#sorry not trying to be a dick but

[im2tired4usernames]

you’re in a cult?

Arguably, H I G H control evangelical Church the H O R R O R STORIES I COULD TELL YOU also quiverfull I do not believe in any of their teachings anymore and try not to allow it to control me anymore and I'm working on unlearning and re-educating myself, my friends and partner have helped a lot (as well as Tumblr tbh lol probs not the best thing) but it still effects me daily and I have not been able to completely cut ties yet because my family and most of my friends fully believe in it.

[aingeal98]

Ultimately the resolution of Jason and Cass fights comes down to the fact that while he has his own ideals that don't mesh with the bats, Jason can be flexible. DC skipped the whole reconciliation with the family but while he's willing to kill it's generally a means to an end to him, not the whole entire point unless you're talking about Joker. Meanwhile for Cass the question of killing vs not killing is dead serious to her which means any time they're working together and things start going off track it's like:

Jason: Look if we kill this guy we send a message to his boss which makes it easier for us to negotiate with him from a position of power and I just think that-

Cass, snatching one of his guns and pointing it at her own head: Go on, pull the trigger. Kill him. Kill me. Go tell Batman that you let his daughter die to make a negotiation easier. He already let you die so no problem right? You think we should die? You think our life only worthwhile as part of a plan, just because we're killers? Are we doomed? Are we rotten to the core with no hope of redemption? Go on then, kill us and kill part of your soul alongside it. You clearly don't care for it so why are you even trying? Kill yourself along with us, come on Jason let's all just die right?

Jason, slowly backing away: I think you may be projecting a tiny bit so just. Calm down before I call the suicide hotline please.

Cass, slowly lowering the gun and knocking the random henchman unconscious: Yeah that's what I thought, fucking pussy.

Jason: Mm yeah you know what I hate you actually. Fuck this mission I'll just shoot you right now if you're going to be this annoying about it.

Jason, explaining things later to Dick: So I just kept shooting at her until I ran out of bullets and we both calmed down enough to call a truce. We tracked the guy down and didn't kill anyone but I did blow up the batplane just as a last minute screw you. Is she always this uh... intense?

Dick: Yeah, one time I broke up with Barbara and she threw me out a window. She's just like that.

[egophiliac]

do skully have pokemon?

Pumpkaboo is the obvious one, but y'know, sometimes the obvious one is the right one! (we'll say SUPER SIZE Pumpkaboo, just for fun. big pumpkin for big skeleton boy.) and another person actually also suggested Greavard, which I somehow hadn't considered, but feels so perfect that I feel like I should have. dangit.

(they can also have little Nightmare Suit costumes :D)

[violent138]

Dick: "Why the hell are you being so nice to Tim all of a sudden?"

Jason: "First it's don't kill him, he's your brother Jay, which bullshit--"

Dick: "Don't fucking deflect--"

Jason: "--then it's don't be nice to him, so what do you want?"

Dick: "I want you to stop trying to recruit teenagers to carry out your version of justice."

Jason: "I'm guessing you're rejecting my offer."

Dick, smiling uncontrollably.

Jason: "What? No, what's so funny?"

Dick: "You know who you sound like, right? Bru--"

*gunshots*

[frownyalfred]

Hi, you said "no I don't know him"/"he's my dad" and dealt me immediate psychic damage please say more words that hopefully make this better

(spoiler alert: nothing can erase the inherent tragedy of this)

the ask/prompt was about Dick and Bruce not acknowledging each other in the League, right? so kind of playing with this identity porn idea of Batman and Nightwing both being separate vigilantes working with the League with no outward, immediately obvious, or self-professed connection between them other than both being from Gotham (which might not even be something they reveal, for OpSec reasons).

Why would they choose to do this? Maybe Bruce wants to eliminate any connections between them to make it even harder to guess their secret identities. Having two pieces of the puzzle always makes it easier to solve than if you only have one.

