#vlad is no good

[tanglepelt]

Falling into the Zone

AO3

Danny gets lost in the ghost zone having entered via natural portal. The one good thing out of it is he catches a vigilante likely saving them from death.

Tim was not originally in my plan. It was just going to be Danny seeing new sites. Then Tim fell into Dannys arms.

It was meant to be an uneventful trip into the ghost zone. Danny just needed to get to Amity and then back before the fruit loop noticed. Danny was not attending that gala with Vlad without a way to defend himself if he could help it.

Vlad wanted his little badger to attend a gala with him. Of course, his dad agreed right away and sent him off. No matter how tired he fought against it. Vladdy knew best Afterall. Who cares if it makes Danny extremely uncomfortable? Not his Parents.

Even his mom knew he didn’t like Vlad. She just went along with it of course. It would be a good bonding experience for the two.

It couldn’t even be a day trip. No. Vlad had a suite in some hotel in Gotham. They would be there two days early. There was no need for it. The fruit loop is only doing it to make him even more uncomfortable. To rub his wealth in his face or something.

The first day was spent just being lectured on proper etiquette followed by threats if he didn’t behave. He wasn’t going to risk Vlad releasing his experiments on Amity when he wasn’t there. So, he would behave at the gala. Only the gala got specified in that deal.

Danny couldn’t even contact his friends to warn them. The fruit loop had “accidentally” knocked into Danny causing him to drop his phone. Only to “accidentally” step on the phone breaking it.

There is no way the outfit Vlad had specially made didn’t have some form of anti-ecto properties. He was starting to think there was more to making himself look better. It was a disaster waiting to happen.

If Plasmius made an appearance at the Wayne Gala. That was on the bats. Danny wouldn’t need to get involved. If Amity doesn’t need help, he’s sure an experienced vigilante could handle it. He had no experience and handled it himself.

Danny was set to behave, be good and stick around. He was trapped in the hotel room anyways. Anti-ecto shields keeping him stuck.

Then a glowing green portal opened in front of him. Which Is odd. Now he wasn’t at the Gala so why behave? Was it a bad choice? Probably. He didn’t care, better than staring at a wall.

He went through it. Right into the ghost zone. The portal closed behind him. At least he didn’t have to worry about Vlad following. All he had to do was make his way to the Fenton portal warn Sam and Tucker and be back within an hour. Should be easy.

He’d have to find an excuse for how he got out. But that was future Danny problem.

Current Danny problem was being lost in the zone. Nothing here looked familiar. It was all new, with different islands and different doors.

The farther he flew the more he saw.

Floating islands made of candy, waterfalls in thin air, floating rivers with glass walls and flooring you could see ghost fish swim, and the massive number of flying animals.

He had seen dragons, unicorns, rabbits using their ears to fly, there was even an emu. They all just were chilling in the zone. Now he knew animals resided in the zone. Cujo was proof of that. He just didn’t expect there to be so many.

The sheer size of the zone shouldn’t surprise him. It was officially known as the infinite realm for a reason. A place that connected every universe and every dimension to the afterlife. Even if you believe when you’ll die you go to the void you must pass through the realm first. Anyone who dies travels through it. Only around 2% ever stay. Yet 2% of an infinite is too much to count.

Those who remained in the infinite realm had tragic deaths or had business left to attend to.

Take ghostwriter for example. He died in the fire that took down the library of Alexandria. It’s why he was so protective of his books. His human life ended trying to save the books of the past. He couldn’t protect them so now he can write books his own way. On top of having a library of all the past books to ever exist. Danny destroying his book reminded him of his death.

No one wanted to relive their death day.

Danny was content to take in the sights. See a whole new area of the zone. Once he figured out where he was this area would go on their map. Better than no map but certainly not the infimap.

This area of the zone was astounding. So much better than by the prison.

An island of floating water with what appeared to be mermaids and mermen.

An island with large trees and a giant nest. Humanoid creatures with wings resided there.

Did the zone have property value?

