#will-centric

[edelweiss-coffee]

the valentines oneshot i’m working on takes place in this universe. this work is my baby, check it out :-)

[stuck-in-hawkins]

Whoops. I thought I posted this forever ago…. It was in my drafts. We’ll, better late than never. Note: this was written before season four came out. Before I knew there was an ACTUAL haunted house in Hawkins soooooo small deviation from the canon. I hope you enjoy.

Summer 1983

The party stood in front of the old withering Victorian structure. Up close they could see there were still flecks of yellow paint from the last time the house had been occupied. But from far away (otherwise known as a safe distance) it had only ever looked gray.

Mike held the scrap of paper with the notes from their research. He was biting back his fear with determination. Lucas held onto his wrist rocket, less for the ghosts and more for whatever punks or junkies he thought might be hanging around inside. Dustin held onto the Fisher Price tape recorder they’d stolen from Erica’s room, hoping it would be enough to catch some concrete EVP.

Will stood rigid, holding the flashlight. Everything in him was screaming to turn around. Will had always been told by his mother not to “open that door”, that spirits and the supernatural shouldn’t be played with. Yet, here he was standing at the threshold of prime ghost territory. But he didn’t want to be a chicken. He didn’t want to let down Mike or the guys.

All summer they had been trying to dig up a real mystery. But nothing ever seemed to happen in Hawkins. They’d finally found a genuine haunted place. They had heard stories of people seeing someone stare outside the second story window. After weeks of asking around, separating fact from fiction, it lead them to a story with a year and a name attached. In scouring the library, Mike had found the original article detailing the tragedy. The house had once belonged to a woman named Eudora, who’s younger sister had died there when they were little of typhoid fever.

Now, they stood in the shadow of the house. They all had their gear but no one seemed willing to take the first step, meaning it was up to Mike. He went into leader mode and the others followed. Lucas sidled up next to Mike and held up his wrist rocket, ready for anything, or at least he faked it well enough and it made Mike feel a little braver.

Mike tried the handle. He turned back to the guys. “It’s locked…”

Dustin egged on, “We should try the window.”

Lucas countered, “That would definitely be breaking and entering.”

Dustin replied, “Not if the window’s open.”

Mike turned, “Are you serious?”

Lucas chimed in, “It’s still totally breaking and entering! If your window was open and someone came through-”

“That would be trespassing, not breaking and entering.”

While the three argued the definition of trespassing, Will felt something strange, like a memory. He envisioned a back door and, for some reason he could picture it being opened for a cat. He blinked, struck by the oddity of the spontaneous image.

It prompted him to ask, “Should we look for a back door?” Though he was still terrified, he felt a connection to the place. He had read over the article again and again about the girl. He felt so bad for the sister, she had been his age. He had wanted to know as much as the rest of the party.

The boys quietly snuck into the back yard, which was overgrown with weeds nearly as tall as they were. Will stopped in his tracks. It was the exact door he had imagined. He saw a cat lingering in the windowsill. The same one he’d seen. He hadn’t imagined it. It had been a vision. He felt a chill run down his spine.

“We shouldn’t be here,” Will said.

They all turned. Lucas asked, “What? Why?”

Will didn’t know how to describe what had just happened without seeming crazy. “There’s a cat inside. Someone lives here.” He pointed at the cat on the windowsill. But at that moment the cat was stretching and decided to hop down out of view.

They all looked at the empty window.

“It was just there!” Will defended, thinking, ‘Damnit, cat. Why?’

Mike looked back sympathetically. “You don’t have to go in, Will. We’ll be okay.”

Suddenly, the Byers Stubbornness struck. He didn’t want to be babied. He didn’t want to be left outside alone. And, if he was having visions of the house, that meant it really was haunted. He couldn’t let them go in without him.

He steeled himself. “I’m fine. If you guys go, I’m going.”

Mike turned the knob and, this time, it opened.

Will stated, “If the walls start to bleed, though, I’m out.”