Maybe Dick wants to be his own vigilante, separate from Batman's influence, and stand on his own with the League. Maybe he wants to put space between him and Robin, and asks Bruce not to fully acknowledge him outside of Gotham.

Maybe it's a mix of both? Or maybe it just never truly comes up, and both of them are too smart and well-trained as a default to give anything away in front of the League. Maybe the League knows that they know each other, that they've worked together before, but nothing more than that.

And what even ties Nightwing to Batman, really? Funding, the suit, the relationship to Robin, but none of those are immediately apparent. Gotham is a common denominator, but there are multiple vigilantes in most major US cities and Nightwing largely operates in Bludhaven. Training/fighting style? Also hard to identify without being in the know. Essentially, if they don't say anything to the League, how much can the average person even infer, much less notice?

So those two lines stuck out to me. In response to a well-meaning or confused League member asking if Dick knows Batman, he really only has two possible responses: "No, I don't know him" or the truth.

That there is a connection between them, and it's actually damn near sacred. He was, is, Batman's partner. He knows Bruce like almost no one else does. They're spoken about in the same breath. Or they were, once upon a time. They have mirrored beginnings, twin motivations. They fallback on each other, even when they're fighting bitterly. Dick is still who Alfred calls, when Bruce is in a self-destructive rut. And vice versa.

But what would prompt Dick to break that code of silence? I guess it depends on why it exists. And so for that second response -- "That's my dad" -- I was thinking of a situation where it was because of Dick's need to be separate from Batman. And Bruce obliges the secrecy, because it's logical and also Dick asked. But one day Bruce is injured on a mission, or hurting somehow, and the League is panicked trying to figure out what to do and Dick is right there. Batman's partner is a foot away and nobody knows. And Dick suddenly has to make a decision that is, in that instant, more easy than anything he's ever done.

"That's my dad."

[bruciemilf]

For personal reasons (im a whore), I need Harvey Dent to be an absolute unit

[silverwhittlingknife]

So you're a go to source for all things Dick&Tim bros and you tend to write primarily from Dick's POV. So, odd question, but if you were to summarize their relationship from his POV in FIVE panels which panels would you pick? Keeping in mind that one specific aspect of their relationship that you love needs to be clearly represented by each panel (loyalty, trust etc). I hope this is a fun challenge and not an annoying question so if you don't want to answer that's cool! Have a wonderful day!

No more talk. The same thoughts run through two minds... (SotB 29) / You're my equal. My closest ally. (RR 1) / I can't stop thinking how much I rely on him. (GoG 3)

25 Feelings Dick Has About Tim

This was such a kind ask & a cool challenge which I totally failed; here are TWENTY-five panels of Dick's POV on Tim sdfdsfds Look, I got carried away! Marcia and Cindy! The boys!!

OKAY SO BEFORE I GET TO THE PANELS A FEW NOTES:

WARNING THAT THERE ARE SOME NEGATIVE EMOTIONS IN HERE because I love conflict but but but you gotta remember those are not the final word!! They are complicated people and sometimes they get mad at each other BUT ultimately their relationship is so hugely important in both their lives & they love each other and rely on each other so much -!!! <3

Also I have CONCLUDING THOUGHTS at the end about what Dick's POV leaves out (mostly: a lot of Dick defending & protecting & supporting Tim, which Dick does instinctively but isn't very self-aware about most of the time)

I have loosely organized my list into 5^5 format (5 categories with 5 examples each!), so if you want to skip to a relevant one, here are the categories!!

