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dickgraysonwayne · 18 days

Text

Responsible

Ao3

Summary: A case of mistaken identity kicks off a dilemma.

@dickgraysonweek 2024, Day 6: Supernatural Creature AU | Dick Pushed to the Limit | Identity Porn

On the morning that everything goes down, Dick answers a ringing phone.

To be more specific, he answers a phone in Bruce’s office. And that’s where everything goes to absolute shit.

He’s in there picking up some documents Bruce texted him to get. The office in question is his study in the main house, his Brucie office, where everything to do with his civilian job is located. And, since Bruce is away for a multi week mission with Clark, he’s had to kick up the slack on some Brucie work.

And, while he’s in there, the landline phone on his desk rings.

Dick pauses right after picking up a folder. He eyes the ringing phone, uncertain about what he should do.

Should I pick this up? He asks himself. Do I…would this be the right thing to do?

The phone keeps ringing.

Because he’s a nice guy (and he’s kind of curious, okay?) Dick picks up the phone. “Bruce Wayne’s office?” Dick says, a vague question in his tone.

“Ah,” A woman’s voice says on the other end of the line. “Yes, hello. Would that be Damian Wayne’s parent?”

Oh. This must be someone from the school. “Yes,” Dick says. “That’s correct.”

“Excellent,” He hears some papers shuffling. “We just wanted to inform families that all students have their art exhibitions on Friday next week. Can we confirm that Damian’s family will be coming?”

“Yes!” Dick says, beaming. He hadn’t known Damian had a family school event coming up. “Absolutely, yes.”

“Great,” The woman says. He hears typing in the background. “And can we confirm that you’ll be able to take a photograph with Damian’s artwork in it for the photo wall?”

“Of course!” Dick says. He smiles wider. “I’d love to.”

He hears more typing. “Amazing,” The woman says. “We needed each child to have one with their parent or guardian. Damian was our last holdout. We’ll see you there, Mr. Wayne.”

Dick’s eyes widen. “Wait—”

He’s met by a dial tone and the sound of his mistakes.

Dick slowly lowers his face onto Bruce’s majestic desk, phone still held up to his ear. How could he have made a mistake like that? Bruce is away for another few weeks at least. How is he going to get him to show up for Damian’s event? He can’t have him be the only person there with no picture…

He hears a whisper on the other end of the line.

“Hello?” He asks, confused. He waits for a little, but he’s greeted by nothing further. A little unsettled, he places the phone back down and leaves the room as soon as he’s able to.

“So. Yeah. I think I made a mistake.” Dick grimaces, leaning against the kitchen counter.

“You think?” Jason says. He chews on a chocolate chip cookie. “Dude. You answered the phone in Bruce’s office and you didn’t think that they would assume that you’re Bruce? You serious?”

“I know,” Dick groans. “It was stupid. But it’s done, and now the school thinks Bruce is coming when he isn’t, and Damian thinks Bruce is coming when he isn’t, and I’m in big trouble.”

Tim chews his own cookie thoughtfully. “I mean,” He says. “I really don’t think so to be honest. You just have to tell Damian that there was a miscommunication and Bruce can’t make it. We’ll go instead. Whatever. No big deal.”

Jason frowns. “Hey, don’t volunteer me for this.”

“Yeah,” Dick says. “We’ll go anyway. But he’ll be so disappointed.”

“Wouldn’t it be more disappointing if he thinks Bruce is coming when he isn’t?” Tim asks, raising his eyebrows.

Dick sips his tea contemplatively. “You’re right,” He says. “But the school? And Damian being the only one with no parent/guardian there? That sucks. Think we can get around that somehow?”

“Um,” Jason says. “I don’t think you could impersonate Bruce, if that’s what you’re asking. First, he’s a literal celebrity. Second, I’m pretty sure impersonating a parent to get into a school is vaguely frowned upon.”

Tim raises a hand. “I think it’s illegal,” He volunteers.

“You guys are no help,” Dick sighs. “Fine. Whatever. We’ll make it there for him anyway.”

“You never came to my school events,” Jason comments. “I bet you never knew a single project I ever did.”

Dick lifts the mug back to his lips. It hides his grin as he stage whispers “Ka-chow” into his tea.

Jason’s face goes pale. “You son of a—”

“Cars?” Tim says, voice rising about two octaves in a second.

“NO!”

“Oh, yes,” Dick says, putting the mug back down. “Do you know how many times I heard ‘Oh, same old, same old. What's up with you?’ Whenever the word ‘wasabi’ was said? Years. I heard that for years. And I had to hear it again for his film review presentation.”

“FUCK OFF!”

“Cars Two?” Tim says, two seconds away from hysterical laughter. “It wasn’t even the good Cars?”

“Hey!” Jason points at him. “I’ll have you know that Cars Two is a very serviceable sequel to—”

“It was about Mater!”

“Yeah, and he’s—hold on, how did you recognize the quote was from Cars Two?”

Dick makes his stealthy exit at the sounds of the now heated debate, grinning all the way.

As he ducks around the side of the kitchen, he sees someone turn the corner. Alfred, He thinks, speeding up. Alfred may have some sage advice for these moments

When he turns the corner, there’s nobody to be seen.

“Yes, you should go!” Steph says. “Are you kidding me? Go!”

Dick sighs, leaning against an old city gargoyle. “But,” He says, “Batman should…”

“Oh please,” Steph scoffs. Her legs swing as she sits on the side of the roof, blonde hair blowing in the cold Gotham night. “You know Robin would prefer it that you went instead of Batman anyway.”

“No he wouldn’t!” Dick protests.

The comm buzzes in his ear. “Um, guys? Shouldn’t we be paying attention here?”

Dick laughs under his breath. “You’re right, Signal. Sorry. Keeping an eye out now.”

“Yeah, Signal,” Steph says. “What do you think? About Nightwing’s predicament?”

Dick smiles, looking back to the street below.

There’s a short silence. “I mean, sure,” Duke says. “We’re all going, right?”

“Not about that going,” Steph says. “About the parent picture going. For Nightwing to be in the picture instead? Since Batman isn’t gonna be there.”

“But he’s not the parent,” Duke argues. “Isn’t that, I don’t know. Not allowed?”

Steph sighs. “Come on, dude,” She says. “You’re being too literal about this.”

“I mean,” Duke says. “Legally speaking. Will the school even let it happen? It’s possible we’ll all just get kicked out and it’ll be even more embarrassing for Robin.”

Dick frowns. “He’s right,” He says. “I didn’t consider that part.”

“Oh come on,” Steph says. “Don’t make it a big deal. Just do it. Nike style.”

Dick looks back down at the silent street, considering his options. Which would be the better option for Damian?

At his next blink, the street changes.

Instead of a street corner with a white parked car and fire hydrant, there’s now a shattered image overwhelming his vision. The canvas of his sight has cracks running down the image , separating Gotham into various pieces. Each piece looks different (night, day, early morning). It’s like he’s looking at different times of day layered over each other, all of time passing by simultaneously.

Dick slams his eyes shut. He rubs them furiously.

“Nightwing?” And that’s Steph, voice concerned. “What’s up?”

Dick’s almost scared to open his eyes. “Give me a sec,” He says, trying to keep his voice calm.

He works up the courage and opens his eyes back up, and in the second it takes for his vision to readjust, he sees that it’s back to normal.

He breathes a sigh of relief. “All good,” He says. “Any updates on—”

He cuts himself off as a dark figure leaps onto the roof next to him, elegantly landing and slinking towards the rest of them.

“Hey,” Steph grins, standing up. “Any movement?”

“Riddler’s group are on their way,” Cass says, and there’s no mistaking her battle-readiness. “Be prepared.”

“Yes!” Steph says. She stands up, stretching. “Let’s gooo! Formation eighty four, right?”

Her voice echoes strangely on the number, bouncing around Dick’s head, layering over different voices.

He shakes his head hard, then stands up too. “Right,” He says on comms. “We go in together.”

He looks at Cass, giving her a smile. “Ready?”

Cass shrugs, voice sparkling with humor. “As I ever am,” She replies. “Also…”

“Hm?” Dick says, mind already on the best way to flip back onto the ground below.

“You should go,” Cass says, and approaching voices interrupt Dick before he can respond.

After that, things just get weirder.

Dick doesn’t have much time to spare: he has to decide how he’s going to handle Damian’s issue, how he’s going to make sure he can be as happy as possible. But things just keep happening to him, with no clear explanation and it’s really starting to freak him out.

He knows that he should be asking for help at this point. It could be one of many things: medical issue, psychological issue, work issue? He hasn’t been in a situation where he thinks he could’ve been magicked or anything, so…maybe this can wait, just so the school thing can go without a hitch.

So he just decides to ignore it. But sometimes, when he starts seeing things out of the corner of his eye or hears things that don’t make sense, he needs a moment to recover.

Like now, hanging out with Alfred in the manor while he straightens up in his biweekly spring cleanings. Dick helps however he can, although sometimes he thinks he hinders more than helps most of the time.

This time around Babs is there too, and it’s so wonderful to catch up that he loses concentration and when he starts to see colors at the edge of his vision, he knows that he needs to pull himself together. So, he excuses himself and runs to the bathroom.

Dick splashes water on his face, breathing in deeply.

Pull yourself together, He thinks, staring at his face in the mirror. Pull yourself together.

Is this stress? Is he so stressed about Damian’s school thing that he’s starting to hallucinate? Surely not.

He sighs, clicking open the bathroom door and making his way back to the living room. He enters to see Babs still on the couch, book in hand, while Alfred straightens picture frames behind her.

“I believe your path forward is clear, Master Dick,” Alfred says. He picks up the conversation that has been started moments before, without missing a single step. “Go to the school event and offer your support where it’s needed. Including the individual pictures. When Master Bruce is unavailable, you have the right in absentia.”

“Well, yeah,” Babs says. “I don’t think anyone denies that part, Alfred. It’s just a matter of approaching it intelligently. And since we’ll all be there to back him up, it should go okay.” She gives Dick a piercing look. “Although…I’m pretty sure we can make you look like Bruce, pass you off as him. Problem solved.”

“I would advise against that,” Alfred says. “The ethics of doing this would be dubious to say the least.”

Dick groans, settling back on the couch. “I gotta say,” He says. “I’m getting a lot of opinions from the peanut gallery on this.”

“You asked,” Babs says, rolling her eyes.

“Regardless, Master Dick,” And here, Alfred’s voice takes a softer quality. “Whatever you decide, know that it’s with Master Damian’s well being in mind. And that is the most important element of this situation.”

Dick smiles to himself. His eyes wander to the window, and the rain that lashes through the dark sky. “Thanks, Alfie,” He says softly.

He blinks, and sees a face pressed up against the window. The face is set on a wild expression, blue eyes flashing against the darkness of the sky.

Dick practically jumps, almost falling off the couch. He blinks again, and the face vanishes.

“Dick?” Babs asks. “You okay?”

Dick shakes his head. “Yeah, sorry,” He says, shaky. “Lost my balance. I’m good.”

He keeps staring at the window. It remains empty all night.

“Let’s go,” Dick says. He taps his foot, straightening his tie nervously. “Everyone ready to go?”

He does a headcount of the group gathered by the Manor’s entrance. It had been an ordeal making sure everyone got there on time. “Who’s missing?”

Jason glances around the group critically. He has forgone Dick’s strict insurrections to “dress nice”. “Still missing Tim,” He says, then mutters under his breath “Of course.”

Steph smirks back at him. She, at least, had followed the dress code. “Yeah, I know, right?”

“Be nice,” Dick says mildly. He checks his watch. “Okay, maybe we should go in groups. That way, we can get there early enough to—”

Another blink, and his watch vanishes. He looks up, startled “What—”

He’s still in the manor. But…

Everyone’s disappeared. The warm glow of the halls have vanished, replaced with dark hallways and a cold air surrounding him. The familiar walls and floors have a haze of gray surrounding them, and he feels choked on the feeling of despair that radiates out of every corner.

He steps back, and everything goes back to normal.

Babs raises her eyebrows at him. “Get there early enough to—?”

They hadn’t noticed. What in the hell is happening to him?

Dick feels his mind start to whirl, and he desperately tries to hold on. “Enough to—”

He blinks again, and he’s back, he’s back at the empty manor, but this time there are sounds too: whispering in the hallways, silent tapping on the floors.

Dick whirls around. “What the hell…”

He comes face to face with a familiar face, a face with bright blue eyes, a face that he had seen both at the window a few days ago, and in the bathroom mirror every day of his life.

His own face blinks back at him, looking just startled.

“Hey,” Dick says. “Who are—”

The world shatters.

#dickgraysonweek #wayne family adventures #wfa #dick Grayson #speaks

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brie-annwyl · 7 months

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Batfam ideas no one asked for? That’s the only thing I post atp.

Bruce “I don’t need therapy” Wayne starts publishing articles anonymously and promoting them through an anonymous twitter account to vent out his feelings and frustrations with being a bad father. Jason, whom also uses an anonymous account, becomes a fan. They become each other’s editors and learn a lot about each other and themselves through this. It’s all going well until Tim discovers it’s Bruce’s account. (I’m actively writing this one)

After Tim rescues Bruce from the time stream, he doesn’t go back to Gotham. That is until almost a year later, when all the bats are kidnapped by Ra’s and Tim has to go save them.

Weird time travel weirdness and old Tim gets thrown back in time, back to his first couple weeks as Robin. (His small self is also in the future)

Dick not understanding why Tim is keeping the family at a distance, and Tim waiting for the moment he suggests they through him into Arkum again. Damian has had enough of this miscommunication trope bs and makes them talk it out.

Damian missed his mom but doesn’t want to make Bruce feel bad, so he bottles it up. His bottle bursts open in front of Jason.

Jason always wanted to learn how to play the violin, Catherine always said it was her favourite. So he made Bruce sit through painfully squeaky lessons and even worse rehearsals before patrol. Now Jason is a proficient player, but Bruce isn’t around anymore to see his progress.

Jason stole a bunch of Dick’s sweat shirts when he was younger, even though they were never close, it still gave him comfort to have a piece of Dick with him. Dick only finds this out about a year after Jason died. All because this was the one night he had the courage to open his bedroom door and finally try and learn something about his little brother.

Tim would purposely put himself in dangerous situations so Jason would save him as Robin. Tim finds out Robin is dead because it was the one night he didn’t go out and save him.

Jason saves a child from an exploding building but doesn’t mange to save their father. Self reflection ensues and leads to Jason showing up at Bruce’s bedroom door, sobbing his eyes out at 3 am.

(Arkum Knight) Jason is VERY insecure about the J brand on his cheek, Bruce is there to reassure him.

Jason follows in Bruce’s footsteps and adopts a child. There’s a few problems though. 1. The Bats still don’t know his identity 2. They have a habit of following him, even when he leaves for patrol 3. Even in his RedHood get up, they will always call him variations of “Jason” or “Jay”.

Even though Damian is better than he originally was, Tim is still terrified he will try and cut his line again. These fears boil over when Tim is adamant about not doing missions alone with Damian.

Hope y’all enjoyed me dumping my fic ideas :)

#jason todd #tim drake #dick grayson #batfam #batfamily #bruce wayne #damian wayne #batman #I promise I’ll do one specifically for Cass Steph and Duke #I was just thinking about the angsty sons tonight #bruce wayne is a good dad #sometimes

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intercoursefluids · 2 years

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Well That Happened Chapter 4

Immediately after the portal had closed around the girl shouts broke out in the room.

Jason was chanting his wish and Steph was trying to convince him to do a summoning ritual of some sort, and no, Damian did not want to know what she was talking about.

Tim was staring into space and shaking Duke, Dick was… Screaming? And Cass was sitting on his shoulders, when she got up there Damian didn’t know and again, he didn’t want to know.

His father had his head in his hands and the girl who had been trying to convince Damian that his true love existed was crying into Vikki Vale’s shoulder, claiming tht she was supposed to be his perfect match.

Damian wanted to go home.

That was all.

Unfortunately he did not get his wish as another portal opened, dropping out one, British, Drunk Man, John Constantine.

“Where did it go?”

Constantine stumbled around, looking around the room and ignoring everyone in it until Vikki Vale spoke up.

“Um, sir? Who are you?”

Constantine turned around, hands in his pockets and smiling broadly.

“John Constanine, a huge concentration of magical stuff popped up here a few minutes ago and seeing as how the Big Bat doesn’t let magic happen here, I was curious so I came over.”

He shrugs, walking around the room a few times before he walks over to Damian, grabbing him by the arm and jerking him around.

“Why are you the only one with traces of magic on you? Did you touch it?”

Damian hesitantly nods, glancing at his Father when Constantine pulls him closer, doing something with his hand until a portal appears in front of them.

“Alright. Road trip! Hope you don’t get motion sick.”

Constantine starts trying to coral Damian into the portal, almost succeeding until he is ripped away by his father and shoved behind his family members.

“I’m afraid you won’t be taking him anywhere, especially not alone.”

Constantine groans, doing something with his hand and making the portal bigger.

“Alright, fine! Everyone get in, I want to see what this is before it moves again and I need him to do that now let's go!”

Constantine moves behind everyone, rushing them to get in the portal and telling them all to hold onto each other.

Once they make it to the other side they are immediately taken over by the sound of people running around trying to get stuff done.

Everyone untangles themselves from one another sitting up and looking around the room, trying to get a feel of where they were.

A boy in cat ears and what looks like a mix of spandex and leather whistles loudly, catching the attention of everyone in the room.

“Alright everyone listen up! We have new marching orders from the Princess herself. She is currently out on the field so she can’t give these out herself, pass these around and if anyone has any questions please ask. We have no time for miscommunications here.”

Packets of paper are passed around the room, several people sharing theirs and passing the rest around so there is hopefully enough to go around for everyone, chatter fills the room as the packets make their way to Damian and his family.

Damian takes one, passing the rest around and letting his family (and Constantine) crowd around him to read from it.

“Why does this look like a battle plan?”

Jason’s question is apparently, just loud enough to catch the attention of the boy from earlier, causing him to walk over to the group, grinning like mad.

“Hello! Name’s Chat Noir, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say you lot aren’t from Paris? Or you haven’t been here long at least.”

He puts out his hand to shake and Bruce returns the gesture, shaking his hand and answering for the rest of them.

“You would be correct, we are from the United States. Can you explain what exactly is going on here?”

The now dubbed Chat Noir nods, turning around and waving for them to follow him.

“Your accents and French are both very good, colour me impressed! This is a ‘Hut’ one of many actually. We use these Huts as a Base-of-Operations so to speak. Most of the planning for the War and individual battles happens here. I can give each of you a packet explaining everything if you would like?”

Bruce confirms that they would like the packets, speaking for the rest of the group as they all look around them in wonder.

Everywhere you turn there are people, some sitting on the floor and furniture with laptops, tablets, and cellphones, all seeming to be furiously working on something, others are writing in notebooks, and running around with papers in their hands, talking rapidly to different people before running off again.

Some people are running around with boxes, depositing them on tables and running off again.

No one seems to stay still for more than a few seconds at a time, always moving around.

On several people Damain manages to catch sight of bandanas, pins, and even pieces of Jewelry with animals on them, several of them depict bees and mice curiously enough.