Lucas said, “I think everybody can mutually agree on that.”

Dustin, “What if it’s dry blood?”

Mike answered, “Let’s just say if we see any blood, we don’t stick around.”

They all made their way inside the mud room. There were cracked black and white tiles coated with years of dirt and leaves that had blown in. The corners of the room were carpeted with thick clumps of dust and cobwebs. They were all silent, holding their breath, straining to listen for any sign of life.

They walked into the kitchen. The cabinets had been tagged with spray paint, initials, and curses were carved into the wood. They saw the counter lined with cigarette butts and bottles of booze of all different sizes. A wind whistled through the house and the boys suddenly realized just how quiet it was. They hoped that it meant they were the only ones there.

There was a small staircase in the kitchen. Lucas looked at Will and could tell he was scared. He whispered to Will in the hopes of distracting him, “Those smaller staircases used to be for servants to go up and down without being seen. There’s probably a larger staircase on the other side. It’s almost like a secret passageway.”

Will nodded, glad to hear a voice beside the whistle of the wind.

When they walked into the next room, they saw an assortment of things someone had left behind. A pair of shoes, blankets piled on the floor, and a crate next to it. They all stood perfectly still. Someone must have been sleeping there.

Dustin whispered, “We’ve got to leave before the hobo gets back.”

Lucas hissed, “I think he’s still here. Look at the shoes!”

But Mike got closer and noticed a layer of dust on the blankets. They hadn’t been moved in probably months. “I don’t think whoever was staying here has been back in a long time. Look at the dust.”

Lucas suddenly relaxed. “If anybody else was living here all that stuff would have been used.”

They all seemed less anxious now, except for Will. He was trying to keep himself warm but a cold shiver was running through him. Though it was a cooler day for summer, this felt different, like a damp, chill-your-bones-cold. Will wished he’d brought a jacket. He tried warming up his arms but the brief friction made no change.

“You okay, Will?” Mike asked.

“Yeah. Fine. Just a little chilly in here.”

Dustin lit up, “Cold spots!” He held out the mini microphone, swinging his arm in an arc and pressed the record button.

Lucas rolled his eyes. “You aren’t serious.”

Dustin retorted, “Does anyone else in this room feel cold? No. It’s like 70 degrees. That’s not cold. If Will is feeling a sudden drop in temperature, that’s the first indicator of paranormal activity.”

Will’s eyes widened. “Why am I the only one feeling it?”

Mike stepped closer to Will. “What does it feel like?”

Lucas jumped in, asking Will, “Did you eat before you got here?”

Will shrugged, stuttering. “I-I has a Pop Tart this morning…”

Lucas stated, “It’s been a while then. It’s his blood sugar not paranormal activity.”

Dustin argued, “If you are going to be a nay-sayer about everything, then why did you come?”

“I’m not being a nay-sayer. I’m being realistic. I’m here to keep you grounded.”

Mike asked Will again. “What does it feel like?”

“Just… like it’s cold. Not winter cold, but like damp March cold.”

Mike untied the old long sleeve shirt around his waist and handed it to Will. “Here.”

Will felt immense gratitude. Mike thought of everything and was always just a little more prepared than he needed to be. Will put on the shirt, feeling a little warmer and a little braver, too.

Dustin and Lucas were still arguing and Mike told them to cool it. They made their way up the main staircase in a line. Mike walked in front and Will followed close behind. He wanted to seem brave but as they walked up the large stairs, the fear returned in full force. The thick, heavy oak banister had twisted and curled, making it seem ominous. Parts of it had warped from water exposure. The plaster ceiling above was cracked and discolored. The stairs creaked and moved under their weight. Will thought for a moment that his foot was about to go through the wood and he gripped Mike’s arm. Mike looked back, concerned. Will suddenly felt like a baby.

“Sorry.” He dropped his hand. “Let’s just hurry, okay?”

