#why is Gotham so uniquely fucked up

[dickgreyson]

I think Bruce Wayne is normal and fine, everyone else is the problem

[clockwayswrites]

Orange, City Pigeon, Danny & Batfam @roanawayspoons WC: 864 CW: Blood, injury

“I’m just saying, you shouldn’t get to be Red by default.”

“Well I can’t be Robin and Hood is a unique identifier.”

“No, nope, just because you weren’t creative enough to come up with something other than Red Robin you shouldn’t get to just claim Red.”

“Creative enough? Oh that’s rich from the man who ripped off the Joker.”

“It was poetic!”

“It was lazy.”

“Look here, bird bones—” …and Tim was gone, Jason thought with a sigh. He turned back to see Tim still before the last jump, staring down into the alleyway with a tilted head. Jason’s hand went to one of his guns. “Red?”

“Blood.”

“And? It’s Gotham. I think the city is held together by blood at this point.”

“Green blood, Hood.”

“How do you know it’s blood then?” Jason asked, but stalked forward to look. Alright, maybe the splatter was pretty distinctive.

That particular shade of green was also concernedly distinctive.

“Well, fuck.”

“Yep.”

“Who bleeds Lazarus water?”

“No clue,” Tim said unhelpfully. “Guess we better find out.”

They dropped silently down into the alley, one after another, and followed the trail of toxic green blood. The trail went cold a few times, whoever was bleeding was clearly trying to hide, but they were inexperienced at it and the Bats had spent enough time stalking through the streets of this city that the cement and stone basically spoke to them. The trail couldn’t hide from them.

Without warning, Jason shot his arm out to stop Tim. He tapped the side of his helmet silently; he heard something. Tim nodded and they fanned out to search. A door in this latest alley they were in was cracked open, like someone had tried to close it and it had bounced back off the latch.

A green hand print was smeared down it.

Jason pulled a gun from his holster, but let Tim go through first. While Jason was far lighter on his feet than someone his size should be, there was no denying that Tim was stealthier. Jason would be just a few steps behind ready to provide the muscles and firepower.

It was odd, then, when Tim purposefully let his foot scrape against the ground as he rounded the corner. Jason just cursed silently as the idiot continued forward, cutting himself off from Jason’s line of sight. “Hey, looks like you could use some help with that wound before you bleed out.”

Jason couldn’t hear what was said back; he edged closer.

“You must not be from Gotham. I’m Red Robin, one of the heroes here.”

The person snorted. “Just… over… then?”

Tim laughed. It was one of his many fake laughs, but the one meant to soothe people in trouble. “Why would I do that? I’m a vigilante. Do you know how illegal what I do is? I just don’t want to see you bleed out. Maybe I can even take you to a safe house where you can rest.

“So… interrogate me?”

“I mean, I’d like to know who tried to kill a kid, but that’s to make them pay, not you.”

Jason’s hand gripped his gun so tightly it hurt.

The person… the kid laughed. It was a broken sound that no kid should have to make.

Jason had heard it a lot on the streets.

“Maybe I deserve it.” Their voice was raspy, like every word caught in their throat.

Jason came around the corner. The kid went rigid, which was the last thing they needed with how blood seeped from their fingers where their pale hand was clutched against a too big hoodie.

Tim leaned casually into Jason's space in a way he wouldn’t normally, putting on a show for the kid that Red Hood was safe. It was at least true for the kid. Jason leaned back, mostly for the comfort of having his brother close in the face of the sight. Seeing bloody kids never got easier.

“You’re what, sixteen?” Jason asked.

“…fifteen?”

“Yeah, no fifteen year old deserves to bleed out. You know who I am?”

They shook their head. It dislodged the hood a little. The tangled, chin length hair was startling white and splattered with dried green blood. Jason forced himself to take a breath.

“I’m Red Hood. I protect part of this city called Crime Alley. I’m not afraid to kill a shithead, especially ones that hurt kids, but I never harm a kid. I’ve got places to put you if you need somewhere safe; places not in the system. Or get you somewhere. Do you have a place to go to?”

The kid laughed again. Somehow it sounded worse this time. “That’s the thing. I do. I might, I guess. Just no one is going to believe me.”

“Why won’t they believe you? Where do you need to get?” Tim asked.

The kid looked up. Jason felt Tim tense against him. Hell, Jason tensed. They were the wrong color, but Jason knew those eyes, those brows, that slope of the nose. Everything was just a little sideways, but Jason knew that face. He knew what the kid was going to say.

“I need to get to Bruce Wayne.”

--- AN: Happy Trauma Tuesday~

Feel free to continue this, use it as a prompt if you'd like!

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

Age gap!Bruce is so in love with his wife, I’m sure that he believes she can’t do nothing wrog. Like, he’s the type to brag about how amazing she’s to everybody.

I love your writing and this scenario in particular has me very interested bc I think is so original. Usually, I don’t like age gap bc writers tend to make reader a little childlike or with no personality, but age gap!reader is so unique that I love her so much.

I like to imagine one of Bruce’s exes, like Selina (I’m sorry, but I always remember how she left him at the altar. I love her but my heart breaks for Bruce) comes back to Gotham and everything is kinda awkward bc yes, they have this weird off and on relationship (they haven’t seen each other for more than a year), not string attached but serious at the same time. And suddenly, he’s married to a fucking pop-star and actress??

Even a one night stand seeing Bruce “the playboy” marrying reader.

I can see this with anyone who used to be in love or having feelings either for Bruce or reader. “That should be me” by Justin Bieber will be in their spotify wrapped

I think it was the hard launch of the YEAR. Everyone will be so shocked by it that it becomes an iconic and part of Gotham’s pop culture. They did an interview and suddenly, the next thing they knew?? They got married at a private ceremony where only close family and friends knew.

"This is a stunt even for you, Bruce," Lois scolded tapping her foot. "Honestly-"

Bruce held his hands up, "The only reason it's public now is because we got caught in public. She was perfectly happy to be a private thing."

"Bruce," she scoffed giving him a look, "I know she's an adult but still. You're old enough to be her dad-"

"Not unless I was 16 when she was born," Bruce snorted, "she's the same age Dick is. Damian is 9-"

Lois rolled her eyes and took a seat, "So what did your kids say?"

"Over all, they were fine with it. If not happy about it. But Jason had to make a scene about me dating his childhood crush and betraying him all over again for dramatic effect. And Damian had to lecture me about the security risk."

"Naturally," Lois said smiling. "Jon said Damian had a lot to say about it. That's how we heard about it."

This time it was Bruce's turn to roll his eyes. "Be nice to her-"

"Are you kidding?" Lois asked, slightly incredulous.

"No-"

"Why would I not be? She's Iconic, honestly."

"And better at managing her image than I am," Bruce chuckled.

"Sad, really," Lois observed dryly. "But also impressive."

"No one knows who she dates, where she donates, no one knows her net worth for sure... honestly if she didn't volunteer the information I'm not even sure I'd know her favorite color."

"I'm not surprised," Lois mused, "After watching her get ripped apart a few years ago."

"I don't-"

"You wouldn't," Loid allowed, "You didn't have editors that wanted you to write think pieces about it. And you didn't work in an office that had a betting pool to her inevitable suicide or addiction spiral."

