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#platonically and otherwise
jaskiercommabard · 8 months
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Jaskier knows what he means to the continent. He knows what Burn Butcher Burn means.
At the end of my days when I'm through,
No word that I've written will ring quite as true as
Burn
It's not about Geralt. It's about JASKIER. It's about Jaskier knowing, in his anger and grief, that when the time comes he will say "fuck it" and fall back in step with Geralt.
It's about saying - this will always have happened, no matter how I feel later.
It's about this human man using his greatest power to say to Geralt: You, now, have done this to me, permanently. This will, permanently, mean something, just like the other White Wolf ballads did.
It's not petty. It's not about revenge. It's not even about Geralt's reputation, it's about Jaskier's legacy and what he owes himself. It's not just about singing his pain it's about honoring his pain!!
Yeah we never got to see Geralt hear BBB we never got to see them talk about it yeah yeah we didn't NEED TO it's not aBOUT HIM it's not FOR HIM it's for JASKIER from JASKIER because Jaskier is the only thing he'll have forever.
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eloquent-edits · 4 months
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🗡️ “I’m all for platonic intimacy but this…?”
the subtext of romance is really peeking through 🗡️ friends to lovers scenarios
Person A going to person B’s house to watch a movie but getting looped into playing drunk card games with B and their parents
Working out together and A insisting on spotting B and adjusting their form
B playfully poking A in public and promptly getting tackled
B patting A’s cheek only to accidentally linger as they notice how the light catches in A’s eyes (A is DESPERATELY trying to not blush)
“Here’s the garage code.” “… Why am I receiving this information?” “You’re already over here a lot. My parents think it’s better than a key.”
Forced close proximity at a LAN party because there’s not much room at the table (and A’s arm keeps brushing against B’s, messing up their aim, but if anything the space between them decreases as the night goes on)
The “Oh, is B coming too?” to “A kidnapped me to come here and hang out” pipeline
Going from quick and funny head scratches to absentmindedly stroking/detangling their hair while chatting with friends
“Do I smell okay?” “You smell normal.” “Which is…?” “Like lilac and gooseberry.”
A melting into B’s hug after a long and stressful week
B helping A deal with a major headache by rubbing/scratching their back
A heating up B’s ears with their hands because B forgot ear muffs in winter
“My mom thinks you’re really pretty/handsome.” “My mom thinks you look like Adonis/Aphrodite.” “Can you ever take a compliment?”
Candid pictures give away the softness in B’s eyes when they look at A goofing around
B not minding when A gives them a long hug in public, even though they aren’t big on PDA in general
B drawing a shitpost and sending it to A, A setting it as their lockscreen, and months later B realizes that A still hasn’t changed it
B’s family automatically assuming that A might join for any family function and making A’s favorite dish accordingly
“I have to go into the office this week. Can I crash at your place since it’s closer?”
Hanging out for hours —> “I don’t want you to drive home this late.” —> waking up in each other’s arms because they both refused to let the other sleep on the floor/couch
“My clothes reek of you.” “You could’ve just told me to take a shower.”
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outer-space-face · 10 months
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Them.
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bluiebirdie17 · 3 months
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[At the dinner table with everyone else]
Alastor: Why are you looking at me through a fork?
Lucifer: I'm pretending you're in jail.
Alastor: Why?
Lucifer: It's spiritually healing.
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st4rlex · 11 months
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peni and noir :)
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murderpastaa · 8 months
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Whoopsie I forgot to post this lol
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afewproblems · 5 months
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Christmas Party Wish Part One
After The Christmas party, Steve manages to avoid everyone for all of two days before Robin shows up at his front door, ready to knock it down.
He crosses from the kitchen and into the foyer just as Robin starts yelling.
"Steven Marie Harrington, you open up this door or so help me--"
Steve rolls his eyes, pulling the door inward quickly enough that Robin loses her balance and nearly topples onto the inside floor mat. If not for Steve's quick reflexes she would be face down in a heap, he tells her as much with a sly grin as he helps her to stand.