“In here is the ‘War Room’, really it's just the biggest classroom in the school but I digress. Pegasus should be in here, he is the one that has all the packets, haven’t gotten around to distributing them yet. Pegasus! Bro! I need some of those Info Packet thingies you made!”

Chat Noir barges through the room, heading straight for a boy with dreads sitting tensely in front of a computer.

“The Pamphlets are in my bag in the green folder, help yourself.”

Chat Noir retrieves the pamphlets, passing them out and planting himself in the seat beside ‘Pegasus’, leaning in to see what he is watching.

“Wait a minute… Is that Princess?! WHERE DID SHE GET SMOKE BOMBS?!”

“She. Made. Them.”

“How?”

Pegasus takes a deep breath, leaning away from his computer to show the screen full of smoke and the same girl that crashed into Damian standing in the middle of it.

“She found some ping pong balls, aluminum foil, and straws that she found in a store she came across.”

Damian sets the pamphlet down and moves closer to them, watching as ‘Princess’ uses everything and anything around her to fight off a group of people.

Bruce’s hand on his shoulder pulls his attention away.

Looking into his father’s eyes Damian is concerned to see the amount of concern, confusion, and borderline guilt there.

Bruce holds out the pamphlet, waiting until Damian grabs it to let go.

“I think you should read this.”

Bruce nods at him, shifting him out of the way so he can take his place in front of the computer screen with Chat Noir and Pegasus.

“She is ‘The Princess’ hm?”

Chat Noir jumps slightly, tearing his eyes from the screen just long enough to look at Bruce before turning back.

“Yeah, that's her. Awesome, isn’t she?”

“She’s certainly resourceful.”

Sounds of agreement sound from the two as Damian focuses his attention more on the incredibly worrying pamphlet.

Damian’s concern grows as he reads, looking up he can see similar expressions on his siblings' faces.

4 years.

There has been a magical war happening in Paris for 4 years, and none of them knew.

“Why hasn't the Justice League been contacted?”

Pegasus looks over at him, seeming to take pity on him as he turns to face him.

“It’s not for lack of trying. The running theory is magical interference. No transmissions make it out of Paris, we’ve even tried sending people out of Paris to try to send the distress signal from there or physically deliver the news but it never works. As soon as they leave Paris they completely forget about the war. If we try to remind them it doesn’t go through. We’re stuck.”

Steph speaks up from behind them all, placing a hand on Damian’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

“Is there any way you can make this feed larger? It seems like most of the action is with her.”

Pegasus nods, turning to the projection on the wall.

“Changing the main screen to watch the Princess. Keep at least one eye on the victim.”

Confirmations are heard around the room as the feed switches, audio switching with it, filling the room with the sounds of clanging metal and grunts coming from Princess.

“Oh you did not just throw a spear at me!”

Taglist:

@Dontbenddontbreak

@Its-maemain

@Toodaloo-kangaroo

@Doll246

@Jennifer-rose123

@razzledazzle247

@Vroomtaka

@rosesandsailboats

If you want to be added to the taglist please specify on if you want to be tagged for a specific story or my writing in general

#maribat #ml x dc #marinette x damian #dc x mlb #mlb x dc #maridami #wellthathappened #KindaFeralnette

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daemoninwhiteround2 · 3 years

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I saw your tag about a "foursome from way back when" and I'm 👀👀👀

"They're drugged," Tim pants, reminding himself even as he can't keep himself from grinding up against the glass wall. It's cool and hard and what he wouldn't give to be able to get his hands on warm, living skin and-

Jason and Kon continue to ignore him. They are drugged, after all.

Bruce was off in space so Tim had invited Kon over, unable to continue to resist the urge to show off his den to the omega he's courting. Kon had... Maybe there were some wires crossed, some miscommunication somewhere along the line, because Kon had come dressed in work clothes and asked who they were staking out and well. Tim hadn't been able to just say, no, I invited you here to see my den, look at how well I'd be able to provide for you. So he'd privately thanked every god that he stalked kept up to date on all his family's cases and frantically texted Dick that he and Kon were coming to assist with his stake out.

It had actually been going pretty well. Jason had shown up and that had allowed Tim to make some leading comments - he knows that, like him, when people see Nightwing and Red Hood together, they assume the wrong dynamics. But Dick is good for Jason, and Tim could be good for Kon, he could, if he could just find the words to-

And then Kon had whispered that he saw weapons in the warehouse. Serious weapons. The type that the Bats really can't afford to let out into the streets. The warehouse had appeared deserted and so they'd all dropped down and that's when they'd triggered the trap.

Bullets had started flying at them from every direction - Tim had heard the distinctive sound of Jason's hood cracking - and they'd been driven apart and then-

A glass box had unfolded from the ground, a wall slides up the middle, divided them into Jason and Kon on one side and Tim and Dick on the other. Tim darted over and slammed his staff into the wall that seperated them. There's a dull clang and nothing. Not even the thinest of spiderweb cracks.

The bullets stopped and a bunch of people had melted out of the shadows, one applauding sarcastically before giving the usual supervillain spiel. Blah blah you Bats have interfered in my business for the last time blah blah blah I'm so evil and uncaring about other people so long as I get money and or power blah blah blah you'll rip each other to shreds.

That last one had been a new one and Tim had actually started paying attention.

Kon was hovering inches above the ground in the way he only did when he was anxious. Jason had ditched the hood, but he'd been wearing a domino underneath, luckily. He only had a couple of scratches on his cheek, he didn't have those before the fight so Tim guesses they must've been where the bullet impacted and cracked the hood.

And then there'd been a hissing sound and Kon and Jason's container had started visibly filling with gas.

The villain laughed. "Funny thing about rutting alphas," they said, auidbly gleeful. "They'll test down anything between them and a heating omega."

And that's when Tim had realised that there's must be some sort of cracks because he can see the gas seeping into their side and

And

And everyone always thinks that Jason and Kon are alphas but they're not.

They're omegas.

And omegas don't see other omegas as competition during a heat. They won't tear each other apart. They'll comfort each other.

Tim's smelt Kon's heat before. But never like this, never so immediate, never when Kon's in the middle of a full in breeding heat and Tim's rapidly descending into the matching rut. He smells amazing, like every good thing in the world but there's also something sharp, something, hah, alien.

Tim wants to fuck him so bad. Wants to fuck them both. Wants to see them whimper and whine and get fat with his pups.

Kon touches Jason first. Tim's faintly aware of cheers, the villain and goons must think they're about to get front row tickets to Red Hood vs a Kryptonian but

But Kon kisses him. Filthy. Open mouthed. Groans into it when Jason grabs hold of his ass and hauls him close and presses one thick thigh between Kon's.

Tim grinds up against the glass again and whines. He doesn't care if they're drugged, that's two of the hottest omegas he's ever seen in real life and they're making out.

Just like in his dreams.

Tim needs to be with them.

And then a big, hit hand grabs the nap of his neck and throws him across the cell. Tim slams into the opposite wall and slides down it.

Rutting alphas will tear each other apart to get to a heating omega.

And Dick and Tim are both alphas.

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bigskydreaming · 3 years

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Making an additional post to respond to @fuyunoakegata’s response to @fiyaerrigan’s post here without derailing or going too far afield from the OP:

I think an additional thing to consider that the other kids had by benefit of Dick being the eldest is......every single one of them to varying degrees had Dick to look to as a precedent for like.....reassuring themselves that their presence in Bruce’s life wasn’t a temporary thing. Dick’s constant or recurring presence was an affirmation of permanence - that no matter how bad things got between Bruce and one of his kids, since things HAD been very dicey between Dick and Bruce for awhile - Dick still was there, at the end of the day.

Now, the obvious sorta exception to this is in Jason’s POV, with it being a sorta exception cuz there’s a couple different ways you can play this. By emphasizing how much Bruce and Dick were on the outs from Jason’s POV while he was living with Bruce, you CAN cast doubt on the idea that Dick was proof things would never get so bad with Bruce that he would just stop being part of their lives. And then this in turn can be used as a sort of explanation for why Jason was so convinced that there was no coming back from a lot of what he’d done by his return to Gotham, even without the events of UTRH....like, you can make the case that this is why Jason escalated things to that extent period. He thought reconciliation was never truly ever an option.

But by the same token, you can also use the fact that Dick IS reconciled with Bruce by the time of UTRH to seed doubts about this in Jason’s head, because he DOES remember just how bad things were between Bruce and Dick when he was younger....and if they could come back from that, maybe it WASN’T just wishful naivete to think that there could be a future for Bruce and Jason’s relationship as well, y’know?

To cycle back to the beginning though....it should be acknowledged imo that Dick never had the benefit of this proof of permanence, this security blanket of knowing that no matter how bad things got with Bruce, there wasn’t truly a point of no return. That WAS in doubt for him a lot of the time. Which gives him all the more motivation to see what we so often see evidence of in the comics - Dick going above and beyond to stress to his siblings that they aren’t temporary in his eyes, and their connection is not just limited to being via Bruce. They’re his siblings with or without Bruce in the picture.

Now to respond more directly to what @fuyunoakegata had to say in that last reblog addition, I think the fact that Dick is so good at translating what Bruce leaves unspoken is actually a key part of the conflict between Dick and Bruce at so many points. Because the thing is....Dick should never have HAD to become that good at it. He became good at it by necessity, because Bruce does leave a lot unspoken and taken for granted, and at a certain point Dick realized he’d just have to fill in the blanks himself.

But given that Dick was the traumatized kid that Bruce chose to take in as an adult - no matter how young of an adult he was - there’s an inherent disservice in not recognizing that it should never have been on that kid to feel HE had to be the one to bridge the communication divide between himself and his guardian when said communication felt lacking. That is the responsibility of the guardian or parent, its literally a key part of the sense of security its their job to offer the traumatized orphan in their care.

That’s not to say, however, that its not realistic for this to happen this way - and for reasons that actually have nothing whatsoever to do with Bruce, and everything to do with Dick. Because it is possible that Bruce just never quite clued into just how much Dick was assuming the burden of translating Bruce’s intentions into actual communication and filling in the gaps where Bruce was leaving stuff unsaid.....because as I’ve said before, for all their similarities and parallel tragedies, a key part of Dick’s tragedy that Bruce simply couldn’t relate to, was the abandonment fear of being sent away for not being good enough or being too much of a burden. Bruce has HUGE abandonment issues due to his own tragic loss of his parents - but his abandonment issues tend to be more geared around losing people to tragedy or death.

Now from a parental standpoint, he does have fears of driving his kids away by not being good enough for them or by hurting them in various ways, true.....BUT the specific overlap he lacks is that he’s never really identified from the perspective of a child, with that fear of a parent or guardian not wanting to deal with him or be burdened by him anymore. When he was raised by Alfred, he feared losing Alfred in a variety of ways, but not really so much by driving Alfred away or making him sick of him....because there has always been at least an implicit awareness, even while acknowledging that Alfred basically raised him, that Alfred still technically worked for the Wayne family, and Bruce simply wasn’t ever in a position to feel quite as dependent on Alfred and say...his ‘whims’ or whatever, as other children might in regards to their own parents. Alfred’s loyalty is readily apparent and of a more....fundamental sort than most others can claim, y’know?

So I think one of the key divides between Dick and Bruce, a NATURAL area of oversight for Bruce, who tends to take for granted at times how much he and Dick are alike in certain ways.....is that it wouldn’t necessarily ever occur to Bruce just how much Dick feared being a burden who could and might be sent away at any time he became too difficult to be worth putting up with anymore. And by not realizing how big a role this played in Dick’s thoughts as he grew up, its natural that Bruce wouldn’t necessarily notice just how almost....eager Dick was to jump at filling in gaps in communication himself rather than risk having to insist Bruce clarify himself or his intentions in order to be understood instead. Dick didn’t want to give his guardian any reason to send him packing - so he voluntarily took up the role of Bruce-translator early on, before ever even alerting to Bruce that there was anything about his communication tendencies that might be lacking and left Dick occasionally grasping for assumptions to fill in the blanks.

But see, the problem that naturally arises from this sort of inherent miscommunication or oversight, no matter how understandable it is....is that it over time builds in an expectation or even reliance on Dick doing the majority of the work and emotional labor when it comes to understanding each other. And the precise problem this creates lies in when Dick for whatever reason - such as believing Bruce has already as good as cast him aside and no longer wants to be burdened with him - like, if for whatever reason Dick STOPS doing the majority share of their communication, if he no longer sees a reason to translate Bruce’s thoughts into actual words of affirmation and read approval into his actions or assume the best of Bruce’s intentions......if Dick basically just stops TRYING here, because he’s convinced there’s no longer any reason to try and the worst has already happened, the very thing he was going above and beyond in filling in Bruce’s gaps in communicating himself in order to avoid happening in the first place....

Then Bruce is going to flounder, naturally, because all of a sudden its going to seem like nothing he says or does in the ways he’s always been used to communicating himself like, seem to be getting through to Dick or leaving him with the same understanding or awareness of Bruce’s true feelings that he’s grown used to Dick having, based just on whatever Bruce DOES actually do or say.

So from Bruce’s perspective, its going to be like nothing he says seems to make any impact on Dick or convey to him that Bruce does in fact still love him and care....BECAUSE Bruce hasn’t quite realized yet just how much Dick has HAD to fill in those blanks for himself, because Bruce’s actual communicating of them has not actually involved ever FULLY expressing those sentiments.

Hence, their complete communication breakdown after Dick was fired and/or Jason was made Robin and adopted without consulting or even alerting Dick to the fact beforehand, or reassuring him that this didn’t actually say anything about Bruce’s feelings for his eldest. As well as Bruce’s seeming obliviousness as to why.

And another thing I want to add here is that I always tend to push back a lot against people bringing up how young Bruce was when he took Dick in, and how that explains his lapses in parenting....

Because the thing this fails to take into account IMO is that like.....by and large, and with obvious occasional exceptions like Robin: Year One.....its almost unanimously agreed that Bruce was at his BEST as a parent to Dick - whether thinking of himself as his father yet or not - in their early years together. So I don’t see how Bruce’s young age can excuse his later lapses in parenting Dick, when it was at his YOUNGEST, that Bruce was at his BEST in parenting Dick. To me, his age has nothing to do with it. The difference in Bruce’s effectiveness in being a parent to Dick at various stages in my mind lies entirely in the fact that in those early years, Bruce was most consistently putting in his most effort into being there for Dick, being the person Dick needed him to be, etc.

Basically, those early years were so good between them, compared to other periods, because even with Dick assuming more responsibilities than he ever should have had to - but for completely understandable reasons ie Bruce simply not REALIZING Dick was so desperate to not be a burden he was making sure Bruce never realized there was a problem here at all - the bottom line was it was in those earliest years that Bruce most consistently TRIED. He put his best foot forward. He did the WORK.

And thus the problem in the later years of Dick’s youth, IMO, had nothing to do with Bruce’s own relative youth - it was that I think Bruce had just gotten comfortable with their dynamic and lost sight of how much of that was due to his own EFFORT. He started to take Dick for granted, and thus defaulted more towards frustration when he didn’t understand why Dick did something or where he was coming from....where previously, he would have been more patient as he applied his intellect towards trying to figure out for himself WHY Dick was acting the way he was or what it might signify.

BUT. The point of all this digression is like.....me working my way around to how there’s not JUST an opportunity for Dick to buttress Bruce’s lapses in parenting for his younger siblings, and for them to benefit from him having gone first.....BUT, if people WANT there to be....there’s also every bit as much to fix or address a lot of the flaws in Bruce and Dick’s relationship via Bruce learning from things with his younger children like....an awareness of WHY he and Dick grew apart and how it can be addressed.

For an example.....with Jason. I’ve commented before on how a lot of authors doing revisitations of Bruce and Jason’s early years together in fic actually do a GREAT job of showcasing how patient Bruce is with him, and understanding of his history and why he behaves in various ways or reacts to things differently than Bruce would or expects.

And a lot of focus is put on how in the comics, when Bruce talks to Dick about why he took Jason in, he describes himself as having seen Jason as being a lot like him, and thus thought he could help him with his anger, etc.

See, I have always, ALWAYS, called bullshit on this point. (And that’s aimed at the comics canon btw, not fic writers).

Because uh, I just don’t see it at all. First off, Jason has always had even less in common with Bruce than Dick did, and second like, the only thing that Bruce has ever pointed to as feeling similar to Jason in....is Jason’s anger.

And like....early Jason, even after the post-Crisis origin retcon, like...wasn’t that angry! His supposed anger issues come from all of like, two different stories and that’s it. And I don’t buy that Jason was the first kid in all the time Bruce had been Batman by that point, that like, Bruce saw as a kindred spirit due to just being ANGRY. Umm, no. Sorry. That doesn’t track for me.

Especially because like....when Bruce first encountered Jason? When he first MADE the decision to take Jason in? First when meeting him stealing his tires, at which point he took him to Ma Gunn, and then after finding out that was a criminal front and deciding to take Jason in himself? Jason was like....literally not even angry in any of those encounters, lol. He just wasn’t.

Jason was scared. He was defiant. He was stubborn. He was proud. He was vulnerable. He was doing his damnedest not to show it. He was a lot of things.

What he wasn’t.....was...angry.

And so I truly don’t believe that Bruce took Jason in for reasons that had anything to do with identifying with him and seeing himself in Jason.

I think Bruce looked at that tiny young vulnerable but proud, spirited and defiant kid before him, utterly unrepentant about stealing Bruce’s tires and then hitting him with a tire iron and then with the Ma Gunn storyline....

And Bruce saw a young Dick Grayson reflected in the boy before him.

Bruce missed Dick and took Jason in as a kind of do-over, a chance to fix the mistakes he barely understood making with Dick to lose him from his life or drive him away in the first place....and just resolved to do BETTER this time. To not make the same mistakes. To be patient, understanding, to try and get why Jason did and thought the things he did instead of just making his own assumptions.

And the painful irony is that despite Bruce’s best intentions in the comics, history DID repeat himself. He and Jason became estranged, even before Jason’s death - by Bruce projecting himself and his own issues and viewpoints onto Jason rather than see Jason as an entirely different person from him. He grew to take Jason and their dynamic for granted the same way he did with Dick. A significant element of the Garzonas story that never gets talked about is that after they captured Garzonas the second time, after Gloria’s suicide and before taking him into the police where Garzonas ended up just walking again....

Bruce stood back and literally encouraged Jason to take out his anger and frustration on the man. The same way Bruce sometimes did with criminals himself. He literally stood there and watched as Jason vented his anger by beating up Garzonas further.

And THIS is the heart of why Bruce reacted the way he did with Garzonas’ death, I think. Especially when you couple it with how much of Bruce’s reactions in UTRH are based around how HIS entire reason for being unwilling to kill the Joker is because he doesn’t think he could just stop there, couldn’t pull himself back from doing it again. I think Bruce just ASSUMED that Jason had pushed Felipe to his death, because he projected himself into Jason’s shoes, and saw that moment playing out from how he feared HE HIMSELF would have reacted in that moment, if he were say as young as Jason still was at the time, and frustrated by how futile everything felt. He assumed the worst of Jason, because he identified with Jason, and in that moment, was projecting his own worst assumptions of himself in a parallel moment of intense emotional frustration and anger.