Bruce winced. He didn't remember it. Not directly, but you'd talked about it. It was part of why he agreed to letting you keep things private. You liked keeping things quiet. A separation between your public face and your private one. It fucked you up. And no one protected you. You'd had to handle it alone- Sure, you had your team but that wasn't the same as having PEOPLE to fall back on.

"I'll be nice," Lois assured him, "Just don't be a creep or I'll sic Clark on you later."

[deaddovedecadence]

Title: First Meeting (The Sunshine Verse)

Summary: You come face to face with the leader of the Batclan mob

Warning(s): Possesive behavior, scarring, kidnapping

You don’t remember being drugged, you don’t remember losing track of Lyre, you don’t remember going anywhere and yet you’re here, stuck in an unfamiliar room, a chain on your ankle. You’re unsafe, you know this, and there’s nothing you can do about it. The room is clean, not a speck of dust anywhere, and it smells like lemons, not lemon scented cleaner but real, fresh lemons. You hate it. It's not your first time being kidnapped but usually you’re confined to a dark room or messy, dirty basements that make you want to throw up. This is your first time being kidnapped since joining the force (you had a really unique childhood okay)  and you can’t help but wonder why you've been taken, if someone thinks you'll have real information for that.

Soft, well muffled sounds start up next to the door but quickly fade to silence. You hate it here, the thick silence, the not knowing where your best friend (brother) is, the chain that rests on your ankle. Speaking of the chain, you haven’t tried to walk yet and you can’t help but be curious. Slowly, carefully,, you get yourself out of bed and walk to one of the doors, letting it creak open. It;s only a bathroom. There’s one other door in the room and you’re pretty sure that you know where it leads. Out of here. You start walking towards that door but the chain stops you before you can get too close. Going back a few steps, you make a few loops in the area that seems safe and attempt to run towards the door. Immediately the chains are pulling you back and you slam to the floor. Well whoever has you certainly isn’t an idiot, which makes your job all that much harder. 

Eventually you pull yourself off of the floor and crawl to the bed. As soon as you’ve arranged yourself in a manner that doesn’t hurt too much, you’re asleep. 

“Lyre,” you call, listening to the echoing chirps of the birds, trying to ignore the sounds of “lyre, lyre, not lyre,” to themselves, loud as can be. It’s foggy out today, but not so much that you can’t see in front of you. The walk to work is weird without your best friend, but peaceful, even though the birds are chirping loudly, mocking birds calling Lyre’s name. As you’re approaching the police station, you note the crowd of people, how their murmurs grow and change. They’re all saying his name. You get closer and your best friend (brother) is just laying there, spread out on the pavement, his blood staining everything a terrible shade of red. You kneel down, staring at him. Lyre’s eyes are wide open, unseeing and you can’t help closing them. Your hands are red now. 

You wake up screaming. 

It takes a minute of blind panic for you to calm down and become aware of your surroundings again. You’re in the same room as yesterday and still sore as fuck. The only real change is that there’s a chair in the middle of the room, well more like a throne (you may or may not role your eyes) and a man sitting on the throne. He’s wearing a venetian carnival mask, black with a white bat around each eye. Every gothamite knows it as Sire’s mask. 

You’ve been kidnapped by the fucking bats. Shit! 

“May I help you?” You ask politely as you can manage. Sire’s mask, cold and porcelain keeps smiling,golden even as the man takes off his fucking mask. You’re going to die, you’re going to fucking die. You look down so you can’t see his face. The man sighs.

“You can look up. I have no plans to kill you. Rather I’d like to thank you. You took care of my son while he wouldn’t allow me to.” Now you’re confused. You chance a look up and meet the eyes of bruce fucking wayne, gotham’s biggest  philanthropist. You don’t even know what to say, because the man who’s been credited for saving Gotham is the one keeping it in order as the cruelest man on the east coast.  “I don’t understand Mr.Wayne. I don’t know any of your children.” 

Bruce Wayne smiles faintly, “Not even Jason?” Every single person born and bred in Gotham knows the tragedy of Jason. It’s said that a mobster went after him and killed him, and in revenge Mr. Wayne swore to oust the mob from Gotham city. Knowing what  you know now makes you wonder what really happened. “No offense but I’m pretty sure that Jason is dead.” Wayne laughs bitterly. “We thought so but when your friend Lyre had to go to the hospital,, my doctors found something pretty interesting. A blood match. Would you like to guess who exactly is the match” everything starts to fade out and go dizzy. You were the one that made Lyre go to the hospital because he’s always hated hospitals. “Was it Jason?” 

“It was Jason.” Wayne unless his legs, neatly rearranging himself. “I’d like to tell you a story.” You shrug, looking away. “When my son was a child, he lived on the streets. One day I had a meeting in Crime alley and he was crazy enough to try and steal the tires off my car. You can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of you. It’s so much like the Lyre you know that you know, mischievous and carefully reckless, always doing something that he shouldn’t be. What was real? “And when I came back to my car, there was this tiny vicious little boy fighting my guards and fucking winning. I’ve always been fond of stubbornness and there was something about Jason’s desperate desire to survive that stuck me so I brought him home with me. He’s been a member of the family ever since.” 

When Wayne talks about Jason, you’re reminded of a Pet owner talking about their best show animal or something. He’s not talking about them like they’re humans but as if they’re prizes to be won. He sounds like a collector, marveling over his trophies. You can’t help but want to upset this man, can’t help but dislike him. 

“If he was a member of your family, why did he leave you?” Maybe he’ll hurt you, maybe he’ll kill you but either way you’re going to mouth off for lyre. Wayne’s expression doesn’t even change.  “I have six other children,” he explains, “and half of them have anger issues. Do you really think that you’re going to phase me?” 

Your logical mind reminds you to be polite, your desire to live tells you to go apeshit. “That doesn’t answer my question,” you snap, ignoring his question all together. He doesn’t even blink. “Jason left because he didn’t agree with our methods. He did not understand the reasons I allowed my youngest to work in the basement at twelve nor did he appreciate our love. “ You’ve heard the stories from Lyre about his family, about the scars he carries from their love. Now that you've met Wayne you can’t help but wonder how many of those scars are physical. There’s a scars on Lyre’s back, tally marks, five of them to be exact. Are those from here? Are his tattoos from here? 

“When do I get to see Lyre again?” 

Wayne smiles Serenely, and for a moment he doesn’t look like a monster, instead he looks soft, and almost genuine. “When Jason calms down enough to be safe to be around again.” You tilt your head, wonder what he means and carefully do not ask. “Am I stuck in here permanently?” Wayne shakes his head politely. “No you’ll be coming to dinner tonight and Alfred will help you order anything that you might need.” That’s not what you mean. You want to go home. “Can I go home?” “This is your home.” You scoff and bear teeth. “My home is a little apartment by the wharf, not a mansion full of crazy people.” 

Wayne’s smile turns sharp, vicious. “I’d like to remind you that your privileges hedge on your good behavior. It’d be very easy to lock you away until you’re feeling more polite.” You get the feeling that wayne isn’t making a threat. He’s making a promise. 

