#their teenage sidekicks though? they get it

[galaxymagitech]

You can’t tell me that Roy Harper, who has spent way more time than he wants to around Oliver Queen (and is angry with his mentor at various points in time), has not tried to create a sidekick (or protégé, if it sounds more palatable to him at the moment) union at least once.

I’m not talking a team. No. Like, a full, proper, federated union. With a bargaining committee and a contract and everything. They debate how to ethically go on strike, maintaining their lifesaving heroics while being as inconvenient as possible. (No post-patrol reports today, Batman—Robin is part of the Gotham branch of the Super Youth Union! Aqualad will not filling out Atlantian paperwork for the foreseeable future! Teen Titan PSAs have been temporarily put on hold!) There is at least one protest. The public is won over to the sidekicks’ side.

Green Lantern makes the mistake of stating on television that this is ridiculous, because the sidekicks aren’t even paid employees. And the reporters are like, what do you mean you aren’t paying minimum wage? The emergency press conference is a disaster. Afterwards, Flash suggests they say it’s okay because the sidekicks are working for a family business. Batman vetoes this, on account of protecting secret identities, even though everyone assumes he’s Robin’s father anyway.

Eventually, there is a contract. The sidekicks/protégés/whatever receive stipends, even though most of their mentors were giving them allowances anyway. They also get the right to have a union representative present during disputes with “management”, which Kori and Donna use to intimidate Batman and Roy uses to tell Ollie that they can’t talk because “there isn’t a union rep present, I know my rights!” (Yes I’m aware this isn’t quite how unions work, but it’s how this one, established by a bunch of teenagers, does.) The adults do manage to sneak in a clause about unsafe working conditions and limits on working hours, ostensibly for the benefit of the union, designed to prevent their sidekicks from jumping straight into danger or staying up for 72 hours straight. The sidekicks pretty much ignore this, though, because Roy caught it and made sure that this clause was only important if the union chose to enforce it.

(If Ollie wasn’t so proud, he’d be annoyed. Or if he wasn’t so annoyed, he’d be proud. Take your pick.)

[suzukiblu]

WIP excerpt for RaineyDay behind the cut; "Smallville does not approve of Clark Kent’s parenting style". (( chrono || non-chrono ))

Unfortunately, this particular drive he’s apparently going to be spending trying to figure out what the hell Conner did to set off Cathy Mueller bad enough to take it out on him, because sure as hell the kid isn’t going to just tell him, and also because he doesn’t want that coming back on Ma and Pa. If Cathy’s this mad at him when he hasn’t even been in town for a good two months or so, he can’t even imagine how she would’ve reacted to them showing up at the store, given they’re the ones Conner actually lives with. 

It’s–difficult to figure out, unfortunately. Especially because he swears Conner talks to him less and less these days even though if anything Clark actually sees him more. The kid’s still upset over being “stuck” in Smallville or the Titans situation, he supposes, which . . . well, he’s a teenager. Clark hadn’t wanted to interfere in his life like that, but . . . well, it’d been necessary at the time. But if Conner’s acting up about it or taking his frustrations out at school . . . 

Clark doesn’t even know what he’s supposed to do about that, actually. Talk to him about it, he supposes, but that always feels so damn awkward. Conner never really seems to respond well to it or really understand the point he’s making anyway. Especially lately, because every time Clark’s tried to talk to Conner about problem behavior since he moved out here, the kid either sits there like a sullen brick wall or gets his back up and starts snapping at him. It’s just not . . . productive, really. 

Clark doesn’t remember being like that as a kid, when a teacher or coach or just any adult in his life had told him that he was doing something wrong. He’d gotten upset at adults who’d had unreasonable or unfair expectations or just hadn’t known what they were talking about, yes, or ones who’d refused to listen to his side of things, but not ones who’d just been offering basic life advice or correcting a misstep. He’d definitely never made trouble for Ma and Pa because he’d decided to act out around town, cheerleaders or not. And definitely hadn’t done any deliberate property destruction, since obviously that’s still on the table too. 

He just doesn’t understand the kid, sometimes. Or–most of the time, really. He genuinely cannot think of a single kid who’s ever been in his life that was so hard to just talk to, across literally every single age range. Jimmy was only a couple of years older than Conner when he first met him; Dick was half his age. Jason–well, he didn’t know Jason as well, but he was younger than Conner too and the poor kid got himself killed while acting out less than Conner tends to. Tim’s polite to a fault, and Damian . . . well, Damian’s a bit difficult, but you just have to be sure to approach things from his perspective. There’s never been a sidekick or a Titan or any teenage hero in the community that was any worse than a civilian teenager just trying to figure themselves out, but talking to Conner is just . . . 

He just doesn’t understand why Conner always makes it so damn hard to just talk to him. The kid’s more stubborn and less willing to listen and more unpredictable than some supervillains Clark’s known, or at least it feels that way. Even after a good two or three years of knowing each other, Clark never really knows what’s going to set him off, it’s–actually, it’s closer to four years now, isn’t it. 

Well . . . Conner was about fifteen or sixteen when he’d met him in Metropolis; he’d spent a while in Hawaii and the Wild Lands, and then a while with Cadmus, and then a few months back in Metropolis where he’d managed to get the entire apartment building he was living in destroyed, so . . . closer to four, yes. And at least a year of that he wasn’t actually aging for, and essentially none of it he’d spent in school, so when Clark had been getting papers set up for the kid he’d just written him down as “seventeen” and made up some excuse about his previous guardians home-schooling him. The school had given him a few assessment tests and placed him as a junior–which honestly had been better than Clark would’ve expected considering Conner’s patchwork education–and Clark had left all the necessary forged paperwork with Ma and Pa and assumed Conner would know better than to make trouble for them.

Given the amount of times the kid’s played hooky already, probably he should’ve expected a situation like whatever’s got Cathy Mueller in a twist to come up by now, Clark has to admit. 

The drive, in the end, is not particularly good for clearing his head. 

[bluerosefox]

No Longer In Service

Okay

Okay

hear me out

Ghost King Danny Summoning!

The heroes fail to stop it, everyone is panicking, they feel like they’ve truly failed to stop it. etc etc

EVERYONE is ready to fight for their final life.

They’re as ready as they can be to go against something so evil JLD are scared of it.

SO when the dome that was sealing them away from the summoner finally shatters they are expecting some huge eldritch being, something made of pure nightmares... Only...

Only to find an old tape recorder in the middle of the summoning circle...

Everything is dead silent. No one moves...

Then it clicks on and makes a loud noise.

The noise?

It was the no longer in service beep.

“We’re, not, sorry.” a teenage voice began after the beep ended, startling everyone as they weren’t expecting this at all “But the Ghost King you are trying to reach is no longer in service or rather King anymore. Thus any big evil world ending plans you have made will not be approved during my reign. Please, get a life and try to actually live it because I will not be ending anyone's or mass genocide anything... Also to the really insane Fruitloop that tried summoning a being with the warning of "will cause the end of your world". I am the Ghost King now, eventually everything and everyone will enter my domain regardless of who, when, how, or why. That is something I can wait for, I got no reason to speed it up.... So have a pleasant day and enjoy being arrested or ended for doing this dumb summoning if you decided to do this in front of like everyone in your world or something... Goodbye!”

The world went silent after that.

That...

None of them were expecting that at all.

[dickheadcanons]

This is just a little thing, but I just can't get behind characterizations of Jason that talk about him thinking that "Robin makes me magic" was proof that he was like, this sweet little kid.

For one thing, the Jason Todd who says that is pre-crisis. The Jason Todd who says that was being written as Dick, just a little more reckless and inexperienced. For another, Jason said that for exactly the same reason all Robins say shit; to justify disobeying Bruce lol.

