#like i really wanted Leslie to just be Angry

[sunny12th]

I've started watching movies again and I watched Giant (1956) last night. what a nothing burger movie. several minor conflicts that couldve developed into some real drama or just Something but nah. Elizabeth Taylor is quite possibly the most gorgeous human to ever walk the earth.

Leslie couldve been a really rich character and I was expecting a lot more from her after the first few scenes.

I liked how menacing the Texas song was, the lyrics were like "Texas has its eyes on you, you cannot escape." I felt that this song should've been the theme for Leslie's initial experience in TX. She's married a man two days after meeting him, traveled across the USA to live with him on his 500,000 acres, and immediately realizes she's moved into an isolated wasteland, to her at least, with a man who immediately starts policing her behavior. and a woman, her step sister, that doesn't want to relinquish any control over the house or her brother.

I also like to think that Leslie's first motivation, before hearing about those 500,000 acres, was that Bick was there to buy her horse. She's *such* a horse girl that she married the man buying her horse just to keep that horse. I really wanted more of a reaction to Lux hurting her horse and the horse having to be put down after.

I liked that Leslie does immediately try to make the best of the situation. She chose this, she pursued this man, and now she has to live with it. Helps a lot that Bick is generally very nice to her and very handsome. I do think we could've had more of an exploration on how different they are as people, how different they were raised. Imagine marrying a man after knowing his for two days and only then realizing the consequences because you don't know his values or ideals. You don't know that he's gonna dismiss you in front of his buddies because they're talking 'man stuff,' like politics and business. Or that he's gonna scold you for being kind to the servants or wanting to improve the living conditions of the farm hands and cowboys families.

It felt like the film was taking note of it, of their differences, but never had any resolution. They just carried on because they love each other. And suddenly 25ish years have fucking passed lmao.

Jet's character is interesting and James Dean did a lot, for the younger Jet at least. Older Jet, nothing really happening there except he's drunk and wants to piss off Bick and his family. And is still obsessed with Leslie because she was kind to him (and also is the gorgeous Elizabeth Taylor.) But we don't spend enough time with him for him to be a compelling antagonist. He never feels like a real threat because he never really is one. Leslie's never tempted to be with him, Bick hates him but not enough to really do anything about it, Jet does try to marry their daughter but he doesn't even seem serious about that.

There's a significantly better story somewhere in Giant but what we got is a lukewarm shallow puddle of a drama. A remake as a limited series would have a lot of potential.

[ruvviks]

PLEASE DO NOT TAG AS YOUR OWN OC OR PAIRING.

Nathan and Ruben share a bond more powerful than most; mutual understanding through past experiences no one should ever have to go through, and through past actions so horrible they cannot be spoken of. Their grief and the blood on their hands binds them to the STEM technology they created, which has alienated them from the rest of the world— but they give each other the comfort they have both longed for so desperately for years, and that is all they need. They are each other's counterpart; you cannot imagine one without the other, like two sides of the same coin. Through their pain, their grief, their desire, and their regret, they have become one.

anna akhmatova, the guest // bones; equinox // 'i won't become' by kim jakobsson // agustín gómez-arcos, the carnivorous lamb // by oxy // achilles come down; gang of youths // czeslaw milosz, from 'new and collected poems: 1931-2001' // 'extended ambience portrait from a resonant biostructure' and 'migraine tenfold times ten' by daniel vega // a little death; the neighbourhood // marina tsvetaeva, from 'poem of the end' // by drummnist // katie maria, winter // 'nocturne in black and gold the falling rocket' by james abbott mcneill whistler // micah nemerever, these violent delights // body language; we are fury // 'the penitent' by emil melmoth // chelsea dingman, from 'of those who can't afford to be gentle'

taglist (opt in/out)

@shellibisshe, @florbelles, @ncytiri, @hibernationsuit, @stars-of-the-heart;

@lestatlioncunt, @katsigian, @radioactiveshitstorm, @estevnys, @adelaidedrubman;

@celticwoman, @rindemption, @carlosoliveiraa, @noirapocalypto, @dickytwister;

@killerspinal, @euryalex, @ri-a-rose, @velocitic, @thedeadthree

[ccbatman]

I once said that I thought Steph would make a great Black Canary, and I still think that's one of the realest takes I've ever had.

Like, this moment seared itself into my head and never faded:

{ Robin 80-Page Giant }

[genderkoolaid]

Examples of transandrophobia: i've seen sections of Leslie Feinberg's piece "Sisterhood: Make it Real" passed around this site for literally years, and TODAY was the first time that I saw the whole thing and learned that ze called out cisfeminists in it for getting rid of trans men the second they started transitioning. Like I always thought it was a good piece but I had literally NO IDEA that it talked about trans men because that part was never included in posts about it, even when those posts were calling out cisfeminism for being transphobic. I'm just gobsmacked tbh

This is a great point!

Honestly more people need to read that full chapter. There's a lot of really good points.

Amongst other things, Leslie talks about how "women good men bad" is poor feminism:

Of course, as a result of the oppression women face growing up in such a violently anti-woman environment, some women draw a line between women as allies and men as enemies. While it’s understandable that an individual might do so out of fear, this approach fails as theory. It lumps John Brown and John D. Rockefeller together as enemies and Sojourner Truth and Margaret Thatcher together as allies. This view of who to trust and who to dread will not keep women safe or keep the movement on course.

How feminine men are victims of gender oppression:

The oppression of feminine men is an important one to me, since I consider drag queens to be my sisters. I’ve heard women criticize drag queens for “mocking women’s oppression” by imitating femininity to an extreme, just as I’ve been told that I am imitating men. Feminists are justifiably angry at women’s oppression - so am I! I believe, however, that those who denounce drag queens aim their criticism at the wrong people. This misunderstanding doesn’t take gender oppression into account. For instance, to criticize male-to-female drag performers, but leave out a discussion of gender oppression, lumps drag queen RuPaul together with men like actor John Wayne! RuPaul is a victim of gender oppression, as well as of racism.

How masculine women are assumed to know less about gender oppression:

But I grew up very masculine, so the complex and powerful set of skills that feminine girls developed to walk safely through the world were useless to me. I had to learn a very different set of skills, many of them martial. While we both grew up as girls, our experiences were dissimilar because our gender expressions were very different. Masculine girls and women face terrible condemnation and brutality including sexual violence - for crossing the boundary of what is “acceptable” female expression. But masculine women are not assumed to have a very high consciousness about fighting women’s oppression, since we are thought to be imitating men.

And as you said, how trans men deserve access to women's and lesbian's spaces without having their transmasculinity ignored or seen as being butch-in-denial:

And our female-to-male transsexual brothers have a right to feel welcome at women’s movement events or lesbian bars. However, that shouldn’t feed into to misconception that all female-to-male transsexuals were butches who just couldn’t deal with their oppression as lesbians. If that were true, then why does a large percentage of post-transition transsexual men identify as gay and bisexual, which may have placed them in a heterosexual or bisexual status before their transition? There are transsexual men who did help build the women’s and lesbian communities, and still have a large base of friends there. They should enjoy the support of women on their journey. Doesn’t everyone want their friends around them at a time of great change? And women could learn a great deal about what it means to be a man or a woman from sharing the lessons of transition.

Not that "trans women belong in feminism" wouldn't be a good point on its own, but people's selectivity with which parts of that chapter they share definitely warrant scrutiny.

[gffa]

I would like to say I've slowed down a bit on BATFAMILY fic over the last month, but that's kind of a lie because fandom has put out some absolute banger longer fics and I've been reading a lot of comics (can you believe how many comics I've been enjoying?? I have never felt so spoiled for choice!), so I still feel like I'm inhaling everything as fast as I can go and it's GREAT. It's a constant stream of crying about fictional characters in canon, crying about fictional characters in sad fic scenarios, crying about fictional characters in happy fic scenarios, and crying about fictional characters because other people care about our babies, too. Also, I have decided I no longer have a Dick Grayson Problem that you must all suffer through to get some variety in the recs, but instead I have a Dick Grayson Solution. You're all welcome. But I'll mix it up a bit just for you guys, so hopefully you find something fun to read no matter your fave and have a good time, because this fandom has been knocking it out of the park with the fic that has given me a good time, READ AND CRY WITH ME, OKAY. BATFAM FIC RECS - BABY DICK IS THE CUTEST FERAL ROBIN I'M NOT HEARING ANY ARGUMENTS: ✦ Grounded by WingFeathers, dick & bruce & clark & wally & ma kent & pa kent & background clark/bruce & cast, 60.4k     In the early days of the Justice League, Bruce is out more and more frequently on League missions, and Dick (age 13) is growing more and more restless and lonely stuck at home. His friends can't know he's Robin, and there are no superheroes Dick's age--or so he thinks, until Bruce receives a call from Barry, desperately seeking mentorship advice. Dick asks to meet the Flash's new sidekick, but Bruce refuses; a fight ensues, ending in Dick getting grounded. One week in Gotham off patrol, and then two weeks alone, far from Gotham... at a little family farm in Smallville, Kansas. And hey, if a certain Midwestern speedster sidekick just so happens to turn up, that'd be just fine. Or would it?

✦ trust in serum by deargalileo, dick & bruce & alfred & clark, 15.7k     "I believe the serum is a mixture of chemicals that compels the target to be completely honest, even against their own will." "You got hit with a truth serum?" Bruce winced as Dick's voice reached a high pitch. "Really?!" "Yes, really."

✦ Storge by CKBookish, dick & bruce & alfred, 5.4k     “Your dad must have his hands full with you.” Elizabeth Ribbons leaned forward and patted Dick’s shoulder, as he reached for yet another slice of cheesecake from a passing waiter’s tray. Bruce fixed his eyes on the ice sculpture that hid him from view. It suddenly seemed like the most interesting design in the world. The soft lines of the ice on the otherwise insignificant over sized swan seemed like a lead shield... Because Dick would read it easily in his expression. He wanted to be Dick’s dad. But he wasn’t.