[vechter]

which batkid do you think is the best at annoying bruce?

also which one is he most overprotective of? :D

i'd say they're all uniquely skilled, albeit in different ways:

dick's known him the longest, except maybe alfred, so he's always ready to throw hands when bruce pulls his usual nonsense. he knows bruce's MO and frankly, he's tired of it. this quote from alfred in gotham knights #1 summarizes it best: the only thing more certain than master bruce's tendency towards autocracy is master dick's tendency towards one-man mutiny.

cass is able to see through his bullshit and also, she's just like bruce- she doesn't care what he or babs are saying- she'll do what she thinks is right. and that pisses bruce off bc why is no one just willing to listen to him but also leaves him proud. i also think she can probably sense a spiralling bruce from a mile away and she will call him out on it!

tim is just forever playing the weirdest cat and mouse game with bruce; a fake uncle, running away to paris or blüdhaven, lying to bruce's face, getting up to the weirdest shit with yj and never telling bruce about any of it. but while it annoys bruce, it also deeply endears him to the kid. the robin that stepped up, anon!

damian is my fav, though. takes no prisoners, forever talking shit to bruce's face. he's so funny- all that preteen rage directed at his deeply disturbed father. i wish i could be bothered to find all the panels where damian has said the most savage shit but it's very, very entertaining. canonically talked shit about bruce to martha and thomas wayne's graves. he's a hero <3

jason annoys him but post-resurrection jason brings with him the most fucked up flavour of warped nostalgia-grief-hurt. so all of jason's witticisms or moves that outsmart bruce are offset by the fact that he was once dead and bruce buried his son.

as for his overprotectiveness- it's weird to consider. like he worries for all of them but this man does not learn from his mistakes- he thinks benching his kids will save them but dick grayson, age 12, already proved him wrong. you'd think this insanely intelligent man would come up with a different way but alas.

but i do think that dick gets the biggest portion of batman's zealous overprotectiveness directed his way. like he and dick raised each other, you know? it's sometimes hard for him to look at dick and actively realize that dick is an entirely skilled and capable adult, not the grieving kid who barely reached his waist.

[pixiatn]

Danny & Duke Prompt/idea for y'all while I'm still trying to write my fic

Now I still don't know if I'm gonna include this in my fic, but I wanted to post it incase I didn't but essentially, Halfa/Quarta!Duke

Ok so basically Pariah Dark would be a halfa (until giving up his humanity/human half like Dan) and was sealed into the Infinite Realms by his brother, Gnomon The Eternal Light who was also a halfa, this in turn not only makes Duke part ghost, but also the biological nephew of Pariah Dark.

Duke has a very small amount of ectoplasm flowing throughout his body and also has a core much smaller/underdeveloped than other ghost and even halfas. He inherited abilities from both his father and his uncle resulting in him having a mixed core (light and dark [psh, ok y/n✋🏽🙄])

Insert traumatized Danny attending Gotham Academy after running away for whatever reason👁️👁️, ahem, and staying in the schools dormitories. Danny's first day is going great, he woke up early, made it to class on time, and his classmates were being nice to him, maybe things here wouldn't be so bad. THEN FWOOSH, almost instantly Danny feels a powerful (and somewhat familiar) chill down and his ghost sense goes off and then he starts panicking, cause if he goes ghost then the GIW will know where he is, if he doesn't help then this ghost will seriously fuck up the school.

Bbg spends a bit too long in his head contemplating his options and feels this overwhelming presence get closer, he doesn't hear anybody screaming so thats good. It very quickly becomes not good when the presence comes closer and he realizes why it feels so familiar, it was an aura similar to that of Pariah Dark. Well great that's just fucking great, first day at a new school and he's possibly gonna get beat up by the former ghost king, which by the way, WHO THE FUCK LET HIM OUT-

Danny is thoroughly surprised though when it isn't a ghost capable of mass destruction that comes into the class but actually a rather cute boy his age (oh very pretty ghost guy ok) it isn't until Duke sits at a desk and people start talking to him does he realize (holy fuck this guy is like me)

During his lunch break Danny-boy slips into the Ghost zone to ask his lil ghost council (which consist of Pandora, Dorothea, Frostbite, Wulf, and Clockwork) if it's possible for two different ghost to have similar auras, Pandora states the each ghost aura is unique to that individual, the only way for two ghost to have similar auras is for them to be related

Great, so Danny's classmate is a relative of one of his strongest enemies, and former king of the Infinite Realms? Fucking great

Edit/update: On Dukes side, he finds himself rather drawn towards the pretty new boy in his class and he doesn't know why (it's bc unlike him, Danny has a shit ton of Ectoplasm running through and Dukes still developing core is drawn to that)

Anyway when he starts hanging out with Danny, his core starts absorbing the ectoplasm in the air surrounding him (which comes from Danny constantly exiting/entering the Ghost zone an using portals) which in turn helps Dukes core develop faster, making his powers stronger and granting him new ones

Meme time

[wwrenwrites]

Jason Todd x reader with multiple piercings

A/N: if you’re in doubt this is your sign to get that piercing!

- He LOVES how you style your piercings

- He thinks it shows what kind of person you are besides you're personal taste in clothes

- More than three piercings, seven, ten ??

- LOVE LOVE LOVE

- He thinks it's hella attractive

- He would be especially in awe if one of your piercings are quite unique like tragus piercing or an industrial or a rook piercing

- He would ask so many questions: if it hurts and the type of accessory style you like

- Heck, he would surely gift you really pretty ones you like as gifts

- If you buy stylish fake ones

- OOF sis he would be stubborn af to not want to spoil you in buying actual gold or diamond earrings for you

- “Jay it's fine. Let's go, the price is baffling."

- “We're also getting the two gold ones as well."

- Promise ring? PFFT- he would buy rings make it into a necklace for himself

- While that one ring is customized to be used as earrings for you

- HECK I stan the fact he had ear piercings himself at one point of his life and got them re-pierced if needed. Then both of you have matchy couple earring studs

- He would stop you from removing you're other earrings into a normal pair of two when you insist you want to be more 'presentable' in front of his family every single time

- "Babe I swear. Don't remove them."

- "I want your family to like me, Jason."

- "If they don't like you just for how you like to express yourself and your interest then they will have to fuck up their close-mindedness."

- "Jay-"

- "Also more reasons for me on why I will not drop by the manor."

- “Don't use me as an excuse!"

- If you also have facial piercings he finds it pretty badass and hot

- May it be septum, nose ring or lip piercing or even if you have a fake nose ring (which is cheaper and practical)

- He would hold you down when you feel like you want another piercing

- And you told him so many times, you had enough beforehand

- Like you said you don't plan to get more

- But you had a rough week and you're coping mechanism is getting piercings than dying your hair

- He would support you if you really want it

- But he would also have his own way of telling you to not go through your plan

- "Jay I think I’ll get that tongue piercing.”

- "Okay. But I've been craving for really hot soup for the next few weeks if you're fine with that though."