The line isn't the cute wish-fulfillment of a poor kid from the Narrows. It's evidence of a circus acrobat's belief in his own invincibility, offered as proof that he is tougher than Bruce thinks he is.

The pages in question, from Batman #385:

[cologona]

Jason has been through a traumatic experience which has deeply impacted his perspective. Things he wasn't aware of before, he can't help but notice now.

Given that his experience was of death, it's only natural that he should hear the dead.

[kingkatsuki]

Thinking about a random villain attack happening in the city one Friday night when you’re out partying with friends at a local dive bar, and you end up getting caught in the crossfire when a blast knocks a chunk of a wall crashes down around you and traps your leg. Knocking your head when it hits the pavement as you cry out in pain, and people act like they can’t even see you as they flee the scene.

But Bakugou and Kirishima happen to be at another bar across the street, off duty after a long double shift as the carnage happens. Racing outside to assist the other sidekicks and Pro’s that are now on the scene as Bakugou spots you laying trapped beneath the rubble.

And usually he would’ve left you to someone else, another hero or sidekick can race over to check that you’re okay and reassure you that ambulances are on the way— but he sees the look of fear in your eyes and he finds himself racing over to you. Moving the rubble from your leg with ease, but not attempting to move you as he crouches down beside you, lifting your head from the ground as he winces at the wetness that sticks to his palm as he cradles your head so delicately.

“Hey, hey—” He rasps, his voice harsh as he tries to get you to calm down, “You’re gonna be okay, yeah.”

“Please don’t leave me.” Tears tumble down your temples now as the medics circle around you, assessing your injuries before moving you onto a stretcher.

Bakugou’s never heard that request from someone before, he’s never stuck around someone long enough for the medics to arrive and move someone onto a stretcher.

And he can feel the slight grip you keep on his hand as the stretcher begins to roll, his feet following beside it as if on instinct as he walks towards the ambulance with you until you reach the open doors.

But he hesitates — It’s as though all those memories from when he was a teenager come flooding back as he remembers everything that happened to him before.

So he just stands there and watches you get placed into the ambulance, stoic as the sirens cry out and the lights begin to flash.

“Hey man, you okay?” Kirishima claps his shoulder and Bakugou is still standing in place.

“M’fine.” He shrugs his shoulder to move Kirishima’s hand as he watches you drive away.

And he doesn’t sleep that night. Tossing and turning as your terrified face plays in his mind, the soft sound to your voice when you begged him to stay with you. He hates himself for not going.

He knows he should go to the hospital to check if you’re okay, to sit with you like you’d asked him to. But he’s got another shift in less than four hours, and he doesn’t even know your name.

He doesn’t even know if you’re still alive.

But even then he makes no attempt to move as he lays motionless in bed staring at the ceiling, trying to get the image of your terrified eyes peering up at him out of his head.

[mixingandmelting]

Winter Series Day 6: Teenage Crush

Summary: how he's in love with you featuring the original Robin trio

A/N: was i emotional when i wrote this? yes, no thanks to remembering jason was the sweetest and cheerful robin at the height of 4' 6" in-canon

Robin!Dick:

Daredevil, gremlin child, and the nightmare of all of Gotham’s villains was what Robin!Dick was known for. But at the end of the day, he’s just a boy that’s completely gone for you. He can’t and doesn’t let you catch a break as he constantly pokes you from starting the silliest arguments to putting on a show of his routines he used to do back in his family’s circus. Not once does he approach you like a normal person. One day he’d be creeping silently behind you, suddenly asking what you’re doing right into your ear while peering over your shoulder. The next, he would simply stand in front of you and wait for you to notice. He pouts when it seems like it’s taking you too long, though he does appreciate getting the time to engrave your form and the other expressions you make when he’s not annoying you. All of this, he does constantly, almost every other day in fact, because in his mind and heart, you are the best thing to ever enter and be in his life. It amplifies his haughtiness, silliness, goofiness, and sass as he does everything in hopes that he could strike a chance with you. So when he comes back from a long mission and you express any indiction of concern and how you missed him, his smile stretches from ear to ear, his heart fluttering from how you care for him. Of course he would probe to hear more, his desire of wanting to hear your thoughts on him but he still manages to stop himself from overdoing it. During the times when you pull an uno-reverse card on him unexpectedly, he gets extremely flustered and flushed from his “impress to woo the other person over” backfiring big time and instead, he’s falling for you all over again.

Robin!Jason:

Despite his height, he’s considered the cheerful and bright one as he steals the hearts of the Titans after a single mission, and makes Batman of all people laugh. Have you in the room and  he lights the whole place from how much he glows. Before heading to you, he sniffs his uniform to make sure it doesn’t smell like cigarettes. If it has the faintest scent of it, he goes back to the cave to change into a new one, doing so even more after learning how second-hand smoking can cause cancer. At some point he gets fed up with sniffing and changing so many times, he starts going through all the tricks to quit smoking even faster. Time to time, he brings something small, making excuses including the classic “saved an old lady crossing the road” on his way as a rose gets placed into your hands. He’s notably chattier and laughing more around you, enjoying whatever the two of you talk about even if it’s mundane and boring. He can’t help it when your passion, laughter, excitement, and smiles are infectious. His love for you is so pure that he’d be satisfied with simply being by your side, his one wish being that he can bring you as much happiness as you do for him. Time to time when you get a burger combo meal, seemingly to believe that’s his favorite based on the one time he mentioned about his memory with it whether it’s to welcome him back from a long while or randomly he gets fuzzy, warm, and the heart palpitations while he shares the meal with you. You make him feel that his life is complete, that he won the whole world which motivates him to become a better person, a “good guy” as they all say, so he can stay with you even if he ends up not being your end game.

Robin!Tim:

He’s known as the smart one as well as the one that sacrificed his chance of normal for the sake of saving Batman and currently, Gotham. You were never part of his plan as he already envisioned how his life as Batman's sidekick would look like but here he is, completely smitten for you as he figures out ahead how to approach you when he catches you hanging out. Image training, standing in front of the mirror and going through his lines and poses until Alfred caught him doing it once. Now he does it after locking his door, double, triple checking he was going to get his little gig right so he can look cool when he appears in front of you. Take the “yapper and listener” meme. That’s his relationship with you where he’s serenaded by your voice and won’t ever get sick of listening to it. If you were to express anything you need or want, he gets it and leaves it where he was standing or sitting with a small note attached. He’s also guilty of abusing his alternative identities and disguises so he could extend his time with you even outside of being Robin. Not that you would ever know as he has no intentions any time soon to out himself. There’s no other reason for him being this extra other than that you are the one that gives him the comfort and relief he needs. You are his solace that makes his self doubt disappear and everything he has done worth it. So when you do any skin ship including the scandalous hand holding, he’s equivalent to the red on his suit and mute from how conscious he gets from feeling you extremely close to him. Also gets him to forget to breathe but that’s not the issue here.

[pinkiemachine]

Alright @newtonnote ! This one’s for you!

STORYTIME!! (spoilers)

So, starting off, forming this new team was Tim’s idea. The OG Teen Titans had been drifting apart for a while, Cyborg was a member of the Justice League, and it looked as though the whole “Teen Titans” thing was gonna be shelved indefinitely until Tim came along with the idea for the old crew to form Young Justice instead, and he would reboot the TT.

Now, the first TT was not sanctioned. It was a spontaneous thing that happened more or less behind Batman’s back, but this time around, the Justice League had more of a say in the matter. Hence, all the sidekicks.