✦ Robin Wings by JeanjacketCarf, dick & clark & bruce & cast, 3.4k     Clark wakes in a panic, unsure what has jarred him from his sleep. Until he notices Robin's absence from Batman's side.

✦ Hey! He Attempted a Coup! by PandasandDucks13, dick & bruce & clark & justice league & cast, 6.8k wip     What if Dick Grayson was a Kryptonian?

✦ grief mosaic by newsical, dick & bruce & alfred & leslie, 1.3k     Grief paints Dick’s days in muted shades of red and yellow and green. He grows to expect sleepless nights and sweat-drenched sheets. In turn, he finds late night companions in Alfred, with his old movies and stories, and Bruce, who wears the colors of his own grief to prevent its spread to others. Dr. Thompkins writes a letter to Bruce diagnosing Dick with PTSD.

✦ before this ends by emavee, dick & bruce, 2.5k     Mr. Wayne would definitely be angry if he knew what Dick was planning, but it’s not as if Dick is going to be here long anyway. Might as well take the opportunity to fly one last time, while he still has the chance.

✦ A Light at the End of the Tunnel by dizarys, dick & bruce & alfred, 1.6k   �� Maybe the parenting and grieving books he skimmed the highlights from last week–and Alfred–were right. Why else would Dick have approached their newest case with such ferocity and determination? At first, Bruce chalked it up to empathy. Seeing another child crying after his parents were murdered was something Batman and Robin could relate to.

✦ Last Night of Sadness by gothamshero (emhyr), dick & bruce & slade & william cobb, 6.1k     Dick Grayson has to take liberties when he’s a civilian, but he still knows when he’s being followed.

✦ Starlings in Winter by FromStarstuff, dick & bruce & clark & cast, 18k wip     When Dick was eleven years old he ran away from Gotham. No one could quite figure out why. Take your pick; there was a fight at school, a circus in town, and a song he can’t remember the melody of. Eleven-year-old Dick Grayson was flooded with grief, swimming in it, perpetually drowning. One day it was too much.

✦ What Defines A Father by Browniesarethebest, dick & bruce & justice league & cast, 7.7k wip     Batman hasn't known the newly formed Justice League long enough to trust them, but he's willing to put everything on the line when the one thing he cares for most is taken somewhere he can't easily follow.

✦ Stolen Son by springfox (dallystrings), dick & bruce & cast, 8.6k     Bruce’s heartbeat sped up, but he leveled his breathing to remain clear headed. After another thirty seconds he abandoned the cart and walked briskly through the store, searching every row in a growing panic. “Dick?” he called, “Dick, can you hear me? Where are you, chum?”

BATFAM FIC RECS - ADULT BATSON AND BATDAD ARE MY KRYPTONITE, I FOLD LIKE WET CARDBOARD FOR THEM: ✦ Learning Experience by strikeyourcolors, dick & bruce, 2.3k     "Does it ever get easier?" Dick asks. Bruce isn't technically old enough to be his father biologically, but those deep blue eyes are looking at him as a child beseeching a parent. "Some nights I feel like I can't do this anymore, Bruce. I can't be Nightwing."

✦ Rainbow Puppies by zombiesbecrazy, dick & bruce, 2.4k     Bruce really wanted to hate Pamela Isley right now, but all that he could focus on was how much he admired the way she passionately fought for her beliefs and how he could applaud her application of her educational background into practical endeavors to her cause, however misguided. Being hit with one of Ivy's toxins has Bruce babbling like a fool.

✦ the business of the very few by dustorange, dick & bruce, 4.2k     “I was trying,” Bruce says, “to respect your privacy.”

✦ notches in the door frame by dizarys, dick & bruce, 2.1k     Bruce hadn't been prepared for his days or nights to feel so empty. And he wasn't sure how to interact with the young man before him now. Because Robin didn't need Batman anymore. --- A patrol gone wrong forces Bruce and Dick to finally talk about Robin becoming Nightwing and feelings they'd been avoiding.

✦ No Comfort in the Shade by mx_chrx99, dick & bruce, 3.4k     Dick Grayson is having a hard time and Bruce is there to help.

✦ The Long Distance by takadainmate, dick & bruce, 1.2k     Down here they're not Batman and Nightwing. They’re Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. But they still fight.

BATFAM FIC RECS - EVERYBODY LOVES DICK: ✦ tender will fall by dizarys, dick & bruce & donna & jason & cast, 3.5k     When the Titans are devastated in an attack, they go to Batman in a last ditch effort to rescue one of their own.

✦ the hardest part by emavee, dick & bruce & jason & tim & damian & cass, no powers au, 5.8k     Dick is dreading his eighteenth birthday and everything that it means for him as a foster kid. His time with his family is running out, and he needs to be prepared for what comes next, to be on his own again.

✦ 5 Times Dick Grayson Was Grateful for His Insomnia + 1 Time He Wasn't by avengemyheart, dick & bruce & jason & tim & damian & alfred & wally, 5.7k     Dick can't sleep, but that's a good thing. He finds himself helping the people he cares about late at night throughout the years. Eventually though, everyone realizes just how intense his insomnia can get. Or: A 5 +1 thing about Dick's insomnia.

✦ A Darker Shade of Gotham by JackHawksmoor, dick & bruce & tim & alfred, 8.3k wip     Dick and Tim are stuck in a crappy alternate universe where most of the heroes they know are dead, Bruce Wayne's bad health meant he never became Batman, and Tony Zucco runs Gotham City's underworld. When Dick is shot by the mob, they take a risk and go to Bruce for help. Alternate Bruce didn't have children, but as he gets to know Dick and Tim, he starts wishing he did.

✦ leave as though fire burns under your feet by perissologist, dick & bruce & jason & tim & damian & cast, read the tags, 33k     That glow is gone, now. Gone from Dick’s skin, gone from inside him. It used to shine out of him, out of all the cracks the world put in him. But now Bruce looks down at him, and he is as dark and cold as a snuffed star. That’s what gets to him the most—not how cold the morgue is under its colorless fluorescent lighting, or the cloying smell of formaldehyde that clogs his throat. It’s how still Dick is, on the cold, sterile surface of the examiner’s table. It’s unnatural. The boy never learned how to sit still.

✦ papers say it's doomsday by dottie_dc (dottie_wan_kenobi), dick & bruce & donna & cast, 2.5k     Half-laughing at his own joke, Nightwing starts to say, “He just doesn’t—” In the space of one word, one breath, and the next—the world ends.

✦ Ibn al Xu'ffasch by hellsreluctantheir, dick & bruce & damian & jason & cast, 16.2k     Batman when they’d thought Bruce was dead was one kettle of fish. Batman when the original Batman was around was another. In his head, Robin—perched on a gargoyle next to him—tutted like an eighty-year-old, and rolled his eyes like the kid he was.

BATFAM FIC RECS - BATKIDS ALL HAVE MANY SIBLINGS AND THEY'RE ALL PETTY ASSHOLES AND/OR WONDERFUL BABIES AND I LOVE THEM WITH MY WHOLE BEING: ✦ our aspirations are wrapped up in books by theragingstorm, damian & barbara & cast, 1.8k     Damian's been confined to bed rest. Someone unexpected helps him.

✦ remind me why I'm here again? by dizarys, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian & cass & bernard(/tim), 3.5k     Jason's at a Wayne gala. He doesn't want to be. Good thing his siblings are there too. "Were we mean?" Dick mused, "Or just being big brothers?" "He's holding your hoodie hostage." "You're right. We went too easy on him."

✦ put away childish things by bittlebarnes (monroesherlock), dick & damian & clark & jon & barbara & ma kent, 7.2k     "I was sent here as a punishment, surely," Damian deadpans. "Are you feeling punished?" Martha sounds like she’s laughing at him. Unacceptable. "Absolutely."

✦ a hero by hellsreluctantheir, bruce & dick & jason, 15.5k     Dick Grayson died in Amusement Mile. Four years later, Jason Todd is Robin. But he's not dressed in the costume when he hears about a new player in Crime Alley; a man in a red helmet.

✦ Improvise A Symphony by cabezas_de_vaca, bruce & dick & alfred & cast, 5.5k     Or: three generations of Wayne and Wayne-adjucacent men do their absolute best.

✦ The Second Stage by nightwalker, tim & jason & bruce & dick & damian, 8.2k     All Tim wants is to take a shower, get something to eat, and try to wear off the effects of Ivy's stupid pollen in peace. So of course tonight is the night Jason decides to start acting like a brother.

BATFAM FIC RECS - I CUT MY TEETH ON DICK & TIM AS CLOSE BROTHERS AND NO ONE WILL NOT TAKE IT FROM ME: ✦ Red Letter Day by silverwhittlingknife, dick & tim & damian & cast, 41.8k wip     Dick Grayson, stressed pseudo-parent to a preteen assassin, tries to solve the case of Damian’s Mysterious Wednesday. He never expected it to help him fix his relationship with Tim, too. (... Though only after everything fell apart first.)

✦ I know it's just a number but you're the eighth wonder by orphan_account, dick & tim, 1.2k     Dick gets sick. Set before their lives implode on them, so Dick’s Nightwing and Tim’s still an itty bitty Robin.

✦ it's been a long time now (i'm with you) by centreoftheselights, dick & tim, 1.8k     Tim has been noticing some strange things about his life. He isn't the only one.

✦ Little Do You Know by sardonic_sprite, dick & tim & ra's, 2.2k     "So," Tim said quietly. "You're here to break me out I guess." "Yes," came out in a choked sob. "Then you're wasting your time."

✦ pain/release by unchosenone, dick & tim, 4k     Dick goes to check on a wayward brother in the middle of yet another Gotham Toxin (TM), and Tim has a bad time.