Below the cut:

I hate him and find him infuriating (#1-5)

On second thought, he's endearing & fun (#6-10)

Grief is complicated & he's all tangled up in mine (#11-15)

I love him & think highly of him (#16-20)

I rely on him & though it's hard for me, I trust him (#21-25)

I hate him and find him infuriating (#1 - 5)

1) He thinks he’s so smart and can psychoanalyze me and Bruce, but he doesn’t know me at all, he should get lost (New Titans 61)

2) He thinks he’s so smart and can psychoanalyze Bruce but he doesn’t know Bruce at all, he should get lost (Gotham Knights 26)

3) He is so nosy about stuff that is MY business (Robin 0)

4) He sounds like an insincere suck-up half the time... but okay, fine, if you push him he's got a sense of humor about it (New Titans 65)

5) I'm sure he's a better vigilante than me. It's my fault for being a failure, but I resent him anyway. (Nightwing 9 - Dick's having a nightmare)

On second thought, he's kinda endearing (#6-10)

6) He worries too much and gets anxious so easily, but it makes him fun to tease (Robin 67)

7) I'm not that competitive - okay, so maybe I'm a little competitive, I gotta make sure he doesn't get a swelled head (Prodigal)

8) I'm supposed to be his favorite! It is not cool for him to be fanboying over my not-girlfriend's not-boyfriend!! (Birds of Prey 19)

9) We have fun together. I can kick back and relax when it's just the two of us. Plus I get to boss him around a bit. (Prodigal)

10) He’s always trying to reassure me, and I guess it's a little comforting, but also he doesn’t really get it. Or me. He makes excuses that he shouldn't, because he doesn't understand that I suck. (Nightwing 64)

Grief is complicated and he's all tangled up in mine (#11 - 15)

11) He reminds me of everything I try not to think about. Sometimes the memories are so strong it hurts to look at him. (Batman 441)

12) WHY IS HE BEING IMPOSSIBLE ALL OF A SUDDEN??? THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING (Nightwing 139)

13) We're the same. He says all the things I don't let myself think about. It's like arguing with myself. (Nightwing 139)

14) He thinks he gets to tell me what to do but he doesn’t, fuck him (Battle for the Cowl)

15) Life sucks, so what. I sucked it up so he should too (RR 1)

I love him and think highly of him (#16 - 20)

16) He’s the closest thing to a brother I’ll ever have.  If someone hurts him I will hurt them harder. (Nightwing 6)

17) I can't handle the idea of losing him. (Nightwing 97)

17) He’s so good and I’m not. I'm afraid I’m bad for him. (Nightwing 110)

18) He’s better than me, and it’s kind of a relief because I know no matter what he’ll be okay. (Gates of Gotham 3)

19) In my head he’s the responsible one.  (Gotham Knights 10)

I rely on him, and though it's hard for me, I trust him (#20-25)

20) I know I have to trust him but I'm afraid he'll make the wrong choices and get hurt (Nightwing 139)

21) I'm sure I know what he should do because I see myself in him - not that I can take my own advice, but he should (Blackest Night 3)

22) I trust him.  When I’m losing my grip on things, he pulls me back. (Gotham Knights 10)

23) I want him to trust me (Red Robin 12)

24) He can tell when I'm lying. Sometimes he sees my weaknesses better than I wish he did. (Detective Comics 874)

25) He’s always there when I need him. (Teen Titans / Outsiders Secret Files)

Final rambling thoughts:

TIM: Uhh, okay, so I'm just skimming this list - do you really trust me? you're not just saying that? - but anyway, I'm confused because you left some stuff out? Like some stuff that's kinda important? DICK: No? I think I got everything? TIM (starts counting on his fingers): The time I was having a bad day but then I called you. The time I got captured by Two-Face but then you saved me. The time I fell off a train but then you saved me. The time I fell off a building but then you saved me. The time I fell off a different building - DICK: I feel like you're trying to make some kind of point but I'm not sure what it could be.

SO THE THING IS, I put 25 panels in here and not a single one has Dick catching Tim when he’s falling!!! But I think that's a central motif of their relationship from Tim’s POV, not Dick’s. I love Dick, but in some ways I think he is spectacularly un-self-aware.