The Fenton portal was right near walkers’ prison. Maybe they just opened the portal in a bad area.

Danny had even passed a few ghosts while flying. He had prepared to be attacked. Yet none came. The ghost just looked at him and left. He wasn’t sure but Danny is positive one called him a baby. Which rude. He is 15.

Around an hour in, he was about ready to ask someone for directions. Someone had to know where the prison, the far frozen or even the river of revulsion was. He was interrupted before caving.

A bright green light came from above.

Another natural portal. He was tempted but knew better. He could end up in the wrong time. No, he needed to get to the Fenton portal or frostbite.

While he was considering what to do a body fell right into Danny's arms. A human. Black hair red/black/yellow cosplayer outfit and a black mask. There wasn’t much time to process.

The screaming from the portal was overwhelming. Then a boomerang hit him square in the face. A tracker?? Listening device?? something attached. Something was being shot through then with a woosh the portal closed. A grappling hook??? Yea, that’s a grappling hook. Well, half of it got cut off when the portal closed. Thankfully it wasn’t a body part.

Danny did crush the device. He didn’t want Technus to get his hands on that technology. It was far smaller and more advanced than what he had. Regardless of what it was. Not worth a potential headache.

Either way, it’s not like it would work.

Tucker had specifically made stuff to work here. Which Danny didn’t have. Man, maybe he should have thought twice about rushing into the portal. No, his impulsive thoughts were of use. Regardless of if Danny was here, the guy passed out in his hands would have fallen. Which means who knows if he would have survived.

It was more important than ever to get to frostbite.

Danny went to investigate the wounds it all clicked. The boomerang, grappling hook, and tiny device. This was Red Robin, one of Gotham’s Vigilantes.  One of Gotham’s Vigilantes was unconscious in his arms with a bleeding head.

That wasn’t good.

Thankfully Sam had made him read up on all the vigilantes in Gotham. She stressed not to reveal himself as Batman seemed to have a bad reputation with metas. Which was funny.

Danny was half-dead not meta.

Batman shouldn’t have a problem with him.

Unless he hated the undead.

Back to the problem at hand. Well, three. First, a human was in the realm. Secondly, the human was injured. Thirdly he had no idea where he was. Bad odds.

There wasn’t even anyone to ask for directions from.

Danny had never been more relieved for Cujo to show up. It was at least some sense of normalcy in the zone. When Cujo grabbed him by the ankle and dropped him and his guest off at the far frozen he could have cried tears of joy.

Frostbite took one look at the situation, and it was off to their medical bay. All the wounds were superficial, well, and apparently a sedative. Red would be awake soon. Now Danny just had to figure out what to say and how to explain the bracelet now on his wrist.

Humans were the ghost here. Red could just fall through the island into the zone if he wasn’t careful. Sam and Tucker each had their own devices in case they weren’t in the speedster.

Red bolted awake. Checking his mask then looking around the obvious med center. Not even double looking at the yetis. Then he made eye contact with Danny.

“Where am I”

“The afterlife!”  the look on Red’s face said that was the wrong thing to say. He probably assumed he died or something.

“You didn’t die first off. Secondly, stop messing with that bracket, take it off and you’ll fall through the floors.” Danny gave him his best-pointed look. He didn’t think it was effective. Red did stop messing with it. “You fell in a natural portal. Guess you fell for me, right into my arms. You're actually very lucky most who fall don’t make it out alive.”

Red then started messing with his sleeve. “Tech doesn’t work here, has to be specially made.”

The vigilante kept fidgeting with gadgets and gizmos. Even pulling stuff out of his belt. It wasn’t a surprise when nothing worked.

“How do I get home”

“I can take you once Frostbite gives you the okay. Well, frostbite and I. I’m not trusted with the infimap alone. Accidentally travel through time three times and you get deemed a problem. It's not my fault the fruit loop stole it from me.”

“Don’t leave out how you failed to return it Great one” Frostbite boomed as he walked in. Evidently letting in a chill as Red shivered. “Let me look over the human and then I can return you both to the human realm.”

