#the batfam do not know how to approach someone normally | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

acid-ixx · 5 months ago

Note

How do think readers relationship with each of the batfam would be had they not been neglected?

what if...? ft. domestic headcanons w/ your family

series masterlist &. request masterlist — long post ahead !

reblogs and interactions are encouraged and appreciated.

a/n: 6400+ words, no beta i'm genuinely insane. help i literally thought abt this yesterday !! i may or may not post a drabble about this one specific dream the reader had about where they had a normal relationship with the batfam but at the same time i want to implement it in the next chapter instead so have food for thoughts instead! slight spoilers below. also please do comment and reblog if u like this ! ^^ supporting my writing just makes me further motivated to write even more !

if you were never neglected by your own family, then i could say that the process of them turning yandere would be a tad bit better or worse. i'm saying, because of your past and because of an incident during your elementary years (that could've been avoided if your family actually never ignored you; so let's assume that that incident actually never happened but it opened a gateway for an even more protective family) the batfam could easily be either a dream or nightmare.

let's say it was bruce and dick who had picked you up from the police station. the moment he sees his own firstborn child, all his thoughts would circulate from just how broken and hopeless you absolutely looked, how the injuries litter throughout your entire body, the way your empty eyes stare at anything.

the child, his child, looked exactly like him all those years ago. he knows just how painful it is to bare losing all your loved ones.

he wouldn't hesitate to approach your form, immediately picking you up and letting your head lean on his shoulders as dick follows in tow, cooing about his significantly younger sibling.

that would be the first time dick would call you his baby bird, with the way you'd stare at him with mixed emotions in your eyes.

if him and dick were to hear about what happened to you inside your old apartment from the police (drugged and abused by the same men who took your mother away from you), then be guaranteed that batman and nightwing would be more brutal during their patrol afterwards (dick would even take more weeks off from bludhaven just to care for his younger sibling), even going as far as formulating a plan for your captors, having oracle stalk each and every person involved in your life.

if anyone thinks the vigilante would abide by his no-kill rule then they're wrong, because he'd turn a blind eye for once if dick were to brutally stab someone at any moment. why? because batman will not settle until his own child's attackers are thrown into putrid prison cells with no guarantee that they'll see the light of the day. the criminals should be grateful that red hood isn't even in the picture yet.

your father would be more perceptive of your emotions if he had never neglected you. he will always be the one giving you rides, he'll shield you away from the mass media trying to take photographs of you— and you're getting carried throughout the manor if your little body were to even express fatigue.

bruce wayne wouldn't admit it, but he absolutely cherishes you and your youth. he had adopted dick and grayson when they were above the age of ten, when they were already growing some sort of consciousness about the world they live in. but you? you're so small and you have so much to learn, your innocence is something bruce would protect. you'll be absolutely coddled by your father, your grandfather figure, alfred, and your oldest brother, dick. even future members of the family knows just how important you are maintaining their sanity.

that means you have the manor in the palm of your hands. you had a nightmare tonight? don't worry, your dad would always be one step ahead of you and would immediately be in your room. hell, if you were comfortable enough, you'd be sleeping in the same bedroom as your dad for the first few years you'll live inside the manor. he'll read you bedtime stories if you want and even have alfred prepare you warm milk or chocolate before you go to sleep. his entire schedule would also be centered around you, making sure that he would always arrive on time from business meetings to have dinner with you, and coming home early from patrols. if he leaves the manor before you're set off to sleep, then he'll be giving you a good night's kiss whilst alfred would be the one substituting for your nightly bedtime stories.

you may call him overbearing once you start to notice the signs the more you grow older, but your father will always track your sleep schedule - he even makes you wear a watch that records your heart rate - from the moment you drift into dreamland to the times you get nightmares— he makes sure the food you eat before dinner is light, booking appointments with nutritionists to make sure you're healthy. he even does specialized training with you, for self defence and to also maintain a healthy lifestyle.

and dick grayson? his visits to gotham would be more frequent. even if his relationship with bruce is strained, he'll always be in the manor faster than you could say 'i miss you' to your older brother on the phone. he loves coddling his baby bird, especially since you were adopted right after jason's death; dick doesn't want a repeat of the past, always making sure you get proper cuddles and affirmations.

spending time with dick means you get all the power to draw on his arms or face or make arts and crafts with him. he enjoys it when his baby bird is at their comfiest state so even if you were seated on the floor, there would always be cozy blankets that count as your chairs and snacks right beside you. you could ask him to get something for you and he's right at it.

he would be the older brother who normalizes physical affection in the household. dick would constantly kiss your cheeks, your foreheads, and any injuries you would obtain (a habit that even bruce adopted once your dad realized how it's an effective way to soften your cries and ease your heart). he's not afraid of picking you up even! always tossing you to the air under alfred or bruce's supervision whenever you feel down. dick would always hold your hand, too, as an assurance that your beloved older brother is always there for you.

you'd probably ignore all the red flags he carries around because of how early he shows off his signs of obsessiveness. so don't question it if him and bruce wouldn't allow you to go to sleepovers with your other friends or if sometimes, just sometimes dick feels the need to just have you in his arms for hours without end after particularly brutal patrols. you're the only person holding him up and if he doesn't breath in that reminder then he might just lose himself.

your brother would literally prioritize you over anything else. he can and will pick you up from school, he makes sure nobody in your class is there to bully you, he'll spoil you with sweet treats whenever bruce is too busy with business meetings. he wants to be seen as your favorite ever since he's discovered himself to be your idol, so he'll always show off his acrobatic skills for your eyes only.

whenever dick would say "i love you!" it always translates to, "if you want me to, then i will give you the world." which means he'll drop anything he's doing right now the moment you invite him over to design your diaries or sketchbooks.

your talents very early on would be heavily acknowledged by your family. that means any single drawing or craft you'd do, whether poorly done or not, would be stored in very protective places or shows off in every crevice of the manor. any father's day gift from you would be framed in bruce's personal office, a personal reminder to him that you are the light at the end of the brooding tunnel he puts himself in. so even if he can't always be there for you, he will always have you in his mind and in his heart.

your existence in the manor would prove to be a healthier way for bruce to cope, for him to get his mind off of the loss of his second child. whenever he looks at you, he'll always be filled with a determination to protect gotham from any further danger, to save the city - if not himself, then for your sake, for his baby to feel safe whenever they would walk on the streets, for his baby to feel protected whenever you two would eat in fancy restaurants or go shopping for your diary's supplies.

criminals would immediately get the message that messing with you means getting on the bad side of both batman and nightwing. you may be the child of bruce wayne, (name) wayne, but if they even think of kidnapping you for ransom then they should pray; pray because if batman's baby even gets a single nick, a single droplet of blood on their body then they're gone. there's no such thing as holding back if it comes to you.

now, your older sister figure, barbara gordon, despite her constantly being busy because of her role as the oracle, would find ways to at least entertain you whenever you would visit her in the batcave. if you feel like your father's overprotective nature and your older brother's coddling is too much, then she will be offer you solace by her side. she may not always be physically there but you two are as close as you are to the other members of your family because you're a creative one. it's not often barbara gets to spend time with someone like you who enjoys having her as a muse for your art pieces. she allows you to also style her hair, and if you like to design clothing, then she'd be your model for as much as you want.

barbara is also your go-to for when dick and bruce are both unavailable. she lets you watch her hack through multiple security systems, explaining concepts that you don't understand. and, because she's the most emotionally stable out of all of them, you'd prefer gossiping to her about your school's drama compared to dick, as she actually gives you helpful advice!

well, little do you know that she had already hacked your school's camera footage and wired multiple recorders on your bag but you don't have to know that! after all, barbara wants to keep the only sane person in the household safe and happy. she's not openly obsessive towards you, but whatever secrets you have that don't compromise your safety are secrets she promises she will bring to the grave. that means if you ever have a crush on a someone then she will hide it from the others.

... that is until you actually end up trying to get into a relationship too early for even her eyes then she won't hesitate sending out the signals to bruce and the others. she can't afford exposing her younger sibling to heartbreaks and emotional attachment towards strangers! so do forgive her if there are times where you feel like there's someone constantly watching your back, because she is that someone; with all the intentions in the world that you wouldn't have to go through what she did with the joker or any other villains who could whisk you away from their arms.

it's obvious that, of course the oracle will use all the power in her hands to guarantee all eyes are on you, so that there would never be an opening for any danger towards you. even if you do know that she's the one in-control of the strings, there's not much you could do but accept it.

then there's tim drake. your brother who had stalked batman and nightwing just to prove a point. his parents are alive and he's fine being on his own, but fuck it if he prefers being in the wayne manor! once you're introduced to tim, he's immediately researching about the first biological child of bruce wayne. and thank god bruce requires the two of you to become familiar with each other because you're just so interesting to him, you and your curious eyes, your small habits— the way you shift in your position as your father's hands are clasped on your shoulder protectively.

tim can already feel himself blast off in excitement just solving the mysteries about you! yet he doesn't know it in himself that the longer you spend time with him, the more the urge to just stitch himself into your very life grows stronger.

if you were never neglected by your own family then you would instead be analyzed constantly. tim is just another set of eyes constantly watching you, but unlike the others, he picks off every single detail about you to a T.

you, your interests, your hobbies, your favorites, your friends, you name it; he will have an entire collection of case files on everything, picking apart your very mind to the seams. it's like he's eating up the information about you, spending sleepless nights researching about a movie you two would watch soon, because the look of amazement in your eyes feeds the growing love he has for his sibling.

at first he'd never understand why bruce and dick seems so smitten towards you other than the case regarding your mother. but he slowly starts to understand why— because just like him, you're perceptive of his well-being. if dick isn't around then you're always the one hanging around his room, visiting him with snacks in your arms or an invitation to watch a cartoon show.

he likes doing your assignments for you, especially your projects even if he neglects his own duties for his own school. and despite how emotionally constipated or unaware he seems, he's obsessed with your personal life. that means you don't even have to rant to him about school drama or your friends or crush because he can and will know it. what he doesn't like, though, is when your attention is towards anything but him. he may not be the most physically comfortable to cuddle but he will offer you his jackets which he would end up not washing right after you use them, instead he wears them, feeling closer to you than ever.

it even lulls him to sleep for the times you're unable to sleep over at his room.

tim may not know how to comfort you like dick whenever you wake up from nightmares but he does know ways to avoid them; he knows a lot of strategic methods to get you drowsy after a moment's panic.

bonus points if you cuddle him afterwards! he loves the warmth that you emanate, loves it when your body leans against him and makes him feel so important. tim loves it when you snuggle him unknowingly, tightening your already bruising grip on him, he loves reciprocating it too, feeling a special bond with his sibling that not even his parents could offer.

though he doesn't openly tell you that he loves you, he does so in his own ways! you don't want to see an entire photography room dedicated to his younger sibling— most pictures contributed by tim. you don't want to see the terabytes of files that are all about you and your interests, millions of video imagery of just you sketching or writing diary entries, sometimes eating or rambling senselessly. you don't know it but tim loves playing the videos of you in the background, especially the ones where you're humming a tune or singing a lullaby; those are his favorites.

it's not his fault that you're just so interesting to him, that your presence is so comforting, that you're the only person closest to him that has the ability to make him melt into you, unknowingly succumbing to your spoiled wishes.

jason todd comes into the picture later, and he is a very enraged man. he's mad at his replacement, at bruce, at you, at the entire universe.

at first he just doesn't understand anything. he doesn't understand why bruce finds it so easy to not only replace his status as robin but to also bring in another child, who's valued and loved more despite not taking the mantle of robin. he's mad at just how quick he was replaced, how it seems like bruce never avenged him, and yet if he threatens your safety then the old man suddenly turns violent towards him?!

jason wouldn't bring you into the fray, because you're unaware of the entire situation, but fuck, he doesn't understand why you are just so cherished when he'd watch the news and sees your picture plastered all over the reporters' walls, talking about the child who bruce never allowed to separate from his side. they talk about how you're the sheltered one, the hearthrob of all media with just how clingy the billionaire is towards his supposed younger sibling.

he's not jealous, he gets why bruce is protective and smothers himself all over you; but he hates feeling replaced, feeling discarded and forgotten by the very man who'll avenge your death if that ever happened.

hence why he has to see it for himself, has to see you for himself. it's a coincidence, a miracle actually that he just seems to easily find you by the kitchen of the manor— a manor whose aura is now different from last time, it seems like it now reeks of life, of personality. clearly you were the main cause of all of this.

you could simply be reading a book and sipping your nightly tea, but jason would soon realize just how... vulnerable you are at the moment. you find him hiding in the shadows and all you offer is a wide stare with no sense of self defense whatsoever. it's the same vulnerability that he sees off the cruelest streets of gotham. you're exactly like the innocent kids who get brutally murdered without justice, just like the children who have never once gained penance for the torture they had to experience just living off of personality.

jason isn't a dumbass, living near the crime alley means hearing the gossips of every citizen. your name, or preferably your last name is famed even in the underground. your mother is infamous for catching the attention of most crime lords by running off with their cash, successful staying hidden to care for her child, just right until she met her untimely demise. you lost her early just like how he lost his mother early as she had fallen victim to drug overdose.

he'll discover why gotham's vigilante seems to be so protective over you. the way you carry yourself, the warmth you give off as you offer him your leftover dinner despite not

you told him that your dad taught you to never talk to strangers— but clearly he's not because "how else would you be able to trespass the millions of security alarms in the manor? you must've lived here before." you'll state as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, sipping your drink before you offer him a seat next to yours, unafraid of the dangers that lie ahead of you—

"you must've really been pampered by the old man, huh?" is all his reply, the voice changer of his makes him sound naturally intimidating, like he's ready to attack but no, that's not his intentions with you. he'll take a seat beside you, try to make out what book you're reading and that's when he knows that you truly have no idea that it's your dead brother who's talking to you. you have no idea of his resurrection whatsoever as you start to mumble off about the novel— he finds it quite amusing that, finally, he's not the only guy who enjoys literature in the family, even going as far as to recommend his own fair share of favorite novels to you.

once he leaves out of the window after a seemingly long session of talking, definitely aware that yes, bruce does have a microchip inserted under your skin, and the watch you're wearing has a voice recorder that sends recordings straight to the batcave's system; jason takes note to visit you more often, finding the normalcy you offer very welcoming.

he likes it, likes your mellow behavior. he'll even admit that you're the only proof that bruce can, in fact, raise a child right, even if that means tracking their entire life. but that's the old man's love language, and jason knows it in himself that he's already planning for a way to take you to ride his motorcycle at night without bruce's knowledge; just so his angel knows the feeling of gotham's breeze flowing through their hair since bruce seems to love dictating your every move.

once he does form a solid plan to take you away, even just temporarily, you don't have to worry about the criminals who litter the streets because jason made sure that nobody's gonna mess with him and his angel's bonding time together.

the youngest, damian wayne, and the second biological child of bruce is a special case. his upbringing as an assassin makes him susceptible to his fits of tantrums. the first time he steps foot into the manor is the same time he will threaten anyone around him; and that includes you, the bastard child. quite frankly, your first greeting with him would be the same as the one in the original storyline, you'll greet him with a tray of sweets in your hand and a small smile and he'll reply with a sword on your neck. but the difference would be the undeniable fact that dick and bruce immediately stopped him from even nicking your delicate skin.

dick's swearing was shut down by alfred's scolding and you, again! pulling on your oldest brother's sleeve with an assurance that you're okay.

that's the very first time he sees his father truly reprimand him with nothing but rage in his eyes. despite damian's annoying antics towards his father the entire day, it seems like you were the snapping point.

his father, bruce wayne, made it very clear that he can mess with anyone and everyone in the family but you. that you have nothing to

his only reply would be a sneer as he demands they take him to his room immediately, unable to shut you down when you offer to help bring his luggage despite bruce's firm unwillingness and dick's hesitant request that his baby bird should instead spend time in his room instead.

but it was always your word above everybody else's and damian hates that, hates that everyone just seems to succumb to your request as long as it doesn't compromise your safety. the bitterness that keeps resurfacing in his heart whenever he sees you wearing tim or dick's jacket, or if he caught sight of bruce giving you affection was a feeling he tried to convince himself wasn't jealousy.

not jealousy towards you, no, but towards them. your behavior towards him was nothing but kind, a kindness that was taught to him as weakness. he thinks you're weak and undeserving of being spoiled and yet he hates it whenever he sees his blood sibling (whom he called a bastard child so many times) become too close with anyone but him.

he hates it, he hates you and his conflicting feelings. he hates it when he pushes you away, hates it when he sees you pout after another failed attempt at trying to have your youngest sibling talk to you.

and as the days or even weeks pass by, with all your effort to try to bond with him, with the days where he can feel dick's energy drain because you insisted on spending time with damian instead of dick again, with tim's intolerable treatment towards the him because you chose to bother damian instead of that loser— are the days he feels himself actually becoming closer to you because he relishes in your insufferable behavior towards them, because you just seem so sweet to him.

damian feels that it's right that you make him the exception.

so it's inevitable that damian will eventually discover both your talents towards art and the love for nature. it's a mistake, really, when one day as he stalks through the hallways he'd find you in your own atelier, painting a portrait of a robin with a color scheme that matches his vigilante suit. the beams of sunlight seems to hit you just right because you looked so at peace with your surroundings, humming a tune, unaware of your youngest brother who has found himself at your most natural state.

he'll budge in without moment's hesitation afterwards, steering clear behind you as he analyzes your art. it would only be after a few minutes would he announce his presence in the room, expecting you to scream at him to buzz off but all you did was jump in your seat, looking back to eye the intruder only to find out it was damian all along, offering him a smile and a seat beside you.

after he does so, you'll both end up spending the entire day bombarding each other with art tips and animal facts. he'll give you comments about the bird's proportions and you give him guidelines on how to properly mix your colors without it looking muddled. it's like you two are meant to be siblings because damian swears he ended up clinging to your side after your painting session, refusing to even seat beside anyone during dinner time if it isn't you because he's not done rambling about the rainbow eucalyptus you had told him you'd seen in a nature documentary once— so it's rightfully his place to be beside you and not drake's or grayson's or even his father.

eventually you two would be as close as peas in a pod because you're seemingly the only one who knows how to calm him down, the only one with the right to raise your voice at him and to ask him of favors because you're his blood sibling. and because you both share the same blood, that means you both should share clothes that complement each other, share snacks and treats, share matching bracelets and necklaces and any jewelry, you're the only one allowed to hang around his room and him in yours.

the others find it annoying that you let him be, but what choice do they have? unless they would like to hear an earful from damian then they should stay silent because you both aren't done painting each other's nails yet!

stephanie brown is shortly introduced to you after her incessant insistence on meeting you right after stepping foot into the manor. she knows of your internet fame for being the beloved bruce wayne's 'favorite' child and she's not afraid to admit that you are indeed adorable in person! unlike your first meeting with damian, steph would immediately coddle you at first glance, insisting you call her by 'steph' and that

due to the short period of time as her robin and her being constantly reprimanded for her antics, you'd take it in yourself to become closer with her, and she accepts your offer without any complaints. she's also one of your muses for your art and it's a good thing she has a sense of style unlike your brothers who are either too flashy (you had to stifle a laughter looking at the discowing costume) or too dull. damian's fashion sense is good but he's often out during the time period you spend with steph, and even if she often doesn't stay still, you at least hsve someone to talk your ears off whilst you try to sketch the poses she chose.

