series again &. again, but i really feel the need to ramble about this, and i'd love to hear anybody's opinion on this hehe.

as i write outline chapter six (and write for chapter five), i'd like to say i couldn't wait to write the reader's face reveal in bruce's perspective. and it's not just angst, for me, this plays a very pivotal turn for the series— because bruce will spiral to insanity.

to never once see a single portrait of your second youngest child, whose presence has long been erased from the manor, not a single image, nor trace of you is sickening to the heart, even if he scours through the internet day and night for a single memoir of you, nothing— but to find your portrait in alfred's living quarters and seeing you for the first time in forever? graduating a milestone no less?

god, he's in for a ride just analyzing every aspect of your physical appearance.

the color of your eyes, the shape of your nose, the quip of your mouth, the fat in your cheeks; even the length of your lashes! god, does he brand it into the deepest parts of his mind to never forget you anymore. his pearl, his treasure.

the longer he stares, the more he notices and gazes even more, obsessive as he stands lonesome in the room with every bone in his body locking up, his eyes unable to look away from the portrait that showcases his baby child.

and there, there it is that he concludes a detail so small it's unrecognizable for someone who's seen it for his entire life; yet it's all the same triggered deranged emotions deep within him.

— you don't just share him and your mother's traits, no, your smile is also reminiscent of his mother's.

martha wayne, who'd died in his arms, laying in a pool of her blood with a bullet grazed deep inside her body. his loving mother, who caressed his face whenever he'd cry from his nightmares, who'd shown him motherly love that until now he still craves.

she died with her pearl necklace that once decorated her porcelain neck spilling to the ground and stained with crimson.

you wore pearl earrings on your graduation.

the thought alone is enough for him to just snap.

this? this is the child that he's been neglecting far too long? who shares the same, loving expression of his mother's? his child? not even a single memory could be conjured with you but fantasies now do. if your happiest moments were within the picture frame that he holds with shivering fingers at present; could your smile be any wider if you'd be with him?

how come he never once noticed? why is bruce always destined to fail left and right? why, just why is he brimming with jealousy for all the people who must've seen your smile before him, and contempt for himself that he was never there to pick you up from the police station beforehand?

bruce isn't a heckler for favoritism, but a darker part of him is motivated to take you away from wherever you are, and to never let anybody else witness his beautiful, little treasure.

he's gotham's knight, first and foremost. but he's a father, too, with goals to protect his children just like a father should.

and the things he'd do for you, his child, now? anything.

if it means he has to see that smile, then he'll turn the world upside-down.

he has to protect your smile.

[bruciemilf]

No Capes! AU where Bruce and everyone else is an actor.

Famous Hollywood moguls Thomas and Martha would've rather died in real life than make Bruce a child actor so he didn't start till he was 24

It's an ongoing gag that Thomas always tweets "On my way to die again! As if you didn't know" with every Gray Ghost remake

The Waynes are always just. So chaotic

Bruce and Selina constantly bring stray cats on set; Bruce just hides them under his black shirt famously known as a void with no end.

Behind the Scenes cuts have images of this man pulling 10 cats from under there and the director is convinced he has a cryptid on set

They have to edit so much footage because Bruce always says "sorry" after "punching" someone. "Bruce, they have padding, they're fine!" "And no health Insurance. Do something about that."

Sometimes he forgets to take off the costume after filming. The record set for how many Subways he sent into a panic is infinite

That being said, Bruce's kids aren't afraid of him at all, and WILL run up to him everytime they visit to chant "dork! Dork! Dork!" While flocking around him. He cries from happiness

But he cries all the time, so it's hard to tell for what

The movie's soundtrack is just Bruce's middle school playlist, " They said they needed something rotten and terrible, like, -- poison for the ears. If you listen to it you get sick."

Bruce's biggest "diva moment" was refusing to give up the eyeliner and he still sends apology cards to the cast and crew for his " horrible behavior"

"He just kinda said no a bit loud and ran out of the studio while sobbing quietly."

Literally every villain on set is a sweetheart. Selina does her own make-up as well as Bruce's and Oz's and you can see Carmine lurking like a little gobling behind them just to scare her

There's this joke that none of Selina's streams ever go well because the crew is her curse. She's trying to talk about how to steal on set, meanwhile, Bruce next to her, "Did you know cats have no collarbone. Also, the electric chair was invented by a dentist."

You'd think everyone's favorite duo would be Bruce and Selina, and you wouldn't be wrong, but the public can't wait for Bruce and Carmine to have a press conference or interview together

Mostly because Carmine obviously dealt some shady cards in his past and Bruce is so clueless . " Have I ever tried coke...No, I like Pepsi." While Carmine is trying not to laugh behind him

Edward is just as bad. He's trying to tell the director that's not how bombs are made, and someone's head exploding wouldn't look like that, and Bruce is like :O Eddie, I didn't know you were a gamer

Edward is a menace on set and Bruce stays blind to it because he like him. There's rows of videos of Bruce stopping mid scene, going " Eddie," before jumping on the guy like the kitten he's NOT

Alfred still brings Bruce lunch and snacks and he throws down with Oz for no reason. He always brings the kids (read; they sneak in) and it's very clear they're not getting any shooting done that day

Dick, age 10, impatiently asks why Gray Ghost can't have a sidekick. In the last moments of the movie Dick runs in, improvises a scene with Bruce, and the fans love him too much not to include him after

You just leave Bruce alone when his babies are on set; Damian is strapped to his chest cause he's so small that everyone almost steps on him, Jason is giving the writers tip, Tim is taking pics of everyone, and Bruce smothers them with kisses constantly

[dickheadcanons]

Your brain is literally gynormous. Do you think Damian's and Dick's relationship is paternal? Because, as someone who has actually had to raise their sibling (do not recommend) it looks more like a guy that had too much in his plate trying to be the best caregiver he could, but not really being a parent, if that makes sense. I feel like the idea of him wanting to adopt him feels like kind of a retcon, couldn't really see it in the og run. But of course, it could be because it's not exactly the same as my experience (abusive father, incapable mother, yknow the drill). What do you think? All your posts are so good.

Also while you're at it, what do you think of Dick as a parent? Some elseworlds have played with the concept, and main continuity did something too with Olivia but T*m Tayl*r fucked that up too. I also wonder how Damian would be as a dad, but I don't think I've ever seen any stories with it.

omg anon thank you and thank you for asking!! this is literally one of my favorite topics!! i was thinking about making a post on this and now you gave me the excuse for it!!