The checkup went well. All Frostbite did was make sure he wasn’t going to pass out again. Nothing else. Frostbite grabbed the map.

No warning given frostbite grabbed the vigilante’s wrist and asked Danny to place his on the map.

“Take us to where they need to be”. There was a trick to the map. Not specifying a place.

Only frostbite landed nicely in some dining room. Danny and Red slammed into a wall. Red’s mask was gone; Danny’s ghost form was gone. There go secret identities.

“Welcome back to the human realm young ones. I shall take my leave. Do try and avoid the natural portals that spawn. You both were lucky.” Frostbite spoke voice full of humor. Frostbite used the map to return to the far frozen. Leaving Danny alone with a bunch of strangers.

He took in the faces around him.

Red Robin was timothy drake Wayne. Alrighty… how was he getting out of this situation. All the black-haired blue eyes people were just focused on him.

After a lot of explanation and a lot of Danny’s personal information being shared, it wasn’t that bad. He was at least able to warn the bats about Vlad.

[bet-on-me-13]

Lex is Vlad reincarnated

So! Lex Luther, the greatest person to ever exist, had recently made a discovery.

A few weeks ago, a Cult of moronic simpletons had managed to kidnap him. Him! All for some stupid Demonic ritual where they sacrifice the wealthiest man they could find in return for something meaningless like "No More Poverty" or "No More Starvation".

He had survived, of course, and was unfortunately save by Supermoron.

But before the Man of Steel had busted in, he overheard something from the Cultists. Apparently they had chosen him for more than just his wealth, there was something more about his Soul that they were after. It felt "Divine", as if he had the soul of a God stuffed in a Mortal's body.

And obviously it must be correct. He was already the most intelligent man in the world, One of the wealthiest, and held more political power than any single man on the planet, so of course "God in disguise" was the next logical addition to that List.

Over the next few weeks he studied and prepared.

He needed to make sure that his efforts would be rewarded, that those Cultists had been correct about him despite their idiocy.

After buying up as many Magical Artifacts as he could related to Identity and Soul, he tested himself on Each and Every One. And Lo and Behold, he is truly a God.

Well, the Reincarnation of One. Apparently this was common in immortal beings such as himself, reincarnating themselves into mortal bodies as a sort of Vacation from their Duties. All he needed to do now was find a way to regain his Memories and Power without dying, and he would truly become a God On Earth.

A few more weeks of Preparation, and he was ready.

Apparently the Manchild of Steel had caught onto his plan in that time. His Ego probably couldn't bear another God living in the same City as himself, so he tried to stop Lex's plans of Ascension. Thankfully, in his research he had discovered his Rival's vulnerability to Magical Attacks, and set up countermeasures for him and his Breakfast Club should they attempt to interfere.

He stepped into the Ritual Circle, and began his Ascension to Godhood.

Try as they might, the League could not foil his plans this time. The Ritual Circle lit up with a sickly green light, and expanded to cover his entire body. The Ritual began to finally complete itself.

He had Won.

...

Oh.

...

Vlad stood at the center of the circle for a few moments. He took in all his Memories of his most recent Life, and Facepalmed so hard he was sure The Badger heard it back in the Realms.

Ten Tousand Years of Therapy specifically to curb his egotistical tendencies, and That is how he decides to spend his most recent Life? Acting as a Billionare Supervillain attacking a well meaning Hero for nothing less than Ego?! He even Cloned them!? Had he learned NOTHING!?!?

"Careful Team, we don't know how powerful he is now." He heard his current Nemesis say.

Oh right...they were still there.

He didn't really feel like explaining everything to them, and he technically still had about 40 years left on his Vacation...

He simply turned his back to them, flew back to his Mansion, turned back into his Human Form, and set about his Day. Maybe he could right a few of the wrongs he had done on this life?

It would certainly throw his current Nemesis for a loop. And while he may not Hate him anymore, he definitely still liked to Mess with him.