Like I said.....he drove Jason away by making the same mistakes he’d made with Dick in essence - he projected too strongly on identifying with them and thus viewing their actions or choices through the lens of how he would behave in similar circumstances and WHY....and he stopped doing the WORK of keeping in mind that they were very different people from him with very different reasons for choosing the things they choose, different histories, different priorities, different contexts.

So the point is like.....instead of letting things play out like that, since fic IS an opportunity to improve upon canon, you can draw upon literally ANY of these ideas, and like.....examine what happens if not only Dick helps his siblings in their relationships with Bruce by drawing from his own experiences with him and the mistakes there.....

But you can also examine what happens if Bruce is helped in his relationship with Dick by drawing from his experiences with his younger children and using those to identify mistakes he made with Dick specifically, and address them even now....instead of just writing off his relationship with Dick as the best it’ll ever be now and damaged beyond further repair and so instead devoting himself to trying to just do better with his younger kids.

Because see what happens then, if you use Bruce’s patience and understanding while raising a young Jason, and awareness of just how different Jason is from him....to glean for HIMSELF, without having to be told by others....an awareness that no, maybe he took in Jason for reasons that had far more to do with regrets having to do with Dick than because of identifying with Jason just himself. And from there.....a simple examination of his relationships with Dick and Jason respectively, like, even just to wonder what’s so different about his differing dynamics with the two and why is so much better now than the other...that’s literally all that’s needed for Bruce to become AWARE of how patient he is with Jason and his seeming idiosyncracies, to acknowledge the work and EFFORT he puts into building and maintaining his relationship with a young Jason....and from there....the realization that....holy shit, he’d taken Dick for granted, and THAT’S why things broke down between them. He’d stopped TRYING to understand Dick the way he was working so hard now to understand Jason, and instead just started getting frustrated with the fact that he so often DIDN’T understand Dick, period.

And once you have Bruce HAVE that epiphany, GAIN that awareness....

Its the easiest thing in the world to just write him GOING to Dick and just like...acknowledging this. Owning his faults. Admitting that he took Dick for granted and put too much reliance on Dick doing most of their communicating, fell back on it being easier that way and stopped placing importance on being the one to take the LEAD in their relationship and addressing its flaws, as the PARENT.

And just saying.....its not too late to fix this. If I can do it with Jason, if I could do it with you in the first place, I can do it again. All I need is for you to give me the opportunity to try to do just that, to do better, and instead of demanding that or expecting it from you or even just hoping for it but never actually voicing it....here is me asking for it, but letting you know I understand if you don’t trust me with that or want to risk yourself like that again.

And whammo zammo, you’ve got yourself a road to a healthier, happier Batfam, and it doesn’t require actually vilifying anyone or expecting anyone but the patriarch of the family to like....take the actual wheel.

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hpfannons · 3 years

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Oh la la! Thats a fine choice of specimen. Thank you. :) lol. I only ask about the jealousy thing because I remember that Dick said one time that they only get to see him 2 months a year or something... I probably meant the batfam side i guess... lol but its good most Harry’s friend are okay or just roll with it... maybe I should asked some batfam moments during their stay in order hq... I really love that scene where Harry was on Dick’s lap and and the rest are just with them... I kinda want a scene with the same feeling...if you dont mind. xD thank you very much! glad to hear ur answer about fudge and umbridge. thank you so much... im really immersed in this au... looking forward to part 7. >_< thanks and stay safe y’all.

Glad you like my batfam! My best friend and I spent way too long going back and forth on people we could agree on for different characters (I think Tim and Alfred were the hardest… but it was years ago, so don’t quote me on that lol)

Sorry about the jealousy thing though, miscommunication on my part. I blame that for answering at 3 am on my phone XD

Yes, there is a lot of buried jealousy with the Batfam. Though surprisingly, most of it comes from Harry. That’s mostly because all these new family members come in while he’s at school, so it kind of feels like they’re all much more close knit with each other than with him because he’s not there for the large portion of the year.

They’re all happy to include him and catch him up with things he missed while he was at school… But there are some things you just have to be there in the moment for, because retelling the story just isn’t quite the same.

That’s not to say that the rest of the Batfam don’t have the same feelings as well, I think I’ve mentioned before that Tim and Harry especially are very close (actually best friends, on the same level as Harry and Ron) so Tim is definitely one of those people who feels Harry’s lost during the year the most.

Add on the fact it’s not really that easy to keep in touch with him while he’s at school, and it really is just hard on everyone.

As a side note, I fully believe the family would find some kind of way to make alterations to a communicator that will work at Hogwarts. Considering how many people who both use magic and have been involved with the Justice League in some way or the other, I find it hard to believe they haven’t found a work around for the whole magic screws with tech problem. At the very least, Harry would have a way to check his email from family, b/c making Headwig carry letters from Scotland to New Jersey and back is just cruel.

As far as the Batfam hanging out around 12 Grimmauld Place… They’re trying to be as non-confrontational as possible, even if there’s still some ruffled feathers from the first night. So the boys mostly go along with helping clean out the place under Molly’s orders - Jason was originally kind of prickly about it because he’s not a child (certainly not her child), so he found getting ordered around kind of insulting… Until his inner clean freak won out and yeah, this place does need a lot of work. Alfred has taught them all well, and it shows.

Tim mostly hauls himself up in the library when he can get away from clearing out pixies and de-gnoming the garden. He’s got like four notebooks full of information and Ron is a little shocked to find out Harry wasn’t kidding when he said Tim was worse than Percy and Hermione together when it came to information gathering.

Damian has less than stellar people skills at the best of times, and here he’s decided he doesn’t care very much for anybody over the age of seventeen (that’s not family anyway), so most of Dick’s time has been dedicated to keeping the youngest away from most of the Order. Not that he really blames him, Dick isn’t nearly as vocal about it as Damian, but he is also just completely done with all of them. He’s only playing nice because they’re here for Harry.

Bruce has also posted himself up in the library, reading everything he can get ahold of in regards to the history of the wizarding world trying to understand exactly what he’s son has gotten wrapped up in. Because lord knows nobody in this house is going to explain it to him… At this point he’s about one wrong comment away from telling them exactly where they can shove their ‘muggle’ excuses.

There was one notable evening though, when the boys as well as the Weasleys and Hermione were just hanging out in a parlor or sitting room or whatever it was supposed to be. Jason had been messing around with an old radio he found the other day and between him and Tim, they managed to get it working. The minute they recognized Britney Spears’s voice, there were four sets of eyes immediately on Dick who gave all of twenty seconds of resistance before he was up and dragging people along to dance with him. The impromptu party had ended up going on for hours, Tonks getting roped into the fun with them while Sirius and Remus smiled fondly from the doorway. Molly made a passing comment about bedtime, but didn’t argue back when that was quickly shot down by the other adults. Let the kids be kids while they could.

As far as soft moment’s for the Batfam… there are two that really come to mind, though they’re kind of sad though.

The first is really kind of short, but it’s after the battle of Hogwarts, and Harry’s come back from his final fight with Voldemort, and there’s just people everywhere in the great hall, but Harry knows exactly where he’s going. Bruce is standing to the side, watching while Jason’s getting patched up, and trying to keep an eye on his other kids as well. Everyone's a little banged up and bruised, but they’re all alive, and that’s the important part right now.

And then he sees Harry and there’s this almost tangible sense of relief because now all of his kids are present and accounted for, and Bruce feels like he can finally breathe again. And Harry just like collapses into Bruce who has to scramble a little bit to catch him, but then just stands there and holds him, because Harry is just completely exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. And all Bruce hears is “I want to go home Dad.”, and honest to god Batman almost starts crying in the middle of the great hall in front of everyone.

The other is after the Triwizard Tournament, and everything with Mad-Eye Crouch, when Harry’s in the hospital wing. Everyone’s standing around trying to figure out what the hell just happened, and Harry wakes up still kind of groggy from whatever Madam Pomfrey gave him to knock him out, and he ends up breaking down crying in front of everyone.

Dick doesn’t even hesitate, he’s on Harry before the first tear even really starts rolling and just tucks him into the crook of his neck and let’s him cry it out. Except Harry’s been traumatized and he’s like full-on sobbing, almost wailing, and that just stabs everyone straight through the heart. Tim’s next, doesn’t say anything, just sits down behind Harry and tucks himself up against his brother’s back. Damian and Jason join in as well, Damian sitting on Harry’s other side and just quietly putting his head on Harry’s shoulder; while Jason sit’s down a little farther away, reaching out to put a hand on the back of Harry’s neck. Bruce is standing on the other side of the bed, and just runs a hand through Harry’s hair while they let him get it out and calm down.

And once he’s down to hiccups and kind of stuttery breaths, Dumbledore says something about leaving him be, and if looks could kill… Jason’s still armed, and he almost, almost goes for the gun. Bruce head’s it off at the pass though, saying he’ll go with them to discuss things further and also inform the league about what’s happened, but the rest of the boys will be staying.

Madam Pomfry insists on dosing Harry again, and after some reassurances that his brother’s aren't going anywhere, they get him to drink the potion. That’s as far as they indulge the mediwitch though. Tim and Damian both try to settle down in the bed on either side of their brother, though after some jostling around and being unable to really fit two teenagers and a ten year old comfortably in a hospital cot; Dick and Jason move another bed over flush against Harry’s and Dick manages to coax Damian into it with him, as long as the younger is able to keep hold of Harry’s arm. Jason retakes the seat he’d pulled up to the bedside, kick’s his feet up on the cot and settles in to keep watch over the lot of them for the night. And that is exactly where and how Bruce finds them the next morning.

#harry potter and the batfam #batfam anon #harry potter #batman #batfam #Anonymous

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wordsfromthesol · 4 years

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You’re a what... (2/4)

Author: @wordsfromthesol Taglist: @zalladane @ghost-brocolli Pairing: Dick Grayson x Reader Summary: Your life is turned upside down when you suddenly land in Gotham. Thankfully Dick is nearby and knows way more than he lets on. Warnings: Language, violence, all those good things Word Count: 1.7k

Part One Part Three Part Four

Dick shook you from your sleep, “Y/N! You’re safe! Wake up!”

You opened your eyes to see Dick leaning over you with a worried expression on his face. Your mind had still not caught up, but you blurted out anyways, “Fuck! How the hell did he even convince Hypnos to let him pull that bullshit?!” Your fists clenched with anger and electricity danced between your fingers. Dick looked over at you and you could see the gears turning in his mind.

“Hypnos…uncle…lightning…family drama…you’ve got to be kidding me. Y/N, you’re a god, aren’t you?”

“Technically…Wait, you actually believe that?”

“Well…” Dick contemplated what he should tell you, or rather how much he should tell you. “My dad knows Wonder Woman. She’s an Amazon, so that’s not that far off…”

You chuckled, “Oh, she’s no Amazon.” Before Dick could question you further, you continued, smiling with the knowledge that revealing this information would just further piss off your own father. “She’s a god, even if she doesn’t know it yet. I wonder what bullshit my father spun for that tale.”

“She said…sculpted from clay, Zeus brought her to life…”

“Yeah, sure. Even my dear old dad doesn’t have that kind of power. He ‘brought her to life’ by sleeping with Hippolyta. He takes what he wants, without regard or consequences.” Your chest went heavy as you remembered your own mother, who died giving birth to you, and left you alone with him. Hera terrorizing you every chance she got, after all you were just another one of Zeus’ bastard children. “So, any chance you know Di – Wonder Woman enough to get me an introduction?”

“Uhm…yeah, I…maybe. I’ll let you know.”

You threw your head into your hands, “Then again, the Amazons do love Hera. I wonder if Diana would even help me…I wonder if Hera knows Diana’s lineage? Maybe father actually managed to keep it from her…” You trailed off, forgetting that you were speaking aloud, and that Dick was in the room.

“I’m guessing Hera is not your mother then.”

You looked up at him, “What, oh yeah. No. Which is why I’m not technically, like a FULL on god… like Diana could probably take me in a fight. At least her mom is an Amazon, mine was just your average old human.”

“Human? You’re part human?”

“Is that such a surprise?”

“No…I guess I just didn’t realize Zeus was still coming down here to…play with humans.”

“Oh honey. I’m over a thousand years old. Hera has had him on a short leash after I showed up.”

“There’s no way you’re a thousand years old.”

You shrugged, “Time passes differently,” you pointed towards the ceiling, “up there. Who knows how this stupid human form will age.”

“Didn’t you say you were part human? Now you’re dissing us?”

You throw a pillow in his direction, “It’s not like I’ve ever actually been human!”

He picked up your failed attempt to hit him and threw it back towards you, “Well maybe give it a try first!”

“Hmph. What am I even supposed to do?”

“Get a job, make some friends, live. Like everyone else does down here.”

Nearly a month had passed. A month of you bumming on Dick’s couch, not knowing what to do. Not knowing any other human, besides the occasional chat with the barista at the coffee shop down the block or the avoidance of cat calls as you walked to said coffee shop. You still weren’t sure what Dick did, but he definitely wasn’t just a detective. He often came home with way too many cuts and bruises for simple police work. As you were going through the possibilities in your head, Dick walked through the door with a fresh cut through his jaw.

“Good news, Y/N/N, Wonder Woman agreed to meet you.” You moved to get up from the couch, but Dick quickly realized the miscommunication, “Tomorrow. Lunch tomorrow, she agreed to meet you. At Wayne Manor. My dad’s house.”

You settled back into the couch, “Okay.”

“That’s all I get? Okay?” Dick strolled over and sat beside you.

“I just…I don’t know if it’s even worth it anymore. She will know what to do as much as I do. I guess she may be able to get me passage to Tartarus. See Persephone…or give Hypnos a piece of my damn mind.”

“Zeus still invading your dreams?”

“Can’t you tell by my nightly scream sessions.” You rolled your eyes, trying to play off the pain you felt each time you allowed your mind to drift into sleep. In fact, that was why you hadn’t slept in nearly three days, and you had to admit this stupid human body was starting to feel it.

“Haven’t heard them in awhile…” Dick gazed into your eyes and began to notice the familiar signs of sleep deprivation. “Maybe there’s a different reason for that though.” He felt bad he hadn’t noticed sooner, but he had been to preoccupied nailing the drug ring he was after the night he met you.

You hung your head, realized you had been caught. “Yeah, it’s just easier this way.”

“Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but these lovely human bodies need sleep. Come on.” He pulled you up off the couch and led you into the bedroom. He watched as fear paved over your face and your breathing grew unsteady. “Hey, it’s alright. Just a few hours. Your body is going to start shutting down if you don’t get a few hours.”

You nodded hesitantly and crawled into the bed. You looked at him with pleading eyes until he moved to lay beside you. Without warning you curled into his chest, dreading the night to come.

Dick was shaking you awake several hours later, mumbling over and over, “You’re safe, you’re safe, it’s just a dream. You’re safe.” You felt bad for putting this stranger through your nonsensical life, but you had no other choice. Once you had answers from Diana, you promised yourself you would leave Dick out of everything. You didn’t want him dying because he helped you.

Finally, the two of you made your way to Wayne Manor. You hadn’t actually met any of Dick’s family…though he did talk about them. You’d much prefer him talking about his family than you about yours. Walking into the dining room, you saw a statuesque figure standing before you. Of course she’s drop dead gorgeous.

“Di – Wonder Woman. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Relax, Y/N. I trust these men, you may call me Diana. So, you are the cause of all pandemonium.”

“I guess so? I didn’t mean to be. Look, can we talk…” you eyed Dick and Bruce, “somewhere else?”

“We can, though it may be easier if we have their help.”

“NO!” The word came out much sharper than you intended. Your mind just kept floating back to scenes of Dick laying dead in your arms.

Diana eyed the two men, “I think it might be best if we were all a little more honest here.” Neither of the men made any effort to reveal information. “Alright,” Diana eventually spoke up again. “Guess we are going elsewhere then.” Diana led you to out to a garden, the two of you walking in silence. You sat on a nearby bench, deciding it was time to spin your tale. By the time you were done, you looked up to Diana, hopeful for ideas.

“My sister, that is a lot. I’m afraid I do not know what to do either. Our best option is to find Persephone. I do agree that she is likely the one who placed you on this earth.”

“Got access to Tartarus?”

“On Themyscria. I will work on passage for you. It should not be a problem, as you are female…and half god.” You grasped her wrist as she turned to leave.

“Diana…you know Zeus is your father, right?”

“I had long since suspected. But I will never get over the looks on men’s faces when I tell them I was sculpted from clay.” She gave you a wink before adding. “Be ready tomorrow. We leave at dawn.”

“Well everything I own is borrowed from Dick, so I’m already ready. Unless I should get back into my toga.”

She glanced over your attire, “It would be preferable. Jeans are too restrictive, and I have a gnawing feeling there is going to be a fight ahead of us.”

“You too, huh?”

Diana nodded with affirmation before heading back inside. You did not follow, you needed time to think, you needed more time to hone your skills. Zeus had trained you in Olympus and made sure all your opponents were stronger than you…but it had always felt different. That was training and though your opponents could have easily subdued you, they feared Zeus’ wrath and didn’t dare harm you. Even Hera’s bribes couldn’t even phase them. You just were hoped that once back in Tartarus, back in a land of the gods, your body would feel like your own again. Somehow in the back of your mind, you knew that would never be true again. It would always be different now, you couldn’t put a pin in why – though your suspicions kept trailing to Dick.

Diana approached Bruce and Dick, who were discussing their own plans in the matter.

“You too need to tell her how involved you actually are. She’s worried about you.” Her eyes could drill holes into Dick’s. “I know it would ease her mind, if she knew that you were capable of handling yourself. I have a feeling Zeus will not give up easily, he is not used to defiance. There will be a fight.”

“We can explain on the way to Themyscira.” Bruce’s voice was low and unfaltering.

“Bruce, we’ve been over this. I can’t just bring you to Themyscira, and I especially can’t bring you to Tartarus. Mortal men do not go to Tartarus unless they don’t plan on coming back.”

“Well I’m going. You haven’t seen her. What Zeus is doing to her in these dreams.” Dick shook his head, “No, I’m not letting her do this alone.”

“My mother is not going to like this.”

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a-marlene-s · 4 years

Text

Futuristic Miraculous: Part 1

Couple: TerRI, Terry Mcginnis x Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug/Batman Beyond

Genre: Salt, hurt/comfort, friendship, and possibly more.

Summary: With her childhood friends close by, Marinette knew she could take on the world, even when dealing with a certain lair. It all first started with taking a job for being Jagged Stone’s personal designer and that resulted with her being in Neo-Gotham. All the while Terry is facing the fact he is the new Batman and dealing with all the past Robins wondering what Bruce was thinking in taking in a new kid into the cruel world that is of Superheroes.

Terry McGinnis x Marinette Dupain-Cheng: Futuristic

Tag List: @battysorciere

TerRi Sever: https://discord.gg/2qCNdjs

Age List:

Bruce: 60

Dick: 43

Barbara: 42

Jason 39

Tim: 37

Damian: 34

Terry: 16

Marinette: 16

Penny R.: 32

Marinette refused to cry or look away as her classmates waiting to be picked up to go to the local airport. She could see many of them sneering, glaring or just giving her looks of pity. Then there was Lila… just giving a look that reminded Marinette of a cat that caught the canary.

