#tim then offers to help damian drop out as well or at least advance himself out of his current class

[batbux]

Dick, Tim, and Damian are guests on a Gotham themed podcast titled Gastly Gotham, mostly focused on the weird shit that goes on. This episode is about the Wayne family particularly and the interview is used mostly as a soft open for the episode.

---

All three of the Waynes, surname assumed or not, sit across from the two hosts at a large circular table. While there are microphones aplenty, there is also a camera trained on the table. The video is going to be a Patreon exclusive, the hosts explain.

They chat politely a bit to warm up and one of the hosts, Allison, discovers that she and Tim both took 11th grade English with a Mr. Rhodes, though at different schools and years apart.

"Was he the straw that broke the camel's back?" Allison asks sympathetically. "I know I would have loved to drop out just to avoid one of those stupid papers. Everything was always 'too rushed, Allison' and he always told me, 'explain yourself more, Allison'."

Tim laughed along, but shook his head.

"Believe it or not, he wasn't. Well, maybe indirectly."

"PLEASE say more. What was it that made you drop out like a cool kid?"

"Full disclosure, it's nothing like what you're thinking and I'm not sure you'll be able to put it in the show," Tim explained. When the hosts only clamoured for more, Tim acquiesced.

"We had to break out into these little groups in our English class. We were supposed to be talking about where we were on assignments and getting feedback, right?" Tim waited for everyone to nod. "Well my group got to be pretty friendly and, uh. One of the girls started sharing some of her personal writings with us as well."

"No good?" the other host, Josie, asked.

"Honestly I took too much psychic damage to pass judgement on the quality of the writing," Tim said, shaking his head. "See, she wrote almost exclusively rated R SuperBat mpreg RPF and wasn't shy about reading it out loud to us."

As Allison and Josie fell into hysterics, Dick frowned.

"I didn't understand a word of that. But I guess from the context, that's probably for the best, right?"

"This is a truly tragic day to have ears," Damian grumbled, scrunching down in his seat. At his brothers look, he defended himself, "I did not understand all of it!"

"I was raised by the internet, but what's your excuse?" Tim asked.

"Public schooling."

"Ah," Tim nodded. "Warrior Cats fans or My Little Pony?"

"Wolf girls."

"I'm so sorry," Tim says, looking truly contrite. "Thoughts and prayers, man."

Damian stoically nodded and gave his thanks.

[watchtower-feed]

BatDragon

Batfamily ✧ 1 ✧

     The fight had run long and everyone is exhausted. While Bruce is away on a top-secret intergalactic League mission, all of his wards decided to work as a team to take down Black Mask and his men. Only because it’s been a particularly unusual job, unusual even for Gotham. Black Mask had outsourced manpower from Bane himself to protect his precious cargo, a single chest the size of a serving platter. It was enough for all of them to be cautious and actually work together.

     The Red Hood is making sure every single hired muscle is tied up and unconscious. “Damn. Black Mask sure gave us a fight for this one.” He rubs his gloved hands together while he walks toward the chest. “Makes you wonder what’s inside.”

     Nightwing, Robin, Red Robin, Spoiler, Orphan, and the Signal have been circling the cargo as well. Scanning it. Observing it. It’s not made out of gold or silver, just a metal chest with a few dents on it from being roughly handled and eventually dropped during the fight.

     Finally, cautiously, Robin and Red Robin squat down beside it to examine the locks. It’s nothing advanced. In fact, they were just multiple bulky old-fashioned locks. Quietly, the two of them worked together on opening it.

     The tension and anticipation are so thick in the air until Spoiler couldn’t stand the silence any longer. “What is it?” She asked as soon as Robin’s gloved hands are holding the lid and lifting it slowly.

     Red Robin is the first to see a glinting sheen. “Some kind of precious stone?” he remarks. When Robin has the lid all the way down, all of them could see the thing that’s inside. “Not a stone--”

     “An egg,” Robin finishes.

     “Ohmygod,” Nightwing interrupts, “Are we doing Eragon--”

     His mouth hangs open. All of their eyes are glued to the egg in front of them as it rocked in its place and then the sound of a tiny crack echoed inside the harbor warehouse and made their hearts stop. They watch the small intermittent ruptures extend until it finally formed a jagged piece. A piece that’s pushed out by you.

     “It hatched.”

     Your small black claws grip the edge of the egg as you slowly peak over the opening. There are seven gigantic figures crouching down and looking at you closely. They blink. So you blink.

✧ ✧ ✧

     “Who did she look at first?” Jason’s chest rumbles when he speaks and you find the vibration soothing. “Because she’s definitely imprinting on me right now.”

     Tim rolls his eyes as Jason secures you more firmly in his arms and against his chest. You nuzzle the tip of your mouth against the soft thin fabric of his undershirt. “After hatching from the egg she needs to be incubated. It only makes sense that she’d latch onto you ‘cause you’re the one with the strongest body heat here.”

