#Damian being the heir of both Nightwing AND Batman is so powerful of him
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Dc should explore more the 'Damian is Nightwing's heir' concept, and I don't mean something like injustice, but they mentioned it in canon once, like five years ago and I've been thinking about it ever since
(Nightwing 2016 #19)
And at first I thought, well Robin is also Dick's legacy, but then they just
(Nightwing 2016 #19)
And I, for the love of God, Can't. Move. On.
#I do think he deserves to become his own person and all#HOWEVER#Damian being the heir of both Nightwing AND Batman is so powerful of him#Nightwing 2016 16-19 is a Dick Grayson is Damian Wayne's parent fic#and i'm so here for it#having thoughts#damian wayne#robin#Dick grayson#Nightwing
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Damian has beef with a homeless kid. Both as a Wayne, and as Robin.
As a Wayne, Damian being alone outside was a rare thing. Most of the time a sibling would be accompanying him or wouldn't be too far off, but he was well and truly alone for the first in a while.
Then he stepped into an alleyway and nearly got hit in the face. It wasn't unexpected, considering this is Gotham, but it's unusual for a thief to be bare-handed.
They then devolved into a fistfight and, while the other boy's form has at least some foundation it was pitiful in comparison to the Demon's Heir and the son of Batman. But the boy had quite a lot of power that he threw around with his punches and kicks, power that Damian used against him while simultaneously dodging his attacks.
There was an invisible line that the boy refused to let him cross that led deeper into the alleyway, and he somehow managed to do exactly that. Looping Damian right back to their starting positions at the start of this fight, Damian at the mouth and the unknown at the middle point.
Damian then caught sight of familiar green scales, a groan, and a very familiar voice calling out "Kid...?" The boy in front of him seemed, genuinely, panicked at the voice's interruption, but not with fear.
But with worry.
So then Damian left, pushing away each and every notion that he should detain Killer Croc right then and there with the logic that he didn't even have his uniform and the proper equipment to effectively deal with someone of Killer Croc's powerset.
Somehow, whenever he was alone from his siblings, he's always met the boy, whom he learned was called Danny via overhearing Killer Croc speaking to him. Their meetings always started in a fight, and ended with no victor as Damian sneaked away as soon as Killer Croc made his presence known.
No wonder he's been so quiet, it seemed he either had a child or found one.
===
As Robin, Damian would admit that he was caught off guard by the same boy who acted as Killer Crocs 'bodyguard' (either for the mutant himself, or everyone else. He doesn't care enough to find out) and would say it was a good move.
But that was as much praise as he was willing to give.
Robin recognized Danny at first glance, if not in looks than surely the fighting style he was familiarized with over the past few months. A mixture between refined and wild.
As always, he threw far more power than his body should allow for someone of his build and age, so perhaps he was a mutant as well. It didn't matter, what did, however, was how each of the punches thrown could punch straight through a wall.
Robin never let himself get hit fully to test if it could as easily pierce the human body as well.
As usual, Robin was either redirecting, outright dodging or blocking (when he wasn't able to dodge just right enough for the attack to not hit him) the attacks that came his way. And, as always, wherever it seemed Killer Croc went, Danny went as well.
Wherever Killer Croc found this boy, Robin would give him credit for being able to choose his protegees correctly.
Robin let no one else deal with Danny whenever he's on scene along with Killer Croc. His father wouldn't even fight him unless it was necessary, most of the time busy with Killer Croc himself, Nightwing was occupied in his own territory, as well as Red Hood.
Robin would not so humbly refuse to even entertain the idea of Red Robin as a candidate.
When Killer Croc escaped, Robin let his opponent chase after his guardian to nurse the wounds that came, more often than not, from counters to his own attacks.
He always had an excuse ready as for the why.
===
Damian Wayne saw something surprising, when he met Danny again.
Robin's own attack being thrown at him.
Of course, it was sloppy and almost painful to look at. But it still surprised Damian, nonetheless.
He spent some time effectively guiding Danny to perform the attack to an at least practical level. Not that Danny asked, or he offered, but it was easy to guide the flow of the fight to what he wanted.