And I think he especially has a lot of blind spots about Tim. He kinda intermittently gets that Tim admires him, and he enjoys it in a playful I-get-to-boss-you-around way. But Dick tends to consistently underestimate all of his own good qualities & skills, and he meets Tim at a point in his life when he's especially down on himself & his abilities. And so he's unable to see his own influence on Tim, & therefore unable to fully understand a lot of Tim's priorities and loyalties and motivations, because you can't actually understand Tim without understanding Dick's impact on him. There's a fascinating moment in Bruce Wayne: Murderer when Dick's completely blindsided & upset to discover that Tim doesn't entirely trust Bruce, even though this has been a definitive fact of Tim's whole thing ever since he showed up with his Batman needs Robin theory, and Barbara has to actively remind Dick of the obvious-to-everyone-except-Dick fact that a lot of Tim's loyalty is to Dick, and Tim loves Bruce but feels free to be more wary of him. (And to give Bruce credit: this is not something he ever begrudges.) But anyway Babs points this out, and Dick manages to sorta process it for about five seconds, but he cannot actually accept it into his worldview so instead he discards it at the speed of light and goes off and has an argument with Tim instead sdfsfdsf

All of Dick's virtues - Dick's kindness at the circus and Dick's determination to fight through grief and Dick's rigid sense of morals and Dick's vigilante skills and every time Dick has ever backed Tim up or listened to him or protected him or saved him from something or just been casually kind to a stranger in Tim's presence etc etc etc - all these things loom really large in Tim's mental story of Who Dick Is, and What Dick And Tim's Relationship Is. Tim meets Dick before he meets Bruce, trusts Dick more than Bruce, aspires to be Robin instead of Batman. And so in Tim's default version of the story, Dick is the super-special and admirable hero and Tim is... nobody in particular, a tagalong outsider who's barely managing to be a hero, not part of Dick and Bruce's family and not part of their story, who, if he's VERY LUCKY and tries REALLY HARD, might be able to fight his way to proving himself and offering something to Dick that Dick will value, if Dick doesn't get fed up with him first.

But that's not Dick's version of the story!!!

Dick's version of the story is almost the exact opposite, a story where Dick's an outcast failure black sheep who's screwing up everything he tries, and meanwhile Tim is The Sudden New Perfect Robin Who's Better Than Me And Probably Bruce Loves Him More And Probably They Gossip About What A Loser I Am, mixed with a complicated edge of Tim Thinks He's So Smart But He Doesn't Know Me/Us At All. Dick gets much more attached to Tim over time, and Tim gets unnervingly better at the know-it-all psychoanalysis so then Dick gets to have complicated feelings about him being right instead of just annoyance at him for being wrong, plus Dick's relationship with Bruce improves a lot, so Tim stops feeling so threatening. But Dick never fundamentally changes his basic theory of their relationship in which Tim is highly impressive and capable, and Dick is not so much.

And so asking Dick about Tim is kinda like if you asked George Bailey to tell you about Harry Bailey in It's A Wonderful Life; like, you'll be there for five hours while he tells you how great Harry is, and how accomplished Harry is, and how he doesn't really get how or why Harry does the things he does, and maybe George does feel a little resentful or jealous sometimes, but that pales in comparison to all his admiration and trust for Harry who he loves so much, who's better than him in so many ways, and he's not gonna openly gripe but secretly he can't help but feel sometimes like he's such a failure in comparison to Harry, a perfect person who emerged fully formed from Zeus's head with all the virtues and also all the accomplishments, etc. etc. etc. --

-- and he will not actually remember the part where he changed and saved Harry's whole entire life unless you literally send him to an alternate timeline in order to force him to remember it. <3

[hood-ex]

Will I ever get over this moment? No. But life goes on. Not for me.

Batman vs. Robin #3

[knifeforkspooncup]

Alright take 2 (predictably the first one got flagged so let's do this properly shall we.)

