#tim gets a hug

[theoldkyokodied]

Really quick doodles of a few scenes from the stream yesterday. Including combat flirting taunting, gale’s magnificently distracting shoes and.. whatever you wanna call gale agreeing to give 15 gold to astarion 😐😑😐😑😐 (that’s me blinking)

[spacespacespace]

Dick: so if it’s you or the laptop-

Tim: me. 100%.

Dick: …your not even gonna pretend to think?

Tim: about what? I can always just rise from the dead but my laptop-

Dick: what?

Tim: what?

Dick: what made u think you can rise from the dead?

Tim: well Jason did it so it’s obviously not difficult

——

Jason, in his safe house reading a book: I feel a chill or disrespectful in the air.

——

Dick: alr can you at least lie abt it

Tim: ughhhh

Dick: for me *flutters eyelashes*

Tim: Fine. *says in monotone voice* If it were either me or my laptop to be destroyed I would choose … the laptop.

Dick: thank you Timmy

Damian, walking past: Richard even you know that’s an outright lie.

[is-this-even-relatable]

DP x DC PROMPT #2:

Tim Drake was a smart child, so he hires a live-in babysitter to help raise him when his parents are gone. Cue one Danny Fenton-Nightingale, who will NOT let this frankly scarily observant child grow up with negligent and unavailable guardian figures like he did, so help him Ancients.

———————

Tim Drake was left alone at a very young age. His parents left a five-year old child in a mansion, with no adult supervision.

Tim’s parents were negligent.

But Tim, he was a smart child.

Now, most people thought he had learned to cook, took himself to school, escaped from kidnappings, and generally raised himself to become the independent self-made genius he was today, teenaged CEO. And Tim let them think that, heck, he spread those rumors himself.

But that wasn’t quite right.

He had been a smart child, yes, but a child nonetheless. And he knew that most parents would hire a babysitter.

His parents hadn’t.

So he did it for them.

It was the smartest thing he ever did at that age.

And after he was hired, his dad new babysitter Danny helped cover up when Tim did things not-so-smart.

[sunkillerlovechild]

my favourite dynamic between Tim and Damian is Tim being confident and comfortable with his place in the family and with being Robin (Tim has a smidge of self-esteem) and he's like 15-17 basically like mid teenage years and then Damian comes and he's like between 8-10 and instantly declares Tim his enemy cause he's Robin and that is his birthright

but instead of Tim also beefing with him cause he's kind of insecure and stuff he just finds it funny and honestly kind of adorable

and like yeah Damian is an assassin but Tim is like twice his size and is trained and has years of experience, so Damian can't actually hurt him

Tim decides to indulge him cause again he finds it funny and cute and also genuinely wants to help Damian get use to living at the manor and make the adjustment as easy as possible for him

and Damian is a kid so he doesn't realize what Tim is doing and actually tries to hurt him and stuff and Tim's just so casual about it

like Damian tries to stab him and Tim just sidesteps him and continues doing whatever it was he was doing, or Damian puts poison in his coffee but Tim has either already developed an immunity to it or has an antidote on hand, so he just drinks it and acts like nothing happend

this eventually leads to Damian just confronting him (maybe even in front of the rest of the family, who lowkey had no idea that it was doing on cause Tim never mentioned anything and Damian was technically trying to kill him secretly) and Tim just honestly telling him that he just wanted Damian to feel welcome and if this help he didn't mind and was just excited to have a little brother and at the end of the day it's good training for himself and also Damian and starts giving him pointers and planning training session so that when in a few years Damian actually gets to take over Robin, he is ready

and Damian really doesn't know what to do with any of it because Tim apparently cares about him??? and is planning to give him Robin in the future???