Maybe this would be more entertaining than he thought?

[scrombit]

gsuuddhhdhhhh

[mfdragon]

The Confession (Part 1)

So yea uh.... wanted to pop off a bit for the finale and it got a little out of hand. Regardless, really hope it was worth the wait :3 (Wanted to thank @notllorstel for helping render one of the pages and @ectospacecadet for helping with some of the dialogue. You guys rock!)

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[moonlight-stalker]

# Dcu x Dp 193

Batman and Robin had broken into Vlad Masters Hotel because they found something that was extremely similar to Lazarus water as Damian looks around he ends up in the bed room where he finds a crib that has a sleeping baby in it underneath the crib he finds injections filled with Lazarus water and comes to the conclusion that he is experimenting on this baby. Damian decides that he needs to take her when he leave.

After creating Dani Vlads decided not to age her up and raise her himself. Vlad is using ecto injection keep her stable until he find a permanent solution.

[bluerosefox]

Selina's New Kittens

Once again. A new DPxDC idea/prompt.

(Deaged! Danny, Dan, Ellie, and Jazz!)

Enjoy my random ideas.

Look.

Selina....

Selina wasn't expecting this when she decided to have some fun and do what she does best.

She just meant to sweet talk her way into Master's gala/party. Flirt and get info, maybe some blackmail. Steal away the rare cat themed artifact he had recently gotten (and also steal away his actual cat, such a lovely little diva it is too). then she was going to disappear into the night like always.

So...

Selina casted her eyes into the mirror of her car and could see the tiny children she had rescued from Master's hidden basement lab. All but one was asleep, the oldest out of them, although she seemed to be losing that fight from the way her head was falling forward, eyes closing but would jerk herself back awake when she realized she was falling asleep.

Curled up as hard and as much as they could towards the little redhead was three dark haired children, Selina mused that they'd fit right in with Bruce and his little bats/birds.

Two were near identical boys, though one seemed to be much paler than the other and if she remembered right one had red eyes and the other had blue, and the last one of the sleeping kids was a tiny toddler, a girl she heard was named 'Ellie' from the others.

Selina took note that the red head, Jazz, had finally fallen asleep a few minutes later. With a deep breath as she drove further and further away from that... that insane Fruitloop (she overheard the two boys call him that as they ran to her car) Master's place, she blindly reached for her phone and pressed a single digit on the screen, knowing it will connect to her car and call up the only person she can trust to help her with this.

"Selina." came the gravely voice after a single ring, sounds like she caught him on patrol but he seemed to be in a spot where he was okay to say her actual name over coms or she caught him before his night shift started.

"Hello Darling, I need your help with some kittens I found and to help me... Put away their terrible old owner."

[lilianade-comics]

My brain, loving and appreciating narrative parallels and themes: Danny and Vlad are perfect foils AND they have BEAUTIFUL generational parallels through their respective trios. In a more narratively coherent version of DP, this should be explored to its fullest potential. This logically means that Danielle should not exist so as not to distract from or muddy the waters of the prime dynamic.

Also my brain, 24/7 with no chill whatsoever:

cheese melt go brrrrrrrrrr

[radiance1]

The Justice League have a problem, one that needs some level of knowledge and expertise of a being from the Infinite Realms to give them a better chance of actually solving this problem.

However.

Every ghost they have summoned, without fail, took one look at Constantine. Squinted (yes, squinted). Then decided to go back to where they came without a word.

This. Would have been useful, nice even. If it was a situation where they needed the summoned being of a cult to head back to where they came without a fight.

But alas, that is not what is happening.

The Justice League, obviously, ask him why the ghosts keep fleeing back to their Realm at the sight of him, but Constantine can't answer because he genuinely has no idea why they keep leaving when getting a proper look at him.

So they keep trying and they do find some success in it. They summoned a boy, most likely older than he physically looks yet it still puts some of them off because of, well.

You know.

A boy with white hair and toxic green eyes. The boy stops short, as if not expecting to be randomly transported to somewhere else, takes a look around the room, then the Justice League. His eyes settle on one person.