At her right, Nino held back a snarl that threatened to escape his lips at the sight of Liar mocking his friend. At Marinette’s left, Kim is trying his hardest to hold back his own anger at what was happening. It’s completely unfair how things had turned out for Marinette. She had done everything she could for this trip to happen Neo-Gotham and for it to blow up in her face has become the last straw for her.

Marinette tried so hard to take the high road that the only thing she got out of it is broken friendships. Along with just seeing how depressing the world could be. It has been well over a year since Lila came to Paris and destroyed her life to the best of her abilities. Unfortunately for the Liar, Marinette has two best friends that managed to see through the lies and are now stand by her side through it all. Even going as far too foregoing Neo-Gotham for her.

With everyone’s back turn, Lila took the chance to send a menacing smirk to Marinette before boarding the bus with the rest of the class. Marinette’s eyes narrowed as everyone ignored them as the bus drove off, leaving them in its dust. This hurts.

Not as much as seeing the hurt in their faces when Lila’s reign over them comes tumbling down.

“Kim, Marinette, Nino, I have your work packets for the year.” Ms. Mendeleiev approached the three students with three large packets of work. “I stapled my contact information in each packet. I will have the rest of your work on my website by the end of the month. The packets should be more than enough until then.”

“Thank you, Ms. Mendeleiev for your help.” Marinette thanked her instructor as she and her friends took their respective packets.

“If it means undermining, Miss Bustier, they by all means.” Ms. Mendeleiev snorted, she looked at her students, seeing the determination in their eyes. “If I was your homeroom instructor… things would have never gotten this far, I hope the three of you know this.”

“We know, Ms. Mendeleiev.” Marinette smiled sadly before she started to smirk. “I suppose we should be heading to the airport too if we want to catch our flight.”

“Penny said that a limo will be picking us up as soon as we give her a call.” Nino mentioned.

“Yeah, let’s call her! I want to see the looks on their faces when they see us flying first class!!!” Kim laughed.

Ms. Mendeleiev could only shake her head before she turned on her heal to leave. “Keep up with your work and keep me posted on your work.”

“Thank you, Ms. Mendeleiev.”

-.-

Tim drank what feels like his hundredth cup of coffee in the past hour, it might as well be his hundredth cup of coffee at this point. He was supposed to be in Paris for just a simple and much needed vacation. But of course work has to come first before anything. This resulted with him waiting in the airport with a bunch of high school students that are to go back to Neo-Gotham with him as part of an exchange program set up by his associates and his old Alma mater.

Now… this wouldn’t be an issue. The actual issue being the fact that the one that did most of the work to make this program possible isn’t even here. Tim doesn’t buy that whole, ‘disciplinary actions’ and all that other crap the teacher tries to shove down his throat. He ignored the rest of it and had emailed the associate that had put this together to send him the report from the missing student.

What Tim read made him wonder what the hell is going on in Paris. It makes it appear that they made the poor girl do all the dirty work and pushed her out of her own project at the last minute. As much he wants to forgo this trip, he has to keep up appearances as a CEO. Plus, who knows… maybe the kid will finally get a break from them.

Win-Win? No… it’s a lost for the girl that did everything she could to get her class to go on this trip. For nothing on her end.

“I happen to know Dick Grayson’s daughter, Mar’i Grayson! We are the closes of friends you know~”

Tim’s neck nearly snapped when he turned his attention to one of the French students. Once look over, and he could tell right off the bat she’s lying. First off… he knows all of Mar’i’s friends, safety precautions and to weed of anyone that wants to use her for connections. Second… this brat never spends a single day in the Manor and knew his own kids!!!! Tim guesses that the fact no one recognize him and assumed he’s some random employee that was supposed to be their guide or something.

Otherwise, the liar wouldn’t be spinning her tales otherwise.

“Why the hell are you here!!!”

Tim turned around to see three teens talking animated to a pink haired adult that is showing them a pamphlet. Considering they were all in the waiting terminal to catch the next plane, the four were blissfully unaware of their surroundings. That was until Miss Bustier approached the group but the woman that was holding the pamphlet pushed the teens behind her. Whatever was said by both adults, clearly made the teacher go on edge and the pink haired woman to smirk smugly at her.

With a heavy sigh, Tim drowned down his hundredth cup of coffee and headed towards what he suspects to be trouble.

“Marinette, Nino and Kim are under my supervision.” Penny stated, her expression neutral to hide her contempt. “I have their parents’ permission, the school is notified and that is all you need to know.”

Bustier’s mouth went agape at the woman’s words, even more so at the sight of her student’s smirks that were directed her way. Those three were supposed to be back at the school, not here in the airport. Not being here, waiting for the same plane as they are. She shook her head and tried to say something when it was announced that their flight is about ready to board, informing everyone to get to their spots.

“We must get going.” Penny said, pushing past Bustier and the rest of the students that decided to surround them. “We to get in line.”

Kim and Nino took hold of Marinette and pushed through the crowd as it appeared their fellow classmates were not planning on letting them through. The last thing they needed is more fuel to the fire by having Marinette being singled out for something she didn’t do. Again. Marinette for her own part, ignored the glares and everyone’s attempt to get her attention. As of now, they are not worth her time.

Marinette did however stick out her tongue out at Lila when she caught the other teen glaring at her. Might as well have some fun for now.

Tim, who had been watching, watched as the Marinette Dupain-Cheng be pulled away by her friends by her… friends? Classmates? Whatever she considers them, considering how majority of them were not comforting the now crying Liar. The Liar kept crying on and on how Marinette supposedly had stepped on her foot on purpose.

“Miss Bustier, is there a problem?” Tim asked, causing the French teacher to suck in a deep breath. Ah, she forgot about him. Figures. “Well?”

“Just a miscommunication is all.” Bustier tried to say.

“I assume that was Miss Dupain-Cheng?” Tim asked, raising an eyebrow at Bustier. “The one that is supposed to be dealing with disciplinary problems?”

“She chopped off Lila’s hair!” One of the teens seethed out as she tried to sooth the Lair’s tears away. “And she just stepped on her foot.”

Tim looked at Lila to see that her shoes were scruff free, her hair… well, it’s in a bob. He could only shake his head. Oh, how much he wants to cancel this trip. He’s close to doing it too. Taking in a deep breath, he looked back at Bustier. “Far as I am concerned, she is not part of this trip. You have no control over them. You, however, have control over the rest of your students. Now go get in line, we are about to board.”

-.-

Tim sat in his first class seat, asking the stewardess for a large cup of coffee. When he gets back home, he’s going to apologize to Bruce for all the shit he ever pulled on him throughout the years. This doesn’t include his own kids, but that is beside the point of it all. He had to deal with a bunch of whiny teens that are going on and on how the evil Marinette getting first class seats while they all have coach. Evil this, evil that, and here he was talking with said evil person, chatting away on her dream of becoming a fashion designer and how the Jagged Stone has hired her personally to design his clothes while he’s on tour.

It also helps that the woman from earlier, Penny Rolling is Jagged’s agent and confirmed her story. From what Tim could summarize what had happened was that Lila Rossi had cut her own hair to the point it was unsalvageable and blamed it on Marinette, claiming the designer did it. No one took Marinette’s side except for her two friends, Kim and Nino.

Despite the fact that Marinette was with Kim and Nino when this… accident had occurred, no one bothered to listen to reason. This caused Tim really regret not canceling the trip for the other Parisians. That was until Penny made mention that there was no point in going up against the girl… at that instant. If the girl wants a to be the center of attention, oh, she will get it.

Tim couldn’t help but laugh at the agent’s words before he quickly sobered up. Despite the fact Marinette and her friends are still going to Neo-Gotham, but they won’t have the same experience as the others… although, thinking further into it, it wouldn’t be all that great of a trip for them if Rossi keeps trying to sabotage them at every step.

At least they found a way to enjoy their time in the city…

“Excuse me, Mr. Drake…?”

Tim looked up at one of the stewardess to see her holding a note. “Is something the matter?”

“You have a message from one… Dick Grayson” The stewardess replied uncertainty, handing over the note to Tim.

Tim took the note and a raised eye brow. He watched as the stewardess scurry of before looking down at the note. Unfolding it to see what was written on it only caused both eyebrows to shot up.

Check the Neo-Gotham news!

Tim pulled out his cellphone and turned it back on. By the time his phone had booted up, he was bombarded by many missed texts, lost calls, and many news notifications all stemming from his home city. When he went to check on the latest text, he got another notification from a news station he follows.

Tapping on the notification and the headline of the article has him quickly making a group call with all the former batboys.

Tomorrow is Here, The Return of Batman!

“Okay, which one of you did it. Which one of you is the new Batman… What did you expect, Jason! I haven’t been in the same country, let alone continent… I don’t know, Damian! Bruce prefers to be alone and hardly bothers to talk to anyone outside of the family… Thanks Dick… Let’s get this straight, whoever this new Batman is, is none of us… That’s what I thought.” Tim pulled his phone away from his ear as Dick, Jason and Damian started to argue among themselves on whatever is going on in Neo-Gotham. Apparently, there’s a new Batman and they have no clue who took on the old mantle of the Dark Night. Or as the Tomorrow Knight as people are taking to call him as now. Taking in a deep breath, Tim put the phone back by his ear. “I’m on a plan heading back home. I’ll talk to Bruce about this… What do you guys mean you won’t be here until then?… Just get here as soon as possible.”

-.-

Terry double checked that he has all of Bruce’s medications counted before placing them all in a small plant along with a sandwich and a steaming cup of tea. If he’s going to be dubbed Bruce Wayne’s part-time assistant, he might as well play the part. He has nothing against it, the old man is giving him the opportunity in becoming the new Batman. Plus, but the looks of it, there was really no one there to help Bruce as often as needed. Mainly making sure the guy doesn’t have a heart attack by doing the simplest of tasks… like saving him.

Terry shook his head as he picked up the tray and headed towards the room where Bruce is with Ace. Taking in a deep breath, he made his way to his new mentor.

Pushing the door open, Terry caught Bruce putting something away in his coat. He raised an eyebrow but made no comment. For all he knew it was other medication Bruce doesn’t want him to know about. “Remind me to go grocery shopping later. For a rich guy, your pantry is pretty bare.”

“Alfred used to keep the place stock…” Bruce briefly mentioned, reaching over to Ace to scratch his head. “Tim mainly just whatever he thinks is best for me…which isn’t much.”

“Tim?”

“One of my sons. You will be seeing him often as he pops by to make sure I’m properly taking care of myself.” Terry could hear the eye roll Bruce did at the mention of taking care of himself. “If you see a thirty something year old male that looks like he’s on the verge of collapsing… it’s him.”

“Is… is this the same man that took over Wayne Enterprises?” Terry enquired, placing the tray on a small table next to Bruce’s chair.

“He is. Out of my four sons, he took the most interest in taking over the company.”

“Got it.” Terry grumbled, taking a seat opposite of Bruce. He watched as the older male take his sandwich and eat it uninterestingly. A thought popped through his head suddenly, causing him to tense. “All your sons were past Robins and the occasional Batman… right?”

Bruce eyed Terry suspiciously before nodding, taking another bite from his food. “Your point?”

“Did you tell any of them about me?” Terry asked.

“I did not. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them barges through that door… right about now.”

Slam!

The doors of the room slammed open to reveal a very sleep deprived male, frantically looking around for who knows what. When his eyes landed on Terry, his slowly blinked over to Bruce and back at Terry before leaving the room. An awkward silence filled the air when the sound of the front door being slammed open and shut.

Terry looked over at Bruce just to see the man still munching on his sandwich. “Who was that?”

“That would be Tim.” Bruce said without missing a beat.

Terry looked taken aback at that statement. The same guy that’s supposed to look after Bruce, the same guy that looks like he’s going to keel over? Yeah, no. Tim looks like he hasn’t slept in months and is need of a proper meal. “…And he now the head of Wayne Enterprise?”

“I’m one of the chairmen.” Bruce stated.

The sound of the front door being slammed open reverberated throughout the seemingly quiet manor. Stomping all the way to the room Terry and Bruce are in. Tim came back, staring at Terry with a wide variety of emotions. “Who are you? Did Bruce adopt you? What’s your backstory? What’s your name…?”

Terry looked taken aback, he looked over at Bruce, hoping for some sort of help. Nope. The old man just took his medication and used his tea to drink it down. “…”

“Well?” Tim questioned, storming into the room. He now stood in between Bruce and Terry, waiting for the teen to answer his questions. “Who are you?”

“His father used to work for Wayne Enterprises.” Bruce butted in, emphasizing on a particular word.

This only caused Tim to raise his hands into the air in defeat as he caught drift on Bruce’s meaning of the words, used to. “Great…. He did take in another one… If you’ll excuse me, I need to talk to my brothers.”

With that, Tim one again left the room leaving being a very perplexed Terry and annoyed Bruce.

“What the hell was that?” Terry questioned.

“…He gets like that whenever he’s off his coffee.”

-.-

Marinette, Nino and Kim did their best to ignore how Neo-Gotham gave them the creeps. It was clear the city needed massive cleaning up when it comes to crime. From what they had gathered, things had deteriorated since Batman had hung his cape for good. Shortly being followed by his former sidekicks. Since then, crime has risen to the point it makes them wonder if the city will ever be crime-free.

Maybe they’ll help while they are in the city for the time being.

“Spots On!”

“Shell On!”

“Show Time!”

-.-

Tim sat in front of the computer mainframe inside the Batcave, on a multi-line video chat with Dick, Barbara, Jason and Damian. “You know him, Barbs?”

“Terrence ‘Terry’ McGinnis has multiple run ins with the GCPD. Even serving a three-month stint in juvie for running with a street gang.” Commissioner Barbara Gordon said, her expression stern and not at all liking the fact that Bruce had managed to find someone to take over the mantle of Batman.

Jason whistled at that. “Damn. What this kids’ home life like?”

“His father was murdered the other night… in order to keep him quiet.” Barbara said, her eyes narrowed down onto Tim. For his own part, Tim wanted to earth to swallow him up. “Something about one of your business partners, by the name of Derek Powers, was creating a formula and one Warren McGinnis was a part of the research division of it.”

Once more, Tim slumped further into his chair as he thought over the business deal he had with Derek Powers. It was nothing out of the ordinary really. They both had something the other needed, and Powers just wanted to use the Wayne’s Labs for further research on a formula. Nothing out of the norm really! This has been done multiple times with different companies in the past. But it appears this time around… it was anything but the norm.

“Powers had Warren killed. Terry found out, and wanted payback. What’s new?” Damian rolled his eyes not at all amused by the entire situation. “I just want to know how he managed to get the suit.”

“Bruce is refusing to tell me anything and all of you know how he is.” Tim said, fixing himself back into the seat before he had the chance to fall off it.

“Does he gave a family?” Dick asked quietly, almost being talked over by Jason demanding Tim to demand for more answers.

Once again, Barbara answered. “He’s now living with his mother and had a younger brother.”

“Do they get along?” Jason asked.

“They do. More so after Terry’s return from juvie.”

“You know something…” Jason mused, he wasn’t facing the screen anymore, paying more attention to whatever was on his phone. “If I didn’t know any better…”

“Which you don’t.” Damian butted in.

“Shut it squirt!” Jason shot back.

“I’m not a child anymore, Todd!”

“That’s enough!” Dick said, breaking up a possible fight. “No more fighting. We’re not children anymore.”

Jason tsk’ed but continued with his train of thought. “The kid looks a lot like Damian when he was around that age.”

At this, everyone turned their attention to Damian who’s eyes nearly popped out of his head, nearly choking on a beverage he was drinking. “Let me assure you, I am not like father who sleeps with random women.”

“…You got to admit… Terry has Bruce’s chin…” Dick pointed out.

Silence…

“Who wants to bet Bruce didn’t wear a condom?”

A sharp ring interrupted any possible bets, Tim reached up and started to figure out what set off the alarm. Pulling up a screen that showed something… really, really… really odd. “So… a ladybug, a turtle and a monkey walked into a movie theater that’s being held up in gun point…”

TBC.

If anyone wants to be part of the tag list, don’t hesitate to ask

#TerRi #Terry x Marinettte #terry mcginnis #marinette dupen chang #ml #batman beyond #dc #crossover #batman #ladybug #miiraculous laadybug #maribat #Part 1

209 notes · View notes

fishfingersandjellybabies · 5 years

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Fates Be Damned - fic

Characters: Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Damian Wayne, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Cassandra Cain, Selina Kyle Summary: Batman Incorporated was waging war against Leviathan. But Dick would be damned if he let Damian become a casualty to this fight. A/N: A fix it for Batman Inc. 4 from like five years ago!!! Because I’m clearly up with the times. Bruce’s starting dialogue is from that issue. I don’t want to call this a hurt/comfort fic, because it’s not a happy ending for everyone, and I’d be interested in anyone thoughts on the ending I chose because it’s not a ‘everything tied up neatly’ kind of ending like I tend to do. Anyways, this all happens over a year as hinted at. Alfred was away in the last part, and he is still in constant contact with Dick and Damian. Dick and Damian keep up their training, though really do enjoy not being vigilantes. No, Damian does not take Dick’s last name. Batcow and Goliath, of course, come with them to live in the ‘burbs, and the family visits often. Bruce does too, eventually.

It felt like someone shocked him. Or maybe slapped him, or just said the sky is falling.

Because this…this wasn’t happening, right?

He looked to his brothers, to Tim and Jason, and saw his own near-revulsion mirrored on their own faces.

So it wasn’t a dream. Or a miscommunication.

Here they were, in the middle of a goddamn war, all hands on deck. And Bruce just told one of their ranks, just told Damian – little, mostly innocent, eleven-year-old Damian – that he had to leave the life he chose, the life he loved, and go back to his mother, the one who hurt him more than anyone in the world.

And Damian’s face is wrecked. Dick had never seen this child cry, but here, there were tears in his eyes, and terror in his voice, as he tried to reason with Bruce, explain how much he gave up, how much he did. Just to belong, just to be loved by his old man.

How much he didn’t want to go.

But Bruce… Jesus Christ, Bruce just shook his head.

“If you don’t, Gotham, the world, will be plunged into chaos. And you, Damian…” Bruce sighed, like he was disappointed. “You’re going to be responsible…”

It was out of his mouth before he thought about it.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Dick snapped. Damian jumped in surprise, and Bruce turned so quick he may have given himself some sort of whiplash.

But any surprise Batman had immediately disappeared. “Excuse me?”

“He’s eleven, Bruce.” Dick hissed, balling his hands into fists. Damian had looked away now, stepped forward and grabbed Bruce’s cape to regain his attention, plead his case. “He’s eleven years old, your fucking son, and not only are you blaming him for this mess, you’re going to force him to go back to Talia?”

Bruce’s shoulders slumped. “Dick, you don’t understand…”

“The woman who put him through hell for most of his life?” Dick’s fury rose with every word, and he could feel his muscles start to shake with adrenaline. “The woman who put a fucking hit out on him, and you’re going to send him back to her?!”