Tim doesn't even notice that Damian is really struggling with all that he's saying until his hands are full of his little brother, who has not given a single hug to anyone yet since he arrived, not Bruce, not Dick, not even Alfred and it's over as fast as it started and Damian bolts instantly and stays in this room till dinner the next day

but than they start training together that week and maybe Tim isn't his enemy after all

[tim-drake-scholar]

Hey idk if anyone else needed this but hey look at Bruce not just giving his approval, not just giving affection, but truly appreciating Tim Drake and everything Tim has every done to help Bruce/Batman. I just think it’s nice

[bluerosefox]

Fenton Coded

Tim... Tim just stared.

He...

Huh.

He had once entertained the idea that he wasn't really a Drake, a very long time ago when he overheard his mom and dad arguing and some words were said in the heat of the moment, but to be honest Tim always thought the obvious culprit of anyone being his dad would most likely be Bruce (Bruce even admitted he had a small fling with his mother but that was two years before her marriage)

But before little Tim's curiosity could really take hold on the idea, he had saw on the news Robin performing a Grayson flip and the hint of Tim not being a Drake left his mind. Robin was Dick Grayson! And if he was Robin that had to mean Bruce Wayne was Batman!

Then well... his stalking of the Bats started and the rest became history.

But now, as Tim was staring at his own DNA test, something he never bothered to do until that damned Demon brat wanted to make sure he was ONLY blood son of Bruce (and doing a DNA test something even Bruce never thought of doing due to well… how he was towards Tim during his first months as Robin)

He well…

He kinda needs to find out who this Daniel Jackson Fenton is.

(Tim finds out he isn’t a Drake, but also not a Wayne (because Damian wanted to make sure he was only blood son) but is instead a Fenton)

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Laios's three Boy Best Friends. And yes, they hate him.

[those-goddamn-bats]

THIS ARC IS SO PAINFUL

[littlefankingdom]

Simple observation I made from reading these comics. DC, stop making their dad an asshole and make him hug them more.

Also, the hugs in these comics:

Tim's hug is not in Red Robin but it's during the run and when Bruce comes back in time.

Cass' hug is weird because they're suicidal freaks who think fighting is therapy. They fought while being drugged, and blew up a brigde. It makes sense for them only.

Jason's first hug (Outlaws) is after he tries to apologize for his crimes and Bruce refuses to let him to do it, because his boy is innocent for him 🥺 (and then, they fucked it up with Ethiopia because they cannot let them have nice things 🙄). The second one (Red Hood & Arsenal) is started by Jason, who is just very happy to see that Bruce is alive, even if he has lost his memory.

[thevoidstaredback]

How To Balance Your Daytime and Nighttime Activities So That You Don't Burn Yourself Out More Than You Already Have

A knock on the door was not what Danny was expecting that evening. In the two weeks of observation and one week of actually staying with the man, Danny had figured that Dick, for as friendly as he is, did not have many friends. And if he did, they didn't visit him a lot, if at all. So, a knock on the door exactly thirty minutes before Nightwing was set to go out was a suspicious surprise.

He answered it anyway.

On the other side of the door was a kid about his age, an inch or two taller. He had dark hair, pale skin, bright blue eyes, and eyebags dark enough to rival Danny's own. He also smelled faintly of coffee.

"Um," Danny started dumbly. "Hello?"

"I'm looking for Richard Grayson." The kid's accent was stronger than Dick's, putting him as a born and raised Gotham resident. There was also a hint of something that reminded Danny of Sam's parents. This kid comes from money.

"And you are?"

Obviously upset about being stalled, he huffed, "Timothy Drake. Are you going to let me in now?"

How does someone sound so rude and so polite at the same time? Obviously a skill Danny needs to learn. "Why-"

"Who's at the door, Danny?" Dick called from the hallway, making his way closer. He was in his Nightwing costume, minus the mask, but had covered it with a hoodie and sweatpants.

"Tim Drake," Tim introduced himself again, pushing Danny out of the way and entering the apartment to greet Dick with a handshake. "You're Bruce's Wayne's kid, Richard 'Dick' Grayson."