- If you have body piercings like nipple piercings

- That will always be one of his favorite parts to get you turned on since it’s extra sensitive than the regular

- Always a wonderful sight to see when its see through your crop top or oversized shirt

- Obviously he has the most staring and groping privileges

- Others gotta watch out for him if he catches anyone staring at you maliciously

- Would always tease your nipples even if there are people few meters away while nibbling your ear

- You sitting between his thick legs squirming, then getting pissed off when he stops once he heard someone call for him leaving you extra angry and horny

- Both of you also talking about genital piercings

- He salutes other people who were really eager to get it pierced there

- You telling him you would pay him if he gets his dick pierced for ‘experimentation purposes’

- Which is extra ridiculous to Jason since he knows he satisfies you well even with your toys

- Jason rolling his eyes when you even offered $500 to him

- Clearly remembering how you were whining the first week or two on how sore and painful your fresh nipple piercings were

- Running around Gotham with a fresh dick piercing nor any needle near his cock? Not appealing

- “Cheap.”

- “Fine 1K.”

- “2.5K”

- “Thats a price of a tattoo!”

[serpentinegraphite]

...re: your tags on the WFA Jason crowbar incident -- might one be directed to your referenced essay?

Since it's been a min, here's the DC meta post this ask is referencing.

I thought it was on my blog, but I haven't been able to find the essay in the weeks since this ask came in? It might have been a tag rant more than the proper essay I thought I had posted. Or I might have been thinking of a broader and more general essay on the current trauma in fanfic portrayal, which I have definitely posted on this blog somewhere and in several friends' inboxes.

The gist of the essay is that a) fandom as a whole has a tendency to treat panic attacks/flashbacks as the Only and Right Way to experience trauma, even though that's by far not universal and b) will apply this even to characters who have canon trauma and show specific trauma reactions!

With Jason Todd in WFA having a Crowbar Sound Flashback, it's a perfect microcosm of both! The problem, therefore, isn't necessarily WFA being Uniquely Terrible and Inaccurate; WFA just exclusively plays with a lot of softball, fandom-popular tropes, so it remains popular even and especially with people who aren't super familiar with the canon. And because WFA thrives on softball, popular tropes, of course it's going to pick up on the Best Way To Write Trauma.

The essence of the problem is actually the way trauma symptoms in fanfic are homogenized to the most palatable, most sympathetic reaction guaranteed to woobify even the most hardened crime lords and war criminals: a panic attack. But not ANY panic attack! Specifically the hyperventilating on the floor, curled up in a ball kind of panic attacks! (Characters who lash out in anger when they're scared? Characters who shout mean things? Not anymore! Now they're hyperventilating on the floor and they need tender care and possibly a hug.) The momentary full helplessness is integral to creating a miniature h/c journey for the characters (panic –> helplessness –> rescue –> bonding).

Panic attacks actually have a pretty wide range of symptoms! Sometimes they're focused more on derealization reactions or heart racing (loads of people irl end up in the ER thinking they're having a heart attack, when it's actually a panic attack).

This specific portrayal of trauma as panic attacks is, I think, most egregious with characters who would actually fucking die if they had this exact trauma response. E.g., Jason Todd, who infamously both commits crimes and fights them. If he has a panic attack at every scum bag who waves a crow bar at him, he's probably getting beaten to death with a crowbar again. If even one of his regular criminal contacts or enemies catches wind that he has a crowbar panic attack weakness, he's dead! And this could be played for drama in this kind of fanfic, but it never is. (Because drama isn't the point, quick and dirty h/c is.)

Distilling his trauma about dying into panic attacks dismisses his entire history and canon trauma response (rage and vengeance and trying a completely different tactic from Batman to better the city of Gotham when the Red Hood is being a good guy and not just being a crime lord for profit). Here is a solid discussion on how Jason reacts to his own death (I'm new here and this essay is already long lol, I'm not citing whole comics runs or anything myself), with a great addendum from Ragnarok-hound in the tags on the Doylist reasons for why the canon goes over Jason's death again and again anyway.

The problem further stems from everyone learning panic attack symptoms from a combination of personal experience (which for the AO3 crowd in the shippy tags does not as often include people with uh combat or crime experience) and actual mental health web resources, so any panic attack scene reads like it was written by someone between high school and college age checking off a list of psych textbook panic attack symptoms. So it makes sense why they would go with the thing that is easiest to write for them and stick with the approved symptoms they know will garner the most sympathy from the audience and, importantly, other characters in the scene. E.g., to return to bullying WFA's portrayal, having Bruce arrive to tell Jason everything will be okay and fix everything.

(I think ymmv more on Bruce portrayals, depending on Your Preferred Batman, whether that's the corresponding era of comics with Red Hood, the animated series, or some campy/classic live action Batman portrayal, but one thing that is pretty consistent in every Batman media is that he's not fucking great at feelings, so even with a generous reading, WFA simplifies a lot of fraught history between Jason and Bruce here. Further, I could write an entire second essay on how bystanders in fanfic always have the perfect response, to either use the right therapy speak and handle a panic attack perfectly or hug the person to help them calm down or what have you, but this is long enough as it is. To be brief, though: sometimes, especially in a situation like Jason and Bruce's, it's perfectly normal to see someone panicking and then also panic and fuck things up even worse! It's also common to feel frustrated or tired of seeing someone panic over the same thing! Like I know fanfic and WFA are wish fulfillment, but like. There's a lot of nuance and basic trauma understanding missing here.)

And that brings us to another point, which is that PTSD triggers don't necessarily manifest as anxiety disorders and textbook panic attacks. I mean, this feels obvious, but there are a lot of ways to experience PTSD! and that's the thing about Jason Todd! He has trauma, not an anxiety disorder! While panic attacks as the default and most common trauma reaction are very common in fanfic, it's not like even the top most common trauma trigger reaction? And it's weird that it's everywhere like this. Trigger responses have a wiiiiide range, e.g., nightmares, lashing out (the Netflix Jessica Jones show was especially good at this actually! Billy Hargrove on Stranger Things is a fucking perfect example too), dissociation (The Raven Cycle books do a great job with this, and then the fanfic forgets that it happened entirely), or simply activating one's fight or flight instinct (and we've seen with Jason, it's often a fight instinct!). There are probably also loads of Batman comics exemplifying each of these variations, but a) as stated I'm new here, I don't have comprehensive citations for every character (yet) and b) I really want to illustrate how fanfic specifically keeps sticking to one particular portrayal in a way that most canons don't.

Jason Todd can be easily written as having a Specific Traumatic Incident (dying hideously via crowbar) or having complex PTSD (little daily bullshit! you can do an entire deep dive on complex PTSD resulting from poverty, homelessness, and regular repeated exposure to violence as a child e.g. by being Robin, which is not even getting into the stuff you can gather from popular hc/later retcons about his mom's drug use or how his dad's working for Two Face and getting sent to prison might have affected him; another example it's a common hc that he's straight edge because of what drugs may or may not have done to his mom depending on the canon you're working with, but I don't see a lot of people writing him with the corresponding control issues that often pair with that). There are a lot of options is what I'm saying.