At the beginning of the NTT run, the only members are: Tim/Robin (founding member), Spoiler (invited herself), Miss Martian (Martian Manhunter volunteered her), Aqualad II (Aquaman volunteered him), and Wonder Girl II (volunteered by Wonder Woman). All the Justice Leaguers think it’ll be a good bonding and training experience for them, because they’re all a bunch of anti-social/socially awkward beans in their own ways. Tim likes the idea of leading the NTT, but soon realises he just might prefer working alone (if you want something done right, do it yourself) but he’s stuck in this situation now, so there’s not much he can do about it! XD Miss Martian is from Mars and she’s still learning all about every day teenagering, and can get very nervous about fitting in and can’t stand when she messes up. Wonder Girl (who I decided will only be called Olympia AFTER her time as Wonder Girl II) is a homeschooled girly (or, she *was* while her mother was an archeologist) but now she’s being forced out of her comfort zone and having to make friends for her stupid mental health, or whatever Wonder Woman said she had to do… meh… It’s not like she doesn’t want friends, it’s just that it’s so much work to make new ones. Then there’s Aqualad. He’s an interesting case, because no one else can seem to really understand him. He’s quiet, painfully practical, and almost emotionless. He doesn’t really do “chit chat” or “making friends.” He’s simply here following orders from Aquaman, and trying to be a “good soldier.” Steph/Spoiler is the only person keeping them all together.

The team’s first mission is in Atlantis, something super small scale that Aquaman picked out for them—almost laughably easy stuff. But while they’re in the underwater city, they happen to get their fortunes told by a fortune-teller lady. She says that someone in their team will betray them. Dun dun dun.

Not very long after that, the NTT get an alert that there’s a meteor headed straight into the ocean nearby! When they go to investigate, turns out it’s not a meteor, but a space ship. Inside, they find Kon El. He’s taken back to the Hall of Justice for questioning and other such scrutiny, but questions abound. (This happens after the Death of Superman, and Kara and Krypto are in outer space taking care some other stuff, which Batman thinks is suspicious timing.) So, without the only other Kryptonians around to verify this new guy’s legitimacy, they have to rely on his word and a DNA test for the time being. Kon-El claims that he was just one of the few lucky survivors after the end of Krypton, and when he heard that Superman was living on earth, he came as quickly as he could. Imagine his surprise when he was told that Superman was dead.

With nowhere else to go, he was allowed to stay with the NTT, as he adjusted to life on Earth. Kon-El decides to take up the secret identity name of Conner, and he decides that, if he should pass the Justice League’s tests and become a beginer superhero (which he does) then he wants to be called the next Superman. But the name doesn’t stick, and everyone winds up calling him Superboy instead, which irks him. All the while, that little prophecy the team had been told is hanging in the air.

Then—BLAM—the NTT’s first major fiasco happens! BLACK MANTA. He’s come for revenge, and to reclaim… Aqualad… his son? Dun dun dun! The backstabbing, just as it was foretold! And surprisingly, Aqualad goes with him! Now, to cut a long story short, here’s the skinny: When Aqualad (Kaldur) was a little toddler, he was present when Aquaman fought his father Black Manta, driving him away from Atlanits for a while, and accidentally killing his mother in the chaos. Aquaman felt so horrible that he decided to take Kaldur in and raise him at the palace. All the while, though, Kaldur seemed to be growing up a little… strange. Because of the shock he went into, witnessing all of that, his brain chose to react by almost shutting down all emotion. He was sleepwalking through life, too young to make sense of what had happened, and by the time he was old enough to understand, it was such a blur that he could barely remember any details. He accepted Aquaman’s hospitality, he entered the royal guard after a certain point, working his way up to becoming Aqualad, but through it all, the only reason he was doing it was because he was told to. He was told to learn to fight, because he was told he had an aptitude for it. He was told he could become Aqualad, so he accepted. And so on. But he never had any agency in those decisions. Life was happening to him. Around him. Never inside him. So when Black Manta came, telling him to leave the NTT and join him instead, Kaldur accepted.

Eventually, after a long and meaningful journey, the NTTs are able to get through to Kaldur, and essentially “wake him up.” For the first in his life, he was going to choose what he wanted to do, and what he wanted to do was protect his friends and his home from Black Manta. Double-double-cross! So Aqualad comes back to the NTT, Black Manta’s defeated, the prophecy (we presume) has come to pass, and Kaldur is actually a little excited to continue his journey with his new friends.

After that… I haven’t decided whose story is next, so we’ll leave that space blank for the moment, but I know whose story comes third! After the grande finale of (whoever, either Wonder Girl or Miss Martian) their story, there’s suddenly a time travel anomaly! A certain someone with big hair comes tumbling out of the time-stream—and it’s BART! aka IMPULSE!

So the next arc is all about Bart. He’s come back in time to warn the Justice League to prevent a horrible future from happening! One where planet Earth was invaded by an alien race called The Reach. Only problem is, not long after arriving, the Reach themselves travel back in time and try to capture Bart! They grab him, and are about to time travel back to the future, when the rest of the NTT grab onto them and stow away, sending them all beyond the Justice League’s help.

The Reach timeline is a grim existence. They invaded sneakily at first, posing as allies, but over time, they revealed their true colours. They were a nomad society, flying in one massive ship around the galaxy after their home planet was destroyed, going from planet to planet gathering resources. When they got to Earth, they discovered more than just water and minerals and crops… they discovered human beings, and their “Meta Gene.” No other known races in the universe possess this seemingly magic gene that grants superpowers, and once the Reach realised its true potential… they couldn’t just leave well enough alone. They schemed and they lied and they manipulated the human race so easily, they fell within a matter of years, and once they were in control, they started the Meta Human black market, where they would study Meta “Specimens” and/or sell them to other unsavoury alien races.

Where was the Justice League? Why didn’t they do anything? Batman was the first to suspect them, long before things turned bad. However, during his investigation, he was discovered by the Reach, and he was silenced. One by one, they found ways to lure, trick, manipulate, or just plain overpower many heroes, such as Superman and Wonder Woman, but they didn’t just kill them. No, no. Their central hubs were known as Mothercities. Entirely technofitted, entirely run by AI, entirely for the purpose of breading and raising and harvesting humans. The AI at the helm was a super advanced AI named Arcturus. The thing that made him so advanced was that he didn’t rely on normal computers for hardware and processing power. The Reach, as a whole, prefer biotech, and so what Arcturus used instead… was the human mind itself. By harvesting even a few dozen human beings, a massively powerful AI could be sustained, and the more minds you add, the bigger, badder, and faster it gets. Arcturus loooooved Batman and Wonder Woman’s minds, so full of processing power and knowledge about the planet, and the Reach were enthralled with studying Superman’s Kryptonian biology, being a member of an endangered species and all. Soon, they had built the Byway, a massive space station in Earth’s orbit, specifically for the black market’s selling and buying, and through it all, the Green Lanterns were nowhere in sight. Leaving Earth to believe they had been abandoned.

Over time, things just kept getting worse and worse. The superheroes kept on fighting, but with every victory came two losses. Then some of the Reach’s AI programs began going rampant. Some went straight up crazy, bombing as many locations as they could, or blasting themselves into space. Others changed allegences, to other countries or to the Resistance, but the most powerful—Arcturus chief among them—remained loyal to the Reach. All in all, it left Earth a tattered mess. To top it all off, Starfire, Princess of Tamaran, died trying to protect Earth, and the Tamaraneans were so livid… well… They called it “Skyfall.” A mixture of starbolts and space debris sent falling down onto the planet’s surface. Many Reach cities were destroyed… but many bases belonging to the Resistance were also hit.

Countless heroes were either harvested or killed during the years this took place over, but the few who remained made Atlantis their final stronghold. Including The Flash’s son, Don Allen, and his son, Bart Allen. Now, sadly, even though Bart was young, he was tasked with being a member of the American Meta Human Army due to the fact that he had a superpower. This would prove to be a terrible mistake, because during Skyfall, where Bart was present trying to evacuate refugees, he slipped up, and was captured by a Reach Harvester. For an entire year, he was plugged in to Arcturus’ mainframe, and boy did Arcturus love having a mind that could think so fast. He loved it so much that when Don Allen and a rescue team came to break Bart out, he swore that he would do everything in his power to get Bart back.