     Your soft claws dig into Jason’s bear arms after hearing Tim’s voice, another soothing sensation to your newfound senses.

     Suddenly, a golden curtain sneaks up on your vision and you’re met with another one of your giants. “I have body heat, too,” she whines. Then, with a gentler voice she speaks to you, “Hey, little you. Wanna come to mama? I bet I’m a lot softer than this rugged old man.”

     Jason tries to tuck you away from her but you’re already crawling towards Steph. She snorts in victory as you settle on her chest. Her bare skin is a lot gentler on your soft scales.

     Two other heads lower down to look at you and you welcome them both by flicking out your tongue and touching the tips of their noses. Cass laughs at the wetness while Dick pouts.

     “How come she’s not acting like the dragon from the movie?” He reaches for your featherless wings, “She hasn’t even opened them once--” and tries to pull on them, causing you to hiss in fear.

     He quickly retracts his arm and spouts rushed apologies. From the few hours they’ve known you, they at least know that you do not like your limbs being pulled.

     Damian walks in with a scowl on his face while nursing his bandaged hand. “What did you do?” he accuses Dick right away.

     “He tried to pull on her wings,” Duke spits out right away. Everyone shifts their glares at him because he still hasn’t gotten rid of his instinct to tattle, a habit that’s gravely unwelcome among Batman’s wards.

     “Tsk.” Damian walks up to Steph to examine you closely, making sure you’re unhurt. He’s also close enough for you to lick his nose. Your smallest giant. The giant who helped you climb out of your egg and onto his harm.

     Damian was so curious at your mysterious physique that he couldn’t help running his fingers along your trunk and then pulling on the spiked ball that was the tip of your tail. So you bit him.

     Everyone shouted and Duke swatted you away making you fall on the ground. Scared and helpless. But it was Damian who extended his other hand again and picked you up to take you home.

     You’ve been staring at him long enough that Steph gently hands you to him. Damian carries you with both of his hands. You may only be a little longer than his forearm, but you easily extend beyond his embrace.

     “I’m taking her with me to Nanda Parbat.”

     Angry gasps fill the room and you watch tensely as your bigger giants quickly surround him. 

     “What?”

     “Give her back,” Steph’s the only one who stomps toward Damian.

     Damian doesn’t step back. “The manor is no place to raise a dragon.”

     “But it’s enough for a demon,” Jason quips, “and we’ve survived.”

     “The League of Assassins is centuries old. My family is the greatest source we have to find out more about her species.”

     “Good lord.”

     Everyone turns and freezes the moment they see Alfred in his robe and nightdress. His hands are shaking while he ties his robe around his waist and stares wide-eyed at you. You blink at the new older giant who’s standing underneath the doorway. He doesn’t blink back.

     “Alfred, we can explain--”

     “You brought home a baby dragon…”

     Finally, once the absurdity of it all has been voiced out, Bruce’s wards can finally feel the gravity of this single night.

✧ ✧ ✧

     Batman is too far out in another galaxy to be reached and his wards didn’t want the League to know about you. In their eyes, your giants are still children and they would take you away from them.

     Instead, another family member was called.

     When Ra’s Al Ghul makes it to the manor’s front door alongside his daughter, he stops. They turn to each other and wonder if they should just break-in. But they didn’t come here to intrude. Damian had invited them over and so they knock and wait.

     There’s nothing more surreal than the Al Ghul’s having tea with Alfred and Bruce’s wards, everyone out of their costumes and combat gear. Well almost everyone.

     “Why aren’t you guys in costume? That’s Ra’s Al Ghul,” the Signal whispers behind his cup of tea.

     “‘Cause he’s Ra’s Al Ghul,” Tim answers. “If anyone knows who we are, he would.”

     Jason leans in and gives the Signal his own two-cents, “Plus, they came to the manor and not the cave. That should’ve been your heads up.”

     Frustrated, he takes off his mask and sinks into his chair, letting the previous silence continue to grow in the Wayne sitting room.

     Then Dick breaks it, “So Damian told you and you came here, huh?”

     Talia smiles while her father continues to drink his tea with his eyes shut. “Wouldn’t you?” she teases, “I’m sure even beloved himself would come down from his perch if you had told him there’s a dragon in the manor.” Talia watches in amusement as Bruce’s wards swallow. She turns to Jason for confirmation. After having been raised by Talia after his resurrection, he knew he couldn’t lie to her so he looks away. “So you truly haven’t told him.”

     Finally, Damian walks back into the room with Steph who’s been holding you gently against her chest while you slept. When you pick up the new scents in the room, you immediately wake up and turn to them.

     To everyone’s surprise, Ra’s Al Ghul quickly stands. He stares at you. And very slowly he walks forward to meet you. He gazes down. Old ancient eyes study you deeply while you stare at him and blink.

     Of course, a living breathing dragon would be something the League is interested in-- something he’s interested in. After centuries on this Earth, he has never seen one and has at least once wondered if they truly exist. But today his grandson offers him that experience.