===
Robin was surprised. Not to any great level, but it caught him off guard.
Danny had almost perfectly countered his attack.
It was still sloppy in some places, needed a bit more refining and a great less of the power that was unconsciously behind it. Other than that, it was performed that Damian could say he was almost impressed.
Danny landed a hit on him, and he was quite sure he may have broken a rib, bruised his chest, or both.
So of course, he ruthlessly beat the boy into the ground while pointing out each and every flaw in his technique. Then let him run off after his... master? Father?
He does not know the significance of the role Killer Croc plays to the boy, but he let him run away after him back to the sewer systems.
Of course, an excuse already on lips for his father to hear, and even better, physical evidence to back up his claim.
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For Lack of a Burger
**finally I have written! Sorry for the long absence, folks- my cat is a needy little thing and I love her. Enjoy!**
“As blood son of Batman, it is only natural that I train here to become heir to the Bat.”
Dick- well, Nightwing right now- looked down at Robin, who was staring out over Gotham with his brow furrowed.
“And what of the league? I can’t imagine them letting the heir to the Demon’s Head run loose.”
Robin stiffened a fraction more than he already was- something that Nightwing wouldn’t have noticed if he wasn’t trained by Batman himself.
“I know only one thing for sure concerning the heirship of the league.”
“What is that?”
“Grandfather will not taste relief in death.”
Nightwing wasn’t sure what that meant, but Damian seemed so assured of the fact. He would have to tell Bruce- maybe Ra’s had discovered a better method of immortality than the pits?
An alert pinged on their communicators, and the two of them checked it before heading off to save the citizens.
~~~
“I miss real food, Clocky.”
“You are currently unable to process it.”
“I know. Ectoplasm just isn’t the same though.”
Danny sprawled on Clockwork’s floor, lazily filling out paperwork from ages ago and yesterday.
“It has been a very long time since you left humanity behind.”
“I wish there was a safe way to go back and get some food.”
His mentor paused briefly, and Danny looked up. Was that a gleam in Clockwork’s eye?
“There is a way.”
Danny shot up into a seated position, crossing his legs.
“Tell me!”
“You will face many hardships.”
“Clockwork, serious as a funeral, I would kill for a burger right now.”
Clockwork smiled enigmatically.
“You may have to.”
He flicked his fingers and Danny found himself pushed back. He allowed it- at this point in his existence, he could overpower Clockwork, but he’d asked for this.
The world went dark around him.
~~~
In the year since he’d come to live with Father, Damian had not said a word about his brother. He’d been told, before being unceremoniously bundled away from the only home he’d ever known, that he was to be the heir of the Bat and Daniel was to be the Demon’s Head.
His mother had told him that Father would try and steal Daniel away from the League- that Damian would yet again be the lesser son. After a few months with Father, Damian had stopped believing that. There was no thing as a ‘lesser’ child for Father.
And yet.
Grandfather was a powerful man, and Grandfather treasured Daniel more than he had ever cared for Damian.
Daniel al Ghul, second son of the Bat of Gotham, was brilliant. He kept his emotions in check, fought with practiced ease in any situation, and spoke circles around even mother. It never took him as long as it took Damian to learn a new skill, and most of the time he spent studying, even when they were both allowed a break.
Damian loved him, even as the younger child overtook the position Damian had striven for his entire life.
What was not to love? Damian had loved him ever since his tiny hand had curled around his finger in infancy.
He had always been fond of small, cute things.
But if Daniel left the League, Grandfather would come after him, and it would be unsafe.
Damian held his tongue and loved his baby brother from a distance, even though he might never see him again.
~~~
John “Hellblazer” Constantine needed a drink. Or several.
Bats had appeared on the Watchtower with yet another new Robin, and this one was probably the most concerning out of all of them.
No, it wasn’t the sword.
It was the massive fucking protection order from a powerful death god that radiated off his small form.
“Bats.”
“Hm.”
“I need to talk to you and the kid.”
Bats nodded, a gesture John took to mean ‘go ahead’.
John sighed.