"Yeah, that's-"

"You need to come back and be Robin again."

There was a moment of silence as Danny closed the door softly. Then, "Excuse me?" Dick's smile was strained and his eyes narrowed slightly.

"You need to come back and be Batman's Robin again. You don't have to don the suit, but he needs you." There was a hint of desperation in Tim's voice now. "He's been spiraling since Jason died, and he's starting to hit harder. Most of the guys he beats up end up in the emergency room! Some of them have even died from their injuries! Batman needs your help! He needs a Robin."

Dick was quiet for a moment. "No."

"What?"

"I won't- I can't go back to being Robin. I can't go back to being in that house."

"Why not?"

"I just can't. Now, I don't know how you found me or how you found out who I was, but you need to go back to Gotham, Tim."

"But-"

"Now, Tim. You're parent's are probably freaking out about where you are right now."

Tim didn't say anything for a long moment, he feet rooted in place. Just as Dick turned around to go to the fire escape, he spoke, "My parents don't care where I am." Louder, he said, "Bruce is going to start directly killing people if you don't go back there and help him."

"Why should I help him?" Dick demanded. "He didn't even tell me that my little brother had died! I didn't even get to go to his funeral! And then Bruce had the audacity to punch me in the face and blame me for not being there! I'm not going back to Gotham, I'm not putting on the Robin suit again, and I sure as hell am not going to help Batman. he made it clear that he works alone, so let him." With his peace said, Dick took his hoodie and sweatpants off, donned his domino and escrima sticks, and left through the window fifteen minutes early.

Neither Tim nor Danny said anything for a long few minutes, neither bothering to move. Too many thoughts in each of their heads with no way to properly form words.

Finally, after nearly seven minutes, Danny's voice broke through the air. "I'm sorry he yelled at you."

Tim, having forgotten Danny was there, jumped and turned to face him. "What?"

"He hasn't been the same since Jason died, not that I know what he was like before."

"What do you mean?"

Danny moved into the kitchen, pulling down two cups, filling them with water before offering one to Tim and leading him to sit down on the couch.

"I don't know a lot about the situation, I've only been here for three weeks now, but I know that Dick is still hurting. Nightmares, hallucinations, the works. He's been more violent recently, too, but obviously not as much as Batman has been."

"You, uh, you know?"

"Yeah. Kinda hard not to figure it out while living here, and you coming in today didn't help that." Tim blushed and sipped his water. "Though, like you, I showed up on Dick's doorstep already knowing he's Nightwing."

"Oh? And how well did that pan out for you?"

Danny shrugged. "I offered him help and refused to leave until he accepted it."

Tim laughed. "That's what I did to Bruce!"

They shared a smile. Danny lifted his cup as if to toast. "Here's to a couple of goblins with hero complexes." Tim lifted his cup to join Danny's toast and they both took a drink.

Giggling, the two finished their water in relative quiet, the air around them comfortable.

"Say," Tim asked, putting his cup down on the coffee table, "How old are you?"

"Fourteen. You?"

"Same."

"Cool."

"You're parents know where you are?"

"Nope. I would ask if yours do, but you already answered that."

"Yeah, they aren't really around much. I did tell Alfred I'd be gone, though, so he knows I'm not home."

"Yeah, but does he know you're here?"

"No."

"Hm." A beat. "Who's Alfred?"

Another laugh startled out of Tim. "Bruce's butler. Did Dick tell you nothing?"

Danny shrugged again. "I haven't pushed for answers about anything; I'm not a therapist. I'm just here because he's going to end up killing himself at the rate he's been working himself."

"So is Bruce," Tim admitted softly, "But he's going to end up taking Gotham down with him if no one stops him."

"So what are you going to do?"

He thought for a long minute, weighing options in his mind before saying, "I guess I'll have to be the help he needs me to be."

Danny tilted his head sideways like a dog. "What do you mean?"