"And whose fault would that be? Nice way to treat the person who is here to help you out Dingus," Robin huffs, brushing off imaginary dust from her shoulders while Steve moves aside to let her in.
"Merry Christmas to you too Rob," Steve says tugging her towards himself. He sighs as she immediately wraps her arms around his neck, content until she blows a long wet raspberry into his check. Steve drops her with a yelp and wipes away the wet mark she left behind with grinning lips.
"That was for ignoring my call," she says with narrowed eyes, "you were supposed to come for supper on Christmas day remember?"
She shrugs off her blue parka before lifting each foot to pull off her snowy boots, Steve takes the coat and tosses it over the back of the closest chair and crosses his arms over his chest.
"I know," he manages after a beat, sighing as Robin scoffs. She turns on her heel and wanders into the kitchen, leaving Steve to trail after her.
"I can only assume it's because you had other plans, you can't have possibly ignored my call for some other reason, hmm?"
Steve lifts his head to stare at the ceiling and count to five.
The thing that Steve both loves and hates about his best friend is her ability to read him through and through and call him on his shit. He'd hoped to have at least a little more time to wallow in self pity though.
"You've been wallowing for two days Steve, and I know it sucks," she chews her lip for a moment before sighing, "I'm sorry about the wish game, I feel like it's my fault".
Steve shakes his head and moves to the fridge. He opens it and reaches inside for two cans of cola before turning and using his foot to nudge the door closed again. He stacks the cans, holding them both with one hand and he moves to the pantry, grabbing an old open tube of Pringles, before making his way back to the kitchen island.
"Nah," he says eventually, "it wasn't your fault, if anything it proved why I was right not to say anything".
Steve places Robin's cola and the chips on the counter beside him and cracks the tab on his can with one hand as he leans heavily against the edge. He takes a long swig from the can, pounding his chest as he finishes to release a long burp.
Robin grimaces and swats at Steve's bicep as she grabs her own can and hops up onto the counter next to Steve.
"Dis-GUST-ing," she enunciates, wrinkling her nose, "and it doesn't prove anything Steve, of course Eddie would wish for his band to succeed, he doesn't even know you're on the table".
"And besides," Robin continues, gesturing to Steve with the can, "Nancy and Jonathan don't know that I'm a friend of Dorothy and we've known each other for over a year now. You've known them for three years and haven't said anything either, Dingus, so why would Eddie feel comfortable sharing something like that in front of everyone?"
And, huh, well what Robin says does make a lot more sense than the rambling depressing thoughts that he's been playing on repeat since their movie night.
He and Eddie have gotten a lot closer since they escaped from the Upside Down for the last time. Since Steve managed to carry him out of hell and got them to the hospital in time.
And Steve has been trying so hard for months not to expose himself, to show the most vulnerable parts of his heart to someone that could stomp on it as easily as Nancy did.
But Robin has a point.
On the one hand Steve has been protecting himself, and on the other he's also made sure that there would never be a possibility of--
Steve shakes his head, "first of all, I only just figured all of this, Bi-Sectional stuff, out Robin--"
"Bisexual," she sighs as Steve keeps talking.
"Whatever, and second, we have no idea if Eddie swings that way either…I just don't want to take the risk and end up fucking it all up".
Robin stares at him, an unhappy frown marring her normally sweet features. It feels too much like she's evaluating the inside of his mind --though she did always have the uncanny talent of knowing exactly what he was thinking.
"And what would you say if I told you I had a plan?" Robin says slowly, her gaze unwavering still.
Steve meets her eyes for a moment, taking in the smirk and the raised eyebrow. There's a challenge in her expression and Steve knows there's nothing for it but to listen to what she has to say.
"I'm going to regret letting you in today aren't I?" Steve says as he lifts his can towards her own.