Mike nodded, feeling sorry that Will was so scared. He quickened his pace. When they got to the top, there was a landing. It was like a balcony that overlooked the main room which then narrowed into a long hallway. Will looked down it and saw what looked like smoke coming out of one of the doors. He took a step closer and squinted, trying to make sense of what he was seeing and then he realized...

The smoke had a face.

Will shrieked and fell backwards onto the soaking carpet. He put his back to the wall, away from the hallway.

The boys crowded around. “What’s wrong, Will?” “What happened?” “What did you see?”

Will shook his head. They had to get out of there. They didn’t see it, but he did. They had to leave.

“Something came out of the room. It-it looked like smoke b-b-but… it had… it was...”

Lucas peeked down the hallway. “There’s no smoke.”

Dustin looked excitedly. “Maybe it was a wisp. An actual apparition!”

Mike was conflicted. He was supposed to be the leader, but he didn’t know what to do. Should he lead them on for the sake of the mission or have them turn back for the sake of Will? He realized it wasn’t really his decision to make.

“Lucas, Dustin. Come here for a second.” He brought them over to the other side of the landing. It wasn’t exactly private, but it was the best he could do without going down the potentially haunted hallway. He leaned in and the boys did, too. He whispered, “Will is really being affected by this house.”

Lucas said, sympathetically. “I think he’s just gotten himself worked up.”

Dustin, “I don’t think so. Obviously, he’s more sensitive to this stuff. He’s our canary in the coal mine! Like an EMF reader!”

Mike’s eyes narrowed, “Maybe. But what happens to the canaries when they go too deep? They die. Should we stay here or call it quits and come back later?”

While the boys were debating in whispers, Will was praying. It had been a long time for him. He had only been to church a few times when his grandmother had taken him. He didn’t remember the recited prayers so he was just asking, God, Grandpa, anybody to keep him and his friends safe. When he opened his eyes he thought his vision was blurry. He rubbed his eyes, and realized the same face that had been staring down the hallway was staring at him, only inches away from his face.

Fear had gripped his throat. He wanted to scream but could only shake. He felt a cold mist on his hand. It was holding him, and pulling him upward. He obeyed and stood, fearing what it would do if he resisted. It began to pull him toward the hallway. He turned to his friends, silently pleading for them to look, to know what was happening and intervene.

Mike looked up and saw Will looking more scared than he’d seen him in his entire life. “Will?”

The guys saw Will’s hand raised like it was being pulled.

Mike asked, “Will, what’s going on?”

“It’s pulling me.” His voice was barely audible.

“Holy shit!” Dustin exclaimed. He held the tape recorder closer to Will’s hand.

Lucas asked, “Is this some kind of sick joke?”

Will was shaking his head. Mike looked down at the hallway. This was the coal mine. It could kill them all. He wrapped his arms around Will. “We’re not letting it take you anywhere, Will. We’re getting out of here.”

Dustin asked, “But what if it’s the girl? She might be trying to tell us something.”

Lucas put his arms around Will, too. “If you’re faking this, Will, I swear-”

Dustin followed suit and put an arm around Will, still keeping one arm extended with the recorder.

Will felt so much stronger with his friends holding onto him. He didn’t have to let it take him anywhere.

But suddenly the mist travelled up his arm and he felt consumed by it. It was closer than his friends were. He could feel desperation. And he had an awareness, whatever this thing was, it would take him whether he was moving his feet or she was.

She. He knew it was a girl. Will didn’t know how but he did.

He told the guys, “Let me go. I’ll be okay. Dustin’s right. I need to see what she’s trying to show me.”

Mike looked to the others. They all looked scared for Will. They let go but all followed and kept a hold on his shirt, just in case.

As they passed the rooms, the smell of mildew grew stronger, as did the humidity. The carpet was soaked and there were dark gray stains everywhere. The boys shared a mutual feeling of dread. Where were they being lead? What would they find? A dead body? A portal to hell? All the horror movies they had ever watched ran through their heads. Lucas suddenly recognized another smell that made him sick to his stomach. His grip on Will tightened.