From that time on, Bart was not required to fight. Instead, he stayed with his father and his father’s cousin, Wally West, who were on the verge of a breakthrough. Time Travel, using the Speedforce. If this worked, they could undo everything. Fix Earth. Save their loved ones. Don and Bart were charged with the task of going back in time and warning the Justice League, but only Bart made it through. Don stayed behind to fend off a surprise attack from a group of Harvesters. Bart alone traveled to the past, where he met the New Teen Titans and the Justice League. But of course, after capturing Don Allen, a fellow speedster, the Reach were eventually able to figure out how to use the Speedforce for time travel as well, and used it to go after Bart.

Back to where we left off in the story:

Everyone was sucked into the Reach Timeline, and the NTT found themselves in a Mothercity, completely outmatched. Miss Martian and Aqualad were harvested almost instantly, Robin and Wonder Girl got caught shortly after that, and the only members who were able to escape into the lower levels of the city were Superboy, Spoiler, and Bart, who might have been able to prevent all of that from happening… if he hadn’t been so afraid. Ever since coming out of Arcturus, he’d been different, and mortally terrified of technology—any kind of technology. Now, though, if they were going to rescue their friends and get back to the present, he would need face his greatest fear one more time.

Now, I’ve thought about this story so much, and written so much down, I could go on for another 40 pages, but I’ll spare you each and every minute detail.

Yes, they rescue their friends eventually. They wind up breaking out of the Mothercity and joining the Resistance back in Atlantis. There’s a big final battle against the Reach and Arcturus—they go up into space and discover that the Green Lanterns hadn’t abandoned them, the Reach had simply been holding planet Earth hostage and forming a blockade, severely limiting what the Green Lanterns could and couldn’t do, and keeping them at arm’s length for years, though they were trying everything they could think of to save Earth. But now, things had changed. Sneaking the Green Lanterns onto the planet, the fight was finally fair, and they were about to beat Arcturus once and for all…

But then he pulled out one last dirty trick. He put his AI consciousness into a chip in Don Allen’s mind, effectively controlling him and using him to go back in time to prevent Bart from ever being rescued in the first place. The NTT chased him down through the timestream, but in the end, they realised that there was only one way to stop him. Only one way to stop a speedster. Bart looked away when it happened.

When they finally returned to the present, Bart was with them (their only means of returning to their time) and he was forced to keep living… but he couldn’t bear to remember everything. So he asked for his memories to be wiped. Thus began his new life with the NTT, as a new Bart Allen. (But those memories weren’t completely gone…)

Then begins Superboy’s arc. In the days following their little “time travel adventure,” Conner had been acting strange. He’d been disappearing a lot too. Eventually, it was discovered that Conner was secretly working with Lex Luthor. When the NTT found out, they were shocked. Conner had been a little wild and a little aggressive, but he was their friend. They told jokes, they stayed up late talking, they saved each other’s lives over and over again, and… now that his secret was out, he wanted them to know that he was sorry… but he couldn’t say no to his father. Lex.

Conner had been made in a lab, using spliced DNA from Superman and Lex Luthor. Superman’s powers + Lex Luthor’s brains. After countless failures, finally Conner was born. He was trained and “programmed” (as Lex called it) to covertly get close to the Justice League, learn their weaknesses, and ultimately be the force that brought them down from the inside. Then, Lex would frame it as though the Justice League had gone rogue, and his invention—his synthetic Heroes for Hire—had saved the day. Not only would HIS version of Superman become famous, he’d also get rich. But Conner… he was a lot more human than Lex ever gave him credit for. Ever since being born, all Conner wanted was some kind of affection from his father, but Lex made it very clear that he was not, and would never be, Conner’s father. Lex was Conner’s creator. His manufacturer. Conner was a product. Property. Nothing more. But secretly, Conner still wanted to impress him and please him, so he went along with his mission eagerly.

While he was away, he learned about Superman, his “other father.” He was crushed when he discovered he was dead, because for a moment he had thought that maybe he would be able to find a father figure in him instead… but it was not to be. Instead, he often found himself sitting alone in front of the Superman memorial statue at the Hall of Justice, talking to it for hours. Filling him in on how his life was going… imagining what it would be like to have a real dad… most of all, he told him about his new friends, and how… he didn’t want to betray them, but he didn’t want to betray Luthor more. He was sure that if he completed his mission, he’d get what he was after.

Flash forward, and the NTT were captured for discovering Conner’s secret, and the plan to take down the Justice League was in place, about to begin, and Conner looked to Luthor, hoping to hear some kind of encouragement, only to be reminded that he was just property. He did as he was told by Luthor, or he would be terminated and replaced by anther clone. But the cherry on top was when Luthor presented something to Connor. A Blue Scarab Beetle. The AI powered supersuit parasite that the Reach use to enslave their mightiest warriors. How did Luthor get his hands on this one? Conner had no idea, but the fact that Luthor wanted to use it on Conner… that was what finally convinced him that Luthor really wasn’t ever going to care about him, let alone love him. Now, thankfully the Scarab didn’t activate when presented to Conner, so that idea was a bust, but Luthor still had control over Conner with a kill-switch he could flip at any moment, so Superboy was forced to continue with the plan, fearing that there was nothing he could do. He really was nothing more than property. He was half of Lex Luthor, a villain, and he was about to do the unthinkable to his friends because of it.

That’s when Superman came back. The full story takes place with the Justice League, but there’s a crossover here. Superman comes back, totally scaring the living daylights out of Lex and foiling his plan, and in the end, he convinces Conner to join the light side by promising to protect him from anything Luthor would try to do to him. He was a good person inside, and he had people he cared about, and wanted to protect. Superman just helped bring out that side of him. When all was said and done, Luthor was defeated, and Conner’s kill-switch was destroyed. He was free to actually live. He was so excited to do all the things he thought he’d never be able to do, and to keep his friends! Most of all, he was excited to learn from his “big brother” Superman (though to himself, he still thought of Supes as a father) and he couldn’t wait to start making up for all the bad stuff he did. He didn’t care what he had to do to make things right—he was just happy he had the chance to! And of course, there was his budding relationship with Miss Martian… two awkward little alien beans…

So those are the most fleshed out stories I’ve got, but beyond that, Tim and Steph are a power couple—he’s the dark, she’s the light, he’s the calm, she’s crazy, and they’re amazing together. Wonder Girl II I’m still thoroughly exploring and learning about her character, and Miss Martian goes through a whole identity crisis as she tries to determine who she wants to be, because she’s spent her whole life trying to please other people, and be the girl they wanted her to be. Conner helps her discover herself on her journey.

I hope that wasn’t too much info… sorry if I buried you a little… but trust me…. this is the condensed version. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!

[bitter-hibiscus]

Hear me out, hear me out. The reason why I think the dynamic of Batman and Robin is abusive is not because of the concept of child sidekicks.

Whenever you see other heroes with their respective sidekicks, their dynamics are about mentorship and being a guiding hand, most times about teaching the younger generation how to understand their powers better and how to use them for good. Child sidekicks are most commonly for the benefit of the child, not the adult.

That is not the case with Batman and Robin.