     Only to be disappointed.

     “This is nothing but a lizard.”

✧ 1 ✧

✧ Watchtower Masterlist ✧

[your-worst-knightmare]

Red: Pt. 10

Masterlist here

Jason’s whole morning was a mess of bleary-eyed madness. Louis had left the safehouse with Bizarro long before Alfred had arrived in a limo to pick Artemis and Jason up. Both of them didn’t have many belongings save for weapons, which Alfred insisted that they let him take care of. 

“Master Jason, it’s wonderful you and Miss Artemis are able to visit this time of year. Your stay will be busy, I must warn you, but everyone will be there.”

“Wait, what’s happening?” Jason asked, trying to shake the weariness from his brain. 

“Have you really forgotten, Master Jason?  The annual Wayne charity gala is tomorrow.”

“Well it seems that you won’t have to call the rest of your family now,” Artemis remarked. 

Jason could only slap his forehead. “Alf, i came for business, not to party. We’re all in danger. I mean, we don’t know for sure, but–”

“Then it seems suitable that you wait until at least the gala is over. Most of the family hasn’t arrived yet anyhow. Oh, and Miss Stephanie has arranged a shopping trip for the two of you. She assumes you both hadn’t brought adequate clothing in advance.”

“Aw, Alfred–” he was swiftly cut off by a jab to the side. 

“Thank you Alfred. I’m sure Jason can enjoy some time with his family without any talk of business.” Artemis gave Jason a look, and he knew better than to oppose both her and Alfred.

The old man chuckled to himself as he pulled up to Wayne Manor. A full house was always nice, if not a bit of a handful. “I’m sure he can, Miss Artemis, I’m sure he can. Try to enjoy yourselves for a while. In the meantime, let me show you to your rooms.”

In short, Jason was not enjoying himself in the least. He was hungry and tired, and of course stupid Stephanie Brown made him go shopping. And Replacement would never let Damian hear the end of it if Jason dared complain. He would get his revenge. Somehow. 

The one person Jason wouldn’t mind seeing wasn’t even in the city. Yeah, because Damian’s got friends now. Like Jason wasn’t the first friend Damian ever had. The little brat left him a note apologizing for his absence, but its formality only made Jason laugh. The kid should be with his friends, maybe learning how to talk like a normal ten-year-old. 

Naturally, Steph wouldn’t make Damian go shopping. It was dreadful, with Steph practically hijacking Artemis and leaving Jason and Replacement (Tim)  stranded in high end stores suspended in utter confusion. It wasn’t that Jason didn’t know how to shop, it was that stupid Brown wouldn’t let him touch anything without her approval of the item first. That left very few items in the store left for Jason to choose from. 

It was simply maddening. Steph finally brought him a green suit and insisted that it was the one. “It’s viridian. It’s so in Jason,” he mocked when she asked to see it on him. He didn’t even get to see what she had gotten Artemis. 

He didn’t have to try it on. And hallelujah, he got to go home. Much to nobody’s surprise, he didn’t get much rest when he got back to Wayne Manor either. Jason had scarcely returned to his room when he was tacked by a ten-year old whirlwind. Damian. The boy greeted him in the formal dialect of the League, a habit not yet broken. “Akhi! You came back!”

“Well that’s obvious, isn’t it? Woah, okay, let me breathe here Damian.” The boy obeyed and sat on the bed. He clearly wasn’t ready to leave anytime soon.

“Where have you been?” he asked, crossing his arms.” You haven't visited most– if any of your safehouses lately. I… I’ve been worried.”

Well the kid had changed then. Jason had to give the little prince some credit. The kid would never have said that in his right mind had he still been with the League. 

“I’ve been busy.”

“Too busy to not even go on patrol? To not answer any messages? You practically disappeared, Todd.” Damian wasn’t buying it. One thing hadn’t changed, that was for sure. The prince would get the truth out of him one way or another. Honestly, Jason was a little (okay, maybe a lot) embarrassed to tell Damian that he’d been caught and in custody for two months. He hadn’t even tried, really tried to get out. 

But, Jason figured it was better to be up front. Especially with a family of detectives with a notorious history of using secrets as blackmail.

Damian only scoffed in response.” Tt’. Really, akhi? You’re getting soft.” 

“Speak for yourself, brat. Now let me sleep. I’m tired.” He flopped onto the bed, with no regard for the assassin prince still sitting there. 

Instead of leaving, Damian snuggled up into the crook of Jason’s arm and soon fell asleep listening to the rhythmic beating of his brother’s heart. 

Jason’s next interruption (named Artemis) came too early into the next morning. Damian was still where he had fallen asleep, dozing softly. At the sound of a knock, Jason regrettably blinked himself awake. “Come in,” he yawned.

“I see you’ve been able to rest. I was going to ask if you wanted to come train with me.” Artemis raised an eyebrow at the scene. “ It seems that you can tolerate at least one of your brothers' presence.”