Will didn’t know why but he didn’t feel quite so scared now. He could almost make her out. Long hair, now made of mist and fuzz, like the kind on a dandelion. She guided him to a room with a set of stairs: the servant’s staircase. He followed her down and back into the kitchen. The cat sat at the window again. He could feel the wisp leave his arm. The cat stood up and trilled. Then, it hopped down and walked outside. He knew to follow it.

They got outside into the grass and the cat stopped and looked back at them. Will looked around, puzzled. He asked, “What are you trying to show me?”

The cat looked disinterested, or perhaps judgemental.

Dustin asked, “She’s not pulling you anymore?”

Will shook his head. “I don’t get it.”

Mike suggested, “Maybe there’s something buried where the cat is.”

Lucas held up his arms, letting go of his grip on Will. “Can we not go grave digging?” He was freaked out. Beyond freaked out. “Especially considering we only narrowly escaped the dead body in there?”

They all turned, “WHAT?”

“Did you not notice that putrid smell in there? Something was dead and rotting!”

“Ohmygodohmygodohmygod.” Dustin held his head and started pacing.

Will looked at the cat. “She didn’t want us to see it.”

The cat meowed. They heard a low, moaning creak from inside the house. Then a sharp crack and part of the roof fell in. They all screamed and ran back to their bikes. They had never pedaled so fast in their lives.

When they got back to Mike’s, Dustin drilled Will for details. While Lucas told him to knock it off and Mike got Will some hot chocolate. It was too hot for it really. But it was the only thing he could think of to comfort Will. How did you comfort someone who just communicated with the dead?

As terrifying as it has all been, they decided as a group that they needed to tell the police. So Lucas, having the best adult accent out of all of them, called in an anonymous tip about someone squatting in that house and they waited.

Later that week, when they saw police lights and caution tape around the area, they parked their bikes there and tried to get any information they could from the neighbors, police, anyone willing to talk. They didn’t really get a straight answer until two days later, when it was printed in the paper.

The article told of a squatter who had been living in a house infested with black mold for months. It painted the story as a cautionary tale and talked about local services in the area that could prevent such damage to a home, to ensure the safety of the readers’ family. It called on the police to have a crack down on squatters and vagabonds and to remove dangerous abandoned homes like that.

But the boys dropped the newspaper in dissatisfaction. The writer had no idea or connection or care for the place.

Dustin sighed, “They didn’t even put in anything about the ghost.”

Mike raised his eyebrows, “I think the cops were a little preoccupied, with removing a dead body and all.”

Dustin sulked, “But what’s gonna happen to her? What happens after the house a ghost haunts is demolished? She’s gonna be stuck in that pile of rubble.”

Will looked over at Dustin. He had thought that the whole hunting ghosts thing was a way to be like the Ghostbusters, but he had empathy for this ghost too.

Will decided to visit the house again. Alone this time. As he got to the police tape, he ducked under and went to the backyard, where the cat sat by the back door.

“I just want to tell you, thank you for getting me and my friends out of there. Is… Is there something I can do? To help you I mean.” The cat bent down and picked something off of the ground and pranced over to him. Her fur was white once, but the dirt had made it a dusty blonde color. She rubbed against his leg and dropped something at his feet. He went to pet her but she scamped off into the ivy at the edge of the property. He looked down at the trinket, it was a small silver charm bracelet. There was a heart that read, “Emmy & Eudora.”

He whispered to the cat, “I’ll take it to her. I promise.” And he did.

Will’s mother was right about doors. He had a scent on him now, that things beyond would not be able to ignore. It would make him a target. But there is also something to be said for helping a lost soul and of promises fulfilled.

When the nightmare came for Will that November, he was able to hide as no one else could. They shielded him for as long as they were able to. A kindness repaid.

[emily-e-draws]

it’s her turn!!!

[headspace-hotel]

USAmericans

Read the Project 2025 manifesto RIGHT NOW

It's MUCH worse than y'all have been hearing

There is so much here you'll have to look at it for yourself, but the climate policy alone is nightmare fuel.

