#tim didn't go in demanding to be robin but he admits to dreaming about it and training himself

[beeceit]

the more I read and reread the comics the more I realize that a lot of the fanon criticizers are just as bad as the fanon only folks, are we even reading the same books y'all are yelling at them to read????

not talking about people who are chill about criticizing fanon and avoiding what isn't their taste, talking about the ones who bash people and act like they're the only ones who understand canon while also having their own interpretation that's not only inaccurate but meanspirited

like tumblr specifically has a problem with overcorrecting, both with fandom and real life discourse, I know that

but goodness y'all both need to read lonely place of dying because that did NOT go down the way some of y'all are saying it did

[ew-selfish-art]

DP x DC AU: Bruce is the one to invite Constantine over, and no, it's not to improve his tenuous working relationship with the asshole. It's the opposite of that.

---

Danny had become a frequent visitor of Wayne Manor in the last few months, and Bruce had to admit that while the kid was certainly a bit ominous for his liking for a partner to Tim, he was a generally kind and happy soul. They'd been dating for a lot longer than the Bats knew of- Kon had been the one to let it slip to Jon who told Damian and so on- and since the relationship was no longer secret, Tim brings him to family functions.

The thing about Danny is... He's dead. More than half of the time. Which again, is not Ideal for Bruce's wishes for Tim's future husband, but it also means that he reviles in being alive. Danny is downright joyous about using his time left on earth properly. He makes Tim eat real food, enjoy real sleep and generally live a more fulfilled life than he had been. The whole family noticed the changes in Tim, and it made them like Danny even more.

So after a particularly grueling day of dealing with Trigon and therefore the JLD's lack of coordination and sensible planning- Bruce gets the idea. John couldn't fucking contain himself admonishing Bruce, and perhaps it was vindictive, but Bruce figures that John should meet Danny. Sans context of course.

...

John is really over dealing with Batman's prissy, over complicated and perfectionist attitude. Come to the Cave he'd demanded, as though John didn't have a favorite bar to get back to, deal with a ghost he ordered like John didn't have other priorities than some random shade.

When walking into the space however, the second his teleportation portal closed, John knew something was deeply, deeply fucked. The shadows were growing longer, the second hand on his watch ticked slower, the air smelled of sulfur and... Red Robin was sitting working at the computer like nothing was wrong. But what was wrong, was the kid was marked by The End. Marked by The Infinite. FUCK.

John knew Death, the Endless, and knew she could pick favorites just like her siblings (Dream's immortal drinking buddy comes to mind). But this wasn't her work, this was something other.

"Mate- the Bat said there was a ghost?" John feels like he might throw up, the eerie atmosphere complicating what should have been a simple request.

"Uh, obviously." The kid didn't even look over from his screen or pause his typing.

John slowly approached, looking over each shoulder a few times, turning in a few circles as the shadows appeared to dance and echo within the cave. He could see his breath, the air became so cold so suddenly. And then, with the gentleness of a pin drop, a new agonizing sound appeared with a Kid walking down the cave stairs. The aura of the room turned dark, every cell in John's body screaming to run, that this was basically the little girl from the ring crawling through the TV as the young man walked down the steps.

"Babe, your grampa says that dinners going to be ready in a second. Oh, uh, hey dude." The creature speaks, turning his eyes to John for only a moment to study him. It feels equivalent to a butterfly being pinned by its wings.

"Y-y-you, you're, you're one of the Endless?" John stutters, his body reacting in fear despite the nonchalant posture of the Beast. The young man rolls his eyes.

"Nah, one of the Ancients but like uh, I'm new in town. And hon seriously don't be late, A made tiramisu for dessert and you're not allowed to have any if you're late and I don't want to deal with you pouting."

"You had me at Tiramisu!" Red stands up from his computer and then turns, "John, what are you doing here again?" Red Robin finally looks over at him, completely confused.

"Just leaving." John mutters, his eyes still trained on the ANCIENT.

---

Bruce could barely hide his laugh when Tim reported the Magician meeting Danny in the cave.

That'll show the asshole to question Batman's knowledge of the occult.

[robinasnyder]

You know what, fuck it! I have an idea that won't go away.

So, Danny "died" so that Damian could live. Talia and Damian both knew this, but Danny and Damian were reallt damn young when it happened, because Damian had to "kill" Danny in order to take his place as heir. So Danny remembers all of it, and knows that Damian is with their birth father and that he's studying under Batman, and Danny's really happy for him. But he also thinks their mother would be in danger if Ra's found out about him, so he keeps his whole existence a secret until the whole summoning fiasco.

But Damian? Because of all his trauma, he's blocked out most everything about Danny. Sometimes he thinks he had a twin who he killed. Sometimes he thinks that was a dream. Sometimes he thinks it was a hallucination, or a clone, or a test. Mostly, he doesn't actually remember that he has a brother. So he never said anything to Bruce or anyone else.