Long story short, I don't think that “parental” is a binary thing. I mean, I know several bio-parents who are just guys with too much on their plates, trying to be the best they can, you know? And people can see parent figures in all kinds of relationships that aren’t blood or traditional moms/dads, especially with people who didn't know each other from birth. There are a million ways to be parented, and a million ways to act as a parent.

The way I think about it is, is Dick Damain's John Grayson? No, I don't think so.

But is Dick Damian's Bruce Wayne? Yes. Totally. Absolutely.

More under the cut bc I have a lot of thoughts.

I think to talk about Dick and Damian, we have to start with Dick and Bruce. So much about Dick and Damian is a reflection of the original Dynamic Duo, and I think that's very much the case with this element as well. From the start of their very long comic history, Dick and Bruce have been dancing around their relationship. We get early comics that say they're "like" father and son, we have Bruce saying he couldn't care about Dick more than if he was Bruce's son, but we also have places where they call each other their best friends, where they act more like brothers, etc etc.

When it comes to who our parents are, I think there is the responsibility, and the result. Certain people have the responsibility, the duty, to be our parents, and sometimes (because death or illness or being shitty people), they aren't able to meet those responsibilities. That never removes the responsibility; they don't stop being the parent. But they aren't able to create the result of us becoming good stable adults. That's where other people can step in, where the parental figure appears, and those are the people that we actually point to when we say "they made me the person I am today."

In fandom, we see a lot of Dick not wanting Bruce to replace his father, of him asking not to be adopted. I think this is a fine characterization that works with who Dick is, but Bruce is actually the one to say that he is not going to replace Dick's father. He says it completely unprompted, too. This is withholding the responsibility of being Dick's parent from Bruce, keeping him at a distance and reserving it as an honor for someone who can't hold it anymore, even as Bruce demands responsibility for literally everything else about Dick.

And I think that it's very telling of what Bruce's idea of a father is. The thing about having a dead parent at a young age is that the person of your parents is still tangled in the role of parent in your life; Mom is mom, not Martha, and because she's dead, the image of both Martha and "mom" is frozen. For Bruce, the relationship of father and son is frozen in the relationship of specifically his father and him. Of course Bruce is not Dick's father; Bruce himself is so different from what his conception of a father is. And as a fellow son, for Bruce, someone who just got back from 7 years abroad studying to be Batman, for whom the nearly 20 year old wound is still fresh, the idea of even wanting another father doesn't make sense, particularly for a boy that Bruce identifies with so hard that he becomes the third person ever to know who Batman is.

This looming memory is even worse when it's Dick's turn to be Batman. While Bruce looks at Dick and sees the memory of his own loss, the shadow of his own grief, Dick is looking at Damian and seeing Bruce. Dick knows very well who Damian lost; Dick is grieving what Damian lost more than Damian is. Bruce couldn't conceive of replacing a father, but Dick is struggling to imagining himself replacing Bruce at his job, much less who he was in his personal relationships.

But even if Damian isn't Dick's responsibility, Dick doesn't hesitate to care about Damian's future. "Who's going to save him if we don't?" At the start of the DickBats era, Dick isn't looking at Damian as a family member, really. He's looking at Damian as a victim, abet a very involved, very dangerous one. It's how Bruce looked at Dick too, before he had any reason to know that this kid would become something more to him. But, like Bruce, what Dick does to save Damian is bring him into the thing that is most precious to him; Batman. The mission. Saving people. A way to live in the world.

I know saying someone is the Batman to their Robin is like, a joke at this point. Something unbelievably cheesy. But you google "iconic duos" and Batman and Robin are one of the first responses. There's a reason for the joke. So imagine you are Robin, and your Batman is dead. And you have to go and find a new partner. Dick making Damian his Robin is heavy, just as heavy to me as adoption papers. Bruce made Dick his partner without any idea of what that meant. Dick, and the audience, had 70 years of expectation on what Dick and Damian could be. Dick making Damian Robin was a very specific claim, far stronger imo than just claiming him as a son would have been.

Because, to be honest (and speak to your other question), I don't think Dick thinks a lot about being a parent. I don't really think it's that important to him. Dick is a leader, a mentor, he deals with a ton of teenagers and kids through his vigilante work, he goes to Tim's sidekick parent's meetings and takes Jason skiing and more than that, he's also young. He's in his 20s. He should be at the club. I think he probably thinks he'll have kids in an abstract way, but it's not something he's looking for, consciously or unconsciously. He's not searching for connection, or to fix his mistakes or his past, the things that lead Bruce to adopting sidekicks. He'd be a great dad, and I think we see him being pretty good with his Elseworlds kids, but Dick is a very practical person, and him taking a kid in (vs finding somewhere else they can go) is not really the practical choice.

Except for one kid. There's just been one kid with legitimately no where else to go, where Dick is truly the only option, because going home meant only bad things for him. Dick made Damian part of his family in the ways that mattered to them both in that moment. With their lives, adoption doesn't really make a huge material difference on custody (if Damian wanted to leave, Dick couldn't have stopped him; Damian has access to basically unlimited money and can feed and clothe and wash himself. and possibly already has a phd.), and Dick wanted Damian to choose, anyway. If I recall correctly, Dick says he didn't think about taking Damian with him until Bruce comes back. He thought about taking Damian with him, thought that Damian might be better with Dick (his partner!!!!) than even with Bruce, his dad, the person Dick loves so much, only in the face of them being separated.

Meanwhile Damian, for all his blustering about how Dick needs to "earn" his respect, warms up to Dick startlingly quickly. For Damian, who had never known a father, who in his initial run hadn't even known his mother for more than two years, whose other male family is Ra’s al Ghul, his father is Batman. Even in Tomasi's kinder depiction of Damian's childhood, Damian only knows the Bat. And when he meets Bruce, the first thing he expresses is disappointment. Bruce the man is underwhelming and then goes and dies. So much for the mythic hero!

And then he meets Dick. Who manages to teach Damian something, who doesn't discount his skills even when he's wrong. Who proves that he is better at being Batman than Damian, and shows that he wants Damian around. And, even more importantly, who doesn't die. Dick is stable in a world constantly in flux. Damian screws up a lot in that run, and he leaves for long stretches of it, but Dick is always there when he gets back. There's no blame here, but the truth is that Dick is the one who stays.