her obsession towards you stems from your willingness to "match her freak" or whatever internet lingo she finds that day, but she's a fun company to be around! she's always there for you when you need to rant about anything regarding your feelings, especially since you're at the age where you're a teenager and your emotions towards your family would be all over the place and she'd relate the most towards that.

so other than barbara, you'll find yourself speaking up about any concerns you have to steph, and she turns your 'favoritism' towards her her entire personality.

but if you think of even spilling your secrets about a highschool crush to steph or news that someone had asked you out for prom them then spoiler alert! don't. like her mentor, steph will drop signs and clues and your brothers would promptly deal with that. awe, don't worry about feeling alone though or if you weren't permitted to go to your highschool prom because steph and babs will be the ones to convince bruce to throw you your own very elegant gala where you would dance with only your siblings!

see, isn't she so strategic that way? psht, you don't need a boy or a girl acting as your temporary reprieve when your entire family is there for you! steph is here for you and you did technically promise to go out with her today to go shopping so...

it's not that she isn't on your side, no! but you're very much the entire family's baby and she doesn't want you losing your attention on her, definitely not! her goofy personality towards you really does cover her intense urge to be by your side really well. unlike damian, it's not obvious that she's trying so hard to monopolize your time for herself but you're just so fun to be around and she's at her best behavior when it comes to you.

so what's wrong if she ditches her other friends to bond with her beloved sibling? it's not like they'd understand what it's like having someone who actually looks at her for her rather than just the surface level.

don't question why most of the gifts she had given you (which ranges from attires like jackets and shles, to matching bracelets, even little fidget toys) all don a shade of purple and blue! and don't also question why her gallery is filled with cute selfies of you and why your phone's lock screen wallpaper is now suddenly matching with hers.

after all, steph likes making it known that you are her favorite!

cassandra cain, when she first saw you, is, of course, silent. but she makes her presence known quickly after she has enough proof that you've no fight in your body. she may not be the most expressive in words but she is through actions.

you were actually the one who had first approached her after bruce initially introduced you two to each other, offering her a handshake and a greeting in sign language. albeit it being crusty, and her insisting that it's alright if you do the talking, it seems like you were more than willing to learn sign language just for the sake of your new sister and she likes it.

she really, really likes it, appreciates how there were no signs of malice in your movements and just how comfortable you seemed with someone who could potentially end your life with just a snap of her fingers. and yet you treat her like she's not a weapon of murder but rather another sibling who is welcomed into your own world.

you ask her if she wants to hang out with you and steph in your own personal sleepover inside your room and she accepts it because of just how comforting your presence is. it's been so long since she had last felt like she was treated as a human and you were proof that she's glad she never took the path to human carnage like her father intended her to because then she wouldn't meet someone who would soon be so precious to her.

cass may not talk a lot but she is a listener.

a listener to both your words and your body language. it's quicker for her to notice if you ever needed a hug or a catalyst for comfort. she knows your boundaries and when you need space the most. she knows it when you want to open up to her about how stuffy the manor is beginning to feel, how it feels as if they're becoming more sensitive about your social life, how you wish your friends aren't distancing themselves from you because of how intimidating your family is.

and you can say all that to her because cass, alongside duke and sometimes steph, would be the only ones keeping your deepest darkest desires to their grave. although she may not understand your reasonings on why you even felt like your family is coddling you too much (because they're not! they love you very much and she does too) in the first place, she's always the one offering you to hold her hands whenever you're going through a momentary panic attack or a shoulder to lean on whenever dick would scold you for something impulsive you've done.

unlike your neglected counterpart, cass would always be by your shadows, watching every one of your moves and to abide by bruce's order to make sure you wouldn't escape, shall you ever feel rebellious during your teenage years. you may be older than her but she's stronger than you, more experienced and can even combat your dad if she wants to.

yet she always seems to let her guard down when it comes to you because you just seem to have that alluring effect on everybody. can't you understand just how important you are to everybody? you're the most important to her, you're one of the first few people who had treated her like a human so she swears on her life to protect you from harm's way like you did her whenever she's often in a pit of despair.

cass isn't the most expressive, so she makes up for it by instead leaving signs that she really cares for you, or sometimes hiding little trinkets for you to find in your room. it's like her very own message that translates 'cass was here'.

whenever you sit beside her at the dinner table, she always slips in extra food by your plate without you looking or sometimes even filling your glass bottles with extra juice and you'll never know why until you realize that it's her way of telling you to eat more. sometimes, your clothes would go missing until you see your sisters wearing your own collection of jackets and hoodies then swapping them in your drawers for their own— you'd realize that cass got that idea from steph and you can't get mad at her or anybody else as it soon becomes tradition that you'll have an entire closet dedicating to the missing clothes you have that your siblings have replaced to their own attire.

cass really does love you and although she can't always say it out loud, you'll always have a constant reminder instead. as long as you're safe and sound then you don't have to witness the darker sides of her that she hides from you.

then finally, duke thomas. he may have been introduced to you the latest but you could say in terms of every trait, he'd be the brother you'd like to keep close for every situation. your first meeting with him is quite frankly the most normal one of them all, introducing yourself to duke through dinner. although he may be temporarily under bruce's guardianship over anything else, he's incredibly comforting to be around as he's quick to catch on your emotions but unlike the others, he doesn't push you to open up to him, but he won't leave your side at all either.

duke is the only metahuman you're probably allowed to be close with because your dad absolutely refuses you from even trying to talk with the superfamily. and duke heavily prides himself with that information, often secretly showing you his metahuman skills and answering whatever questions you have about them.

like jason, duke wouldn't fully delude himself into thinking you're innocent, that you need to be babied to the point they feel the urge to track even the food you eat— so he's your reliable source for any video games you were forbidden to play or any movies dick would consider too gruesome for you. he's chill, he even sneaks you unhealthy chips once in a while which makes him automatically one of the top in your tier list.

but don't think he's entirely on your side, because whilst duke seems the most normal to you - the only sibling who wouldn't smother you in blankets the moment you accidentally cut yourself with a kitchen knife - he's also batshit crazy for his own sibling and he'll sacrifice a lot for you two. so if you even dare try to suggest an idea that duke knows would risk not only him, but especially you, then that idea automatically is relayed to your dad and you wouldn't really want your father's gentle scolding anymore.

you can try to find a loophole to go out with him though! if you want to eat batburgers outside then you can do so when he's at his patrol, seeing as how he's the only batkid who does daytime patrol and that's way safer than eating at night, no?

so do expect spending more time with him the most outside, other than with dick and damian, but you'll be forced to sit in the sidelines where nobody can lay their hands on you whilst duke would be busy fighting crime and afterwards treating you to ice cream like he didn't just 'accidentally' and brutally body slammed a criminal into the wall for giving you heart eyes.

'most normal member of the family, my ass' would be the first thing that pops into your mind, but hey! at least you didn't have to be always locked up into the stuffy manor, right...?

at least you get to spend time with all of your siblings and a very loving and attentive father..!

little did you know that the only reason they allowed you out is to give you this false sense of independence, slowly but surely planning for the ultimate day where they truly would lock you up away from the world.

but they just can't help it, you know? the media's greedy hands are starting to take more than they could; so many eyes are on you and danger awaits at every corner in gotham— they can't afford having their beloved being pried away from their arms.

so is it truly a blessing or a curse in disguise? you don't know anymore.

2K notes · View notes

insomanic-fanfication · 2 months ago

Note

Hey, I really liked your Dick Grayson sfw and nsfw alphabets! When you have the time, can I request either of those for Jason Todd? Thanks 😊

Jason Todd SFW Alphabet

Author's note: Of course! I planned on doing his anyway after finishing some of my drafts. But that's taking a little longer than I thought it would. CW:

Alphabet Under the cut!

Affection: How affectionate are they? How do they show it?

Jason isn't really affectionate, at least in open places. He's got way too many people wanting his head on a pike. Family and friends know you two are dating; however, if someone on the outside saw you two, they would have no idea. However, when you two are alone, his true colors bleed through. His personality is similar to that of a huge dog that hasn't figured out they can't be a lap dog anymore. Laying his head on your lap while you do your own things. He is reading a book, and you do one of your hobbies. Just decompressing from the day Comfortably in science and enjoying the other's presence. Will 100% fall asleep if you start playing with his hair.

Best Friend: What are they like as best friends? How would you become best friends?

Unless he needed to ask you for something, you would probably have had to make the first move toward friendship. Jason gets very lonely, but trying to meet new people on his own accord is not part of his personality. If he approached you, it would be one of two things; 1. You did something that impressed him, or 2. Dick was pestering him about meeting new people too much, and he caved to make Dick leave him alone.

Cuddles: Do they like to cuddle? How would they?

Jason hesitates to cuddle at first; it's not that he hates it, but more so, he fears it. For the most part, positive physical interaction is a foreign concept in his body. For the first few times he cuddles, he will flinch, and it doesn't matter which one of you enacted it. But once he gets to the point of cuddling, where you two can cuddle, he is relaxed? Your fate is sealed. You've created a monster! Anytime you're not busy in the apartment, it's cuddle time, and no protests are allowed. Will get pouty if you have to get up.

Domestic: Do they want to settle down? How good are they at cooking and cleaning?

Jason is one of the Batfam members who would settle down in a heartbeat, even if it's just for a year or two. He craves at least some normality. But if he does, no one can protect the ones he loves, at least not well, in his opinion. Unlike his brothers, Jason is an excellent cook and even a chef with his skills. One of his favorite early memories is helping and learning to cook with Alfred. He's also very good at cleaning, partly cause his spaces are the bare-bone things to live in. However, he likes to clean his apartment or space once weekly as a coping mechanism. It's something he feels he is in complete control over. However, if you find him randomly deep-cleaning a room or his apartment. BE AFRAID; he's not okay, no matter how often he tries to tell you he is alright. For him, that is grippy sock stay levels that are not okay.

Ending: If they had to break up? How would they?

Like Dick, if you two broke up and he was the one that broke it off, it was due to him having an episode. But unlike Dick, it would be out of paranoia. Jason would make himself believe that your life will be destroyed. or you'll die because you are dating him. He would most likely ghost you and not actually break up with you. Because the words would pain him too much to say out loud. Only coming to his senses after the episode has passed, realizing his actions, and imminently finding you in person, terrified he fucked up everything between you both.

Fiance: How do they feel about commitment? How long before they pop “the question”?

Jason didn't want marriage for a long while, too terrified that it would make something go wrong. However, the longer the relationship goes on, nothing terrible happens like he expected. The more the thought of marriage would come into his mind. Asking what your thoughts on marriage are one night while cuddling.

Gentle: How gentle are they? Both physically and Emotionally?

Jason is incredibly gentle with his partners, partly due to his personality and partly because he fears accidentally hurting you. He's a little rough around the edges emotionally, though, mostly because he's not used to being a completely open book to people.

Hugs: Do they like hugs? What are their hugs like?

Jason hugs like a dad coming home after a long trip. He'll hug your waist and lift you, keeping you in his arms with the biggest smile. He'll kiss your forehead while you feel the warmth of his body around you.

I love you: How fast do they say the L-word?

Jason would be extremely slow to say the actual' I love you' wording, but he would make up for it in physical affection and words of affirmation. Holding you as close as he can while telling you how much you mean to him and how great of a partner you are to him. So, people may mistake it for love bombing, which added to his other behavior. But it's because it's so hard for him to verbally tell you he loves you. He feels he needs to say it to you in other words, so you know how much his heart bleeds for you.

Jealousy: Do they get jealous? What would they do?

Jason gets super jealous; he won't control who you talk to or anything like that. He knows you have a life outside your guy's relationship, and it's not his place to manage. But he's protective of you and gets jealous when others flirt with you because, in the back of his mind, it's hard for him to believe someone would date him. So he's worried that you'll find someone more accessible to love, and you'll give up on him. Does it sound balls off the wall crazy? Yes, but mental illness is rarely something that likes to make sense.

Kissing: What are their kisses like? Where do they like to be kissed/ kiss you?

Jason loves it when you kiss places on him that are generally done on the submissive partner, such as his knuckles, neck, forehead, etc. He finds them so comforting and feels very loved.

Little ones: How are they around kids?

Jason is great around kids unless it's his brothers. Generally speaking, though, he's very good with kids. Sometimes, he understands what's okay for a kid or not. He'll let a toddler he's watching fidget with an unloaded gun if they are very interested in it. But he'll explain to the kid in terms they understand gun safety and how you know a gun is loaded or not. Telling the kid you never treat a gun like it's a toy. It is a 100% safe choice for a kid to go to if they can't find their parent.

Morning: How are they during the mornings?

He's a morning person but a lazy morning person. He'll wake up at 5-6 and do dishes, eat, and do morning stretches, but he will not do any actual work until around noon. God forbid the poor man has a morning shift, no matter what his day job is. He'll be the grumpiest man in the world, but he hides it well from clients/ customers. Some of his coworkers get very confused of this very quick change of mood, but others just see that, and think 'Same brick wall dude, Same'.

Nights: How are they spent with them?

He is a huge Night Owl, wither that be doing the bulk of his work at Night, or having a nice cuddle session with you while having a smoke on the fire escape of the apartment. He is a very light sleeper, or deep sleep with every hour or so waking back up. He also has a lot of night terrors, so he tends to avoid sleep, ESPECIALLY if you are staying over at his place. He has a lot of 'what if i hurt you..' paranoia.

Open: When would they start revealing things about themselves?

Try to get Jason to open up, is like trying to open a can with no can opener. You may have be in a relationship with him for 5 years, and still not know everything about him. Not because he doesn't trust you not to use that against him. But because he struggles with knowing WHEN to open up about things in a relationship. He wants to make sure your twos relationship is a healthy as it can be, which every now and then dose end up causing problems. Especially when he's having a ptsd episode and you feel helpless within how to help him through it.

Patience: How easily angered are they?

He tries to be a laid back person, tries to be, is the wording there, he doesn't have a hair thin trigger, but sometimes his trauma just gets triggers by something he doesn't even see the connection to, so he's in a pissed off fight response for a bit. He does, however go to anger management therapy to try and help these behavior issues. But somethings slip through the cracks before they can be brought up in therapy. This does not stop him from bragging to his siblings, that he's the only one taking care of his mental health.

Quizzes: They remember everything or nothing about you?

It's like a scale, sometimes he remembers everything, other times he can't remember your favorite hoodie, (it's the one that's been used as a pillowcase for 3 months, because he missed holding you). He can dissociate for a long awhile, but him also bottling up his emotions plays a bigger role in this.

Remember: What is their favorite memory in the relationship?

The first time you fell asleep while cuddling with him. You both were watching cheesy 90s slashers for Halloween night, snuggled in almost a cocoon of blankets and snacks. When he turned to check on why you had been so quiet, you had falling asleep while being snuggled so far into him, that he half expected for you to fuse into his side. The amount of trust you had for him, the emotions he felt was too much and he ended up crying for the first time in years. the tears feeling like they were burning his eyes, but it's still a memory he holds closest to his heart.

Security: How protective are they? How would you protect each other?

No matter what your appearance is, wither that be tall and lanky or short n stout. Jason tends not to need a lot of physical protection, but you are most defiantly the protector of his emotional peace and social battery. Think of it like a Pitbull done with his guarding of the house for the day, so runs to their favorite human to become the biggest cuddle bug on earth. That's Jason Todd, (He's very Resurce dog coded, don't blame me, blame DC). He very much, however, is scary looking guard dog for you. He could kill someone with his death glare sometimes.

Try: How much effort would they put into dates, gifts, anniversaries, etc?

Jason puts an extreme amount of effort into your anniversaries, gifts and dates! He's not a social able person, so don't expect fancy Lucious dinner dates at a 5 star restaurant. They make him very uncomfortable, thinking everyone's eyes are on him. But he will make you the most romantic and gushy homemade dinners, your favorite flowers or candy. Cooking Red type pastas with red wine or cooking a Hispanic dish that learned while growing up around crime ally.

Ugly: What are some bad habits of theirs?

He has a bad habit of pushing you away, instead of telling you what's up. For better, or for worse. Sometimes it's because his crime lord days caught up to close to him, and for your safety he pushed you away. Or on the worse side of things, he's terrified you'll look at him as a monster or not understand where he's coming from with his trauma and his poor mental health, so he tries to keep them from you as long as possible, until he has no choice to tell you, or lose the relationship he has built with you.

Vanity: How concerned are they with their looks?

Honestly, Yes and no, like he cares about his looks more than a person would think, but like.. slightly more. He's not gonna shower every single day on the dot and shave his pubic hair into a sharp clean design. But he absolutely cares about keeping up good hygiene. Though he does have issues with cleaning his teeth, nothings rotting in there, but he is brushing his teeth waaay less than he really should be.

Whole: Would they feel incomplete without you?

No, unless you two date each other until your 4 years into retirement and you die of old age. He will be able to feel the same before you to started dating, because he feels incomplete on a regular basis. Like he isn't able to do enough, BE a enough for anyone to see him how he is as a person now.

Xtra: Random headcanon for them?

Jason use to smoke weed, especially in his teen years, regularly. But now he smokes cigs, problary Marlboro's or Lucky Strikes maybe Camels , and eats edibles every now and then to help with muscle pain and mood swings. (he still hasn't figure out if meds are worth not being able to have a beer whenever he wants.)

He knows he has PTSD, maybe C-PTSD, however he's not quite sure or not that he has BPD or a similar disorder, he's mainly just not internally ready to know the answer to that part of himself just yet. He's barely processed his feelings towards his Mother, so he's not there yet in his healing journey.

Yuck: What are some things they don’t like, in general, or in a partner?

if you have bad few of poor people or think poor people are only poor because they chose to be. Than I'm sorry, but Jason is more likely to pop a bullet in your head than he is to see you in a good light, let alone a romantic one.

Zzz: What is their sleeping habit?

Either waking up every 1 to 2 hours, or only sleeping 30mins to 3 hours and then staying up for the rest of the night or start cleaning or smoking a cig outside.

#crow!writes #fanfication blog #dc comics #x reader #sfw alphabet #jason todd x reader #jason todd x male reader #male reader #gender neutral reader #mlm fanfic #fanfic blog

183 notes · View notes

jason-todd-fangirl-14 · 9 months ago

Text

So this is my first time writing anything on Tumblr so please bear with me while I try and figure out how this app works lol. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. I’m probably going to do another part of this with other Batman characters (when I get to know more characters that is. I only just recently got into DC and Batman in general so my knowledge is either pretty basic or not a lot). Anyways, without further ado, this is how I imagine the Batfam’s hugs would be or feel like while they hug the reader. Let’s start with an individual who’s most likely to actually hug someone, and that’s…

Alfred Pennyworth

Let’s face it, the man is the kindest one there is. Aside from another character that I’ll get to next, he is the most likely to hug you. I imagine his hugs to be as warm as the biggest and fluffiest blanket. If you were sad, he’d definitely be the first one to comfort you, and once he knows you’re stable, he would make sure your comfort food is stalked up for whenever you're hungry. If you’re not much of a hugger, or not you just need to be left alone for a bit to figure things out on your own, he would still be there to comfort you, but from a distance until you’re ready and approach him first. He won’t hesitate to comfort you, in any way that he can.