And Talia certainly isn't gonna say anything. The best way Talia can protect Damian is keeping him with Bruce. The best way she can protect Danny is by forgetting his existence.

So, anyway, now that Dannt's controlling Ra's, Tim and Bruce get unbelievably suspicious. He and the league have been too quiet. Then Tim and Bruce realize that the League is like... actually helping people? Then they have to investigate. So they end up in Ra's stronghold. Now Danny is invisible up until the moment Batman and Red Robin clear the whole room of everyone but Ra's and demand answers. That's when Ra's starts cackling bc they really have it all wrong. And then Danny makes himself known.

He explains that his name is Phantom, he's actually the King of Ghosts, Ra's is a spirit so Phantom has total control over him and he doesn't want to cause chaos with the League. And Batman and Red Robin are super suspicious, and so Danny's like "oh, and I'm Ra's dead grandson he had murdered so he could choose a "proper heir". Speaking of, will you tell Damian that I'm doing just fine? I miss him and all, but I don't want to disrupt his life. I'm so proud of him for working with you. He's such a cool hero! I save all the coolest pictures of him. And oh yeah, if you see mom, can you tell her I'm okay too?"

Cause in this au, Talia broke with Ra's and is sorta on the run. Danny might be a le to find her, but even thougg he controls Ra's, he still doesn't want his mom on grandpa's evil radar.

So, Bruce is having a fucking stroke because Talia and Damian didn't tell him that he'd had another son who had died. And Phantom is super happy to tell him about beating the last evil entity and taking their title (the fact that Ra's al Ghul doesn't compare to Pariah Dark is kinda terrifying), and about how he works with ghosts and humans and everything. He's such a good boy and Bruce is heart broken.

He gets back to Gotham (with Phantom's phone number and email, and isn't that a trip??) And demands to know why Damian didn't tell him. And Damian goes white as a sheet and is like "wait, you mean he's real? I actually killed my brother? I really did that?"

And Bruce's anger fades at Damian when he realizes how much the event hurt him and how he's kept himself from these memories. Instead, he focuses on helping Damian and finding Talia.

When he finds Talia she's like "what do you mean he's dead? He was alive with a nice family last time I checked a few years ago!!"

So Tim called Danny and has him come the manor and he immediately hugs his mom and Damian, which is how everyone knows he really was raised seperate. He does transform to human, and admits that he didn't want to say about only being half dead around Ra's, so let's keep this a secret.

Bruce is shocked that even the "normal" one of his kids became a superhero, but he could also give Clark a run for his money on power levels. But also, Danny's a nice, happy young man who cares about people and enjoys his life and loves his other family and totally wants everyone to meet at some point.

Ra's is old..and a known body snatcher. He's a spirit possessing later bodies, but doesn't realize it. And all spirits answer to the Ghost King.

So what happens when Ra's thinks he can make demands of his King?

Ooo I really like this.

Ok I did a tad of research on the Lazarus pits and how they work cause I don’t know much about the body swapping besides Ra’s using it on Taila Al Ghul in Batman Beyond and I genuinely couldn’t find anything concrete so fuck it. Yeah let’s just say that it’s soul/spirit swapping. Lazarus pits are caused by the convergeance of ley lines for gods sake we can have some creative liberties in this.

Ra’s isn’t a villain… technically. His goal is more of “if humans are collateral that’s fine because the deaths will be nothing compared to the better world we shall create.” Type of thing. Very shade of grey reasoning.

I haven’t read much nearly enough about Ra’s Al Ghul as I want to but he definitely might try to tap into the mystic and occult to summon and control a grand being to do his bidding to serve his purpose. I want to add that Ra’s is a very smart man. Like genuinely he is a master strategist and fighter. He would have precautions in place if The Ghost King doesn’t do his bidding. I don’t think he would have put “I am now a spirit” into account as much as he probably should and that’s where it gets interesting.

When the Ghost King commands a spirit, is it like a form of hypnosis? Are they simply compelled to do it but can choose to refuse? Does he simply just feel a sense of respect and leadership from the Ghost King?

Either way I think Danny would probably react in one of two ways:

He’s either very confused to the entire situation and just says no and Ra’s is like “fuck. Didn’t expect for it do go downhill this quickly. Time to manipulate and bribe this man.”

Or

Danny laughing in Ra’s face and going full “You’re the Demon Head? Well that would make me Satan. You listen to what I say, not the other way around. Get it?” Mode.

Either way having Ra’s plan backfire HEAVILY and now becoming a pawn for Danny to use to direct his assassins forces to assist people is such a good story idea. Danny becomes the TRUE League of Assassins head.