Robin answers with a wide grin and knocks her can into his with a metallic click.
"Don't you always? Anyways," she clears her throat and looks at him with a mischievous smirk, lifting her hands into the air and wiggling her fingers, "I'm thinking, are you ready? New Year's Eve!"
"No--"
"New Year's Eve Steve, come on!" She insists as Steve grazes on a stack of chips from the Pringles tube.
"All we need to do is invite everyone over, Eddie included, to Casa Harrington for a little New Years Party," Robin continues, ignoring the eye roll Steve sends her way, "with enough liquid courage you'd have another opportunity to actually talk to Eddie, confess your feelings, and Boom! Maybe even get a midnight kiss out of the whole thing!"
Steve stares at her wide eyes and wider grin, forcing himself to keep his expression blank.
"So, just to be clear," Steve says eventually, around a mouthful of chips. Robin exaggeratedly gags and snatches her own stack from the tube.
"Your plan is for me to host another party and talk to him".
"Well, yeah--"
"...Robin, that's not a plan, that's a repeat of what already happened," Steve groans as he puts down the chips and runs his hands over his face until they've tangled into his hair.
"No, no, nuh uh, because you didn't say jack shit to him all night," she huffs, gently pulling his hands down, "the crucial difference my sweet bozo, is that you are actually going to tell him how you feel this time".
"How am I supposed to do that with my ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend, and everyone else here smart ass," he counters, letting her continue to hold his hands in her own smaller ones.
She rolls her eyes but squeezes his fingers as she continues, "it will be easy to get him alone, come on, you could tell him you want to give him his Christmas present in your room, you could ask him to go for a smoke outside, you could show him the basement stereo and your ridiculous music collection, must I go on while you don't write this down?"
With every suggestion Steve feels a surge of warm affection for his friend and allows for a fond grin to replace the skeptical frown on his face.
"Do I have to do all of those or should I pick one?" Steve asks, lifting his now free hands to protect his face as Robin whips her own at his chest and head.
"How you were ever considered a ladies man, I will never know," Robin says, though the words are rather undercut by a laugh that turns into a giggle as she finds a particularly ticklish rib and begins her assault.
"You are a fucking menace birdie," Steve manages to say as he catches the offending hands and steps away from the counter and his friends attack.
"You love it," she scoffs, stealing another chip and crunching it loudly as though to make her point.
And he does, Steve thinks to himself.
They have five days to figure out the final details, and Steve can't help but move back to the counter to swing an arm around her shoulders.
Because when in doubt, he can always count on Robin.
"Okay, New Years it is".
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littlekiara96 · 4 months
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Nah, but just imagine.
You somehow become good friends with this tall, dark, lowkey scary and intimidating guy, and you show him the stuff you like, the stuff that makes you go "I like this world. There are nice things in it", and unbeknownst to you, you become one of the reasons humanity doesn't get wiped out sooner.
Because if humanity disappeared and you became the last human specimen, you would be sad, wouldn't you? And he just can't have that happen. Not like that, not yet. He still needs to find a solution for this conundrum, because getting rid of humanity and of you with it is simply out of the question, for him.
And one day...
You're sad. Depressed, even. You can't see the good in humanity that day.
He doesn't know what happened exactly to put you in such a state, but you seem inconsolable.
Saying damning things about humanity and how there's no way of saving it, and maybe everyone should disappear, actually...
He lets you ramble and mope for a bit.
And once you seem done...
"Would it make you happier if something destroyed everyone else?"
You look up at him. A bit wide-eyed.
You eventually look down, ashamed.
"N- No... I don't think so..."
Too bad, he thinks, it would have been the best occasion to kill two birds with one stone, but humanity is saved again. For now.
Instead, he just grabs your hand and leads you to places you had first brought him to. And he speaks to you of all the good things you had talked to him about, all the things that made you go "There's still good in this world", and you help a grandma cross the street, and you help a kid find his mom at the zoo, and he buys you a panda plushie, even though you didn't ask for it.