Constantine, in particular.

He squints (Why do all of them squint? Nobody knows) and then a sudden looking of realization passes on his face. Different from the looks of vague fear and genuinely want to not involve themselves any further, his face held slight disgust and a heavy amount of disappointment.

Thankfully, he didn't leave immediately after that.

Constantine asks what's with the look on the ghost boy's face, the ghost boy in question squints even further. Stares at Constantine for a moment or two, buries his face in his hands and brings his knees to his hand and groans out.

"He could've done so much better."

[satoshy12]

Vlad, Toddler Danny and the Gotham Gala

Bruce saw the Bat signal outside and wanted to leave the Gala. He told Vlad Masters that he needed to go to the toilet. Vlad Master glared at Bruce and said, "Daniel, come!" A tiny black-haired toddler came walking to them. After Danny was hit by the GIW, his parents tried to save his life, and Vlad helped them. The only side effect was toddler Danny. But somehow, this made the relationship much better with his parents. So Uncle Vlad is now good? Danny:" You know it's Danny!" Vlad:" Daniel, Mr. Wayne fears he will get lost on his way to the toilet. So I want you to show him the way there and back." + Tiny Danny led Mr. Wayne to his own bathroom. He wasn't sure if that was real, but Vlad and Mr. Luthor told him he wasn't the smartest. So he asked just to be sure. Danny:" Are you really that way Uncle Vlad says it? I mean, he talks poop about many people." Bruce Wayne, who knows it would be bad if people knew he faked it, didn't say anything.

+ Danny now knew for once Vlad was right: Mr. Wayne was worse than his dad. So he took his hand... I mean finger and led him around the Gala in the Wayne Mansion. "No fear, I won't let you get lost." That was how the media and Gotham Elite were greeted by Bruce Wayne being led around by a toddler to not get lost.

"Wow, for once he didn't get lost in his own Mansion." And it became a news article. "Brucie Wayne didn't get lost in a gala!"

[thisdudedoesntexist]

Danny has a problem.

It's been around two weeks after fighting vlad and removing his powers, the tension has been building between them for a long time.

First it was the crown, Danny had earned it after fighting Pariah but Vlad thinks that Danny isn't ruthless enough to rule saying that he's "too soft" and "too indecisive" to wear the (for all the title of Ghost King is worth) glorified funny hat. Then after a long time of arguing between them Vlad came up with a scheme. If he couldn't become the king he would become the regent, he just needed to possess Jack Fenton, have him divorce Vlad's "beloved" Madeline and then possess her into marrying him.

As you can guess this didn't work, Danny found him about two seconds after he tried to divorce Maddy cause he wasn't even trying to act (like a human sized Golden retriever) his dad. So he and mom beat the creepy incel out of his dad, in the process Danny was forced to transform and his parents accepted him (YAY!), he also got hit in the side of his head by Vlad, damaging his Broca's area just enough so he can only speak in Ghostspeak, but he can still understand human words and letters. After that mess they moved to Gotham so he could recover in a place with high ectoplasm without Vlad harassing them. ( Lady Gotham hates Vlad.)

Now you're probably wondering, "What's the problem, Vlad is out of the picture and your parents accept your half dead-ness."

The problem is that some guy dressed as a scarecrow released some weird gas into his school. He didn't get a lot of people cause the "Bats?" Showed up but his friend Damien got sprayed and ran off saying he was gonna kill his brother tim. So in Danny's infinite genius he ran off after him to make sure he doesn't hurt someone.

He's not sure why Damien speaks Ghostspeak though.

[noxcheshire]

I think I’d be really funny, if Bruce was a reincarnated Vlad.

This is going to be based off of a prompt I saw (I will find you) where Bruce suddenly remembered his past life as Vlad.

HOWEVER, my take on that is the de-aged Ellie and Dan because the amount of ANGST and self hate that Bruce will go through thinking his past self was not only a villain, but also that sort of person?