“Dick…”

“No. No.” Dick started shaking his head. In his periphery he could see Tim and Jason glancing at each other, Damian still trying to take back Bruce’s attention. “You know what? No, I’m done. Because I let you take him back, I let you break up our partnership and regain guardianship even though I knew, deep down, it was a terrible idea, for both him and you. I let you uproot him and isolate him. I even let you abandon him for your rendezvous with Selina, or any time you felt the need to play Brucie Wayne halfway across the world.”

He stepped forward now, his breathing heavy as he got into Bruce’s face.

“But you must think I’m a goddamn idiot if you think I’m going to let you sacrifice him just because you and Talia can’t get along, and got the whole world involved in your stupid spat.” He poked Bruce in the chest now. Over and over, to emphasize his words. “Damian is innocent in this, and for you to have the audacity to blame him…” Dick bit his lip, and shook his head. “The needs of the many don’t outweigh the needs of the few. Not here. Not with your own fucking son, Bruce.”

“Dick, if there was another way you know I’d-”

“I’m done listening. I’m done being your soldier in this. I’m done letting you hurt him, for nothing.” Dick growled. Without waiting for a reply, he shoved past him to where Damian was standing, and scooped the boy up into his arms. “I’m taking him, and we’re going into hiding until this garbage is finished. I’ll help run computers with Oracle, and ping the communicators when I’m online.”

“Dick…!”

“I’m disappointed, Bruce.” Dick glanced back, just once, holding the back of Damian’s head. “You’ve made better plans in worse situations. And the one you settled on here, to save the day, was to sell your son back to the demon?” He narrowed his eyes. “Shame on you.”

Damian didn’t argue as Dick moved towards the door. Just wrapped his arms and legs as tightly around Dick as he dared. His breaths were shallow and hiccupped, and Dick could feel the tears splashing away from his cheeks.

“G-G-Grayson.” He murmured.

“I know.” He whispered, kissing Damian’s head. He couldn’t tell him it was okay. Because it was a lie, and Dick couldn’t do that to him. Not right now. “But I’ve got you.”

Damian dug his traumatized, trembling fingers into Dick’s neck.

“I’ve got you now, kiddo.”

Dick had been right, in the end. Bruce did come up with a better solution.

The world was saved. Talia and her army were dealt with. Blah, blah, blah.

That’d been about a month and a half ago, and it was still Dick’s kitchen table in a tiny rented house away from any city that Damian sat at every morning to eat his breakfast.

Bruce had called a week after the battle ended. Told Dick about the final fight between him and his once-lover, the injuries sustained. How everyone, from family to communities, were coping with the aftermath.

Dick listened politely, waiting for the real reason for the call.

“So…yeah. Everything has been settled. Talia won’t be bothering us again for a long time.” Bruce huffed, trying to be nonchalant. “You can…bring Damian home whenever it’s convenient for you.”

Bruce couldn’t see it, but Dick smiled. A sneering, cold, angry smile. “Who said I was bringing him home at all?”

And then he hung up.

Damian had been in the room during the call, drawing in the corner and taking pictures on his phone of his dozing pets. He’d heard everything Bruce said, just as he heard everything Dick said.

So when Dick tossed his phone on the table and looked up, it was no surprise that Damian was staring at him.

“What?”

“You…” Damian tilted his head thoughtfully. “You’re not making me go back to Father?”

Dick blinked as he leaned back in his chair. “Do you want to?”

Damian’s eyes lowered, his lips twisted in thought.

“…No.” He decided, looking back to his art. “I…after what happened, I…don’t think I’m ready to see Father yet.”

“Okay.” Dick smiled. “Sounds good to me.”

Dick turned on the TV. Damian went back to drawing.

It was no surprise when the Batman showed up at his door in the middle of the night.

“Took you long enough.” Dick muttered dryly when he answered the door with crossed arms. Stephanie, Batgirl, stood sheepishly behind him, clearly not wanting to be there as his partner.

“I need to see him.” Bruce growled.

“Well, he’s sleeping.” Dick smirked. “So how about you call again in the morning and make an appointment.”

“He’s my son, Dick.”

“Yeah, well.” Dick shrugged. “Maybe not anymore.”

And Dick knew Bruce well enough to see the hit that was coming, and block it.

“Oh, going to break into my house and beat me up?” Dick laughed, even as Stephanie tried to get between them. “Where was all this concern during you and Talia’s little tiff, hm?”

Before the fight could continue, there was a harsh whisper from further into the house. “Oh, will you two knock it off?”

Bruce hesitated, and glanced over Dick’s shoulder to find Tim standing at the mouth of another hallway. “If you two wake him up, I’m kicking you both out. He has a test in the morning and needs his rest.”

Bruce blinked, allowing Stephanie to push him away from Dick. “Test?” He looked at his eldest. “He’s in school?”

“Well he’s not getting private lessons from Alfred anymore, so I enrolled him here.” Dick pretended to dust dirt from his shoulders. “He’s still struggling with being a child genius and making friends, so Tim comes by and helps tutor him sometimes, since he knows what that’s like.”

“…This wasn’t a permanent move, Dick. For either of you.” Bruce scolded.

“Yeah, well. Maybe I decided it should be.” Dick spat. “He doesn’t need to be Robin, he doesn’t need to be out there on the streets like that anymore. And…maybe I don’t either. Haven��t thought about Nightwing once since we moved to the suburbs, if I’m honest.”

“Domesticated? You?” Steph snorted. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“It’s wild, Steph.” Tim called from behind him.

Dick shot her a warm grin, but Bruce cut their own small moment off. “I want to speak to my son.”

“Well, A, I’m also your son and you’re speaking to me, so. You already have.” Dick mocked. “And B, you’ll talk to him when I say you can. Which is not right now.”

Bruce tried one of his tactics, pushed into Dick’s space and glared down at him. “He’s not your son, Dick.”

Dick shrugged, keeping his sneer. “Maybe he actually is.”

Dick smoothly backed away. “You’re welcome to a drink, snack or nap while you’re here. And if you don’t want any of those, then you can just get the fuck out, I guess.”

“Dick…” Tim sighed as Dick stood next to him.

Dick smiled. “You play host, Timmy. I’m beat. Mind if I hit the hay?”

He didn’t wait for an answer, just disappeared down the hall behind Tim.

Later, after he’d entertained Bruce and Stephanie, and gave them a little more insight into Dick and Damian’s new life – Dick’s job at a youth center, teaching each other how to cook, Damian’s friends – Tim checked on Dick before heading to the guest bedroom himself.

Dick wasn’t in his own room, and that didn’t surprise Tim at all. He sighed, turned to Damian’s room, and found Dick in there, all but octopus-wrapped around Damian.

Tim frowned at the escrima stick his sleeping older brother still held at the ready, though.

It was never stated out loud, or made official.

Damian lived with Dick now. Permanently.

It was one of those things that everyone knew, but no one talked about, at least, not in front of those involved.

Dick’s friends quietly texted each other about it. The Justice League murmured amongst themselves when Bruce wasn’t on the satellite. The rest of the Batfamily did what they could to just bridge the gap.

Bruce was more closed off than normal, and he talked about his eldest and youngest less and less. Even their codenames of Nightwing and Robin were like forbidden words.

There were cases with their uniforms in the cave now. And Batman’s other partners found him staring at them often.

Dick and Damian didn’t patrol anymore, and Robin and Nightwing hadn’t been seen since the War of Gotham, and the fight against Leviathan.

Most people thought they were dead. No one corrected them.

But Dick and Damian seemed to have traded their gauntlets for gardens. They walked the dog around the neighborhood every night. They meal-prepped, had movie nights, attended the local neighborhood block party.

To their neighbors, it was a single young father and his son. Just some normal folks with their not-quite-normal pets, trying to get away from the city life, and the darkness of Gotham. The father was charismatic and handsome. His son a bit aloof, but polite when approached.

They didn’t talk about their past. Didn’t talk about things like the boy’s mother, or any other family. They came from Gotham, that’s all anyone in town knew.

And they were happy, that’s all anyone in town knew, too.

Jason watched him for a few moments, slowly taking a gulp of his beer. Then, he slowly lowered his bottle and smacked his lips thoughtfully.

“You’re too giddy about this.”

Dick looked up from Damian, who was sleeping against his side. The child had fallen asleep after the three had had dinner, and continued to curl into Dick’s side in his slumber as the sun lowered behind the horizon.

“Too giddy about what?”

Jason motioned to Damian. “Being his dad.”

Dick blinked, and then fell into a huffed laugh. “I’m not his dad.”

“I bet he’d beg to differ.” Jason murmured. Paused to look at Damian himself. His chubby cheeks and long lashes. How small he was. “…If you didn’t want to give him back to Bruce in the first place, why did you?”

“I thought it was best for him. He’d always wanted to be with Bruce. It wasn’t my place to keep him from that.” Dick hummed, glancing back down to Damian himself, brushing his hair away from his eyes.

“Could have just asked him.”

“I also didn’t think I was ready to be a dad. It was a lot, that time Bruce was gone. Being Batman, raising him…” Dick shrugged. “I wasn’t doing that great of a job, despite what you all apparently think. And he deserved better.”

“And now after everything that’s happened, do you regret what you did?” Jason asked. “If you could go back, would you have kept him with you instead?”

“…I don’t know.” Dick sighed. “Maybe. If I knew Bruce was going to be this much of a prick, then yes. I would have kept him as far away from Bruce as humanly possible.”

“Well, better late than never on that last bit, right?” Jason snorted. He let the laugh die off as he took another drink of his beer. “You ever going to speak to him again?”

“I speak to him now, Jay, you know that. Just not…you know, frequently.” Dick defended. “But I know you mean in regards to Damian, and…no. I want to talk to Damian about it first, but I don’t think he’s ready.”

“Dick, it’s been months.”

“Yeah, and Bruce was trying to give him away forever.” Dick nearly spat. A sore spot still, Jason assumed. Though he wondered if it was a worse sore spot for Dick or Damian. “It’s…a lot to deal with. You were there, you saw how Damian reacted.”

“Yeah, he cried. Never seen that before.” Jason admitted. “Has he talked about Bruce at all?”

“In passing, and…coldly. Very detached.” Dick’s brows furrowed. “Doesn’t call him Father anymore. Just Bruce. Sometimes even Mr. Wayne.”

“Harsh. Does Bruce know that?” Jason asked.

“Tim knows, and I’m betting he’s mentioned it to him.” Dick explained. “But, I digress. It’s not something I want to push him on. I just…want to be here for him instead. In the interim, whenever he’s ready. Stuff like that.”

“AKA…like a dad.” Jason smirked.

“Shut it.” Dick laughed. “…What’s your thoughts on all this?”

Jason took another drink from his bottle, picked up his phone and read a quick text message. “I think Bruce was a piece of shit, deciding that was the only option for ending that stupid battle.” He placed his phone back down. “And I think you did the right thing by getting Damian out and as far away as possible.”

“Think I should have kept him?”

Jason thought a moment more. “…Yes.” A quick sniff. “And I think you should have gotten him out of the life. You getting out too was just a bonus, I think.”

Dick smiled warmly. “Thanks, Jay.” He inhaled. “I thought I’d miss it more, being Nightwing and all that, but.” He looked down at Damian, ran his hand up and down Damian’s arm. Damian just burrowed deeper into his side. “I don’t.”

“They say having kids changes you.” Jason reminded. “And this time around, you aren’t trying to juggle seven hundred different things. And you’re not grieving.”

“True.” Dick mumbled, staring down at the boy in his arms. “…I hate Bruce for what he tried to do.”

“We all do, I think.” Jason offered. “Damian’s a shitball, but…he didn’t deserve that.”

“Do you think Bruce understands that yet?” Dick asked.

“…I don’t know.” Jason admitted. “It’s hard to tell with him.”

Dick nodded, then slowly leaned his head against Damian’s, looking at Jason with a soft smile.

“Thanks for stopping by, Jay.” Dick hummed. “I really love when you do.” Then a laugh. “And Damian will never admit it, but he does too.”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s what’s family is for, and all that shit.”

Dick laughed and closed his eyes. Jason just took another drink.

“…Do you blame me?” Bruce, not Batman, asked, though his cape waved softly behind him. Cassandra and Tim glanced at each other, then to Bruce’s back, as he did not face them. Selina tilted her head. “Do you hate me?”

“Hate, no.” Selina hummed. “But blame? Well, Bat. What you almost did was terrible. Would you blame us if we did?”

“It was…” Bruce looked down at the streets below them. “I didn’t think I had another choice.”

“But in the end, you did.” Selina reminded. She looked at the younger two heroes, gave them an encouraging smile. They didn’t return it. “You found another solution that didn’t threaten your child’s life.”

“It was…” Cassandra offered. “A…poor choice.”

“And the only reason we don’t hate you is because Dick stepped in and stopped it from happening.” Tim added. “He saved Damian…and if he hadn’t gotten in your way, this conversation would be going very differently.”

Bruce closed his eyes, swayed slightly in the wind. “Would it make a difference if I said I was sorry?”

“We’re not the ones you should be apologizing to.” Selina sighed. “You know that, Bat.”

Bruce didn’t open his eyes. “…Do you think he’s happy?”

“I know he is.” Tim almost hissed. It was harsh and angry, but controlled, contained. Businesslike, and so very Tim. “He’s probably happier than he’s ever been, which is funny to say since you broke his heart and he’s still trying to put those pieces back together.”

“And better,” Cassandra cut in. “He is…safe.”

“And alive.” Selina continued.

No one spoke after that, for just a moment. Let those words – happy, safe, alive – linger between them, and float through the air into the Gotham night.

“…I miss him. I miss him and Dick both.” Bruce whispered. “Am I allowed to?”

Selina walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re allowed to have emotions, Bruce.” A smirk, just for him. “In fact, we’re all pretty sure a lack of emotions is what got you here in the first place.”

Bruce tried to smile back to her. It didn’t feel right.

“…But to answer your question.” Tim exhaled, like he was exhausted. “No, we don’t hate you. We’re mad-”

“Pissed.” Cassandra interjected.

“-but would we be standing here if we hated you?”

It’d been ten months.

Ten months of Damian living with him, away from Bruce – and they hadn’t talked about it. Not once. Not even a mention, or a second.

It made him anxious, worrying about what might be clouding Damian’s brain, but it also made him happy. Because Damian seemed freer here, outside of Gotham, away from the costumes.

Away from his father.

He smiled so much out now. Laughed out loud, let himself feel.

And as much as he knew they needed to talk about it, Dick just didn’t want to wreck that.

But still – the tension of the topic was palpable. And Dick didn’t want that to get worse.

So it wasn’t his plan to talk about it right now, as they lay in the backyard, resting against Batcow, gazing at the stars above them.

But as he watched Damian pointing constellations out to his dog between them, the words just slipped out.

“I’m sorry.”

Damian looked up at him, confused. “For?”

Dick just kept staring at his charge, his voice quiet. Mournful. “For what Bruce did to you.”

Damian’s creased brows smoothed. He glanced down, reaching out to pet Titus’ head, and shrugged.

“I wish it didn’t. I wish I could have stopped him before he ever said anything.” Dick whispered. “I wish I didn’t have to take you away.”

“But I’m glad you did.” Damian interjected immediately, eyes fierce when he met Dick’s eyes once more. “Who knows where I would be right now if you hadn’t.”

Dick tried to give a little smile at that.

“…How are you feeling, though? Are you doing okay?” Dick asked. “Are you…happy?”

Damian leaned back, stared thoughtfully up at the stars.

Then smiled.

“Happier than I’ve been in a long time.” Damian decided. “A very long time.”

Dick allowed himself his own grin then, then shifted to pull Damian into his side and kiss his head.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Dick murmured into his hair. Damian merely shrugged again. “…Well, if you ever do, I’m here, okay?”

Damian looked up at him. His face was open and his smile was bright.

“I know you are.”

The manor was quiet, that was the first thing Damian noticed as he stepped in the front door. Quiet and dusty.

He didn’t take off his shoes, didn’t plan to be here long, just looked around as he made his way towards his father’s study.

The house was so empty, he could hear the scratch of a pen from down the hall. When he reached the door, the noise was almost deafening.

He stood there, though, for just a moment. Collected himself, inhaled. Then pushed the door open.

Bruce was at his desk, proofreading some sort of document for Wayne Enterprises. There was the shadow of a beard around his face, and his hair was messy. He looked tired, but not Batman tired.

Old man tired.

He looked up at the movement of the door, and his eyes widened as he registered who it was. He learned back in his chair, braced the armrests like he was about to stand, but Damian held up his hand to wave him off.

“I’m not staying.” He said quickly. “Just…wanted to stop by.”

“…What are you doing here?” Bruce asked quietly. “In Gotham, I mean.”

“Grayson is having lunch with Gordon.” Damian hummed. “I asked to tag along, said I wanted to see a friend too.”

“…He doesn’t know you’re here.” Bruce concluded.

“No. But I will tell him later, when we’re finished.” Damian nodded. He hesitated for a moment, looked around the room, at the art and style. He didn’t feel any sense of nostalgia, though. Didn’t miss this place at all.

He sighed, and looked back at Bruce.

“…Father.” The word sounded strange, he hadn’t said it in so long. “I know we haven’t talked or seen each other since…since that day.” Damian started. He could see the pain in Bruce’s eyes immediately. The guilt. The regret. “Both through my own choices and Grayson’s interventions.”

Bruce waited, looked like he was holding his breath.

“But I just want you to know that I forgive you.” Damian said plainly. “I forgive you for what happened.”

Bruce watched for a moment, then slumped. “You don’t have to.” He whispered. “I know I don’t deserve it.”

“Debatable.” Damian shrugged. “But that doesn’t change anything, not from my perspective. I forgive you.”

Bruce looked down.

“So don’t…feel guilty. It’s okay.” Damian offered. “I...want you to be happy.”

“I’ll be happy when you come home.” Bruce admitted, not looking up. “…I miss you.”

Damian didn’t seem to expect that response. Blinked in surprise, then looked guilty himself.

“I feel that I am home.” Damian murmured. “With Grayson.”

Bruce closed his eyes.

“And I apologize for that, I know it’s not something you wanted to hear.” Damian sighed. “But…I’m happy to extend an invitation to you. To visit whenever you like.”

Bruce didn’t open his eyes. “Dick won’t like that.”

“I’ll get him to come around.” Damian paused then. “He won’t say it, but he forgives you too, or at least is in the process of it. He was only upset because your decision was not what he felt was best for me, and that’s all he wants.”

Bruce did look up at that.

“He just wants what’s best for me. And I’ve found that the life we’ve adopted since we left is that.”

“That’s…good.” Bruce forced himself to admit. “I’m glad. For you and Dick both.”

“Thank you.” Another hesitation. “And thank you for everything you’ve given me thus far. I appreciate it more than I can ever say, even with our last meeting what it was.”

Bruce flashed a grim smile. Thank you for introducing me to Dick, is what Damian wouldn’t say.

“…But I better get going. Like I said, I can’t stay. And I actually do have a friend I’d like to visit.” Damian ended. “…It’s good to see you…Father.”

“You as well, Damian.” Bruce stood. “Thank Dick for me. For protecting you when I should have.”