He brings you back to your home, and on the way there, he buys some groceries. Once you're in front of your house, he asks to come in.
Turns out the groceries were meant to be your dinner.
He makes you a delicious soup, and you both eat it while watching videos of cute cats, funny dogs and adorable pandas.
Then he excuses himself on his way out, and you hug him while holding your new panda plushie.
"Thank you. I needed a friend like you, today."
Your words are stuck in his mind for two days straight afterwards.
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nburkhardt · 10 months
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Steve’s actual favorite pastime is coloring.
Buys any sort of coloring book and sits at his desk with crayons or coloring pencils. Sometimes even paint.
Before everything it was to ease stress from the pedestal people keep him on. It was for those weird feeling he gets over phone calls with his parents.
After everything it was to escape his mind, to ease his heart from beating too much. It was there to remind himself of the beauty in life. To see simple things, to try and erase all the ugly memories.
He keeps it to himself, loves that it’s his thing and the peace he gets from it is so calming.
But the only person to find out about this is Robin. She couldn’t sleep after Starcourt and had to be near him, just to make sure he’s still there, that the Russians didn’t take him away. So, she breaks in and finds him sitting in his bedroom at the desk with his stack of coloring books, his pencils and crayons around him.
She watched his face go through all the emotions and before he can even open his mouth, she just asks “Anything with animals? Do you have pastels?”
For a few short seconds, she thought he’d deny it and figure out something to get her to forget. But instead of that he grabs a book, pushes things around and gave a hesitant smile at her.
From then on, Steve’s quiet time is Steve and Robin’s quiet time.
They buy each other books, finds new coloring supplies, argue over which page is better.
They spill secrets on dirty bathroom floors, laugh with tears streaming down their cheeks but during this? They’re listening to music on low, trade stories in hushed tones, humming along as they color in books.
It’s theirs and it’s Steve favorite thing.
~~
Oh this got a little longer then I thought. It was just a silly thing that took a tiny turn. (Still v short I know)
A tag list under the cut 🫡
@spectrum-spectre @itsfreakingbats @mysticcrownshipper @artiststarme @thereindeerlady @justforthedead89 @ronniescontinuum @freyaforestafay @littlewildflowerkitten @estrellami-1 @gregre369 @zerokrox-blog @bookworm0690 @flustratedcas @carlprocastinator1000 @marvelmwah @solliesolesito @navnae @i-less-than-three-you @grimmfitzz
Oh and btw, i’m a little high and currently coloring and this popped up in my head. Also also I got SCENTED MARKERS today and and RETRACTEABLE ONES!!! I’m v excited ☺️
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poorly-drawn-mdzs · 1 year
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He definitely meant the sword, right?
[First] Prev <–-> Next
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alexisntedgy · 5 months
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the saga continues
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devilat-thedoor · 11 days
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i love when bestfriends are a lil queer😌
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dawnatlas · 2 months
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i just feel so so so spoiled and grateful for tsc right now. every single thing i wanted to see was in that book. a deeper look into jean and kevins relationship, jean having people to rely on + the veeery slow but sure curve towards healing, the trojans being a walking pride parade, crumbs of neil and jean interacting, every single jerejean interaction,JEREMY CATALINA AND LAILA, UGH IM JUST SO HAPPY. like yeah i felt like jumping off a ledge every other page but GOD IT'S SO GOOD AND IT DELIVERS SO WELL
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fryday · 5 months
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not to get deep, but dan and phil epitomise the thing i dream of having in a relationship: complete and total comfort. the amount of ease they share, the kind that's so total they'd allow the other person into their literal and figurative space without blinking, without thinking, without noticing — because that's just the way it is, and should be. like "I would like to be the air that inhabits you for a moment only. I would like to be that unnoticed and that necessary" (margaret atwood)? they are there. that's them. and it makes me a little weepy, i'm not gonna lie
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bluiebirdie17 · 3 months
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Vox: It must suck not being able to have a sense of humor!