It will eat him alive.

It will eat that man alive every time he goes to sleep and another burst of memories pass underneath his eyelids.

It burns him when he wakes up with the phantom touch of a body underneath his hands, of a boy just as young as Damian and thinner too, struggling to escape a grip of a man whose hold was too possessive, and too cruel.

It feels like acid swishing down his throat when he wakes with the taste of oily words filled with threat and something more whispered over the form of a boy. A young boy whose blue eyes blazed furiously back and yet tried to hide the quiet bursts of fear underneath.

It feels like Bruce cannot scrub the man he had been right out of him, even when his skin blisters red until it bleeds. Vladimir Masters had woken spitting and screaming, burrowed like a cold sore underneath everything that is Bruce.

Bruce hates it.

Hates the monster he had once been and still is — because despite the fact Vlad is now Bruce, living and breathing and existing here in Gotham — Vladimir Masters still exists.

He is out there right now in a little place called Amity Park, pulling weight and blood just to get what he wants.

A man who has used and abused for far too long…

Perhaps it was time to see to it, that however and whatever way that Bruce came to be, that it began with Vlad’s unfortunate circumstances back into the Ghost Zone.

[hughmanbean]

It's Complicated

Danny's in Gotham, Clockwork "for the good of the timeline" (he just likes seeing them tiny) turns Dan and Ellie about 7-12 ish and Jack and Maddie are off terrorizing the vampires in Romania.

Vlad has been both dragged along and is somewhat stalking Danny via 1. trying to make things right with him and attempting to actually Parent His Kids and to get Danny to stop lording it over his head. And 2. trying to also not get obliterated by the two little tykes by acting like, well, himself to Danny.

Jason is very interested in the new neighbor, for reasons that are Completely Professional and hold No Romantic Intentions. So he does a little digging. For security, of course.

He comes out of it horrified.

[stars-obsession-pit]

Vlad knows he wasn’t great to Dani at first. But he improved. He’s genuinely trying to be a good dad to his clone sorta-daughter now.

Which is why he’s so furious at this other rich fucker who’s clearly not doing that for his own clone child.

So Vlad decides to do what he does best. Corporate sabotage.

Unless Lex Luthor improves, Vlad is going to drive his company into the ground.

[mfdragon]

Guess who watched The Grinch movie recently.

Amazing film. Please consider this like an in between filler comic. Thank you 👌🏻 Merry Christmas everyone 🎄 ✨

[lurukifennecfox]

again snippets i won't finish because reasons

Everything was going well which should have been the first clue.

Danny moved to Gotham (Vlad insisted he pay for it and he'd been doing better so he let him have it) he's going to Gotham Academy, he was visiting his old haunt so often people thought Phantom never left! turns out if a ghost is strong enough they can teleport to their haunt and he is strong! even if he never quite got the hang of teleportation aside from returning to his haunt.

[•••]

he must have said something wrong because now the halfa was glaring at him with ectoplasm green eyes, he rolled his eyes.

"c'mon stop with the scary eyes" he said it and winced, shit he sounds like Vlad! wait it's not quite Ecto-green, it's diluted? more Lazarus than pure Ecto... that doesn't look healthy is it why he barely can feel his core??? is he really sustaining on Lazarus Water?!

[starry-bi-sky]

Unpleasant Revelations - DPxDC Ficlet Idea for the Stillborn Au

"Have you met my youngest, Damian, Mr. Masters?"

Its only from twenty years of long, hard experience and practice that Vlad doesn't increase the room temperature from 'borderline uncomfortably cool' to 'unbearably hot' the moment Bruce Wayne pulls his youngest and "only" biological son out in front of him.

He puts only in quotations because twelve year old Damian Wayne looks scarily, uncannily like one Daniel Brown. Jack and Maddie's foster son, second victim of their foolishness, and only other halfa in existence. Second only to him.