The republican coalition wants to essentially end funding for green energy, dramatically promote and expand fossil fuel industries, and eliminate funding and regulations in all sectors promoting climate change mitigation. Task forces and offices related to clean energy and lowering carbon emissions will be eliminated and replaced with offices for promoting fossil fuels.

They want to LOG NATIONAL FORESTS TO "THIN" THE TREES TO STOP WILDFIRES.

THEY WANT TO FORCE OREGON AND CALIFORNIA TO LOG THEIR NATIONAL FORESTS AND TREAT THEM AS FOR TIMBER PRODUCTION

There are specific provisions in Project 2025 to essentially destroy the Endangered Species Act, causing it to defer to the rights of "economic development" and "private property." The plan includes delisting gray wolves, cutting the budget so that a "triage" system is used to determine which species will get protection, removing funding for research, removing experts and specialists from the decision-making process, and preventing "experimental" populations of animals from being established.

This is so much worse than I expected it to be and there's much more past that: They want to deregulate pesticides and remove much of the EPA's ability to regulate pollutants as well.

Also included in the manifesto is that we should

withdraw from nuclear weapons nonproliferation agreements, build more nuclear weapons, and resume nuclear weapons testing

The manifesto comprehensively outlines the scorched-earth elimination of abortion access, down to ensuring doctors aren't even trained to perform abortions. There are plans in here to disrupt abortion access GLOBALLY, not just domestically.

Not only that,the Republicans plan on reframing family planning programs around "fertility awareness" and "holistic family planning."

I can't even describe it all. I'm trying to give screenshots of the most important things but there's so much.

The foreign policy is a nightmare. They plan to push fossil fuels onto the Global South and promote the development of fossil fuel industry in the "developing world."

It is aggressive and antagonistic towards other nations, strongly pro-military, proposing that we INCREASE (!!!!!) defense spending, improve public opinion of the military and military recruitment, and increase the power to fund new weapons technology.

Just read the Department of Defense section. It's about greatly increasing and strengthening the military-industrial complex, collaborating more closely with weapons manufacturers, removing regulatory barriers to arming our allies and to inventing new military weapons, and recruiting more people into the military. They include provisions to develop AI technology for surveillance. And of course, continuing to support Israel is in there.

Elsewhere it proposes interfering in foreign countries with creepy pro-USA propaganda campaigns, even establishing international educational programs where faculty have to pledge to promote USA interests.

There's a line in here about getting rid of PBS because SESAME STREET is LEFTIST for God's sake.

HOW are people claiming democrats have the same policies. I feel like i'm losing my mind.

[hellyeahsickaf]

I found an extremely dope disability survival guide for those who are homebound, bedbound, in need of disability accommodations, or would otherwise like resources for how to manage your life as a disabled person. (Link is safe)

It has some great articles and resources and while written by people with ME/CFS, it keeps all disabilities in mind. A lot of it is specific to the USA but even if you're from somewhere else, there are many guides that can still help you. Some really good ones are:

How to live a great disabled life- A guide full of resources to make your life easier and probably the best place to start (including links to some of the below resources). Everything from applying for good quality affordable housing to getting free transportation, affordable medication, how to get enough food stamps, how to get a free phone that doesn't suck, how to find housemates and caregivers, how to be homebound, support groups and Facebook pages (including for specific illnesses), how to help with social change from home, and so many more.

Turning a "no" into a "yes"- A guide on what to say when denied for disability aid/accommodations of many types, particularly over the phone. "Never take no for an answer over the phone. If you have not been turned down in writing, you have not been turned down. Period."