“I will.” Damian promised. Stopped again, like he didn’t know what to do next, then merely gave a quick wave. “Goodbye, Father.”

“Goodbye, Damian.”

Damian nodded, and disappeared back into the hall. Bruce didn’t follow.

Just sat back down, and hid his face in his hands as he heard the front door close.

#Damian Wayne #bruce wayne #dick grayson

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maychorian · 4 years

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Yofa chapter five, starting from bruce telling tim he heard what tim said to jason

This was a really sad scene. I think @jpnpr summed it up the best in their comment on the chapter: “I was just shocked how much could go wrong with a father telling his son that he loves him.“

The miscommunication was just...off the charts. It was really a sort of meta on its own of my view of how Bruce’s poor communication skills and Tim’s faulty perception of himself (and how others feel about him) can clash against each other in the worst way. Bruce expressed himself so well to Dick in the previous chapter, when he sort of did a trial run of what he wanted to say to Tim, what he wanted him to understand. But Dick was right to suspect that things would go much, much differently once Bruce actually tried to say it to TIm’s face.

I think part of the problem was just because Bruce came off sounding so uncertain. He wasn’t uncertain of his own feelings, not at all, but he didn’t know how to say it, he hadn’t had enough practice, so it came out sounding clumsy and sort of rehearsed, but not rehearsed enough to be smooth and confident. Tim sensed that uncertainty and extrapolated it to mean that Bruce didn’t really mean what he was saying, that he had some sort of secondary or tertiary motivation for saying those things. Like, for instance, trying to walk Tim back from being suicidal, because that’s what heroes do. They try to save people. Tim saw himself as just another victim in need of saving, not a beloved son.

Bruce really started it off poorly by telling Tim that he heard what he said to Jason. It reminded Tim of all the darkness he’d been feeling in that moment, and also set him up to think that this was the sole reason for Bruce saying these things he’d never said before. And while it’s true that hearing Tim express just how unwanted he felt was important for Bruce to understand that he had work to do and that Tim needed help, his motivation wasn’t solely to save Tim from suicide, passive or otherwise. It was also to repair their relationship and make Tim feel more secure and wanted and...you know...loved.

But Bruce wouldn’t have said it if he hadn’t heard what Tim said to Jason, so it was part of his motivation, and Tim was too smart and too analytical not to pick that up. He just couldn’t see the bigger picture, that Bruce was also sincere. Tim focused on the worst reason Bruce could have for saying that to the exclusion of everything else. That’s definitely one of Tim’s flaws, focusing on the negative and losing sight of the larger truth, as well as his faulty perception of his own worth in the eyes of his family.

So Bruce’s flaws and Tim’s flaws just came together in that conversation and made things worse instead of better. Bruce was trying so hard. He was so desperate to make Tim understand. And it just didn’t work. There were too many things in the way, too many obstacles that were crowding Tim’s vision and preventing him from seeing the truth. In the end, Bruce really had little choice but to retreat and regroup and try again later.

But what I love about Bruce in this story is that he did try again later. And again. And again. And again. He didn’t give up. He kept trying and trying, kept telling Tim that he loved him, showing him every way he could. More importantly, he listened to what Tim said, with both his words and his actions, and he did his best to understand without imposing his own view on him. He asked questions, and then he listened.

And gosh, the conclusion of that. The scene where Bruce told Tim he loved him and finally convinced him that it was true. That scene was so, so satisfying, and it was because we saw the whole arc, from this very bad beginning to all the work in between to that final apotheosis. Without seeing just how bad it could go when a father tried to tell his son he loved him, we wouldn’t have been able to see just good it could go in the end, just how perfectly.

I realize that I’m basically writing essays about my own fanfiction. It reminds me of literature class in college, and I’m kind of embarrassed by that recognition. I hope this is what you wanted when you requested “director’s commentary” on these sections of the text.

This is the last one I have for now, except for a wild card that I’m still thinking about. Feel free to send more. I hope you like this.

#askbox #yofa #writing #tim drake #bruce wayne #my stuff #meta #Anonymous

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captainlordauditor · 4 years

Text

300x3, 603

Y’all. I have gotten so much writing done this week. I haven’t even posted all of it, I also have some less than 300 bits I did.

Y’all know the rules, 300 words, 3 times a week. Here’s 1379 words from Earth 988, but a scene completely unrelated to the others I posted this week.

This is a new one for me, writing a conversation in ASL. I hope I did it okay. By the way, did you know that the sign for gay has changed twice since the 80s? I didn’t until I looked it up! I wasn’t originally going to address the evolution of ASL between the two characters’ time periods, but then I realized it gave me opportunity for even more miscommunication, which is what this fic is all about.

Red Hood grins playfully at him and Dick remembers Jason pickpocketing his keys to send Dick on a chase through the manor for them. He drops the mask on the kitchen table and raises his hands and Dick raises his hands back, drops into a fighting stance-

Red Hood doesn’t attack. Instead he raises his eyebrows, points at Dick, pulls his hand back into two fingers crossed over each other, then lifts them to his mouth and closes them against his thumb twice. Dick didn’t think it was possible to be more surprised than he was already but he is because it takes a moment for the signs to register. “You’re Robin?”

Shaking, Dick signs back, “How did you know my name?” He didn’t think anybody outside the Titans knew his name sign. Does Red Hood know the Titans? Why haven’t any of them called him?

“You’re Robin,” Red Hood signs back. “I saw you last night. You’re Robin.”

“No,” Dick signs back, speeding up, frantic, if rusty. “How do you know how to sign my name?”

“Robin is my brother. Why are you not-” he makes a sign that starts as ‘fly’ then turns into ‘night’.

Dick doesn’t know where to start with that. He chooses the most obvious place. “I don’t know what” - he mimics the sign - “is. I am Robin.”

“Yes!” Red Hood signs back, insistent. “But why not fly-night? You should be fly-night.” - another sign Dick doesn’t know, this one ‘t’ and ‘detective’ - “should be Robin.”

“I don’t know fly-night or t-detective. What are they?”

Red Hood signs them again, frustrated. Dick can only shrug. Red Hood stops and sighs, then looks up brightly again and spells out, “N-I-G-H-T-W-I-N-G”

“N-I-G-H-T-W-I-N-G is fly-night?”

“Yes!” Red Hood looks relieved. “You should be Nightwing. T-I-M should be Robin.”

“He’s -” Dick stops. He doesn’t know if Sparrow has a name sign. “He’s S-P-A-R-R-O-W.”

Red Hood scowls. “No. You should be Nightwing. He should be Robin.”

Dick doesn’t know if he’s more confused or angry. “No. Robin is mine. Tim tried to take it. I took it back. Not his.”

Red Hood’s brow furrows. “You gave him Robin. Became Nightwing.”

“I gave-” Dick stops again. He can’t very well sign ‘you’. He uses Jason’s name instead, the sign for book but with his right hand forming the letter j. “I gave Robin to Jason.”

“I don’t know Jason.”

“Jason,” Dick repeats. “My son.”

“You don’t have a son.” Dick’s blood boils, and it must show on his face because Red Hood waves his hand and frantically corrects himself. “You shouldn’t have a son.”

“Why not? Because I’m gay?” If Dick could shout in sign, he would.

Red Hood squints at him, then signs matter of factly, “I don’t know what gay is. Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just meant I didn’t know you had a son.” He huffs a small sigh. “You can talk, if it’s easier. I can’t.”

A weight is lifted off of Dick’s shoulders. “You read lips?” he asks, still signing. He’ll have to be careful anyway; he knows reading lips isn’t a hundred percent reliable.

Red Hood shrugs noncommittally. “Yes. I can, but I’m not deaf.”

Dick heaves a sigh. He makes a note to brush up on his sign later - this short conversation has proven he needs it badly. “Only mute,” he says out loud. “Same as Joey.”

Red Hood nods.

“Why are you in my apartment?” Given the weapons Red Hood is carrying, and the fact that he killed Redhorn, Dick is pretty sure he knows the answer. He’s stalling; he doesn’t want to fight Red Hood.

God, does he ever not want to fight Red Hood.

“I was going to kill you.” Red Hood looks sheepish. “I didn’t know who you were. Sorry.”

“You were going to kill me because I was Robin, but now that I’m Richard Wayne you’ve changed your mind?” Dick is too tired for this. He wants to order food and collapse into his bed. He still has patrol tonight, and he needs to get Red Hood’s story straight.

Red Hood tilts his head in confusion and starts to sign, “I thought you were-” then stops himself. “Never mind. I was going to kill you because you keep protecting the pigs. Someone called you Robin. I figured you’d stolen it. But you’re you. It’s yours.” His eyes widen. “Are you running an undercover mission? Did I mess it up? I’m sorry. I can help-” He continues, going too fast for Dick to keep up.

Dick tries to put together what he knows into a coherent narrative, but it’s too much to do while standing here talking to a recolored clone of his dead son, so instead he holds up his hand. “Woah, slow down, slow down. I can’t understand you when you talk that fast.”

Red Hood stops, his face falling.

“Sorry,” Dick tells him. “I’m trying to keep up. Are you hungry?”

Red Hood considers and nods.

“Okay. I’m going to call for a pizza, and then we’re going to put those” - he points at Red Hood’s weapons - “in my base room, and we’ll try to figure out what’s going on. Deal?”

“As long as there’s extra cheese,” Red Hood signs.

“I’m game as long as you can deal with pineapple,” Dick tells him, and reaches for the phone next to the fridge. He pauses after he picks it up, looking over at the other occupant of the room. “Red Hood? Why isn’t my phone working?”

Red Hood gives him that sheepish expression again and reaches over to plug the phone line back in. “Sorry,” he signs. “When I came in here to kill you I-”

“Didn’t want me calling for help, yeah.” Dick sorts through his drawer to find the number and calls in the order. When he finishes and turns around, the kid’s unholstering the last of his guns and setting them on the kitchen table. “Wait, no, Jason-”

They both freeze. The kid stares at him. Dick stares back. His breath is caught in his throat.

This isn’t his son. He has to remember that. This isn’t his son.

“I didn’t tell you my name,” the kid signs. Red Hood, his name is Red Hood, not Jason. Red Hood swallows, and then opens his mouth and says one word: “How.”

His voice is hard, hoarse from disuse. Dick takes a deep breath, trying not to cry. “Put the weapons in the base room, and then we’ll talk about this.”

“Want answers.” Red Hood doesn’t move. He stands there, a brick wall, looking like - God. He looks for all the world like Bruce did as Batman.

“We’ll get answers, but only if nobody sees I’ve got an arsenal of unregistered firearms, including a goddamn sniper rifle, and carts us off to jail.”

Red Hood huffs again and signs, “Where do I put them?”

“In here.” Dick reaches over and undoes the hidden latch that keeps the door to the bedroom he uses as a base closed. He holds the door open for Red Hood. “Those things are loaded?”

Red Hood nods, reholstering his pistols and picking up the rifle.

“Unload them when you bring them in here.”

Red Hood sets the rifle down again to sign, “I turned the safety on on all of them.”

“I don’t care.” It’s nice how easily he feels himself slipping back into the role of a parent. He just has to remember this isn’t his son. Red Hood can’t stay. “Guns come into this house, they get unloaded.”

Red Hood looks upset. “It won’t do any good to have them if they’re unloaded!”

Dick is about to ask what he needs them for when he remembers the first month Jason was at the manor. Red Hood doesn’t feel safe here, and frankly he has even less reason to than Jason did when Dick first adopted him. “How many knives do you have, Hood?”

“Six,” he signs immediately.

“And I’m guessing, since you’re carrying that many, that you know how to use them?”

He nods reluctantly. “I’ll unload them.” He picks the rifle up.

“Thank you.” Dick sighs. “Can I ask why you have a sniper rifle with you when you were planning on killing me close quarters?”

#300x3 #fic writing #e988

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heroicadventurists · 5 years

Text

Teen Titans # 26 Recap & Review **SPOILERS**

Issue # 26 picks up directly after they escape the collapsing building. Robin takes the team to the Batcave because his source (i.e Red Hood) on the Other has been compromised. To even the score, they are going to steal the most powerful weapon in Batman’s arsenal…information. Robin tasks Roundhouse with hacking into the Batcomputer so they have full backdoor access to Batman’s criminal database. With that said, Robin leaves the team to handle something upstairs. The team is upset that Robin is once again keeping secrets from the team, and to Red Arrow’s frustration, Djinn is missing. Crush tries to cover for her by lying & saying Djinn was checking the perimeter.

At this point of the story, I’ll start referring to everyone by their real names because at the core of it, this issue is about family. Not the batfamily but the Wayne family.

Upstairs, Damian is walking the halls of the manor when he stops in front of his Paternal Grandparent’s portrait. He ponders on how they are the reason Batman exists; but to him they are just faces on the wall. While he’s thinking, Alfred comes up from behind him. Damian wasn’t expecting Alfred to be home as he usually has tea on Saturday mornings with his friend Arune.

Alfred mentions that they have been concerned for him. Damian shrugs off any concerns from Bruce. At this point the pleasantries are over and Alfred tells Damian that he should not take things that do not belong to him. Damian tries to deny it but Alfred does not let up. Whatever he took has the ability to hurt Jason and Alfred will not allow him to leave with it. At this, Damian gets angry and asks Alfred why he is defending Jason. Alfred responds that Jason is his brother and he would not allow any of them to hurt each other.

At this point an alarm goes off signifying an intruder in the cave. Damian tells Alfred he should check on it but he refuses and says the situation is being handled. We switch to the Teen Titans standing at the Batcomputer while Batman watches from above. At this point he attacks, leaving the Teen Titans scrambling.

Back to Alfred and Damian. Damian tells Alfred to get out of his way & he was going to do what his Father should have done to Jason. Alfred points his secret agent umbrella at Damian and tells him that Jason has always struggled to figure out his role in this family and he believes that Jason is still struggling with his identity.

He tells Damian to talk to Jason and that what he perceives as malice might just be miscommunication. Damian tells Alfred he’s not going to fight him in which Alfred responds that he sounds like Bruce. He said he could never protect Bruce from himself and some lessons are meant to be learnt the hard way. Damian calls Bruce a fool for the way he has treated the criminals in Gotham and when Alfred tries to rebuke that sentiment, Damian yells “BULL…..this obsession with the moral high ground is why we are losing. They hit low, we need to hit lower” “If chaos is what it takes to clean the slate then so be it. We can rebuild from the rubble”. At this point, Alfred says he not like Bruce…he sounds like Ra’s. With those words, Damian walks off, passing by portraits of the family, including Jason & Dick. He pauses to stare at the family portrait over the fire place before moving on.

As he’s walking back down to the cave, we see that Djinn has been following him.

Back in the cave, the Teen Titans are losing to Batman. When Robin shows up, he cuts his head off with a sword. It was a robot. Djinn shows up at this moment and Red Arrow asks where she has been. She said she attempted to discover the source of the alarm but Red Arrow says she left before the alarm went off. Djinn tells her she is mistaken. Roundhouse informs the team that he has created a back door into the batcomputer and they leave.

Robin is in his secret prison when Red Arrow shows up. She stops Black Mask from stabbing him. As they walk, she tells Robin that she told him working with Red Hood was a bad idea. He defends his decision saying the information he was providing was good. And she responds “until it wasn’t”. Robin said that he has always known Red Hood’s true nature but he thought……He couldn’t finish the words. Red Arrow states that he promised they would take down The Other when she joined the team. Robin pulls out a box and says Red Hood will no longer be a problem.

My thoughts…..Damian is in a sunken place. I honestly didn’t have a problem with the prison because he’s right, Arkham is not cutting it. Him having a prison is no different from Superman having the Phantom Zone. Damian’s main problem is being disconnected from his family. He’s not talking to Bruce, Dick doesn’t have his memories and now he’s upset with Jason. Tim is in Metropolis with his reformed team running around as Robin 2.0 and I have no idea what Duke is doing (who has been shown to get along well with Damian). You can tell he’s hurt at the thought of Jason betraying him. He couldn’t even tell Red Arrow why he thought Jason would never betray him. He didn’t think it was possible b/c he’s his brother. With Bruce and Dick no longer being active in his life, he was hoping Jason could fill that void as his older brother. I think he’s so disillusioned by family right now he’s not listening to Alfred or giving Jason the benefit of a doubt.

Djinn is a possible suspect as a mole. Djinn has been highly suspect the last couple of issues. I’m not saying it’s malicious (someone else could literally be controlling her right now) but she is not trustworthy. She is playing Damian and Crush. The only person who sees through her charade is Red Arrow and she scared her straight.

Robin also has to consider that he has a prison at his base of operations. One of them may be the informant.

Lastly Jason could have just gotten some bad intel, meaning no harm to Damian or his team. Alfred tried to warn him that he will regret what he’s about to do to Jason. When the truth comes out he probably will regret it because Jason was the only family he was in constant communication with. This issue just proves that Damian needs his family in his life, especially Bruce, because he is going down the wrong path. I didn’t see it at first but now I do. Thankfully we only have to wait 5 days before we conclude this Jason issue.

Rating 1-7

Storyline 6-Good

Artwork 6-Good

Overall 6-Good

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nattvingen · 6 years

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Batfam Fic Recs

Specifically, JayDick and DamiTim! (Please mind the tags on AO3, be responsible for your own fandom experience, etc.)!

JAYDICK

this is where you are by empires Mature | No cape AU, Past abusive relationship, Hurt/comfort, Subspace

I'm lonely now, and I don't know how to get it back to good - matchbox 20

written for the geckoholic's prompt for the jaydick winter blahs exchange: you're a nude model at my art course and I'm so gonna fail it because you're so distracting

hold my body, hold my breath by redhoodsrobin (manatsuko) Teen-Explicit | Fake relationship, Undercover, Pining, Getting together, Sex

Nobody ever said it would be easy.

to catch a thief by badraph Teen | Character study, Relationship study

He's forced to realize, now, that his mental picture of Jason has been seriously outdated for a while now.

Exit Wounds by Fudgyokra Mature | Rape discussion, Incest discussion, Hurt/comfort, Sex, Getting together, DickKori

After a traumatic run-in with Slade, Dick returns to Wayne Manor to find peace. Instead, he finds Jason Todd.

Between The Bars by Mikimoo Mature | Undercover, POV outsider, Getting together

A number of suspicious deaths at South Haven Penitentiary are being ignored by the authorities, but have attracted the attention of various other parties.

OR:

That one time Dick and Jason accidentally ended up undercover on the same mission and started a riot.

Take the Heat Out of Me by quipquipquip Explicit | Sex, Injury, Some murder, Getting together

Lost Days!Jason trolls Officer Grayson!Dick in Blüdhaven. Dick counter-trolls with the power of love. (It's super effective.)

Swimming Up High (Flying Down Low) by geckoholic Explicit | Sex, Masturbation, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism

Dick's cheeks flush with... he's not sure. There was no alcohol to cloud either of their memory and he remembers every dirty, debauched thing they did last night. And yet there's something indecent about watching this, now, like he's catching Jason in an intimate moment that he wasn't given permission to see.

ghosts and gods by perissologist Teen | Paranormal stuff, Getting together

If Jason is a ghost, then Dick is a supernatural force all his own, one that tears worlds apart in search of better ones.