“Not here, Bats. Too many ears.”
“Hrn.”
The Bat swept away, followed closely by his brightly colored companion. John followed as well. He was pretty good at speaking Bat, after all these years working together.
They made their way into the bowels of the Watchtower, into a sitting room John hadn’t known existed.
“What do you need, Constantine?”
John paused for a moment, assessing. Robin was watching him suspiciously, hand on his sword, and Batman was standing half in front of the little bird protectively.
“Did you know this one was friends with a death god?”
“What?”
The Bat and Robin spoke the same word at the same time, in the exact same tone. Did they practice that? Anyways.
“Yup. Little redbreast screams hands off.”
“I am not acquainted with any gods.”
John shrugged.
“Doesn’t mean you knew they were a god. To get to the bottom of this- has anyone ever sworn to protect you in some way?”
Robin went still and pale behind his mask, before darting a glance up at Batman.
Batman, who was looking down at his sidekick.
“Robin? Report.”
The boy stuck his chin out.
“It was many years ago, Batman. He- they couldn’t have been a god.”
“You don’t know that, kid. Where did you meet him?”
“He wasn’t a god!”
Robin had become defensive, sword halfway out of it’s sheath, glaring at John- presumably for the sin of being alive.
“If the League of Assassins has contact with a deity of death, we need to know, Robin.”
Snarling, Robin started out of the room.
“I will not discuss him with either of you. He is safe where he is.”
“Robin- chum. Who is he?”
Robin stopped in the door, not looking back. His voice wobbled a little as he spoke.
“My younger brother.”
John needed a drink, and fast.
~~~
Danny stood over Damian’s bed, watching his older brother breathe shallowly. Grandfather had beat him badly, and Danny was still unsure why.
Talia wouldn’t look him in the eye, and Grandfather had gone to soak in the pits.
“Daniel?”
“Damian!”
Danny bent over his brother, placing a hand over his pulse to check it.
“Why?”
Why had Grandfather beaten him? Why had he stood and let it happen? Why didn’t he run?
“He… wanted me… t’kill you.”
Danny felt rage swell up in his tiny seven-year-old body. What right did Ra’s al Ghul think he had, to beat a child almost to death for such a reason?
What right did that man have, to touch someone Danny had come to care for?
Closing his eyes briefly, Danny allowed himself to meditate for the few moments it would take to let his rage die down enough to comfort his brother.
Once it had, he opened his eyes again and pressed his forehead to Damian’s.
“I swear I will protect you, ahki. Ra’s al Ghul will not taste relief in death.”
The next day Danny watched invisibly as Talia dipped Damian in the Lazarus pits to heal him before putting him on a plane to Gotham.
~~~
“You have made me proud, Daniel.”
Ra’s watched as Daniel bowed, having taken out a squadron of elite ninja for his tenth birthday.
The ninja were still breathing- Ra’s was sure Daniel had spared them so as to not weaken the ranks of the League he was set to inherit.
It pleased him that his young grandson was so wise, despite his youth. His older brother had no such wisdom- rash and impatient, still full of emotional weakness. Ra’s would no longer claim that boy as his grandson once Daniel passed his newest test.
With a wave of his hand, several ninja brought forth a young man. They had managed to kidnap Richard Grayson from under the nose of the Bat, and now Daniel would kill the other.
“Grandfather?”
“This is your Father’s oldest ward. He is a usurper to a place that rightfully should be yours. Kill him.”
Daniel walked towards the bound man, and the ninja holding the captive backed away respectfully.
“May I ask him a question, Grandfather?”
Ra’s nodded. There was no harm in it.
The boy drew his sword and stepped around the man, holding the blade to his neck.
“Tell me, Grayson. Is Damian well?”
The lilt in his voice spelled danger for Damian, and Ra’s could barely contain his grin at Daniel’s ferocity.
“He is protected,” the kneeling man forced out. “You won’t harm a hair on his head.”
Daniel smiled, not unlike a shark.
“I know.”
Before Ra’s could blink, Richard Grayson’s bonds had fallen to the floor as if he had turned into a ghost, and Daniel’s sword was stabbed into the dirt between the Demon Head’s feet.