B&R's dynamic is for Bruce's benefit. Robin is the light to Batman's darkness. Robin is the one who saves Batman from himself. Batman needs a Robin. This is widely a result from Tim Drake's introduction as Robin, when Bruce was passively suicidal and causing more harm to people than he should. Tim and Bruce, in a vacuum, are not that much of a problem. It's still kind of messed up that Bruce would depend on a 13-year-old to get his mental health sorted out, but it makes sense in the context it exists in, where Jason had just died and Bruce blamed himself for it while simultaneously being in denial about his pain. The problem is that the idea that Batman can't function without a child to help him with his mental issues stuck.

It means that, between bad writers and good writers and wildly different interpretations of Bruce as a father, Bruce starts being painted as obsessive. He needs Robin to always be happy -- the guiding light -- he needs Robin to always be funny and upbeat but still mature and skilled and ready to die for Their Cause, that wouldn't have been Robin's cause at all if Bruce hadn't introduced the idea of it to them. Needing your child to never express a Bad Emotion or act out of line (like Jason was, for example, in the events leading up to ADITF) or else you're going to make them feel like they're undeserving of their place in your family (I'm not your father, Jason, I don't need teenage rebellion) is, in fact, abuse.

And the worst part is that this dynamic gets retroactively attributed to every Robin!!! Even though it really originated (or, rather, became truly ingrained in the text) with Tim!!! Because we keep getting more and more Robin Dick and Robin Jason stories written post-Robin!Tim and it gives them a dynamic with Bruce that they didn't have before!! Which sucks !!!

[moominsuki]

✎ᝰ BAKUGOU KATSUKI ; — bakugou hates feeling jealous. but you make it worthwhile.

࿄ ! warnings — f!reader. absolutely none. sfw. / note. katsuki is a cutie patootie.

jealous bakugou is something else. he doesn’t think he’s all that possessive of you at all - he doesn’t care if your outfit is skimpy or if you have guy friends. bakugou regards himself as very secure in his relationship with you.

until he hears what guys have to say about you. then he gets a little crazy.

it’s an open day where he’s helping a group of lackies and hero interns with integrating into his agency and it’s pretty innocent at first. kiri and deku are doing most of the heavy lifting with talking with the prospective sidekicks and heroes (katsuki is very content with the extras he has already). he’s already kind of distracted by seeing you this morning - you offered to lift a hand and do some extra work around his agency for today due to the unusual amount of people scoping his place out and why would he pass on an offer to see you around his agency all day?

unfortunately for katsuki, it means that he’s being increasingly more distant than he usually is and the interns can feel the disgusted energy emitting from every fibre in his body. it’s not like he’s trying to hide it though - what a waste to have you come to his workplace and only catch glimpses of your hair and your scent.

“kacch- dynamight? what do you look for in a sidekick who wants to potentially join this agency,” asks izuku, pulling his friend out of his thoughts. katsuki looks at the crowd of young, probably high school kids and they basically cower under his gaze. he recognises a few of them from other, unimportant events he can’t seem to specifically recall. god, he wants to bite back at them but he shrugs in annoyance.

“don’t piss me off and do as you’re told. simple as but it seems like you lot would still f-”, deku quickly interjects katsuki and yells out, “okay! let’s take a quick 10 minute break! just have a look around and we’re free if you have any questions you want to ask!”

ᝰᝰᝰᝰᝰ

“what is with you today, kacchan? you’re more… insolent than usual,” asks izuku slowly, watching the expression on his blond’s face meld into a face of indifference.

“maybe it’s the fact that i don’t care about these idiots who’re just making a goddamn mess of the place. i don’t need more extras to fuck shit up f’me,” bakugou grumbles. kirishima pats his moody friends on the back and goes to speak when-

“well at least the rumours about dynamight are true. that guy is a fucking mood killer,” says some guy standing in the corner of the reception area, who looks to be a sidekick and is accompanied by other unknown up and coming ‘extras’ as Katsuki woukd put it.

“tell me about it. the guys here fucking suck. for once, i’m wishing that we were stuck with the female pros instead. have you seen uravity? she’s sexier in real life,” pipes up some other guy and the rest holler and hoot.

the three pros look at each other, with bakugou looking at kirishima and deku with knowing, smug eyes.

“i’m just going to interrupt their conversation-” says kirishima, attempting to walk over until another lackey pipes up.

“but have you seen y/h/n? what a woman. shame she’s not in her hero suit. what i would do for a woman like that,” grunts some pathetic looking guy. he’s spindly and limp and looks akin to a wet noodle.

it doesn’t stop katsuki from seething though.

kirishima and izuku slowly turn to look at their friend - who’s practically steaming in his hero uniform. all katsuki can see is red and violence - which isn’t really unlike from what he normally sees but it’s different this time. this time it’s about you.

he sees the group of gross, teenage boys point to where you’re standing: you’re leaning over the receptionist desk and just from the behind can katsuki appreciate how beautiful you are. you’re wearing a short black turtleneck dress with orange accents (you told him that you wanted to wear his colours to his agency) and in any other setting would katsuki run his hands over you and compliment and kiss you till you were shying away from him.

bakugou knew that you got unwanted attention, regardless if he was standing by you like a rabid guard dog - you were gorgeous and you knew that. he also knew that you could hold your own against a hoard of horny teenage losers and you would never look twice at them when you had him. still, that logic went out the window when he could see the same group of kids leering and pointing at where your thighs met the bottom of your dress and he wanted to kill them.

kirishima got wind of this just by looking at the blond’s expression, “please don’t blow up the place - they’re just dumb kids! think about how hard we worked for this agency,” pleads kirishima.

“he’s too far gone,” izuku sadly laments as they watch bakugou stride on over to you and ignore both the men’s pleas and bargains. he aggressively pushes past the disgusting collective of eyes and they break apart in shock at his intrusion through them.

you’re, however, too enamoured in your conversation with his assistant and mina- you’re looking at a pinterest board and he wants to bite you for being so cute in front of everyone. it makes him even angrier that those extras would ever think that you would give them more than a side eye and a polite wave.

you feel katsuki before you see him - his uniform-clad arm holds your waist between the desk as he slots himself into your conversation.

“so what’s this about? whatcha talking about?” katsuki asks and mina and his assistant giggle at his intrusion while you roll your eyes and turn yourself sideways to look at him.

“i would tell you but mina and akako might kill me,” you tell your boyfriend, resting a manicured hand on his chest. akako, bakugou’s assistant, laughs and nods her head:

“sorry, dynamight, our conversations are sacred. might i add your timetable tells me that you’re due to take the interns on a practice patrol in less than… 20 minutes?”

katsuki narrows his eyes at this and you chastise akako for poking at him, “leave him alone! i want him here,” before resting a hand on his stubbled jaw and scratching at his face. katsuki’s eyes close at the sensation and he opens them to take a good look at your face. the stupid kids are still a embittering thought in the back of his mind and in any given situation, he would never do this. but sometimes bakugou’s heart goes against his common sense and this was one of those times.

he leans down to slots his lips over yours and presses a gloved hand into the small of your back and you smile into the kiss while a few “awwhs,” emit in the background. bakugou opens an eye slightly to see in his peripheral vision that the gaggle of the limp-faced sidekicks are looking at him in a mixture of shock and fear and embarrassment. he also sees kirishima and izuku grab them up to guide them out of the room.

when you break from the kiss to brush at the hair on the nape of his head, he mumbles, “have i told you how much i love that dress on you?”

you giggle a little and lean up to kiss the corner of his mouth, “a few times. but you can keep telling me if you want. ‘s not like i’ll get tired of hearing it,” you whisper to him and it’s like you’re the only people in the room. he’ll tell you about what spurned this on another day. in the meanwhile, he bask in your attention until he has to go and entertain those useless jerks. it’s not like he’s going to employ any of them.

bakugou would say this is a mission accomplished in his book. yeah, he’s a little jealous and possessive. but with the way you look at him, he finds himself caring less and less about what others have to say about you.

doesn’t mean he won’t try knock them in the side of their head if the time calls for it.