I started reading the 80s Cold War spies AU "You're the Bad Guys" by @alphacentaurinebula and kind lost my mind about it and made some fanart of my fabourite parts of Chapter 2. The fic is cute and goofy and smexy and I can't wait to see where it goes!

Full NSFW version of the mini comic on Ao3

[kj-beastboy]

Pregnancy as a kink makes me uncomfortable so man am I glad your pregg Flug stuff is explicitly not kink oriented!

yeah I... don't wanna judge anyone... but it's more than that, it's downright terrifying to me. Blame my hormones bc I'm expecting irl but wow... I'm very sensitive and it feels dehumanizing. but ig that is kinda the point of the kink(?)

it's so common in fandoms!

I'm completely vanilla anyway tho, so not surprising.

I've tried to pretend for a super long time that I'm into kink, but most of them are off putting and I consider them intrusive thoughts, not fantasies. I'm kinda fluctuating between sex-repulsed and neutral (aroace) even fictional... ig kink just isn't for me. I tried so hard to get over it. I know some people in my asks/requests are gonna be disappointed but I'm sorry💔

I'm slightly ashamed of how boring I am and I have serious trouble connecting to anyone in fandoms due to this actually🤕 feel like the most NT autistic person ever.

anyway here's a doodle!

[salem-sapiens]

🍷

This is just an excuse to drop all the Phoebus/Frollo content that's been rotting inside my folder.

At least the shame backlash will hit just once 🫠

All under the cut 👇 CW for uh weird pairing ig (there's some snogging)

That's it bye 🫡

[b4tboys]

➣ interlude

pairing: yj!dick grayson x gn!reader

wc: 2.7K

summary: interlude — a short period when a situation or activity is different from what comes before and after it. angst no comfort, set between seasons 2 & 3 of young justice.

notes from lee: i was searching for artemis’s new boyfriend who is also bab's ex and she set them up when babs went back to her ex (obv dick) so here’s to being the interlude in their love story. alt title: heather (since it’s dec 3rd)

It just happens, as many of his exes describe. One mission, one instance that exacerbates the feelings, and then you find yourself completely surrendered to his charms as he takes you to a too-fancy dinner and worms himself into every aspect of your life.

It feels that instantaneously he has the key to your apartment, (though his ridiculous superhero ass likes to use the window) you have a large portion of his hoodies and other amounts of clothes from the times he stays over, a designated mug, and his favorite cereal.

The domesticity of it all is something you’ve wanted for a long time, and it’s perfect because you don’t have to compromise who you are and what you do. After all, he’s the same. The same sort of crazy who has devoted his life to fighting crime and helping people at the cost of everything.

This is quite possibly the happiest you’ve ever been.

But there are still your doubts about the relationship, it gnaws at the back of your mind, and it shouldn’t. It is, of course, no help that many of his former lovers share your occupation. Though they are nothing but kind you cannot help but overthink the overly touchy way they are with Dick and the way he doesn’t mind in the slightest, the attention whore he is.

He’s given you every reassurance and gentle kiss to wash away the lingering stain of uncertainty but it doesn’t seem to fade. But his romantic gestures and sly, syrupy, sweet talk push the thought to the back of your mind before it comes up and bubbles over. Though perhaps you should’ve stayed more skeptical.

It’s been a bad day, everything soured, gone sideways, south, and to shit on your mission. Even so, when you step back into your apartment it’s warm and it’s home and your lover is there to sweep you off your feet in a fit of giggles and kisses.

It’s Dick’s night off, so naturally it is also date night. ‘Date’ for you is informally defined as a nice night in, takeout, and a movie that typically goes unwatched. He’s a cheesy romantic. He likes the stupid cliches and takes notes, mentally, so naturally he’s already ordered food, lit candles, put some sort of pillowed nest together, and a movie queued and ready for the moment you stepped in the door.