“It’s a love-hate relationship.”

The Amazon snorted. “So are you going to take me up on my offer or not?”

“Yeah, I’m coming Red.” He carefully shifted Damian off of himself. Thankfully, the kid’s eyes remained closed. “Wait, before you go can you help me with my shoulder?”

“Are you not capable?” she asked, nevertheless sitting down beside him. Jason pulled off his shirt to let her inspect the wound. Most of his torso was covered in bandages as well as his shoulder. Peeling them back to see how the wound healed was a tedious task. Enhanced healing made it even more annoying on account of never knowing what to expect. 

“Ow. Easy, Arty.”

“ Oh, be quiet. You should be fine by tomorrow. Just keep the gauze on for compression,” Artemis said, starting to re-wrap the bandages. 

Jason closed his eyes with a small sigh, glad to sit there and do nothing. Relaxing was a weird way to put it, but he couldn’t find any other way to describe it. The tips of her hair brushed his face, surrounding him the scent of her shampoo. For the first time in months, he felt… calm. 

“I assume you’ll be able to take care of yourself from here. Meet me downstairs in five.” 

“Thanks Princess!” he called after her.

As soon as Artemis left, Damian’s eyes flew open. Jason groaned.”You’ve been awake this whole time?”

Damian nodded, grinning devilishly. “You’re getting soft akhi,” he piped, poking his brother in the ribs. 

“And I’m going to kill you if another word comes out of your mouth.” Jason pulled on some suitable clothes for training and shooed Damian out before going to join Artemis. 

Surprisingly, the training room was empty. That was especially unusual for this time in the morning with the Bats. Then Jason realized that everyone was probably helping out Alfred downstairs for that night. Not that training was easy work either. But he’d go help after. 

“Took you long enough.” Artemis said, smirking. “Warm up and then we spar.”

She was going to kick his butt. He knew it. But he wasn’t going to argue. “Yes ma'am.”

Jason had half a mind to say that being an Amazon was plain cheating. Yeah, he held his own, but barely. The strength of the Lazarus wasn’t always on his side. Then again, Jason didn’t always have the privilege of fighting people his own size. 

“Another round?”” Artemis asked, helping him up from the floor. 

“Yeah, give me a sec,” he huffed, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his shirt. “Next round, I pick the weapon though.”

By the time Artemis was satisfied with the amount of training done, Jason felt like he was going to drop dead on the spot. Which–in a weird way– reminded him of how much he’d missed training with her. She didn’t let anyone get away with slacking off. Neither did Alfred, for that matter, which was why Jason needed to hurry up in the showers or else face the wrath of an all-powerful butler. A butler much too tired to deal with any kind of nonsense. 

The evening came faster than Jason had anticipated. He examined his appearance in the mirror, doing his best at looking presentable. At first, he hadn’t been sure of Steph’s choice of colour, but he was surprised to say that he actually looked… good? Fingering the cuffs of his jacket, he eyed the ‘finishing touch’ that Bruce insisted he wear. A Rolex– one that Bruce had originally got Jason for his sixteenth birthday. He’d never gotten to wear it. Death tended to preoccupy a person. 

 After staring at the timepiece for at least five minutes, he finally made the decision to put it on. He headed downstairs, where a few of Bruce’s close friends  as well as the boys were already present. The girls were soon to arrive, fashionably late, as Alfred had put it. 

As if on cue, the doors to the hall were thrown open (a bit dramatically if Jason had anything to say about it). And Jason stopped. Wow. The girls all looked supermodel gorgeous. And Artemis– Just woah. 

Her dress was clearly made to match his own outfit. Steph had clearly outdone herself there. It was green, high-necked and sleeveless, which flowed elegantly to her shins. Her red hair was pulled back, keeping the delicate curls out of her face and making the designs etched into her side-shave all the more striking. A gold armband circled her bicep, emphasizing her muscular physique. 

“Good evening, Jason,” she said coolly, practically gliding across the floor.”Tell me, when did you decide to fulfill your dreams of being a statue?”

“This? Oh, this is a technique used to evade the reporters. You should try it sometime. Works wonders.”

The Amazon’s lips curled upward in amusement. “I see.” She reached across the table to steal an untouched patry from Jason’s plate.

“Hey! I was going to eat that.”

“It can’t possibly be that hard to get another,” she said, taking a bite. “Besides, you weren’t eating it.”

He gave her a look. Artemis shrugged, mouth full. “Ah, it’s fine. I’ll steal another one from the kitchen. Bruce wants us there for a briefing anyway.”

“Briefing?”

“Yeah, so the press doesn’t find anything fishy with us.” It sounded like a weird thing to do, but even when he was a kid, Jason had pre-gala briefings. What to say to the reporters, how to act (well mostly) what impression to give off. There was a whole science to it. Alfred didn’t teach the Bats  drama in vain. 

