#theres a lot of bruce on here.....as there should be

[daisybell-on-a-carousel]

Talia saying Jason with 24 hours and a survival kit, fresh from the pit, couldn't be tracked by Ra's is interesting

And oopsies I liveblogged all of lost days in the tags of this post

[ifyoucandaniel]

I want to thank you for making your list of recommended long batfam fics. I have been making my way through it and I am really enjoying them! ESPECIALLY cards on the table (I also love Dark Matter but I had already read it). Please let us know if you ever get more long batfam fic recs 🥺

okay so ive been waiting to answer this until i had gathered a good chunk of new long fics and ive been getting a lot of similar messages asking for recommendations, so here is another list of my fav long batman fics!

Jason and the Three Terrors by @cdelphiki, 220k, ongoing, T. if i can get you to read one thing, let it be this. ohhh my god where to even begin, this is a fic where jason stays with the league after his dip in the lazarus pit for a little while and winds up being charged with getting damian, his cousin, and his sister out of the league safely. this fic is just so fucking good, cdelphiki always writes such seamless relationship growth and watching jason go from "im dropping these brats off first chance i get" to "im a single mother of three and i need to provide for my kids" is phenomenal. 1000/10, the writing, the kids, the relationships, please do yourself a favor and read this.

A Collision of Masks by Movaz, 169k, completed, T. !! guys. this is such a good dick grayson-centric fic. this is set in an AU where batman never joined the justice league so the justice league knows very little about batman inc. and consequently dick never joins YJ so the YJ team is tasked with checking out a new hero called nightwing in bludhaven and police officer grayson is tasked with helping the team in their investigation :) really good fic exploring dick juggling all his identities and finally gaining people he can rely on! i actually did a bind of it so you know i love this story so much

Life Happens by @cdelphiki, 176k, complete, G. ok so this fic is probably one of the most beautiful stories of growth and love i've read. its about tim and damian being transported from their world into ours where they're only comic book characters and they start to build a life for themselves here. cdelphiki is one of the most amazing authors, im currently going through all of their works, but this one has just stayed with me and i dont think anyone should pass it up. watching tim and damian grow together and seeing damian have a real childhood and just the whole concept of life happening wether you want it to or not is so beautifully done. cannot recommend enough.

Honoring Promises by LananiA3O, completed, 14k, T. okay this isnt actually a long fic, but its one of my favorite fics ever and i need it on this list. if you're like me and you love UTRH aus where instead of sticking around as red hood after bruce threw a batarang at his throat jason fucks off and disappears to live a normal life, this is for you. from dick's pov, he realizes jasons last letter was a last attempt at reaching out and stalks him until he finds out what really happened to his little brother. i think about this every day and wish it was 10000 words long

The Time Before by @cdelphiki, 80k, completed, G. at this point this is basically just a cdelphiki fic rec lmao when i said everything by them was good, i meant that shit. this is a fic where jason is sent back into time when he was 9 years old but still has all his memories from the future. he goes to bruce for help despite wanting to do literally anything else and is surprised to realize maybe everything isn't how he remembers it 10 years in the future and maybe theres a chance he can go home when hes older again. once again cdelphiki hitting me in the feels with this one, really amazing study on how time and pain can change how you perceive and remember things and also just forgiveness and fixing mistakes and accepting mistakes were made. very good, highly recommend

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors by Sophene, 80k, completed, batlantern, T. I have no excuse for this, this is such a fun and funny fic i love it so much. basically HOA president single dad bruce with his 10 million adopted kids and then hal jordan moves in next door and plays his music too loud at 10pm on a school night and throws parties and bruce has a stick up his ass about it. i really really love the shift in hal when kyle comes to live with him as his ward (? i cant actually remember if hes adopted or just a ward) and seeing him finally understand why bruce acts the way he does when it comes to his kids. also seeing bruce just being a tired dad 90% of the fic when he isnt glaring at hal is so good.

Option C by CasualGeek, 78k, completed, T. this has, in my opinion, a very unique and interesting premise. basically, what if instead of becoming red hood, jason comes back to gotham and manages to get Joker put on trial for the murder of sheila haywood and get the insanity plea thrown out. really interesting approach to batman and joker and jason technically doing things through the legal justice system and what that means for him and the people around him. very good, read it all in one sitting

butcherbird, fly away home by e_va, 41k, completed, M. lost days jason todd loml! basically what if when jason was off on his world tour one of his tutors kidnapped bruce wayne and jason has feelings about it against his will. "what if lost days jason was stuck in the same room as a sick bruce for more than 10 minutes and actually had to talk to him without punching him" AU and i throughly enjoyed it. @darlingatlas recommended this one and she never misses with the jason recs

this kind of weather by r_astra, 55k, completed, T. this is the fic something in the static was originally inspired by and if you know me, i love that series, and i love this fic too. another what if jasons mom didnt die until later and social services gets involved before he can bolt and bruce seeks him out with some very interesting news. i love fics that display jason’s relationship with crime alley and him being one of them. very good, i love jason so much

ok now these aren't actually long fics but i need to get them out here because i love them so much and highly recommend!

To My Brother by a_silly_gander, 7k, completed, T. Lost days jason au where he starts sending post cards from his travels to dick on a whim while we follow his time away and the people he meets. i love this one so much, please read it if you love jason and dick, its so special to me.

Enhanced Fashion Sense is a Perk of Being a Cat by 12pt_timesnewromanfont, 23k, complete, G. selina breaks into drake manor to steal a cat artifact and accidentally meets the drakes ten year old son they left home alone. then she starts keeping tabs on him and eventually adopts him and makes him stray. i really love selina finding tim before bruce and taking care of him <3 10/10 i wish selina would adopt me

[ofc-vi-writes-too]

so all ive been able to think about is gotham for the past several days, and more specifically how gothamite culture has to be SO drastically different and jarring to literally anywhere else in the world. Like even other super cities like metropolis, or central city, or wherever else are at least KINDA normal. Like yea u have superman or wonderwoman or the flash but they dont really have to deal with the same level of bs as Gotham.

That being said here are a list of things that I think are extremely normal to Gotham, and other things that happen in thay horrible little city:

• the episode of Hot Ones with Brucie Wayne where no one thinks he’ll even be able to stand the 2nd or 3rd wing but he eats all of them with no reaction, and Sean Evans (or the in universe equivalent) just sits there like “wow no one has ever had literally no reaction before this is really crazy, and Bruce Wayne of all people?” Afterwards Bruce has second thoughts and realizes that maybe he should have played up his reaction to the spice a bit more. People Inside of Gotham are a little shocked because everytime he eats in public it is the most boring, bland, flavorless food imaginable. (he handled the spice so well because Batman is ready for all potential threats and forms of torture. Ridiculous levels of spice included)

• Gotham schools offer courses in self defense. In some school districts its actually mandatory, thats usually in old gotham or downtown gotham. In more affluent areas, self defense is still taught in schools, but most kids are sent to some ritzy trainer to make sure they can defend themselves.

• No one even blinks when theres a new vigilante by the time Damian comes around. Theres still a little buzz but by the time Duke shows up, people are like “Oh cool another one. HEY BRO WHATS YOUR NAME.” I saw someone post here about how when the Wayne kids get mad at Bruce, they go to Selina and make public appearances as Stray, Catwomans sidekick. I personally believe that Tim was the first one to do it but Dick does it the most, and gothamites didnt even need to get used to Stray showing up sometimes, nor did people really care that Stray was always wildly different heights, shapes, colors, etc. the additude is kinda like “I have taxes and job security to worry about. If a new vigilante is what were doing then so be it.”