✦ I'd Fly Far Away From Here by Sohotthateveryonedied, dick & tim & jack, 3.5k     Tim stacks his fries onto his burger patty in a crosshatch, covering every spare inch in a layer of salty potato and grease. “It all happened kind of fast. Dad and I got into this huge fight, and it’s not very dignified to go back upstairs for my wallet and then storm out.” Dick is quiet while he eats his sandwich, trying to figure this out. “Dick?” “I’m just—trying to think if I should call Bruce first or your dad.”

✦ A Collective End to a Harmony by 061828, dick & tim, 1.2k     A drop of water falls into an ocean, a house’s wooden skeleton has its last nail screwed into place, an old book’s first page finally crumbles off, and Tim Drake turns twenty years old.

✦ young numb and broken by wingedgrace, dick & tim & cast, read the tags, 1.1k     His bare feet were covered in cold, damp sand, and he could barely feel them. Well, he could feel them, but they didn’t seem to be connected to his body. Or maybe it was him that wasn’t connected to his body. (or: poor Dick Grayson needs some love and a chance to catch his breath.)

✦ there's an endless road to rediscover by Zahri, dick & tim & cast, 1.2k     Sometimes the only way to show that you've moved on and forgiven each other is to take a flying tackle from the ceiling. Dick and Tim know each other's demonstrations of affection. Damian doesn't.

✦ spread your wings by wingedgrace, dick & tim & cast, 2.1k     “Why did you give Robin to Damian?” Dick pinched his nose. He’d started to pick up some of Batman’s habits, whether he realized it or not. “Tim, we’re not talking about this again. We’re talking about how you’re off on this… quest, to prove that Bruce is still alive. And I just want to talk. Come home.” Tim didn’t budge. “Why did you give Robin to Damian?”

BATFAM FIC RECS - DICK/BABS FOREVER AND YOU CAN SHUT IT IF YOU DISAGREE, THEY'RE ADORABLE TOGETHER: ✦ Taking Turns by mx_chrx99, dick/babs, 2.3k     Tim had practically begged Dick to get a flu shot. He probably should've listened.

✦ The Summer of Her Discontent by dotfic, dick/babs, 7.8k     Batgirl contends with her feelings after Dick leaves Gotham.

✦ Thirteen Hours by dotfic, dick/babs, 7.9k     Set during "Knight Time," during their trip to Romania, Dick and Babs start healing some old wounds.

✦ The Night the Lights Went out in Gotham by dotfic, dick/babs & bruce & tim & jim & cast, 13.8k     "When it comes to emotions, even great heroes can be idiotic."-from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

✦ Regular People by zombiesbecrazy, dick/babs, 1.6k     All sorts of people can enjoy a good sunrise over the city after a long night. Why should heroes of Gotham be any different?

✦ strawberry milkshakes by brandywine421, dick/babs & bruce, 2.8k     Why is Bruce bringing Dick? It's not an emergency alert, or medical - just an alert. She should have put in her comm - if it was a simple pit stop they had safehouses, but - Batman dangles Dick's keys in her direction at the door but she's glad he didn't come through the window. She looks past him to catch Dick's attention and - something's wrong.

BATFAM FIC RECS - I WILL DIE ON THE HILL THAT TIM DRAKE'S TRUE LOVE INTEREST IS CONNER KENT AND NOBODY CAN STOP ME, NOT EVEN GOD: ✦ Stay for breakfast and also forever by Ididloveyou_once, tim/kon & bruce, 2k     Conner turns up in the middle of the night after a mission gone wrong. Tim learns that seeing Conner cry makes him feel like his heart has been torn out of his chest.

✦ Think Cupid, But Aim Lower by NevernightUnderRainbows, tim/kon & bruce & cassie & bart, 2.3k     Or, the Batfamily will make sure Tim gets his guy, even if it entails a lot of beating around the bush, dropping hints so veiled that they can be misconstrued surprisingly easily, and basically giving the bird and his clone boy a headache in the process

✦ The Once and Future Bat by LilliputianDuckling, tim/kon & some kon/cassie & dick & roy & martha & anita & cast, 16k     Tim realizes it was a mistake to clone Conner when he ends up with a baby on his hands at sixteen years old. Well, Jackie's his now. Where does he go from here?

✦ there you were by mindshelter, tim/kon & cassie & bart & martha, 19.5k wip     “You know, the cool thing about me,” Tim says, voice gone quiet and petal-soft, “is that even when I didn’t care whether I lived or not, I was pretty goddamn hard to kill.” Kon sighs, eyes glued to his feet. His hand is still encircled around Tim’s arm, trailing up to the bend of his elbow.

✦ time flies by by Laroyena, tim/kon & clark & jon & lex, 6.5k     Jon Kent is Superboy. Tim's gut instinct tells him that's wrong. (Timkon fix-it where reboot!Tim misses Kon like a phantom limb. And then he gets him back.)

✦ Tangled by thewhitestag, tim/kon, NSFW, 4.1k     Kon doesn’t want to be that person, always waiting, wondering if the next time will be more than just two friends messing around.

✦ you put your arms around me and i'm home by merils, tim/kon, 4.5k     Kon's acting a little odd after a close call. Tim ponders the potential causes.

BATFAM FIC RECS - TAKE THE ANGST DIAL, TURN IT UP TO ELEVEN, AND BREAK THE KNOB OFF, THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR: ✦ Bereft by glassofwater, dick & bruce & cast, 4.7k     Laying on his back, shoulder brushing up against debris, Dick closes his eyes briefly. He doesn’t want to die, has no intention to do so tonight, but he is scared. The blood on his side pumps out of him with each thump of his heart, beating at a rate too fast for Dick to properly count. That shouldn’t be right, he shouldn’t even be awake and struggling at the moment, but the luck that hangs over Gotham is a mysterious one; it doesn’t favor anyone and yet…

✦ fun and games by prismatical, bruce & dick & jason & tim & barbara & stephanie & duke & cast, 78.6k     The Joker's loose, and the Batman isn't in Gotham. The family struggles to hold itself together as everything else spins out of control.

✦ Bone Weary by TheSilencer, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian & cass & steph & duke, 8.1k     "You cannot reach out until you reach in." Dick assumed the words were metaphorical. They weren't. Or Dick Grayson is cursed, and the cure is not any better.

✦ What These Hands Have Done by WinterSky101, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian & cass & steph & alfred & cast, 14k     Dick is mind controlled into attacking his family. Unsurprisingly, he takes the whole thing very badly.

✦ All The Small Things by Geeves, dick & bruce & damian & cast, 20.1k     After Bruce's return to the Bat, Dick and Damian have to deal with just being brothers, but things are just a bit too messy to be that easy

✦ All Our Broken Parts by mx_chrx99, bruce & dick & jason & dick/babs & cast, 28.1k wip     Jason will not let this happen again. He can't. But what if he's already too late?

[thetarttfuldickhead]

It would never have happened if not for Dr. Fieldstone. Now, Leslie’s delighted about her joining the Richmond team on a more permanent basis – she works wonders with the lads (and one head coach who shall remain unnamed, if only because he’s still a little sensitive about seeing a therapist) – but it does mean that Leslie’s once more out of an office. Just for the moment, of course, until he can find a suitable space without kicking anyone else out of their room. It’s really no hassle. He’s doing fine on the bench just behind the recyling bins outside of the copy room.

Or he was, until Roy Kent stops by just on the other side of said bins and, seemingly entirely unaware of Leslie’s presence, starts fiddling with his phone in what can only be described as an angry way.

It’s Roy, so that’s nothing out of the ordinary, and Leslie’s just about to offer a friendly greeting when he hears the hollow rings of an outgoing call and ah, it’d be terribly rude interrupt, wouldn’t it? 

For a long moment there’s nothing but beep after beep and Roy’s muttered pick the fuck up you fucking prick and then—

“What the fuck do you want?” 

Jamie’s not on speaker, but the sound’s loud enough for Higgins to not only recognize the voice but to hear every word, and the jagged, slightly petulant edge to them. 

“Where the fuck are you?” Roy growls. 

“How’s that any of your business? Training’s fucking over for the day, Coach.” Spat, more or less.

“Don’t be a fucking— “ Roy cuts himself off. “I need to see you.”

“Why?” 

“Fucking hell! I wanted to… I want to fucking apologize, all right!” Roy sounds very, very annoyed about it.

“You can do that over phone. Or in a text.” Jamie sounds slightly less annoyed, but not by much.

Leslie dares crane his neck just so to sneak a peek at Roy’s face. Roy has closed his eyes, looking pained as he grits out a simple, strained: “No. I can’t.” 

“Why the fuck not?” 

Roy looks to the ceiling. Looks like he’d rather be anywhere else. Still he plods on, and Leslie feels a small surge of pity, small surge of pride. 

“Because you’ll want to hug me afterwards,” Roy says, “and you can’t fucking do that over phone, can you?” 

There’s a long pause. Leslie finds himself holding his breath, and not only because he’s halfway terrified he’ll start nervously gagging if this goes on for much longer. 

“Fine,” Jamie says eventually. “You can meet me back at my place in twenty.”

“Yeah, okay. Cheers.” 

A snort, somewhere between derisive and exasperated. “You better fucking hug me back.”

With that, Jamie hangs up. Roy takes a few deep breaths before stomping off and leaving Leslie to carefully consider what he’s overheard. Obviously something must have happened at training and if their head coach and star player have a proper falling out and Ted’s not there to talk some sense in them—

Eh. They’ll sort it out. Leslie returns to his e-mails.

[dairy-farmer]

As much as I love the scenario where Ra's kicked Tim out of the window and Dick couldn't catch him in time, I want to talk about Damian's cutting Tim's line. And even though I really like it when everyone is in love with Tim, for this scenario some characters can be a little heartless... Well, I hope you will enjoy it

The moment Damian cut his line, Tim was actually prepared for this type of move. He just had only thought that given how Dick's parents's death happen, this little demon would actually think about his actions. And with every person he saw talking about how far Damian has became...