Alastor: On the contrary, I do have one.
Vox: I've never heard you laugh. Genuinely.
Alastor: And I have never heard you say anything funny.
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nat-ter · 4 months
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Bruce had never met Superman face to face but he still hated the alien and thought of him as a threat and he was convinced his boys did too— except his kids are traitors. They each met Superman individually and found him really friendly and nice. At first, they were all hiding the fact that they were friends with Superman from each other, and especially from Bruce. So while Bruce was obsessed with coming up with contingency plan after contingency plan to take down Superman— even though he didn't try to kill the alien yet since Superman was still doing good for the people and Bruce couldn't just attack someone who hadn't done any wrong yet— the kids were making excuses to go meet Superman in secret and Bruce just went on oblivious to the fact that his kids are backstabbing demons.
Of course they lied to Superman too, about Batman's opinions of the Man of Steel, and the various plans he had made to kill said man. They always came up with reason after reason why Superman shouldn't or couldn't meet Batman, sometimes it's getting so ridiculous they were sure even Superman would call their buff. But sweet, ol' Kal never did.
Eventually, they found out that none of them held a grudge against Superman like Batman did, so they all teamed up together and cover for each other whenever one of them spend time with Superman, or cover the fact that Superman came to Gotham one too many time than he should. And it was the one thing that all of them could work together on without fighting or insulting each other. At one point, to keep their secret friendship with Superman, Dick even went so far to wear Batman's costume and meet Superman as Batman because Superman had wanted to meet Batman really bad and they were running dry on why Batman couldn't make time to meet the neighboring hero, and it wasn't like they could just ask Bruce to meet him considering the large collection of Kryptonite in the Cave. And they didn't exactly want their mentor to find out they had went behind his back and formed a friendship with who he swore was his mortal enemy (B's dramatic like that).
They tried to broach the subject of partnership with Superman to Bruce once in a while, of course, but every single time they were either shot down immediately and called ridiculous for even thinking about it or they had to sit through a dramatic monologue about how Superman couldn't be trusted and why they should stay away from him.
But Superman could fly and had superspeed so of course they couldn't stop him if he were to randomly come to Gotham and speak with Batman as if they were friends. Which was what exactly happened. Dick, as Batman, had warned Superman to never, ever come to Gotham without prior notice and to make sure no one notice his presence while he was in the city ("but you can totally see my kids. I'm cool with that." "Oh? Thanks, Batman. But... you know you sound younger than I thought you would." "Uh... yeah, I. Ehem. I'm very in touch with the modern lingo."), and Superman had readily agreed citing about respecting each other's boundaries and all, so the kids thought they were in the clear. But of course, there would be an emergency when even Superman wouldn't have the time to page first before coming right into Batman's turf and ask for his help.
So on a relatively quiet night, Batman was perching on a gargoyle while the newest Robin was scouting out the alleyways for any trouble. And Superman decided to touch down on the roof behind the crouching Batman and said, as if they had met before, as if they were close friends who hang out every once in a while, "Good evening, Batman. It's nice to see you again. Sorry I couldn't page first, and I hope you're not too busy because I have an emergency and I could really use your help."
Batman had gone rigid in a second and through gritted teeth, said, "Superman."
Upon hearing the name through the comm, Damian panicked and immediately sent out an emergency alert to his brothers before grappling to the building where sweet, clueless Superman with his sweet heart was facing the big bad Bat of Gotham who had been stockpiling on kryptonite for years, waiting for the day he would fight Superman. Which was the first mistake.
Because of course Superman, friendly Superman, with heart the size of the Sun, immediately recognised Robin. And of course, clueless Superman with his dumb, harmless 1000 megawatt smile was waving at Robin as if they were friends, as if they knew each other, as if Robin didn't hear Bruce grumbling about each piece written about the good deeds the Superman did every other day.