Dick Grayson

This boy would hug the actual life out of you when you're sad. It’s just going to happen. For your sake, let’s hope you’re also a huge hugger, because there’s nothing Dick hates more than seeing someone upset and hurting. His hugs will most likely just happen out of nowhere, and it will be instinct for him. Like one single tear falling, lip trembling, and or head tilting downward, he’ll just react and hold you close. Even with the slightest silent or non-silent reaction from you, and he’ll just assume something isn’t right, and being the caring, kind and good guy he is, he’ll be there to support you in any way he can be. He wants you to know that he’s in your corner, wherever and whenever you need him, and he does that through physical touch, but sometimes his obsessive affection can be very overbearing and a bit much. Just know that he loves and cares about you, and wants the best for you, and just wants to be there for you.

Bruce Wayne

Bruce is probably one of the last people to want to hug you, let’s be real here. Hugs and comforting people are extremely hard for him due to his traumas and constantly pushing people away. He doesn’t hug a lot of people, generally others have to be the ones to initiate it first because he won’t. He’ll definitely notice when something is wrong or when someone is sad, he is the world’s greatest detective after all, but he’ll feel awkward and maybe even uncomfortable at the thought of hugging someone, but after some urging from Alfred and perhaps Dick, he’ll come around. His hugs will most likely be tight, and stiff, as he’s unsure if he’s even doing it right, but the sentiment is there, and it’s sweet that he’s trying to comfort you anyway, even if he doesn’t know exactly how.

Tim Drake

This boy will either hug you in two ways.

1) He’ll be so sleep-deprived that he’ll just cling to you so willingly and fall asleep, or 2) he’ll be in such a rush to get work done that the hug feels forced and honestly, a bit unpleasant because there’s no equal participation. It’s not exactly his fault. Tim is naturally a workaholic, and feels the need to prove himself worthy of being apart of the family. He doesn’t dislike hugs, he just hasn’t ever really experienced them much, and doesn’t have much experience on how to hug correctly. The boy’s a genius, but his knowledge of doing such a normal humane part of life is extremely low. Your best bet is to get him off the laptop, and teach him how to hug and if he happens to be sleep-deprived, it’s best to hug him until he falls asleep because chances are, that’s the first time in awhile he’s actually rested at all.

Jason Todd

Jason, I imagine, is a strange and even unexpected case. Like Tim, he’s never really had many hugs. Given this, he’s very inexperienced, but I also imagine that he’s extremely touch-starved, but that part is secret, because he had a reputation to uphold. The one day you came to him needing a hug, it surprised you how tight he held you against him. How willing he let you hug him, and how he willingly hugged you back, almost like he needed it as much as you did. After that day, you decided to test him, and went around randomly hugging him to see how he would hug you every time, and he hugged you with pretty much the same level of tightness and gentleness as the first time. It was a relief really seeing how much he has grown and how he let those high walls drop, letting his vulnerable side show, and you were proud of him for letting it.

(Older) Damian Wayne

Damian is another example of Jason and Tim’s hugging inexperience. Seriously, somebody needs to hug these guys more often. (A/N I volunteer as tribute!!)

Anyways. Back to little Dami here. Damian has only ever known hatred, violence, and murder, so obviously he has never known about love or affection. The first time you ever hugged him, he accidentally punched you, because he wasn’t expecting it. You knew he didn't mean to, so anytime you went to hug him, you warned and/or asked him first. Eventually, he allowed you to hug him, mostly out of courtesy for you (also after Alfred insisted he’d tried to let his guard down and let people love him). I imagine his hugs to be extremely stiff, almost like if you tried to hug a cat who was not at all affectionate. It would no doubt take awhile for him to warm up to hugs, so it would be best to just give him a bit of affection a little at a time, because once you scare him away, all the progress would have been in vain. Even if he doesn't want to admit it, he actually doesn’t hate hugs, but he would never say that, ever, and it would be wise not to tease him about it because that would be how he gets scared away from it. It would be rare that he would ever come to you for comfort, but I can’t imagine it would be impossible. An example of him coming to you for comfort is if he was having problems with his father, or his brothers, or if something would happen to all of his plethora of pets. Also if he watched a sad movie of an animal dying. Other than that, the chances of him running to you for comfort would be rare, so hold him close if he lets you, because he most likely won’t let his guard down to let you do it again.

So, how do you guys think I did? I hope it was somewhat accurate to their characters. If anyone has any advice for writing the Batfam characters, please let me know! I imagine that these were more if the reader hugged these characters romantically (excluding from Alfred, ofc), but I’ll let you guys decide for yourselves. Again I might make a part 2, but with some other characters (I’m thinking platonic for the girls, Barbara, Stephanie and Cassandra, but I’ll have to do a bit more research on them before I’d try to write one of these for them, as I would hate to accidentally screw up their character, I’m really not confident that I did these guys well but too late now). I also want to try to make platonic Batsis and Batmom content at some point, because I think it’s fun to mix stuff up then just writing romantic x reader content, but that will probably be a bit before I try to tackle that. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed and have a great rest of your day, evening, afternoon, whatever time you're reading this. I’ll see you next time :)

#batman #alfred pennyworth #nighwing #jason todd #tim drake #damian wayne #x reader #female x reader #bruce wayne #dc #robin #red hood #red robin #dick grayson #headcanon

38 notes · View notes

internetgiraffekid1673 · 5 months ago

Text

Welcome back to "this idiot has a sleep schedule that's burning in a ditch somewhere, so she's succumbing to the brainrot and drawing all the Batfam members instead!" (Previous Installments linked below) Today, my very specific but mildly nonsensical order has finally gotten me to one of the ones who's been around the longest: Barbara Gordon, the baddest b**** in town!

Initial trace where I stylize some and do a kinda half-baked background. I put a lot more effort into this backdrop than normal since computers are kinda Barbara's whole thing, so I really needed the screens in there. Also, before anybody comes at me: Babs can wear a low cut shirt if she wants. Comic books can draw in her a low cut shirt if they want. YOU can draw in her a low cut shirt if you want. I just didn't want to draw her in a low cut shirt, so I didn't! We clear? Moving on:

I drew her as Oracle. I know mainline DC comics has her back to being Batgirl again, but she's always Oracle in my head. As sexist and poorly planned as The Killing Joke may have been, I think her being in a wheelchair and being a super cool kick-butt hero anyway is very important to her character and gave her a lot of growth and development. And there are a bunch of other characters that could gain a lot from being Batgirl and/or are better suited to the Batgirl role at this point. Also, the Batfamily is a disorganized mess, they need someone like her around.

Favorite thing about drawing Oracle is definitely her glasses. I love drawing them mostly filled in so she looks extra scary!

Freehanded version where I stylize using my trace as a reference. And yeah, I put this one on a dark background cuz I could! Babs breaks all the rules of conventional heroism, and she's breaking all the conventions of this art series! This whole project was a very good exercise for me in learning to draw a wheelchair and a character sitting in a wheelchair. I actually really really liked doing it. I had to google pictures of wheelchairs a few times, but this was much easier than most of the mechanical and non-organic stuff I try to draw. I need to draw more disabled characters, cuz this was really fun, and I would love to experiment with different models of wheelchairs and other types of mobility aids!

Characterization pose! Whoa, this is different from the rest of my Batfam drawings! A backdrop? In MY completely freehanded drawing? Yeah, like I said, Babs requires breaking all the rules. Since Oracle isn't a field hero and dresses the same as a civilian, I took a different approach than normal, and decided to draw her doing the things that make her Oracle: working with computers and being the scariest member of the Batfamily. I also drew my version of her "icon" that she uses if she needs to have some sort of face to communicate with people.

You can't tell cuz her clothes are loose, but I drew her super buff because she works a lot on both her arms and her legs to keep herself in shape and to keep her muscles from atrophying. Also, Barbara has like 6 different hairstyles that get jumped between with absolutely no regard for how that should work, so I took creative liberties. I mixed and matched, using her waves and relative length from Batgirl, the little side strands from one of the ponytail styles, and the bangs from the style pictured in my reference photo.

For once, the hero text isn't traced because every comics cover I could easily find has missed the opportunity to use the digital clock font for Oracle's name and I had to correct this absolute travesty.

Other Batfamily Members:

Nightwing Edition

Red Hood Edition

Robin (Carrie Kelley) Edition

Red Robin Edition

Spoiler Edition

Robin (Damian Wayne) Edition

Signal Edition

See ya in the next one, and see if you can guess who's next!

24 notes · View notes

bluejaysandblackbats · 6 months ago

Text

To Touch Fate

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: Jason attempts to settle down in Southern Italy and live a civilian life.

Chapters: 21/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Original Character(s), Bruce Wayne, Terry McGinnis, Matt McGinnis

Relationships: Jason Todd/Original Character(s)

Additional Tags: Angst, Jason Todd-centric, Jason Todd is a Father, Terry McGinnis is Batman, Retirement, Future Fic, Major Original Character(s)

Chapter Twenty-One: Two Stories

Domenico picked Claudia up from Giorgio’s house, carrying her on his back as he tried to figure out how to explain his day. “Claudia, you know Benjamin, right?” Domenico asked.

“Your boyfriend… You said you had a stomach ache the day he left to visit his papá, but I heard you crying. I put two and two together,” Claudia replied, “What about him?”

“He’s coming to dinner tonight… And um… Do you know about me—?”

“Fighting crime at night. You’re a little stupid, so I keep tabs on you,” Claudia replied as she pulled her camera out and held it atop his head. “Someone’s gotta look out for you.”

“I appreciate that. What’re you doing up there?” Domenico asked.

“Taking a video. Do you mind if I record this conversation?” Claudia asked.

Domenico laughed. “Papá knows everything now… And I still don’t know why you picked me, not Mamma or Papá. I’m not a compelling subject. I’m just—. I’m Domonic,” Domenico shrugged. He looked up, and Claudia pointed her phone camera at his face. “Sure… Go ahead.”

“Let me down first,” Claudia whispered. He obeyed. “ Why did you quit ballet ? And why did you decide to return to it after so many years? Remember to answer in Italian for the film. ”

Domenico inhaled through his nose and stood straight. “ Ballet makes me feel afraid. I quit a few years ago because it made me feel exposed… Ballet is different for boys. And I wanted to be more muscular. I got older, and my build changed. I grew taller, and my shoulders broadened. Then, I turned fifteen and—.

“Do you remember we saw La Sylphide, and I left early? I said I was sick, but I was so overwhelmed I couldn’t hold back my tears. I didn’t want anyone to see me cry… Not even Papá. But I—. I bought tickets to another show, and I watched it alone. I was so visibly upset that afterward, one of the girls approached me. The girl said she remembered me when I was small and hoped to see me dance again someday.

“ I tried to stick with gymnastics, but it never felt like ballet did. Nothing makes me feel like ballet does ,” Domenico answered. Claudia didn’t say anything. She turned the camera off.

At home, Angelo sat across from Dario while reading a book aloud. Dario wrapped himself in a quilt on Angelo’s bedroom floor, hugging his knees. “Angel, Papá believes me,” Dario mumbled. Angelo looked up from his book, removing his glasses as he met eyes with his youngest brother.

“He believes the voices in your head are real?” Angelo asked. “Can you prove it?”

“One of the girls in your study group writes all your suggestions and notes in green pen. She brought you blueberry muffins to hear you talk about your paper. You remind her of her deceased father. Her affection for you is not romantic, merely nostalgic. She longs to be close to you because you are the ghost of her most beloved family member. That’s why she always touches her locket when she looks at you,” Dario replied. Angelo inhaled sharply.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Angelo asked. “Can you hear my thoughts?”

“No. I can’t hear any of your thoughts… You would’ve thought I was sick,” Dario replied. Angelo frowned and gestured for Dario to come close. “Why couldn’t I be normal?” Angelo crawled to Dario and held on tight to him.

“This doesn’t change anything,” Angelo reassured him, “Hey… Hey, there are so many studies on metahumans now. There are so many people like you. I—.”

“Occhioni? Is Darius with you?” Noemi asked.

“He is. You can come in,” Angelo replied. Noemi shut the door behind her.

Dario stared at the box sticking out of her purse. “Do you remember how the doctor used to prick your finger, Orsetto?” Noemi questioned. Dario nodded. “This is the same thing. Angel, does your USB kit still work?”

“Mhm… It’s already plugged into my laptop,” Angelo answered, “Are we testing him now?”

“I should’ve last night, but he was upset… Dario, is this okay with you?” Noemi questioned. Dario nodded, and she took his hand in hers. “It’s going to sting, but it won’t hurt for long. Look at Angel.” Dario obeyed as she pricked his finger and collected a blood sample. He didn’t flinch. Noemi quickly bandaged his finger and pressed kisses to his cheek. “Mamma is so sorry.”

Dario hid his face in her shoulder while Angelo slipped on gloves and placed the sample on a plate. He grabbed a tube and fixed it over the sample before pressing a button and opening his laptop. “Mamma,” Dario whimpered. She wrapped her arms around him, rocking from side to side as she tried to distract him from his worries.

“It’ll be a few hours on my laptop,” Angelo whispered.

Noemi massaged his scalp through his shortly clipped curls. “How long?” Noemi asked.

“Dinnertime maybe… Seven or eight,” Angelo replied. Noemi sighed.

“I forgot… Domonic’s having a guest over for dinner tonight. I’ll have Giasone check it,” Noemi whispered as she held Dario. “Dario, do you want to help make dinner?” Dario nodded.

“See you in a little bit, Darius,” Angelo whispered. Dario waved as he left the room, holding his bandaged finger in a tight fist. Noemi stayed behind with Angelo, and Dario met Jason in the kitchen.

Jason was so deeply engrossed in cutting fennel and onion that he almost didn’t notice Dario standing beside him. “Hi, there… Do you remember when I showed you how to make spicy orange rice?”

Dario zested the oranges in a bowl before juicing them. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Jason whispered.

“Normal,” Dario mumbled.

“No one’s normal… But I understand what you mean. When I was fifteen, before everything happened, I—. I didn’t know who I was. I allowed my identity to be dictated by titles and my abilities. You don’t have to define yourself by the things you can do. Define yourself by the things you enjoy and the people you love. That’s all that matters,” Jason replied.

“What do you define yourself as Papá?” Dario asked.

“I’m a father… And a husband. It’s simple… But it means everything to me,” Jason replied, “Thanks for helping me… I was stressed out.”

“You didn’t look stressed,” Dario replied. Jason laughed as he put the pan in the oven. “What?”

“You made me feel so much better,” Jason chuckled.

Dario sliced three separate tablespoons of butter. “Papá, is anyone in your family like you?” Dario asked.

“Nope… Dom’s a lot like I was when I was young, but—. No one in my family is like me,” Jason replied.

“Are you happy now?” Dario asked. Jason nodded. “That’s good… Then—. Maybe Dom will be okay.”

Katerina washed her hands at the sink and looked around. “ Papá… Have you seen Cecelia ?” Katerina asked. Jason shook his head. “ What about Dom ?”

“He picked Claudia up from Nonno Giorgio’s. Cecelia went rollerskating after the library last time I checked… That was two hours—.”

“Papá!” Cecelia shouted. “Papá! I had lunch with a famous actor!”

Jason, Dario, and Katerina exchanged confused glances. “Which one?” Jason asked.

“In the show I watched with you last summer. The mystery show with the girl raised in catacombs,” Cecelia replied.

“Oh, she’s your age. That’s exciting,” Jason replied, “Was it a date or—?”

“No, it happened on accident. Her plans got canceled, and she asked if I knew any good places to eat. I took her to Nonno’s restaurant—. Oh, Nonno’s gonna be so sad he missed it,” Cecelia replied, “But I got a good picture for the wall.” Cecelia showed him the picture she took in the restaurant.

“Send me that picture. You look so pretty,” Jason smiled, “Wait… Are you wearing my jacket?”

Dario and Katerina giggled. “Yes, and I have a lot of questions. Why do you have so many pocket knives? One is enough. Two is showing off. What are you doing with fifteen?” Cecelia questioned.

“You can never be sure… Go wash up. We’re having a dinner guest. Hit the showers and set the table,” Jason whispered.

#fic #batfam #batman beyond au #to touch fate fic #Jason Todd #Original Character(s)#Bruce Wayne #Terry McGinnis #Matt McGinnis #Jason Todd/Original Character(s)#Angst #Jason Todd-centric #Jason Todd is a Father #Terry McGinnis is Batman #Retirement #Future Fic #Major Original Character(s)

4 notes · View notes

holyserverbatman · 2 years ago

Text

Digital Detective Exchange - First Batch!

Since the month is now halfway over and we are swiftly approaching our reveal date (Jan. 31st!), we thought it was time to share with you the first batch of our Secret Santa aka Digital Detective Exchange!

Currently, all of these works are anonymous, so if you're curious about who the creators are, be sure to check them out at the end of the month!

A full list can be found at the collection page! Please also make sure to check the additional tags and warnings yourself - they are not listed here. Thank you <3

Feathers and Bones | Fic - Dick & Jason | NR | 4.3k | for Gen (That_Hippie_Chick on AO3)

“Where’s your bike?” Jason interrupted. “We can head back to the cave together.”

Well, that was…confusing, among other things. Dick just managed to stop himself from blurting out any of his surprise - at the fact Jason was going back to the cave at all and at the fact he wanted to go together - and say instead, “Sorry, no can do. I’ve got a few other things lined up for tonight.”

Or: When an injured Dick refuses to go back to the cave, Jason takes matters into his own hands. They have more arguments than breakthroughs, but it's a start.

Bandage | Art - Tim, Dami, Cass, Steph | G | for @kgraces

Winner Takes All | Fic - Batkids | G | 1.4k | for @kuna-mart

Bruce is at work and Alfred is on vacation, leaving the kids at home. So naturally a prank war must occur.

an unfortunate glimpse of one Jason Todd experiencing Emotions | Fic - Joyfire | T | 1.5k | for @blackroseaki38

Normally, Jason wouldn't take off patrolling for long when he'd broken a bone. He’d take a week to rest and heal up a bit, use the time to strategize his next moves. He’d probably sit around sulking about whichever loser rogue managed to get the jump on him enough to injure him, torturing himself with gross bland foods and mind-numbing reality TV.

But not this time. Maybe Jason was a little hasty earlier, because there are some good things about his life.

Namely his two roommates-slash-best-friends-slash-embarrassing-crushes.

Home (is where the hearth is) | Fic - Batfam | T | 5.3k | for @huilian

What makes a house a home? Some would say it’s the habit of coming back to it, some would say it’s the presence of your belonging. Some would say it’s the warm smell of a loved one cooking for you.

Or: five times Batfam members made food for each other in the late hours of night.

Rescue (Revenge) | Fic - Tim & Jason | G | 2.8k | for @valkirinii

Tim goes undercover to take down a dangerous gang, unknowingly putting himself in grave danger, only to come face to face with Gotham's newest crime lord, the Red Hood.

imitation, the sincerest form of flattery | Fic - Steph & Jason | T | 6.2k | for @blogofabookworm

Stephanie might be the only sidekick to not end up adopted and she might feel like coming back from apparent death wrecked her claim to being part of the family but she's fine. (Jason doesn't agree but he's taking the slow approach. He knows that you can't make someone agree that it is as easy as going home.)

When Bruce Wayne is in danger and people start wondering why Batman isn't coming to his rescue, Stephanie Brown has a plan just crazy enough to work.

my addicted heart shakes when you are gone | Fic - Tim & his parents | M | 1.2k | for @mynameisactuallyten

Tim is addicted to his parents love, and it wrecks him every time they leave.