He sets you down gently after spinning you around but keeps his forehead rested against yours, crooked nose brushing against yours. “Hi,” he breathes out, a big smile stretched across his face. His hands slowly unfurl your fingers from the handle of your bag until it drops to the floor so he can loosely intertwine his hand in yours instead.

You look up at him with a silly grin on your face too, “Hi.” You kiss the tip of his nose, “Someone’s ready for date night.”

“I’m always ready for *you* time, baby. Morning, noon, and night.” His hands crawl to your hips, pinching them lightly as he kisses you and then tugs your bottom lip between his teeth. Dick lets your lip go with an audible pop. “But knowing you, you want nothing more than a shower and a change of clothes. So get to it so I can have you all to myself, pretty.” He spins the two of you around so your back faces the living room and gently shoves you towards the bedroom.

When you turn to look over your shoulder at him, he just shoos you, with no pretense of joining you tonight. So you take longer than normal, to spite him and simply because you can take an uninterrupted shower.

You come out of your room, dressed in some old t-shirt he’s left in your dresser, more than ready for date night. Yet he’s all dressed up for a night out, and one he’s not taking you on. “Sorry, babe. B, got wind of Joker threatening the UN Assembly and I’m needed.”

Things feel off, like how he had his suit on him/stashed somewhere at your place or answered the call when he’s been on a technical hiatus since Wally’s death. But you just sigh, because you love your boyfriend and don't want to keep him from the mission, the job, and something he loves.

“Just come back to me, yeah?” You ask, a half-smile plastered on as you wrap your arms around him.

He gives you his smile that’s won awards, “Always.”

He does not come back to you.

At least 12 hours later, you've checked your phone, and communicator, and gotten your laptop connected to the JL’s system at least 100 times in a semi-obsessive manner. Finally, you work up the courage to ring Tim as the rays of the sunrise make their way through your living room windows.

You pace around your couch, chewing on your lip while the phone rings. And a huge sigh of relief when Tim picks up. “Hey, hi, Tim.” You rush, not letting him get a word in, “Is Dick…?” you trail off, not quite brave enough to let the words slip past your lips.

Tim clears his throat, “He said he was heading back to your place. Is he not there yet?” And like a summoning spell, the window creaks as Dick slips into your apartment. You mumble a string of thanks as you turn around to see your boyfriend, taking in the complete exhaustion he’s exuding.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Your question is accompanied by a frown and drawn brows. You don’t bother to interrogate him about not taking any time to contact you. He pushes right past you to rifle through the drawers for civvies. “Dick?”

He’s started to strip as he gives you a short answer, “Babs’ in the hospital, paralyzed, I need to go.”

Your eyes widen as you ramble out your thoughts, “What? What happened? Let me take you. I want to visit too. Does she need anything? Let’s stop and get flowers.”

He pulls a shirt over his head and buttons his jeans as he shuts you down, “No. Only authorized visitors, the fewer people that visit the better. We don’t want to risk the possibility of anyone figuring out her identity.”

“Oh, ok. At least let me drive you?” You ask, watching wearily and trailing behind him to the front door.

Dick bends to tie his shoe, before grabbing his coat from the rack and shrugging it on. “Don’t want to make you pick me up later. Bye.” He kisses your cheek, either not noticing or caring about the obvious anxiety on your face, and takes his keys.

“Bye, I love-“ you’re cut off by the door shutting, “you.” There’s no time to process his lack of ‘I love you’ because your communicator goes off, signaling you’re needed back at the watchtower.

You’ve gotten the clearance to visit Babs, and technically your boyfriend who hasn’t left her side the entire time.

You bring a bouquet of marigolds, for a bit of color and the fact they symbolize resilience, plus a get well soon card signed by everyone on the team.

When you open the door to the room, it feels like you’re intruding on an intimate moment between lovers. Dick is asleep on Barbara’s lap and he’s holding one of her hands while she uses her free hand to card through his hair.