The others arrived at the scene faster than they would have at any night. Panic stricken and scared shitless of Bruce's wrath. And of course Superman immediately greeted them as soon as they got there.
Batman had merely narrowed his eyes when Superman had waved at Robin, and barked, sharper than he had before, "What the hell are you doing in my city?"
Superman looked taken aback but he was quick to recover. Seems like whatever emergency he got was more prominent than figuring out why his sort-of-not-really-friend was behaving weirdly. "Like I said, I have an emergency and I could really use your help, Batman."
Batman scoffed but with the voice modulator it sounded garbled and hard for the ears. "And what makes you think I would help you?"
Superman blinked. "What do you mean— Why wouldn't you help me?"
"First you encroach into my city without even asking for permission, talking to me as if we are— friends. And then you ask for my help as if I would just drop everything on my plate and follow you. Who do you think—"
But Batman's rant was cut off by the arrival of the other three heroes who stood at the edge of the roof, looking sheepish and guilty, breathing heavily in the quiet night. Superman looked at them, bewildered and surprised to see all the Batfamily in one place but smiling wide nonetheless because he was happy to see his little friends together. It had always been two kids or one. Never three, never all of them and certainly not with Batman in the mix.
"Oh, hey, Red Robin, Nightwing and Red Hood...?" Superman waved awkwardly by the end of his greetings, looking unsure. "Sorry," he said and actually curled in on himself a little as if he's self-conscious. "Are you guys on a big case? I didn't hear anything so I thought you weren't busy. I guess I could try to contact Wonder Woman if you have your hands full."
Superman turned to Batman but Batman was slowly turning his head towards where his kids stood at the edge of the roof. He was eerily silent and motionless making the kids take a step back nervously. Superman watched the scene with a frown, pulling his eyebrows together so tightly they almost meet in the middle. He was starting to detect that something wasn't quite right.
"Explain." Batman barked.
And Superman's face scrunched up even further. Clearly the man was deep in thought. "You know," he said slowly before none of the kids could speak. "Batman. You sound really different than the last time we met. Or any other time, actually. It's as if you're..." he trailed off, staring at Batman's feet, lost in his thoughts again.
"What." Batman shifted slightly. "We've never met before."
"Oh," Superman breathed out, his face going slack. He turned to Nightwing and the young hero immediately stood up straighter. "It was you."
Batman's head snapped towards where Dick was standing with his hands literally clasped behind his back like a soldier. "Nightwing," growled Batman. "Explain."
"Uhh..." said Dick eloquently.
"Red Robin." Bruce barked when Dick fell into silence, unable to come up with a plausible excuse, or to tell the truth.
"Err..." said Tim, swaying a little on his feet. He hadn't had enough sleep or coffee in him to live through the situation.
Batman did not sigh but Bruce Wayne did. A lot. And the kids had a knack of bringing out the dad side in him so Batman sighed through the voice modulator before he could think better. He had always suspected that his kids were up to something but he was so consumed with the thought of the alien— who was now standing in front of him with the world's greatest kicked puppy eyes in the world for some reason— he had stupidly thought whatever shenanigans his sons were up to, he would be able to deal with it later. Of course, he had never thought that his kids were dirty, backstabbing demons.
"Father," Damian finally said, but only because Jason had been signing at him to do so, telling him to use his puppy eyes since it still seemed to work on Bruce. "This is a misunderstanding."
But apparently they were dealing with the full Bat tonight, despite the involuntary sigh, because Batman did not slumped down his shoulders like he always did when Damian turn on his pleading eyes, instead he stood up straight as ever and met Damian's eye straight on. Jason was sure he could hear thunderstorm coming their way.
"A misunderstanding." He repeated flatly.
"Yes." Dick quickly said and Jason gave him a side eye. Dude, he thought, I just convinced the demon child to throw himself under the bus, why are you still talking.