It was an instant death. Tim hit his head on a ledge as he started to fall, couldn't do anything to lessen the impact

Damian didn't control the corpse. He just thought Drake would just got up and start to annoy him again. Even something happened to him, who would care? Grayson choose him over this pretender, his father didn't come back right now, Todd hate him just like himself... He did something good for everyone

The body was not found by any of the vigilantes. One of the patrolling police officers checked in when he saw a trace of excessive blood in the alley, and was greeted by Red Robin's already cold body.

The first thing Commissioner Gordon did after turning on the bat light that evening was to send his condolences to Batman. When the person in the costume did not understand what he was talking about and looked at him with blank eyes, he got angry and shouted that how Red Robin was one of the children working for this goddamn city, saying that at least a proper funeral should be held for him

Dick could feel the control of his body slipping away as soon as the words Red Robin came out of the commissioner's mouth. He had seen Tim only yesterday, his younger brother's anger at him hadn't fully subsided, but at least he was starting to stop by the cave. And Damian didn't mention any problems with the patrol last night. Everything had to be a joke. A disgusting joke that won't be laughed at later on...

He only remembered that as soon as he saw the body, which had already cooled down and his eyes were open, he started screaming. The fact that all the police officers around him left him alone, that he whispered Tim's name by holding the body of his little baby that would never grow up again, that he returned to the cave with the body in his hand was done in a completely shocked moment and that if someone asked him to tell them, he would not be able to say anything

As soon as he regained consciousness, he had contacted Barbara and asked her to check all the cameras. If anyone thought that they could rip off his baby bird's wings and get the collar off, they were very wrong. This time, no one would be able to bring back the human or monster he will kill

The scenario with the Joker would not happen again...

But everything changed when he saw the records. When Tim tries to fly without a safety net, just like his parents, and Damian, who he believes has truly changed, cuts off the only thing keeping the boy in the air...

Everything became a chaos...

Dick grabbed Damian, who had just come from school, by the throat and stuck him against the wall, spewing poison in an instant. Alfred had to give Dick a sedative to prevent it from turning into a bloodbath, which shattered Dick's last shred of trust in everyone living in the Manor

Dick took care of all the funeral procedures without Bruce returning from the time stream. He took all of Tim's belongings from the manor from his old room to take them to the house he was going to move into, went into the room with Leslie, the doctor who performed the autopsy of the lifeless body, and took it upon himself to wash Tim one last time before putting him in the coffin

When Bruce came back and learned that Tim had passed away, he was, of course, devastated for a while. But then he decided to put his feelings aside and think rationally. He didn't do Damian's education himself, he wasn't in charge of his biological son during that time and Tim didn't expect Bruce to save him when he died, so unlike what happened the previous time, this Robin's death wasn't his fault, was it?

As soon as Jason found out he was thinking about it, he shot and told him that any bat would never be able to set foot on Crime Alley again...

He made the decision to leave the family completely and continued to talk to only completely collapsed Dick, who lived in his area. He tried to make sure his older brother ate at least one meal a day, remembering when Tim told him how everyone changed after Jason's death, seeing with his own eyes, Jason believed that at least he owed it to that little boy who was trying to save everyone

Dick never stepped into vigilante life again. He was constantly hearing Tim's voice around him and was trying to get on with his life completely collapsed with sadness. Whenever he tried to do any gymnastics moves, he remembered their first encounter at the circus, looked at the old photo and believed that he was cursed as the only living person out of the six there

For Damian, I think he'll really realize what he did as he gets older. And he'll want to use the name of his older brother, who will never be older than him and who he will never really know, to honor him.

Just one night, Red Robin soared through the skies years later. As soon as Dick gets the news of this, he will shout at Damian that he has no right to this kind of thing and will not let Bruce display it in the cave like he did with the other costumes, and take it back to his own house

For the girls, every year on the day of his death, Barbara would turn off her system and watch every single image she found about Tim over and over again. After Cass tried to kill Damian, because how dare he touched his baby brother, she wouldn't set foot in Gotham again except for the cemetery visit while Steph would visit the cemetery every week to talk about anything that came to her mind

Even if the body six feet underground will never speak again...

For Lazarrus Pit, I think after the days he spent on the League Tim would have a testament about his death and how he don't want anything Ra's offer... And everyone agreed to Tim's last request even it kills Dick over and over again with knowing how he can bring his baby back but he couldn't do it without someone knowing...

Or maybe he can?..

Tim will forgive him for not doing what he wants, he loves Dick so much just like his older brother loves him too...

He can be with his baby again... No one could ever come between them again...

for damian cutting tim's line i think it's very overlooked how VERY badly things would have gone had he actually suceeded. tim's death at the hands of a comrade would make waves in more than just gotham and his direct family.

because this wasn't a rogue who killed tim. this wasn't an anti hero. this wasn't some random accident or anything like that. the person who killed tim was a comrade- robin, batman's partner who dick had vocally advocated for, who he'd repeatedly told off people for when defending him. "just give him a chance!" is what he'd say. i feel like a lot of heroes would feel exceptionally chilled because if they can't trust their own comrades to have their back then that basically destroys 90% of vigilante work because you NEED to be a team player in their line of work, you have to be able to trust and be trusted by others. even if damian realized he made a mistake seconds after he made the decision to cut tim's line- he'd be standing on the rooftp, hurt and fury overflowing in him, he's breathing hard like an animal that's out of breath and he's so angry and waiting for tim to get up so he can scream at him but tim doesn't get up. and it sinks in very quickly what has happened.

to think he would get away with it, damian would have to be VERY certain of the strength of his relationship with the family and to be honest it's not in the best place. since tim left things are tenuous, dick is still working out being 'batman' they've grown closer, damian feels like he can rely on dick and on alfred and he thinks they'll understand why he got rid of "red robin" who abandoned them when gotham went to shit, left them to pick up his slack, actively avoided and dismissed dick's attempts to contact him, and then blasted into the city acting like he was an authority and treating damian like a hostile when he hadn't been in gotham for months. damian is angry but he's sure dick and alfred will understand even if they're upset with him.

he does not expect the immediate and severe backlash. he is not ready for dick having to be sedated just to stop him from strangling damian and he's not ready for alfred to refuse to meet his eyes when they learn what he's done.

damian loses every bridge and connection he was forming following tim's death. his luck outside of gotham is ever bleaker because no one wants to be on a team, work with, or help a "cape killer". damian can also absolutely never step foot inside san francisco, both superboy and impulse have made it clear that they'll crush his skull like a tomato if he even thinks of coming close. wondergirl is the leader of the titans and can't threaten another cape like that but she makes it clear he won't be treated as friendly if he steps foot in their city.

when bruce, batman, damian's father returns he is devastated. dick, who had already started neglecting patrol and pulling away from batman duties is asked why he didn't teach damian better, why he wasn't there supervising, why he'd pair the two of them up when tim was a known trigger for damian- he's asked why and its clear that bruce blames dick more than damian. he blames dick the way an owner would be blamed when a dog bites a baby. "why weren't you there? why didn't you stop it?"

it must be the push dick needs because he drops from the vigilante life completely after that. he leaves the manor, moves into tim's abandoned 'nest' in the city and no longer speaks to them.

damian, aside from the day dick found out what he did, was never punished. he wasn't pulled aside and reprimanded, scolded, wasn't told he did something wrong. he was just...pushed to the side. looked at. looked down on. with disgust. with distrust.

it was like some twisted irony. he killed tim for not trusting him and in doing so ensured no one would ever trust him again. batman takes him out sometimes. but only when he desperatly needed a pair of hands because bruce's lack of "punishment" for damian did not go unnoticed. and it cost him a lot as well. damian grows up angry and confused and then bitter and resigned when it settles in what he's done.

he's 17, the age tim was when he died in that alley. and the realization does something to damian's brain. damian never really knew tim. they'd met in passing, fighting most of those meetings. even when they'd lived in the same house they avoided each other.

damian knows nothing about tim but he knows killing tim had ruined his life and the life he could've had. it was his fault all because he couldn't control himself. tim was right to have not trusted him. it doesn't hurt any less to know that.

damian thinks of the mantle, thinks of how people never really forgot who was wearing the robin mask, about who should've been wearing it instead of him.

red robin hasn't flown in a long time and batman doesn't pay enough attention to him to notice. but people notice when he starts going around gotham as red robin and dick shows up to the manor for the first time in years. he looks horrible. like he hasn't slept lately but he screams at damian, asks how dare he do this, how dare he wear tim's mantle after what he did.

damian thought it wouldn't hurt after years of not seeing him but it does.

so damian avoids the part of gotham dick occupies. avoids where dick shops, where he eats, where he works at the little gym for preschoolers.

damian tries to. but seeing dick again after so many years...bruce isn't a good father. or a good batman. he's not like dick. he doesn't reach out, doesn't try to understand him, reassure him, doesn't try to reason with him....he just doesn't try.

damian tries to respect the clear boundaries dick has drawn with all of them. with bruce, jason, cass, alfred, barbara. dick doesn't want to see them, talk to them. he wants to be left alone.

but...damian can't ignore that want in his heart to see his...brother again.

so he learns and he sneaks and he visits the grocery store dick shops at, the take out places he frequents, the gym he works and...damian...notices...something.

not immediatly. it's just small things. like how dick hates sausage but he'll buy fresh links from the italian butcher. how when he's on his way home he'll buy things. flowers, a single rose, fresh bread, pastries from a bakery, chocolates, he even stops by a makeup counter and buys perfume.

it's not suspicious but it is strange. but then damian notices how when he buys groceries it's in large volumes and amounts like...like he's buying for more than one.

as far as damian is aware dick is a loner now. he doesn't even talk to old titans or that alien he used to be together with.

no one has seen dick, not since he came to the manor to yell at damian.

damian has no right to snoop, no right to know more about his....brother's life.