࿄ ! — all rights reserved © moominsuki. please do not copy, translate, repost nor recommend my work outside of tumblr. this is strictly prohibited.

[phoneduk]

I love Reverse Robins Au but I feel like a lot of people interpret it as reverse roles Au rather than how I interpret it Reverse Age au.

Here's how I see it:

Damian:

Is dropped off with Bruce at age 8 - violent assassin child who meets tired goth Bruce who's not quite used to being batman yet and is nowhere near equipped enough to raise a child but he's damned if he's not gonna try his hardest.

It's a bit of a mission at first trying to curb the violent tendencies and raise a whole antisocial person (and wow, he admires Alfred so much more now). He almost quits Batman for a bit until he figures out that making Damian his sidekick might be a good outlet for him.

Duke

Bruce is out on patrol with Damian when he finds a little boy who's parents are out of commission and is too stubborn to believe that the Bat would actually help him.

Damian hates that he's not an only child anymore but eventually warms up to the idea when he realises they can team up against Bruce and that they are not in competition.

When Bruce finds out that Duke is a meta he wants to flinch back and send him away, but he doesn't, partially because he loves Duke so much the idea of losing him so quickly repulsed him and partially because Damian pulled a sword on him at the idea.

Tim:

Roughly 9 years after Damian is taken in Bruce, Damian and Duke are approached by a small boy saying he knows who they are and wants to join them. Bruce refuses but Damian spots the opportunity to have someone else be Batman's sidekick whilst he can become a hero in his own right.

Damian starts following Tim around and looking out for him and then he realises that Tim is being neglected and come on he can't just leave Tim there so he brings him home and Bruce can't really argue against that.

Two months later Batman has a new sidekick and Gotham has a new lone hero.

Cass

They only notice her because she wants them to and absolutely no one questions it when she's bought home. All three boys had wanted a sister at some point and none of them cared about her past or her speech.

Jason:

Tim's a teenager now has almost finished highschool when Bruce goes out one night with the batmobile and comes back to where he parked it find a kid stealing the tires. Bruce can sense that Tim is going to inevitably leave him as well so what better time to take in a new kid when he also will need a sidekick soon.

The decision hurts Tim more than anything else because he's being replaced and he's not ready to be on his own even though he's never been more ready.

Jason grows quicker than either of his other two boys and he's more determined than either of them to right the wrongs of Gotham. That determination was what led him to Ethiopia where his the joker killed him.

Dick

Bruce was at the circus at Alfred's suggestion, something to distract him from the empty seat at the table where his youngest should be. It's at the circus where he sees the trapeze line fail and he can't stop himself from reaching out to the falling artists. It hurts him to take in another child so soon after losing Jason but the thought of that tiny boy who saw his parents die going into Juvie almost kills him.

Dick brings joy into the manor that hadn't been known since Bruce was a boy and everyone in the family falls in love with him.

When the Red hood emerges, angry at his older siblings for not protecting him and wanting to kill Dick they're all a worrying amount of relieved and angry. Surprisingly it's Dick that manages to get him to come back to the family.

[suzukiblu]

I kinda wanna write a cryptid!Batman AU where Clark has explained to Kon that the Batman is a terrifying eldritch horror given human(-ish) form, actually, and Kon is therefore under the impression that Robin is going to be into weird shit like being brought damning evidence and deadly criminals and dangerous problems to solve and also will appreciate being occasionally stalked by a half-alien clone. The bat-cryptids stalk EVERYBODY, right? So it's fine, it's like their love language, Kon figures as he's collecting a bunch of random shiny trinkets to leave out for Robin like he thinks he's a fucking magpie or a crow or something, and maybe also some nice pebbles to cover the penguin angle just in case. Just, like, stuff he might like to decorate the cryptid-nest Kon is assuming he has with.

Kon is fully correct about Robin appreciating the weird shit and shiny trinkets and being reciprocally stalked, actually, although now TIM has to figure out how to explain to Superboy that he is actually just a normal human teenager who just decided that his local protection spirit needed an emotional support sidekick before it could get corrupted into a local VENGEANCE spirit. Though he does like the shinies, please don't assume this means he doesn't like the shinies or wants a normal relationship with, god forbid, boundaries about not stalking each other or whatever.

[brucewaynehater101]

I’m absolutely obsessed with this prompt of Tim being older than Jason and/or only becoming Robin when he's an adult.

Never has someone seen him and cared about him so much. But he sees how much Bruce mourns. He isn't mourning his sidekick, he is mourning his son.

And Tim will never be his son, will never get the same affection because Batman only made him Robin BECAUSE it wouldn't hurt him as much if he'd lose Tim. Since he isn't a family member, like his parents or Jason or Dick.

And Tim HAS a place of his own, true. But it's empty. It doesn't have anything personal. No family pictures, nothing that shows him that someone cares about him or he cares about someone as much like Bruce cares about his family. Especially with Jason's memorial case in the Batacave

I need fanfics with this. I have to check ou the "Tim joins the Batfam late" tag again

Post in question: https://www.tumblr.com/goodoldfashionedengineer/758997334790225920/after-finishing-batman-arkham-knight-i-looked?source=share

Link here for others

Thank you so much for providing a link.

I have seen some stuff theorizing that Tim was older than Jason in the Arkham Knight game as well.

Which, with your take, makes the game that much more tragic for Tim. Robin literally says, "You haven't done that in a while," when Bruce calls him Jason. Painful as hell.

As far as AU, I'm not a fan of Tim becoming "Robin" as an adult because I see Robin as more of a teenager's role. It helps them to mature into adult vigilantes.

HOWEVER, I fuck so hard with Tim Joins the Batfam Late fics and I can kind of combine those with your idea.

So, Tim is older than Jason, and Jason dies. Let's make Tim seventeen when Jason dies.

Jason dies in April, so Tim is eighteen when he tries to reach out to Bruce to get him to stop beating himself and all of Gotham up.

He's an adult, so he has more power. Bruce can't tell Tim not to become a vigilante. Tim has blackmail and Bruce can't threaten to call Tim's parents (who, for the sake of it, are dead. He got emancipated at 16).

Since Tim isn't a child even though he's younger than Bruce's eldest son, Bruce doesn't need to parent him. Tim is a colleague. He's not family.

They grow to care about each other like good work friends, but Tim's death wouldn't be the same as losing a son (at least for a long while).

Jason, when he returns, is upset about being replaced. However, Tim is an adult (so none of that "child soldiers" spiel), and he never took up the Robin mantle. He became his own identity.

Tim's relationship with the Bats is also different than Jason's was. For comparison sake, it's mix between Huntress or Oracle where Bruce works with them, but they are also highly independent from him. It's also more apparent that Tim undergoes a caretaker role in this. He's the one to patch Bruce up, lug his tired ass to his bed, demand he eats, and assists him with WE work. Because Tim's an adult, Bruce allows himself to lean/rely on him more (even though eighteen is barely an adult at all).

Tim doesn't live at the Manor. Sometimes, when it's really late and he's exhausted from helping Bruce, he'll catch four or so hours in a guest bedroom. Otherwise, he's trekking back to his bare apartment that only has a few photos of his parents and/or friends.

As Bruce gets better, Tim spends less time with Bruce to pursue his own cases/work. Their relationship is mostly about what Bruce needs from Tim and not what Tim needs from Bruce.

Then Jason comes back. He's angry or whatnot, but he's got the vibes wrong. He thinks that Tim is another annoying older brother he has to deal with. Thus, Jason is the first one to admit, sarcastically, that Tim is family :)

[4vanaa]

—03 MEET THE ROUTLEDGES.