How to be poor in America- A very expansive and helpful guide including things from a directory to find your nearest food bank to resources for getting free home modifications, how to get cheap or free eye and dental care, extremely cheap internet, and financial assistance with vet bills

How to be homebound- This is pretty helpful even if you're not homebound. It includes guides on how to save spoons, getting free and low cost transportation, disability resources in your area, home meals, how to have fun/keep busy while in bed, and a severe bedbound activity master list which includes a link to an audio version of the list on Soundcloud

Master List of Disability Accommodation Letters For Housing- Guides on how to request accommodations and housing as well as your rights, laws, and prewritten sample letters to help you get whatever you need. Includes information on how to request additional bedrooms, stop evictions, request meetings via phone, mail, and email if you can't in person, what you can do if a request is denied, and many other helpful guides

Special Laws to Help Domestic Violence Survivors (Vouchers & Low Income Housing)- Protections, laws, and housing rights for survivors of DV (any gender), and how to get support and protection under the VAWA laws to help you and/or loved ones receive housing and assistance

Dealing With Debt & Disability- Information to assist with debt including student loans, medical debt, how to deal with debt collectors as well as an article with a step by step guide that helped the author cut her overwhelming medical bills by 80%!

There are so many more articles, guides, and tools here that have helped a lot of people. And there are a lot of rights, resources, and protections that people don't know they have and guides that can help you manage your life as a disabled person regardless of income, energy levels, and other factors.

Please boost!

[menosdoze]

i fkcunig lvoe him

[stinkybrowndogs]

I mean I get that’s it’s not the only contributing factor, but I’m curious exactly how much of the shelter dog over-population problem is actually due to poor dog ownership/management vs the housing crisis and economical stress. I’d be willing to bet by investing in social programs that give people the resources they need to care for their pets (cough cough affordable and free housing cough cough) that the amount of pets in shelters would dramatically drop. We can all sit here pointing fingers and screaming at each other until we are blue in the face, but if the owners basic needs are not being met, how can we hold them to a basic standard for their pets?

[sanyu-thewitch05]

Honestly, this. This, this, this.

Especially with Agatha’s excuse of “it was the 1920s!” sounds so similar to how white people respond to reparations (“It was 400 years ago! Get over it.”)

[gibbearish]

kids who werent raised christian being like "lol baptising children is whack if they tried to do that to me i would start doing things to make it look like i was possessed" no you would not. you would bask in the pride and approval coming from the adults around you and you would quietly wait your turn because you were told from birth that sinning sends you to hell and baptism is The Promise that youre dedicating your life to jesus that youve had hyped up for years and watched other people be fawned over as they cry happy tears about it and you do NOT want to fuck up your One Big True Promise To Love Jesus Forever So You Don't Get Tortured For Eternity when you are literally 8 years old. im begging yall to remember its a thousand times easier to see the church's bullshit for what it is when you're not actively in the church. eight year old you is not thinking about trying to fight back against an oppressive religious group indoctrinating children because You Are The Children Being Indoctrinated. stop acting like you would've magically known better if it were you.

[onismdaydream]

best friend megumi fushiguro who doesn't let anyone else get close to you, especially not someone who he knows just wants to get into your pants. he'll stand behind you, his stare intense and deadly, a subtle baring of teeth, until the guy fumbles over his words and dashes away.

megumi knows you're a virgin, never even had a proper boyfriend once the dark haired boy found you — there's no secrets between the two of you. well, almost no secrets.

you didn't need to know the way megumi couldn't help himself when he was alone in the darkness of his room, fist wrapped around his aching cock, moans muffled as he stuffed his shirt is his mouth. a small part of him wished you were here with him, that it was your hand stroking him and making his tip leak that pearly white. or better yet, maybe you'd let him take your virginity. maybe you would beg him to make love to you, spread your pretty thighs apart so he could go right where he belongs.

he wonders how it would feel, being buried deep within you. he was a virgin, too, after all — saving himself for you.

but your first time together would be special, it would be perfect, not some rushed and sloppy fuck because of his carnal desires. megumi needed to be patient and let everything fall into place. he couldn't have you running off to someone else when you two were made for each other.

so he waits for you to realize that fact, too.