---

As a side effect of coming back from the dead, Jason is a bona fide paranormal phenomenon. Dick seems to be a little too caught up in mooning after him to notice. Their siblings aren't amused.

(Or, Jason is a supernatural presence after his resurrection, but the poor fool in love with him thinks the freaky feelings are just the butterflies in his stomach.)

Novelty by Salmon_Pink Mature | Sex, Selfcest, Threesome, Costume kink

Two Dicks, no waiting, and it'd be funny if Jason wasn't so turned on he can't think straight.

Under My Sneered Lips by Salmon_Pink Explicit | Sex, Rimming, Felching, Dirty talk

Jason enjoys being Dick's first for all the filthiest things.

Fathers, Be Good by ariadne83, somehowunbroken Teen | Kid fic, Mostly gen

The last person that Dick expects to hear talking when he picks up his phone is Jason, who has been dead for years. Except he isn’t anymore, apparently, and Dick can hear a baby screaming in the background as Jason asks him for help. What is there for Dick to do but drop everything and run to help his long-lost brother?

The Miscommunication of Severance by orphan_account Teen | Divorce, Kid fic, Angst, Happy ending

Dick and Jason were just trying to make it work for the sake of their son.

a holy fool all colored blue by hadrons_collide Teen | Angst, Hurt/comfort, Getting together

After Batman deals with Scarecrow, Nightwing tracks down the Arkham Knight.

His Girl by Neffectual Teen | MtF!Jason, Coming out, Established relationship

Jason Todd took until she was thirty to become Violet, and she sometimes wonders if she'll ever feel quite right.

I Think I Wanna Marry You by dinolaur Teen | Established relationship, Marriage, Coming out

A night out for drinks and a certain Bruno Mars song land Dick and Jason in an interesting predicament. Guess it’s as good a time as any to come out to the family.

It Doesn't Stick by Skalidra Teen | Immortality, Flirting

Jason's fifteen when he dies for the first time. He's eighteen when he comes back to Gotham for vengeance, and dies again. But for some reason that second death doesn't last any more than the first one did, and Jason comes to the realization that something, somewhere, is keeping him alive.

Calendar Boy by empires Mature | No cape AU, Friendly rivalry, Getting together

prompt: Non tragic no cape AU where Jason's a sexy fireman and Dick's a sexy police officer. Bonus +1: policemen's ball. Bonus +2: firemen's calendar. JayDick?

All the Way (Like a Good Boy) by TimmyJaybird Explicit | Sex, JayRoy, Phonesex, Threesome-ish

Jason is drunk. He's drunk and on Dick's couch and suddenly faced with an age-old crush that never exactly died. Except he's with Roy now- but Dick is fairly sure all can be fixed with a quick phone call.

Melt Me Down by Skalidra Explicit | Sex, Marathon sex, Established relationship

Sometimes, Dick gets in moods. Jason's never been able to figure out exactly what the moods stem from, despite their years together, but he always finds himself caught up in the flow of them anyway. But of all the things that Dick could be doing in these moods, this is definitely a good one.

into you by perissologist Not Rated | Dance AU

“You think it’s really Nightwing?” Kyle asks, gaze searching ahead in the herd. “Here, in Gotham?”

“It’s possible, I guess,” Jason says. “He goes everywhere, doesn’t he?”

“C’mon, what’re we waiting for?” Duke is already pushing forward, eyes glittering in excitement. “Man, how crazy would it be if it is him? Dude’s a legend. I’ve been hoping he’d come to Gotham since that one video of him dancing to Tupac on the Eiffel Tower.”

---

The Outlaws are the best underground hip-hop crew in Gotham--until the anonymous international sensation Nightwing crashes onto the scene.

A Hot Mess by Skalidra Teen | College AU, Roommates, Getting together

Jason's roommate at his college, one Dick Grayson, is both a blessing and a curse. Hot as sin but messy as hell, and completely oblivious to both things. Even when he brings up the mess part of it, it doesn't get much better (although Dick is trying). So, they enact a system. Cleaning, in exchange for 'favors.'

I'm Just A Problem That Doesn't Wanna Be Solved by geckoholic Mature | Sex, Sex pollen, Angst, Pining

The agreement, as it stands, is a couple months old. Back around New Years, they had to deliver Bats to Catwoman's doorstep in a last ditch attempt after the chemical route didn't take. It was awkward for everyone and, from what Jason heard, had served to curtail eye contact in the manor to a minimum for a few days. He and Dick had a conversation about it a couple weeks later, and really, this kinda shit happens to them often enough that certain... contingency plans seemed like a good idea.

knocked me off the ground by Windmire Not Rated | No cape AU, KoriDonna, StephCass, Getting together

"It's Jason Todd you'd be working with. You remember Jason, right?"

"He's probably hoping you remember him."

For his best friend's wedding, Dick's more than willing to double as best man and co-wedding planner, even if it means going back to the city he's been avoiding for years on end. Then he meets the other best man and co-wedding planner and falling so hard and so fast was so not part of the plan.

Baby Let's Forget the Morning by MissNaya Explicit | Sex, Incest play, Dirty talk

Jason wonders what Dick thinks of him: is he a brother, a friend, something else entirely? He gets answers, but not in the way he pictured.

deafening perceptions you have of me by thanatopis Teen | Angst, Mutual pining, Getting together

Dick and Jason keep dancing around each other, never quite giving in or giving too much, and Dick is tired.

came down easy spinning threads to the throne by pissvinegarandacrowbar Mature | Sex, Fluff, Prescribed drugs, Established relationship

Red Hood took a bullet for Nightwing. Dick is grateful, he really is. But now he has to deal with a drugged-up Jason Todd.

Run and I will Chase You by Gravity_Sun Teen | First kiss, Pining

Day 1 - First Kiss

The three times it didn't count, and the one time it did.

Cabin Fever by Skalidra Explicit | Sex, Established relationship, Injury

In one random fight, Dick takes a badly angled shot to the knee that puts him out of commission. As his partner, and the one living with him, it's Jason's job to keep Dick off his feet until he heals. Not an easy job, not with Dick's resistance to ever staying still, but he has to do it. At least there's one way that he knows for sure can bleed out some of Dick's extra energy.

Dad!Jason AU by fishfingersandjellybabies Gen-Mature | Baby Damian, Talon!Dick, Hurt/comfort, Getting together

In which Jason is resurrected and found that Talia had a baby with the Batman. To protect Damian from Bruce and Talia's battles, he gives up on his plan of revenge and instead secretly takes the child to Gotham to raise as his own.

But then Dick finds them both, and all bets are off.

My Downfall is Rooted in Your Desperate Need by victoriousscarf Explicit | Sex, Temporary character death, Rape discussion, Angst, Getting together

Dick isn't Orpheus and he can't play a lyre. But that's okay because the analogy falls apart the longer you look at it.

He's just not going to let Jason stay dead a second time.

Pop Psychology by perissologist Mature | Sex, Angst, Injury, Getting together

Stupid broken boys in love.

we will wear our masks again out after dark by IMightwing Explicit | Sex, Batman!Jason, Injury, Hurt/comfort, Getting together

Dick paused and looked straight at Jason. “I want you to be Batman until I’m healed.”

“No,” Jason said. No way in hell, he wanted to say, but the quicker he got this over with, the better.

Written for the Batfam Reverse Big Bang 2017.

Another Perfect Catastrophe by Mikimoo Explicit | Sex, Undercover, Non-consensual drug use, Non-consensual kissing

Dick goes undercover as himself in order to catch a gang of international thieves. Jason reluctantly tags along as his long suffering bodyguard. During the ensuing mayhem they get to know each other again and build a few bridges.

Indulgence by MissNaya Explicit | Sex, Established relationship, De-ageing, Dirty talk, Rape roleplay, Virginity roleplay, Spanking, Rimming, Costume kink, Bondage

A villain's curse turns Dick into a teenager physically. Before they figure out a solution, he and his boyfriend Jason decide to explore a few taboos.

Trophy Wife by Volavi Teen | Fluff, Established relationship

A casual remark from Roy forces Jason to re-evaluate his understanding of his relationship with Dick and his self-identity. Jason can't possibly be the trophy wife, can he? Dick helpfully sets Jason straight. Well, not exactly.

Miniature Bridges by Gravity_Sun Explicit | Sex, Angst, Pining

Day 3: First Time Realizing They’re In Love

It's just sex, until it isn't.

Dick's Dick by MissNaya Explicit | Sex, Sex toys, Self-discovery, Dirty talk, Exhibitionism

Jason gets Dick a gag gift for Christmas. Neither of them expect him to end up liking it so much.

Through the Wire by pissvinegarandacrowbar Explicit | Sex, Tattoos, Body image, Getting together

…to your door, to your door.

When Jason finally works up the courage to get a tattoo he's wanted for years, he attempts to send a picture of it to Roy, who is out of Gotham on an emergency mission. Turns out, Harper and Grayson are awfully close together in his contact list.

Exeunt'verse by elwon Explicit | Sex, Getting together, Coming out

JayDick character studies. A pre-nu52 AU, set after Damian arrived in Gotham, but wherein Bruce never 'died' and therefore Battle of the Cowl didn't happen.

—————

DAMITIM

For a Change by MissNaya Explicit | Sex, Oral sex, Dom/sub, Dirty talk

Tim notices everything, whether he wants to or not. He knows by the clothes Dick wears whether he’s on-again or off-again with Barbara (tight pants and polo shirts mean on-again). He remembers how many bullets Jason has left even when Jason himself forgets. And he knows that Damian has been jerking off to the thought of him for at least several weeks.

Things Have a Way by cadkitten Explicit | Sex, Masturbation, Scent kink, Frottage

Tim gets mugged in his civilian identity. Damian comes to pick up the pieces.

Hoodwing’d by somehowunbroken Mature | JayDick, Fake relationship, Or is it?, Accidental relationship

Dick and Jason seem to think it’s hilarious to make out where Tim and Damian are going to walk in on them. Naturally, Tim and Damian take revenge.

Taste the Green by Salmon_Pink Explicit | Sex, Costume kink, Blowjob

Damian is wearing the original Robin uniform. Tim doesn’t think he can be blamed if he loses his mind a little.

Show Me the Meaning (Of Being Lonely) by TimmyJaybird Explicit | Sex, One-sided TimJay, One-sided DamiDick, JayDick, Heartbreak, Rebound sex, Accidental relationship

It started with a drunken need for comfort- when Tim and Damian were broken at what felt like their worst. But what was reflex, could have been called an accident, turned into the exact thing they both never knew they truly needed.

Involuntary Ties by TimmyJaybird Explicit | Sex, FtM Tim, PiV sex

Tim invites Damian to crash on his couch for the night, and quickly expects their night to go to nothing but bickering. Good thing that Damian is weak and pretty, and Tim doesn’t mind either.

Backwards by shadeblue Mature | Sex, Hate sex, Or is it?

He doesn’t even like Tim. Tim doesn’t even like him.

My True Love Gave To Me by fishfingersandjellybabies General Audiences | Crush, Superbat, Clark is a bro

In which Damian has a crush and has no idea what to do about it.

A Day of Rest by MarbleAide Explicit | Sex, Dom/sub, Bondage, Sex toys

Tim works too hard, but Damian has his own way to make him stop and get his head cleared up.

Give by cadkitten Explicit | Sex, Breathplay, Dom/sub

“Give.” The crack of Damian’s voice was like a whip, right next to Tim’s ear, and God that did things it shouldn’t have.

you don’t have to say i love you (to say i love you) by akaparalian General Audiences | No cape AU, College AU

It is 7:46 AM on Wednesday, and Damian very carefully sits down in his seat (front row, just to the right of the podium), every fibre of his being aware that Drake is sitting two seats away. This is – surely this is statistically significant. From five seats away to two, all at once – and after the coffee, and –

lit!verse: anachronism by heartslogos Teen | Major character death, Resurrection, Damian pls

Damian’s face softens as he reaches out, fingers brushing the unconscious face, “You were my father’s Robin, and for a time, Richard’s, perhaps… you could be my Robin as well.”

Join Me When You’re Free by Skalidra Explicit | Sex, Established relationship, Bondage, Sexual experimentation

Damian and Tim have been together for years, and sometimes, Damian likes to try new things. Usually Tim can see them coming a mile away, or at least know when Damian’s got something on his mind, but this time he’s caught a little off guard. (Which does not at all mean that he’s not interested.)

Plan Awry by DustToDust Teen | Unrequited love, Or is it?

Damian had a plan. For what only became clear after it’d all gone wrong.

#Great fanfic #JayDick #DickJay #DC #Feloss does stuff

180 notes · View notes

d-and-s-are-bord-blog · 4 years

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Better Late Than Never: 19 Must-See Movies from 1999

via WordPress ift.tt/2HJ5MjA

From 19 movie lovers to one other, here are some of our favorites from 1999.

We get a lot of emails here at Film School Rniejects, and while most of them are split pretty evenly between people curious if Kieran Fisher is a “real” person and others asking Christopher Campbell, Esq. for nudes, some are actually complimentary enough towards the site to count as fan letters.

One such example came to us recently from a young woman in the UK hoping to celebrate turning 19 years old with a writing project about movies released in 1999. Her plan was to watch or re-watch films from that year and then write about each of them whether she connected with the movie or not. As a fan of FSR and One Perfect Shot she asked if we could offer a few suggestions as to what we consider to be the must-see movies of 1999.

“Hi, I figure this email is a long shot but I’d really love your help. My name is Ellie, I’m 18, a complete film geek and I could not live without Film School Rejects or One Perfect Shot. I’m starting a project that involves me trying to watch new or rewatch 19 films from 1999 by the time I’m 19 on June 2nd and I would really love any suggestions that I can add to my list. I know its small, but this project means a lot to me and I’d love to complete it and write up about all of them, whether I’m passionate about them or whether I detest them. It would mean the world to get some help on this.

Thank you thank you thank you!

Ellie

London, United Kingdom”

The smart, easy, and nice thing to do would have been for one of us to dash off a quick list of 1999’s best films so she’d have it in time for her birthday. Unfortunately, we here at FSR prefer to complicate things and miss deadlines whenever possible, so instead of a short list we’d like to present Ellie with 19 picks from 19 members of our team. Some might seem obvious, others less so, but it’s most definitely a broad spectrum highlighting not only our staff’s eclectic tastes but also the absolute wonder that is cinema’s breadth and scope.

We write about movies because we love movies (and because Disney pays so damn well for positive Marvel coverage, but that’s a bit off topic so forget I even said it), and we’re equally excited by any opportunity to share that love with others. There are so many amazing films out there, and like everyone else, we’re still discovering new favorites every day.

So happy belated birthday Ellie! We apologize for the tardiness of our reply, but hopefully you find something new to appreciate from our picks and that they add to your already growing love for the movies. (And, yes, we did add a bonus pick for an even twenty to get a jump on your 20th birthday…)

10 Things I Hate About You (directed by Gil Junger)

Perhaps the last great teen movie of the 20th century, 10 Things I Hate About You made its debut in 1999. It’s essential viewing for any rom-com fan, but especially for young women. Kat (Julia Stiles) is a badass feminist lead unlike many we see in romantic comedies who accepts an invitation to prom from class mystery man Patrick (Heath Ledger). There’s miscommunication, true love, and a Shakespeare enthusiast. The soundtrack is the perfect time capsule of 1999, but it still rocks today. It’s a fun and adorable movie I adored when I was nineteen! – Emily Kubincanek

All About My Mother (directed by Pedro Almodóvar)

Us film writers have a bad habit of using “melodrama” like it’s a dirty word. The thing is, melodrama is most often used as a crutch—blatant appeals to viewers’ emotions made in an attempt to distract audiences from other shortcomings. It takes a skilled filmmaker to remind us of how wrong we are in conflating melodrama’s potential with the underwhelming contents in which it is most often seen, and Pedro Almodóvar is perhaps the preeminent master of melodrama working today. Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother) is stuffed to the brim with plotting straight from a soap opera, expertly condensing the twists and turns one might expect from an entire television season into less than two hours. Gorgeously vibrant and filled with innovative cinematography that will stick in your brain long afterward, the film is a much-needed reminder that melodrama and great cinema can absolutely be one and the same. And that you should always look both ways before crossing the road. – Ciara Wardlow

Analyze This (directed by Harold Ramis)

What is the best way to understand film genre? Apart from actually sitting down and immersing oneself in its finest examples, the answer is clear: genre parodies! An overlooked classic is Harold Ramis’ Analyze This. One sentence summary: Robert De Niro plays a mob boss and Billy Crystal is his psychiatrist. It’s a ton of fun! Also, it’s a thoughtful satire, one that raises deep questions about our understanding of masculinity, especially in films about Italian-American men. In Goodfellas, De Niro plays a mobster completely devoid of emotion; here, he plays one who struggles to admit he has emotions because he believes doing so would make him weak. It’s well-worth your time, plus, if you like it, there’s a sequel! – Will DiGravio

Audition (directed by Takashi Miike)

By the time you read this, Takashi Miike’s filmography will have surpassed 100 directorial outings and some change. The Japanese maverick is a workaholic who’s willing to make any project he gets offered, though when you look at the eclectic array of titles in his oeuvre, what you see is some of the boldest and most daring cinema of the last 20 years. Audition, which is based on Ryu Murakami’s novel of the same name, is one of his foremost masterworks, as well as an example of J-horror at its smartest and most sadistic. It tells the story of a widower who’s looking to get back into the dating game, but he gets more than he bargained for when he meets a woman with a mysterious past and a willingness to go the extra mile. Part romantic comedy, part stomach-churning nightmare, Audition serves as the perfect introduction to Miike’s demented world, and it’ll either make you want to delve in further or avoid it forever. – Kieran Fisher

The Blair Witch Project (directed by Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez)

Found footage movies get a bad wrap. Look, I get it. After the – ahem – foundational film The Blair Witch Project made its splash debut at Sundance Film Festival, screening at midnight to an unsuspecting crowd, studios every year have attempted to cash in on this low-cost way of filmmaking. But when done right, this POV format elicits a cinema verite quality that we so rarely see in the horror genre. And that’s what makes Blair Witch work so well. It just feels real. And in a time when the internet was just becoming what it is today, it was easy for the studios to really capitalize on that and make audiences believe that it was real. From the website that the filmmakers set up to the Sci-Fi Channel “documentary” The Curse of the Blair Witch that ran the week before the film released, they essentially made not only the first Augmented Reality game but also an immersive experience. Watching the film you feel like you are in the Black Hills Forest with Heather, Mike, and Josh slowly losing your sanity as the claustrophobic woods send chills down your spine. And when the woods finally come alive, the terror feels real. In a decade that was full of glossy excess, the simplistic DIY quality of The Blair Witch Project made it a breath of fresh air. This film didn’t have beautiful 20-somethings, pretending to still be in high school, running away from a hook hand or a ghost mask, this was a fear of the unknown. What’s right behind the door, or down that dark corridor. What we can’t even begin to comprehend, for fear we go mad. Often imitated, but never duplicated: The Blair Witch Project is real old-school horror. – Jacob Trussell

Dick (directed by Andrew Fleming)