• People tend to think that Gothamites aren’t smart, but that city is home to the Richest, smartest, most creative people alive. They mostly just lack morals. Like Dr. Freeze, Harley Quinn, hell even The Riddler are all insanely intelligent. Half of Gothams Villains have at minimum 2 Doctorates in something or other. Gotham generates a lot of cash as a whole, and small businesses thrive there. They have high employment rates, and most citizens have their associates despite everything happening around them. People who have never been to Gotham before expect to have to talk down to the citizens but Gothamites just kinda roll their eyes at them and carry on about their merriment.

• Gothamites CONSTANTLY says “because I’m Batman” when they don’t want to explain themselves. Kids hear it a lot from parents and they also get “If you don’t go to sleep, Condiment Man i gonna come and cover you in stinky relish.” Because truly what else is condiment man good for.

• Gothamites who work at BatBurger and typically work the night shift are used to visits from Batman, Robin, Red Hood, Cat Woman, Harley Quinn, etc. Sometimes they remember the workers and ask about their family, and how life is, and other things like that. Theres some barely 18 y/o who just graduated high school who worls at Bat Burger, and asked Red Hood to help him impress his gf by saying theyre friends. He like fuck it why not and tells the gf that the kid helped him save an old lady’s cat in a tree and now theyre bffs. She totally believes it. Score.

• I see the Gotham thinks Batman is Bruce Wayne’s boyfriend theories and raise you: Its pretty common knowledge that Bruce Wayne is Batman, just no one has the heart to tell him. Also theyre scared he will quit if anyone brings it up. So from this Gothamites created the joke that BW and batman are dating and when asked about it in an interview, dick grayson is like “……yes! My adoptive father is dating the guy who dressed up like a bat every night…!”

• this cuased and arguement between Bruce and Dick because no! Bruce isnt dating Batman! (stray was seen again that week) HE IS BATMAN! But fuck now the public thinks theyre a couple so now bruce gets asked about it and hes like “haha yes my spooky bat bf is who i love very dearly!” As punishment He makes Dick bring him flowers in the batsuit because “as far as he is concerned, this is his shithead son’s fault.” Thats a direct quote btw. Little does he know this somehow ties back to Tim Drake before they met.

[reidispunk]

adjacent

★⇢ Bruce Wayne x reader

★⇢ angst, fluff

★⇢ violence! slightly described torture

★⇢ wordcount; almost 3k <3

★⇢ yay first batman fic!! I missed writing and i’m maybe hoping to get back to it :)

★⇢ cross posted on ao3

You were always careful when walking around in the city. Living in the biggest crime city in the country has taught you a lot of things about survival. Being a woman and associated with Bruce Wayne brought a lot of unwanted attention, but only sometimes and besides, you could handle yourself.

Until you couldn’t.

—

You were almost at your car when you heard multiple footsteps behind you, when usually you wouldn’t think something was wrong an uncomfortable feeling washed over you.

Now you were on high alert. You heard snickering behind you when speeding up, too panicked to look behind you. Flashes of your talks with bruce come up, shakily you pried the bag with you open.

Speed-dialing his number “please please please answer.” you begged silently while listening the phone ring.

Cursing when the call went in to voicemail.

“Something’s wrong. I- fuck I think I might be in trouble— please Bruce for once answer the phone.”

Inhaling, exhaling you pressed the call button again. “It’s Bruce, I’ll call back later.” The voicemail rung again, you think you might sob. You had talked about what if’s and you’re supposed to know what to do but it feels like you’re frozen. You can’t think, you can’t run. You know they’re on your heels, but you just can’t move your muscles any faster.

“You know if ever, I mean ever sweet girl you’re in trouble and can’t reach me. Call Alfred. He’ll help you.” Bruce says while brushing your hair behind your ear, smiling at the loving gesture you ask “what kind of trouble?”

“Any kind.”

Walk walk walk, trying to find Alfred Pennyworths name from your contacts while panicking is not an easy task. But you do, and press call. For your relief he answers immediately, “Miss, how can I help you?” He asks.

“Alfred— I can’t reach Bruce and I think I might be in trouble. Fuck— I’m sorry, theres this group that’s following me, I’m so-“ your sentence cuts suddenly, you’re feeling woozy and you notice that the group has you surrounded.

“Well well, what do we have here?” One of the men snickers, “little miss Wayne, huh? Or should I say little miss Batman?” He laughs. “Which ones dick are you sucking huh? Or are you a slut? Stringing two men, hmm?” The group around you laughs.

“I guess we’ll see which one comes after you first, then.” He says before you feel yourself blacking out.

Bruce thinks he’s going to lose his mind, first you were calling him and now Alfred. Don’t both of you know that he’s in this meeting? He’s literally here only because of you, sighing and excusing himself he decides to take Alfreds call first.

“Alfred you know I’m in a meeting please—“ he doesn’t even get to finish his sentence before he feels like his heart leaped from his chest.

“She’s been taken.” Alfred says hurriedly “I’m not sure by who but she called me clearly in distress and I heard how she was—“

Bruce thinks he might pass out. “From what i was able to hear from the phone call, it’s a taunt to you and Batman.”

Immediately hanging up he listens to your distressed voicemail. “Mr. Wayne, is everything okay?” He hears a chair member ask behind him. But he doesn’t answer, he needs to get to you.

You gasp awake when water drenches you. “Welcome back. Now, you are going to listen to me and speak only when prompted to, alright?” The man before you says, you can’t make out his face in the darkness but you know better. “Understood.” You say in a timid voice, to make yourself seem small so he feels in control.

But you know you just need to prolong this until Vengeance can find you. The man smiles at your response, he probably is getting off on this, you think.

“Good girl. Now first question, who is the Batman?” He questions, you had assumed it was coming.

You shake your head “I couldn’t tell you mister, because he never showed me his face nor told me his identity.” You answer softly. “Wrong answer.” He says and— you probably should’ve seen it coming electrocutes you.

You gasp in pain, the shocks never seem to stop until it does. “You see now girl, this is not a game to me. You will tell me who the Batman is, hopefully sooner than later.” He says menacingly before stalking off.

——

You don’t know how long it’s been, how long you really have been in this dungeon the men brought you. But it’s been long enough for you to start accepting your fate, maybe he is not coming, he may not find you at all.

Your belief in the Batman is strong, belief in Bruce Wayne even stronger but you know he is just a man, you wouldn’t fault him if he didn’t find you in time.

Maybe you are really dying here, the man comes every few hours you think. Asks the same question, and he always gets the same answer. All you can feel is pain, it dulls down but never for long enough because he always comes back. You’re tired, close to giving up.

But then, you hear it. The sweet sound of hope. Distant screams, maybe it’s in your head. But you let yourself hope.

The man should’ve come for a 9th round already, but he hasn’t. And you can hear those heavy footsteps, you could recognize them anywhere. You hear men yell in agony and in fear, you might have even chuckled at it.

He’s here.

The last time the man came to question you, you broke down laughing. Slightly manic from the pain, he had been clearly startled. He had asked you why you were laughing, your facade had been broken down.

“He will come for you, he will find you.’ It’s just, when. And if I am dead, well.” You had said while cackling at his face. The man had straightened, maybe in fear who knows but you know you had been right.. Of course he hadn’t liked your answer and punched you but you knew the bat would come.

Vengeance had come. Suddenly the man who has been visiting you, runs in to the room. Shouting profanities, maybe at you maybe at the Batman. “What did you do?!” He yells at you, “how did he find us!” He says while grabbing your collar.

You just smile. The door slams open. There he is. You’ve always known Bruce Wayne as a kind passionate man, but his alter ego is far from that man. Batman is menacing and terrifying if he wants to be. Appearing from the shadows he slowly approaches you, the man holding you is shaking.