Tim squared his shoulders, though he was still hesitant. "Batman needs a Robin, and if Dick isn't going to be that for him, then I guess I'll have to be."

Another beat. "But do you want to be a vigilante?"

"Does it matter if I want to be?" Tim asks, "If I don't then no one will." He took a deep, steadying breath. "Gotham is my home. I can't let Bruce destroy it in his grief."

"I understand." Danny nodded, "But what you want does matter. I know I can't stop you, so I'm not going to try, but I'm going to make you promise me something." He made sure to hold Tim's gaze. "You ask for help when you need it." He held out his hand and waited.

"What?"

"You're phone. Give it to me." Reluctantly, he did so. As soon as the flip phone was in his hand, Danny put his number in it before giving it back. 'You don't have to do this alone, okay, Tim? Promise that you'll call me when you need help, okay? Any time of day, I'll answer."

Tim stared at his now closed phone, the weight grounding him for a moment. "Are you going to be a vigilante to help Nightwing?"

"I already am."

"Huh?"

"It's why I'm here, It's why I know I can't stop you and why I'm making sure you know I'll be here to help you."

Nothing else was said between the boys. Nothing else needed to be said.

Part 7 Part 9

Tag List: @flame-343 @ghestie93 @anarinette @aglmry @peachtreewriter @evix-syne666 @loudlypanickinginvenezolano @lumosfeather18581 @blueliac @talia-scar123 @cyber-geist @violet-foxe @currentfandomkick @jaguarthecat @moonchild0924 @tonicmii @bushbees @idekwutoput @justalittleghostkid

[methoughtsphantom]

halfas are the found family trope foster child

they all adopt each other. it’s the reason Vlad wanted so badly to have Danny as his son and the reason Danny immediately went with sure you’re my cousin now with Dani. it’s a survival mechanism from being so very few of their species. Sooo, halfa!Jason except he sorta isn’t yet cause Jason’s core is extremely ruptured from the lack of ectoplasm involved in his forceful resurrection. So when Danny finds Jason in his catatonic state he can’t quite tell the dude’s been dead and remains some, just that the guy for some reason seems very friend-shaped. Danny doesn’t mind his friend is braindead, and is also a john doe, he gives familiar vibes and that’s apparently enough for Danny to constantly find himself in the hospital doing his engineering homework on the room with the guy, and talking for hours about the updates on the absolute clusterfuck of the city and how he was from a freaking ghost town and he can almost even draw comparisons. he blabbers about how he’s not homesick enough times to even corner himself to talk about a ghost lore many times and how he’s just finding himself a little more prone to violence and in constant pain since none of the people he has adopted as his family are here with him and he can’t consider a place a lair if there’s isn’t someone of his in it.

But Danny could never drag someone with him just because of some it, after all it was Danny’s choice to come to Gotham to collage and not stay where at least his parents (good parents Jack and Maddie) were in Amity.

Ironically, Danny essentially can’t feel that his core has been spoon feeding ectoplasm to Jason. As months go on, the little ball of energy builds in anticipation practically vibrating in the waiting pulse of something (Danny doesn’t know but more often than not has he found himself laughing in happy confusion. it weirds him out in a good way) It’s really that he’s feeling the slow healing process of his friend (brother brother brother) ‘s core.Imagine it’s just about to properly, correctly heal when canon strikes back and Jason gets snatched by League assassins. Danny is left feeling like his core got torned out. His core had spend months helping another’s only to feel the other’s imprint and to not be able to protect it in return is— forget it being an obsession; thats like having your newborn baby being ripped out of your arms. An all assuaging feeling of helplessness that is devastating. Danny just beginning to feel like home lair when out of nowhere the rug is swept under him. Danny suddenly struggling to not flunk all his classes and beat every single liminal that he can feel crossing paths with him to the ground. Danny suddenly having his chronic pain (that hadn’t been so bad lately) dialed up to the point that there are just bearable and bad days.

The worse thing is he doesn’t know why.