but...he can feel that there's something off. something that's tugging at the edge of his senses as he follows dick home, making sure to tail him only through binoculars. even after years of retirement dick had been a cape longer than damian had been alive- there was no doubt in damian's mind he'd spot him or sense him.

so keeps his distance. all the way up until he reaches...the nest. tim's old apartment he was converting to a base.

damian stops in his tracks and thinks of turning back but then dick is stepping up to the front door and...something in damian just...stops.

the front door creaked open and revealed a small, slim figure greeting dick with a huge smile. dick's rough, sterm features softened and he pulled the rose he'd been hiding behind his back out and presented it to...to tim who giggled all red cheeked and happy and full of life.

damian can hear his own heartbeat in his ears. he's pretty sure he's going to throw up because....because there's no way that's tim.

tim is dead and buried in the cemetery by his mother and father. his casket is enchanted to ensure decomposition so neither ra's or anyone could reanimate him. tim hadn't wanted to be brought back to life it had been clearly outlined in his unofficial will that was just a note in his computer.

the nest was going to be tim's base. damian had seen the blueprints once, he'd seen the equipment that had been shipped there including old machinery from the cloning facility he'd used during his break from reality.

it's like a puzzle piece in damian's brain clicks into place as he realizes with dawning horror that aside from lex luthor, tim probably had the most comprehensive manual on cloning in the world. hybrids like a half human half kryptonian were exceedingly difficult but a regular old human? especially one you have plenty of dna samples for on file? (damian thought of the pints of tim's blood that had been in the medbay on ice because they all stored away blood and plasma each month in case they were ever injured enough to need it, not to mention all the hair and skin samples likely littering the nest).

tim hadn't wanted to come back, hadn't wanted to return in this way (his will had never said anything about clones).

it's unethical. it's wrong. dick shouldn't have cloned tim and he certainly shouldn't have hidden it to protect....to protect whatever was happening.

damian swears his heart skips a beat when dick pulls tim into a deep kiss. dick had never been that affectionate with tim before, he'd certainly ever kissed him so intimately. as far as damian knew, dick had thought of tim as a brother and now he was...was together with a clone of him?

damian feels distressed and agonized watching. he wants to turn. to leave. but he can't.

because everytime he blinks he sees another scene of tim alive and breathing. and it does something to damian to see his mistake undone, to see the life he'd taken alive and well.

he should leave. he should confront dick.

but damian just stands there on that roof and watches.

[jamiesfootball]

Okay I have treats I should be answering, but since I typed it all out anyways-

*rips open trench coat*

Here's the list of Jamie AUs I have puttering around in the brain:

-Jamie-is-Zava AU! In which Jamie never gets traded to Richmond. Instead he ends up at a different club, one that's meaner AND within driving distance of Manchester. Because this is Jamie, he never stops battling, and within three years he is an angry shell of the person but also an absolute killer as a striker. His relationship with his dad is also the worst its ever been. So the entire league is stunned - stunned! - when one Leslie Higgins runs into him in the bathroom during a match and jokingly says, "I don't supposed you'd ever want to play for a team like Richmond" and Jamie Tartt agrees! (Men really do be giving each other jobs in bathrooms)

-hockey Jamie! (this is based on nothing I just like hockey jerseys and ice skating)

-figure skater!girl!Jamie (based off someone’s previous post about a girl jamie getting pushed into it by her dad) Again, ice skates. outfits. but now also with music. Also Jamie being stuck in another high-control environment. Ough.

-bartender Jamie! He got injured in the academy and, well, bars are really the only other place his dad ever dragged him, so it was easy enough to get a job, wasn't it? And it's not like he doesn't get tipped well. He's a handsome lad and great at charming people (makes him uncomfortable sometimes when it's the older women flirting with him, but he doesn't like to think about that much)

-bartender Jamie again! This time with an accompanying Roy Kent who is also a bartender because neither of them 'made it out.' Roy is a tired, overworked line cook who has had it up to HERE with this new guy who works the front of house. Makes him want to spit in the guy's shift meal, but he'd never do that to the food (which he at least respects). And well, sometimes the guy looks a little desperate about the shift meal. Roy's been there - was there the whole time he was helping his sister with Phoebe while she was getting her nursing degree. Didn't mean he signed up to teach him to cook. But they did just lose another line cook. Fuck.

-lawyer jamie! He wants to make sure people like his dad don’t happen to other people. He brings a very Boston Legal energy to Roy's The Practice energy. Keeley is a paralegal. Rebecca owns the firm now. Ted is HR.

-criminal profiler Jamie! Going full Criminal Minds here people! Heavy on the themes, and the whole 'using your trauma to profile the unsub' thing, and the 'we don't profile each other (except for when we do)

-CSI Jamie! But it’s the fake CSI where they are borderline detectives and he keeps getting threatened/kidnapped. He is basically the Nick Stokes of the crew

-Rockstar Jamie! He got famous because of his face but he actually IS talented! But they won’t let him play any ‘real’ music and he has loads of anger he’d like to scream about thanks. He's always wanted to work with Roy Kent, but Roy's old band notoriously broke up in the messiest fucking manner and Roy's been working in a limited, behind the scenes fashion ever since (and fucking loathes the sort of music Jamie makes).

-Movie star Jamie! He’s a palatable actor, but what he secretly really wants to do is direct. Meanwhile former indie-darling director Roy who had a string of failures got low-balled into directing this run-of-the-mill drama. When the first actor dropped out without warning, Keeley called in a favor to get her somewhat-famous ex-boyfriend to star in it instead and he will not. stop. giving. Roy. notes.

-Bonus AU mentions:

-Jaeger pilot Jamie (Pacific Rim au)

-Hitter turned hacker Jamie (Leverage au - I have a whole tag for it)

-Dead Jamie (The Good Place au) - he is fairly sure he is not supposed to be in The Good Place and is white knuckling it so he doesn't get caught. Ted is Michael. Chaos ensues.

[tickletastic]

Do u have any tickle hcs about the bat boys?

yes yes yes yes yes do i ever

under the cut, my love <3

Dick

absolutely just devastatingly ticklish everywhere, but i also think he is weirdly good at hiding it for a little bit, and sometimes the ler trying to tickle him will just eventually give up (big brother powers? zatanna magic?)

his thighs and tummy are his worst spots, and both just absolutely destroy him

he can and will attempt to acrobat his way out of tickling

he 100% once tried to front flip away from Tim when he was trying to tickle dick and jason ended up catching him upside down in the air (and tim totally took advantage)

absolutely the family tickle monster because it is his oldest brother duty

the only sibling that damian actually lets tickle him (because he kind of loves tolerates dick)

Duke

Absolutely the type to accidentally hurt you when you tickle him

If you get his neck? he's karate chopping you. his ribs? he'll elbow you

i hc that jason and duke are close because i think duke would be really into literature too (i think he'd be a big poe fan!!) and they would bond over spending hours in the Wayne manor library

as a result, i think jason tickles duke the most, but i think damian has been indexing moments that he witnesses so he can "accidentally" tickle duke later (bc, despite what he would say, he is a softie and wants to make sure that duke feels like he's a part of the family as much as everyone else is)

i think his worst spots are his ribs and his thighs, but he gets really panicked and giggly when someone tries to go for his neck

i think he's a really timid and considerate ler, and that he's probably stopping every minute or so to make sure the lee is alright (which his siblings find INCREDIBLY flustering)

Damian

he is just a tiny little dude, just an angry tiny guy

he is, like most twelve year olds, ticklish everywhere, but he only ever lets dick or bruce tickle him, and SOMETIMES, jason

his laugh is so cute, and he snorts pretty much the entire time

it embarrasses him incredibly, but he physically cannot fight back when he's tickled, he just kind of lays there and giggles

he does in fact use tickling to his advantage in the manor, and has been known to tickle tim to tears

like steph, i think he secretly knows exactly where everyone is ticklish (except for jason, who, as usualy, remains elusive)

Tim

my sleepy boy, top of my kin list, i am such a tim stannie

99% of the time that he's tickled it's because he is refusing to sleep after 24+ hours working

he's horrendously ticklish pretty much everywhere but his ribs are the absolute worst

he tries really hard to fight back, and he's definitely a flailer, but ultimately he never gets very far and eventually just slumps and tries to curl up

dick, steph, and jason tickle him the most, but bruce puts in his fair share too

when someone tries to tease him he tries to scream through his laughter so he doesn't have to hear it, but ultimately, he is forced to listen

he's not much of a ler, but he will strike every once in a while

Jason

best bat? best bat

i hc that the lazarus pit made him more sensitive, but only bruce, dick, kori, roy, and leslie thompkins know about it, and he has sworn them all to secrecy

the same group are pretty much the only people who know where he's ticklish

actually really ticklish if you can get him pinned, but otherwise he is definitely successfully fighting off any tickle attacks

dick has one method from when they were kids where he'll get jason up against a wall, whether he be on a bed or trapped in on the couch, because the tickling will make jason too weak to try to vault over him (and it's MUCH easier than trying to pin his ass down)

he is definitely the most vicious ler of the house, and his teases absolutely mortify his siblings

his signature move is grabbing both wrists of an unsuspecting family member, hauling them over their head, and tickling them to tears with his free hand

[pamsimmerstories]

Leslie is so scared, poor girl.

transcription

[gunther]: WAKE UP, LESLIE

[gunther]: for fuck’s sake, come back!

[leslie]: gunther? W-what’s going on? Why are you here?

[gunther]: you’re finally back! What the hell happened?

[gunther]: look, jerome is angry at you, but i Guess he really likes your writing and wanted to give you a last chance. So here i am.

[leslie]: thanks for coming. I’m lost. I have blackouts. My roommates had... have this, but they had somewhere to go. I don’t have anyone else...

[gunther]: they left you here? Alone?

[leslie]: i don’t blame them. This town is cursed. Something is wrong, gunther.

[leslie]: *weeps* tell jerome to do whatever he wants... i can’t go back there like this.