“We are leaving, Ra’s, and you will not stop us.”
The venom in his calm grandson’s voice when Daniel said his name made Ra’s pause, but only for a moment.
At a gesture, ninja poured out into the courtyard, intent on recapturing Nightwing and taking down the heir to the Demon.
Seconds before the ninja collided with the two, Daniel grinned, his eyes locked straight on Ra’s, grabbed Grayson’s hand, and the two vanished.
~~~
Dick was… Confused didn’t quite cut it. His day had been a disaster, and then this tiny meta who looked like a carbon copy of Damian appeared.
“So… You a clone?”
“No.”
“Oh. Uh. What are we doing, by the way?”
The boy smiled serenely at him, and then continued his work.
“Jacking a plane.”
“You’re like, eight.”
The boy shrugged.
“If you like.”
“Where are we going?”
“Gotham.”
“Who are you?”
The boy turned and put his hands on his hips, and Dick was starkly reminded of Bruce by the posture and facial expression.
“Look, Grayson, I get it, you’re confused. But if you don’t shut up and let me finish this wiring, we’ll never get you back to Gotham before the League catches up.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.”
The boy turned back around and continued his wiring.
“Call me Danny. Too many fruitloops call me Daniel.”
Dick expected a long flight ahead of them.
~~~
Damian was strapping on the last of his gear to go rescue Richard from the League of Assassins when the man himself strolled into the batcave, looking tired but no worse for wear.
“Dick!”
Batman- no, he took his cowl off- Father threw himself across the room to assess the health of his son.
Damian started unstrapping his gear.
“How did you get free?”
“We apparently had a man on the inside?”
“Had?”
“He blew his cover to save me.”
“Nightwing, report. Where is this man now?”
“I was landing the plane. Nice digs, dad.”
The cave fell silent, but for the ringing of the batarangs Damian dropped as he spun to face the newcomer.
“Not sure what I think of the ‘cave’ vibe you have going on, though.”
“Daniel?”
Daniel met Damian’s eyes, and a look Damian had never seen on his little brother broke out on the boy’s face.
A true, genuine, joyful smile.
“Akhi!”
Damian pulled out his sword and held it towards the stranger in his brother’s body.
“Who are you?”
The boy laughed.
“I’m a little weird now, right? It’s okay, Damian, it’s me.”
“What was the last thing you said to me.”
Damian felt that was a good question. No one but Daniel would know.
“I said I would protect you, and that Ra’s al Ghul would not experience a pleasant afterlife.”
“That-“
“Isn’t quite it, I know. Still true, though. I brought the Lazarus pits with me. Ra’s can’t use them anymore.”
Damian heard Father and Drake choke at Daniel’s words. This was Daniel, despite his complete personality change. No one had been with them when Daniel had made his promise.
“Since when were you a god of death?”
Daniel laughed.
“It’s a long story, Ahki.”
Damian sheathed his sword and held out a hand.
“Come then, habibi, tell me.”
“Can I have a burger to go with the story? I’m starving."
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Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne was born as Damian Al Ghul to Talia Al Ghul soon after his twin brother Aidan, however well Aidan's entrance into the world was silent his was not. The baby screamed himself to exhaustion and even then let out small whines as he slept until his brother was by his side after being put into the Lazarus water that Ra's Al Ghul treasured. Well he was born the son of The Bat and the Heir of the demon, Aidan being the Son of the Bat and the plan to be putting him into a position to succeed their father in his role? It was Aidan who would later go on to have a place among the power of the pits, well Damian was happy to succeed their father in his mission and one day carry on the mantle of The Bat.
As children Damian and Aidan Al Ghul were loyal to each other and attached to their mother, as they grew loyalty to their grandfather was instilled in them and they came to love their mother. Their true loyalty however was to each other, something that their grandfather saw from a young age. He used this, separating them for lessons save for sparing matches. When they did something that could be perceived as a failure? Or a challenge to his authority? Ra's found ways to separate them for longer periods as a punishment.