"How is this a misunderstanding." His tone was so flat it didn't even come out as a question.
"I don't understand," Superman said instead, before anyone could reply Batman. He turned to the kids, his face set in disappointment so similar to Bruce's the kids actually flinched back. "You told me Batman was okay with me hanging out with you guys... And he told me— Oh. Nightwing. Right."
Batman's shoulders went impossibly more rigid. "You have been... hanging out."
"Err," said Nightwing, Red Robin and Robin simultaneously. Jason wisely kept his mouth shut. But Bruce's eyes still landed on him. Jason groaned in his head. So much for staying undetected.
"Red Hood," Bruce said slowly, very pointedly. "I thought you hate Superman."
"Yeah, well." Jason shrugged with nonchalance he didn't feel. "Turns out, he's a pretty great guy. So, kudos to him. Yay...?"
"You hated me?" Superman asked, looking dejected. Like someone kicked his dog and Jason knew he had a dog so the expression was even more daunting. And Jason wasn't having any of it, okay. Kal-El had literally given Red Hood his Ma's secret recipe for the perfect cinnamon roll. Which tasted like heaven (sorry Alfred). They had a bond, okay. No way he would let Superman see him as some cynical asshole. No way.
"Not fucking fair. It was the old man who went on and on about how you can't be trusted while making weapons to kill you. So, in my defense, it was hard to like you when all your flaws and possible weaknesses are pointed out in an alphabetical order." He threw a quick glance at the old man he just threw under the bus. Bruce looked unimpressed as ever. "But that was before I met you and found out that you're actually a chill dude. With a mother who's, like, the God of Baking."
"Superman doesn't have a mother!" Batman, honest to god, spluttered.
"Yes, he does." The young heroes said in unison.
"His world is dead. His parents are dead." Batman needlessly emphasised the word 'dead', for which he got four pairs of unimpressed eyes.
"B, have you ever heard of adoption." Dick said, emphasising the last word just to spite Bruce. Because of course Bruce did, if not, three of them wouldn't be there.
"You have Earth parents!" Batman exclaimed quite unlike himself, pointing a finger at Superman as if that's an accusation.
"You want to kill me." Kal whispered, his puppy eyes back on full effect.
Batman shifted uncomfortably. It was one thing to plan ways to kill someone, even if they're alien, it's completely different when said someone you wanted to kill was confronting you about the very thing.
"Yes." Damian reaffirmed. Ever the literal. "Father has been producing a variety of weapons to weaken you, hurt you and eventually kill you with the material called Kryptonite."
"Robin." Tim hissed.
Damian was still a growing child, emotionally and physically. But even he knew that when his any of his brothers said his name like that, it meant he had crossed a line he shouldn't have without realising he did.
"But you have nothing to worry about, Kal." Damian quickly amended. "Should father try to use these weapons under unwarranted circumstances, he will find the stock empty. We have contingency plans for father's contingencies—"
"Damian." It was Dick this time, who quickly moved and put a hand over Robin's mouth. He didn't even realise his mistake, not any of them did, actually.
"What." Batman said. Mostly confused. He couldn't even find it in himself to be furious at the moment. He was just flummoxed.
"Oh. Uh." Superman stammered. "Thank you? That's really nice of you."
An awkward silence befall the rooftop as each hero stood awkwardly where they were, barely breathing, motionless, not knowing what action to take next. Eventually Batman shifted an inch.
Oh no, thought the boys, he's going to go on another rant.
"You went behind my back," Batman started with a dark voice. "I warned you about the danger and you dismissed it. You went and made an alliance with my enemy." Here, Superman let out a protesting noise which could also he offended because, really? Enemy? Batman ignored it. "Not only that, you made plans to go against me. Instead of talking to me, you decided to oppose me. I have trained you and taught you everything you need to know. I take care of you and make sure to meet each of your needs. And this is what I get in return. Betrayal. You did not listen to me and—"
But he was cut off by a sardonic voice. "Master Wayne," said a voice from the batcomm each Bat was wearing, and Superman with his superhearing could hear it loud and clear too. "Considering your history of doing what you were told not to do, are you sure that you should be giving this speech?"