It's nauseating how similar they look. From the scowl and terrible glare on the young boy's face, to his brown skin -- which was only a few shades lighter than Daniel's, the shape of his nose, and even the strange winged edge of his eyebrow. Something that Vlad has long since come to find endearing on the child he considered a son of his own. The only difference was that Damian had dark, sharp green eyes.

Daniel's eyes were blue. The same glacier shade as his father's, who stood behind Damian with a proud, oafish smile on his visage.

It was infuriating how similar they look. Vlad might not have rapidly swung the room temperature from one extreme to the other, but he can't stop himself from letting the fury burning within his core from slipping out and raising the temperature up a few degrees.

Because it really only meant one thing.

Damian Wayne and Daniel Brown were related.

Damian Wayne and Daniel Brown were brothers.

Standing in front of him, it was clear as day. He can already picture a phantom image of Daniel standing beside Damian, the same scowl written on his face, the same glare carved into his eyes. The only difference being the dark, exhausted circles beneath them that seemed to be permanently painted onto his skin. The only thing missing being the permanent loneliness and vigilance permeating his being like a scar.

This, if revealed, would be enough to ruin Bruce Wayne's reputation. Or, at the very least, darken it quite a bit. The great philanthropist Bruce Wayne with another secret blood child? One related to his youngest? One that had been put into foster care? Seemingly thrown away?

It would be a firestorm.

One that Vlad is not keen on starting.

It would ruin Bruce Wayne's reputation, yes. But it would hurt Daniel in the process -- the harassment he would face alone might just be enough to break that fragile child completely. That was just not something he could allow. Or, even worse, bring him into his biological father's care and custody -- something Vlad was even less willing to allow.

It's not out of kindness to Wayne that Vlad will keep mum about this.

His grip on his champagne flute tightens, just a bit. He's still aware enough of the world around him to not let it shatter in his hands. His plastered, pleasant smile tightens around the corners, and he forces his focus to slide from Damian to Wayne.

"The resemblance is uncanny, Mister Wayne." He says, slanting his smile to the side slyly. Although he's not talking about the resemblance between Wayne and his son. Rage simmers beneath his skin, burning coal and embers in the core of his chest, nestled between his lungs, as he meets the man's eyes.

Wayne swaggles his head proudly, his ditzy smile widening as he squeezes his son's shoulder affectionately. Bastard, Vlad wants to spit.

He breathes in through his nose, and exhales out through his mouth. The champagne in his hand cools, and stops its unusual bubbling.

The Damian boy scoffs under his breath, his mouth still coiled upward into a scowl. With the revelation of his blood relation to Daniel evident, Vlad's not sure if he should find it endearing or not.

He is not Daniel, so he decides that it's just simply irritating. He decides to ignore it.

"And you said he was your only biological son?" He asks, voice lilting and head tilting. He knows its a suspicious question at worst, insulting at best. But considering Wayne's past proclivities, he can hardly call it an unexpected question.

Damian puffs in great offense, face twisting angrily. It reminds him of Daniel when Vlad insisted that he was wrong about something or other, and for a moment his heart swells, fond.

But this is not his child, and so the feeling quickly crashes and burns, simmering back into rage. This was not Daniel -- this was his replacement. A replacement that Wayne was free to keep.

Wayne chuckles, idiotically, as if he'd said some funny joke. Vlad's other hand, the one gripping his cane -- something he's required ever since he was dispatched from the hospital all those lonely years ago -- tightens instead. He grinds his teeth -- him and Jack Fenton would get along like a house on fire, he hates it.

"I can understand why you'd ask that, Mister Masters," Wayne says, squeezing Damian's shoulder again, "but yes, Damian is my only biological son. Although that doesn't mean I don't love my other children any less."

Bastard.

For all his posturing and flouncing about caring for his city and his children, Vlad never would have thought the Prince of Gotham capable of abandoning one of them.

But, well.

They all have their dark secrets.

And what one man throws away, another man picks up. If Bruce Wayne didn't want the treasure child that was Daniel Brown, then Vlad Masters was more than happy to take him instead.

"I see."