Burning Questions | Fic - Dick, Steph, Jason | T | 5.8k | for @writergeek

“I don’t mean to complain or anything, but how do you keep up with this, Nightwing?”

Batgirl stood next to him on the rooftop, her arms resting on her thighs as she struggled to catch her breath. Only fire-forged stubbornness kept Dick from showing his own exhaustion quite as publicly.

“Not to burst your bubble… but it’s really not this bad, usually.”

“They must have heard about our visit. A warm welcome for the Gotham trash.” Jason’s voice was riddled with static, his looming shadow only the idea of a silhouette a couple of houses away.

It was supposed to be a normal night out in Blüdhaven with his siblings. 'Supposed to' being the operative word.

The Princes of Gotham | Fic - Dick & Jason | T | 1.5k so far | for @sassydefendorflower

Prince Richard knows two things:

He hates the man who destroyed his eye Prince Jason died three years ago

Jason Todd knows two things:

He hates his brother, Richard Richard killed him three years ago

Keep up, Richard | Art - Dick and Slade | T | for @withthekeyisking-writer

Slade wont give Dick a brake.

Happy Holidays stranger.

I Mustache if Something is Different | Art - Dick & Jason | G | for @nelson-and-murdock

Jason squinted at the baldcap that was handed to him. "This doesn't even match my skin." He said.

"It matches Alfred's, though, and that's the goal, Little Wing." Dick replied, focused on the mirror as he fluffed up his eyebrows.

Dress up time at Wayne Manor ft Dick and Jason wearing Different™️ costumes Fanart.

#batfam #our members #our members works #digital detective 2022 #batfam fanfic #batfamily fanfic #batfam fanart #batfamily fanart #fanfic #fanart

20 notes · View notes

yandereforme · 3 months ago

Text

Yan! Batfam x Single Mother! Martha Lookalike! Reader

Part 4:Seeing a ghost, and adding kittens into the mix

Alfred was well aware of the fact that Master Damian and Master Jason are getting along solely due to a person they care for. However, he doesn’t fully understand the situation until he meets you.

Damian only told Alfred little bits about anything to do with you, and even then he didn’t talk about you so much as gush over you, in his own way. Alfred knew the basics that you were single mom who fed stray cats, which is how you met Damien, and you knew Jason through a meeting at your job. He had even been invited to come inside and meet you today, and was very interested to know someone who would most likely become part of the family.

He had gotten out of the car, a modest one that was new enough to stand out, but not new enough to look like a rich person owned it, straightening his appearance slightly, and opening the door for Master Damian when he saw you beaming at them from your doorway.

You looked so similar to a 20 year old Martha Wayne that he almost believes he is seeing her again, that she is welcoming him into the afterlife. Alfred doesn’t realize he is leaning against the car and almost as white as a sheet until you approach him with concern. He can notice tiny differences between you and Miss Martha, but it’s still uncanny how similar you are and when you look at him with that concerned look, it is like he’s looking at her again(depending on what you read, there are a lot of different stories about Alfred went to work for the Wayne’s. I’m going with the idea that his father served the family back when they were the Kanes and not the Waynes, and put Alfred in charge after he died and he bonded pretty deeply with Martha who was in her early 20s.)

You on the other hand are pretty sure that your friend(?) (you weren’t exactly sure what to call Damian, as he felt like he was a mixture of another child and a protective sibling at times.)’s grandfather was having a heart attack or some kind of medical emergency. Damian seemed more confused than you were, so you quickly came over and asked him if he was all right.

You sounded different enough from Martha that he could feel his chest loosening. You may have looked almost exactly like her, but you were not her.(you weren’t his friend reincarnated.)He brushed himself off and apologized for the reaction, but you were concerned enough to bring him inside and sit him down with a cup of water.

As he sat drinking his water, he heard a child’s cry. You quickly got up on the table and went to care for your children, coming back with two babies, one held firmly in each of your arms. He was reminded vividly of Martha showing off Bruce to him when he was a baby, and how his dear friend had always wanted more children.

You quickly introduced him to your children, Perseus and Celeste (L/N), or as they were normally called, Percy and Cel. They were small and he could tell that they were less than a year old. The way you smiled at them with pure unadulterated love…. It made his heart ache.

You spent your time chatting with Alfred while Damien played with the cat, who was about ready to pop. You and Damien had already agreed that he would be taking the mom to his home for the time being. However, neither of you were expecting her to start going into labor during this visit.

Damian noticed it before either you or Alfred. He had read up on the behavior, and knew better than to try and move a cat from where she was obviously nesting. He informed both you and Alfred of the behavior and bluntly asked you how long she been acting this way.

You were surprised, but thought about it and said it probably only been for about 2-3 hours. Unfortunately, neither of you knew if this was the cats first time giving birth, or even how old Morgana was, so you were flying blind here.

You didn’t let yourself freak out, however. You knew enough about labor with cats that they were pretty self-sufficient, so you quickly phoned up Jason and told him that Morgana was going to give birth within the next 24 hours, and advised him to bring over a heating pad of some kind.

He arrived 20 minutes later with a heating pad and very, very confused. Tensions were high, especially since Damian and Jason were both stressed due to some thing they refused to talk about.(Arkham had been really quiet lately, which definitely meant something was up and was stressing everyone out.) however, stayed calm and firm with each of them, not allowing them to bicker too much. You distracted them both by having them help you care for the babies and telling them stories of your childhood.

Alfred watch this with amusement. Another similarity you had with Miss Martha was your levelheadedness, though your patience was far stronger than hers. Your voice was different, rich with emotion, and he smiled as you placated his grandsons. You were a calming influence

You spent another nine hours together, distracting the boys when needed and talking with Alfred, before the kittens started appearing. Luckily, none of you needed to intervene, and Morgana gave birth to five healthy baby kittens.

You and Damian had already agreed that they would have similar names to the story, which meant that you now had Arthur, Nimue Merlin, Guinevere, and Lancelot. (Jason preened when he heard your decision. Alfred simply smiled, remembering the story as one Master Bruce had often read to Master Jason, who would often pretend to be one of the knights afterwards in the garden.(he felt so nostalgic))

By the end of the visit, it has been agreed that Damian would take the kittens and the cat with him for the next eight weeks, until it was safe to separate them from their mother, as he had more supplies and frankly, more time on his hands. Alfred helped the three of you with transporting them, and gave you his phone number in case you needed help.

You walk away from this whole thing with a pretty favorable outlook on Alfred. He kept a good conversation and was very kind to you. You aren’t as invested in him as you are Damien and Jason, but you are willing to see him again and think he is very nice.

Alfred is more invested, going straight into slight yandere territory. He will run his own private test with your DNA later and figure out about you being Bruce’s child. He will do research later and find out about your mother. He will do his own research towards your habits and how to slightly insert himself further into your life, but he knows to be patient. He knows to let you come to him.

Alfred will slowly insert himself into your life. One way he does is the kids. Alfred is very good with your children, and he says it is due to experience with Bruce.(He is surprised at the insistence from both Master Damian and Master Jason to be quiet about the heritage and him not being their biological grandfather, but he acquiesced.) He end up being a babysitter of sorts, and you were always grateful.

He also establishes himself as someone you can call, and he will always answer. You often make a habit of simply calling him whenever you have questions about things with the babies or just wish to talk to someone who won’t be so protective.(while Damien and Jason are both very kind, you know that complaining to them will make them upset and want to handle the situation, with Alfred you can vent and he will not do anything.(as far as you know))

However, Alfred wants to bring you into the family a lot more immediately than the other two do, and he knows that the others will need to be integrated into your life if things are to go well.(He will make things go well. He will not let them scare you off.) So, if he makes a few comments to Master Timothy about how quiet the Iceberg lounge seems to be, and a few remarks to you about seeing you perform someday, well that’s his business. (the Wayne family is his business.)

Edit: here is the long awaited Alfred chapter. Writing Yandere Alfred is kind of hard, but also I feel very good about this. Thank you all for voting on the names, I was a bit surprised that so many people liked my suggestion of Perseus. I will find the person who originally suggested Celeste and offer them their free story or series inspired by them shortly. I hope you all are having a wonderful day and that this is what you hoped it would be.

Yan Batfam x Singer! Single mom! Martha lookalike! Reader

( I know it’s a lot but they are all important to the plot)

Part 1:Beginnings and first encounters

You are Bruce’s bio daughter. Your mom, who didn’t know who the father of her kid was, gave you up to your aunt to be raised by them, but you didn’t know until your adoptive parent’s funeral that you weren’t their biological daughter. You had twins recently with a shitty ex of yours who you broke up with not long before the funeral after he tried to hurt your daughter for crying.

After the funeral, where you learn that your bio mom wasn’t sure who your bio dad was, but that she knew he lived in Gotham, you decide to move to Gotham. In part due to your biological father, in part due to avoiding your ex(who had refused to be listed on the birth certificate since you gave birth during a break in your relationship), and in part due to the basically free house your bio mom had owned in Gotham. So, you moved with the twins to an abandoned, slightly dilapidated house just outside of Crime Alley, and got yourself to work.

You got a job at the Ice berg Lounge, in part due to there being an opening, and in part due to you helping two women who worked there who apparently worked right under Mr. Cobblepot?

You quickly got a reputation as a singer with a knack for knowing just what song fit a customer. It was a bit of a game between you and the other workers, where they would point out a person and you would sing a song based on their vibes. You always managed your hit home with your songs, leading to you becoming one of the most popular performers at the Iceberg Lounge.

That’s what leads to Red Hood coming in one night. He had heard about you from a few of his men, and wanted to know what all the hype was about.(This take place during the Red Hood arc, where he has already been established as a crime boss but the Batfamily doesn’t know his identity)

Cobblepot asked you to sing a song for Red, and pointed him out to you. You knew who he was, you were just outside his area, and honestly you kind of liked what he was doing for the community, so you were willing to preform, even offering to sing two songs about him(something you had only done a few times with regulars who you really liked.

Jason accepted. You started off with You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid by The Offspring. You didn’t usually do a lot of rock songs, but that song resonated with you when you looked at him.(Jason loved the song. It was angry but fighting music, and your voice was really good. He understood why so many of his men praised your music(he just couldn’t understand why you looked so familiar))

The next song was different. You didn’t usually sing two songs, and the few times you did, people tended to vary reactions, from shock to anger to accidentally setting off a break down. But you had promised. You just hoped Red Hood wouldn’t hate you for the next song(you didn’t understand why it felt so right to sing the next song, when it didn’t seem like a Red Hood song, but you didn’t want to question it now.)

Then, you sang Good for you by Olivia Rodrigo, and everyone froze. (Jason didn’t know how you knew this anger of his. How did you know how he felt about Bruce replacing him? How did you know?) No one understood the song, especially when the recipient was a murderous crime boss, but they didn’t interrupt.

After you finished the song, you looked at Red Hood. He was sitting ramrod straight. You couldn’t see his face, but his posture was very tense. Slowly, he stood up, and walked to the stage. You didn’t know what you expected, but it wasn’t for him to drop $200 in your tip jar, and leave without a word.(Jason’s head was spinning. The green wasn’t invading, but it surrounded the edges of his vision. He needed to leave. He had to come back again, probably as a civilian, but for now, he needed to leave.)

After that, you got even more visitors, and a raise in your salary. You even made a new friend, Jason, and you were even starting to consider sending your kids to daycare instead of a baby sitter(you wouldn’t do that. You liked your arrangement with the street kids, where you would pay them in food and cash to watch your kids during the day. You liked taking care of them, but they needed to feel like they were doing stuff for you, so you didn’t make a fuss.)

Then, the Joker got out of Arkham.

Edit: I hope you guys enjoy this. This will probably be a series. I’ve had this idea for ages but never got around to it before now. This isn’t related to my Bruce or Jason series, which I will do, but I just wanted to finally put the on here. Please comment any suggestions for the kids names, or what you want to see next!

#yandere #yandere batfam x reader #platonic yandere #yandere batfamily #yandere jason todd #yandere damian wayne #yandere alfred pennyworth #single mom reader #martha lookalike reader #platonic yandere batfam #singer reader #Yan! batfamily x Martha Lookalike! Single mom! reader

689 notes · View notes

autisticcassandracain · 3 years ago

Text

Thinking about Bruce and Cass’s relationship and how interesting and complex it is yet again.

The thing about Bruce and Cass is that they’re fundamentally extremely similar, and they know this. Bruce is more aware of it than Cass, at least initially, and this plays into their relationship a lot. Bruce essentially sees Cass as a younger version of himself, to the point where he struggles to remember that she’s her own person. This means that he projects all of his mental health problems all over her.

This is very obvious with the way he pushes her towards vigilantism, and the way he seems to think it’ll solve any and all of her problems. It’s why he sees no issues with making her live in a mini-batcave, and why he disregards all of Barbara’s advice about making Cass live a normal life. To a degree, his approach isn’t wrong. It’s true that Cass, like Bruce, needs vigilantism in a way that the rest of the Batfam doesn’t, really. Bruce sees this in a way that nobody else really can, and it’s why his solutions to her problems often work better than Barbara’s.

But at the same time, he is wrong; Cass clings to vigilantism because it’s easier for her than trying to live a normal life, and Barbara is right that this isn’t healthy, and that she needs to learn how to live, not just fight. This is something Bruce doesn’t seem to understand, because it’s something he can’t apply to himself, so he doesn’t apply it to Cass, either. If all he needs is vigilantism, than all Cass needs is vigilantism too, surely. And if Cass needs something different, than that puts Bruce’s own coping mechanisms in question, and he can’t have that.

We also see this level of projection when Cass is revealed to have killed someone. Bruce’s intense denial and anger is irrational; it’s clear that Cassandra, at eight, was brainwashed and didn’t understand what she was doing. When she did comprehend what killing was, she immediately abandoned it. The fact that she has killed should, therefore, not negatively reflect on her current character or capacity for heroism. Furthermore, it really should not be this surprising to the World’s Greatest Detective that the child of a world-class assassin who was trained to be the ultimate assassin her whole life has killed. It doesn’t take a genius to pull off that level of deduction.

But Bruce’s denial and anger isn’t about Cass, really. It’s about him, and how it threatens his own self-image. Bruce projects himself onto Cass and feels like she’s the only one to truly understand the depth of his no-killing code, and therefore, the idea that Cass could have actually killed someone scares him. Because it proves that the no-killing code isn’t an inherent character trait; it’s something that’s permanently in danger of being broken, and that terrifies Bruce. He doesn’t want to think of himself as a man capable of killing, and yet, it’s a fact he has to confront when he watches someone who considers to be his mirror kill someone.

At the same time, Bruce isn’t the only one with unhealthy ideas of who the other one is. Cass has similar problems as Bruce in that she doesn’t really see him as a person, but unlike Bruce, it’s not because she sees him as an extension of herself; it’s because she sees him as a symbol rather than a person. And why wouldn’t she? It’s the image that Bruce has always wanted to portray, and it’s a side of himself he shows especially around Cass. When they only interact in a vigilante capacity, it’s no real wonder that Cass sees Bruce as Batman first and only.

Batman is larger than life, to her, an ideal and a goal and a chance at redemption all in one. She never asked about Batman’s secret identity, because she didn’t process the fact that he had one, because Batman is not a person to her. This means that she takes any opinion he has on her not as the potentially flawed opinion of a man, but practically as the word of a god. She internalizes all of his opinions on her and tries desperately to live up to an impossible standard, not one Batman set, but one she set for herself, encouraged by Batman, both the man and the symbol.

And the way Cass treats Batman as something more than human is internalized by Bruce, as well. It reinforces his own belief that Batman, the symbol, is more important than Bruce, the man, and encourages him in his unhealthy focus on vigilantism, as well as his decisions to encourage Cass to do the same. This level of hero worship isn’t healthy for either for them.

Eventually, both of them start to mellow out. Cass realizes Batman has a life outside of the cowl in Bruce Wayne: Fugitive, but I’d argue that the first seeds of independence were sown during the Shiva fight, when she comes to terms with her past actions and, therefore, stops trying to hold herself to at least part of the impossible standard set by Batman’s ideals. Bruce’s writing is less strong, but he eventually concedes to Barbara that she has a point, and helps Cass move to Bludhaven, where she strikes out and focuses more on her civilian life in a way that she never could’ve under Batman’s shadow.

Batman and Cass’s relationship is one based around the idea that neither of them sees the other as human, and coming to slowly understand that they are wrong, and that is okay.

#cassandra cain #bruce wayne #my posts #infodumping #long post

162 notes · View notes

miraculous-trinity-leo · 4 years ago

Text

Whacky Gotham, Goofy New York, and Chaotic Paris.

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7)

Chapter 5: Then Let The Games Begin

•—–—–·†·–—–—•

Soooo, the Batfam is panicking, Gotham's confused as to why Iron Man is flying over Gotham like a madman, and Maria is with two of Gotham's Sirens (but only Ivy and Harley know this) having a wonderful time playing with Bud and Lou.

Let's start with the Sirens.

Harley is watching over Maria and Tikki as they sleep with Bud and Lou, Ivy walkes over to sit next to Harley, handing her a cup of tea.

"So, what's the diagnosis?" - Ivy

"She has some sort of trauma, has class issues... and handles more than she should, but still does everythin', on top of bein' a hero. She's been through some sh-t Pam." Yeah Harley may have found out Maria's a hero (if the tiny god and magic were anything to go by).

"Is she alone?" - Ivy

"No, thankfully, she has supportive parents, and friends that aren't little sh-ts. I think they're also heroes, she also has a lot, and I a mean A LOT of pent up emotions, she doesn't show anythin' negative, only positive things. She seems to shrink in on herself if she thinks she does somethin' wrong. Pam, we both know there's a limit to how much crap a person can take before they snap, and she's such a sweet kid. There has to be somethin' we can do to help her Ives." Ok she found out alot, but in Marias' defense, they have trustworthy souls, and they were the only other people (besides her friends) that she talked to about it, yes she had her Maman and Uncle to talk about hero stuff, but for the stuff her class does, she only ever vented (without being negative) to her friends.

"Her class is visiting the Botanical Gardens in three days, and it's a 2 part tour, so we can see just what's going on. If it's bad then we scare them a bit, if it's bad bad... they can handle a few slightly poisonous plants right?" - Ivy

"God I love the way ya think Ives, do ya think she can stay with us? I mean look at how cute she is with Bud and Lou... Oh my god, she's cuddlin' dem, and ya gave her a flower crown, how'd I miss that?! Where's the camera?"

Harley took a picture to remind her of this wonderful moment. As Ivy and Harley looked at the picture, they both promised to keep Maria safe, and maybe become sorta kinda-ish parents to her while she's in Gotham.

•—–·Now back to the Bat-Chaos Bat-Cave·–—•

Tim took over the chair and was now searching the possible locations with Jarvis, Damian was sitting on a different chair, trying to act cool, but he wouldn't stop looking over at Tim, to see his progress. Bruce was talking over the comms with Tony. Dick and Jason, weren't helping (they kept feeding each other worse and worse ideas of what could have happened to Maria). Then they heard Jarvis speak.