It was after one of these that Aidan was sent on mission that he didn't return from. The two of them were on their way back to Damian's room after having snuck out to look at the stars, Ra's spotted them as he was returning from some task he had been taking care of. Aidan took the blame, said that he had snuck out to look at the stars and when Damian realized had come to get him and make him to back to bed. They were only 8, but even at that young age he knew that doing anything but agreeing would make things worse for Aidan. Sneaking out after curfew was not nearly as bad as lying directly to Grandfathers face.
He stayed and continued his lessons, Aidan leaving to complete a mission he was assigned to as his consequence. 4 days later his Mother returned and broke the news to him, Aidan was dead, he would not be coming back.
After that Damian threw himself full force into his training, doing almost nothing save for eating and sleeping. After a bit Talia brought him to Gotham to reveal to him who his father was, because well he knew he was Batman he had not been told Batmans identity yet. After that he just seemed to get worse and angrier, and he was. He watched as Bruce interacted with Tim and resented it, knowing that Aidan would never even get to meet their father let alone be taught and cared for by him. Why should these placeholders get that when his twin did not? Never would?
Finally Talia told him he was ready to go to his Father to finish his training, allowing him to go to Gotham and make contact with The Bats. His first contact was with Nightwing, and soon he met his father face to face and became his Robin. Then just as he was starting to feel like maybe he could make a life in Gotham, maybe he didn't need to go back to the league? He died on him as well. He reverted back to the intense anger he'd had to start with and stopped doing anything outside of training and the necessary school work to keep up public appearances, slowly though between Alfred and Dick's continued presence, patience, and passion moments of telling him when he's being an asshole? He starts opening up again.
When Bruce showed back up alive and well again Damian was both happy and so vicerally angry, happy that Bruce had come back but also silently asking the universe why. Why couldn't Aidan have come back the way his father did? He never quite gets to the point of telling anyone about Aidan, or why he insists on celebrating his birthday the day before the first 3 years he's there. He tells himself that there's no reason to burden them with losing someone they had never met, and the might be part of it. But another part of it is selfishness; he doesn't want to have to share his memories of Aidan with any of them, and he knows it they find out about him they will ask about him.
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Broken-Style Remix: The Red Hood & Shadow Hunter (Jason Todd & Bellatrix Todd)
Broken: So, I happened to read one of @anxiousnerdwritings's works about Jason Todd and Damian's Twin sister being a team and going against Bruce and the Bat-Family who want Damian's twin sister with them. This idea came to mind and I thought you would like it. Let the words weave and enjoy!
@anxiousnerdwritings's version: LINK
Quick Note: Bellatrix's Name is Shadow Hunter - Her Armor is like Jason's but it is more wolf-like (My personal touch) and has a bit more tech to it.
Blue eyes forced through the magnifying glasses on the face of the Eldest Wayne Heir, yet the one who cast the name aside for one that better understood her and a family that would better understand her than the Dark Knight or his gaggle of infants ever could. She sat in the darkroom - well, not entirely dark; the sparks from the tools in her hand made occasional lights that illuminated the room every now and then, plus there was the desk lamp on the workbench - shining light on the hand & forearm model and the gadget in the making that Bellatrix was working on. It was an attachment to her suit - Claws that gave a lightning discharge. She could use it to knock someone out or remove them completely with enough voltage but she won't do that - she won't live on the Al Ghul Blood, she won't be like Talia Al Ghul or the boy she once called brother.
Speaking of brothers.
"Another all-nighter?" A familiar voice called out, causing Bellatrix to turn off the tools, placed them down, and turn in her seat while lifting the goggles off her face to look at the man in the doorway with a cup of coffee in his hand.
"Yeah, I wanna make sure the claws are ready for our next patrol." Bellatrix explained as she pulled the goggles off her head and placed them on the table before getting up and walking over to Jason, who gave her the coffee cup once she was in front of him. "Thanks." She said as she took a sip.
"No problem, what are brothers for?" Jason asked with a smirk.
"Other than entering their little sister's workroom without knocking?" Bellatrix asked with a raised eyebrow.