[gunther]: uuuuh... perhaps you could go with me... to windenburg. My stepfather is a doctor and you’d be away from here.

[leslie]: thank you, gunther! Thank you so Much!

[gunther]: *inaudible* leslie...

[leslie]: i’ve been alone these past days, i don’t even know what day is it. I think i’m going insane, gunther. So this means a lot to me. I know i’m just a co-worker, a weird one to you. But i really appreciate you!

[gunther]: it’s okay. Leslie. You’re gonna be okay.

[leslie]: it means a lot to me

[leslie]: *blushes* i’m sorry... i didn’t mean to jump on you like that... it’s been a while since i’ve seen another human being

[gunther]: aha... it’s alright. Just grab your things and i’ll take you away from this crazy town.

[leslie]: are you sure you wanna do this?

[gunther]: i’m already here. I came to sse what was happening and my mother raised me right. You need help, i’m helping. That’s all.

[leslie]: i know. I just don’t wanna bother you... your Family.

[gunther]: my mother got married and she’s living with her husband and my little brother is with her. I’m living alone in a big home, i’m sure you won’t bother me.

[frasier-crane-style]

I think I cracked Gal Gadot

She's the twin to all those 'character actors in leading man bodies' like Chris Pine and Brad Pitt--she's a girl next door in a supermodel body.

She was so good in Wonder Woman because she got to play the character girlishly. She was happy, sad, afraid, concerned, lovey-dovey, hopeful, dispirited. Seeing her express strong emotions made you empathize with her and feel what she was feeling. The same principle as Luke Skywalker in ANH: he may be disparaged as whiny, but he didn't get to be one of the biggest pop culture icons of all time because people didn't relate to him.

The problem is, in everything else, Gadot is either playing a stoic, driven Strong Female Character (Fast & Furious, Heart of Stone, Justice League) or maybe a vampy girlboss (Death On The Nile, Red Notice) and it's just outside her range, not letting her show any of the charisma that made her so watchable as Wonder Woman.

Even in the DCEU, post-origin story, she's generally played Wonder Woman as brooding, reserved, stoic... a little like Luke in Return of the Jedi.

Now, that worked there because it was the end of his arc and he wasn't quite a Jedi. He still had to defeat Vader and the Emperor, he was conflicted, he got angry. Now imagine if they made a Star Wars movie set after RotJ, with Luke as a Jedi Master, and he was still the protagonist. It'd probably be a little boring, right? He'd be all-wise, all-knowing, infinitely patient. A good mentor, sure, but as someone relatable? No, I think it'd be a bit dull.

Which is the problem with Wonder Woman. Yeah, she can't stay a naif forever, but her as a perfectly poised, perfectly controlled badass just isn't much fun.

I think Patty Jenkins realized this was a problem with WW1984 and tried to course-correct, with an overlong first act that gave us Diana in love again, smooching with Chris Pine again, and having internal conflict again, but it didn't work. It was trying too hard to take Diana back to who she was and doing so in a not very effective way. Right idea, but poor execution. Especially since they wanted to start off with Diana brooding, sad, et al, so that her character arc would end in her being happy.

It's a thorny problem. They have Chris Pine die to give her angst, but Wonder Woman with angst isn't very engaging and they can't give him back for realsies and they have to line up with Batman V Superman at least a little. I don't know, I don't think they ever figured it out, even though they devoted the whole plot to fixing this and trying to show off Gal Gadot's very real charisma.

I don't really have a solution myself, I'm just a guy on the internet--I'm saying the problem is that Gal Gadot has gotten so big she can only take A-list parts and modern Hollywood blockbuster filmmaking says that Strong Female Characters can't be too feminine or show a lot of emotion or be vulnerable--the only emotion they're allowed is to be smug about how awesome they are--and Gadot is notably bad at playing these badly-written parts.

I think she'd actually be great pulling a Leslie Nielsen and making fun of herself, at least a little, but that requires more wit than an algorithm is capable of generating, so I don't think we'll see that for a while.

[eggplantwaffles]

I know people want Jason and Steph to be friends, which I understand. They are very similar and would cause amazing amounts of chaos. But I think nobody is considering the possibility for drama here.

I think the similarities in their stories are just as compelling as the differences. Here’s some juxtaposition (I think I’m using that word correctly) for you:

They both had abusive, criminal fathers and addict mothers. But Jason grew up in Crime Alley and ended up on the street stealing to survive, before Bruce took him in. Steph was (lower?) middle class and lived in a suburb of Gotham. Jason was set up for failure by his economic status and where he lived, Steph was failed by the people around her (Arthur and Crystal).

Jason gets taken in by Bruce, going from living on the street to living in a mansion. Bruce loved him and he was Bruce’s son. Jason became Robin largely for fun. Steph was never “saved” from her situation, and she had a crappy up and down relationship with Bruce, which was partly a result of what happened to Jason. She became a vigilante all in her own, to save herself.

The only precedent to Jason’s Robin was Dick, who obviously grew to be a very successful solo hero, so there was a lot of pressure on Jason to live up to the original. Steph had three Robins come before her, but instead of being compared to Dick, like all the other Robins, she was compared to Tim and Jason. Bruce always saw her as a stand in until Tim came back and she could never get past that, but he also saw a lot of Jason in her which is (partly) why he never wanted her to be a vigilante (until she was useful to him).

They die in very similar ways but there are still some key differences, when Jason died he was actively trying to save his moms life. He objectively died heroically, but what gets remembered was his impulsiveness and this idea that he got himself killed. Steph died trying to fix a mistake she made. She accidentally started a gang war and got people killed (it wasn’t entirely her fault, a lot of it was because Bruce never really trusted her and treated her unfairly). When Jason died Bruce was actively trying to save him, but he never even knew Steph was gone. Steph escaped on her own and ran into Bruce on her way to Leslie’s clinic.

When Jason come back to life, he spends the time before returning to Gotham with the League of Assassins (not the best influences tbh). He expected Bruce to avenge him, but he never did. Jason was pissed off that his father let the man who killed him live. Steph (who spent her time after dying around better influences, like doctors) never expected Bruce to avenge her, she had many reasons not to expect this: Bruce was not her dad, they didn’t have a very positive relationship, and she started a whole gang war before she died.

When Jason come back as Redhood he is a villain, he goes on a crime and killing spree, becoming a major crime lord in Gotham. When Steph comes back she just goes back to being Spoiler, while Jason was angry at Bruce for not avenging him, Steph was just trying to make up for her own mistakes. Steph earns herself a second chance and becomes Batgirl, which she works hard for and genuinely succeeds at.

And I know that was a lot of information and (subjective) analysis but I thought it was important. So here’s where the drama comes in, I think that Steph intentionally avoids Jason for a long time because she used to get compared to him. She never knew him as Robin, all she knows is she was told she was too much like him and was gonna get herself killed, and then exactly that happened. And now he kills people, so what does that say about her?

Jason, on the other hand, doesn’t know Steph. What he does know is that another Robin died and came back, but this one came back better. When Jason died he was saving his Mom, when Steph died she got other people killed. But she gets to come back and be Batgirl? He’s upset that (from what he can tell) her death doesn’t affect her, she’s bright and optimistic, while his death haunts him.

Add on to all this the fact that Jason has a memorial in the bat cave and Steph doesn’t. Steph knows that despite all that Jason has done, Bruce and the other bats would still welcome him back into the family, but if she did what he did Bruce would take Batgirl from her and she’d be completely on her own.

So anyway, I imagine them eventually getting in a huge argument about something random and it boiling over into some minor violence before the other bats break it up. They act like children and are pretty nasty to each other and every other bat can tell it’s not really about each other but about how the other bats (specifically Bruce) have treated them.

Eventually Steph and Jason figure it out and find out they actually get along and have a lot of common interest (reading, making fun of Bruce and Tim, kicking weirdos in the crotch) but before that happens they don’t like each other and the other bats all feel really guilty about it, because what are comic books if not vessels for pain?

[sillysarahsthings]

Finally, I completed them. (Imma still make more probably.)

@xxsweetoothxx

Okay so I honestly could not decide how much of the fanfic to put but whatever this'll do.

But since this is a very old fanfic here are some disclaimers (just some things that should be kept in mind since this is pretty old and I'm pretty nervous about people reading it.)

Probably ooc

Poppyfield is referred to as Jack and is depressed for some reason

Some unexplained stuff and timeskips I guess??

Jack was pretty much stressed after meeting Miss Black, he really wasn't expecting them to bring a 9 foot tall demon in toyland. he thought as the woman kept staring at him as he made tea. "Um... excuse me?" he asked nervously, handing her a cup. She nodded and sipped it before turning towards the living room and walking toward a bookshelf, which seemed to catch her interest. He followed her curiously, and stopped when she knelt to examine a book on the side of the shelves. "you read, Mr Poppyfield?" she asked without looking up.

he jumped, having forgotten he had told her who he was, and said, "yeah...uh so why exactly are you here?" Leslie was gonna say something but Jack interrupted them. "not from you Leslie." Leslie stuck out their tongue out to him. "I'm the one who brought her..."

Miss Black looked up from the book, her gaze cold and emotionless like a broken doll. "there's a demon that followed me here with Leslie and might target the other toyfolk, and when I say target I mean eat their souls." no one spoke, until Jack took Leslie by the collar and dragged them away from Miss Black's ears.

~~in the kitchen~~

as Jack exhaled and looked at Leslie (who didn't seem to find any danger in the situation.) "you brought...a violent soul eating demon to Toyland?!" Leslie shrugged sheepishly. "are you talking about Miss Black? cause she's not that violent, not to toyfolk at least, I have no idea about the other demon she's talking about." Jack sighed and walked up to the counter and put his head on top of it. "that doesn't make this situation better," he muttered to Leslie who nodded sympathetically. "well, why don't we just ask Blackie to get the demon out of toyland? she knows how to tame it." Leslie suggested.