"I have found the most likely area Ms. Dupain-Cheng would be in. Her phone died about 56 blocks away from her hotel, if we don't count kidnapping, or murder, she would have thought about asking for directions, but may have decided not to considering the city she is in. So that leaves us with a possible 15-25 mile radius from her last known location. I think it best to divide into groups of two, have Oracle stay and update you if anything on security, and or traffic cameras happens. Bruce will be with Tony, Dick will go with Tim, and Jason will go with Damain to search within the area. Stephanie and Cassandra will search around a 5 mile radius near Wayne hotel." as Jarvis continued to explain the other details, the Batfam began to suit up, Batman met up with Iron Man, and they took the North area, Nightwing and Red Robin took the East area, while Red Hood and Robin searched the South. Steph and Cass were on foot in civilian clothes, searching the West area they were assigned.

They searched for the whole day, and came up with nothing. Until Oracle saw a video from a traffic cam around 9pm, 15 blocks away from where her phone died. She called it in and everyone went back to the cave. Once everyone was at the Bat-Computer, Oracle pressed play, the cameras didn't have sound, and it wasn't close enough to see if she was ok.

They watched as she went to an overgrown parking lot and sat down. She was looking down at the ground, and that's when they spotted two figures round the corner and spot her. They watched as the two figures approach Maria, and saw the startled reaction she had. They realized it was Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy that were talking to her, then they saw Maria collapse. They watched as Harley made sure she was ok, looking over to Ivy before looking back to Maria and picking her up. The last thing they saw, was Maria being carried away by two of Gothams' most dangerous rouges, but now they knew where to look next.

•—–· Back to Ivy and Harley ·–—•

Harley continued to take adorable pictures of the children.

"God, they're so f-ckin' cute!" - Harley for the 20th time

As Ivy continued to watch while caring for her plants, Catwoman walked in.

"Hey girls, got the stuff for movie night, so what are we- Holy mother of cats! He adopted another f-cking child didn't he! Where the hell does he keep finding them?! 7 was ment to be the god DAMN LIMIT!!!" - Catwoman

Maria jumped at the sudden shouting and may have accidentally summoned a yo-yo (one made useing creation magic and protection magic) before saying.

"Tikki where's the akuma?! How long was I out?! Forget it Tikki spot-" she then realized she wasn't in Paris, and seeing a new face, she also realized she just spilled her secret to another person within the same day... kinda

"Fffffffffffudge sunday that fell on the pavement!" - Maria shouted in baker profanities

"That's not how ya curse sweetheart. It should go more like-" Harley was cut off by a vine Ivy had summoned.

"Harley, cursing makes the plants sad, you know this." - Ivy said removing the vine

Harley just walked over to Maria and whipsered it in her ear.

"You're supposed to say it more like this, ' ..... .... ... .. ....... .. ... .....' ok?" - Harley ended with a big smile

"... I will never see this world in the same frickin' light ever again." - Maria

"ehh close enough." - Harley

"Can someone please tell me, WTH is going on here, on our special girls day off?!" - Catwoman

"She is a new member of the Sirens as of today, and as a member, she's unda our protection, so effective immediately." - Harley

"Cool." - Maria

"Harley." - Ivy

"Wut... first things first, if she is going to join, she needs to be very flexible, know how to fight, and be incredibly intelligent." - Catwoman

"She beat Ed's @ss with a gun pointed at her, and solved every riddle with ease, so I'm positive she'll be an amazin' addition to the team." - Harley

'God she sounds like a new mother now' "But we don't know how good her flexibility is." - Catwoman

"I know, hey Maria, ya wanna do some tricks with me, of course we need to stretch first, but do ya wanna give it a go?" - Harley

"Sure." - Maria

Ivy and Catwoman sat down on a couch a few feet away from where Maria and Harley stood in the empty part of the building. They started out with stretches, and to Catwoman's surprise (and Harley's delight) Maria copied Harleys streches perfectly.

"Ok, now that that's done, we'll start with some cartwheels, then move on to flips, then handsprings and so on." - Harley

Maria gave Harley a nod... and they were off... literally, Harley did a cartwheel into a handspring, and a few backflips, Maria executed it flawlessly. Harley did some more complicated gymnastics tricks, and Maria did it, Harley did triple backflips going into a cartwheel, into a summersault, and Maria did that perfectly as well. This went on until both Harley and Maria were slightly out of breath, both having massive smiles on their faces.

"Ives, please let her join, she's like a mini me." - Harley then hugged Maria and they somehow both tripled in cuteness as they both did puppy (or Puss In Boots style) eyes at Catwoman and Ivy.

"Sure Harley." - Ivy said walking over to give Harley a small kiss on the cheek.

"Okay... but she doesn't have a costume yet, and she still has to think of a name for herself." - Catwoman

"Is a mouse good, like a mouse themed costume, that or a Turtle themed one. What do you think Harley?" - Maria

"Mmmm, I like that with the mouse you can always toy with Cat, ya know, cat an' mouse stuff, turtle seems... weird even fawh Gotham, so personally I would pick mouse, just because of the cheesy jokes you could do." - Harley

"Very funny, ok then, give me a moment." Maria then reached out her hand, her eyes then started to glow an icy blue, and a small portal opened in front of her, she reached in and pulled out a small pendant necklace. After she put it on a small mouce appeared and greated itself, Marias' eyes going back to normal after closing the portal.

"Hello I'm Mullo, nice to meet you all."

"Omg omg omg, It's soooo f-ckin' CUTE!" - Harley

"Best to assume all of them are extremely cute Harls." - Ivy

"What the Hell did I miss in the week I was gone?!" - Catwoman

"Ehh, not much, oh but Iron Man did fly aroun' Gotham a few times earlier this mornin' like a madman." - Harley

"Oh sh-t." - Maria

"Maria are ya ok? That was ya first official proper curse in my presence." Harley said looking over to the girl.

"He's gonna kill me." - Maria

"Wait, what do you mean Marigold?" - Ivy

"... He's my Uncle, and I never got to text him I was ok, since my phone died before I met you." - Maria

"Hey, I'm sure he'll understand, now what are we watchin'?" - Harley

"I think we have more important matters other than movies at the moment!" - Catwoman

"Ok, Me Myself and Irene it is." - Harley

"No! You basically kidnapped Iron Mans' NIECE!!!" - Catwoman

"Technically, she fainted and us bein' the good Gothamites we are, decided to take her with us, to make sure she was a-okay." - Harley

"I'm ganna need more than just a six pack of soda to get me through this... Just put the movie on already." - Catwoman

Catwoman sat at the far left end of the couch, next to her sat Ivy, then Maria, and then Harley, Bud and Lou by their feet. All of them sharing one big blanket (Becuase if Iron Man did show up, or any of the birds, then Maria was in a protective burrito and they may not see her right away) and they started the movie.

•—–·–—•

"Oh god, the poor cow." - Maria

.........

"Hahahaha, he stuck a whole f-ckin' chicken head in that guys @ss" - Harley

"The poor chicken." - Maria

"Maria you don't want to see this part." - Ivy then lightly covered her eyes for the ehem, chicken extraction.

.........

"Anyone up for another movie?" - Harley

"That depends." - Ivy

"Any suggestions Cat?" - Harley looked across to the other end of the couch to see Catwoman already sleeping.

"She took her cat-nap already? Seriously?" - Harley

"... What about Pirates of The Caribbean?" - Maria

"I'm good with that." - Ivy

And they started the next movie, Maria was happy, it felt like when her maman and papa would sleep with her when she made a pillow fort. It was a loving atmosphere, it felt safe, and nothing could ruin it. Marias' eyes became heavy, and she leaned her head on Harleys' shoulder, falling asleep after a few minutes.

Ivy paused the move looking over to see both Harley and Maria sleeping, soon Ivy also fell asleep in the comfortable silence.

…………………………

Around an hour later Maria woke up in a panic, she had a nightmare, and kept looking around frantically for someone with tears running down her face.

"What's the matter hun?" - Harley said looking around to see if someone had gotten in. When she looked back at Maria she saw that she was crying.

"What happened?" Harley asked in a kind voice that was filled with motherly love.

"I, just *hic* had a bad dream that's *hic* all, I'm fine." - Maira said trying to wipe the tears away.

"You're ok, I promise nothin's goin' to happen to ya as long as Ivy and I are here, ok hun?" - Harley hugged Maria, and she could feel the girl let out a few more sobs, and quick breathes.

"Thanks Maman." Maria didn't even realize what she had said, it just felt natural for her to say it.

"You're welcome hun." 'Omg I'm gonna cry, she called me maman!' Harley rubbed small circles over Marias' back, and began humming until she fell asleep, she continued to hug Maria until she also fell asleep.

•—–· Back to the Chaos Bat-Cave ·–—•

"What do you mean she's with two of Gotham City's Sirens?!" - Tony

"Tony, calm down, I'll call Selina, she can talk to them and get this all sorted out." - Bruce

"Your fiancee is a Gotham Siren too?! Why didn't you tell me?!" - Tony

"Why isn't she picking up? And unlike some people, this family doesn't like outing our secret identities... on live TV." - Bruce

"Oh well excuse me for not keeping my secret identity a SECRET!" - Tony

"I'll try calling her one more time." - Bruce

"Bruce, it's 3am. Who in their right mind ever stays up this late.... aside from this family." - Tim with a giant coffee mug in hand.

"... I'll just call her one more time." Bruce then connected it to the Bat-Computer so everyone could hear.

•—–· Back to the Sirens ·–—•

Catwoman's phone is ringing like crazy, waking everyone up, including a tired, annoyed, and confused Selina.

"Wth does he want at 3 in the morning?!" - Selina

"Just answer it so we can keep sleepin'." - Harley still hugging Maria

"I'm putting it on speaker, so you lot can testify against his @ss in court, for disturbing the peace."

•—–· Over to Batsy ·–—•

"Selina I need to ask-"

"WHAT THE F-CKING HELL DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND ABOUT A GOOD NIGHTS REST!" - Selina

"Oooooh, she sounds pissed Bruce." - Jason

"I'm sorry to call you at this hour, but we need to find a girl that looks just like every single one of my other kids." - Bruce

"Bruce... I thought we agreed that 7 kids was. the. f-cking. limit." - Selina

•—–· Back to the Sirens ·–—•

Selina looked over to Maria before muting the speaker.

"Do you want them to know you're here Kitten?" - Selina

"... I'm tired, I haven't had coffee, I have no filter, so f-ck it, act like you never saw me today, and let them drown in chaos. " - Maria

"I think I like filter less Maria." - Harley

"Okay." Selina shrugged her shoulders and then un-muted her phone, putting it back on speaker mode.

"Where was she last seen?" - Selina

"She was last seen with Harley and Poison Ivy, I want you to see if she's still with them." - Bruce

Selina looked over to Maria and Harley, both of them shook their heads with mischievous grins.

"I've been with them all day, and I haven't once seen a girl that looks like your kids. Now can I go back to sleep, and forget this ever happened?" - Selina

"WHERE IS MY NIECE!!!" - Tony

"Oh, hey Tony, didn't know you were there, don't know who, or where your niece is, but good luck trying to find her. Oh and Bruce, I'm shutting my phone off so you don't keep calling till the butt crack of dawn. And congrats it's now 4am. you owe me a lunch date, uh-ba-bye." Selina then hung up her phone and turned it off.

"That went pretty well if you ask me, now I'm going back to sleep." - Selina

•—–· Back to Batsy ·–—•

The room was silent for a few minutes before Jason spoke up.

"Does that mean that Pixiepop ran away and is even more lost now?!" - Jason

"Oh god, what do we do, what if she got hurt?!" - Dick

"What if she got kidnapped?!" - Jason

"What if she's with a big time Gotham Villain?!" - Dick

"... What if she got more coffee?" - Tim

"Oh Hell No" - Jason/Dick

"... Lets all go to sleep, and when we wake up, we'll head over to their base and double check. She could've just said that because I called her at 3am." - Bruce

"But my niece is still out there!" - Tony

"You're going to sleep Tony." - Pepper then dragged Tony to his room.

•—–· Back to Maria ·–—•

Selina went to a different part of the building, where Maria assumed the bedrooms were. Ivy had gone to the greenhouse to be with the plants, and now it was just her and Harley left on the couch, and she couldn't sleep.

"... Harley?" - Maria

"Yeah hun?" - Harley

"I can't sleep." - Maria

"Well, watcha wanna do till ya get tired?" Harley asked sitting up a little straighter to get a better look at Maria.

Maria gave a sly smile, and looked Harley in the eyes "Want to go free-running on the rooftops?"

"... Alright, but lets get some coffee, and a snack in us first." - Harley gave her a side hug, before getting up to go make the coffee, and grab some snacks.

After they had their coffee, they climbed to the roof of the base. Harley was in her outfit, bat in hand and ready to do some bonding.

"So, how does ya outfit work?" - Harley

"Like so, ready Mullo?" - Maria

"Yes Maria" - Mullo

"Ok, Mullo, Get Squeaky!" A bright light flashes, and when Harley could see again, Maria was in a dark gray suit, wearing black knee high boots, with a strip of pink at the knee, and black elbow length gloves with the same pink strip at her elbow. Her mask was a slightly lighter gray on the top part, and pink on the bottom. Her hair was pulled into two buns with pink ribbons that faded to gray, and to black at the very tip. Her jump rope around her waist forming a tail going just below the back of her knees.

"Just when I think ya can't get any more adorable. So what should I call ya?" - Harley

"You can call me Multimouse." - Maria

Soon they were racing and doing tricks off different roofs, they were really enjoying themselves. From one of the roofs they heard a commotion in one of the alleys, when they looked down they saw a man holding a woman at gunpoint.

"Not good, seems like he's got issues, probably lost his lover, most likely has additions to drugs and alcohol, and seems to be a little tipsy." - Harley

"I've got a plan." - Multimouse

…………

Multimouse droped a little way behind the guy, grabbing his attention while Harley got the lady to safety.

"You know there's a help center two blocks from here that would be more than willing to help you." - Multimouse

The crook just raised his gun to her trying to keep it steady as he spoke.

"Give me all your money little girl, or else I'll hurt you."

"1. That's not how you hold a gun. 2. That is no way to treat any girl. and 3. Instead of money, I'll give you my jump rope." - Multimouse

"Why the hell would I want your jump rope, that thing looks worthless." the crook lowered his guard enough as Multimouse pretended to hand over her jump rope, only to use it in a quick motion to dismarm the man, as Harley promptly knocked him out with one swing.

"Lets neva have ya at gunpoint again, okay hun? I'm afraid my heart can't take it." - Harley said while tying the crook to a lamppost.

"Sorry, but it was the best idea I could come up with at the moment, besides, any guy with a gun would feel like they have the upper hand if they're facing a random little girl with a jump rope, rather than Gothams' Harley Quinn with a bat." - Multimouse

"Sadly I'm just too popular with the kiddos on the street." - Harley

…………

They continued to stop a few more muggers on the way back to the base, and when they got back they peaked around the corner to see the whole Batfam plus Iron Man talking with Ivy and Selina.

"How much you want to bet we can get back out before they see us?" - Whispering Multimouse

"... Lets try hidin' in the kitchen." - Whispering Harley

As they tried to sneak by (still in their costumes) Selina just walks over and draggs them to the group.

"Here, now let me sleep!" - Selina

"Dang it Selina we wanted tah see just how long we could hide out in the kitchen!" - Harley

Selina did a double take now realizing they both went out.

"... You didn't." - Selina

"We wanted tah go free-runnin'! So what?" - Harley

"She could've gotten hurt Harls." - Ivy

"My suits magic, I am invulnerable to bullets, normal magic, swords, knifes, anything staby staby, and I can withstand any temperature in it." Multimouse said with a slight pout.

"Hold up, is she a magical girl?" - Red Hood in the background

When Selina let go both Harley and Multimouse went behind Ivy for protection.

"We can still make a run for it." - Harley whispered to Multimouse

"... Ok, I'll meet you on the roof." - Whispering Multimouse

Harley gave a nod as she slowly inched her wasy closer to the door that lead to the roof, as she saw Iron Man approach Multimouse.

"Please get out of your suit, we need to talk about why you're here-" - Iron Man

"Multitute!" - Multimouse

Harley then saw Multimouse shrink into dozens of tiny little versions of herself as her clones spread out in all directions, one of which was heading right for her.

"Wth, you never told us she could use magic!" - Red Robin

Harley picked her up, and slipped through the door without anyone noticing.

"That was great, but how do ya get back tuh normal size?" - Harley

"Simple, I just merge back with my clones." As she said this, all her clones came back, and she merged with herself, becoming normal sized again.

"Where to?" - Multimouse

………… So now The Batfam is trying to find many long gone Mini-Multimouses, and Harley seems to have disappeared with her. Harley and Multimouse are now running over the roofs, heading for Wayne Manor.

"So why are we going to Wayne Manor?" - Multimouse

"Because, Batsy will neva think of lookin' for us at his own home, at least not fawh a little while." - Harley

When they arrived at the Manor, Multimouse de-transformed as Harley knocked on the door.

"Ms. Quinn, Ms. Maria, pleasure to see you here, please come in." - Alfred

"Are any of the bat-birds here?" - Harley

"Ms. Barbara, Ms. Stephanie, and Ms. Cassandra are the only ones here at the moment." - Alfred

"Do ya think you can keep us bein' here a secret from Batsy?" - Harley

"Harley? What are you doing here with Maria?" - Barbara

"It seems that Ms. Harley and Ms. Maria are now playing hide and seek with the rest of the family." - Alfred

"Did someone say hide and seek?" - Steph

"Yes, so could we maybe try and keep this a secret from everyone else, please?" - Maria

"Sure, it was starting to get boring around here. We can all hide in the living room no one ever use. Barbara you show them the way, I'll get the food/drinks and boardgames." - Steph

"Is this alright with you Alfred?" Maria

"It's all right Ms. Maria, you can hide out in the old living room." - Alfred

"Thanks Alfie, ya the best." - Harley

"Thank you Alfred." - Maria

"Ok then, follow me." - Barbara

…………

In the old living room, Harley, Maria, Barbara, Steph, and Cass began to formulate a plan.

"Ok, so the best way for them to never find you is to have your phone off, stay away from any and all cameras, and show your face to no one." - Steph

"So, do you have anything in mind that you might want to do?" - Barbara

"Can we put them on a wild goose chase?" - Maria

Cass nodded to Marias' suggestion approvingly.

"I can hack a few traffic cams to help with that." - Barbara

"We can also throw in some useless hints, to throw dem even further off our scent." - Harley

"Good idea Harley." - Barbara

"Thanks, but how long do ya think we should make it last?" - Harley

"As long as Maria wants it to." - Barbara

"Then let the games begin." - Maria.