“S-stay back! Or I’ll hurt her!” He stutters out. You exhale, looking at the Batman you see his frigid stance, probably out of rage you think. But you see his hand twitch just slightly, which wouldn’t mean anything to anyone else but to you it speaks volumes.

He’s scared— anxious? You know you probably don’t look too hot on the metal chair, soaked and bruised.

He steps toward you and the man behind you breaks “okay, okay man! Just please let me go!” He back away from you. You chuckle dryly.

The Batman is on a war path, probably every other man in this building you’re in is gone. He flashes toward the man and you know it’s finished. You’re safe.

After 5minutes of beating the man to a pulp you speak up. “Hey Vengeance, little help?” You say exhaling from the pain. He stops, startled like he forgot you were even in the same room as him. Suddenly he’s on you, scanning every place you’re hurt in. He cuts the rope’s that are binding you in the chair.

His gloved hands are on your face holding it up. You can see the wild panic that’s still roaring in his eyes. “You’re okay, you’re okay, you’re okay.” He repeats like a mantra. “I will be fine, just please— help me out of here.” You sigh, all your strength is gone. You are putty in his arms when he lifts you from the chair.

“I’m sorry.” He quietly whispers. You shake your head in protest, always blaming himself. “Stop.” You only manage to get out before you’re blacking out.

You wake up to beeping, the smell of sterile hospital room fills your nostrils. The bright lights are going to blind you, you think. Suddenly realizing you’re completely alone. Eyebrows scrunching you look around the empty room, some of your things have been placed on a chair but nothing else in the room even indicates that anyone else has been there.

The door opens and Alfred walks in. You notice him relieved to see you up, “miss, I’m so glad to see you here in one piece.” He says softly while walking towards your bed.

You smile at him “I’m glad to see you too but—“ your sentence gets cuts short when you see Alfred grimace. That can’t be good.

“What is it?” You ask sighing. He reached into his coat pocket and pulls out an envelope, while he’s handing it to you- you realize what this is.

Tears slowly pooling to your eyes you chuckle. Of course— you can’t say you are surprised but well. Curse you for expecting anything else. You take it shakily from Alfred. “I’m going to find us something better to eat than hospital food while you—“ he sighs “I really am sorry about all of this, miss.” And he turns to leave.

A sob escapes you when the door closes behind Alfred. You open the envelope and find a letter and a check.

Sweet girl.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry for causing all of this to happen, this has been completely my responsibility and I’ve let you down. I have never been more scared when i got the call from Alfred.

Please use the money to move out of Gotham, I need you to be safe. We should not be seen together any longer, to avoid further damage to you, or to me. This shouldn’t never happened in the first place.

Your things are all in order, I have made sure of it.

I keep listening to the voicemail you left me before, I’m so sorry for not answering. It is all my fault.

— Bruce Wayne

He didn’t outright write it but you know this is Bruces way of saying goodbye. And now you’re hyperventilating. Great.

You didn’t deserve this, you didn’t deserve any of this. And he’s the one who’s pulling away? Tears are falling down on the letter, smudging the ink and his handwriting. A sob breaks through and you can’t stop. You’re trying to dry the letter with shaky hands, this stupid letter is all you have left of him now.

Alfred walks back in, food bag in hand he looks startled to see you in this state. “Miss, calm down please” he drops the food back next to your bed and grabs you by your forearms. “It will be alright, I promise.” He says but you shake your head. “I’m completely alone, I have no one.” Your voice cracks and another sob bubbles up. Alfred’s shaking his head furiously “no you are not, you have me. Just give him time, he’ll come around.” He tries to reassure you.

“No he won’t, he wants me to move out of the city.” You drop the letter on your lap and bury your face in your hands. What were you going to do?

“We will figure this out miss, I promise.”

You did figure it out.

It’s been a few months since the— event and since you saw Bruce. A person you had been seeing regularly since you were a child, just disappeared from your life completely. You swear you have seen flashes of him when you’re walking around the city but you might be reaching.

You have a relatively nice place in the outskirts of Gotham, much safer and comfortable than your last apartment. You did consider leaving the city all together but it has been your home for your entire life.

Alfred was a huge help in everything after you were discharged from the hospital. But you are alone now. You’d thought that it would have been something you had gotten used to but life has been a cruel joke to you for a while now.

It’s late, but you can’t sleep these days. So you resort to sitting on your porch with a teamug and a cigarette, a bad habit you picked up after everything. It wasn’t something you were proud of but it was comforting enough. You had adopted a cat, hoping to ease the loneliness a bit. While it did help a little you still felt desperately alone. Inhaling the smoke you listened the city and all of its noises. Police sirens, cars, that city hum had given you some peace at some point but now it just brought you dread.

Suddenly, goosebumps rose on your skin. Looking around you couldn’t see anything but you couldn’t help but feel like someone was watching you. Shivering you put out the cigarette to get up and go back inside.

“That’ll kill you.” You heard from the shadows, freezing completely. How dare he come to your house after everything?

“Fucking hypocrite.” You spit back and pull yourself up. Opening the front door and swiftly pulling it closed behind you, hoping it was enough of a message that you weren’t interested.

He knocks. He fucking knocks on your door. You laugh, ignoring the fucking knock you walk to your kitchen to set the tea mug down. He’s knocking again and you know he has persistence, so he could be knocking on your door all night. Inhale— exhale.

You walk back to the door and yank it open. He’s standing there with his hand up ready to knock again. “Get the fuck off my property Bruce.” You angrily pointed at him.

He takes his mask off— he looks like shit. “Please, let’s talk.” He pleads

——

Having Bruce in your new home wasn’t something you let yourself imagine. But here he is, standing uncomfortably in your living room while you try to gather yourself in the kitchen.

“I know I fucked up but—“ he starts and you march to the other room. “No! You didn’t ‘fuck up’, I got kidnapped and you LEFT me right when I fucking needed you the most, Bruce!” You exclaim. He lowers his head maybe in shame but you’re too tired to analyze his tells.

“You can’t just— disappear from my life and the expect to be welcomed back with open arms! I have been so alone and—“ you let out an involuntary sob. “You left me Bruce.” Your voice cracks, of course you missed him but you can’t do this. Let yourself hope and get hurt all over again.

“I know. I’m sorry, fuck— I can’t stop listening the voicemail you left me that day and I remember how I couldn’t protect you all over again! If you weren’t associated with me, they wouldn’t have paid you any mind, and I can’t live with myself knowing that I’m the reason you got hurt.” He exclaims back, you shake your head in displeasure.

“I never blamed this on you Bruce. It was never on you! I just needed you to be here with me.” You sob, turning back around to face your hallway that leads to the kitchen. You hear Bruce move towards you and you still. “I have been deathly scared for you every night since you started being Batman. But I’ve stayed next to you through all of it because I know this city is important to you! I know what all of this means to you and even though, it breaks my heart to see you hurting I have always been in your corner.” You finally let out things that have been brewing inside you for months.

It’s so silent now that you think maybe he disappeared again, and you quickly turn back around but what you really see shocks you. Bruce Wayne has always been not stoic but strong, rarely have you seen him desperate or sad. His emotions always ranging between rage and apathy. But now he looks just, broken. You almost flinch towards him because of the sudden show of vulnerability. “I’m— apology isn’t even enough anymore is it.” He says voice hoarse.

“You know, that I’ve always been here for you. So why can’t you be here for me?” You sigh while taking a step toward the utterly broken looking man.

“I want to be. I just— I can’t lose you like I lost my parents.” He whispers as you approach him slowly. You sigh “I know, and I want to promise you won’t, but that’s life you know. But I can promise you that I will by your side as long as I can, if you let me.” Softly saying while you raise your arm to hold his forearm. “If you are on mine.”