WFA choosing to double down on the sound of a crowbar scraping (when also like he's the one using a crowbar for actual mechanic things in this scene, he's probably used to a variety of metal scraping sounds, okay I'm nitpicking here again) over any of the more complex trauma under his belt is very lazy writing. They're distilling his entire history to one specific sound that causes a very targeted panic response, which I know. Is the format. That's how WFA works, it's not supposed to be deep, but this is again, a pattern I keep seeing again and again in fanfiction (to bully another fandom: Stranger Things fans insisting that Steve Harrington is afraid of his own swimming pool when the canon strongly contradicts that; he's swim team captain for 3 years running after this AND that's actually Nancy's trauma reaction, not Steve's).

Again, the problem isn't necessarily specifically with WFA or people who enjoy it or with h/c. But, yeah, the crowbar scraping sounds panic attack is a huge disservice to Jason's character, and it's like a ubiquitous pattern of writing trauma in recent years.

[vermillioncrown]

an actual AU snippet: a number of different selves

bc @rozaceous and i keep teehee-ing about 'folie a deux' and aaaaall the au's we have for our dc-siocs

money where the mouth is: bonus snippet + concept for followers

(it'll prob just be like my longer mdzs au's with one written part and the rest is just back and forth)

impetus: roz and i saw a shitpost where someone laughed at "bruce wayne x reader divorce" and said "he's already going through it and people are really inserting themselves in the narrative just to divorce him lmao"

which we then joked "damn we'd be set. he could have whatever mistress he wants as long as we could have financial support and leave us alone. we'll play his trophy wife"

and then we both realized that there would be things we couldn't let go if we ever caught wind of it. like it would drive us insane to abide by it. and thus...a version of our si's w bruce (yeah you heard me, both of us)

so here's a thing, bonus only for tumblr🙂

“I put you two in that meeting to clear up any hard feelings,” Lucius stares dead-on at his screen. He tries very hard not to pinch the bridge of his nose—composure needs to be maintained. “It can’t have gone that poorly.”

“Time is a finite resource for us lowly mortals and I’m not getting that hour back,” Vivienne grits out. “A fucking PA—where does he get off on his high horse? I hope he explodes.”

What?

“—know how many people work here, Lucius? Let alone just my division? And you’re wasting everyone’s time with each dead-on-arrival concept that gets shuffled into our portfolio and then ‘mysteriously’ yanked when it’s just good enough to Frankenstein into whatever high school science project that’s hiding in some Gotham sewer tunnel.” Her tirade is caustic and not hidden behind the typical red lipstick smiles. “Morale is dipping. There’s only so much you can pay to keep mouths shut and stop turnover.”

Vivienne makes very good points—the fact she has the acumen even three years ago was why WanyeTech moved to fund her PhD and fast-tracked her as a technical director upon entering the workforce. She caught on very quickly—too quickly—that there were private uses of certain advanced concepts within R&D, and she cared. Fortunately for WayneTech, her diligence meant increase in efficiency for the company; they’ve won several bids that have extended their reach into two new industries.

(Fortunately, WayneTech is privately held and not subject to public shareholder scrutiny.)

Unfortunately for the Batman, it meant additional roadblocks for his tools and supplies. It was by God’s grace, or something, that Vivienne didn’t decide to either blackmail them or whistle-blow. What she argued for was more oversight and appropriate man-hours and billing for certain projects that went towards a ‘private use case.’ The willingness to help (out of logistical fury) took a load off Lucius’s shoulders, but it put two new headaches in his skull: one next to each ear every time Vivienne or Bruce complained about each other peripherally.

“Does His Dark Grace think he’s not subject to g-forces?”

“Lucius. I asked for four different configurations. It should be able to fit.”

“Love his idealism—of course we have the manufacturing tolerances of an ant colony!”

“This is over-redundant and unnecessary. It gets in the way of visibility. I need a design change by two weeks.”

...and so on, so forth. So Lucius decided to cut himself out as the middleman and make the two talk to each other. A direct stakeholder meeting to capture requirements and fulfill proposals, so to speak in company terms. As both Bruce’s long-standing friend and Vivienne’s superior for her tenure at the company, he’s in the unique position to see the similarities in their personalities and (perhaps foolishly) believed they would get along after candid discussion.

And somehow, it all went to hell in a hand basket. That’s probably on Lucius for forgetting that adults were equally susceptible to playground scrapping as his six-year-old son. Thankfully, there’s less physical dirt involved or impromptu weapons, even if Vivienne looks ready to rip her stiletto heels off to use as a real stiletto.

“Vi, what do you need me to give?” Lucius straightens and prepares to negotiate. The greatest vulnerability of adding good talent is having more people in the know. Loose ends. It’d be a blow to lose Vivienne, but as long as she doesn’t talk—

“He’s lucky he’s a net good,” she snarls, now pacing in front of his desk. “He’s fucking lucky city statistics are on his side.”

“Vivienne.”

She stops mid-rant. “What.”

“Are you terminating our agreement?”

Vivienne takes a few calming breaths before rearranging her stance into something more office-appropriate rather than riled up before taking part in an illicit cage match. “No, Chief Fox. I am not,” she answers with a placid smile, tone light and even.

“Then, what would make your life easier?” Lucius does understand that she’s doing them a huge favor at an equally huge cost from herself. There’s a lot of duties that are more effort and well-beyond what someone her pay grade should need to touch; the delicate situation requires her to be equal parts every role for end-to-end conceptual design to manufacturing.

When Lucius scouted Vivienne Yang from her undergrad in Gotham University, it was by chance—there were technical managers scouting and giving PR for various capstone projects, and he decided to tag along. There, as he was browsing various posters, is where he found her. The work done by her team wasn’t novel (just par for the course with undergraduate engineers), but it was the polish that caught his eye. A methodical approach to answering the prompts given by the capstone courses, justified scope, and structured analysis and design choices that made her team’s final concept (proposed electric car design) stand out. Their value proposition considered necessary support infrastructure and manufacturing as part of their considerations.

He called them ‘her team’ because it was clear that, despite being barely 5’6” with pointed choice of footwear and surrounded by young men over a head taller with the typical engineers’ mannerisms to boot, she called the shots. Oh, of course, her teammates contributed to the questions he asked (”Andy,” young-Vivienne barked, and Team Member Andy jumped in to answer about the drivetrain sizing), but she was the systems integrator.

This was the type of skill that took years to build—usually, years of practical experience on the job—and she had it as intuition. And when Lucius corrected certain assumptions on their design, she didn't take it personally but was instead able to promptly speculate how that would shift their design point.

Thus, he put out an immediate sponsorship for her to grab an advanced degree (or two), school of her choice, research topic to be approved by whatever technical manager in WayneTech that acted as her liaison, and would jump into a stable job with a salary and employee benefits other grad students could only dream of.

Landing something as prestigious as Director of Advanced Concepts, slated for Chief Technology Officer by her 30s, in a Fortune 500 company? Barring the fact that the work was based in Gotham, crime capital of the United States, it would be something like pure fantasy to any aspiring engineer.

She took the sponsorship offer, and Lucius learns over the years that she financially supports her family living out-of-state and genuinely enjoys the various industries that intersect within WayneTech’s R&D. She likes a job well done, is practical and professional (if not overly enthused) when defense-related bids come across their table, and disdains many of the big research or tech conglomerates that make the news for various crimes or “waste of brain cells and human effort.”