[badlydrawnmanic]

i made a minecraft pig in spore

he can do this (very talented)

[astraechoes]

I can't whole scene is just so beautiful

[fulcrvm]

illya is so dramatic oh my god i love him

[tpup]

being naked with your friends is really good for you. it doesn't have to be anything sexual even just like. go to a nude beach together. run through the sprinkler in ur yard giggling like you haven't since childhood. sit in a hot tub together with some drinks and bask in the hedonistic pleasure. have a diy spa day where you give each other massages, a bubble bath, a manicure. help wash each other's hair after a long day. check each other for ticks after a hike. lounge around naked when it's too humid and hot for clothes. take turns posing for figure drawing. play dress-up together. show each other ur butts and hype each other up about how hot and cute you are. do naked yoga. have a water balloon fight. do photoshoots of each other. help ur bestie take some great nudes. cuddle into each other's tits for a nap. it will heal you

[timmydraker]

Tim begins to distance himself from his family after Damian becomes Robin.

It was obvious in the way he ran off to rescue Bruce, but that was more of a physical thing at the end of the day. He was desperate and had lost any kind of safety net and support he had after Dick threatened Arkham and how badly he hurt Alfred with his instance that Bruce was alive.

Either way he was going to get Bruce back, if not because he felt like he was an aimless, nothing human being without Batman then there was that he wanted to be believed.

Then Dick handed over Robin to Damian who at that point genuinely despised Tim, though there was also a level of jealously in the young Wayne’s mind at the intelligence and analytical Tim.

It was then that Tim decided he would bring Bruce back and then do his own thing, outside of Robin and outside of Batman.

He clearly had done his job hadn’t he? Sure Bruce was dead, but Dick was acting as Batman and that Batman had a Robin, so his reasoning for being Robin was extinguished.

Tim brings Bruce back and the older man praises and thanks him for several days and then, like everything else, the attention moves away. It goes to him connecting with Damian on a vigilante level and catching up on the last several months of him being ‘dead’. It goes to Jason who, now that he’s lost his foster father has decided that maybe he could try a little harder after all.

It goes to everyone and anyone other than Tim and this time? That’s actually the plan.

Tim isn’t as good of a hacker as Barbara, but she’s basically a god at it so compared to others he might as well be master level, just not against her. This he uses to shift around peoples schedules so Alfred has no choice but to let him go to school on his own (Tim may have also invented an early morning ‘club’ that was totally legit and not at all a fabrication). He makes it so when Dick is over or Jason takes the rare opportunity to visit he had to work at WE or DI, something important he can’t neglect.

He never has to walk Ace or Titus because he’s busy with his team mates.

Team mates who think he’s busy helping out Batman.

Tim still does work as a hero, but it’s entirely through his businesses after a while. A few times he has no choice but to go out in a boring black suit with a full face mask and hoodie. It’s got nothing on it, no symbols or gadgets. Nothing to connect him to anyone.

He starts with the homeless, dishing out vaccines like candy without even doing a campaign to showcase it.

Then he changes Bruce’s rather naive approach to orphanages and makes it so every single child who is put through is given a small amount of funding. He makes it so kids have more chance to stay with siblings, makes sure everyone who even so much as enters the ground of a orphanage have a real background check and sure the adoption rate drops, but so does the missing kids and DV cases.

Tim steals over fifty million from people like Luther and Penguin and all kinds of corrupt rich assholes for the majority of the funding and not even a cent of it is traced back to Wayne or Drake businesses. Whiles he’s digging into Lex be manages to get enough evidence to put a sizeable dent in his reputation, even if Lex manages to smooch a fair bit of it back.

He’s manages to take out a large sized trafficking ring and helps get the victims into a real recovery home that he hand picks out security for.

Later, as in a few days afterward, he discovers a dog meat farm and everyone medical veterinary student suddenly finds themself free of student loans and debt and with multiple work opportunities available and volunteer work being down right pleased for.

Tim knows he’s being noticed but given that he basically lives in his office in the heart of the city, he isn’t there to hear his old teammates and ‘family’ talk about the mysterious Dread.