After nearly 20 years, I still can’t believe Dick hasn’t become at least a cult classic. This movie has so many hilarious performances from its mix of Kids in the Hall and Saturday Night Live cast members, including Bruce McCullough and a not-yet-famous Will Ferrell as iconic journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. Ryan Reynolds is here pre-fame, as well. The political satire mashed with teen comedy stars Michelle Williams and Kirsten Dunst on the edge of their transitions from child actresses to Oscar and Emmy worthy talents, and that’s a perfect spot for them to be in while they play bubbly girls in the midst, almost Forrest Gump-like, in one of America’s most notorious scandals. It’s a hip, lampooning introduction to the Nixon Administration and Watergate for young audiences with a wonderful portrayal of Tricky Dick by Dan Hedaya, and it’s a light and entertaining take on political corruption and the well-worn story of becoming disappointed with heroes and leaders. – Christopher Campbell

Election (directed by Alexander Payne)

Hear me out: Tracy Flick did nothing wrong. Over the years, Reese Witherspoon’s portrayal of an uncannily chipper, type-A teen who will stop at nothing to become student body president has been hailed as both a cultural icon and monstrous villain – but as a profoundly dorky and overachieving teenage girl who first saw Alexander Payne’s Election when I was Flick’s age, I’ve always felt a deep kinship with her. Matthew Broderick is disarmingly convincing as its (unreliable) protagonist, a beloved teacher who can only see Flick as a vindictive seductress after an affair with his married colleague (a situation we’d recognize today as statutory rape). In retrospect, it seems to occupy a strange in-between era of teen-media canon – its sour, biting portrait of high school politics takes after the pitch-black wit of Heathers, and yet its earnest idiosyncrasy also recalls later, weirder works like the great American Vandal. It’s the rare kind of comedy whose sense of humor is dazzlingly sharp and yet never feels mean-spirited. – Aline Dolinh

Eyes Wide Shut (directed by Stanley Kubrick)

Stanley Kubrick’s final film is a salacious peekaboo exploration of the sexual desires hidden within the minds of our significant other. We recognize the deep, dark secrets that lurk inside our own fantasies, but we dare not ask our partners what delights they crave. What’s the password? You do not want to know. Eyes Wide Shut peels the curtain back on the lust that fuels humanity. The film is made all the more dangerous by casting real-life married couple (at the time anyway) Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in the roles of the husband and wife reeling from the revelations laid bare after one admits their carnal wants. Their bedroom confrontation is an exposed vein that the audience both recoils from and salivates towards. We should not be privy to such horrendous intimacy. Kubrick’s passing and the prudish controversy surrounding the centerpiece orgy marred the initial response to the film. The longer I’ve sat with Eyes Wide Shut, the more time it has wormed its way into my relationships. Don’t wonder what’s going on in your lover’s head. Ask. Or suffer the torment. – Brad Gullickson

Fight Club (directed by David Fincher)

Before it became a stereotypical Film Bro signpost, this fantasia of runaway masculinity was a pulsating, bloody, controversial revelation. An essential entry into the filmographies of Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter, it was also the movie that gave David Fincher his biggest early push toward his current label as a modern auteur filmmaker. Love it or hate it, Fight Club is a pop cultural touchstone, referenced for its quotable dark humor, brutal offhand violence, anti-Capitalist ideology, and above all else, its wildly surprising ending. First and foremost, though, I think Fight Club is an example of what filmmaking can look like at its most technically brilliant. It was the movie that made me fall in love with the aesthetic side of cinema, the technical aspects which separate film from other mediums of storytelling. As with Fincher’s later works, Fight Club makes use of sounds and sights, colors and cuts that flow seamlessly together, fluid and visually dynamic, to create a rich and distinctive moviegoing experience. – Valerie Ettenhofer

Galaxy Quest (directed by Dean Parisot)

1999 was a simpler time on the verge of being more complicated. It undeniably had its eye to the future, but its special effects and grasp of a swiftly changing technological landscape haven’t all aged amazingly. Galaxy Quest actually holds up surprisingly well, but it does make for interesting viewing 19 years later. In 1999 the internet was still a new phenomenon, not yet a place where everyone and their dog had an opinion on your favorite sci-fi show. The film’s main plot, that an alien species have mistaken a tv show for reality, is inherently clever and funny, but seen from 2018, when all-consuming fandom is more visible than ever, it doesn’t feel quite so… otherworldly. That’s what makes it obligatory viewing for the end of the millennium — now officially older than its long-canceled titular show, it offers a prescient view of the world that it almost certainly didn’t intend. It’s a time capsule of accidental speculation. It’s also a fun space adventure with a lot of heart and Alan Rickman, so if you’re not in the mood for reflecting on how the world has changed drastically since your birth, you can still have a great time. – Liz Baessler

Girl, Interrupted (directed by James Mangold)

There truly aren’t many films exploring the motives and psyches of teenage girls, but alongside other 1999 releases such as 10 Things I Hate About You and The Virgin Suicides, Girl, Interrupted furthered the presence and dimensions of young women on-screen. In classic Winona Ryder style, she undertakes the role of an interesting, intellectual, and misunderstood adolescent, namely Susanna Kaysen, an eighteen-year-old who has found herself admitted to a mental institution following an overdose. She finds the women around her (an incredible supporting cast in the form of Brittany Murphy, Elisabeth Moss, and Clea DuVall) both relatable and frightening, revealing the inner prejudices she holds within herself. The real challenge Susanna faces, however, is the charisma and allure of sociopath Lisa Rowe (Angelina Jolie’s Oscar-winner, and an icon on every teen’s Tumblr dashboard circa 2012). Underneath the powerhouse cast and vivid identities, however, is a focus on mental illness and coming-of-age that makes Girl, Interrupted a seminal piece for anyone trying to navigate their place in the world. Susanna is the narrator of the story in place of the audience’s inner monologue, skipping with us through the highs, and tugging us out of the lows. It shows, frankly, that with therapy, recovery is possible. It also emphasizes the importance of friendship and the solidarity of women, providing a depiction of troubled teenage years with an absorbing and truthful force. – Anya Hudson

The Iron Giant (directed by Brad Bird)

When Brad Bird’s directorial debut about a boy and his giant robot from outer space hit theatres on August 6th, 1999, it was a critical success. But Warner Brothers hadn’t had the first idea how to advertise it, and it opened in ninth place at the box office. And in all fairness, The Iron Giant doesn’t exactly fit into a marketable mold. That’s one of the film’s strengths. It’s based off a children’s story that Ted Huges wrote to comfort his children after the suicide of his wife, Sylvia Plath. It’s a Norman Rockwell-inspired political parable about a young boy befriending a metal monster who, despite his programming, doesn’t want to do harm. It had something to say about fear-mongering, violence betting violence, and the cost of peace—and it said all these things without talking down to young viewers. At its core, The Iron Giant is a story of empowerment, not as myth or destiny, but as a choice. You are who you choose to be. You can be gentle, you can defend, and you can be kind. You can be superman. – Meg Shields

Magnolia (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson)

Magnolia is significant in the 1999 canon for several reasons. It is arguably Paul Thomas Anderson’s best film. It has an ensemble cast that rivals some of the best actors and actresses of our time. And frankly, it contains one of the best performances from Tom Cruise. That alone would be a feat, but Magnolia is an untraditional epic that proves that nothing is written in stone. Anderson uses a short story to present audiences to the idea of strange phenomenon. An unsuccessful suicide turns into a murder by the most unlikely circumstances. That is the theme that runs through Magnolia, unlikely circumstances. Donnie Smith (William H. Macy) was a former quiz show winner whose moment of fame passed him by. The man who hosts that show, Jimmy Gator (Philip Baker Hall), has his own issues as he is slowly dying from cancer. And these two are connected to other members in the cast through coincidences. Anderson has waned back and forth on whether Magnolia is his masterpiece, but regardless of opinion, there is no denying the power of the film. Add in an iconic score by Aimee Mann — and did I already mention Tom Cruise’s performance? — and you have a movie experience quite unlike any other. – Max Covill

The Matrix (directed by The Wachowskis)

Notice how in almost every action movie there will be a slo-mo fight sequence where the protagonist is dodging bullets left and right? You can thank 1999’s The Matrix for that. Though, admittedly, later films may not exactly do it justice. Moving past those iconic visual effects (known more familiarly as “bullet time”, undeniably made most famous by The Matrix though it can be found in its predecessors) this movie is a wild ride that defined the action genre for years to come. The use of sophisticated fight scenes, heavily featuring a martial arts fighting style as per its Hong Kong cinema influence, along with incredibly complex and unique worldbuilding, The Matrix has firmly secured its spot in pop culture legend. What’s more, Keanu Reeves shines as hacker-turned-rebel against the machines, adding sci-fi badass to his already notable film career. His journey as Neo takes you from sympathizing with his 9 to 5 struggles (a good juxtaposition, as the side gig as a career cyber-criminal was probably less relatable) and seeing apart of yourself in a character going through the gray-tinged motions of a salaryman, to wanting to be him. Who wouldn’t want an alluring, mysterious stranger to plunge you into the realities of a dystopia, introducing you to a cyberpunk cult who gives you the choice to change your perception of the world forever? It seems much more appealing in The Matrix, I promise. The Wachowskis’ most famous achievement, this is a film much better viewed than dissected, particularly at the risk of revealing an amazing semi-plot twist. It’s more than just a pop culture phenomenon, still able to stand tall in 2018 as the perfect combination of action film technique and sci-fi storytelling prowess. While the gothic, cyberpunk look of the costumes and character style may admittedly date itself, the core and general appeal of the movie hold strong. Where else can you find Reeves entering a technological-underworld, filled with the expected futuristic elements coupled with a grungy exterior⎯ while also battling cryptic agents and practicing kung-fu. – Kendall Cromartie

The Mummy (directed by Stephen Sommers)

Two sequels, four Scorpion King spin-offs, and an ill-fated reboot may have diluted the Universal Mummy brand, but Stephen Sommers’ original summer blockbuster is still as ruggedly charming as its lead. Brendan Fraser is at the peak of his dopey charm here, and Sommers rips off Indiana Jones with freewheeling ease, forgoing scares in favor of all manner of swashbuckling adventure, complete with a climactic sword fight with an undead army. There’s no sweaty cinematic universe-building to be found in The Mummy, just good old-fashioned grave-robbing fun. – John DiLillo

Peppermint Candy (directed by Lee Chang-dong)

There are plenty of light and fluffy movies I love, both from the US and elsewhere, but my heart belongs to darkness. (On the screen at least… I’ll stick with light and fluffy in real life.) South Korean cinema is better than most at scratching this particular itch, and Lee Chang-dong’s beautiful but devastating look at his own country’s recent history does it in brilliant fashion. Like the more well-known Irreversible from three years later, Peppermint Candy magnifies the story’s drama and emotional effect by playing out in reverse chronological order. We start with a broken man screaming on a train track as the locomotive rushes toward him, and we work backward through his life to the young idealist he once was. It’s a personal tale of one man’s disappointment, but the events he experiences also tell the story of South Korea’s own growing pains as a young democracy. It’s a smartly crafted punch to the heart, and it’s one of 1999’s best films. – Rob Hunter

Ratcatcher (directed by Lynne Ramsay)

Too often in conversations of a year’s best films are international works forgotten. For this reason, if you’re looking at 1999 in movies, Scottish writer-director Lynne Ramsay’s feature film debut Ratcatcher is a must-see. The film is set in 1973 and tells the story of James, a young boy living with his family in a run-down housing scheme in Glasgow during the city-wide garbage strike, leaving the already dilapidated residential units in worse conditions ever. By exploring the minutiae of the sensitive James’ daily life, Ramsay creates a film that delivers an incredibly thoughtful and powerful meditation on ever-relevant themes of poverty, guilt, secret-keeping and human connection. – Madison Brek

Ravenous (directed by Antonia Bird)

It’s been a slow climb to respectability for Bird’s 19th-century cannibal classic. Universally panned on its release – the film was called a ‘stupid black comedy’ and ‘material that’s often better suited to a Monty Python skit’ – Ravenous has slowly risen in the esteem of horror fans and earned a spot as one of the better horror films of the last 20 years. And for good reason: not only does Ravenous feature the kind of onscreen talent normally reserved for high-profile chamber pieces, it also contains one of the most memorable soundtracks of any decade, a pop-infused cacophony of period instruments and chanting (co-written by Blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn). Equal parts black comedy and superhero-horror hybrid, Ravenous is the kind of movie that was meant to get better with time. Here’s to the cavalcade of anniversary pieces already scheduled for next spring. – Matthew Monagle

The Straight Story (directed by David Lynch)

There’s art-damaged David Lynch, there’s network TV David Lynch and even big studio David Lynch, but what if the best David Lynch is the one that Disney randomly bought at Cannes the summer of ’99 and which remains the director’s only G-rated entertainment? Shot along the route that notable Iowan Alvin Straight took by lawnmower to see his brother over in Wisconsin a few years before, The Straight Story tells this tale with the kind of look-in-your-eye sincerity that Lynch had for so long only been able to perform in various tediously ironic costumes. Richard Farnsworth, a stuntman who once played Matthew in Anne of Green Gables, is Straight, exalted here as an ordinary joe stubborn to the progress of time and old wounds. One finally triumphs over the other when Straight decides to reconcile with an estranged brother two states away, who appears, as-who-else but longtime chum Harry Dean Stanton. Because of Straight’s decimated vision, the local Man tells him he can’t drive and god knows no All-American will be caught dead on a bus in those 49 states, so Straight hitches up a lawnmower from the local John Deere affiliate and off he goes, with longtime Lynch collaborator Angelo Badalamenti scoring this to an ambient take on that era’s popular The Oregon Trail 3rd Ed.-music. What follows is an epic Odyssian tale that offers Oscar-nominated real pain and real country patois. It was perfect for the comedown from the summer of Woodstock ’99, and it’s perfect for right now, the clouds gathering and you can see them far-off if you look, before another summer of infinite bleakness. – Andrew Karpan

The Virgin Suicides (directed by Sophia Coppola)

Sofia Coppola is known for her vested interest in girlhood and female experiences, and she’s been committed to this since her debut film in 1999. The film is haunting and achingly beautiful in its depiction of the events that led up to the Lisbon sisters taking their own lives, all before they turned eighteen. It is intimate and empathetic, characteristics that Coppola frequently employs well, but unlike her other films that take the perspectives of her characters as they grapple with loss and disillusionment, The Virgin Suicides never fully breaks through to the Lisbon sisters, leaving them as mysteries without answers, asserting how difficult it is to know each other but how important it is that we try to. Every time I revisit the film I find a new detail that reminds me how much I love Coppola as a filmmaker and how grateful I am for her work. – Anna Swanson

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bigskydreaming · 3 years

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The recent Truth & Justice story revealed Jason, since his return, sees Dick as someone infallible and perfect that he's constantly compared to, which is why Jason keeps his distance, and I wonder what you think of that kind of outlook of those two's post-resurrection relationship.

I mean, this is a complicated one for me, because on paper I can see the merits of that angle and where it comes from and what they’re going for with it, but I’m more than a little embittered and bored of it already, because fandom has kinda taken that take and run with it for years without any balance to it? Like, its very one-sided always, because the thing is Dick is so far from perfect and infallible that no one who really knows him honestly believes that, which kinda creates the trap that as long as Jason believes this, it can’t ever really be true that he actually knows his brother all that well, and I’m just tired of that, y’know?

We’ve HAD Jason and Dick at odds in fandom and in canon for eons and with hardly any variation, and I honestly am just bored of it. Its tired. I don’t think it says anything new. It just feeds into the same old “Jason is the unloved, misunderstood second son” thing that has kept these characters estranged in fandom’s eyes for like, ever, and lacks depth and nuance IMO because it fails to ever take into account the many times and ways in which Bruce and Dick have been at odds, and Dick has absolutely lacked feelings of security in his place in the family and partnership with Bruce. Not to mention it additionally fails to factor in the fact that Jason has been WITNESS to so many of Bruce and Dick’s fights, that he KNOWS that Dick is not this perfect son and untouchable figure who always is viewed as in the right.

And at the same time, like I said, I do know that there’s ways around all of that because its not like Jason has to be RATIONAL about this, and he very well can be more informed by his own feelings of insecurity than any actual real basis for feeling everyone’s always comparing him to Dick - its entirely possible for that to still be an issue for him even if its a thing that only actually exists in his own head and self-perception. But the problem I still have is the very fact that they take this angle with Jason makes me suspect we’re unlikely to ever get much of a narrative COUNTERING it, with Dick or someone else like establishing that much of this IS rooted in Jason’s own insecurities rather than actually existing in reality.....and WITHOUT that counter, the takeaway for most readers is to accept this on face value and just run with it as the fundamental nature of Dick and Jason’s dynamic.....which leads right back into the same thing that we’ve seen so much of in fandom for years and years. Like I said, there’s nothing new here. Not IMO. Its just....tired.

*Shrugs* This sort of take, to me, is all very paint by numbers. It feels more engineered to keep them eternally at odds and Jason eternally pigeon holed as the son who will never measure up, than any actual attempt to develop either of these characters or their relationship. And its made all the more annoying to me because of the fact that it very easily could be flipped on its axis so as to run with the idea that Dick is just as insecure comparing himself to Jason because he sees Jason as the son adopted first, the one Bruce chose after he’d already dismissed Dick from his life as far as Dick saw it, etc.

And even that much could be more interesting than what we have here because it makes it less of a one-sided thing and doesn’t position any particular one of them as the more disenfranchised but rather pits these brothers against each other for the exact same reason and miscommunication and mistaken impressions. Which still is at least a more nuanced back-and-forth and reasoning for a sibling cold war than just this shallow and superficial impression of a Golden Boy and his Bad Seed brother. But it’ll never happen because it requires actually puncturing the illusion of Dick as the golden boy and DC writers are too addicted to their superficial niches in writing family dynamics to actually go that route ever. Even if all their actual stories put the lie to it since Dick absolutely does not enjoy any kind of privileged relationship with their father or the rest of the family at large, except for Damian perhaps (and even there, people so frequently gloss over the fact that the reason Dick is so favored by Damian is because Dick put in the work to treat Damian as his own person and see the child he was when all anyone else bothered to see when they looked at him was the assassin).

Anyway, I saw that story too, and like, I acknowledge it exists and will doubtless spawn all kinds of stories that run with that take, but like, those stories have been being written and running with that take all along, so its kinda just business as usual IMO? *Shrugs* I’ll just be here still going with the take that Dick and Jason have fights and ideological differences and grudges even while being brothers who actually do love and respect each other, would die for each other, and actually have history no matter how many stories like to pretend that Jason was Robin for three whole years and Dick the guy who bleeds with his need and want for family spent the entire time just ignoring his existence except for one single interaction.

That to me is far more interesting than anything that can come from Jason being like “ugh I’ll never measure up to my brother and everybody else thinks that too,” while Dick is like “I can not fathom why Jason feels this way and no writer will ever let me show him evidence to the contrary because that would ruin the trope.” Blech. Tedious. Boring. Been there done that. Read that 20000 + times. Seen that episode on repeat ad nauseam. Its a hard pass from me.

LOL.

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