The kitchen, which seemed colossal while empty, slowly shrank as more and more people shuffled inside. Bruce quizzed each of them of their roles, and things they were not to do. Jason, for example, was not to get drunk and cuss out the press. Much to his own chagrin, Jason was expected to actually talk to some of the guests, and give off a good impression.

“Remember, you are all representing the Wayne name, even if you don’t bear it. Please act accordingly.” 

On the bright side, Jason was able to sneak another pastry out. Man, he’d missed Alfred’s cooking. For all of his redeemable traits, Louis hadn’t been the best chef. It was a step up from the cooking at the correctional facility, but Alfred’s skillset was simply legendary. 

The flash of cameras and clamouring reporters soon arrived to the manor. Limos that looked long enough to fit thirty people pulled up one after the other. He remembered watching them as a kid, in awe of the lavish use of their money. He remembered smiling so much at the cameras that his cheeks hurt. He remembered eating so much food that he felt sick afterwards- thereafter getting to wait the rest of the party out in his room. There was something satisfying about knowing there was a party downstairs and choosing not to be a part of it. 

Jason was relieved once the guests settled into the hall and calmed down. Because he spent so little time with his own family, he felt like more of a guest himself. His brothers were busy talking to the elite, making small talk about whatever rich people were interested in. Artemis didn’t have much care to mingle, which was a small comfort to Jason. At least he could talk to her and not seem like a total loner. 

“Bruce said I have to talk to some people this time.”

“Do you really plan to?”

“Well I’m talking to you now, aren’t I?”

“Oh quit your blather Jason. What’s on your mind?”

He leaned an arm on the table, sighing. There were so many things. Coming back to Wayne Manor made him enough of a trainwreck as it was. Add onto that the threat of lurking Owls and the thought of Biz and Louis by themselves didn’t help. And the gala? All of that was the perfect recipe for something to go wrong. Artemis was the one thing that kept him from losing his mind. Well, partially. 

“So many things Arty. Everything just piles up, you know?” She nodded solemnly, silently telling him to continue. “And I just…” he stopped, shaking his head, his entire vocabulary ceasing to exist. 

She took his hand and looked him in the eye. “I know. It really does happen at the worst times. Family is a difficult thing, Jason, but it’s better to keep them in your life, despite how much you may want to drop-kick some of them off a roof.” 

He laughed dryly. “How are you so perfect with everything Princess?”

“Perfect? I’m far from it. But you may keep believing that if you like,” she smiled.

 Oh, he was so glad she was back. Her presence alone was strangely soothing. She could say nothing and deliver a whole conversation. He hoped she understood his mess of a mind. Words alone couldn’t convey his thoughts. Life was hard, feelings more so. He’d have to unwind all of that later. Public settings weren’t the place to get emotional. 

“How do you think Biz and Louis are doing?” Jason asked, taking a sip of whatever carbonated drink the waiter had given him. 

“I’m sure they’re getting along. Louis seems likable enough.”

“I thought you two didn’t get along?”

“Yes, we may not see eye to eye, but I know a sincere man when I see one. He’s dedicated to doing right, and I respect that.”

Jason gave her a small round of applause, making the Amazon roll her eyes. “So glad to see my favorite people getting along.” He raised his glass. “To the reunion of the Outlaws, and you being friendly,”Jason toasted and drained the rest of his drink without another word. Artemis gave him an exasperated look before following suit. 

Tipping his glass to the light, he could’ve sworn he saw something. Was that… an owl? There was too much evidence of the Court following them for it not to be. What did they put in his drink? Upon placing the glass down, he nudged Artemis, motioning to his drink. Thankfully, she got his message. 

She swirled her own glass around in her hand, watching the last sips slosh around. Finally, she set it on the table. “We really must ask the waiter what mystery drink he is giving out. I simply must have some more,” Artemis said, throwing a little too much enthusiasm into her last sentence. 

The guests started to file to the middle of the hall. What the elite of Gotham had with waltzes, Jason would never know. But it seemed like a good way to pass information around the room discreetly. Jason got up, offering a hand to Artemis. “A dance, m’lady?” 

“Sounds wonderful.” The pair glided across the floor, Jason grateful for Alfred’s training in this type of thing. He leaned close to Artemis’ ear, scarcely daring to whisper. “We need to tell someone they’re here.”

“We’ll split up,” she breathed. “Find Barbara. I’ll find Dick.”

 “‘Kay.”

Jason was just about to hand her off to another partner when Artemis winced. “You okay?”

“Yes, it’s just… my head.” She brought a hand to her temple, grimacing. “I’ve got to go.”

Jason nodded. He could tell Dick himself. “Go on, I’ll meet you later.” He saw her off, and sat down in the corner, trying to locate Dick. He managed to catch his attention, only– his head started to pound too.

 “You okay, Jay? You look terrible.”

Jason sucked in a breath. “Some’n messed with–” his tongue felt like lead. Nope nope nope. He needed to leave. “–drink.” he managed, dashing out the door and to the nearest washroom.  