His eye bags are showing underneath the black eyeshadow he has on, you bite your lip in concern— has he been sleeping at all? Bruce nods then and pulls you in to his arms. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. For everything, sweet girl.” He says quietly. “I promise I will be here, for you.”

You think then, that maybe everything will be okay, after all.

[robinsofafeatherfalltogether]

I think a lot of people, either seriously or jokingly, in the "this bat should be batman, not Terry next" debate dont get that thats the entire point of Terry Mcginnis. In other cases, they're right, he wouldn't be Batman becuase hes from a universe that everyething went wrong. Bruce is old bitter and sucesfully pushed everone away or those he cared about died, or dont exist here, Gotham crumbles around him and hes crumbling too! Do you think in any other universe the Manor and Cave would be so under protected a random teen walks in and walks out with an entire Batsuit?

In a world when there ARE the others, they dont or wont let B4uce push them away, theres friends and allies to spare and pick up the slack, Batman as a mantal is firmly squared away and a good number of villians are either retired, reformed, or dead. Even if Terry did come to exist, a rebellious kid lashing out would of never been able to make it near the manor, let alone a batcave full of Vigilantes to steal a suit.

And thats why is facinating! Becuase Terry, and Terry as Batman, is the sum of a failing Gotham, a failing Baman, with a sliver of hope left that ended up rising instead of falling. Plus hes an utterly diffrent type of batman and fills the role in a diffrent way then Bruce did. He had Legacy of course but lacked the personal connection to feel like he was filling very specifc shoes like Dick was, and lets be honest Terry would never be anything BUT his own version of batman.

I'm sure you can find a way to make a version of Batman Beyond Terry in a universe where the extended batman DOES exist but id love for how event shaped up for him to even become batman and how that effects him as batman to be explored more. Specially in stories where he travles dimensions and meet this new Batman for it to be less funny/annoying this "random" kid is batman when they learn why hes Batman.

[roseworth]

honestly i don't think any jason after his death seems to really match the one before it? hard to say he's in character at any point then. they might as well have introduced some new guy and told his story through flashbacks. at least the new guy would presumably have someone that cared enough about their oc to give them consistency

can i say something controversial. i disagree with this

i think you have a great point about how robin jason is a lot different than red hood jason, bc a lot of robin stories have him as just an average happy kid so the whiplash from barr tec jason -> utrh jason is insane

on the other hand,, that adds to it for me. this was not winick's intention but i love the idea that jason was just a happy robin that loved his dad & loved being robin then immediately gets crushed because he was living his happy life and thought everything was great, then went through an insane trauma and realized that everything was not as great as he thought so he decided to start killing people. in my head theres a great narrative where he basically becomes unrecognizable to who he was before because thats how bad his death & resurrection fucked him up

but also heres where im gonna get even more controversial! i dont think hes that different!

i loooove barr tec but i think barr has specifically said that he wanted to be writing dick so he just pretended he was. a lot of robin jason writers didnt bother to give him any character of his own, he was just dick 2.0 until starlin

i dont love how starlin wrote jason because his only reason for writing jason like that was that he hated him and wanted to kill him. but. starlin's jason was so distinct from dick that its one of the only times that it feels like jason. honestly if you take early post-crisis robin jason and compare it to starlin jason, its not that different. hes a little aggressive & angry but does it for a good reason, he fights with batman and can be impulsive but has strong morals even if his morals arent always what batman believes, which is very similar to who he was when he first became robin post-crisis

and because starlin jason is one of the only times that jason is distinct from dick (not to mention, in terms of general robin jason knowledge, most of jason's iconic robin stories come from starlin), it makes sense that that version of jason was used in utrh. and the version of jason that had empathy for victims to the point that he wanted to kill the perpetrators makes so much sense for red hood jason. he believed that the best way to get vengeance for the victims was to kill the person who did it, which is why he was so mad that bruce wouldnt do that for him after he died

in my mind there is a very clear progression from the version of jason that died and the version that comes back to life. he had a lot of empathy for the victims when he was robin (to the point that bruce told him that he should sit out the garzonas case bc he got too emotionally invested in it) so it makes sense that when he is the victim of a gruesome murder from someone like the joker, who has killed and done horrible things and isnt going to stop, that he would be extremely pissed that bruce wouldnt let his morals go just to kill the person that killed jason, since thats what jason, even as robin, believed was the best way to get vengeance for the victims

[twasbrillig71]

UPDATE; JUST FINISHED GOTHAM UNBURIED. IT RUINED MY FUCKING LIFE, YALL SHOULD GO LISTEN TO IT

hey guys, i just got to episode 5 of batman unburied! so uh. what the Fuck is Happening

[haveihitanerve]

You Wouldn't Do It Now, Would You?

“Drake?” Tim drake turned around. “Dami? What are you doing here?” The young boy shrugged, leaping over to Tims building. “Im Robin. I just finished my rounds. Why are you here Drake?” Tim shrugged, mimicking him, and turned back to the city. “Its been a while since i just relaxed here. On the roof. Watching the city. Me and B used to do it all the time.” “oh.” Damian took a seat next to his older brother, letting his legs dangle. Tim took a deep breath and released it slowly, inhaling Gotham. “I love this city.” he whispered. Damian nodded. “At first i thought Father was crazy. And then Dick started talking like him, and Jason has it as his homescreen. I thought you were all insane for harboring such love for this shit-hole.” Tim smiled. “But…?” he asked. Damian sighed, slipping his hood off. “But now, i see it.” Tims smile practically glowed. “You do?” Damian nodded. “Now i know why you all stayed. Why Dick cant help himself and visits way more than he should. Its not just to see us, although it really is, its to see his city.” “his first true home.” Tim agreed. “And Todd. The streets weren't kind to him, but somehow he fell in love.”  Damian added. Tim nodded. “Yep. Bruce rubbed off on all of us. When he talked about Gotham, it was like he was talking about a lover. It was always she is so beautiful. And sure, shes rough, but shes home. And under the grime and crime,” “theres beauty.” Damian finished, nodding. Tim nodded too. “Cass and Steph have a nightly run over the rooftops. And a special spot where they like to watch the city.” Tim informed his baby brother. Damian looked at him. “Is this yours?” Tim nodded. “Yep. This is mine and Dads. Its where we would spend time after our patrol. Just the two of us. That place down there,” he pointed into the street below. “Sells the best ice cream ever. We used to just hop down there and buy some then come up here. The workers there all knew us.” “you have a special ice cream place with Father too?” Damian asked. Tim laughed. “Of course. We all do. It started because of Dick. He was an energetic nine year old and needed lots of calories to keep himself awake and moving. Then when Jason came, B found a different place to take him because they had a different patrol route. Same for me. And Cass. And Steph. And you.” Tim tousled damian's hair. Damian nodded. “Very nice, I was not aware of that Drake. Thank you.” Tim smiled. “Anytime baby bird.” Damian wrinkled his nose. “And that. Why bird?” Tim laughed. “Well, because you're robin. B is Batdad or DadBird. Dick was his baby bird. Then Dick became Brother Bird. Jason was baby bird. Then he became Gun Bird. Then i was baby bird. Ect.” “what are you now?” Damian asked, curious. Tim winced. “Im Red Bird.” he said through gritted teeth. Damian laughed. “That sounds like something Grayson and Todd would come up with.” Tim shook his head. “Yep. They're wonderful.” They sat in comfortable silence for a while when Damian spoke. 