Bruce was Damian's father, but what does that mean to someone whose never met a father at all? Bruce might have tried to connect with Damian before he died, but he doesn’t do it in a way that works. He doesn’t give Damian trust, he doesn’t encourage him in the ways Damian finds important…the first person to do that is Dick. Dick gives Damian responsibility, makes him part of the team. It could be argued that Damian didn’t deserve it, but we’re not talking about deserving. We’re talking about what worked. It sounds like as good an idea as making a tiny 8 year old acrobat a sidekick, but it undeniably worked for both Damian and Dick. Does that mean that either of these relationships were parental in the way that we think of it in the real world, in the way that a child psychologist would say is good and healthy? I have no idea. But they are the most parental in the absence of any other parents, and I think that means a lot.

Unfortunately, we don't get to actually see the dissolution of Dick and Damian's partnership. DC conveniently skips over showing us Bruce coming back and Dick becoming Nightwing again; preNew 52, Dick is still Batman with Damian even when Bruce returns, and in the New 52, he's been Batman "Before" and we don't really see the end, just a vague aftermath. But if it did take that kind of change to make them realize their relationship had a flavor of "parent and child", had the makings of something like a father and son, well, they'd just be following in the original Batman's footprints.

[phantoms-lair]

Batman Exalted thing - The First Exaltation

Bruce sometimes wished he crafted the identity of a reclusive hermit rather than a media darling. All he wanted to do was buckle down on the imminent attempt at a dimensional invasion and try to think of a way to solve it without relying on a power up from the enemy.

But instead here he was in an interview, talking about his company and charity work. "There's been some criticism of the Martha Wayne Free Clinic as of late. Some are skeptical about the noted criminal cliental." asked the interviewer.

Bruce fought back his annoyance. "My mother believed, as do I, that no person is expendable. Some have made poor decisions. Some had poor decisions made on their behalf without their consent. Some are children. All of them, all of them are entitled to medical care. The moment you start adding restrictions, it becomes all too easy to add more and more until only people who have been chosen as the 'right' people can gain aid. And there is nothing more abhorrent to me. Everyone in Gotham deserves care."

Will you protect all the people of Gotham?

Something twinged in his mind as wrong about the question, but he answered anyway. "Every last one." Bruce reaffirmed.

"That's quite a statement, given Gotham houses individuals like Scarecrow and the Joker." The interviewer pressed.

"They're still human. If Scarecrow had a heart attack in Blackgate, he'd still receive life saving care. Outside should be no different."

"But should that be the case? Do people like that deserve to be saved?"

Will you save them?

Bruce fought the urge to scowl. "Of course. And if I can save their minds too, I'll do it. I refuse to give up on anyone."

"MmmHmm." The interviewer looked at him like she'd figured something out. "You had a well know friendship with Harvey Dent. Between that and your charity clinic serving villains, it seems you have some connections to the wrong side of the tracks. Maybe the squeaky clean image of Bruce Wayne is hiding something else?"

Is your philanthropy really to help others, or just a cover?

He stood up, letting a sliver of his anger slip through. At this point it would be stranger not to take offense. "I watched my parents die in a mugging. It would have been so easy to act like you. To judge and look down on people I could easily blame for my grief. But my parents loved Gotham and wanted to see it rise above it's own ashes. And in trying to see their wishes granted I grew to love the city too. All of it. Good and Bad. And I will never give up on it or stop fighting to make it better."

Do you think you can protect the city?

"I will protect Gotham till the day it kills me." Bruce snarled, rising to his feet. And he knew something wasn't right. Something was feeding into his emotions. But it was too late to stop it. The screens cut to static as Bruce Wayne exploded.

~

The Bats had gotten their first, because of course they did. Jim was listening to his radio as he made his way to the studio, not saying a word.

Some of the reports were positive. Everyone else had made it out of the studio. Whatever had caused Bruce Wayne to explode in a dizzying array of light hadn't affected anyone else. This being Gotham, every had evacuated quickly. And the studio didn't seem to be catching ablaze. Small mercies.

From the radio he heard that most of the Bats had shown up, despite it being the middle of the day. They'd sealed the place tight, with Spoiler and Signal bodyguarding the entrance, saying only Gordon himself could get through. His men had tried to force the issue and they'd threatened Black Bat in retaliation.

Jim pulled into the crime scene that was likely the death spot of Gotham's Favorite Son. Spoiler was at the door, arms crossed, while Signal was talking to the EMTs. When she saw him she nodded and moved aside.

Jim didn't know what he was going to find inside. But whatever it was, it wasn't this. Despite video of the explosion going out before the feed was cut, Bruce Wayne seemed to be alive and well, sitting of the set with his head in his hands.

The power literally rippling off him was new. A bright blue energy flowed from his eyes and into a beautiful display rippling around him. It was Gotham, not any one part of it but a rippling view of the city from Park Row to Bristol ever shifting and changing, leading into a night sky with bats flying around. All contained in a very familiar, albeit larger than life silhouette of a sharp eared cowl and cape. The imagery plus his being there for the first conversation with Quill made it obvious.

Bruce Wayne was Batman. And he'd just Exalted, publicly, while in his civilian persona.

"Does one of you powers include seeing the future?" Nightwing asked someone on the other end of the phone. "Then I don't think not being able to accurately get into the mindset of a manipulative sociopath is a personal failing."

"What does Quill say?" Bruce asked in a completely exhausted tone.

"That you're an Exigent, like her. You're in 'Iconic' or 'Bonfire' anima, which is a representation of your soul and power and it's going to take a while for it to calm down. Also that in retrospect it makes sense as he wants a throne to be a power behind and Batman would never accept a throne but Bruce Wayne is more vulnerable. as well as already being a power in the city."

"Nightwing!" Robin hissed, glaring at Nightwing,

"He's involved." Bruce said in the same tired voice. "He's been involved since before you were born. We can trust him, and against Ketchup we need all the help we can get. The question is, what is our next move?" "If you want to kill off Bruce Wayne, now is the time." Red Robin said idlily. "Drake!" Robin shouted reprovingly. It wasn't just Bruce. It was Bruce's whole damn family. "What? He can make a new identity easily. All the paperwork is in place for Uncle Eddie if we need something in a pinch. But this would allow him to devote his time to his actual interests rather than juggle a very public identity that mostly annoys him." Red Robin shrugged. "Most people don't change identities like a coat, Baby Bird." Nightwing said, gently. "They need to get on my level." Red Robin sniped back.