Jack groaned. "I suppose you don't mean you when you say demon." Leslie shrugged in response again and then grinned. "alright then, let's go find that demon." they said excitedly and left the room.

Jack sighed, "ugh... this couldn't get any worse."

at that thought, Leslie peeked their head into the room.

"uh...so Blackie's gone."

"what-"

~~timeskip~~

Leslie was now looking for a lost Miss Black accompanied by a very angry Jack. "great, so now there's two demons running around toyland and we have no idea where they are..." Jack complained, Leslie didn't look too worried. "oh c'mon it's Blackie, she's probably out to get the other demon, I know she won't hurt any toyfolk." Jack huffed but agreed. "okay then. I'll take care of the other one and you search for Blackie." Leslie smiled and waved and ran off.

leaving Jack to look for the other demon.

he walked around town and even went by Quinn's house, might as well ask him about it. as he approached the house, and rung the bell. as soon as the door opened, Quinn answered it almost immediately. "Jack! hi." he greeted. "um...hey, sorry to bother you but I wanted to ask if there was anything strange happenin' to you?" Quinn looked confused for a minute before answering slowly. "well now that I think about it...kind of? I keep hearing things from my walls...happens everytime I open the faucet." "wow, okay. thanks Quinn, I'll be seeing you." he said and left.

at least Jack knew where to look now, hopefully Leslie found Miss Black by now.

[themultifandomgal]

Matt Casey- Fight For Us Pt1 (rewritten)

YN and Matt have been married now for 5 years. They have a little girl together who is the spitting image of YN, but has her dads mannerisms . They love one another, they truly do, but after their best friend Andy Darden died they drifted apart. YN Andy and Severide all went to school together. They've known each other since kindergarten and been best friends since. Matt really struggled with the loss of his Andy, blamed himself for his death, your best friends death, which led to pushing his wife away.

Things have been getting better for the pair and for the first time in 2 months they are finally in a good place again. Of course they're both still dealing with the loss of one of their best friends but they know that together they will get through it.

"I wish you and Kelly would sort out what's going on between you both" I sigh washing up the breakfast bowels while mine and Matts 5 year old daughter is getting ready for school

"Yeah well he's blaming me for Andy's death"

"I know and I'll speak with him, but we were best friends. All wanted to go through the academy together. If it wasn't for my asthma I wouldn't be a paramedic"

"The best paramedic" I pass the bowels to Matt to dry and raise my eyebrows

"Dont change the subject. Look all I'm saying is Kelly is angry, upset, hell we all are, but he needs to blame someone and if it's not you it will be himself. At least you can take it"

"Momma I'm ready" Ella calls from the hallway

"I'm coming" I call back "I'll drop Ella off at school. I'll see you in a bit" I peck Matt on the lips and turn to move, but before I can get to our daughter he pulls me back to him

"We're good aren't we?" he asks looking into my eyes

"Course we are" I give him another kiss then leave the house with Ella.

Almost immediately after I arrive at the firehouse we're on a call, a huge car accident has happened. I run over to one car where there's a little girl inside just a little older than Ella

"Hi sweetie I'm YN. Can you tell me your name?" I ask

"Madeline"

"Ok, listen, Madeline, I want you to see if you can

turn your head toward me" the little girl does as I ask. She has a huge gash on the side of her head. Once the mom is out I jump into the car through the drivers side "hey, your going to be ok"

"It's dumping gas" mouch shouts as the car in front starts to flam. Madeline starts to whimper

"We're ok. Look my partners coming now to help me get you out" Leslie opens up the door and starts to move the little girl out

"Wait. Her jugular" I take out my stethoscope "Muffled heart sounds.It's Becks triad" I give Leslie a worried look as she picks Madeline up

"Come on, sweetie" Leslie puts Madeline in the back of the ambo. I jump in with her while Leslie shuts the doors and speeds towards Med.

Thankfully we get her to the hospital in time.

"Was the little girl ok?" Ella asks

"Yes luckily she was"

"My momma and daddy are superhero's" this makes me chuckle. I glance at her in the mirror, she's sat in her car seat swinging her feet with a huge smile on her face. I pull up the the fire house when Ella asks "will grandpa be here?"

"Yes angel he will" I reply turning the car off and jumping out. I open up the car door and help her out of her seat

"And daddy?"

"Yes and daddy and uncle Kelly"

"Daddy and uncle Kelly don't like each other any more. Why?" Ella asks taking my hand in hers as we walk past the trucks

"They do like each other, it's just their jobs make it a little harder to be friends. Remember Kelly was my best friend before I met daddy"

"And uncle Andy" she stops and points to a picture we now have up of him. I lift her up into my arms

"Yes and uncle Andy"

"I miss him momma"

"I know, so do I. And. So does uncle Kelly and daddy. Which is why they are having a little argument now" I place a kiss on her forehead when I hear a familiar voice

"YN you best hurry up, Casey's cooking" Severide says smiling with hands on his hips

"Uncle Kelly!" Ella practically jumps out of my arms and into her godfathers arms

"You hungry little one?"

"Yes! Momma can we have some food?"

"Yes angle. Course we can" I follow behind Severide and see Matt behind the kitchen counters. Dad, also known as chief Boden gets up from the table and walks over to me giving me a hug "hi dad"

"I'll bring a plate over for you and one for Ella" Matt says to me grabbing 3 plates. Severide places Ella down and she runs holding my dads hands to sit next to him. I then watch the awkward interaction between Severide and my husband. Not only is Matt blaming himself for Andy's death, but so is my best friend. I look over at my dad for some guidance, but he just sighs and gives me a small smile

"I bet uncle Andy would have wanted us to all be friends" the room falls silent. Trust the child to make everyone uncomfortable. I watch as Severide takes an orange and walk out of the room "momma did I upset uncle Kelly"

"No angel. He'll be ok"

Later that evening were called out during the night to a building fire. Matt and Herrmann both are knocked out during their search but thankfully Kelly manages to get them both out with the help of the others. So the rest of our shift was spent in the emergency room waiting to hear how Herrmann is doing since he was worse off.

[lilacsandlillies]

Stephanie Brown Rambling Incoming

Stephanie’s relationship with Gotham and the rest of the bats, especially Jason and Dick, is such an overlooked thing because.

Stephanie, Jason, and Dick are all more or less the same character in three different fonts. All three have very similar character arcs, more similar than the other robins, and similar personalities with the main differences coming from either metatextual reasons like the time their being written and specific writers preferences for them, and the situation that their in.

People talk about Jason and Stephanie’s similarities all the time but it goes a lot deeper than just the surface level of them both having died and the similar stories of their parents. Stephanie is one of the only Bats that are relatively cool with murder. She’s attempted it before. And unlike other characters who have internalized the whole “we don’t kill thing” Steph seems to only follow that rule in order to make Cass, Bruce, and Tim happy.

Stephanie, much like Jason, understands the position of the victim in a way that many of the other Bats seem unable to. In fact, some of them, like Bruce and Cass, are much more likely to identify with the Criminal than the victim.

This gives Steph a unique perspective on crime and Gotham that she only really shares with Jason.

On the other hand, Steph goes through a pretty similar character arc as Dick, starting off as a relatively cynical and angry child and growing into a more optimistic person through vigilantism. It’s important to note that Steph and Dick, more than any of the other robins or even bats as a whole, were destined to be vigilantes. They chose to be vigilantes without outside encouragement from Batman or prior training. I hate to reference the Robins comic but in that comic when their put into the “idealistic” lives that Bruce thinks they would’ve had without him, steph and Dick are the only ones still in “the life.” Damian, Tim, and Jason have nothing to do with vigilantism in Bruce’s ideal reality, but even here Bruce can’t even delude himself into thinking there’s any world where Steph and Dick atenta fighting for justice.

The main difference between Dick and Steph has less to do with them as people and more to do with where they are as characters, with Stephanie being much younger with much less history, and the other characters reactions to them. A big reason Dick is where he is as a person is because of Bruce and the Titans belief and trust in him. That’s not something Steph has ever had. Bruce barley tolerates her presence during her Robin run, and the Titans actively reject her while she’s Robin.

This leads to a bigger trend with Steph that shows a major difference in the way the Steph is treated out of universe in comparison to the other robins and batgirls.

In DC comics, characters can usually be sorted into two types of characters. There are the more active characters that exist in both their own mythos, and in larger comic crossover teams and events. Nightwing is allowed to exist in both the Batman mythos and in Titans comics. Black Canary is allowed to exist in Green arrow comics, birds of prey comics, and Justice league comics. These characters are also allowed regular cameos in comics that have nothing to do with them.

On the other hand, more self contained characters like Leslie Tompkins or Jimmy Olsen are only allowed to exist within the context of the mythos they where created for. You’d be hard pressed to find Dr. Tompkins in something unrelated to Batman. These characters are allowed to be characters, but only in the context of the environment.

Most of the Robins are allowed and expected to be one of the active characters. Their leaders and basically and extension of Batman. DC loves Batman, so they wants characters that are basically extensions of him anywhere they can.

That’s why it’s so strange that Stephanie is treated more like a self contained characters only allowed to exist in Batman and related comics than most other Batman characters.

She’s never led a team, unlike the other Robins. She’s never had a consistent non-bat non-gothamite friend. She’s barley even allowed cameos.

Even Duke, who’s a much newer character, has already been allowed to exist on a team and interact with non-bat characters like Black Lightning and Katana.

Every single one of Stephanie’s important relationships, except her relationship with her mother, is with a bat. What makes this extra sad is that with the exception of Cass, Tim, and Damian, she’s not very important to them.

Dick and Steph should theoretically have much more relationship than they do. Dick and Damian are very important people to each other because of their time together as Batman and Robin. Yet Stephanie isn’t awarded the same type of relationship with Dick despite the fact that she was batgirl while he was Batman.

They’ve worked together before, and the two of them are both very important in Damian’s development. But these things are not reflected in their relationship with each other.