“Do you ever think of jumping?” his voice was soft. Tim stilled. “Yes.” he answered honestly. Damian looked at him. “Is that why you were sitting here?” Tim shook his head. “No.” “You.. wouldn't have killed yourself, would you? You won't?” Damian pushed. Tim nodded. “I might have. Back then.” Damian swallowed. “And now? Would you?” Tim looked at his brother in shock. “No Damian. I wont.” he answered sincerely. Damian averted his gaze. “Good.” he blushed a little. “I just think, two older brothers is a weird number.” Tim smiled softly. “Me too Darling. Don't worry. I have no plans of leaving you alone. Neither do dick and Jason.” Damian nodded. “Okay.” he looked up at Tim shyly and tim sat at full alert. “I-I would like a hug.” Damian asked. Tim immediately melted. “Whenever you want baby bird.” he folded his brother into his arms. Damian buried his face in his brothers suit and held him, breathing him in. “i think,” his voice was soft, quiet. “I think i like being you all’s baby bird.” Tim smiled, pressing a kiss to damian’s head. “Yeah?” Damian nodded, face still pressed into his brothers chest. “Yeah.” Tim hugged him tighter. “Good. Cause you'll always be our baby bird. And we’ll always be your big brothers.” 

inspired by this-

[gimmemore14]

💖💐💐✨❤️❤️❤️❤️✨💐💐💖

these are for u. just wanted to tell u that you’re fics are amazing~ i recently just got back into dcu and your bitw fic was the first that was recommended to me and then i had to read ur other works too. hope u update soon, no rush i’m just really hyped up on this newest hyper-fixation. pls pls pls let me know if u have any fic recs or tumblrs u think i should follow i would really appreciate it. i’m arting again and i wanna draw something for ur fic, but i wanted to check first to make sure it was okay to send u fanart and ask how u usually get it sent to you

🥺🥺🥺💜💜💜

Recommended?!? Ahhhh! That makes me feel good, I’m glad you’re enjoying it!! Man I also wanna update soon too! It’s slow going, BUT it IS going hahahah

I would love it if you drew something for/from my fic, honestly it’s the highest compliment!!! Makes me kick my feet up and giggle 😂 I would encourage you to post it on here and tag me in it so not only can I see but also so others can too! If you aren’t comfortable doing that I’d still love if you private message me a drawing or if you just wanted to talk too! I don’t bite unless asked to hahah

Oooo Recs, I got a LOT of those, I’ll try to contain myself though:

@thesubtextis —conquered by love

Ongoing, one of my absolute favorites, it balances Slade being super menacing but still oddly kind/considerate despite the terrible circumstances and monster he must be

@caroaimezoe —Rude

I LOVE fics where Bruce is absolutely abnormal and unhinged and possessive about Dick!!

@zeroducks-2 —Sladick connected fics

Ongoing, Sladick connected fics my beloved 😭❤️ love basically everything they write, SUCH good dynamics

@hii-theree —Rough callouses and sharp claws

Ongoing, nicer guy than usual Slade, hes still kinda a dick of course and doesn’t know Dick is Nightwing during a hostage situation 🔥

@withthekeyisking-writer —A loaded god complex

The emotion and character work is PEAK in this plus their other works are dark and smutty and great

@green-eyedfirework —virtue is truest nobility

Too many good ones to choose tbh, also posts lots of awesome snippets on here that can lead to some fun plot bunnies

@skalidra —feel it in my bones

Ongoing, bad guys win scenario that hits every time (they have SO many great ones though, sladick and jaydick and sladjay and sladickjay galore)

@wingdingery —all of the fire I’ve swallowed

Dick is self sacrificing and clever but oblivious, Slade is arrogant and scheming and unexpectantly merciful, *chefs kiss*

@everydarkcorner —Bitch and moan and bite down into me (one ongoing and one completed)

Love their all their writing, can’t go wrong, their Slade is one of my favorites to read, possessive and obsessive and deliciously dark

[outletcrash]

more of the system!

some implied trauma and some depression below the cut

i read a bunch of two-face fanfic last night and now im like... should it just be a 3 person system? i loved how people wrote it like that so much. but all of these alters are so key in the story i could not remove them if i tried.

but, i still changed some stuff up. harvey and harv now have very good communication (pretty bad memory, only a fuzzy idea).

for harvey, besides being comforted by his alters in childhood (and recently but at that time he just thought they were emotions/intrusive thoughts) has very little communication with the system. besides parker and ruby, but its still not very strong.

harv just got here. hes scared as shit and deeply traumatized and angry. he feels like hes intruding on a life that isnt his. "if harvey had been stronger harv would have never been created". yeah its not great hes not doing great.

they form a begrudging alliance to become vigilantes (other alters are also down with this. either for wanting justice/revenge or to help others. some are unaware. its also not unanimous and theres lots of conflict. daniel splits from harvey to send messages between harvey+harv and the rest of the system. also just in general. hes like a negotiating errand boy).

they get caught, are deemed insane and sent to arkham. he works with both asshole therapists and really good ones, even a complex trauma specialist who was so good daniel split into emerald (an internal therapist) and shortly after her nameless physical protector. generally though arkham is extremely isolating and depressing and null fronts like 24/7. eris handles fights (somtimes with harv) E calms the body, briar helps them sleep and (NAMELESS) fights against the restraints.

even with bruce visting them its Awful and in the headspace they make an escape plan. and well. escape!

[ronearoundblindly]

If deep sea mermaid is free in some way she dosent just leave. She liked meeting the team and loves steve .

The time they went in the deepest trench in the world (thanks to tonys tech that went smooth trials and they are able to go there) they are surprised of what they saw assides their intended mission to find the bad guys hiding there as they look around a familiar tail sways and this time it glows

Steve smiled and knew who it was and assured everyone its alright

Tony joked steve fucked a mermaid

Wanda hears someone then at the front part of the submarine there she is Tail swaying in joy while waving her hand as a "Hi!!!!" Tony shrugs " yep shes not hangry

Bucky is also facinated in a curious way "So this is why you took too long punk

Bruce simply stunded theres folks like here here

Nat straight to the point to her" anything suspicious?"

Y/n simply nod and beckons them to follow her with her eletric glowing tail for them to follow her direction there . Is a bad guy hiding here

a continuation of the Sun, Salt, And Shield miniverse. (Also, this ask is from October. I am so sorry it took me so long to get to!) Warnings for action/adventure, vague innuendo, bad jokes (from everyone), and mild language have you met me?. Lightly edited. WC 1.8k

Pairing: steve rogers x deep sea mermaid!reader

"Is that...is that a Segway?" Sam Wilson completely fails to hide his amusement as you test out Tony's motorized way to let you 'walk' on land.

"Heavily modified, but--" Tony takes the handle from you for a second to lower the max speed while you learn "--essentially, yeah."

It wasn't easy. In fact, the part they thought would be the hardest turned out to have a quick fix. You can only breathe outside of the water for so long, so Atlantian technology was formed to fit over your gills and mouth. Thanks, Namor.

Then Tony was faced with a wholly new problem. You live in the deep sea, naturally, under a great deal of pressure, and as a non-bipedal lifeform who maneuvers that fast underwater, outside of the water, you are made up of over 250 lbs of muscle. Most of that lies in your tail which they've witnessed crush a man's skull on impact.

That...should not make Steve feel the things he does. It really shouldn't.

He did always think he'd fall for a strong woman though. So. There's that.

You listen carefully to Tony's instructions, eyes shielded by enormous black sunglasses the billionaire obsessed over designing. He made you look like an old Hollywood movie star--albeit with vivid green hair and pale purple skin--and Steve wonders if the style was a purposeful jab at him.

"Right, the direction is pretty sensitive at the moment," Tony slowly explains to you. "You've got to really control your weight distribution so it doesn't overshoot your target."

That three-layer grin comes out in an instant, and you nod. No hesitation, barely a glance around, you start the contraption rolling, circling Sam, then Tony, then Steve with pinpoint precision, pausing in the middle of them all to cock your head.

"Coral reefs require sharp turns."