"Killing off Bruce Wayne is not an option. I can feel the ripples of my death having an affect in the city. People are already planning to use it to roll back a lot of the philanthropic works I've done." Bruce blinked. "That interviewer was accepting a bribe to discredit me."

"How do you know?" Gordon asked. "I just do." Bruce sounded more bewildered than tired.

"Can an Exigent be the chosen of a location, like a city?" Nightwing asked Quill. "She says yes." Bruce sat up straighter. "Ask Quill what we should say. Her whole power revolves around stories and that's what we need right now."

"Okay, give her a minute." Nightwing instructed. "Okay, send out word that Bruce Wayne is alive, but under some kind of magical effect. Unknown, but a curse hasn't been ruled out. Bring in Justice League members know to work with magic as cover. Have them recommend isolation until the effects are fully known, which will give Bruce the privacy he needs to get this under control."

"I'll get on the official story then." He was going to get answers out of Batman, out of Bruce, but later. "If news of your survival isn't slowing down the plans, let me know. Nightwing, I take it you can call the Justice League." "There's someone else you need to call first." Bruce reminded Nightwing. "He's panicking right now with the news, but won't admit it."

"Oracle's already keeping Agent A informed." "Not him. R2." Nightwing snorted. "And he pretends he doesn't care." Jim saw himself out. And much as it still burned a little that something was obviously being kept from him, Bruce had said nothing to try to hide his own secrets or that of his children's. Which meant R2, whoever that was, was likely someone else's secret that Bruce didn't feel at liberty to say, like Oracle and Agent A. So fair.

That was for later. They all had work to do.

[arkhameirs]

BRUCE WAYNE + MARTHA ARKAHM - a study in expression ; there was something very mysterious and endearing about my mother. at times she was so secure in who she was and what she wanted to be ... that i remember being awed and her presence was an awesome force. then there were times where sadness engulfed and there was no light to be had , those times i told myself that she had somehow gone away ... that she had ebbed away as does the sea upon the shore. her behavior wasn't a reflection of the child that she couldn't bear to look at but ? she felt deeper than anyone else. how was i , at a child meant to deal with my father's indiscretions ? - they tell me i look like the spitting image of her , we have the same arkham features that when i look into the mirror i'm left with nothing but fear. the fear that history , her history is staring back at me. i love her , and i forgive her - she is human , and loved me as best she could. i wonder now , would she approve , would she love the son that had so deeply fallen from grace ? - bruce wayne entry #1457 sept 24th , 2023.

[ev-arrested]

OK if you want Dick/Tiger prompts I have like eight rattling around my skull of varying degrees of fleshed out so I'll just. Spam you.

First up: Mr and Ms Smith AU Dick and Tiger are both spies (maybe Bruce followed in Alfred's MI6 footsteps to fight crime and pursue justice instead of doing it via kevlar fursuit so the Batfam is a spyfam), married, and they live across from an equally married but still superheroes Midpollo. Midnighter and Tiger have THE most suburban dad rivalry going and it annoys the hell out of both of them to have any part in a suburban dad rivalry until Midnighter gets a fancy garden tech inspired grill and Tiger HAS to one up him to make him stop looking so fucking smug. Absolutely nobody knows how when or why Dick and Tiger got married, except for Helena (she officiated) and Dick's gym students (witnesses/flower girls). It's all fun and games and Tiger being awestruck and horrified that Dick looks sane standing next to his family UNTIL Tiger's organization starts investigating the identity of the Bats and. Well. Love conquers all in the end. Possibly with the help of how great Dick looks in an evening gown with a thigh high slit and Martha Wayne's pearls. I have a very vivid image of absolutely everyone in slightly bloody formal wear standing around as Dick and Tiger do a vow renewal while the dust is still settling and Dick's siblings are sundry shades of obnoxiously overdramatic sobbing, Bruce looks like he's eaten a lemon, Apollo and Midnighter are there as Tiger's groomsmen because at some point during the conflict he was forced to deem them adequate backup in battle, Helena is yet again stuck officiating, Dick's gym students are his bridesmaids. Dick is wearing the aforementioned evening gown with a thigh high slit but he's added a veil that was visibly made as part of a $5 Halloween costume. Tiger is absolutely slaying in deep reds with gold embroidery. He and Dick renew their vows in the smoking rubble of whatever ballroom just exploded and it is the first time almost everyone present has ever seen Tiger smile.

You’re in for a treat when Dick Grayson week starts tomorrow. I had an ancient Mr. and Mr. Grayson sketch from like a year ago that I fucking excavated, and turns out tomorrow’s prompts include “Spyral Crew”, so guess what sketch is (probably) getting posted and when

[maniacwatchestheworld]

After about-faces so very graciously gave me a list of Elseworlds stories to check out that heavily involve Harvey... Of course my brain decided that the first Elseworlds story that I should check out should be one that wasn't on the list at all! :D

I ended up reading Citizen Wayne. A story in which Harvey and Bruce are both found dead and wearing silly costumes after falling off the roof of the city courthouse, and so an investigator from the District Attorney's office has to go around and find out what happened by interviewing people who knew Bruce and Harvey. Honestly I liked the story. But I'm also the pretentious sort that enjoyed Citizen Kane as well!

But the reason that I read it? Because it's the story where Harvey Dent is Batman and Bruce Wayne never was. And honestly I just dig the idea. I wish that we could know why Harvey decided to become Batman specifically, but the nature of the story understandably left that entirely ambiguous. They show us why Bruce never became Batman (in this universe, his mother is still alive! Martha kept Bruce from doing anything that would lead him down the path to becoming Batman because she doesn't want him to die stupidly. Turns out he died stupidly, being a hero regardless!), but sadly they never tell us why Harvey wanted to adopt the image of a bat specifically. Becoming a crime fighter who terrifies the shit out of criminals? Actually that perfectly tracks with Harvey's character! But becoming Batman specifically? It honestly doesn't make much sense with the kind of person that Harvey is. Harvey becoming a vigilante makes complete sense! I like vigilante Harvey! But Batman Harvey is a little more puzzling. However I will admit. I just LOVE what Harvey does with it!

I ADORE this Batman outfit for Harvey! Honestly, it's even better than the other Batman Look Harvey has. Harvey clearly took the assignment of 'Batman' and made an outfit that is entirely his own and different from what Bruce would make, and I absolutely ADORE him for that! This outfit is just so... HIM! And so I REALLY like it!