Her morals aren’t obvious, but Vivienne’s choice to support Lucius’s efforts to protect Bruce in his uphill crusade is her character vouching for the Batman, even if she dislikes the actual man behind the mask and his design requirements. That she considers it still of worth is something that Lucius needs to compensate her for.

Lord knows had Bruce actually gone through with that projectile design, he’d have already lost an eye. If Vivienne says his proposed ‘Batplane’ design will vibrate into smithereens, he’s inclined to trust her on that.

“I’m going to start calling him an idiot and vetoing stupid requirements,” Vivienne declares, one eyebrow raised like she’s daring him to object.

“You mean you haven’t been doing that already?”

“Lucius, I have been nothing but polite to him. You have the CCs,” she refutes, looking at him incredulously.

He’s not sure by whose standards her scathing emails can be considered ‘polite’, but of course she can be worse. He needs to smooth this out, redo the first meeting ASAP. His hairline can’t take more of this.

“Fine, alright. Just—let’s try to set up another discussion. I’ll attend this time.”

Vivienne actually snorts. “Guess I’m never beating the PA allegations.” She looks down at her watch. “Fuck. Should have just written you an angry email. How am I going to make it five blocks in ten minutes?” She mutters and just as suddenly as she invaded his office, she strides out with a distracted, “Okay thanks, I’ll continue this later.”

He’d rather she not, but it seems she’s sticking around the Wayne Enterprises HQ building to call into her upcoming meeting; he hears her requesting a fresh notepad, a hot cup of coffee, and a private conference room and everyone outside honors those requests immediately.

That’ll give Lucius about two hours to process Vivienne’s rant, track down Bruce for his side of the story, and figure out how to smooth things out. It shouldn’t be unreasonable.

His phone call to Bruce shatters his expectations.

“You called Director Yang my what?”

[jugsjules]

Oh no help i’m thinkin about Bruce’s unique relationship with Dick, and I’m givin myself emotions over it

Like all of Bruce’s kids have unique traumas, right? Cass was raised a child soldier by an uncaring father, Jason was an abandoned street kid in the heart of Gotham, Tim was ignored and neglected even before his parents died.

But Dick had a happy healthy family cut short by unexpected tragedy right in front of him. Exactly like Bruce. That was the whole reason he was the first kid Bruce brought home. Batman had seen kids in bad situations before but Dick was the first kid in an almost identical situation to Bruce himself as a child. He thought “I know firsthand exactly what this kid needs and what he absolutely does not need.” Every other ward Bruce has taken in he’s been equipped for by his past experience with Dick, and by knowledge gained from his work as both Batman and philanthropist Bruce Wayne. But Dick is personal. In some ways Dick being okay is a means for Bruce to be okay.

Hence the reason why Bruce and Dick tend to have the most and worst fights. Like yeah Jason is the family rebel but his bone to pick is more with Batman than Bruce, and boiled down is pretty simple: he died on Batman’s watch and he’s pissed about it. Bruce knows this and honestly agrees hence Red Hood doesn’t get the broken bones and prison treatment.

But Dick? Dick is the one who fights with Bruce and Bruce fights back. Because nothing freaks out a parent more than seeing all the ways their kid is primed to make the same mistakes as them, the things that kid learned because their parent went “well they’re just like me, so I’ll raise them like I was” and realizing the downsides to that until it’s too late. But those kinds of insecurities are often subconscious even in people who aren’t as emotionally stunted about their own traumas as Bruce Wayne so instead it’s like every so often out of nowhere Bruce will pick Dick up and try to huck him as far away as possible and of fucking course that confuses and pisses Dick off. And Dick, who was not raised with Batman hero worship, who knew the man under the cowl before the myth and the legend, who was raised equally by both, and is a goddamned adult man, has absolutely no qualms going “Oh absolutely the FUCK not” and either stomping back to get in his father’s face or stomping off to the west coast, depending.

And with Dick having the same deep fear about Not Turning Out Like Batman as all of the kids, even if Bruce says “I just panic sometimes because you’re so much like me, and I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did” chances are Dick won’t realize the me his dad is talking about is in fact Bruce Wayne, the always witty and fun social butterfly, with the reputation of being a wild child, who never settles down with any of the million people he flirts with, who buries all his pain behind a much more human mask.

And Bruce has to wonder, how much if it is nature and how much is because one fateful day Batman saw a child and thought “he’s exactly like me?”

[pastamansta]

🔥 Tim Burton (him as a person or his aesthetic, your choice!)

"Beetlejuice" (1988) reminds me a lot of another film I watched recently; "Tombstone" (1993). Sold by an aesthetic and a FANTASTIC performance from a side character, audiences were conned into loving a mediocre film. I'm not Lindsey Ellis, so don't expect me to talk about the cartoon.

"Batman" (1989) and its sequel is proof that Burton will not be giving up his aesthetic for God or money. Gotham is heavily disconnected from both the film and its source material, with little reason other than its director. There's a reason no one calls these "Keaton's Batmans," they call them "Burton's Batmans." Jack Nicholson is great as The Joker, but that's no hot take. The hot take is that Devito is too horny as The Penguin, and it makes me uncomfortable for a film that's already so sexual.

"Edward Scissorhands" (1990) is a bitter, bitter film where artist finally meets muse. Not, like, in the plot, but in the production. Depp and Burton were made for eachother... or at least that's what I'm supposed to think. This movie's just too messy, however, and can't decide where its focal point lies and leaves me wishing I had just watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000) instead.

"Sleepy Hollow" (1999) leaves me, a fan of the original text, I know that's probably a weird thing to say, miffed, even if understanding. Outside of some pacing issues, it's a bold reimagining that feels like Burton attempting to get out of his comfort zone... but I just didn't need this story to be turned into an homage to B-horror. Go watch that Disney short, eh?

"Big Fish" (2003) is his best film. I am hardly qualified to speak on it, and even if I did, I would cry. So, you know, just go watch that shit.

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (2005) is destined to be compared to "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" (1971), and why wouldn't it? In thirty-four years since the making of the original, not a single person worth listening to said "i need this done right," including Burton himself, which is why he tries to add so much, but no amount of additions changes the fact that he casted his muse instead of someone who could, you know, act like Wonka? So, you know, destined for failure and to be loved by everyone who won't watch movies made before 1987.

"Corpse Bride" (2005) is one of only two claymation films that Burton would actually direct, and he uses this time to steal a Jewish story and make it less Jewish. I don't like the ending or the songs and it feels like it could be cut in half and achieve the same effect.

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (2007) literally doesn't have the iconic opening number from the stage play??? Overall, there's rarely a pairing of source material and director that works as well as this one... If only I enjoyed the source material, eh? So dark, so bitter, so edgy, so... nothing. I never think about this movie. When I do, I think of Mrs. Lovett's dream sequence and remember the good old days of "Big Fish" (2003) when Burton liked to use color.

"Alice in Wonderland" (2010) is one of my guiltiest pleasures in all of film. It is the reason why every time Disney announces a live-action remake, my ears perk up. If all of them were as wild, unhinged, original, creative, and inspired as this one... Well, I think Disney might not be fucking bleeding money right now. No one ever even mentions that it's a sequel to the original animated film. A SEQUEL, not a remake. Sometime movie-goers surprise me with how little they think.