Tony stares at you, the nine-foot-long crown-to-fin specimen before him. It's clear he both adores and loathes how adept you are despite your wildly different backgrounds. You've grown on him. A lot. So much so that Tony has not made a fish-fucking joke in two whole weeks.

Steve won't chance calling attention to it though. The more he lets Tony delve into tech to keep you here longer and tech that allows humans to be where you live longer, the more Steve gets to see you. Win-win.

"Show off," Tony grumbles with deeply proud eyes. "Let's see what you can do then."

Steve himself has never gotten to go in one of the new Divers. Tony always insisted on manning the crafts himself until all the bugs were worked out. The first prototypes fit one person (one not-very-large-person) anyway, so it wasn't going to be Steve piloting one.

The new models can fit approximately six people comfortably.

While Namor's city has a bright source of light to help surface folk see, you and your people function without.

That means a mix of infrared, night-vision, and sonar are all the team can use to 'see' your home.

Unfortunately, they aren't here on a social visit. A mutant named Tiger Shark is rumored to be hiding within a few hundred nautical miles. It's imperative he be found.

As great as Tony's tech is, it's clunky and slow compared to how fast the mermaids can swim and search. You can also survive at greater depths than Atlantians while maintaining your speed. There's a boing-hollow tap above Steve's head and he snaps to look through the low-light adjusted glass.

You wave enthusiastically before pressing a webbed hand to the window.

"Hey, doll," Steve whispers automatically.

Tony groans. "Right. Grariel, we are looking for the man--uh, thing I sent you a picture of. Have any of your people seen him before? Do you know if he's been nearby?"

The pressed hand turns into one held-out finger as you look away from the Diver. There are bizarre noises that send the sonar haywire until Tony switches it off.

Your tail glows again, something Steve hasn't seen since the first time he met you in the Raft, scales lifting slightly to show bright pink bioluminescence.

And then magic.

As far as is possible to see in the Diver, lights of different sizes sprout up in shades of blue, pink, and purple. Your people. They're telling you what they know. It's the first time Steve considers you might be a leader of your own people, too. It's his turn to be proud like Tony who looks duly impressed.

Quickly, faster than it can register in the infrared scans, you're off like a shot, and Steve feels almost sick to his stomach trying to follow your deft swimming.

"Well, ok," Tony scrambles, "I guess we're doing this damn thing."

He pushes it, but the Diver cannot move anywhere near as fast as you can. Steve loses the light of your tail and stiffens, gripping a hand over Tony's shoulder.

"I got her. I got her, Cap." Tony flicks a few switches on the panel in front of him. "She's a good girl. Keeps her tracker on. We'll catch up."

It takes too long to get to you once your tracking signal stops advancing, but then Tony grimaces.

"Uh, slight problem. She's ascending."

"How is that an issue," Nat asks. "Can't we help her more in shallower water?"

"Based on her heart rate--"

"Just get us there," Steve booms, franticly searching the scans above them for signs of you. The water shines blue now, and they can see some light, but Tony has them at a pretty sharp angle to get higher.

"Found 'em. Right there."

Suspended in cerulean blue, it looks like you're dancing, swirling and circling with odd twists and turns. It's almost beautiful until--

Bucky croaks. "Is that blood?"

"WHAT? Tony--"

"Hold your horses. It's red," Tony dismisses.

"Yes, blood tends to be that color," Steve deadpans. "Now help--"

"Black," Tony chirps. "Your girlfriend's blood is black, for the record."

They progress closer, and then a much darker gush of blood floats in the liquid sky but remains mostly red. Tiger Shark is a transformed human, after all; his blood remains close to human.

"Yeah, that's about what it looked like when she ate Chuck..." He swivels in his seat. "Do you know, I still can't buy ground chuck? Almost put me off burgers. Feels so wrong."

"Focus, Tony."

Swift like a cheetah on land, you roll your tail around Tiger Shark's legs and squeeze, stretching out behind him to grab at the corners of his mouth and below the huge shark's jaw. It's as if you purposefully display your catch, sharp ends to your long webbed fingers digging at the mutant's thick flesh.

"Atta girl," Tony cheers.

You beam but aren't looking at them.

Something huge, big enough to shadow the Diver completely, whips over their heads.

Another mermaid.

Actually, a male, something which Steve has never seen before. He supposes he knew they existed, of course, but this guy is enormous. Possibly two feet longer than you with a body almost twice as wide.

He completely blocks their view of you for a few seconds.

"We got something to secure him with," Tony announces to your comm.

When the merman flicks his tale to move away, you sport your Hollywood shades with gusto. The male brought you your sunglasses, and suddenly, Steve's...more than curious.

The Diver ejects a grappling hook and you and the male lash the unconscious Tiger Shark to the top of the submersible.

You are hugging the new arrival, who keeps his head facing down away from the surface light. Whatever the conversation, which is completely incoherent noise to everyone in the Diver, it's very animated. The male is protective, holding your shoulders and looking at your wound with a very clear frown.

You bat the guy's concern away and motion toward the sub where four humans watch in confusion.

You touch the center of the male's chest.

"Fah-ther."

Steve swallows hard. That's your dad? Holy shit, he is in so much trouble. People tease him for looking like a Greek statue, but your father is like...is like...really freakin' buff.

Everyone in the Diver stares daggers at Steve, and he knows it. All the years he's been off the ice, all the time he's had to get used to women--well, females, let's say,--and he is not at all prepared to handle Merman Goliath as an in-law, or...uh...sorta...oh gosh.

He raises his hand because he doesn't have any other ideas. "Hi, I'm Steve."

Bucky snorts. "Oh, buddy. Wow."

Too many thoughts flood him at the same time, and Steve freezes in place.

Father? He looks no older than you. Wait. How old are you? Steve's never asked. How long do mermaids live? Do they ever age? Do they just keep getting bigger or is your dad, like, the biggest?

"Tony," Steve finally whispers, "do you...do you know from your research how...?"

Thank goodness Tony takes pity on poor, panicked Steve, not stalling to admit he has no clue what age you are.

You return to speaking (a mix of sounds with rippling shimmers of light along your tail), so you aren't paying attention when Steve bends down to add, "can you though? Can you carbon date her?"

He's heard about science on that. Steve knows it's a thing.

A strange sort of elation blooms on Stark's face, and he turns to Bucky and Nat.

"That counts," Tony yells. "That totally counts!"

"Shit," Bucky grumbles, running his vibranium hand down his face.

Natasha is, for once, genuinely stunned and looking back and forth between Tony and Steve. "I'll be damned," she murmurs.

Steve gives in. "What's happened?"

"You," Tony boasts, "just asked me for dating advice. You asked me specifically to assist you in dating someone, and thus I have won a very, very large bet."

Before Steve can bemoan that, another tap sounds above them. You point to the prize catch of the day.

"Help take in," you say, quickly turning to swim up to the lighter blue waters.

"I've got so much to teach you, Cap. Promise I'll be gentle. Maybe I can teach Grariel a little something about--"

"NO" comes the immediate and emphatic response of everyone else inside.

Tony simply shrugs.

"What a great day," he bubbles, humming as he takes the Diver to the surface right behind your beautiful, ageless tail.

Steve realizes he has so, so many things he wants to ask you about that he'd never thought of before, top on the list being "what have you told your father about me?"

A/N: Tiger Shark is a real Marvel character who I have included in other fics before. It was fun to use him again!

I do not have words to describe how enjoyable this was to write. I just want to torment poor Steve with awkwardness. I can't help it.

I...I may have figured out a way to incorporate...uh, some smut into this universe...but I don't know if that's a thing y'all would read. I'm gonna hold off on that.