Jason had only been a guy.

…

It’s only a three weeks before Jazz tells him she accepted a job offer in Gotham.

(and the guilt only makes him feel worse when he can feel himself feel better because of it)

…

now

whimsical time skip ✨

Danny is now on his feet again and friends with a Wayne of your choice (or maybe they were friends a little before Jay dissapeared and it was badTM cause Waynes? liminal 🥲) Danny definitely didn’t enjoy snapping off to his friend like that. anyways it’s been a year since that and he and his friend are having a grand time playing civvies, uhh let’s say dick because I want them to meet while ice skating, Also Dick because he definitely turns a blind eye when Danny goes airborne for a second there yep. He’s just having too much fun.

anyways as alwaysTM Danny doesn’t clock celebrities and like why would he, Dick is just the random guy who’s was fast to turn Danny’s slow day in the ice ring into a competition one day and brighten when Danny matched up his puns. So he totally doesn’t get why the guy’s so gloomy one day, anyways as you can figure, it’s Jason’s deathday and Dick is a deprecating bean, Danny tries to cheer him up by having him remember his brother instead and Dick attempts to, but even skipping through some photos in his phone make his eyes burn.

It is because of that that he doesn’t notice Danny absolutely freeze up at the photo of his friend Jay (Jay because he’s a John Doe, but that’s just too impersonal and so the first letter is J *wink wink*)

Danny absolutely doesn’t know what to do with this information, barely catches himself from asking Dick how did his brother die. Most importantly when because Danny just saw Jay—Jason less than a year ago, and this somehow doesn’t feel too recent.

Annd that how we find Danny digging into the Wayne second son tragedy. Staring at the date of death while the knowledge that they met almost six months after burns his forefront of his mind. Danny spends a day going over all the questions running through his mind over how the fuck he couldn’t sense Jay was a ghost—err was… in past tense?? what the fuck?? Danny would really like a refund on his ghost sense.

Anyways Danny goes check out the grave (now that he knows there is one) and boom although intangible he somehow triggers those shitty ass sensors/alarms that somehow didn’t go off when jason was literally digging himself out.

Obviously the bats get in the case immediately. And boy are they absolutely enraged that someone would steal Jason’s body.

[snakeredbirdbatkatana]

What if one day Jason just puts the gun down.

At first Bruce is estatic no more murder no more compromises it's almost like having his son back his precious Robin.

Yet as time goes on he sees less of Jason and when he does he looks not well.

He's injured more frequently the entire underworld seems to be gunning for Hood but he can't say he isn't happy maybe Jaylad will have to call for backup.

He's working at the computer when Dick storms in heading straight for him.

"What does it take for you to be ten percent of a good parent clearly it's not your child dying so what will it take Bruce"

He's furious but he's also a detective before anything else.

"What exactly are you talking about."

Dick's entire body changes closing up the earlier anger gone for something colder even his eyes icing over.

"Jason is being hunted by all of Gotham because the Red Hood was based on the foundation of being the bat that kills. He changed everything about himself following your stupid rules, for what?"

-

Dick can't breathe he wants to tear Bruce limb from limb. Smash the entire cave he feels like there is nothing that can fix this.

He stares at Bruce waiting for what he doesn't know.

All this time and he's done.

"I am not burying my brother again because you are such a narssastic asshole who could give less of a fuck about anything other than being Batman. The reason every Bat or Robin comes to me is I actually love them unconditionally they don't have to doubt because Bruce they are enough."

"They could burn down the world and I would happily cheer them the fuck on don't call me, don't call Jason. I'm taking Tim, and Damian. You can go fuck yourself enjoy Batman cause that's all you will ever be."

He doesn't look back.

[fanfic-writer-and-rambler]

Cassandra Cain unintentionally sneaking up on people and their reactions:

Cass: Hi Tim.

Tim Drake yelps, dropping his coffee cup.

Tim: God! Can you give a heads up?