Less fancy gadgets and gimmicks. Harvey has a utility belt with a few tricks in it, but not nearly the kind of fancy arsenal that Bruce would come up with. His outfit is much more like a military dress uniform than the outfit of an acrobat, and I could easily see this outfit as being padded, armored, or even bulletproofed. He managed to accomplish the silhouette of a bat, but in an entirely different way than Bruce did with the cape. Also the mask is a lovely piece and I like it a lot. This outfit is simpler than Bruce's, probably cheaper, and more easy to maintain and replace, and has less versatility than Bruce's, but that suits Harvey just fine. Harvey tends to be pretty straightforwards as a vigilante. He sees evil being done, he finds it, and then savagely punches it until the crime stops, or until the perpetrator is dead. He doesn't need fancy gadgets or gimmicks. He just needs tools to get him to the heart of a crime, his fists, and a way to flee without ending up dead. It's a GREAT outfit, I honestly enjoy Harvey being Batman like this, and I just wish that the story wasn't predicated on the fact that Harvey and Bruce are dead from the outset!

Like... I freaking WISH that we could see more of this Batman! He's neat! He's unique! Sure, he's a murderer, but I just think that this idea has potential and wish that I could just see a little more of him! Why does he have to be dead...? Shame. >.<

I wanna bring him back to life.

[consultingsister-a5]

i can't believe you have that picture on your wall.

a meme / from @batfall

"Which one?" Cee calls from the other room, finishing off their drinks with a flourish. Maybe she can't cook, but she can make a good drink. "The vagina one? Oh--" She comes in behind him, glasses in hand. It's not 'the vagina one' he's looking at.

It's a black-and-white picture, although she is pretty sure it wasn't originally black and white. She just thought it looked classier that way. The image is taken by someone standing, with four smiling faces looking up at them. Cee likes to think it was taken by her own father, although she has no memory of her father with a camera in his hand.

The two women look the same age, and the two small children, each perched on their mother's knees, must have only a couple months between them too; maybe a year. The children's hair is damp and sticking to their foreheads and they have towels wrapped around them. Cee doesn't remember whose pool it was; there was nothing with the picture to suggest it was taken in England or America. It's too focused on the beach chairs and happy families. The whole story behind Mrs Holmes and Mrs Wayne's bookend smiles has been lost to history. Along with the women themselves.

It was a mystery if the two women ever got past small talk. Did Violet Holmes admit to her 'friend' that she felt as if she was losing her mind? the picture was surely taken only a year or so before her death after all. Did Martha Wayne pat Violet's knee and say, I know what you mean. These old houses are haunted, I don't know where I begin and the darkness ends anymore. Could they have saved each other if they had?

None of this is obvious in the old picture. It's just two loving, happy mothers and two protected, happy children. That's why Cee likes it. If you didn't know the women, the picture wouldn't stand out among the many other happy smiling faces on her wall. They look normal; it makes her feel normal."It's nice, isn't it? Do you want a copy?"

[eclipsecrowned]

6. what does their bedding look like? (to extend: do they make their bed every day? how often do they change it?) extra points for images. 7. what does your muse smell like? (to extend: does it vary throughout the seasons? do they use signature perfumes or scents? does their diet impact this?) - bruce, mina, kayden // @seekesotsibteadmist

So I misread 6 as 'bedroom' rather than 'bedding' and only caught it now, after having typed up both Bruce and Mina's answers, so we're just gonna get a big overview.

6. what does their bedding look like? (to extend: do they make their bed every day? how often do they change it?) extra points for images.

Bruce's bedroom is quite modern and minimalist. A dark and neutral palette is offset by a lot of glass fixtures, such as the closet, lights, and framed art. What little decor is available is centered around his bed, which is low-set and surprisingly sizable. The shelving is arranged with modern trends in mind, all aesthetically pleasing in how he presents his books and any brickabrack he possesses. The overall effect is that this is a wealthy man who doesn't want a lot of fuss in his personal space, while still allowing him a measure of comfort he might not find elsewhere.

Mina's bedroom is all about comfort. Rich blue walls, more pillows than are strictly necessary, and only the comfiest of sheets and quilt/duvet combos on a thrifted iron bedframe really set the tone more than words can. A lot of the room is just as it was when she bought it, save for the color scheme, which gives the master suite of the old townhouse a sort of quaint, timeless quality that Mina adores. Other decor includes light wood tables and chairs, and various blue glass fixtures. One will also find books scattered around, and an inherited vanity in a place of honor near the window. Somewhere, there's a record player and a bunch of vintage records that are unable to collect dust due to the doctor's evenings in.

Kayden is just a little goth baby. Living out of her parents Manhattan property while in college, while her mom and little brother live elsewhere in the state for Martha's work, she's done a few makeovers as her budget allows. To wit, her neutral childhood bedroom is well on its way to becoming the evil lair of her dreams. Wall decor abounds, usually of vintage horror icons and typically designed by fellow art students or bought at conventions and lovingly framed. Ivy climbs down from every shelf or windowsill for that regal touch. Her bed has been upgraded from a twin to a full, then bedecked in black sheets. The pillows are gifts from like-minded friends for her 'housewarming.' Paint prices being what they are, the walls have remained a prosaic grey-blue from before she took up residence alone. The girl is doing her best and largely succeeding. Just wait til she gets disposable income again.

7. what does your muse smell like? (to extend: does it vary throughout the seasons? do they use signature perfumes or scents? does their diet impact this?)

As Bruce Wayne, he typically smells of white musk and cedar wood, likely an ostentatious brand that is bought as much on the quality of ingredients as the prestige of the name or price tag. It gives him a more flowery than earthy scent without being purely floral in the vein of a perfume. It's definitely a scent you don't come across often, thus leaving its mark as certifiably Bruce Wayne. He dabs a little on after his morning showers and he's good to go. As Batman, he's all sweat, blood, the smog and muck of his surroundings. Sometimes, it's as if Gotham itself came alive and formed him, the way he blends in with it. Most of this can be attributed to his use of scentless/scent-masking soaps before his nightly outings, trying to mask both his natural scent and anything that would give him away as Bruce Wayne.

Mina is not as likely to wear perfumes or scented oils in her daily life. Given her work demands fastidious cleanliness, she's more likely to smell of disinfectant and whatever soap Gotham Memorial has in stock. This is a conscious decision on her part -- The surgeon has the filthiest hands, after all, and she tries to keep the scent of her career in the operating theater alone. At home, she prefers a soothing bodywash to start or end her day, likely lavender or eucalyptus. On nights out, her preferred perfume has notes of lotus blossom, dewy petals, and vanilla -- feminine but subtle. If you're lucky enough hat the good doctor lets her hair down or you can get close enough to smell it, her hair smells of cherry almond when it moves.