[Next Part]

[Main Masterlist]

[daedalusdavinci]

Superbat Fic Recs

every superbat fic ive ever read has been recommended to me, almost, bc the superbat tag scares the absolute piss out of me, so these are like. twice over recommended. i dont believe that theres such a thing as "in character" when it comes to bruce or clark bc theyve been characterized so many different ways, so i tend to rate how good superbat fics are entirely by how delightful they are to read (plot, writing style, fun dynamic, etc). that said here are some of the superbat fics that i find the most delightful

The Long Hangover

by CoffioCake

Clark knows he should take a break: His powers are on the fritz, he feels like shit, and Batman’s treating him like a liability. But Gotham's villains seem to have it in for Metropolis' Big Blue Boy Scout and Clark won't just wait around for answers. Batman might be the world’s greatest detective, but Clark Kent is one of the Daily Planet’s most tenacious reporters. This is definitely a job for Superman.

i love this one. its long but its got so many good beats- good plot, fun dialogue, fantastic levels of identity porn where you are just DYING for them to figure it out. i think a lot of superbat fics tend to prioritize batman and his family and cast too much, but this ones definitely about superman, which is a nice change of pace

Nor The Rain

by Romany (@romanyeva on tumblr)

Bruce decides it's time.

this ones short but its cute and so sweet. its been a while since i read it, but i remember loving the writing

Rescue and Recover

by OdosBucket

The bats have spent the better part of the past two months in captivity, and Clark is grateful to finally have them back, even if it will still be some time before any of them are recovered from the experience.

this one drove me CRAZY the first time i read it. i was so obsessed w the absolutely married dynamic bruce and clark have in this, and its good if you really like batfam whump

certain obscure things

by @liodain

Bruce seeks to mend in the wake of Superman's death. Fortunately, Superman doesn't believe in staying dead. Unfortunately, Bruce isn't certain how to deal with this—especially with how easily Clark slots into his life. All he knows is that an encounter with the Enchantress is definitely not the way to go.

im not a synderverse fan but it remains that some of the best and most fun superbat fics to read are synderverse. love what the girlies are doing with those old men. this one is really fun, particularly in how it handles bruces grief and what its like to grieve someone who isnt gone

fame is the bait (and the switch is your desolate smile)

by nowrunalong (@buffyfemslash on tumblr)

"Superman,” Wayne says emphatically. "Now there’s an interesting guy. The concept of wealth probably doesn’t even register to an alien who could throw a whole skyscraper into the sea if he was in a snit.” It’s almost hilariously ironic that Wayne is saying this here, in Clark’s place of employment, where Clark works ten-hour shifts to earn enough tip money to pay rent on a one-bedroom apartment. “He’s gotta live somewhere,” Clark points out. Or: Clark meets Bruce, and then Superman meets Bruce Wayne. Neither is entirely fooled.

speaking of synderverse. this ones also a lot of fun! its a lot of bruce being antagonistic in the beginning and clark being a total golden retriever, which is pretty on beat for the enemies to lovers type dynamic that i always see in synderverse fics.

I'm Not As Think As You Drunk I Am

by Mardiaz173

It was like living in the Twilight Zone. Everyone else believed fervently in Bruce Wayne’s reputation. He was a flirty, stupid, and entitled drunk whose only redeeming quality was his bleeding heart. And yet every time Clark spoke with Wayne, the man was clever, mischievous, and sober with an indecipherable ulterior motive. And no one believed Clark. Not Lois, not his parents, not even Batman.

bruce is such a ridiculous ass in this and its kind of hilarious. identity porn galore. its a fun read!

Send to All

by kerosceene

I, ___________________________, hereby acknowledge that this form represents my wishes should I contract phytoaphrodisiac-induced delirium (hereafter referred to as “PAID”) during engagements with or while apprehending Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley (“Poison Ivy”). - the bats have a sex pollen release form. because of course they do.

this ones really more batfamily and i just. listen. i think this is the funniest fic ever written, maybe. it makes me sob every single time. im not going to say anything else but you should just read it and trust me

[spooky-circuits]

A continuation of the Bruce meeting because I want to write some proper conversation between Bruce and Branch.

Part one

Part two

Bruce is still reeling from Branch’s comment about leaving when his son asks “Daddy what’s he talking about?” Bruce know this is going to be rough to explain so he decides to hold off on that until he can calm everyone down including himself because holy shit this is a lot. “Daddy will explain later junior. Why don’t you tell Mommy we have guests!” And he starts pushing his towering child back into the cantina. “Oh and tell her she finally gets to meet uncle Branch she’ll know what that means!”

Branch watches the interaction feeling almost nauseous. There are so many emotions mixing in his chest he can hardly tell them apart. Poppy is looking at his face and she can tell he isn’t feeling well. “You look like you’re gonna barf. Do you need a bucket?” Bruce looks back at him with concern when hearing that. Branch swallows down his feelings for a moment to tell Poppy he doesn’t need a bucket when Bruce walks towards him. “Look Branch lets talk okay? We both clearly have a lot to catch up on.” Branch sighs and looks at Bruce. “That’s definitely an understatement.”

*Branch and Bruce fill each other in on things that have happened in other posts*

Bruce listens to Branch telling him about how difficult it was to find him and all Bruce can say is. “I guess this means the card I sent out didn’t make it too you? I’m sorry Branch I didn’t know and when Brandy and I went back to the troll tree the whole thing was trashed! I had no idea anyone was still out there.”

Branch can understand that. It still hurts but he can understand why Bruce decided to settle down here. “So Bruce Jr? How exactly did that happen?” Because Brandy is definitely not a troll but their son is clearly both of theirs. Bruce gets that look on his face that he would get right before giving Clay a wet willie. “Well Branch when a mommy and daddy love each other very much-” Branch immediately slaps a hand over his mouth and says “Stop! I don’t need to know anymore.” And makes sure to pull away before Bruce tries to lick his hand or something.

They eventually make their way back to the cantina where Bruce finally introduces everyone to Brandy. “Sorry that took so long honey but look! It’s my brother! Can you believe it? He even brought friends!” Brandy just smiles and says “It’s so nice to finally meet you. Bruce has told me so much about you. Of course you were a baby in most of those stories.” Hearing this helps Branch realize his brother really hadn’t just forgotten him the moment he got a new family. He’s still nervous with her towering over him but he tries to be polite and puts out his hand to shake one of her fingers. This is when Bruce Jr comes over. “So you’re my uncle? Does that mean we can still play? Or do uncles just do boring dad stuff?” All of Branch’s friends are cooing over how cute his nephew is so there doesn’t seem to be any getting out of it. “Yeah we can still play. I’m not ancient like your dad yet.” Theres a mock offended gasp from Bruce at that but he’s happy to see Branch getting along with his son. Family should be together it’s something he’s realized in the last 14 years since leaving the troll tree.

[songbirdblues]

theres much to be said about the woobification of tim drake as a character entirely in fanon, but one thing in particular that tends to irk me is the misinterpretation of this scene.

now, i generally dont have a problem with fanon interprets of events like this!!! in fact, im an avid fanfic reader and i can honestly say i dont mind when comic events get squashed or stretched out of proportion. people want angst and fluff, and hurt and comfort, and i can respect that a lot of dc fans get their info from fanon and dont bother/simply dont want to read comics because they lack those feel-good moments/that emotional depth that fanfics have. thats fine, thats none of my business, and thats perfectly valid!