Cass, confused: I said hi when I was close to you. I was asking if you wanted to go half on the pizza?

Tim: Sure, but next time give a warning.

Cass: Hm... Noted.

...

Cass: Hi Dick.

Dick Grayson jumps, jumping into Jason's arms again.

Jason: Why is this your automatic reaction?

Jason drops his brother.

Dick: Ow, she's really quiet and it catches me off guard!

Cass, confused and saddened: I'm sorry... I wasn't intending to do that.

Jason: It's fine.

Dick: Just give a warning next time!

Jason: Calm down, you're acting like you saw a mouse.

Dick: Whatever.

Cass, hiding her true feelings: Hm... Noted.

...

Cass attempts to make her footsteps more noticeably loud as she walks over to Damian.

Cass: Hi Damien.

Damian jolts lightly, dropping his sketch pencil.

Damian: Sorry, my reaction wasn't okay. I'm just trying to finish my art piece and got into the zone- What's wrong, you look sad?

Cass, sad: It's nothing, I'm the one sorry for startling you. Just wanted to tell you that Jason and Steph switched for who would be with who, so I'll be with Jason and you'll be with Steph tonight.

Damian: Great I had to get the blabber mouth, thank you for telling me. Um, but are you sure you're okay? I wasn't upset about you sneaking up on me I get really into my art and-

Cass, thrown off by the comment: I wasn't... Sneaking up on you.

Damian: Oh, you usually do it with everyone. My mistake.

Cass nods, hiding her true reaction and leaves silently. Damian shrugs and returns to his drawing.

...

Later that night, Cass in her Batgirl Orphan suit meets up with Jason as he's in his Red Hood suit.

Cass: Hi Jason.

Jason turns to face Cass and he smiles at her.

Jason: Hey, it's good to see you. You ready to patrol?

Cass: You're not... Upset I snuck up on you?

Jason: Nah, you're good at it and I like how you greet everyone. I can't be upset at you anyway, I tolerate you the most.

Jason pats Cass (in her orphan suit) on the shoulder.

Cass sniffles, wringing her hands together.

Jason: What's wrong?

Cass: I don't mean to scare people when I'm behind them or unnoticed... My dad always taught me to be silent so that when you kill your target they'll never notice you... But I don't want to do that. I'm not doing what I do on purpose or as a trick... I-

Jason: Cass, it's fine. Come here.

Jason hugs Cass. Cass hugs him back, happy he wasn't against hugging her like he is with everyone else.

Jason pulls away.

Jason: I know you're not an evil ninja or whatever your dipshit birth father wanted you to be. You're... Cassandra. You're sweet and awesome. My brothers are the type to fall out of a chair when someone's phone rings too loudly so pay no attention to what they say and again your "sneaking" up on people is fine. I do the same thing too. We're the type of people who can make an entrance and escape easily when we don't want to be around people.

Cass laughs.

Cass: That's true. Um, thank you, Jason. I appreciate you being so nice to me about this. I needed that because while I can be a tough bad ass crime fighter... I don't want my family to fear me.

Jason, sympathetically: I get that, but we all love you and I could never imagine you hurting any of us.

Cass smirks.

Cass: I thought you tolerated me the most?

Jason: Eh, I love you too. Now you ready for a night of beating the shit out of bad guys?

Cass, taking a power pose: I am!

Jason and Cass run together, ready to fight. Meanwhile Barbara Gordon was evasdropping with a smile. She pushes up her glasses.

Barbara: My heart can't take the feels with them. Sucks that their communication devices 'glitched' out and I could only hear it... I love their dynamic.

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 327

You know what could be fun? In a slightly traumatic and horrible way? Crossover with JJ Tim. 

See he can’t stop the giggles, the laughs that are borderline hysterical as he holds himself in some mimicry of a hug. His fingers twitch like his mouth that’s smiling smiling smiling- electrocution is a horrible sensation that has many long-term effects. 