Kayden uses a rose bodywash and lotion that stops just short of being a cloying old woman scent. It's just something cheap she can grab at pretty much any beauty or big box store in the city. Not only is it cheap, but it's kind of aesthetic. Those with particularly strong senses might realize that our dear goth is using a children's pink sugar shampoo because it cuts down on the cost of buying adult products.

[distort-opia]

It would be everything to see Joker-Martha when she sees Batman-Bruce just wrap her harms around him in wailing sobs. Even better if Batman-Bruce hasn't figured it out yet being extremely confusesd as to why the Joker is 1. clinging to him and sobbing like he's the last life boat in the ocean and 2. why the Joker is a woman

Oh... yesss, the mental image of that is great. I would love it if something like that happened, too.

To be honest, it might? This ask gave me many Thoughts, but I can't speculate without in-depth discussion of Flashpoint Beyond and Martha-Joker's motivations especially, so I'll put it all under the cut. Warning for spoilers regarding the series, obviously -- as well as to Flashpoint: Batman -- Knight of Vengeance.

So... Flashpoint Beyond #4 sort of shows that Martha-Joker has been living in the walls of Arkham Asylum. Whispering to Gilda Dent, manipulating her... which sort of makes a lot of sense retrospectively. Gilda kept insisting she wanted to talk to Thomas, constantly pushing forward the idea that Thomas drove his wife mad. When Flashpoint Batman finally meets with Gilda in #2, she says this to him directly:

That's very likely not what Gilda believes, that's what Martha believes; these are not entirely Gilda's words. Like in the original Flashpoint: Batman -- Knight of Vengeance itself, Martha-Joker blames Thomas for Bruce's death and for what happened to her.

Thomas ends up helping The Flash restore the timeline, and Bruce as we know him with it, because Martha agrees that he should. But because she thinks Bruce is happy in that world. When she realizes Bruce actually becomes Batman too, she does not react well.

And then she supposedly falls to her death, yelling at Thomas to stay away from her. It's all very tragic, but I'm recounting it because it shows what Martha's motivations are.

So what is she doing in Flashpoint Beyond, then? Why is she working against Thomas this time?

Well! It seems like Thomas is alive again (as opposed to him dying in Justice League: Incarnate) because Bruce is meddling with time and space by stealing a precious artefact in the shape of a snowglobe and a wristwatch, from the Time Master's headquarters. The artefact is supposed to save Thomas Wayne's life, as per Bruce's plan, which we don't know much about. Him doing this is a big risk, since multiple time-related agents will come after him for it. But, in Bruce's own words:

The snowglobe is our current Flashpoint world, obviously. And the snowman is Thomas. Bruce thinks this is having him be safe, despite the risks it might incur. (But from the start, there's a family of three in there. Wonder if that turns out to be relevant.)

Thomas does wake up alive, in the Flashpoint Universe -- so clearly whatever Bruce did worked. But Thomas, just like before, is determined to erase the Flashpoint Universe so that Bruce lives again, because he's got no idea this world is Bruce's version of saving his life. Still, Thomas can't achieve that goal because of the main antagonist, who's called The Clockwork Killer. This murderer keeps targeting versions of The Flash and other characters that might alter time, or help Thomas with his quest in any way, effectively stopping his attempts.

And yeah, that killer is revealed to be Martha. Thus indicating that Martha is trying to stop the Flashpoint Universe from being erased, working against Thomas; and that unlike him, she realizes the truth about the world they're in. And this is what she says before she emerges, in #4:

After that... in Bruce's own Universe, we get this, because the temporal artefact (the snowglobe) is cracking apart:

As Corky Baxter informs him: Bruce didn't bring back just his father. He also brought back his mother. But, if this is to be believed, Bruce didn't know Martha was Joker. He didn't know who else he was unleashing. Which, as I said in this other ask, makes Bruce look like an idiot. Batman (2016) #76 established that Martha being Joker in Flashpoint is easily obtainable information, present in the Hall of Justice archives, that even Damian knows about -- but suuure, Bruce never bothered to research and find this out! So now he put into motion the existence of this pocket Flashpoint Universe, with Martha-Joker in it, who's clearly highly dangerous! (But hey, there's 2 more issues left, so maybe we get the reveal that Bruce did have an inkling. I'm reserving all judgment until the story is done for good.)

Anyway, leaving aside the contradiction of Bruce not knowing, the most logical conclusion is that Martha wants to reunite them. Martha-Joker is trying to make her, Flashpoint Batman, and Bruce as we know him... a family. She realized the nature of the Flashpoint world and that there must be a way to reach Earth Prime Bruce. "I miss a home," she said. "A real home. With love and warmth and family."

So, to get at the end of this very long rant, anon. Martha-Joker might immediately hug Bruce. She might think she can fix him... and she wouldn't care that she's breaking the Divine Continuum by putting Hyperspace in contact with the Omniverse or whatever. If her motivation all along has been to traverse the Flashpoint Universe borders and get to Bruce, dragging Thomas along with her... I'd love that. That'd be great. Please God let it be that for the next two issues. Even though I'm complaining about Bruce not knowing the truth and it contradicting his character, it would be very satisfying to see him face his own mother as Joker in person, and for the first time. A story with Martha-Joker trying to force him, and Thomas, to be a family -- well, it'd be very interesting. (Hah, and very meta, because didn’t Earth Prime Joker try to do something similar, in Death of the Family?)

[bruciemilf]

Got anything for fem!Bruce & Uncle Ozzy?

I love the image of tiny Bryce just. Observing the people around her. Building connections and relationships with particular, precise details that paint abstract memories for her.