Her head snaps to the door, clearly on guard, but relaxes when she sees it’s just you. Her hand makes no attempt at stopping its gentle caress through his tresses.

You feel gross, inferior, to the red head paralyzed in a private hospital room. But you don’t want to look insecure or by asking her to stop hogging your boyfriend or stop playing with his hair. So you put on a smile and set down the vase and the card on the bedside table.

“Hey, just checking in on ya. The team got you a get well soon card. We’re all worried and hoping for your recovery and as soon as you’re out, the girls want to take you out for mani-pedis.” You look down at your still sleeping boyfriend. “Dick been giving you trouble?”

She looks down at him and smiles, a fond smile that you know you make when you look at him. “No, no, he’s been great, keeping me company and treating me like glass.”

You gnaw on your lip, not quite sure how to react to everything going on in front of you. It’s pretty obvious that she is still in love with him and you’ll bet he is too. “Glad he’s treating you well. I’ve got to get going, but happy you’re still with us. Keep us updated, because B is trying to keep a lid on what’s happening, I know the girls would appreciate it.”

Barbara nods, “Yeah, will do. Been missing my outside communication, but you know how these Bats are.” She laughs lightly, like you know what she’s talking about, like you also have some sort of overprotective circle for yourself. All you can do is nod and smile before leaving.

As you walk through the hospital and out to the parking lot, you know you’re about to cry. You can feel the heavy weight of emotions in your chest and the waterfall of tears begging to come out as it sits right behind your eyes. But you don’t even get the time to process it, because once again, you’re needed in the watchtower. At least now you weren’t lying about needing to go.

It’s been another hard mission, and it’s clear to everyone that your head isn’t in the game. M’gann makes a mention of being there to talk, but you brush it off, because everything is just noise right now.

The alpha squad you had been assigned to just looks at you and you can’t tell if it’s pity or worry that’s mars their gazes, and you wonder if they all know, if they feel sorry.

You duck out first, unable to not feel like a zoo animal in this situation. You try your hardest to maintain a neutral facade for the team, not needing them to see your emotions and prod, before you zeta back to Gotham.

When you make it back to your apartment, all the gear comes off immediately and you wrap yourself in a sweatshirt of Dick’s and bundle yourself on his side of the bed even though it no longer smells like him.

The watery eyes and quivering lip come out as you wait for him to pick up your video call and unfortunately you’re surprised he does. You need an ear to vent to, to get some reassurance, but it just devolves into an argument.

“Barbara needs me,” he says firmly, running a hand down his face with a sigh as he leans against the bland walls of the hospital hallway.

You’ve quickly lost your wits, not ok with his non-answer or seeming apathy. “Why does it have to be you?! There’s a whole team of people concerned for her, a whole brood of Bats. Is it so much to ask for my boyfriend’s time right now?”

You watch as he bites his tongue over the phone, presumably trying to not lash out and call you all the nasty things you’re thinking about yourself as you beg for just a shred of his attention. You know that it’s selfish and dumb, but you also know you shouldn’t have to fight for his attention and time.

You curl into yourself, backing down, and apologizing for getting emotional when you know you shouldn’t have to. “I’m sorry, I just- I need you right now. I need you to tell me you love me still,” you plead quietly, feeling so small and stupid for practically grovelling.

“You know I do, but god dammit, I can't always be there. That’s how this life goes, why can’t you just trust me when I say I do and believe me?”

It's very easy to pick up the lack of him even saying the word ‘love’. You can’t hold back the questions that feel more like accusations, “How am I supposed to trust that when you’re spending all your time with your ex-girlfriend?”

“You know it’s not like that. You know.” He almost hisses, like he’s sick of trying to defend their close relationship to you.

“Do I?” You ask quietly.

He sighs, “Look, I’ll see you later, ok?”

“She's still in love with you.“ You blurt before he can hang up. “She’s still in love with you and I want to know if you are too.”