...but i think it does get to a point where a comic is SO misinterpreted, like this one (or just this series in general, really), that it loses all that makes it good and interesting in the first place.

dick isn't a bad guy here. whether you think what he said was warranted or not, or if you think him saying that he thinks tim should seek help is insensitive or wrong, he's not some evil abusive guy who hates tim (tim literally calls him his brother in the scene???? in a positive context??)

i just see a lot of people think dick is some terrible villain for this event (and for the "firing and replacing tim just so damian can be robin for no reason" thing which is also a misinterpretation of what happened, but thats something else). when in reality dick himself is already struggling to keep his family from falling apart even more than it already has, has been forced to become batman, and has to raise this random, murderous kid that just popped into his life (i love damian but bro was giving dick gray hairs in his twenties in the beginning lol), all while dealing with the loss of his father for the second time in his life. on top of this, to him, his 16 year old brother is off doing god knows what across europe going on a wild goose chase looking for their (presumably) dead father and doesnt know what to do about it.

but despite all that, in tims eyes, dick massively messed up. we know he thinks this by what he says in the comic.

which leads me to my last point; tims own thoughts. this is a bit more of my opinion on tims character rather than objective fact so bear with me. tims internal monologue and emotional journey across red robin are why i think this series is so heavily (sorry to keep using this word) misinterpreted by fanon.

throughout the course of the story, tim is being forced to suffer with a grief that that he doesnt know how to deal with. like dick, this is the second father tim has lost. but the difference between them is that when tim experiences loss he... doesnt really know how to deal with it, like at all. he goes crazy when he loses someone close to him. at least dick can kinda sorta keep it together. after jack died and bruce tried to adopt him, tim literally hired a man to pretend to be his uncle to avoid it. when kon died, he tried to clone him 99 whole times with old luthor tech, (and later when damian died, tim hallucinated hugging him, or at the very least pretended to, which while a lot tamer than these other instances i still think it speaks to how deeply he feels these losses and how badly he handles it). i dont know the specifics of how he acted about other people hes lost like bart, stephanie, and his mom, but tim even says himself that part of the reason why he's doing all this is because of how many people he's lost, so it can be assumed he reacted harshly to their passing, too.

tim also admits, multiple times throughout red robin, that he knows he sounds/acts crazy, he admits that he goes farther than he ever went as robin when dealing with criminals and cases because as red robin he's now "tainted" and agrees with connor in a later issue that "red robin" is his punishment for himself.

so what i mean by all this is that, simply put, tim is an unreliable narrator. of course we as the readers feel angry at dick and cassie, tim himself is angry at them. he feels hurt and betrayed, and it could even be assumed at that point that he feels they abandoned him, and he thinks that they think hes crazy. he isolates himself from everyone, he feels unworthy of everything, and he "knows" hes lost it. "except for everything, im perfectly fine." is a quote he says, and there are plenty more like it in the series.

my point is that in tims eyes for the majority of his character arc as red robin, nearly everyone hes ever loved has either died or abandoned him, but as the audience we know thats not the case. cassie loves him, dick of course loves him, they just both made mistakes and hurt him, but that doesnt make either of them irredeemable or mean that they dont care about tim. tim himself, in that moment, just doesnt believe that, or doesnt even seem to consider that. he sees the bad, and blinded by his own grief and anger, doesnt see the good.

i just think a lot of people miss that, and just write dick off as borderline abusive or purposefully hurtful in red robin fanfics, because comics tend to get telephoned so much in the fandom that thats what people see him as, when it's not the case, which is how we got the "dick threatens to send tim to arkham" thing. (but thats just gonna happen i guess. did you know that in the actual jasons attack on titans tower comic jason wears his robin costume?? yeesh i'll have to stick with fanon on their interpretation of that whole thing. see its not bad all the time)

besides the idea of the whole arkham trope thing, theres still plenty of canon angst to pull from in red robin! you can write about how tim thinks hes losing it, ra's weird infatuation with tim and everything that comes with that, tim being forced to deal with losing robin, tims rocky relationship with tam fox, tims super rocky relationship with damian, any interaction between kon and tim, OH. the fact that at one point tim got kicked out of a tall building and accepted his death (only thinking about how bruce would be proud), only to be saved by dick last minute and then lying about knowing dick would save him (yeah right buddy) ((its issue #12)). theres also the idea of bruce and tim talking after tim finds him (canon bruce hug!!!). and theres more im forgetting for sure. all that to say theres plenty of ideas already there for the taking!!!!! red robin is a great comic filled with plenty of emotional moments.

moral of the story, dick isn't a terrible person, tim needs help but he isn't a little baby incapable of doing anything, and i believe writing them differently in the context of red robin (2009) is a disservice to their characters and their relationships with each other in the actual comic.

...but i mean, im not your dad. write what you want

[1seaweedbrain1]

Shit I've said/done as Batfam this month pt. 5

Bruce - yessss it is dark as descend into my domai- oh my god why am i like this? who am i trying to impress? theres no one here to be impressed so why am i like this?

Alfred - self care this and self care that. i dont really have a point it just seems like its being brought up a lot.

Dick - its like i know this is where im supposed to be the supportive sibling but dude fucked up and i think i should call them on it

Jason - *while crying* you know this is really messing with my devil may care attitude

Tim - not to be a little bitch about the whole thing but it kinda seems like the douches in charge are setting us up for failure

Damian - i love my dogs dearly but do they have to try so hard to lick my mouth? like i love them but if they manage to lick the inside of my mouth im gonna lose it, that shits disgusting. 

[roseworth]

What are your biggest hopes and fears for the new cass series (besides rose appearance)?

honestly i dont have a ton of predictions/hopes and im just so happy that she has a book that i will basically accept anything. but some of my hopes (in no particular order):

duke appearance <3 i need them to hang out again. i need to see them be buddies. please i am begging

any reference to the part of batgirl 2000 where shiva kills cass/cass kills shiva. i think (i hope) this one is very likely given that spirit world had a ref to cass's death and some other book recently (i cant remember which one) referenced shiva's death in bg00 so 🤞 we stay strong

brenda appearance ? please? this one is very unlikely since shes dead. but also this takes place in this all-in universe (or absolute universe? or whatever its called idc) so maybe brenda is alive and well in that universe

i am hoping and praying that this book has a good understanding of cass. this should be a given but i have no faith in any dc writers. but also the way brombal talked about cass gives me hope (he said something about "martial arts ass-kicking the way only cass can do" so HOPEFULLY that means she has all her fighting abilities from bg00)

rose appearance :) i know you said besides rose appearance but i want one so bad. i have waited so long and cassrose nation is hungry for crumbs. i will literally do anything. i need rose to be in this book

this is a longshot but i hope bruce does not show up in this book. if this is going to be an exploration of shiva & cass's relationship it should not have much to do with bruce outside of "cass wants to be like him instead of being like cain or shiva". but this is absolutely not going to come true bc theres no way bruce isnt popping up

on that same note, ORACLE BABS PLEASE PELASE PALSE PLEASE PELASE PASLESE PELASES PLEASE in terms of cass there is so much more to compare shiva & babs as mother figures in her life and i neeeeeed babs being cass's mother-sister-mentor again

as for fears, my only fear right now is how shiva is going to be written and how the relationship between shiva and cass will be... pretty much none of cass's trauma actually comes from her mother so they have a very complicated relationship since cass doesnt exactly see her as a mother since shiva never raised her or treated her like a daughter or anything like that, but she still cares about her like she is her mother in a way? and i feel like a lot of books water down that relationship by making it a lot simpler than it is and just saying that shiva is cass's mom and calling it a day. but cass didnt even know that shiva was her mother until she was like 19. they dont have a straightforward relationship as mother and daughter. and i think cass considers shiva partially responsible for what cain did to her since shiva knew exactly what cain's plan was and she went along with it/left cass with him. but other than that cass doesnt have a lot of trauma specifically FROM shiva. even when shiva killed her it was basically like a hard reset for her and i dont think cass would really even consider it that traumatic. basically im just worried that the usual misunderstandings of cass & shiva will be here because "evil assassin mom" is very common in dc stories, but thats not really a good way to describe who shiva is for cass :(