MASTERLIST

Parenting Style:

Sarah:

⌗ sarah is a warm, nurturing, and protective mother, who tries to balance being fun and carefree while ensuring her kids grow up to be kind, grounded individuals. having grown up with a privileged background, she wants her children to have an appreciation for the simpler things in life and to never forget their roots. she’s the more emotionally available parent, always ensuring her kids know they’re loved unconditionally.

⌗ sarah’s biggest strength is her ability to empathize and make her kids feel heard and understood, no matter what. she’s not afraid to give tough love, but it’s always done with a soft, caring touch.

⌗ she encourages creativity and independence, allowing her kids to make their own choices, but she also subtly guides them toward the right ones with gentle nudges.

John B:

⌗ john b is the fun dad, the one who often comes up with wild ideas and unexpected adventures, but he’s also deeply protective of his family. he’s been through a lot in his life, and his priorities have always centered around keeping the ones he loves safe, though sometimes in unconventional ways. while he’s not the strictest parent, he’s fiercely loyal and would go to the ends of the earth for his family.

⌗ john b’s biggest flaw is his tendency to act impulsively, often throwing caution to the wind in the name of fun or adventure. he tries to teach his kids to embrace life’s unpredictability, but sometimes that backfires when his ideas are a little too reckless.

⌗ he may not always know what the "right thing" is when it comes to discipline, but his heart is in the right place. he’s the parent who will show up with a spontaneous road trip or unannounced beach day, turning ordinary moments into exciting family memories.

The Kids:

CARTER ROUTLEDGE (14)

PERSONALITY carter is a very smart, self-aware, and slightly sarcastic teenager. he’s inherited sarah’s emotional intelligence and john b’s adventurous spirit, which makes for an interesting mix of traits. carter can be quiet and reserved at times, reflecting his intelligence, but he is also very passionate about things that matter to him. carter might not always wear his heart on his sleeve, but he’s incredibly observant and know when something’s off with his family.

RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DAD carter shares a unique relationship with john b. while he loves his dad’s free spirit, he’s often the voice of reason when his ideas get a little out of hand. still, he can’t help but admire his ability to find joy in life’s unpredictability.

RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS MOM carter and sarah have a very close bond. carter looks to sarah for emotional support, and sarah always knows how to make carter feel safe and loved. she’s the one who understands his moods and is able to calm him down when he feels overwhelmed.

FUN FACT carter has a habit of secretly reading sarah’s journals from when sarah was a teenager. he’s fascinated by the way sarah navigated her own rebellion and family dynamics, which inspires carter to handle his own struggles similarly.

LILY ROUTLEDGE (9)

PERSONALITY lily is the sweet and sensitive child who loves to be involved in everything happening around her. while she’s still young, she’s very aware of the emotional dynamics in the family and has a strong desire to make sure everyone is okay. she is very caring and always looking out for her younger brother, bennett, making sure he’s not getting into trouble. lily is also very curious and loves to explore new things, just like john b.

RELATIONSHIP WITH HER DAD lily is a daddy’s girl. she adores her dad and is the first one to jump into whatever wild adventure john b suggests. she might not always fully understand the consequences of his actions, but she’s eager to be his sidekick and joins him on all of his impromptu ideas. she’s often the one pulling him away from risky situations by pointing out the safety hazards in the way only a nine-year-old can.

RELATIONSHIP WITH HER MOM lily and sarah are incredibly close. lily looks up to sarah as the emotional center of the family, and sarah is always there to listen to her. lily loves to help sarah around the house, and they have many quiet moments where they just hang out and talk about their day. sarah also gently guides lily when it comes to making responsible decisions.

FUN FACT lily loves to put on little performances for the family, singing and dancing around the house. john b will always be the first one to cheer her on, even though she’s a bit off-key and her choreography is questionable.

BENNETT ROUTLEDGE (4)

PERSONALITY bennett is the wild card of the family, always bouncing off the walls with endless energy and curiosity. he’s constantly getting into mischief and has a contagious laugh that brightens up every room. he’s incredibly smart for his age, but his curiosity often gets him into trouble. he’s known for asking endless questions and refusing to take "no" for an answer.

RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DAD bennett and john b share a special bond—they are two peas in a pod. john b loves his son’s curiosity and energy and indulges him in almost everything. bennett is often the one to drag john b into impromptu adventures, demanding that they go “exploring” or “treasure hunting.” john b often spoils bennett and gets caught up in the fun of being a kid again.

RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS MOM bennett’s relationship with sarah is one of absolute adoration. he’s a mama’s boy in every sense of the word. sarah always makes sure to sit down with bennett at night to read him stories, and he can’t get enough of her attention. while he may be mischievous, he knows sarah is his safe space when things go wrong.

FUN FACT bennett has an obsession with building forts and hiding inside them. his dad is always caught inside the forts with him, reading books or playing make-believe, even if it’s not the most “parent-like” thing to do. bennett also has a favorite toy (a stuffed giraffe) that he insists on bringing everywhere, even on family trips.

FAMILY DYNAMICS:

DINNER TIME AT THE routledge household is a mix of fun and chaos. john b will often suggest going out for pizza at the last minute, while sarah tries to keep things together with a home-cooked meal. carter usually ends up zoning out, deep in thought, but will pitch in to help with the meal. lily will be talking a mile a minute, telling everyone about her latest school projects, and bennett will likely be making a mess, throwing food around, or trying to sneak extra servings.

JOHN B’S ADVICE TENDS TO come in the form of wild metaphors or spur-of-the-moment life lessons. if carter gets into a fight at school, john b might give them a long-winded lecture about always being true to themselves, complete with dramatic gestures and a smile. bennett, on the other hand, gets random lessons like, “always believe in your gut, buddy,” or “you can’t catch a fish if you don’t cast your line.”

SARAH IS THE ONE WHO OFFERS the more practical advice, gently guiding her kids toward making better decisions, especially when they feel confused or upset. if lily has a school problem, sarah will sit down with her and have a heart-to-heart conversation. she’s always making sure her kids feel heard and understood, even when they don’t know how to express themselves.

FAMILY GAME NIGHT TURNS INTO an absolute disaster with bennett hiding under the table and tossing cards everywhere, lily loudly declaring her plans to win, carter pretending to care but secretly reading a book, and john b trying to come up with new rules to make the game more fun.

SPONTANEOUS BOAT TRIP WHERE john b convinces the family to take the boat out, only for them to end up stranded on a remote island with no cell service. the family has to work together to find their way back, and by the end of it, they’re all laughing about how ridiculous the whole situation turned out.

[LO: ROUTLEDGE HOUSEHOLD]

The camera is fixed on John B lounging on the couch, legs thrown over the back, looking completely carefree as usual.

CONFESSIONAL John B

JOHN B: grinning "Okay, so I had this amazing idea for a family boat trip today. You know, something spontaneous and fun. So, of course, Sarah said no at first, because... she's the responsible one. But you know me—I always have a backup plan."

—Cut to John B attempting to pull off a dramatic wave on the boat, one that results in everyone getting drenched in the process.

JOHN B: Yeah, we ended up stuck on an island with no service, but hey—new adventure, right? And the kids—Carter was all 'Dad, this was a terrible idea.' Like, who needs a working cell phone anyway? We're just bonding, you know? winks at camera.

[Sarah is sitting on a chair with a cup of tea, trying to keep her composure, while her kids are running around in the background.]

CONFESSIONAL Sarah

SARAH: sighs, trying to sound composed "I love John B. I really do. But his version of finger quotes, spontaneous family fun, is basically me signing up for a rescue mission every time. I can't even tell you how many times he's gotten us lost in the last few months alone."

—Cut to John B using a map upside down while trying to "navigate" the family through the woods on their boat trip.