He blinks slowly, clearly taken aback, “This-this is not an over the phone conversation.” He takes a moment, trying to see if you’re going to say anything as he purses his lips. When you don’t say anything he says goodbye again, “I’ll see you soon.”

Your phone goes to the home screen after he hangs up, it’s a picture of you and him. Of him laughing as he squished your cheeks, looking at you like you put all the stars and constellations in the sky. But you were nothing more than a consolation, a second place prize, if that.

It’s not long before he’s coming through the door, not the window, with a lopsided grin on his face, “Told you, soon.”

You watch him as he approaches the bed and sits at the end of it. The smile disappears and his face grows serious as his hand finds your knee through the comforter. “Baby, I’m sorry that I’m not giving you what you need right now.”

“That wasn’t the question I asked. Do you love her?” You ask, having to be confrontational in this moment, because otherwise you know he’ll talk his way out of it and find some way to make you feel like it’s your fault.

“It’s not a yes or no kind of question, because of course I do. I’ve known her for years. I love her as my friend and teammate.” He can’t look at you, rubbing circles into your knee.

“Damn it, Dick, just break up with me!” You screech, it’s not a request, but a demand. “You can’t even tell me you love me anymore. Did you ever?”

“I don’t want to break up with you though. I like what we have, it’s,” he pauses, “comfortable.” He’s side stepping the question again.

Your brows scrunch together, “Is that how you’d describe our relationship? Comfortable?” You take a moment to turn that over in your head. Why is it comfortable and not loving or fun or safe? But you answer your own question, “Because you’re settling. Dick, honestly, just tell me that you want to go back to her. Stop dragging me along through your drawn out feelings for Barbara.”

He sighs, finally resigned to telling the truth, “I’m sorry.” And for the first time it feels like he’s being genuine. “You’re just not her. And it wasn’t right of me to use you to get over her, I know that.”

“But you’re not over her,” you say, looking at him for confirmation. He shakes his head. You swallow thickly, “I’ll get all your stuff packed up.” You draw your knees in closer to yourself, forcing his hand to pull away.

The finality of your statement hangs in the air until he accepts it quietly, “Ok.”

You hear him stand up when the bed squeaks, but you don’t look at him. You don’t look when you hear him walk out of the bedroom and fiddle with his keys and take the one to the apartment off the key ring or open the door and take a minute before shutting it. How can you when your vision is blurred with tears?

Not even a week later you watch Dick roll Barbara, finally discharged and in a wheelchair, into the tower and kiss her. It makes you sick. You would never be her.

[robinsleeping]

She tried…

[dukeofthomas]

I can't find it now but there's a post about suspension of disbelief and how it's broken when the story starts trying to excuse it. "character gets knocked unconscious for hours but there's no further issues from this" okay 👍 "and actually this makes perfect sense because of this and that" um no it doesn't why are you lying to me. like i am willing to ignore the holes and the discrepancies!! all you need to do is let me and not bring unnecessary attention to it!!!

and all that is my issue with the whole robin child soldier argument. like i am willing to ignore it i am willing to engage with the fantasy literally all you need to do is NOT try to convince me that Actually It's Fine Because They Want To Do It or whatever. like literally just shut up about it and i can engage with the fantasy!!

[bra1n-r0tting]

I can’t think of a caption to put here

[violent138]

Dick, tossing his phone to Wally as he grabs his Escrima sticks: "Comms are down, text the rest of the team that we're in deep shit."

Wally, accidentally sending a message to Batman re: calamity: "Dude! Why is Batman on your phone??"

Dick, full of horror as he punches someone in the face: "You sent it to Batman?"

Wally: "I'll fix it, I'll fix it." (accidentally sends an "All good, everything's fine" message to the Titans group chat)

Dick, crashing into a wall: "What's the ETA on backup?"

Wally, seeing Batman's message about being there ASAP and the Titans' thumbs up: "Oh no."