"Alfred," Batman said, sounding almost petulant.
"It is your fault, afterall, that you did not seek out Superman first before deciding who he is and what he is like. It is a good thing, if I may be so bold to say, that the kids see past the mask and befriend Superman in spite of what you have to say about him." Batman looked at Superman who was standing there awkwardly, staring at Batman. Bruce sneered, unable to help himself.
"Quit that," Alfred admonished. Bruce immediately dropped it. Superman blinked. "Now, Master Bruce. I agree that Master Dick, Master Jason, Master Tim and Master Damian should have come forward with their established friendship with Superman but considering your opinion on him, I believe it is understandable that they hesitated to do so." The aforementioned young boys nodded their head at Bruce. "That is not to say, however, that their behaviour shall go unpunish." Now they were groaning and Bruce had a little smile of triumph. "Perhaps, a few days off petrol and reflecting on our behaviours would do us some good. Including you, Master Bruce." Bruce immediately dropped his smile. Why him, too? Alfred answered right away. "I believe you realise now that you have been acting brashly the past few years. Now, we know that Superman is not as aloof and alien as we had previously thought. He is more earthbound than we believed him to be. If he were to go, he will have someone to miss him."
The kids nodded again. Superman just stared at Bruce with wide eyes and an expression Bruce couldn't put together. Whatever, Bruce had no time to care about him. He turned slightly away to whisper to the comm.
"But Alfred—"
"None of that now. I suggest you send the young lads home and we put this discussion off for the future."
In the ensuing silence, Superman softly breathed out: "Wayne."
Batman immediately went rigid, and so did the other young vigilantes. How the hell—
"Bruce... Wayne...?" Superman searched Batman's covered face as if he was trying to see if he was actually coming to a concrete conclusion.
"Oh," Alfred said, surprised and guilty. "The supersenses have slipped my mind. My apologies, Master Bruce."
For the first time in his life, Bruce didn't know what to do. Of course his immediate response should be deflection. But how could you lie to Superman about the very thing he just heard. The kids didn't seem to know what else to do either.
"Perhaps, you should ask Superman to come over for tea if his emergency is not an emergency anymore and we could talk about this in a more secure place." Alfred smoothly continued. No point in lying now. Superman had heard what he had heard and it was unlikely that he could be convinced that his superhearing was faulty.
Superman blinked a few times as if to clear his thoughts before he cleared his throat. "Yes, uhm. I was going to ask Batman to help me take a look at some data about a shipment from Gotham to Metropolis that was to happen tonight. I have reasons to believe that Luthor is involved and when Luthor is involved—"
"Kryptonite is involved." Bruce finished it for him.
Superman looked at him, seemingly a bit surprised. "Erm, yes. That. But I think it has already happened so... I'd have to follow it up tomorrow. So. Uh. I have... time?"
Batman narrowed his eyes and stayed silent.
"Bruce." Alfred said.
"C'mon B," Dick piped up. "The worst has already happened."
"I concur, Father. Kal-El now knows who you are, it is only best that the matter of discretion be properly discussed." Damian nodded sagely.
"The fuck, old man, are you still contemplating this?" Jason raised his arms in disbelief. He's so done with this family.
"Language, Master Jason."
"Uhh..." Tim swayed on his feet.
Batman sighed again. Dammit. Instead of showing his discomfort, however, he growled out a mean, "Fine." And then he grappled towards where he parked the Batmobile. Those brats could find their own way home and Superman? He could fly anyway.
Turned out, Superman could fly with four more passengers and Red Robin's bike that the kids used to get to that building. Although Bruce later gave Kal a piece of his mind about safety and the standard amount of people Superman should carry during flight without putting anyone in danger.
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