But there’s another child here- a pair of them, with almost theater-esque masks and claws that tap tap tap at the cold floors as they creep closer with a near air of curiosity. They’re cloaked in red and black and something about it is familiar but he can’t focus, he can’t stop laughing- 

“Well Jr-” the voice causes him to flinch, the sense of danger screaming in his head as a hand gives a too hard slap to the back. Joker Joker Joker Danger No No No Not Again- “Meet your siblings, aren’t they adorable~” 

[batman-obsession-by-secret]

This is legit my favourite picture and I'm begging everybody to tell me where it is from

[superbat-lmao]

Damian Wayne stuck in a time loop.

It resets when someone dies, and since Damian is the youngest, it doesn’t matter how rocky his relationship is with the bat-siblings, each and everyone one of them sacrifices themselves for him.

And Damian is pissed off because he doesn’t understand why.

Grayson is obvious, he has made it clear that he feels affection for Damian and has made the most effort into integrating him into the family. Of course he would die for his little brother. And at first, Damian believes he finds this outcome to be the least acceptable.

There is also his Father, again, a logical expression of love. Damian can understand why his Father would die for him, even if he doesn’t want him to. Even if, in the first few loops, he wishes that anyone else would die instead. At least it’s a type of parental relationship he can understand in the abstract, even if it surprises him to see its true about himself. That even though he has several older brothers and is unsure of his place by his Father’s side, the man would do anything to protect him. It reminds him of his Mother, even though he’s sure if she were here she’d find a way for the both of them to live.

Brown is the first one to surprise him. They had worked together when Grayson was Batman and he recognized her competence, but he thought that’s all it was. A working relationship between professionals. A mutal, if grudging respect. He is shocked when she dies, how he had no clue she would go that far for him. How he refuses to let it happen again.

If Brown was a surprise, Cain was a shock. Damian thought of her as nigh invincible, unable to be touched. It was clear she was the best of all of them, that she had seen the hit miles ahead of him, had maybe even seen him brace for it. But she had chosen to let herself go down. He feels every bit his age as he begins to wonder if he’s even more powerless to stop this than he thought if his most competent sister chose to let herself fall.

Thomas was confusing. He was new, newer than Damian and not quite sure of himself. They rarely saw each other aside from school due to the mismatch in schedules. Thomas gave him a wide berth, respecting Damian’s space in a way his other siblings failed to do or intentionally disregarded. Damian didn’t think much of him. Couldn’t understand how Thomas hadn’t even paused, had taken the hit as if it was an unquestionable law of the universe. As if they were really brothers and not strangers. It was a sentiment Damian didn’t know how to return.

Todd was the worst. He had seen him, briefly, before he had come to Gotham from the league. His Mother spoke of him rarely, but with pride. He was skilled, if untamed. He avoided the manor and his brothers and their Father. The only one he usually sought was Pennyworth. That is why Todd was the worst. Because he avoided all of them. Because this family had already allowed him to die before and he had come back wrong. A painful reminder that their family has failed. And he fought so hard to remind them all of that failure, every way he chose to keep fighting to live, to prioritize his own life over their Father’s morality. Only to throw it away for Damian. To force him to watch how his brother’s second death shattered their Father and Pennyworth and Grayson in a way that Damian didn’t think they’d survive a second time.

Drake is incomprehensible. Antithetical. A cosmic error. Impossible. There is no love between them, no grudging respect, nothing. Damian can’t stand to look at the person who he feels is a disgrace to the costume Damian now wears. He is the one who dies for Damian the most. The one he can’t possibly understand. The brother he has the least time to question, who gives him the least answers as to his motivations. Who will both die for Damian and refuse to utter a word to him in the same loop. It is madness. Damian needs to prove himself above this embarrassment, and yet Drake chooses to be beneath him. To die for him. It is in spite of Damian’s skill that Drake dies, and Damian hates him for it.