[mydeardeath]

Day One : Rivals

On AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/12884949

Ever since Damian had started to work at Wayne Enterprise there wasn't a day without a fight between him and Tim. It became so unbearable that Tim let Damian "win". He left W.E to retake Drake Industries. He was hard at first, the company had lost a lot of resources after his parent's death. But at least he was openly welcomed, here. The others investors thought that the return of a Drake would help them make profits. And their hope was confirmed a few months later.

While D.I gained a lot after his arrivals, W.E started to suffer real soon from his departure. Sure, they were still having a huge profit, but they still lost some advances and D.I was becoming a real concurrent. So Damian didn't have much of a choice than to make it up with Tim.

                                                         ***

Tim had been reading and signing documents since the start of the day and it seems that the pile of papers was endless. He had been running on coffee for hours and couldn't wait to finish all of this boring work.

He had been at the office for almost 15 hours when he put done the last of it. He sighs, relieved to be finally able to go back home, go back to his cases. (someone) has been stirring up trouble, again. As he was putting his jacket on, there was suddenly a knock on his office door. After a time of hesitation, Tim intimated them to enter instead of simply ignoring whoever it was. He had expected his secretary with even more work but to his surprise, it was not. Damian was in front of him, standing proudly in a bespoke suit. Tim sighs again. He had changed his mind, he would have gladly done more paperwork rather than see this little brat. Damian was smiling confidently, but his posture seemed a little tense.

"What are you doing here, Damian ?" asked Tim, tiredly.

Instead of answering him, the younger man crossed the room and took place in the chair in front of Tim. All hope Tim had had to leave soon were crushed. He put down his briefcase before looking up at Damian.

"We need to work out an arrangement upon your return to W.E."

"My return? I never said I wanted to come back." Tim replied, already annoyed.

"You have always wanted to work at W.E., you fought for it ! Truly, you must want to return !"

"Nice of you to acknowledge it, but if this is all, I have better thing to do."

With that, Tim got up and opened the door, motioning Damian to get the fuck out ! The young man got up but didn't leave immediately instead he stopped in front of the smaller man.

"I...am sorry." he murmured, and Tim would almost have believed him.

"It is not that what you wanted to hear ?"

Then Tim closed the door in his face and slumped back in his chair. He waited for a few minutes to be sure that Damian had the time to disappear before gathering his belongings and exiting the building.

He walked to his car, but once he had reached it he was unable to find his keys.

"Looking for this, Drake?"

Damian was behind him, holding them high in his right hand, a cheeky grin on his stupid face. He didn't wait for a reply before opening the door for Tim. Tim scowled but didn't try to argue and climbed into the car. Damian took place behind the wheel.

They had been driving in silence for almost 15 minutes when Tim started noticing the road they were taking. Damian had no reasons to come here. There wasn't anything in the area, only disused factories... as well as one of Tim safehouses. One he had kept secret even from the batfamily.

Tim started to frown, wondering how Damian knew. He was going to ask him about it when the car came to a stop. Damian got out without hesitation like he knew where he was going. And maybe he did. While Tim was starting to get uneasy he still chose to follow Damian to his doors. Tim got even tenser when Damian opened the door, getting the code on the first try and disabling the security as soon as he was in.

Whereas Tim hesitated in the doorstep, Damian went straight for the kitchen. When Tim finally joined him, Damian was already at work. He had picked food out of the fridge and started to boiled water. Tim gazed at the different ingredients that included fresh vegetables. He was pretty sure he hadn't buy any of this. In fact, he tended to have no food in his safehouses, leaving of take-outs and leftovers from the manor.

He knows that he should ask Damian what the fuck he was doing, how he knew of his place and how had he managed to sneak to bring food. He should but he is sincerely too tired to care. So he just starts setting the table without protest. Once he was done, he settled at the kitchen table to watch Damian work. The silence stretch a little longer until Damian asked about his day, startling him. He hadn't expected the younger man to try to make small talk, nonetheless he answered him. They kept talking as Damian prepared their meal. He was a weird,  a bit forced. In all honesty, he must have been the first time they had a somewhat civilized conversation in the 9 years they had known each other.

The meal passed in a calm atmosphere, they remained on safe topic, avoiding to mention Wayne Enterprise and even more the mantle of Robin. The food was pretty good which Tim hadn't really expected. He knew that Damian liked to be the best in everything he did, but he had imagined that Damian was too much of a spoiled brat to bother to learn such a skill. Maybe he had been blind to the change in Damian and he started to wonder what else he had failed to notice over the years.

When they were finished, Damian started to clear the table. He was about to wash the dishes in the sink when a hand on his arm stopped him. Tim was deliberately touching him outside of a fight. But the older didn't even seem to notice.

"You don't have to do it, you know ?" Tim informed him softly.

"I just wanted to help."

"Yeah, I'm starting to get that. Why are you doing this ?"