She remembers how funny her dad and uncle Ozzy sounded; The spicy rush of their accents, how every word was pronounced with laughter in them,

“Look atcha fatha puttin’ oregano in the bolognese sauce like a fuckin’ animal,— never do that, alright? It’s a sin”

“Stop scarin’ my baby girl, ya fuckin’ ice rat,”

“See, Mr. Doctorate over here don’t believe in hell, — but I seen it. Tastes like oregano.” Their laughter tasted like nicotine, — they didn’t smoke the same brand. Her dad made a point to only smoke light at Alfred’s request, but they never smoked around her

She remembers a potent scent of whiskey they drank over a poker table, where she’d sit on her mom’s knee. Martha always won, and Alfie always accused her of cheating

Her Russian accent would come through, soft but pronounced, “It is not cheating if I have my lucky charm” and she’d press a soft kiss on Bryce’s hair

Uncle Ozzy only smoked knock off vintage Cuban cigars and refused to get anything else. He said the fancy stuff were for tourists

After her parents go under the ground, he only eats pasta with oregano in it

She remembers his car; A classic Maserati, leathered with soft cushions. She’d drive her to and from school, putting her seatbelt on, and tell her stories,

“You listen to me, alright, — Alfred ever wants to ground you, or say he knew better at your age when you get in trouble, you call me, alright? I’ll refresh his memory. “

When she goes to boarding school, he’s there to take her. Bryce still remembers the heaviness of the ride, the way the road seemed to drag on and on. “Listen, slick,”

She still doesn’t know why he called her that; Her mom used to say it was because she was quick witted and always had a smart comment to make.

“Those little shits are gonna make you feel bad. They’ll say nasty, mean shit, cause they’re young, and they think it won’t last. But don’t let ‘em. If they go low, you go lower. Never let people feel like they can step all over ya. Okay?”

Her voice sounded little; Most 10 year olds did. “Okay. Can we get ice cream after you pick me up, uncle ozzy?”

He lied to her only once.

“Sure, kid. I got your back.”

When she’s an adult, she’s too burdened by Gotham, by Batman, by a cross she nailed herself to, to take notice of his absence. Bryce Wayne misses her uncle. Batman and Penguin don’t miss each other at all.

Deep down, she knows he knows.

When she drives him to Arkham, him in the passenger seat, she knows.

“Stop by the drive in, kid. I want an ice cream.”

Bryce says nothing. The ice cream is good.

[ragingbookdragon]

I Saw It Coming When You Threw The First Punch

Batmom x Batfamily One-Shot

Word Count: 1.7K Warnings: Explicit Language, Mentions of Violence

Author's Note: I honestly feel like I get my irritation from people out by writing stories where the characters punch people. I live vicariously through my characters. Enjoy! -Thorne

Getting the call that his wife had been taken into GCPD custody was not one that Bruce had ever expected to receive. Not in a million years. And yet, low and behold, Gordon had called sounding apologetic that she’d been detained after a physical altercation at the gala she’d hosted earlier that evening.

Which was absolutely baffling to him, because the only person more anal retentive about screwing up at a gala than Alfred, was his wife. So, something must’ve seriously set her off if she’d hauled off on somebody. And Gordon had made it quite clear that it was his wife that threw the first punch, though beyond that, he didn’t know what else had occurred because she’d invoked her rights to the company lawyer and to remain silent, simply staring at the wall while the other officers tried to get a story out of her—Bruce knew she wouldn’t crack. Other than him, his wife had a reserve that no man, alien, or god could break. He’d never say it, but he was envious of his wife’s willpower.

He arrived rather quickly with all four sons in tow, knowing that the sight of the entire family would probably help her chances of getting out and they waited patiently to be escorted to where she was being held.

When they arrived at the interrogation room, they saw her sitting there with crossed legs, hands placed palm down on the table. Her eyes were closed in what Bruce recognized as her deep meditative state; the one she used to fight off telepathic control from enemies—she was probably recounting what happened that night.

“What are the charges?” he asked Gordon and the older man sighed.

“Simple battery and public disturbance.”

Bruce hummed lowly in his throat and gazed at his wife. “How do you see this playing out for her?”

“If the woman she keelhauled doesn’t press charges, there’s possibility of probation with community service.”

He had to play naïve. “And if she does?”

Gordon met his gaze. “Then you’re looking at your wife going into lockup for a year.”

Bruce let out a sigh. “I’ll call our lawyer then.”

“I’ll give you and your wife some privacy,” he replied, hitting a button on the keypad beside the door, and the glass went dark while the glowing red button recording the room turned off.

“Thank you, Gordon,” he said, and the detective waved as he walked off, closing the door to the interrogation room behind him. Bruce looked at his sons. “Let’s go see what set your mom off tonight.”

***

The door to the room opened but she didn’t open her eyes, still under the cold water in her retreat.

“(Y/N),” someone murmured and though the voice was familiar, she didn’t come to yet.

“(Y/N),” they repeated a bit firmer. “Come back up.”

Ever so slowly, she allowed her mind to come back from the deep waters and she opened her eyes, smiling at her husband and sons.

“Good evening family.” Damian immediately sprinted to her and buried his face in her neck, and she laughed, running a hand through his short dark hair. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“You are in trouble,” he murmured and pulled away to look into her eyes. “We will do whatever you need, Umi.”

(Y/N) snorted. “Don’t worry about me baby. Knowing Little Miss Martha May, she’s not going to press charges over our spat.”

“I think simple battery is bit more than a spat, mom,” Dick worried, brows furrowing in concern. “What did you two even start fighting about?”

Her eyes darted to the glass then to Bruce and he said, “Gordon turned off the cameras.”

“Mom,” Tim started, and she looked at him; he held up his phone screen. “I just assured that you’re protected here.”

She nodded and let out a sigh. “I knew I should’ve just walked away but I couldn’t help it. She just set me off like a match to gunpowder.”

“What’d you guys even duke it out over,” Jason questioned, and she sighed again, recounting the night.

***

“You’ve thrown another wonderful party, Miss Wayne,” Lucius murmured, handing her a champagne glass.

She grinned widely, thanking him. “Thank you, Lucius, I try.”

“Clan couldn’t come tonight?”

“You’ve always been perceptive about us, haven’t you?”

“To use your words, I try,” he laughed, and she nodded.

“Patrol started early tonight,” she said inconspicuously, eyes shifting around to glance at who was walking near them. “Besides, most of them only come to these to appease the crowd.”

“Ah, yes, I forgot that you’re the only one who actually enjoys these.”

“Only when Bruce and the kids are here,” she corrected. “It’s easier to bullshit when they’re here to pick up the slack.”

He barked a laugh and she chuckled in return when someone walked up to them. She turned and immediately grimaced at the old classmate of hers.

“(Y/N), such a beautiful party you’ve thrown tonight,” the woman greeted, though it was laced with cheerful fakeness.

She plastered a smile on her face. “Good evening, Marianne. I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”

“Oh, you know me, I’m always up for a party.” Her eyes drifted around. “Where is your husband? I wanted to thank him for the gift basket he sent after my operation.” Marianne gave her a sarcastic smile. “Isn’t it rather off for a host to avoid his own party?”