•—–—–·†·–—–—•

Chapter 5 complete. Hope everyone is stayin' safe, Rockin' those Positive Vibes, and havin' an absolutely wonderful day. BUG-OUT 🐞💮🐞

〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜Tag List〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜

1st Place★: @animegirlweeb ☕ , 2nd Place★: @jumpingjoy82, 3rd Place★: @zalladane, 4th Place★: @jayjayspixiepop, 5th Place★: @arty-shadow-morningstar, 6th Place★: @smol-book-nerd, 7th Place★: @irontimetravelflower, 8th Place★: @fandom-trapped-03, 9th Place★: @meme991001, 10th Place★: @buginetye, 11th Place★: @blackroserelina, 12th Place★: @jessigurl-design, 13th Place★: @adrestar, 14th Place★: @moon5608, 15th Place★: @little-bluestar, 17th Place★: @myazael, 18th Place★: @our-preciousss, 19th Place★: @wolf2118, 20th Place★: @nyx-in-line, 21st Place★: @kking13, 22nd Place★: @lunerlover2024, 23rd Place★: @moonlightstar64, 24th Place★: @corporeal-terrestrial, 25th Place★: @kashlyn, 26th Place★: @tbehartoo, 27th Place★: @heart-charming, 28th Place★: @solangelo252, 29th Place★: @t1dwarrior-of-earth, 30th Place★: @lady-phoenix-of-tardis, @lupagrimm

277 notes · View notes

river-bottom-nightmare · 4 years ago

Note

Hey I read this somewhere idk a fic or something maybe idk if its canon, that like brucie Wayne is Bruce's public, tabloid persona, dicks is Richie grayson and only people who knew him, family or friends call him dick

hmmmm. see, here’s where it gets a bit tricky babe.

so, it’s very clear that bruce has 3 different personalities: “brucie wayne,” the over-the-top borderline alcoholic playboy who throws money around like it’s nothing and over the years, has become (not canonically, but accepted by the fandom as) a kind of dull but doting father. then there’s batman, the gruff professional legend that actually acts as more of a legend than a human and drives everything for the sake of the mission. and then there’s just bruce, who is a little more relaxed and caring version of batman that’s only let out around his family and a few close friends.

but dick,,,,doesn’t really have that?

now as far as i’ve seen and read, dick grayson is,,,,dick grayson. the public calls him “dick,” (or probably, as i headcanon, “dickie grayson”). he’s seen as a cute little kid that bruce took in during the early years. i’m stopping myself from screaming and saying a bunch of words because jesus christ is high society racist. then later on when he grew up, people started treating dick as a mini-bruce: a fun, flirty playboy.

the thing is, there isn’t,,,,that stark of a difference between dickie and dick. with bruce, you get whiplash, but for dick, it’s almost as if a couple pieces fall into place? they’re both cheerful, exuberant, funny people who are freely affectionate and loving.

(and part of that playboy persona is actually dick’s.

there’s an absolutely disgusting trend in comics that i’m sure almost all of you have noticed of dick being objectified, catcalled, and sexually assaulted by a lot of people in the dc universe, mostly women. and dick’s shown to be very uncomfortable with all this unwanted attention from people he doesn’t know or doesn’t know well. we all as readers are also uncomfortable with this.

but it’s also shown that when he’s with his friends, he does act playful, fun, and flirty. this is because there’s already a foundation of mutual trust and respect, along with a relationship built on years of friendship. once dick knows, is familiar with, and comfortable with someone, his naturally fun and flirty side comes out, and it’s usually mutual bantering on both sides. and dick’s okay with it. he enjoys it because it’s a way of him relaxing and playing with his friends, and it isn’t at all affected by his appearance or anything because he’s known these people for years, because knows that the mutual appreciation of each other comes from friendship.)

so there’s that: the fact that dickie grayson and dick grayson’s personalities aren’t all that different.

but then there’s the fact that dick grayson is a performer. and he has a lot of masks. it’s almost like there are minute personality changes every time dick’s company and position in the team or duo changes. this is partially due to evolving times, character changes, and of course different writers. but this is something i’ve seen happen with the same author, and if i’m wayyyy off-base, then this can just be a hc of mine that explains the way dick’s core personality changes from writer to writer (ignoring the few writers that just completely obliterated him.)

when dick’s with the titans, he steps up as a leader. he’s commands respect and gives respect in return, issues out orders, sometimes has some control issues but he works through those and learns to listen to his team. when dick’s with the original fab five, or kori, or babs, he lightens up a bit. he’s more easygoing, relaxed, and goofy. he’s still committed to his job and has a strong work ethic, but you can tell he allows himself to chill a little bit in the presence of people that he knows has his back.

when dick’s with the batfam, he acts as sort of an authority figure. this came after jason, once dick started assuming responsibility for tim, but it continued on with each addition. bruce has obviously been the figurehead and sort-of patriarch of the batfam since the beginning, and alfred and babs are people the bats love and respect and give credit where credit is due. and trust me, it’s a lot of credit. but dick’s become their emotional anchor, someone they know they can rely on, someone they fall back on when they need it. he’s their safety net. (although i have to say. recently jason has been turning into the batfam team mom. idk what that’s about but i am thoroughly amused and kinda enjoying it.)

when dick’s with bruce, he becomes,,,,,,,i don’t want to say more childlike because dick’s gone to great lengths to make sure bruce respects him and treats him as an adult. and bruce does, for the most part. but there’s years and years of history between the two of them, and you can’t just wipe away the years of bruce raising dick as his own kid. too much has happened for them to go back to the easy dynamic they used to have, but too much happened in the past for them to ever pretend like they don’t mean as much as they do to each other. so,,,yea dick takes on a little more of a childlike role and bruce acts a tad more paternal than he normally does in the suit.

and when dick’s allied up with people to defeat either a greater or common enemy, his demeanor changes once again. allied, or fighting against people he has history with. this includes shrike, deathstroke, and tiger. when he’s with them, the nightwing mask drips into his entire personality. he’s chatty and witty, but each word is carefully calculated and has a purpose. he makes barbed jokes, fights with 110% of what he’s got, and pushes himself to his limits without ever letting anyone else know.

this is probably how the public never figures out he’s nightwing. (,,,,,,,most of the time.) dickie grayson is probably just different enough from nightwing that no one puts it together. going back to my point of dick being a performer, he probably holds himself differently, moves his body differently, styles his hair differently, has a different resting face, etc. these subtle changes are what people absorb easily, and are what throw people off. dick also probably uses this in the other masks i mentioned above, depending on how approachable, easy, or cunning he needs to appear.

there are constantly thousands of masks that dick’s putting on and taking off. so to sum up my own, person opinion and very long, very wordy, very rambly answer to your quick question: no, dick doesn’t have different drastic personalities like brucie wayne and batman. but dick does have a bunch of masks, and he slightly shifts his personality depending on his company.

#dick grayson #nightwing #batfam #dc #long post #dick grayson meta #nightwing meta #batfam meta #dc meta #river thinks too hard

284 notes · View notes

kashlyn · 1 month ago

Text

I'd like to add on to this but I'll probably get ahead of myself and become repeatative (how the f do u spell that word?!) and lose track of what I'm typing cuz it's easier for me to talk when ranting so sorry in advance

@ten-shiriya23 u asked for this lololol

When the Batfam and Phantom fam first meet, I can imagine some awkward tension. The Bats are used to Gotham, where every stranger could be a potential threat, while the Phantoms are much more laid back in how they approach things, having dealt with wild ghosts for years. But once they get past that initial skepticism, there’d be this deep, underlying connection between the two families, forged through their shared experience of living double lives and the constant pressure that puts on them.

Like, Bruce would likely be wary of Jack and Maddie at first, especially Jack’s wild, seemingly reckless nature. Jack is all loud enthusiasm and bursts of invention—completely opposite of Bruce’s calm, controlled demeanor. But Maddie? Bruce would have deep respect for her. Maddie is the brains behind the Fenton Ghost Portal, and I could see Bruce silently acknowledging that she’s someone who can keep Jack’s energy in check. Over time, Bruce and Maddie might have these quiet moments where they discuss what it’s like to raise kids in dangerous environments, with Maddie offering her view on how she tries to keep things "normal" for Danny and Jazz, while Bruce shares his inner worries about how he raises his Robins. (Then again, there's also that weird mirror of Bruce's Brucie persona and Jack, plus Talia and Maddie but that's a discussion for another time)

There’s also the potential for Bruce and Jack to bond over fatherhood in a weird way. Sure, Jack comes off as goofy, but at the end of the day, he deeply loves his family and would do anything to protect them—just like Bruce. They’d probably find common ground over that instinct to protect, even if Jack’s methods would leave Bruce gritting his teeth half the time.

Now onto Jazz and Dick:

These two would hit it off immediately. Both Jazz and Dick are the eldest siblings who had to grow up a little too fast. Dick had to manage Bruce’s emotional unavailability and keep the family together when Bruce couldn’t, while Jazz had to do the same for Danny, all while dealing with her parents’ ghost-obsessed lifestyle (Yeah we've all said it before lololol. "ELDEST SISTER SYNDROME anyone?" She said like she isn't the same). I imagine them swapping stories about how hard it is to be the "mature" one, sharing little tips and tricks for how they manage their chaotic families. There’d be a real softness between them—a mutual understanding that comes from having the weight of responsibility fall on their shoulders at such a young age. Dick would probably take a big-brotherly role with Jazz, even if she’s just as capable, just because he knows how isolating that responsibility can feel. Also, I like the thought of Jazz giving Dick therapy, or at least a watered down version of it to help him cope with his inner anger that he surprises for his siblings due to trauma when he didn't suppress it in the past with Jason as a kid and never really getting to bond with him until Jason died cuz he always ended up fighting Bruce whenever he was around the manor(... I'm a psych major ok? I know Jazz would notice it just like I did!)

Danny and Tim:

This is where the real heart of the crossover lies. Danny and Tim would instantly click because they’re both geniuses who bear so much weight on their shoulders. (Depends on the AU but Like Tim being co-CEO and Danny being Ghost king). They’re the problem solvers of their respective families, always thinking ten steps ahead but often forgetting to take care of themselves. The moments where they’re working together would be full of banter, sure, but also a kind of unspoken connection. Tim would recognize the exhaustion in Danny—trying to balance two lives, being a hero without enough support—and he’d subtly start looking out for him. Danny, in turn, would find someone who gets it, who understands the constant pressure to keep everything together while hiding their struggles from the people they love. (which is probably why Dead Tired seems to be a fan favorite ship in the fandom)

There’s also the ghost aspect to consider. Tim, always one for research, would dive headfirst into learning about ghosts and the Ghost Zone. He’d probably start cataloging ghostly threats, working with Danny to develop tech that the Batfam can use to defend Gotham from any supernatural attacks. Danny, meanwhile, would marvel at Tim’s detective skills, grateful to finally have someone who can help share the burden of his responsibilities.

Dani/Ellie and Damian:

This duo would be comedy gold. Dani is all chaotic energy, rebellious and free-spirited, while Damian is serious, methodical, and a bit of a perfectionist. Their first meeting would likely involve a clash of egos—Dani trying to prove herself by showing off her powers, and Damian trying to assert that he’s the superior fighter. They’d bicker constantly at first, with Damian calling Dani immature and Dani rolling her eyes at his arrogance. But beneath that tension, they’d quickly realize they have a lot in common. Both Dani and Damian are, to some extent, “clones,” Dani being a clone of Danny, and Damian being a product of the League of Assassins and Talia al Ghul’s plans for Batman. They both wrestle with questions of identity, wondering if they’re just living in the shadows of their "originals." Damian is arrogant and calculating, but he’s also fiercely loyal to his family. Dani, on the other hand, is playful, chaotic, and still figuring out her place in the world. They both have this desire to prove that they’re more than just copies of someone else.

As time goes on, their rivalry would turn into a sibling-like relationship. Damian would take on the role of the protective older brother (though he’d never admit it), and Dani would start to respect his discipline and skills, even if she’d still tease him endlessly. In a way, they’d help each other heal—Dani helping Damian loosen up and enjoy life more, while Damian gives Dani the stability and structure she sometimes craves but doesn’t know how to ask for.

The more time these two families spend together, the more they’d recognize how similar they really are. Both families revolve around the idea of balancing responsibility and personal identity. The Batfam is constantly struggling with the weight of Gotham’s expectations, while the Phantom fam is trying to juggle saving the world from ghosts while still having a somewhat normal life.

Extras

Bruce and Danny:

Bruce might initially see Danny as another young vigilante who doesn’t understand the full weight of what he’s doing. But as he learns more about Danny’s life, Bruce would start to recognize parts of himself in the young hero—this relentless drive to protect others, even at the cost of his own happiness. Danny, meanwhile, would look at Bruce and see the future he fears for himself: a life consumed by duty, with little room for anything else. This dynamic would spark conversations about the importance of balance, something Bruce is still learning and Danny desperately needs to understand.

Jazz and Dick, and the Siblings:

Jazz and Dick are mirrors of each other in how they navigate their roles as siblings. Both have a deep love for their younger brothers and feel a responsibility to help guide them. They know what it’s like to be the ones who have to pick up the pieces when everything falls apart, and they both carry the emotional weight of their families. It’d be healing for both of them to find someone who understands that particular burden. Dick could help Jazz realize it’s okay to let go a little, to let Danny find his own path, while Jazz could remind Dick that his efforts aren’t taken for granted.

Dani and Damian:

The parallel between Dani and Damian’s journeys is perhaps the most compelling. Both were created for a purpose—Dani as Vlad’s attempt at a perfect clone and Damian as a product of the League of Assassins—and both are trying to break free from those expectations. They’re fighting to define themselves outside of the shadows of their "originals," trying to prove that they’re their own people, not just a reflection of someone else’s plan. Through their rivalry-turned-friendship, Dani and Damian would learn that they’re more alike than they realize, both struggling with identity but slowly finding their own sense of purpose.

Basically ~~~

The crossover between the Batfam and Phantom fam would be all about exploring how family—whether it’s biological or found—shapes us. Both families come with a lot of baggage, but they’re also fiercely loyal, always ready to fight for each other, even if they don’t always show it in the most conventional ways. Watching them interact, clash, and ultimately learn from each other would be a beautiful exploration of what it means to be a family in worlds filled with danger, secrets, and endless responsibility. In the end, the Batfam and Phantom fam would come to see that, despite their differences, they’re all just trying to protect the people they love—whether it’s from ghosts, criminals, or even themselves.

Jazz, Dan, Danny, Danielle

Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian

Do you see my vision???

#dpxdc #dcxdp #dp x dc #dc x dp #just ranting lololol

35 notes · View notes

awhitehead17 · 3 years ago

Text

Batfam Alphabet: K - Kryptonian’s

Summary: After noticing how everyone is busy meeting up with someone who is either a Kryptonian or even a Kent that day, Dick notices how he’s the only one in the family that doesn’t have a Kryptonian partner.

Enjoy! :D

“C’mon Damian, let’s go! We’re going to be late!”

Dick pauses from where he’s walking through the foyer and looks up to find Tim shouting for their younger brother as he hurries down the stairs. When he reaches the bottom the teenager rushes to the door and throws it open and impatiently waits in the doorway as he checks his watch every few seconds.

Raising an eyebrow, Dick glances at the top of the stairs but doesn’t find any sign of Damian. He turns back to Tim. “What’s the rush?”

Tim blinks and stares at him for a moment like he’s just noticing Dick’s presence for the first time. With his eyes flicking to and fro Tim huffs in annoyance and taps his foot restlessly. “We’re meeting Conner and Jon at Amusement Mile but we’re running late because a certain someone can’t apparently keep track of the time!”

Dick frowns, suddenly feeling concerned for his brothers’ safety. “Is going there a wise idea?”

With a wave of his hand Tim dismisses his concern. “It’ll be fine. At the end of the day we’re all trained and it’s only a phone call away if anything does happen. Kon and Jon are there so if we do need an emergency evac we can get out of there quickly.”

Before Dick could respond a new voice joins the conversation.

“We have plenty of time Drake, don’t be so impatient.”

Both Dick and Tim look up to find Damian now descending down the stairs at a leisurely pace, obviously not in such a hurry as Tim is. Dick wonders if Damian is doing it purposely to annoy Tim or because they do have a lot of time to spare and Tim is just being overly-cautious.

“There’s nothing wrong with being a little early or even on time brat.” Tim snaps at him, glaring as Damian reaches the bottom of the staircase. “Now come on, we’re wasting time.”

Without even so much a goodbye Tim spins around and hurries out the door once Damian approaches. Damian tuts but follows behind Tim saying “Bye Grayson” as he passes Dick on the way out of the door.

It takes Dick a moment to react, his mind catching up with the fact that Damian and Tim are hanging out together, seemingly willingly with one other. He blinks and shouts after them, “don’t kill one another! Stay safe and remember to call if anything happens!”

Neither brother responds to him but Dick rationalises he’s done what he could, if something happens between them he is not to blame. Maybe he should message Conner to ask him to check in and to make sure they behave. The Kryptonian brothers get along unlike Tim and Damian so his caution is reasonable as them two together is certainly a questionable matter. In the end he decides against it, instead choosing to wait and see what the end result of the day looks like.

Eventually he shuts the front door and continues on his way with what he had been doing before the sudden distraction.

------

Dick’s route through the foyer is interrupted again not even an hour later, only this time because of the group of girls gathered there. Dick stops and stares at the scene unsure on how to proceed, should he make his way through them or go around them?

Steph, Cass, Barbara and even Kara are grouped together giggling about something. Seeing three of them together is rather normal but he is surprised to see Kara around.

Before Dick could decide on what action to take he’s spotted by Steph. The blonde waves enthusiastically at him. “Hey Dick! How are things? Don’t mind us we’re moving to the media room now.”

The other girls turn and face him. Cass and Kara give him a smile and a small wave in greeting while Barbara shoots him a bland look. He wouldn’t expect anything else from her.

As Dick is about to move he’s stopped short by Kara addressing him. She points up to the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. “Dick, is it true that you used to often climb up there and hang from it?”

Dick glances up and his mind is suddenly ambushed with fond memories of when he was a kid and used to do acrobatics from said chandelier. Alfred used to give him hell for it, particularly after he accidently broke one when he got a bit too bold trying a new move.

He smiles and looks back at Kara nodding. “Yeah, that’s true. More often than you would think believe it or not. I did it less frequently as I got older though.”

Kara snorts with amusement. “I can totally see Jon doing something like that, rao, even Conner would try something like that.”

“Considering who they’re friends with, that doesn’t surprise me.” Steph comments laughing. “Well lets get to it! See you later Dick!”

Steph takes off down the corridor towards the media room with a bounce in her step. Kara sends him one more smile and follows her, Cass comes up to him and stands on her tip toes to place a kiss on his cheek before following them and finally Barbara sends him a wistful smile before trailing behind the girls, clearly also remembering what he used to be like back then.

Once they disappear from view it takes Dick a moment to move, his mind thinking about what just happened. He didn’t even realise they were friends with Kara. He doesn’t even know how they know each other, then again he doesn’t follow every move the girls make, they’ve probably had cases that have crossed over a time or two. Shaking his head he lets it go and continues on with his day.

----

When Dick bumps into Bruce in the kitchen later on that day he feels like there’s a pattern forming.

He’s sat at the kitchen island minding his own business as he eats his lunch and mindlessly going through Facebook, Alfred is pottering about also minding his own business, when Bruce rushes in looking a little frazzled.

Dick watches mollified as Bruce darts about the kitchen, opening and closing cupboards left right and centre clearly looking for something which he doesn’t find straight away. As soon as he came in, Alfred simply stood to the side and allowed Bruce to freely search the place patiently waiting for the inevitable to happen.

After searching every cupboard and draw available Bruce turns to Alfred and before the man could say anything Alfred simply holds out his hand revealing a travel mug. Bruce suddenly looks so relieved and gratefully takes the mug out of the butler’s hand with a breathless “thank you”.

“You are a saint Alfred, there’s no way I’m going to be able to cope today without this.” Bruce determines already taking a sip of the mug’s contents.

Dick blinks, completely lost to what’s happening, especially when all Alfred does is nod as he had been expecting that reaction the entire time.