"Would you like some dessert?" Damian asked, completely ignoring Tim's question. "They are fruits so you do not need to worry about your diet."

Without waiting for an answer, Damian pulled out a container out of one of the bags in the corner. They were strawberries, cherries as well as a bowl that Damian put in the microwave that made Tim curious.  After a few minutes, Tim discovers that it was melted chocolate which made him raise an eyebrow to Damian.

"Chocolate is good for health," Damian answered his silent question.

They took place on the couch, starting a Disney (Damian's choice that Tim daren't comment.). They were following the film half-heartedly, both a bit too much conscious about the other one.  They weren't used to being civil in each other presence. So they just quietly enjoyed their dessert.

As Tim went for a strawberry, he felt Damian's hand take it, his eyes going up to the younger's face. A small smile was tugging at the corner of his lips and Tim couldn't take his eyes off Damian's face. He looked so different with a sincere smile instead of a smug one. Tim was so lost in his contemplation that he didn't notice Damian dipping the strawberry in the chocolate and offering it to Tim until he felt it pushing at his lips.

Automatically, Tim's lips began to part allowing the sweet to enter his mouth. His eyes still attached to Damian's, he bit the fruit. A few drops of juice started to travel down his bottom lips and Damian stopped them with his thumb brushing it against his lips in the process before bringing it to his own mouth.

They keep gazing at his others, their cheek reddened by the tension. Damian starts to bend forward him, slowly, gauging Tim reaction. Their faces were just centimeters away, their breaths joining.

Suddenly, Tim phone started to ring, the noise deafening in this silence making them both jump apart. Tim clumsily went to retrieve his phone and picked up. Despite his trembling hands, his voice was steady, not letting his inner turmoil show.

While Tim talked on the phone, Damian was left on the couch, completely dazed. This hadn't been part of his plan. The board of directors had pressured him to apologize so that Tim would come back. He had just intended to be a bit nice to him, nothing more. But somehow things had slipped out of his control.

During the whole call, all Tim wanted to do was hang up. But Mr.Wright was a potential investor and Tim couldn't afford to blow him off. So he remained professional, nothing in his attitude betraying his urgency to go back to Damian. Yet, he didn't even know what to do with Damian. He hadn't at all expected such a development his their relationship.

When he was finally freed of Mr.Wright, he hastened to go back to the living room, only the youngest had disappeared. He hadn't heard the front door opening which wasn't really an indicator. If Damian didn't want to be heart then he wouldn't be.

Sighing, he threw his phone on the couch he started to remove his work clothes on the way to his bedroom. He had already peeled off the shirt and pants and was going for his brief when he felt a hand on his hips drawing him against someone chest. Apparently, Damian hadn't left yet. He could feel the young man breath against is hear and his hands caressing his skin, making him shiver. He had been a long time since someone had touched him like that. More than a year to be honest. He just hadn't had the time between his job, may it be at Wayne Enterprise or Drake Industries, and Red Robin.

Fingers were traveling on his chest passing just under his nipples and lips brushing against his skin, kissing softly his neck. Tim relaxed again the other touch, giving up on trying to understand what the fuck had been happening this entire night.

Damian slowly detached himself for Tim to remove his own clothes before pressing back against him once again, face to face this time. Without losing time, he went for Tim's mouth, finally kissing him. As they keep kissing, Damian brings them smoothly to the bed, pushing gently Tim on it before straddling him.

Sequel : here

[daminwayne]

Tony Stark + Batfam/JL Headcanon masteprost (part 1)

pasting here the headcanon dumps I sent @audreycritter‘s way hehe. Enjoy.

In this universe, Tony & Bruce are friends. they went to boarding school together and just kinda stayed friends, but they dont meet very often. but when Bruce goes missing for 5 years, Tony is scared shitless. As soon as he hears about the Bats, he knows it's Bruce. He rings him up, asks if he's okay. gets mad at him for not leaving any messages that he was alive.

and then Tony goes missing for 3 months. and Bruce is scared, too. When Tony returns, Bruce can immediately tell that Tony is faking his camera grins more than before. Can notice Tony clenching his chest. He shows up unannounced one day, during IM2, and asks Tony about the poisoning he's suspected etc. so when age of ultron happens, Bruce doesnt know how to feel. on the one hand, Ultron went bad. on the other hand, he fucked up so many times by trying his best, he cant be mad at tony. And then civil war happens, and Tony is broken. Broken.

The Avengers are gone, Tony is just a mess. He has to deal with the government, the media, SHIELD, etc. Bruce can't imagine how he'd ever deal with it if he had to deal with stuff as both Batsy /and/ Bruce. At least his real persona is out of the picture––but Tony is targeted as both himself and Iron Man

Tony starts to pop by Gotham more often. He doesn't like to stay in New York for too long. He's too hesitant to visit Bruce, though. But one day, he gets attacked, and the Bats comes and helps him out. The news explore––iron man & batsy together. new alliance?