Dread who was named that after a report came out about a theory of an unknown hacker or ‘cyber vigilante’ who was stealing money and information from rich folk and giving it to the poor, giving all of the 1% dread that he would hit them next.

The exact quote was ‘Those with money deeper than their pockets dread the hackers next moves. And they should feel that dread as a warning for this Robin Hood like legend seems to be getting braver.’

Dick was sure the hacker would have been called Robin if he hadn’t chosen that name already, to which Barbara responded with grumbles and growl because she couldn’t find anything other than holes and traps left by the hacker. It was like they knew her every move before she even made it!

Tim, obvious to his growing reputation until it fully took off, hadn’t even considered that his actions would be framed a threat by Batman. He would say it was because he didn’t think Bruce would ever really target him like that, but in actuality it’s because he knew Bruce was one of the few good rich folk. Surely he would be on the side of a secret vigilante hacker trying to use horrible people to do good? He embraced Dread quickly and was happy he make the rich squirm and brought a sense of hope to people, it was just like Robin but instead of them being safe and given light they were given a peace of mind in a mix of revenge and justice.

What Tim doesn’t know is that Bruce is still too far into his whole image of black and white, good and evil, that he tends to forget there’s grey areas.

At least Jason is on the side of Dread, even if he still thinks the myth of a story is just that, a myth.

It’s when Tim blows up a bank when everyone has gone home for the night just so people will find the underground money ring that and he visits the manner to get a few things that he hears them talking about it.

By that point it’s been around two years since he dropped Robin and as usual Dick always greets him with a look of a desperate puppy, “Tim! Hi, you’re here. I haven’t seen you in months, how have you been?”

Tim smiles at Dick even if he hasn’t gotten over his anger at his oldest brother and moves to sit at the breakfast table with everyone (Alfred, Bruce, Jason and Damian).

“Good. Busy, we’ve had a lot of donations lately.”

Jason snorts, “No shit. Isn’t Wayne Enterprise one of the few ones not hit by Dread?”

Bruce grumbles and shakes his head, “I wouldn’t say that. They’ve managed to get into our system and completely changed the Jason Project.”

Jason grins and laughs happily, “you mean improved! Crime Ally is doing great now. Not the best, but still a fuck of a lot better.”

Smiling at the man who once beat him to an inch of his life, Tim takes a sip of his tea and casually says, “You’re welcome.”

The whole table goes quiet as Tim continues to casually sip his tea.

The silence carries for a total minute before Bruce puts down his cup and leans forward with a slight growl in his voice, “Explain.”

“Explain what?”

Bruce stands over his son even from halfway down the table and very obviously tries to calm himself with a deep breath, “What do you mean ‘you’re welcome’?”

Tim makes an ‘oh’ expression before cocking his head to the side in confusion, “I was the one who fixed the Jason Project? Wait, did you guys not realise I’m Dread?”

Damian shouts out a ‘what?!’ That makes Titus jump and Tim laughs under his breath, “What did you think I was doing?”

“Running the business! Not stealing from people and black mailing politicians!”

It’s Tim’s turn to growl now and he stands up himself with a glare at Bruce that is as close as any of them have gotten to the famed Bat-Glare, “Are you fucking kidding me? Like are you a Tully kidding me with that horse shit?”

Bruce looks stunned and Alfred doesn’t even tell him not to swear.

Tim slams his chair into the table.

“What the fuck else would I be doing, Bruce? I’m not Robin, that was taken from me, so what else was I gonna do? I finished my job, not only keeping you from killing anyone but bringing you back, so I had do pick something else. I’m not stealing from the rich, I’m stealing from selfish cunts who ruin peoples lives for no reason and giving it to people like Jason. So, don’t you fucking yell at me and don’t try to make me feel bad for this, not when I’ve done more in two years than you ever have and- don’t you fucking speak Dick, not when you were the one who took my place here away from me! Now, I have a trafficking ring I need to expose so good. Fucking. Day.”

Jason is the only one who follows him.