SARAH: See, this is why I handle the family plans. He’s great for... you know, fun stuff and impulsive moments, but for anything else, I’m the one who makes sure we’re not stuck on an island or accidentally swimming with sharks.

—She laughs and takes a sip of her tea, looking over her shoulder as John B dramatically tries to “rescue” Bennett from an imaginary shark attack.

[Carter is sitting at a desk, doing homework but looking exhausted, clearly over it all.]

CONFESSIONAL Carter

CARTER: I mean... the boat trip was a disaster. I was the one who ended up being the voice of reason. Again.

—Cut to Carter arguing with John B on the boat, trying to point out that the island they landed on looks suspiciously deserted.

CARTER: Mom is the only one who gets it. But Dad’s idea of family fun is basically let’s get stranded and see what happens.

Carter puts his face in his hands, shaking his head at the camera, as the sound of John B and Bennett yelling in the background echoes

[Camera pans to Bennett sitting on the floor playing with his stuffed animal, looking up at the camera with wide, innocent eyes.]

CONFESSIONAL Bennett

BENNETT: holding up his toy "This is Mr. Fuzz. He's my best friend. He keeps me safe when I do exploring."

—Cut to Bennett pulling John B into a "fort" built from couch cushions.

BENNETT: "Me and Daddy made a super secret fort! We’re gonna find treasure, right, Daddy?"

—Cut to John B pretending to look for treasure under the couch cushions, while Bennett gleefully hands him random objects like socks and spoons.

BENNETT: “Mommy says I need to clean up, but she doesn't know that this is very important treasure hunting business.”

[Camera fixes on Bennett patting his stuffed animal’s head seriously as if it’s the most important thing in the world.]

CONFESSIONAL John B (Again)

[John B is in the kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee, looking pleased with himself.]

JOHN B: "Okay, so—maybe it wasn’t the best idea to get stuck on that island, but you know what? We survived and made some memories. And that’s what counts, right?"

—Cut to Sarah rolling her eyes in the background as John B looks at the camera with a proud smile.

JOHN B: "Plus, Lily got to see a crab up close, Carter learned that Dad’s a genius with a compass, and Bennett thought we were on a secret mission. How could that not be a success?"shrugs as if he’s a hero in a family movie

JOHN B: "And as for Sarah... well, she’s the voice of reason, and someone has to be, right?" winks at the camera

—Cut to Sarah walking by and giving John B a playful, disapproving look.

a/n: meet the heywards + meet the thorntons out now!!

🏷️: @rafecameronswifeyy @papercranesandinkstains @delicatevamps @sereneera @ethanthequeefqueen @zuccheromorena @theanonymousloser @chalahyung01 @mystic-megumi @acidfeens @judesgfirl @rubiehart @callieyanderechan @amterasuu @smithieandy @theeternaloptimistt @marleymarleymarleymarley @akobx @lilygrxcem @fieryghxul @aias-fxtns @starkeysbaby @brxght-world @drewsswifeyy @luvelola @atjlovverr @justsomerandompersonintheworld @totalswag @yesshewrites1 @starsmoonn @hadids-world @ilovedeanwinchester4 @imsiriuslyreal @xoxosblogsblog

[hereforagoodtimenotalongone]

i’m a sucker for justice league somehow don’t know about the batfam tropes but i also love baby dick being raised by the league

like dick is tiny and a menace and bruce is a single father™️ and the league is fairly new and small so they require a lot of his time.

and the league are all sceptical about a tiny child being a vigilante but when they meet dick and realise he’s sticking around they use their one collective brain cell to decide to step up for this child that going to fight crime one way or another.

so suddenly there’s 101 volunteers to teach dick how to fight and also various other skills that they want to pass onto this child (oliver is banned from looking after him alone after he tries to pass down the noble art of poker to the kid because it is useful batman i’m teaching him how to conceal his thoughts in front of an enemy)

on nights where bruce has monitor duty and alfred has a day off (because you can have a day off when there’s only one child to worry about) he just shows up to the watchtower with dick and whoever’s around and not busy takes care of him

and when the others start to get sidekicks there first instinct is to introduce them to their darling vigilante nephew who immediately helps them relax about the hero community (because hearing about how his uncle j’onn used to shapeshift to entertain him as a child or his auntie dinah always helps him play pranks on the others makes these godlike figures a lot less intimidating)

and dick adores his hero aunts and uncles and he’s a performer so naturally he revels in the attention

and when he’s in his angsty teenager phase and he’s mad at bruce he pulls the “i’m going to uncle clark’s” or “i’m telling auntie diana” and he goes and complains about bruce to them

and when he grows up they’re all just so proud of how brilliant he is as a man and a hero

and they all take pride in teaching the next generation but dicks the one they really watch grow up for the first time, just the ultimate oldest child (even though other sidekicks are technically older than him)

just dick being the one the league learn about children through.

(some of these characterisations may be dodgy i mostly know about the bat family haha)

[writers-potion]

Don't Fear Criticism

Creating homosexual characters can feel like planting an active grenade in the middle of your story. You start to fear bad reception of your work - even before you start!

But really, there is no need to worry. The fact that you're concerned only proves that you care.

You probably won't get it the first time.

You probably will get some criticism.

Only remember that it's perfectly normal to make mistakes. After you punch out your draft, have beta readers who are part of the community and incorporate their feedback.

No Diversity Shopping

Yes, diversity is important, but it's no checklist where you need to list all possible sexual orientations and have at least one character for each.

First of all, it would be quite impossible.

Second, that is likely to make all of them underdeveloped and stereotypical.

Check if you really need the character in your plot.

If they turn out to be homosexual, let them run their own course and shape their path. If your story's theme is related to the character's sexuality, think about the message you want to convey.

Quality over quantity, always.

Go Beyond Sexuality

Your characters exist, and they happen to be homosexual, not the other way around. This doesn't mean that it won't be an important, or that you should downplay their sexuality.

Strike a balance by showing readers their hobbies, interests, likes and dislikes, relationships with their family and friends, etc. The more holistic they are, readers are going to be convinced that you have an actual character, not a scarecrow holding up the #diversity tag.

How do their sexuality play into their broader narrative?

Develop a Backstory

Every homosexual character must have thought about their orientation and identity, with a process of how they came to recognize their sexuality.

Whether you're character is a confused teenage girl, or a middle-aged gentleman with a stable relationship, think about what brought them here.

Backstories don't have to be tragic. They can have supportive parents and find escapism in online communities who accept them for who they are.

There isn't just one "gay life". Get creative.

Normalization is Important

Sometimes, your story world will not accept homosexual people as normal. That's okay!

However, there is a difference between other character treating them unfairly and you as an author normalizing homophobia in your narrative.

Word choice and tone would play a key role.

When a likeable character is homophobic, avoid normalizing it by making it a flaw. Show that your conservative medieval village is narrow-minded when they treat them as outcasts.

Homophobes may not necessarily be the evil guys.

It's enough to state (clearly) that it's wrong.

Make Use of Tropes

Stereotypes aren't just an issue with gay characters, but when used successfully, have created wonderful retellings and spinoffs that are refreshing.

You can purposefully overplay stereotypes to show how silly they are. Deconstructing stereotypes can add humor to your narrative.

You can also use them to explore the expectations that readers have for those kinds of characters. The Gay Best Friend might be a trope, but you can get them to go deeper than the typical sidekick to realize their true potential as a cast member.

Religion and Homosexuality

In the real world, religion and homosexuality are often presented on far opposites of politics, and that makes me sad. Homosexual characters are free to be religious, find peace, support and mindfulness through any religion of their choice.

Vise versa, deeply religious characters can have wonderful relationships with homosexual characters.

It all comes down to how your characters interpret religion and homosexuality in light of those religious values. Though I'm an atheist, I believe all religions have the ability to embrace diversity at their core.

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