Note to self, yell at Bruce for sending her a gift.

“He had to work late tonight. So did the boys.” (Y/N) matched her smile. “I’m sure they’d be delighted to know that you thought of them though.”

Something shifted in Marianne’s eyes. “Oh yes, the children you have.” She leaned in close and murmured, “You know I’ve been hearing some rather negative rumors about yours and Bruce’s decision to adopt orphans rather than have some of your own.”

(Y/N) blinked, not sure if she should be shocked or unimpressed. “Really? Care to enlighten me?”

Marianne waved a hand. “The major one is that you simply took pity on the strays because you were barren.” She felt like she’d been slapped across the face and her jaw dropped as she gaped at the woman.

Apparently, that was all the ammunition that Marianne needed because she offered a sympathetic smile an placed a hand on (Y/N)’s arm. “Oh, you poor dear.” She patted her arm again. “You should’ve come to me instead of adopting orphans. I would’ve been happy to be a surrogate for you.”

(Y/N) shrugged the hand off her arm and reached up, pulling the silver teardrop earrings from her ears. “Yeah, those orphans aren’t mine, not biologically.”

She pulled off her diamond wedding rings and handed them and the earrings over to Lucius who took them and stepped back.

“But you know what they are?” she glowered at Marianne and seethed, “They’re my sons.”

The next thing anyone knew, the two women were rolling on the floor, their hostess throwing punches that seemed to make everyone wince when they connected to the woman’s face.

***

“And all I remember was being escorted down here,” she finalized, eyes drifting to Bruce’s.

He simply stared at her for a moment before he let out a heavy sigh and put his face in his hands. “I’m proud that you defended our family, but at the same time, I’m disappointed that you let Marianne set you off.”

(Y/N) crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, so you’re taking her side?”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it,” Bruce shot back. “If she decides to press charges, you’re going to be in lockup for a year.”

“She’s not.”

“You don’t know that, (Y/N).”

“No, I do,” she blinked and leaned forward. “If Marianne doesn’t want me to ruin her image with shit she did when she was a teenager, she’ll keep her mouth shut and take the blame for this.”

“What’d she do, Ma?” Jason questioned curiously and she turned her attention to him.

“Enough that’ll disgrace her image amongst every elite this side of the globe if she tries me anymore.”

Before anyone could say anything, the door opened and they turned, seeing Gordon walking in. “Good evening, Miss Wayne,” he greeted, and she smiled.

“Good evening, Jim. How’s your night so far?”

He chuckled. “Not too bad. I got to detain my favorite socialite and listen to all my officers speculate what she did.”

(Y/N) lifted her hands palm up beside her shoulders. “I live to please, Jim, you know that.”

“I do.” He walked over and handed her a few papers. “When asked if she wanted to press charges, Marianne Walters declined. She instead gave a rather detailed statement that she instigated the fight and threw the first punch.” He stared at the busted lip she had. “Does that match what happened?”

She quickly looked over the papers and nodded. “Yes, that’s true.”

Gordon sighed. “Do you wish to press charges?”

(Y/N) shook her head. “No,” she smiled. “There’s no reason to make a fuss about this.”

“…Miss Wayne, you and Miss Walters are all over the news.”

She shrugged. “And people have very short memories. They’ll forget about this.” She handed back the papers. “Send this to my lawyer and she’ll handle it with the prosecutors.”

“You think they won’t press charges despite Walters?” Gordon asked and she nodded.

“Oh, they won’t,” she said then looked at the clock. “Am I free to leave? It’s been a long night.”

Gordon let out a heavy sigh and nodded. “Yes Miss Wayne, you’re free to leave now.”

(Y/N) rose. “Wonderful.” She looked at her sons. “Boys, let’s go.”

They followed her and Bruce stood from the table, standing beside Gordon. “Thank you, Jim.”

Gordon grunted. “I know (Y/N) threw the first punch.”

“You do?”

“Of course, I do.” He huffed. “And I don’t blame her either.” He watched (Y/N) laugh at something Dick said while the others groaned around him. “You’ve got a good woman, Bruce. Good wife. Even better mother.”

Bruce looked at his wife and let an easy smile cross his lips as she pulled them all into hugs. “Yeah…yeah, I do, don’t I.”

[lookthatbatbutt]

I came up with this Bruce Wayne gender swap setting a few days ago, and throw it into a translator. Aaannd this is what you see. So if there's any mistake or any feedbacks, let me know!

Brynhil (Brynn) Martha Wayne, CEO of wayne enterprises, Brynie baby the princess of Gotham, a naive heiress, also an openly bisexual. Her bat suit looks like a male gear (in fact, Brinhil wears a muscle suit with biofeedback circuits, and there's lining in her helmet), but no one knows the Bat is actually a woman except for the bat family and a few people (including some JL members, Minhkhoa Khan, and some  rogues). The intention is to create a masculine, intimidating, authoritative, violent, and bulky image (considering to Brynhil's growing experience...), but at the same time, this body type can also give people a sense of reassurance . The gender of the bat has never been publicly stated, and her code name in the League is always "The Bat," although some people or criminals who will just call her Batman, but Brinhil feels there's no need to clarify. Her fellows refer to her by mixed pronouns (she-her/he-him/they-them), creating an image of the bat being genderless or gender-shifting. 6 feet (183 cm) tall and 147 pounds (67 kg), just an estimate. Damian is a somatic cell (eg. epidermal cell) that Talia stole from Brinhil, using her tech to convert somatic cells into germ cells, and cultivated a zygote by combining it with the germ cells of Ra's al Ghul. Brinhil and Ra's did had a relationship in her days in the League of Assassins, but Brinhil has never pregnant. Ra's sent Damian to Gotham so that the growing rivalry between the two daughters wouldn't spill over to his younger son, and promised Damian when he grows up, he too has the right to take back his rightful place. Basically in order not to reveal her face and gender, Brinhil's bat suit is equipped with a mask. Whether the mask is translucent or not depends on the situation. It can be slid down to the neck or removed, but there are also mask styles like the ones in the Injustice League CG that simply cover the chin line and expose her mouth.

Here's the link with appearence references I gathered. If you think of other references that's suitable for Brynhil, please tell me! https://privatter.net/p/9095020 And this is the tech reference that Talia used. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-future-of-sexual-reproduction/