Stephanie tends to be discarded and forgotten both as a batgirl and as a Robin, which is tragic considering what a compelling and unique character she is.

Robins have been defined by their relationship with Batman and how he perceives them for a long time.

Dick is famously the perfect version of Bruce, the man Bruce wishes he could be. He’s hope and light and good. Jason is the exact opposite, the worst possible outcome in Bruce’s eyes. He’s the antithesis of Bruce’s ideals and he’s good at it. Tim is Bruce cynicism and practically. Damian is still growing, but in my mind he’s Bruce’s skill and empathy. Duke is an embodiment of the people, of Gotham itself.

I think that Stephanie is a kind of mix between Duke and Jason. She’s an embodiment of the people, yes, but more specifically the people Batman has failed. The kids of criminals, the people who were forced into a life of crime.

She’s a revelation of Batman’s hypocrisy and failures. Had Batman caught her dad earlier, had the justice system not failed her, her life would’ve been much better. She wouldn’t have been a vigilante.

She’s an embodiment of vigilante justice in a way that none of the other Bats really are. She didn’t come into this trained by the best and with super advanced tech. She didn’t have Batman to save her from every mistake. Stephanie is what happens when the average citizen gets a little fed up and decides to take matters into their own hands.

That’s part of why Bruce resents her so much. Bruce inherently comes from a privileged place that makes him unable to understand Stephanie and the people she represents. He doesn’t understand how a parent could be such a danger to their kid that the kid would rather the parent dead. He doesn’t understand why a girl with living parents and a house could want to become a vigilante. He has a fundamental disconnect from Steph and her world.

And just to preface this, I’m talking specifically about modern Batman and how Batman is portrayed during Stephanie’s Robin run. There are many versions of Batman whom most of this doesn’t apply to.

I really don’t know where this was going, I just had a lot of thoughts.

[bitimdrake]

rereading nightwing (2011) #30 and god i have. so many thoughts about it. And also I still cannot get a coherent hold on it.

This post is really just a mess of me rambling for myself and spewing thoughts out, so I'm putting it under the cut and read at your own discretion and curiosity.

first off, we basically only talk about the middle part, but this comic is actually three sections and it's. bad?

it's just so awkward. This is a transitional issues, but it's not even a well executed one. It's not even a mediocre one. It's very blunt and inconsistent in abruptly shoving the story forward to make way for a Grayson status quo.

The three sections all have different styles and very different tones, but they are also directly related to each other. So it's not like they work as three different vignettes sharing an issue. But they also don't make a particularly cogent whole.

And they definitely do not come even close to the kind of satisfying ending you'd typically want to see at the end of a run.

Like: the first section is Leslie recounting to Bruce how she ran into Spyral. A section which, you will note, does not include our lead and title character in any way, nor is it remotely emotionally relevant or meaningful to him on first read, nor is it remotely related to anything in the run previously. It's a Batman Inc scene that got lost and landed in the wrong issue.

And then the second section (Bruce fights Dick until he agrees to go undercover) and the third (intro to Grayson with Dick doing international crimefighting to lure in Spyral recruitment) are plot-wise directly connect and yet. Could not be more at odds.

sec. 2 Dick has a very bad time being pushed into this by Bruce, and he hates it, and the whole thing is very violent and dark and grim, and Dick ends the section saying things can never be the same between him and Bruce.

and then sec. 3 Dick has a classic inner monologue about who he is and where he's been, that includes how Bruce saved him from being an angry, revenge-obsessed kid, and how he loves his family and is defined by being a legacy. And shows zero concern at what he's doing except a mild mention that after the Crime Syndicate he wanted to go back but he couldn't.

are you seeing what i'm talking about here. are you seeing how this is technically a continuous plot, but on every other level makes no goddamn sense

anyway let's talk about dick and bruce, but first specifically about Bruce because I still do not get him here

"get him" does not mean "agree" (or even "empathize") but literally just get it. Even when I fucking hate him I have at a basic level understood what was going on in his head previously. I do not now.

Bruce was already abusive ofc, but the thing that really threw me off the first time I read this--and that still feel jarring--is how completely different this is from any of his previous violence towards his kids.

He's not suddenly lashing out in a moment of high emotion. He waited for Dick to be ready and laid out the rules (non-rule) of the fight. And it's not even about some deeply personal matter that he's getting emotional over. Yes, Dick's recent brief death is a key part, but mostly Bruce is monologuing about the danger of this one random secret organization.

The whole thing is so planned, which is never something I've thought of his previous physical abuse, and it feels fucking awful.

It also just feels so irrational. And not in a "people who are very emotional make questionable decisions" way, but in a "I'm genuinely struggling to understand how the character got here way"

Bruce is upset that he recently watched Dick die. No question there. And so he....wants to send Dick undercover with Spyral?

??????

Like I can try to explain this as some variation of the classic 'push people away so caring about them won't hurt me again', but that's really not how it feels? It doesn't track. Bruce has pushed Dick away plenty before, and he does it by some combination of explosive anger, complete emotional shutdown, and literally telling Dick to leave. But like. This is not that. He's instead ensnaring Dick in a long fight and longer conversation and telling him not to leave, but to go do something specific. And it's not even really pushing him away!! Because Bruce is still asking Dick to do a thing for him, under his control! No. wrong vibe. Explanation rejected.

Second attempted explanation: section one of this issue ends with Leslie telling Bruce that, because of super Spyral interrogation powers, she might have revealed his identity and can't even remember. So Bruce is deeply troubled by that, and Dick's identity was just revealed to the world which compounds things ("you let them give your secrets to the world"), and now he is deeply concerned with figuring out what Spyral knows/stopping info from spreading and sending Dick to handle that.

I also hate this explanation. It feels dumb. Ridiculous priorities. (also, boy, it does not paint Bruce in a good light. but the bad light it paints him in is an all new one.) Ugh.

I really really just cannot create an explanation for Bruce here that feels coherent with my understanding of him, and I hate that.

And my understanding of him is of him as an abusive father!! So imagine how inexplicable this must feel! But this is the wrong kind of abusive father for what he's been before idk i don't even know if i make sense anymore

new thought time

for the first ~2/3 of the fight, I was thinking that on reread, I could kinda see how some very dumb and oblivious writer would not see how horrific and abusive it would be in the end:

Two characters are disagreeing, and one is going to convince the other by the end. So it's dramatic, and makes the art reflect the story, to have them spar as they're talking! Both script and art are a spar!

Bruce is trying to ~prove Dick will never break~ so it'll be fitting for him to fight Dick, and then call it off when Dick indeed proves he won't give up an gets the upper hand!

Misjudge just how violent the fight will come off. Write panels where Dick is on the ground looking up/being beaten by Bruce/getting injured, because you're going for the classic structure of the hero getting their ass kicked at the start before turning things around later on, but accidentally make those too pained.

blah blah blah, completely overlook the fact that these two are father and son with the power dynamic that implies, and fail to tune the dialogue so that you don't realize it seems less like Bruce is convincing and more like he's coercing

and maybe, theoretically, a writer with real bad instincts could think this would be less horrific than it is

...I thought for the first chunk of the fight, still trying to come up with a rational explanation for this scene, even if only a Doylist one

EXCEPT

Towards the end of the fight, Bruce literally says he knows he's hurting Dick, "my family," and calls Dick "my boy" and then punches Dick in the face so like. I'm sorry you can't do this by accident. If you wrote this by accident you are simply too stupid to be alive and I refuse to believe you can exist.

so anyway I don't have a Doylist explanation for this either :/

they really did just straight up have bruce beat up his son and have said son literally say it could never be the same between them after this, and then were like. yeah :) this is fine :) back to bruce solving crimes as batman :)

FINAL SECTION: random assorted things that make me mad

right before the fight when Alfred can't get into the cave and Bruce, who planned this, lies about it being a malfunction he's fixing

alfred tries to ask if he's alright after "master richard's... the boy's passing". Quote Bruce "Dick was never a boy." (this would make me want to slap him in the best of circumstances but I just want him dead)

the beat early on where Bruce gets a good shot in and Dick is sitting, and he pauses to ask Bruce what's really going on, and Bruce kicks him in the face

genuinely just the number of panels in this that are Dick on the ground, Dick getting punched/kicked/hit, Dick slamming into some solid piece of the environment

Dick keeps questioning this idea and bringing up new points and then just outright asking how Bruce can do this to him. And literally never once does Bruce reply to any of it.

Literally the entire fight Bruce spends monologuing, completely ignoring everything Dick says, as if he's not talking at all.

The only thing that Bruce does respond to is how Dick is doing in the fight. He breaks his monologue to commend Dick on fighting well, but not even once gives the tiniest acknowledgement that Dick is also saying things.

Just the fact that Dick "wins" by dropping down to Bruce's level of violence.

when bruce says the "we fall so we can get back up" and Dick says, no, someone pushes us and we get up to push back, it's fucking sad. I think this is meant to be his victorious moment of turning the tides, but it's upsetting to me! That Dick "it's about catching people when they fall" Grayson has been pushed to reject all of that and is now only talking in terms of fighting!!! I don't like this quote I judge anyone who uses this as a great quote representative of dick grayson, sorry, it's not, it sucks

Dick cracks his head on a railing owie

as soon as Bruce gets properly decked and hits the ground, he calls the fight off :) Because this proves to him that Dick won't break in Spyral, of course, and confirms his stupid plan will work :) and definitely not because Bruce can dish it out but can't take it :)

unreal how much I hate him

And finally! Amidst all of that, amidst all the blood and violence, the single moment that made me most want to shove Bruce through a woodchipper!

"I know I'm hurting you. My family. I'm making that sacrifice. Because I don't give up. I don't give in."

shut the fuck up you fucking martyr hurting your family is not sacrificing shit

man, I really did start this post with story analysis and a genuine curiosity to find sense in chaos. My primary emotion was the fervor of solving a story like a puzzle. But now I am simply going to kill.