“What is going on?” He blurts out without meaning too. The two men turn and face him, Alfred looking passive and Bruce looking surprised at his presence. Has Dick become invisible or something? That’s the same reaction Tim had that morning in the foyer.

“Oh, afternoon Dick, I completely missed you sat there.” Bruce says looking a little sheepish, a look that isn’t common on the man though Dick’s seen it more than enough times at this point in his life. “I have a meeting with Clark and the rest of the League members. I’m running a bit behind schedule but not enough to not grab my coffee before heading off. I won’t be back until late, don’t wait for me before going out tonight.”

With that statement Bruce leaves the kitchen with the travel mug clutched tightly in his hands. Dick shoots Alfred a surprised look but the elderly man has already turned around and continued with his task.

Sighing Dick turns his attention back on his half eaten lunch and goes back to scrolling through his Facebook newsfeed. Quickly getting bored of it, he places his phone down and strikes up a conversation with Alfred, the man appears more than happy to converse with him as he works.

After a while Alfred breaks their conversation, sending Dick an apologetic look. “I’m sorry Master Dick but I’m going to have to excuse myself. I have a scheduled phone call to make in a few moments.”

Dick stares, caught off guard by the reason. “What? Who with?” After he says it he realises how bad and how patronizing it sounds. He immediately winces and apologises.

Alfred merely looks amused at his behaviour, thankfully not taking any offense to it. “If you have to know Master Dick, I have a call with Mrs Martha Kent. We’re going to be comparing recipes and giving some recommendations.”

“Okay…”

Alfred leaves the kitchen then, leaving Dick all by himself in the room as his mind reels back over the last hour or so to what’s happened. Is everyone busy today or something?

Finally finishing his lunch, Dick clears his mess up and wanders out of the kitchen trying to decide what to do for the rest of the day.

-----

The next thing to happen which adds to the odd feeling he’s been having throughout the day is when he bumps into Selina in the corridor of the bedrooms wing. He’s heading towards his own room when he notices Selina strutting her way towards him.

His eyes widen as he takes in her outfit. She’s wearing a low cut black blouse paired off with tight leather pants and high heels. She’s wearing a golden necklace with matching bracelets on her wrists and her face done up with perfect looking make-up. The shadowing around her eyes make them stand out along with the boldness of her lipstick which helps define her facial features.

Dick stops in his tracks and watches as she approaches. When she’s close enough she stops and sends him a smile.

“Hot date?” Dick asks with a grin. He can’t help but be curious on why she’s dressed up like that. Bruce isn’t around and there’s no party that he’s aware of happening. Unless she plans on crashing the meeting Bruce happens to be in, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened…

Her smiles turns more devious, “Not quite birdie,” she drawls out. She places her hands on her hips and cocks them to one side. “I’m meeting with Lois Lane. There’s a certain… get together we’re attending and I tend to make a statement.”

Dick’s eyes widen in surprise, he hadn’t been expecting that. He knows that Selina and Lois know one another, he’s seen them interact with each other enough times at gala’s both Bruce and Clark have attended too but he didn’t know they were that close.

After a couple beats he sends her an easy smile. “Well, I’m certain you’re going to make a statement alright.”

“Thank you kitten,” she replies patting his cheek softly, “now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get going.” She saunters past him, continuing down the hallway clearly ready to kick some ass. Selina is the personification of the saying ‘looks can be deceiving’.

“Have fun!” Dick calls out to her retreating form.

As he enters his room Dick is struck by a thought that even Selina is busy that day. It’s really starting to appear that he's the only one without any plans or even someone to meet up with. It suddenly makes him feel lonely, it’s an irrational feeling but he couldn’t help feel it temporarily, maybe it’s jealously of his family all currently hanging out with someone or each other. It’ll soon pass when everyone is back home and skulking around looking for stuff to do out of boredom.

----

Half an hour later and Dick knows he's had enough. It seems like the last straw has been drawn and how the universe has decided to rub salt into the wound.

Dick’s not even out of his bedroom doorway before he’s stopping short at the sight of two beings walking past him. He blinks and looks down the hallway with furrowed eyebrows and seconds later it registers who he’s seeing.

“Jason?”

His brother stops in the middle of the hallway and turns around to face him. He looks surprised for a moment before his expression goes back to neutral. “Oh, hey Dick.”

“What are you doing?” He questions his brother, his gaze slipping to Jason’s companion. Bizarro stands next to Jason, his eyes drifting between the two of them as he watches them interact with a frown.

Jason jerks a thumb over his shoulder. “We’re heading out now as we’re about to meet Artemis.”

Dick runs a hand over his face taking in the new information. “How long has Bizarro been here?”

His brother sends him perplexed look. “Uh, like all day? Did you not know that?”

“No. No I didn’t.”

“Oh,” Jason shrugs, not bothered by his answer, “well whatever. As I said we’re heading out now, so see ya! Say bye bye, Bizarro.”

“Bye bye.” Bizarro calls out to him with a wave of his hand.

Dick half heartedly waves back as he watches them disappear down the hallway. Once they were gone Dick slips back into his room and shuts the door behind him, completely forgetting the original reason why he had been leaving in the first place.

He goes over to his bed and flops down on it with a heavy sigh. Jason, even Jason, is busy and has company. How is it only him who isn’t doing anything? Usually it’s the other way around, where he’s always trying to find time in his schedule to meet up with his friends, family or to have some time for himself.

Burying his face into his pillow he sighs dejectedly, feeling sorry for himself. Dick frowns, maybe that’s not the right term, would jealously be more accurate or maybe loneliness is better suited. Whatever the word is for what he’s feeling, he knows it’s pretty much unwarranted. He should be happy that all of his siblings and extended family are out being sociable, they all have hectic and unpredictable lives, taking any free time a person has to spend it with those they care about is worth it.

Dick shouldn’t be annoyed with his family because he’s the one currently holed up in his bedroom sulking because he doesn’t have anyone to be with. It’s not their fault.

Something else he notices is how everyone seems to have their own Kryptonian, or by extension a Kent.

There's Bruce and Clark, though Bruce will deny their friendship at every opportunity. Tim and Conner, who are best friends (maybe more, Dick’s not quite sure). Damian and Jon, as much as the former is reluctant to admit how much he cares for the younger. Steph, Cass, Barbara and Kara who are all apparently friends. Selina and Lois. Alfred and Mrs Kent. Jason and Bizarro.

He’s the only one without a Kryptonian partner. While he’s worked with Clark a few times and has connected with him, after all Clark’s the one who inspired him to become Nightwing, it’s not the same thing.

After spewing in his thoughts for a while, Dick comes to a conclusion that sleep sounds like the best option right now. If he sleeps then he’s not thinking, and as a bonus at the same time his body is resting and extra rest never hurts anyone.

He shifts on his mattress, getting into a more comfortable position to sleep in, and buries his head further into his pillow. Closing his eyes he tries to force his body into unconsciousness. His eyes snap open only seconds later when his phone pings from it’s place on his bedside table.

Stuck between being excited for a message and dreading it, Dick reaches out and grabs the device. Rolling over onto his back he lifts his phone up in front of his face and reads the notification. Seeing who the message is from, a wide grin stretches across Dick’s face and any dread he had been feeling instantly disappears. It seems like the universe has finally decided to side with him (or that it’s had enough of him moping) because it’s a message from his long time old friend Wally West.

‘Hey man it’s been waaaayyyyyy too long. Are you free to hang out any time soon – we need to catch up bro.’

Dick agrees with the message, it has been too long since they last saw one another. From what Dick heard last is how Wally’s been busy helping out in Central City, his relationship with Linda is progressing smoothly, he’s been helping to train his cousin and how he’s been away on a mission with Jay. Dick had thought Wally was still away, hence why he hadn’t contacted him but obviously he’s wrong about that.

Dick types out a reply to his friend, feeling eager and excited to meet up. ‘I’m free right now if you are. C’mon over to the Manor when you can?’

It takes a few moments for Wally to respond. ‘Absolutely. Though will Bats have my ass if I just show up?’

Dick snorts, of all the things to be concerned about… ‘No. You’re fine. B’s in a meeting.’

‘Okay! I’ll be there in a flash ;D’

It’s stupid but Dick couldn’t help chuckle at the poor joke. No doubts on how Wally’s picked up that behaviour from Barry.

Feeling jittery, Dick rolls off his bed and begins making his way downstairs so he could greet Wally by the door. He doesn’t know what they’ll do other than talk to catch up and possibly raid the kitchen at the same time. Dick doesn’t mind what they do, at least he finally has someone to hang out with!

Just as Dick reaches the bottom of the stairs in the foyer, the doorbell rings alerting him of Wally’s arrival. Dick grins as he approaches the door and it only gets wider when he opens it to reveal his best friend standing there on the front porch.

“Wal-man! How’s it going dude!” He exclaims stepping towards the speedster.

Wally’s gaze snaps to him and an identical grin appears on his face. “Dick, it’s so good to see you man!”

They come together and embrace tightly with a few firm pats on the back. They part after a few beats and then take a moment to observe one another. Dick is pleased to find Wally appearing the same as he did when he last saw him, looking happy and healthy.

“So…” Wally trails off when the silence gets drawn out for too long.

“So.” Dick repeats promptly. Getting himself together, he continues to grin and throws an arm around his friend’s shoulders, using that leverage he guides Wally into the house. “We have a lot to catch up on.”

Wally’s own arm wraps around Dick’s back as they pass through the foyer. “That we do. I can’t even remember when the last time I saw you was.”

With his free hand Dick waves the comment away. “Doesn’t matter, we’re here now. Shall we grab some food and go to my room? I would suggest the media room but the girls are currently inhabiting it, have been all day, alternatively we could go to the conservatory or even outside since it’s dry and warm.”

Wally hums for a moment before answering. “Food is a definite must, you know me – hey has Alfred cooked recently, any chance we could steal some leftovers? And your room sounds fine, at least there’ll be less chance of us being disturbed by one of your millions of siblings.”

Dick rolls his eyes at the comment though he carries on smiling, some days it really does feel like he has a million. Will Bruce ever learn the meaning of ‘no more’?

“I have no idea what Alfred has in the kitchen so we shall see when we get there.” Dick says smiling.

The two of them fall into an easy stream of chatter as they begin catching up with what’s going on in their lives.

As they chat Dick thinks to himself, why was he so bothered that his family members all have their own Kryptonian when he has his own speedster? A couple of them also have a speedster but not everyone so Dick can hold onto this, at least that’s what he’s rationalising to himself. Thinking back on it, Dick realises that it’s stupid, why should he be concerned about it at all? He's now with his best friend, that’s what matters and that’s exactly what he's going to focus on.

54 notes · View notes

bigskydreaming · 3 years ago

Text

Something else to keep in mind is the way things compound? Like for instance, I’ve seen a mini trend of fics lately focusing on the issue of Dick dropping out of college or not wanting to go, which for the record, I feel is another way of building up to the idea that he and Bruce have all these fights during this period that are two way streets instead of like....what canon actually was (reminder that in the canon that Dick actually dropped out he and Bruce actually were never really NOT on good terms, like there’s never been a big fight in the comics about this topic so.....incheresting).

But anyway, my point is its worth keeping in mind that how you frame something at one point in a narrative like.....ideally, you want it to mesh up and align with other things you’ve brought up throughout the narrative, and not accidentally contradict yourself narratively.

I mean, this is really the big gripe most Dick Grayson fans have with his fanon characterization overall:

The fact that it just doesn’t make sense.

In Jason-centric fics that are after his resurrection, how often is Jason utterly convinced that Dick can’t even wipe his ass without Bruce’s approval? And yet in Jason-centric fics that are before his death, how often is Jason thinking about how Dick and Bruce are constantly fighting and Bruce can’t seem to do anything without Dick objecting? Reconcile these two things. They make no sense.

Same thing with fics that talk about Dick being the emotional glue of the family, the one keeping a cool head to calm down everyone else when they’re all taking shots at each other.....until randomly he just pops off without warning because he’s just that hot-tempered. These things mesh, how?

Same thing with Dick being frequently referenced as idealized by the hero community......but every time he interacts with someone like Roy or Kori or other Titans he can’t seem to avoid pissing them off and creating epic grudges. Make it make sense.

Or how Dick disliked or didn’t care about Jason to the extent that he only references him as a cautionary tale because of one line in canon......but the whole damn story where he kills the Joker because of Jason doesn’t count.

Or how its not okay to blame Dick for his own rapes but both of his major breakups which are intrinsically linked to the actions of his rapists like....were clearly and objectively all his fault somehow.

Dick Grayson fans aren’t on board with most of fanon because you can’t sell people on a constantly conflicting characterization that makes no sense and has no internal consistency.....you can only cater to people who don’t NEED to be sold on that because they’ve already decided they’re down with hating a character or largely ignoring him.

And I think people have gotten so used to not thinking twice about contradictory takes on Dick Grayson that they unintentionally undermine their own fics by contradicting themselves without even realizing it.

Like its ridiculously common to come across fics that reference Dick being beloved and charming everyone at the society galas they all have to go to.....but these fics take pot shots at Dick’s name, fashion, mannerisms etc all throughout it just because the author likes it or fans expect it or whatever reason.

But actually THINK about it:

Think how snobby the socialites at these galas are characterized as being any time its Jason their noses are turned down at.....and then look at like.....the constant jokes you as the author make YOURSELF at Dick’s very name, fashion and circus origins......how on Earth does it make ANY sense that these same people aren’t doing the same damn thing about Dick? That they’re actually any more fond of him than they are Jason, if no matter how charming he might be in the moment, the second he turns around its just as easy and likely for them to make a joke about his circus background or name as it is for writers and readers? If you can’t resist doing it, you really think snobby one percenters would bother in-universe?

Hell, they’d be more likely to hate him BECAUSE of his name, his fashion, etc.....because think of how often people not so subtly infer that he’s making a bad choice when he refuses to go by a different name, or dress more accordingly to normal fashions, etc.....

Dick has a million ways he could more easily fit in with the society he was brought into and ease his passage through it, but he puts his foot down at practically every opportunity. The idea that everybody is just dazzled by him at these galas makes no sense because the most consistent character choice made by Dick throughout the decades is that he refuses to CONFORM to others’ expectations of what he should be like.

EVERY SINGLE CHOICE he makes from his name to his wardrobe to his costumes to his education to his city to his living arrangements and on and on is in complete and utter DEFIANCE of what people expect of the eldest son or ward of Bruce Wayne, Prince of Gotham, and that’s by Dick’s conscious and consistent choice. He knows damn well how to be more what people want or expect of him, and that’s not what he wants so he says mmmm but also how bout no.

Dick constantly embodies the idea that you can take the boy out of the circus but you can not and will not take the circus out of the boy no matter what environment you place him in or who you surround him with. He will not allow it. He will not play along.

In what universe is that going to endear him to the very people who would most likely view his choice to prioritize the very things they look down upon as something he consciously PREFERS over their projected expectations or assumptions?

Its not.

Personally, I think Gotham high society despises Dick Grayson no matter what they pretend to his face, and he’s perfectly aware of it. And probably gets some kind of trollish glee out of it because fuck them too, anyway.

(And all of that is WITHOUT even taking into account the fact that a good number of the people at these society galas all along were looking at Dick as their future property, given that they were Owl members who knew all along what they intended for their Gray Son. These people simply do not view and treat Dick as an equal. Its impossible. There’s no way).

Or then back to the idea of Bruce and Dick’s fights in his later teenage years being a two way street....

The core problem at the root of all this is the very idea of a two way street implies a certain give and take. A clashing of equals.

And that’s just not the reality in ANY continuity.

Because the question is, in any given fight between Dick and Bruce in ANY canon....

When does Dick ever WIN these fights?

When does Dick get the outcome he wants OVER what Bruce wants? When does Bruce ever cave? When is it NOT Dick leaving the manor without getting what he came for, or even being kicked out? When has Dick ever been able to say no, I’m NOT fired, or no, I’m NOT giving you control over what happens with Robin. Even when he DOES confront Bruce on these matters, Bruce STILL infamously never caves. He never actually apologizes or admits wrongdoing, he still usually tells Dick to leave. Like I said, basically the only time Dick’s ever got the upper hand in an argument was over the college thing and that time it wasn’t even a fight! Bruce didn’t actually care that much! That was the good timeline! LOL.

But there’s never actually a reversal. There’s no real precedent for Bruce caving to a teenage Dick Grayson and saying hey you know what, you’re right here, I’m overstepping or I’m in the wrong or I’m the one who doesn’t know what he’s talking about because our divergent life experiences here have mine as less relevant to the issue in question than yours do?

It doesn’t happen.

And here’s the problem with that:

Dick’s a literal genius. Every member of the Batfam is. Its how they’re able to do what they do. They’re ALL smart as fuck, capable as fuck. Put any of them in any other situation where they’re the only Bat present, and everyone usually defaults to them. They know what to do, they know what call to make, their approach is borne out by the narrative as being the correct approach. Their intelligence and strategy is validated by the narrative, with Dick being no exception here. In fact he’s particularly NOTED within canon narratives for being the guy everyone in the DC universe trusts to lead them.

Now.....imagine being this guy, who while although still a teenager, is in his late teens, and has YEARS of leading his own team under his belt. Years of being responsible for the lives of teammates and civilians. Years of becoming aware of and comfortable with his own natural brilliance. Years of becoming confident in being capable of making the right call when the situation demands it. Years of learning to TRUST in his ability to make the right call, to know the right approach, because not only are people relying on him to make those calls, he needs to be able to trust he can make them in order to have the confidence to follow through and DO so instead of being frozen with indecision or trying to pass the decision off to someone else, which he NEVER does?

With all that....and even with all due respect to Bruce’s own genius and experience....

What are the chances that in all the times that Bruce and Dick clash in his late teenage years....

Dick is NEVER right?

And yet.....when in any of these conflicts.....is he ever validated in that, versus shut down by Bruce who insists his way is still right?

Imagine being an acknowledged genius with years of experience and responsibility under your belt, but NEVER getting to be right in any arguments with your father, even when just based off pure freaking statistics, its frankly impossible for you to be 100% wrong EVERY SINGLE TIME?

Do you see where the two way street thing starts to fall apart? How can it truly be a two way street if part of the reason the two of them so often end UP aggressively opposed to each other during this time period.....is because of how many times previous encounters have only ended ONE way no matter WHAT?

It makes sense for Dick and Bruce not to clash as much during their younger years, because even the most stubborn kids do understand on a fundamental level that they have things to learn from more experienced adults. And Dick has never been someone mindlessly predisposed towards conflict. He didn’t become an exceptional acrobat by the age of eight by butting heads with his parents every time they tried to teach him, he couldn’t have. He KNOWS how to listen, he KNOWS how to acknowledge when someone else is right.

But as he grows older, when he has more and more experience under his belt, more and more confidence in his own insights in large parts thanks to Bruce’s own efforts in buttressing his confidence in his younger years.....what happens when the balance of who is right and who is wrong in their arguments NEVER EVER starts to shift in his direction even a little bit, no matter HOW much more experienced he seems to get....and what happens when communicating this problem, this imbalance, to the person that really matters here, Bruce himself....still inherently requires Bruce accepting blame and acknowledging even just in THIS case, the idea that he’s not always right at this point and Dick has insights that can challenge his?