"Frankenweenie" (2012) blows. I don't care how unique it is, I do not like it.

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" (2016) is one of the funniest remnants of the teen dystopia genre. Like, it hardly applies, but is trying SO HARD that it's unbelievable. Also, props to Mr. "Black People Aren't My Aesthetic" for casting Samuel L. Jackson as a dude who eats white babies. (I do not mean that.) Seriously, this is proof that Burton, as a modern director, should no longer be taken seriously.

"Dumbo" (2019) is AAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAHAHAAAAHAHAHAHA I FUCKING HATE THIS DUDE HOLY SHIT

If I didn't mention, I haven't seen it. Yes, I know I skipped some big ones. I may watch them one day, but I am in no rush.

[sp00ky-scary]

Cranes turn, he's so baby girl coded <3

Design rant time !!

Jonathan Cranes backstory is the one where he lived with his great grandma and she terrorised the shit out of him, especially with birds. And he got bullied and all that too, and it all just kinda fucked him up. Eventually he ended up killing both his bullies and his grandmother, the events leading him to pursue psychology and study fear. Also he's from the south, I still dunno if that's ever been canon but I know it's a popular headcanon if it isn't. So yeah he's southern, although he tries to hide his accent (don't ask what state I don't know enough about American States to pick one).

So blah blah blah he moved to Gotham after university and he eventually became a Professor of Psychology, he then used his position to run experiments on "consenting" university students (he tried to argue they agreed to it, he failed to argue his point but he still made an attempt). Over time he developed his fear toxin (he didn't actually use fear toxin for a good few years) and developed the Scarecrow persona. During this time he also got fired from the University but managed to become a psychologist at Arkham Asylum which gave him ample opportunity to run his experiments. Eventually he expanded his experiments, using fear gas on a crowd at a currently undecided event to test it at a larger scale and a diverse range of people instead of just uni students and the mentally ill. However he got caught by Batman and became a patient at Arkham which obviously also got him fired. Nevertheless he continued his experiments although over the years a variety of factors have resulted in the Scarecrow persona almost becoming a second personality (he doesn't have DID just to clarify, this bit is more of a made up disorder on my part that's unique to him because his fear gas/toxin had a big part in its development, he's not immune to his fear stuff and whilst he tries to limit his exposure it's just not possible to avoid it). The best way to describe it is basically as Scarecrow his personality becomes harsher and under extreme circumstances and/or over exposure to his fear gas/toxin, he'll often disassociate and act more violent, mostly just attempting to do what he thinks is best in order to protect himself, it's similar in a way to a fight or flight response type thing I guess. It's basically just his brain attempting to protect him, it's really hard to explain what I'm thinking.

As Jonathan Crane he's reclusive with very few personal connections to other people. he can be cold and lacks empathy (not totally he still experiences a little), and often doesn't display much emotion, despite this he's still somewhat considerate of others. He's skilled in psychology and chemistry, and lacks fighting skills. He's persuasive and his knowledge of psychology makes it quite easy for him to get in other's heads. As Scarecrow very little is different, although he appears to completely lack empathy, has more violent impulses, and is generally more sadistic. Depending on the circumstances he'll either be more controlled and calm (when he chooses to slip into the persona), or he'll be impulsive and reckless, his actions reminiscent of someone doing what they can to survive (when he's forced into the persona, or further into them intended). Anyway at Arkham he gets the straight jacket treatment, also the mask whatever, he's never actually bitten someone they're just scared of him, he doesn't always wear the mask. When he's brought into Arkham he will often be more violent before calming down after a few days, usually they put him in solitary confinement for the first few days.

He began his crimes in his 30s and continues them into his 50s so he's like middle aged. He's aroace, also he's autistic, why? Because I say so, his special interest is fear lmao. Anyway he's close friends with Jervis Tetch and friends with Poison Ivy, friendly with Riddler (they have their issues), other than that he's mostly neutral with the other rogues. Also a note his body is covered in scars from the whole Grandmother terrorizing him with birds thing, the worst of the scars are on his arms and his back. Also he knits as a hobby, I just think that suits him. One more thing, he's 6'6" I just thought y'all should know that, he's stupidly tall. And that is all I have to say about him.

[androxys]

Favorite Batman Story Tournament - Round 1

Welcome, folks, to the very first round of voting for our fan-favorite Batman story! The submissions are in, the bracket is made, and now... we vote!

Fan-submitted propaganda below, but feel free to add your own!

No Man's Land

Batman story of all time. It's the iconic epic. The US government really said 'fuck them kids' and then Gotham proceeded to spend a year in an apocalypse story line. Does it make any sense? No. Does it compel me? Hell yeah. Bruce abandons Gotham. Oracle stays in her tower. Helena becomes the Bat. Gordon has a loud messy breakup with Batman that gets in the way of what he could be doing. Bruce tries to reveal his identity to him when they finally make up. Cass makes her debut. We've got so many great stories about gothamites living their lives as everything goes to hell around them. In the Secret Files issue, there's a story about a guy who Gotham City speaks to after he's bitten by a bat and maybe has Rabies. She tells him to deliver a message to Gotham's gaurdian spirit, and in the end it's the Huntress that he finds. It makes me go a little insane.

Unique and pushed Batman to his limits. He had to get over himself and a lot of story already happened before Batman came back to Gotham. Really shows a story where Batman didn’t win, couldn’t win, but still did in the end. I mean how could he can beat an earthquake? Not by punching it in the face a few times, that’s for sure. Plus the whole country abandoning Gotham. Great huntress moments too. Cass coming into the fold. The ever updating map of which faction controlled Gotham. Lex Luther trying to be the hero in the lead up to his presidency. Heck, it’s such a good story they write a novelization about it! Very underrated though. I’m always surprised at how little fic there is. Such a unique time for Batman.

Contagion

not why I think it’s the best but it was just really awkward whenever someone asked me that question peak Covid times and I needed someone to know

[epiemy]

Dick Grayson dating a Brazilian!Fem Reader - Part 1.

Warnings: just cursing

Have fun!

You in all your glory, Y/N da Costa is the niece of Beatriz, popularly known in the heroic world as Fire, the flaming heroine;

in a unique opportunity to get to know another country and escape the flawed government of hers, she decides to live near the headquarters of the company that her aunt helps to lead, Wayne Enterprises in Gotham City;

obviously the move wasn't so easy as his English was a little scratchy and he didn't know anyone, but Beatriz's boss was nice enough to give him a place in his company so that you can work and pay for the new apartment;

the first day in Gotham you already wanted to cry, but the Costa family is not made of losers, so fuck if a car wet you from head to toe, everything will get better, right?

wrong, damn time to spill the beans about how things could get better;

you see, normally you are an optimist but even someone like that gives up after being locked out of your apartment because a floor below yours had caught fire, when another company intern spilled hot coffee on you and now you have to endure a terrible rain ;

in your genius head, it would be a great idea to call your aunt's boss, after all, why not call a billionaire you barely know?

lucky for her Alfred, who found out to be Bruce Wayne's beloved butler, had answered the phone and sent a car to pick her up, after all she would be sick for sure after two hours under the storm that was happening in the city;

upon arriving at the mansion you are welcomed by a man a little older than you, but with a stunning appearance and electric blue eyes, those damn eyes;

oh shit...