"you broke our rule," Tony tells him. They had a rule to never fight together––never Iron Man and Batman side by side. Bruce only shrugs, and says, "you don't know who you're dealing with in Gotham. They're not aliens you can just shoot away."

Tony drops it––because it felt good to have Bruce by his side. His friend, his /real/ friend. It almost felt as good as fighting alongside Rhodey. Bruce invites him back to the cave. Damian is baffled when Bruce takes off his mask; his Father is revealing his identity!

But then they start making inside jokes, and Bruce is so relaxed and sassy and... it clicks for Dami and Tim. The two billionaires are friends. Tim is particularly shocked, because the media always said that the two were rivals, were enemies. He'd never heard Bruce speak of Tony, so he'd had no reason to believe otherwise.

And he visits again. The next time, he brings a new tablet for Tim––a work in progress––and asks him to upgrade it for Tony. He wants to see what the kid is capable of, and he can tell that Tim is excited by the offer. He also brings Damian a technologically advanced sword; similar to how he'd upgraded Hawkeye's arrows. Damian is uninterested at first, but after trying it out, he's in /love/.

They're not sure when it happened, but Tony eventually became a frequent visitor. Damian loved him––Tony always took him out for ice cream (and the media always assumed he was Tony's son, which saved Bruce the tabloid attention that Tony was willing to deal with). Tony always made him tuna sandwiches and praised him.

One day, Jason visits. He and Bruce get into a fight, as per usual, and Jason is about to storm out when Tony stops him. He gets a few insults in return, but he doesn't back down. "Jason, can I just talk to you for a minute?" He asks. Jason eventually accepts, and they step outside. Tony just asks him what's on his mind.

Jason is surprised. He expected Tony to lecture him on being nicer to Bruce. He says as such. "No, fuck that," Tony laughs. "I just wanna know what's on your mind. Something's annoying you, something's... hurting you. It's not easy to speak up about it, you know? especially with Bruce, I know how he can be. He cares about you, but he.. can expect you to be perfect. I dunno, just thought you could talk to me if you wanted to."

Jason is so?? touched???? Like?? Tony Stark, the infamous asshole™ just wants to... listen?? So he talks. And talks. And at one point, he cries. And Tony just listens. He doesn't, for a second, judge the boy.

When Jason is finished, Tony just smiles. He pulls the boy into a light side-hug, and pats him on the back. "You're a brave boy. I started dealing with this shit when I was... what, in my thirties? And you're not even thirty yet. You boys are strong. It's not easy to do what you're doing."

Jason doesnt know what to say. He just nods. "I'm serious. Jay, I am. Can I call you that?" Jason nods again. "Look, that pit... walking out of it? Doesn't sound easy. But you did it. And you're here, being a hero. You know what––Like Bruce, I don't like to kill. But I believe in... figuring out your own way. I mean, I hope you stop the killing. But if you wanna use the guns? Tim and I can wind you up with some great, non lethal ones."

Jason just inhales deeply, and gives Tony a small smile. Tony squeezes his shoulder. "And kiddo? Bruce loves you. He doesn't have to tell me, but I can tell. His eyes do that thing every time you speak up or you make him feel guilty. Try to cut down on that, yeah? I know you're mad, but... If I've learned anything it's that being mad at someone who's hurt you won't get you anywhere."

because the Avengers hurt him, many times. Because Obadiah hurt him, and his death still lingered in Tony's nightmares. Because SHIELD hurt him. And he is too tired, too tired to be angry. He just wants to move on. He just wants to die with a sense of peace––and he's not sure he'll ever achieve it.

just about Tim's age. Doesn't resemble anyone Bruce can recognize. "Batsy! This is Harley." Tony introduces. "He's /my/ mini Robin, but doesn't have a cool nickname like that. Yet. I just thought he should meet your kids."

And somehow, Harley clicks with Bruce. Almost as well as Damian clicked with Tony. Harley appreciates Bruce being straightforward, appreciates Bruce falling for his tactics when he claims they have a connection. And both boys are simultaneously jealous of each other. Damian is jealous that Harley is Tony's son, and Harley is jealous that Dami is Bruce's son. But also... Damian is jealous that Harley gets along so well with his father, and vice versa.

It takes a few visits for Bruce to realize that Dami is being extra cuddly when Harley is around. It warms his heart––he just finds it adorable!

(I actually have a headcanon that Harley is the son of Maya and Tony, and that Maya wasn't kidding when she said they have a 12 yo. becuase Harley really resembles young RDJ)which makes Dami & Harley relate more––the sons who were hidden until they were around 10 or 12 yo.

@audreycritter: I want the story where the boys are all surprised again, not by Bruce letting Tony into the cave and stuff, but by the fact that later upstairs in the manor they're just sitting drinking like tonic water with lemon and talking. But not business talking. Not vigilante talking, even if they get to that. Like high school "do you remember that time we..." with lots of laughing before they do delve into quiet talking about stuff Tony's been dealing with.