Of course there’s going to be more and more conflict....but can you truly argue that its a two way street, even just based off THIS? Is the teenage son truly to blame for being frustrated that he’s not allowed to ever be right, because the thing getting in his way is his father never ever being willing to back down or cave or not have the last word?

This is the sort of inherent contradiction I think lies at the heart of a lot of conflicting viewpoints here. It doesn’t matter how much lip service is being paid to the idea that Dick is intelligent, that Dick is respected, if all your content continually bears out the idea that actually no he’s not, because Bruce is always right, Dick never is in the right in arguments or conflicts.

The latter evidence just is not aligning with the former claims, and thus readers are innately forced to make a choice as to which to believe.....and more likely than not, they’re going to err on the side of substantiating whichever stance actually has more narrative support behind it, in any particular story.

See what I’m saying?

You need to make sure your story is ACTUALLY saying what you think you’re saying or you intended to say....or you end up undermining your own intentions.

Anyway. Just throwing that out there.

104 notes · View notes

justcourttee · 4 years ago

Note

could you do another fic where mari has too many overprotective relatives (batfam, jason in particular, adrien, luka, kagami, chloe, jagged, bruce, penny, clara, tony stark and the avengers maybe lol) and all the boys who want to date her are scared away by them until she starts seeing damian or someone else i love your writing and thanks! ♡♡

I loved this prompt immediately and I really hope I did it justice! Hope you like it!

The Never-Ending Cycle of First Dates

“No! Wait! He’s just kidding!” Marinette ran out of the building trying to grab the boy's hand before he could escape, but she was too late. Her hand slapped her forehead in defeat as yet another man hurried off before they could even order drinks. Turning her attention to where her target stood, she couldn’t help the bubbling anger directed at his smirk.

“Why must you ruin every date? It’s like you guys have a pool of names and you just reach in and see who's in luck to scare off the next guy that tries to date me!” She threw her hands into the air, only earning a chuckle.

“C’mon Princess, if the man can’t handle a little threat then how is he gonna stick around for the long term? Hmm?”

Marinette wanted to argue, but she knew it was pointless. Jason and the others were firm in their beliefs; Marinette must be protected from heartbreak at all costs. She tried arguing with them that if she never got hurt in the first place then she could never learn, but alas, her words seemed to fall on deaf ears.

“How did you even find us?”

Jason’s smirk widened which only fueled her rage.

“What? You thought meeting at the restaurant would actually change anything? I can find you anywhere and everywhere. Plus Adrien totally snitched.”

Marinette made a mental note to lay into Adrien later after she found the poor kid that Jason scared of.

“One day I’m going to find someone who isn’t scared by you lot and he’s gonna make it through the first date.”

She turned her back on Jason’s boisterous laughter. She was determined to prove her point. After all, there had to be one man in Gotham City that wasn’t afraid of her, right? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The rest of her week had gone as smoothly as Monday had to say the least.

Tuesday’s date was crashed by Kagami’s foil. One look at her slicing the bread and he didn’t even make it to the table.

Wednesday’s date was a double date with Luka and Chloe. Marinette begged Tikki to lend her a little luck, but the small God would do no such thing. At least this guy made it past drinks. Marinette almost cheered until Luka donned his infamous stare. She watched as her date squirmed uncomfortably before excusing himself for the bathroom, never returning.

Thursday’s date ended with the man strung up by his ankles, none other than Nightwing and Red Robin dropping in to apologize, claiming they thought he was trying to mug her.

By Friday, she was ready to cancel her date before it even began.

“Adrien, you guys are making it impossible to even think about dating.” She collapsed on the couch, letting out a small whine.

“I think that’s kind of the point Mari, besides, you’re a working woman now, shouldn’t you be focusing on your career-”

Adrien paused as his eyes narrowed in on Marinette’s hand mocking his lecture. Her hand paused as she noticed his now silent voice. Meeting his eyes, she simply shrugged.

“You sound like my mom. She’s worried that I’m too worried about dating but guess what? I kind of missed out on that experience in high school pining after a guy who wasn’t even interested!”

They both chuckled as they remembered the awkward dance they both did from the time they were 13.

“So what are you going to do about the date tonight?”

Marinette shrugged once more as she pulled at a piece of her hair, twirling it around her finger.

“Who is on date duty tonight?”

“First of all, it’s not called date duty,” he waved off the pointed look Marinette gave him before continuing, “and it was supposed to be Jagged and Penny but in case they fail, Tony is on backup duty and Jason is on backup, backup duty.”

“Not date duty my ass.”

Marinette sighed longingly as she pulled herself into a sitting position.

“I’m giving this one more chance before I swear off dating forever.”

Adrien chuckled before offering his hand to pull her into a standing position.

“Well, guess you better prepare to look good. After all, they always say if you’re gonna go out, at least do it in style.”

Marinette rolled her eyes as she pushed Adrien to the couch, ignoring his protests. If this was going to be her last date, then maybe he had a point of going out in style.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Marinette pulled at her dress nervously as a black limo approached her outside of her apartment. She had checked the perimeter once as Marinette and once more as Ladybug; there was no sign of Jagged or Penny. Somehow though, that didn’t calm her nerves.

As the limo pulled to a stop, a man stepped out of the back seat causing her breath to hitch in her throat. As if him being drop-dead gorgeous wasn’t enough, her worst fears stepped out from behind him, wide grins on their faces.

“Oi, there she is Penny! Marinette, we tried calling you but you sent us straight to voicemail, that wasn’t very rock n’ roll of you. Luckily, this nice man right here was there to give us a ride, right Penny?”

Penny nodded sweetly as if the two of them were innocent victims of Marinette’s forgetfulness. She wanted to turn right back into her apartment and never leave again, but a small hand grasped hers, pulling it up to their lips, as soft and gentle as his movements.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I have heard many stories of you from my brothers and father. You seem to have impressed many powerful people such as the two strays I picked up off the streets earlier.”

His smile was playful as it coaxed a small laugh from her. It helped even more to see Jagged panicking in the background at the sight of the small gesture. This man, no, his name was Damian. Damian had already broken through the first wall without even knowing it. Marinette let herself feel a spark of hope at the thought of finally making it through a first date.

“Anywho, now that we have arrived, I must apologize for leaving you two here, how does the saying go? ‘High and dry?’ but I do have a date to continue.” He nodded to Penny and Jagged leaving them both with their jaws almost touching the ground.

If she had a moment, Marinette might’ve taken a photo, but she instead quickly grabbed Damian’s arm, shutting the limo door before either could protest. She didn’t bother to release the breath she had been holding until the apartments were gone from the rearview mirror.

“I am so sorry about them, they-” she tried to let the apology spill out of her mouth but Damian simply shook his head, that same playful smile monopolizing his face.

“I am fully aware of the so-called ‘date duty’ your friends have. After all, my brother is in charge of the scheduling.”

It was Marinette’s turn for her jaw to drop. This was Jason’s brother? The literal spawn of satan as Jason had put it. There was no way. He was so nice, and such a gentleman, there was no way they could be the same person.

“How come nobody ever told me you were in town? Last time Jason introduced me to the family, he made sure to wait for when you left on a business trip. I’ve only ever been invited over when you’re not there!”

Damian chuckled as if this was a normal occurrence.

“They knew I had a crush on you ever since I watched your alter ego take down an akuma three times your size. It was only a matter of time until I asked you out, but with Jason observing your every date, he made it quite difficult.”

Marinette felt her face flush as his words washed over her. A man that was actually interested in her and was willing to take on the trouble a date with her could mean? She lightly pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

“You know it’s only going to get worse from here right? Like, Jagged and Penny were only the first round worse.”

Damian leaned in, placing his hand overtop hers, that smile of his killing her slowly.

“Can I tell you a secret?”

Marinette nodded as she leaned closer, nearly closing the gap between them, her heart racing from the distance.

“I borrowed his rotation schedule and have prepared for every incident that could occur tonight.”

Marinette couldn’t help the words that slipped out of her mouth.

“I think I might love you.” Immediately she slapped her hand over her mouth letting out a string of apologies as she scooched away from the red-faced man. He cleared his throat, trying to overcome his shock as his smile pulled into a small smirk.

“Don’t apologize, just tell me again if you feel the same after we’ve finished the date.”

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Somehow, they managed to make it through dinner without a single hiccup. It was suspicious, but she was having too good of a time to care. She fell in love immediately with his animals as he showed off his many photos, commenting on whichever one seemed to make her melt the most.

They talked about where they had gone to college, where they were working now and what they were hoping for their futures. Marinette felt her heart swell with excitement for how compatible they were, it almost made tonight ending that much more painful.

As they stepped out of the restaurant, Marinette heard a familiar voice that made her blood run cold.

“Do you know who I am? I could buy this whole place and then you’d have to let me in! I’m the damn Ironman, doesn’t that count for something?”

The poor hostess was shaking her head, trying to apologize to the other guests for the wait he was causing. Marinette let out a defeated sigh as she took a step forward to intervene, but Damian’s hand intertwined with hers pulling her in the opposite direction.

“There aren’t too many places in Gotham City that Tony Stark isn’t banned from. However, you can thank my father for that. He agreed for me to host my dinner at his restaurant to nullify backup number 2, Tony Stark.”

Marinette almost wanted to laugh at the irony of a billionaire being banned from a small Italian restaurant in Gotham.

“There’s not much that Uncle Tony can’t fix by throwing money at it, but I suppose that’s pointless when it’s another billionaire causing the said problem.”

Damian sent her a wink that warmed her to her core. They decided to ditch the limo in favor of walking home, spending more time with each other coincidentally. Marinette felt her mind racing like she was in middle school once again planning her imaginary wedding and their future hamster.

He was everything she had hoped to find in a man and so much more. She honestly regretted not meeting him sooner, it would’ve saved her so much trouble over the years.

She opened her mouth, only to close it immediately as her eyes narrowed in on a figure leaning against her apartment building.

“Jason, what are you doing here? There’s no date to ruin now and I finally found a guy who can’t be scared off by your stupid date duty.”

She crossed her arms in defiance but Jason paid her no mind.

“Damian, I didn’t know you were home so soon. I would’ve locked you up in the Batcave to make sure this would’ve never happened.”

Damian scoffed beside her as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

“As if you could.”

The two men were locked in a staredown, leaving Marinette to wilt in the tension that had formed. She moved towards her apartment, only to be stopped by Damian’s hand for the third time tonight.

Turning her back to Jason, she watched as he brought her hand to his lips, his kiss still as gentle and soft as the first when he had given her hours earlier. She ignored Jason’s protest as she pulled his hand forward placing a quick peck on his lips.

The man’s face matched her own in shades of red.

“Does this mean you would be interested in a second date?”

Marinette nodded furiously before waving him goodnight, darting past Jason’s brooding figure.

“This is not the end of it Marinette!”

Jason’s threats felt empty compared to the excitement racing in her heart. She had finally broken the cycle of never-ending first dates and boy, did it feel good.

Permanent Tag List:

@damianette-is-life @ash-amg @rebecarojas07 @heaven428 @long-lost-peace @thequeenofpotatoeunicornss @moongoddesskiana @nach0ava @iamablinkmarvelarmy

#daminette #maribat #miraculous ladybug

1K notes · View notes

andromedia5 · 3 years ago

Note

Hi!!!! I saw your headcanons and fics about dickkory and I fell so in love with them!!! I think you are my favorite batfam tumble account! I was wondering, if you aren’t too busy, would you mind a fic about Kory’s pregnancy journey with the Batfam (including all the bat kids). I can see kory insisting that she should join on fighting crime still, but everyone just loves her too much and wants to protect her (lol, even the villains commit less crimes when Starfire’s in Gotham because they also love her).

THIS TOOK SUCH AN ABSURD AMOUNT OF TIME AND IM SO SO SO SO SORRY, DEPRESSION SUCKS AND SO DOES SCHOOL. I got through the school year you sent this to me in (barely) and I've already started softmore year (everyone tells me it's worse lol) but I just wanted to let you know how genuinely happy you made me, you're so sweet!!

Baby Names

There were certain advantages to Tamaranian pregnancies. One of which was that she could still perform most of her everyday activities without endangering the safety of her baby. Patrolling from the air, at a distance and calling for backup rather than engaging high level threats were the only necessary adjustments to her duties as Starfire. A fact she had thoroughly explained to her husband and his family to minimal avail.

Bruce had always approached her with a level of fatherly concern suited for someone substantially less formidable that was rarely shared by the rest of the League. Especially during her first few months on Earth, it had been he who had stuck his neck out for her when The Lanterns had advised against offering her refuge. As she had learned later, the ever fearsome Batman was also painfully (and endearingly) awkward. Bruce would never have announced his presence but as Kory flew over Gotham’s financial district she could hear the firing of grappling hooks which would otherwise be muffled and the swooping sound of his cape landing on the gravel covered roof below her. Flying had only just begun to require more effort and her sore muscles rejoiced as she too, landed on the roof of Wayne Enterprises. The city was spread out like a map from this height, the harbor, the Narrows, the grids of streets lit up and the dimmed alleys, all so small from this perspective. So hopeful. She was always surprised by how much she loved Gotham. Dick, Jason and Barbara’s affection for the city came from a sense of responsibility, some sparse good memories and the people they loved. But she had always found herself drawn to the microcosm of unapologetic, unfiltered humanity that Gotham was. She didn’t know what drove Bruce’s devotion, beyond his parents (and it had to be more than that). Maybe that was what he himself was trying to figure out as he stood, overlooking it all.

“Bruce,”

He turned at the sound, tension visible in his shoulders. “Names.”

She raised an eyebrow in challenge. “Patrol routes.”

“I finished early,” he said almost sheepishly. “I think I’m still used to covering the city with just Batgirl and Robin. Do you mind the company?”

‘Liar’ she thought fondly. “Not at all.”

His mask creased around the eyes as he took off in a swoop of black and she wondered if she had managed a smile out of the Dark Knight. They flew towards downtown Gotham for a while before he broke the companable silence, landing on the rooftop of an old warehouse.

“Are you sure it’s alright for you to be flying?”

“X’hal!”she complained, annoyance escalated by the steadily growing ache in the muscles of her legs. “Do you truly believe swinging from building to building with a grappling hook would be any safer?”

Bruce was strangely more expressive in the mask then he ever was without it and he looked completely scandalized at the very suggestion. “I just meant . . . we could walk?” he offered meekly. Kory couldn’t help it, she burst out laughing. The idea of Batman walking at normal pace along the streets of Gotham with a semi-pregnant alien warrior was simply too comical to keep a straight face. “Fine, the car then.”

“I’m faster than the Batmobile.”

He only grunted in response, which meant he knew and some childish part of him resented it. Kory floated higher to read the clocktower, confirming her suspicion that it was almost three am. They should probably start to head back. “If you wish to test my theory we could race back to the manor.”

“I’m not racing you.”

“Because I’m pregnant or because you know you’ll lose?”

“I’m not going to dignify that with a response.”

“That means it’s the latter.”

His silence made her turn to find the roof vacant as though he had never been there. Kory rolled her eyes resignedly. She really hated when he did that. The cause for his disappearance was soon explained by a loud, profane exclamation of pain and two men running down the street and down an alley. She descended in front of the fence they were attempting to scale, revealing only a little in the look of fear in their faces. Fearful or not they still attempted to fight. They always did. Kory knocked the first one out with a swift kick to the gut that sent him flying into the wall. The protrusion of her stomach had protested a little as her thigh swung up so she settled for firing a series of starbolts at the other criminal. Attempted robbery, she guessed based on the grocery bags of cash and the bodega nearby. The man ducked quickly behind a dumpster for cover before pushing it towards her with as much force as he could muster. She stopped it easily but it gave him the split second necessary to point his gun directly at her heart. Kory barely had time to process the threat before he was knocked to the ground. Standing over the man was the Red Hood and she could practically see the look of disgust through his mask as he looked down at the robber clutching at the part of his head where he had been struck with the butt of Jason’s gun. The man scrambled for his own weapon and Kory kicked it back out of his reach as Jason lifted him up by the collar and slammed him against the wall, earning another howl of pain. Bruce rounded the corner, slowed down only slightly by the two more men slung over his shoulders.

“Your boss know you’re attacking pregnant women just to get away with some petty cash?” Jason’s voice was lower, more robotic through the mask and still sounded unfamiliar to her ears when he spoke. It always (though she would never tell him) reminded her of the way Bruce’s voice shifted under the cowl. The similarities between father and son. “Or,” he continued as though politely interested. “Is there something else you were trying to get to?” The man snarled and spit onto the nose of his mask. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” There was a sharp rap of the man’s skull against the brick and he crumpled, unconscious.

“Was that really necessary?” Bruce growled as Jason pressed a carefully concealed button on the red metal of his hood allowing him to take it off. He eyed the two other men Bruce had cuffed and propped up against the wall, smirking as he shook his slightly sweaty hair out in the cool night air. “I don’t think yours are all that much better off then mine, Pops”

“I meant telling him that Kory’s pregnant.”

“It is only one man,” Kory said, leaning against the wall and shaking her head at Jason’s look of concern. “I don’t think it is any cause for worry.” He offered her an arm nevertheless, which she took, more to appease the disquiet on his face than the ache in her body. “They’re coming with me anyway,” he said, with a finality that raised a furrow in Bruce’s brow.

“How exactly does this fall into your jurisdiction?”

“That place is a front for one of Maroni’s rackets, that’s why they were trying to break in.”

“Are these your men?” he growled.

“The hell they are. My guys know not to attack her for the next few months, no matter what hits the fan.”

“Jason-” she began, patience wearing thin. The use of his real name was met with a grimace from Bruce that Kory and Jason returned with matching glares. “Did you tell the members of the Outlaws I’m pregnant?”

Bruce groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger as Jason’s cheeks darkened. “You said I could tell Artemis and Bizzaro!”

“There’s a difference between them and the entirety of your syndicate.”

“It’s kinda getting obvious you are, what does it matter?”

“You’re making her a target by telling the members of your crime family that she’s more vulnerable.” Bruce explained, making Kory raise an eyebrow.

“‘More vulnerable’?”

“Poor choice of words.”

“It’s not a crime family, it’s an organization. If anybody's a crime family it’s us.”

“How are we a crime family?”

“Just cause Gordon’s got his lips to B’s ass doesn’t make any of this batshit legal, Kor.”

Perhaps summoned by mention of her father, the coms crackled as Oracle spoke. “Are you guys planning on bringing them in?”

Bruce raised a hand to his ear to turn on the intercom within his mask. “Taking them to One Police Plaza now.”

Jason leaned forward to his father’s ear.“Hey Barb.”

“Names!” he insisted for what had to be the hundredth time that night.

“Jesus Christ, Kory and Clark don’t wear masks and Dickface got us found out by some eight year old nerd with a camera, how are code names helping us?”

Babs’ voice was distorted by her software but her mocking tone was unmissable. “They don’t, it just makes him feel cool.”

“Barbara . . .”

This was the real reason she had refused to let Dick leave Gotham. Her family was as complicated but from what little she could remember of them (before they had sold her as an addendum to a failed treaty) they had been cool, too caught up in royal duties to ever be a family in more than title only. That was the difference, that was how they all managed to survive Gotham. Their family created a warmth that could penetrate even the city's coldest January nights. Through love, and concern and yes; liberal amounts of teasing. Kory felt a smile rise to her face despite how tired she was. “Names.”

part two

42 notes · View notes