"And you!!!" / "You fool!" is said respectively by adonis and by you, when acknowledging that he was responsible for you being soaked before the rain even started;

you changed looks for just over a minute until a clearing is heard inside the mansion, making the beautiful image of Bruce Wayne appear in all its glory in front of you;

"Mr Wayne, it's a pleasure to meet you even if it's not the best of circumstances" you smile at the businessman and he returns it shaking your hand and inviting you in;

"I didn't fail to notice that you've already met my eldest son, Richard-"

"Dick" the boy cuts off Bruce's speech and you mutter a "it suits you" while the older man covers his smile;

"Make yourself at ease Miss Y/N, I have matters to attend to but Dick could show you the mansion while Alfred prepares something to keep you warm" he nods and leaves the room without hearing a response from both;

"Suits me, huh?" Dick smiles and you just roll your eyes - "okay right... I owe you an apology for earlier, I was really in a hurry and didn't notice you on the street until it was late" he admits sheepishly, and it's gratifying seeing a man that size feel so small around you.

tired of so much talk you just ask him to show you his room, he agrees and you go to the next floor of Wayne Manor;

"I think you better buy me a brigadeiro after that" you point and close the door in the confused brunette's face, just shrugging and changing into comfortable clothes that were left on your temporary bed, allowing sleep to lull you lightly.

[zeroducks-2]

Zero, I need to rant about DC's mistreatment of my son.

Why can't Tim craft his own identity outside of Robin and Batman? Every other member in the Batfamily (not Damian just yet but idk if DC wants to do that considering all their writers are pushing for him to be either Ra's Heir or Batman's heir) who has been Robin is has distanced their new heroic identity away from their time as Robin.

For whatever reasons, the writers seem to be allergic to Tim growing as a character and stepping away from his identity of Robin. They couldn't even give him an original NAME. WTF IS RED ROBIN?? I'm so pressed about it because a alias is so important and unique to the hero and mostly tied to the core of their character, origin, or development.

Bruce chose Batman because he feared bats, and he wanted to be the fear that scared straight the criminals of Gotham.

Dick chose Robin because it was a way to carry on his parent's memory and legacy, and Nightwing was chosen due to Superman (Someone who Dick looks up to) telling Dick about the Kryptonian myth of Nightwing and Flamebird.

Clark got his superman alias from his father, one of the only parting gifts he has from him.

So Timmy, my dude, wtf is Red Robin about? I feel like it's such a cop out to him as a character. Like, we get why Robin was so important to him due to him being a freaky little lonely fanboy. But during his Robin run, he grew so so so much. Why would the DC Writers not let his growth show? Why also reduce and retie his identity to Robin?

Tim is known to be a great detective, it's one of his shining marks as a Batman protegee. Ra's al Ghul even states that Tim is a better detective than The Batman himself. Hell, when Tim was 14 he discovered that Dick was Nightwing and Robin, because his freaky loner obsession and past trauma of witnessing the flying Grayson's murder made him connect the dots when Dick was flipping and doing acrobatic feats that no one but an extremely skilled and gifted acrobat could do (Tricks that have only been successfully done by a fucking FLYING GRAYSON - note how silly and girlie pop Dick was for that one).

Like, fr DC, why not tie Tim's new identity with his amazing detective skills?

Honestly, I think DC could have taken some inspiration from an Edgar Allan Poe character and given Tim a detective-associated. Because, Poe's character C. Auguste Dupin, is literally the first ever detective we see in fiction and the backbone of how so many other detective character's created.

Like a name that inspired from the first ever detective himself would be so damn cool. And it would tie into Tim's origin as I'm pretty sure Tim is the first person who actually discovered Dick and Bruce's identities with just his raw and untrained detective skills. So a name like New August would be so damn cool.

Or hell, if DC didn't want to be even that level of creativity into his name and stick with the bird theme (because we all remember the Drake incident so well). Nightingale would be a cool (given not so original) name unless they wanted to spell it like Knightingale. They're one of the few birds who hunt at night, and it could also be a call back to the nurse Florence Nightingale who was a badass and known for the Nightingale theory of nursing:

"A nurse must use her brain, heart and hands to create healing environments"

AS IF that could translate into the hero world. Mister-Dropped-Out-Of-Med-School-Bruce-Wayne is foaming at the mouth.

To conclude, fuck DC and fuck them for doing my TimTam dirty. Let him be his own man :/

I don't agree with all of this but Tim does deserve better that's true. He's sort of stuck in limbo and his growth should have happened a long time ago tbh.

He could have been Flamebird like Dick is Nightwing to name one. Dick has always been his inspiration. Maybe Red Robin for a time (since back then he and Dick had grown apart), and then Flamebird after they reconciled.

It's sad because some of the main things with Tim are that love for him is conditional because of his shitty parents, and that he has a hard time crafting his own identity, and DC doesn't let him grow out of any of this and keeps using him as a chew toy. It's sad.

(and no being queer isn't character development)

[murcielagatito]

seeing astronomically wild dpxdc takes so i thought id share this as someone whos in both fandoms but HATES the crossovers n ill tell u why

danny is a good kid. but hes not gotham material. and yeah sure the HORRORS but the reality is his trauma just doest affect him mentally in the same way it does any of the robins. he hasnt lost himself he hasnt lost his support system hes got people that love him and care for him and he really just isnt some edgy dc teen sorry. he doesnt wanna be a hero and its an important plot point!!! he wants to have a semi normal high school experience and be noticed by the girl he likes. he literally has an ENTIRE episode abt not having time to be a teen and how much it sucks for him

danny is special BECAUSE of how unique his environment is and how unique HE is to his environment. by putting him in a world like dc everything special about him is diluted n he becomes another annoying boring tired unspecial nuisance that would just get mixed up with a million other white characters just like him:

dannys personality and attitude would cause for most if not all the batboys to wanna punch his gut and not get along with him. nobody wants another snarky angry stuck up boy (unfortunately bc the writers r racist assholes) damian is there already. hed never be good as a rich kid tim has that covered and danny has the moral backbone of cooked spaghetti the second money is involved. but what about coming back from the dead? jason is RIGHT there

“but hes got black hair and blue eyes” the dc fandom is SO fucking tired of more white boys with black hair and blue eyes. duke cass n all the other characters of color get pushed aside BY OUR OWN FANDOM as it is!

its just so annoying bc what yall actually want you could easily get from JUST reading any comics centering ANY of the three white boy robins that already exist stop tryna add wonderbread to the mix and call it a gourmet meal

and if this falls on deaf ears PLEASE at least stick to strictly crossover tags. dc AND dp fans are tired of looking thru tags to mostly find crossover stuff EVEN after blocking all the crossover tags and if you want your dp art to reach more of the dp fandom tagging it as dcxdp will most likely make sure most of the dp fandom WONT see it. also the show danny phantom itself is literally a parody and play on the superhero genre