"As your brother, I have a right to invade your privacy for the greater good." Jason said with a smirk.
"And to be nosy." Bellatrix added as she walked past him.
"And to be..." He stopped when he realized what he was gonna say, "Hey! I'm not nosy!" He yelled as he followed behind her to the kitchen where breakfast was waiting.
[Later That Night]
Shadow Huntress secured her clawed boots shut before standing to look at the modified claws before sliding them on and latching them closed. She then positioned her right hand as if she was going to strike with her claws and smiled as the light blue electric current waves ran flowed from the bottom of her forearm to the tip of her claws; the tried with her other arm and everything was perfect. She grabbed her sword in one hand and her mask in the other before heading out to see what Hood was doing.
"Anything?" Huntress asked.
"They're still moving - I think they might be hiding to the abandoned warehouse on the edge of town; you know, the one near the waterfront." Red Hood said.
"I think that's where they are heading. Look." Huntress hits some keys on the supercomputer and the cameras in that area showed the factory. "See those boats? They're new, no one has been in that district and it's the only place to do a deal uninterrupted because the cops don't patrol that area anymore." Huntress explained.
"Then, we have our place. Let's move out." Red Hood said as he placed on his helmet and Huntress did the same - both masks locked into place and the two of them were out of there.
[Gotham Rooftops]
Red Hood soared through the open spaces of the backstreets of Gothan while the Shadow Huntress ran across the roofs with the speed and prowess of a wolf on the hunt. She leaped for a high roof and used her claws to climb to the top before running and jumping to the next one while Red Hood attached his rope to another point and began to swing.
The two of them landed on the roof at the same time - a vantage point that showed the trucks driving into the warehouse and the men that stood out to keep watch; not seeing the two hunters crouching on the roof, waiting and watching.
"What do we got?" Red Hood asked. Huntress placed her fingers on the control pad of her mask's visor to activate heat-vision mode - seeing the heat signatures in the building.
"There's about 25 of them - not counting the ones that are waiting outside." Huntress explained.
"What do you think we should do about it?" Red asked.
"We take out the guys outside, then we find the generator and cut the power; under the cover of darkness, we take them out - one by one." Huntress explained.
"What if they see us or hear the noise?" Red asked.
"Then we beat the hell out of them." Huntress said as the two of them rose to their feet and jumped down.
Everything was going good until Jason decided the throw someone through the window, everyone was high alert - it was ass-kicking time.
Red Hood and Shadow Huntress were knocking thugs down left and right, showing the combos that brother and sister made together. Huntress saw one of the thugs pointing his gun at Red Hood and jumped in the way, taking the bullet in the side but she still stood. She cracked her hand in the claw formation and the lightning came to life, causing her to pounce on the thugs, knocking them out through electrical waves while Red just beat the hell out of them.
When the last thug fell, Huntress grunted as she held the bleeding hole in her side, causing Red to run to her.
"Huntress, you alright?" He asked.
"I'll be fine. Let's get out of here and we can get it patched up." Huntress said as she rose to her feet and the 2 of them jumped through the window. They scaled the wall of the roof to stop and breathe for a moment while Jason removed the bullet that got stuck and clean the wound before wrapping it. They were waiting when Huntress's Robotic Wolf Ears shot up at the sound of footsteps - 4 pairs of them, she groaned.
"They're here." Huntress groaned and just when she said that 4 Figures landed on the roof in front of them.
The Dark Knight - Batman, a.k.a Bruce Wayne; Bellatrix's Father.
The Latest Robin - Damian Wayne; Bellatrix's Womb Mate.
Nightwing - Dick Grayson.
Batgirl - Barbara Gordon; the Police Commissioner's Daughter.
"What the hell do you 4 want?" Red Hood said as he rose to his feet.
"We received reports about gunfire in this region, we came to investigate." Batman said to Jason, but his eyes remained on Bellatrix, who just glared at him.
"There was a Firearms Deal going on and we put a stop to it before it could have even begun." Huntress said as she rose to her feet and stood beside Red Hood; Nightwing looked over the edge and whistled.
"They put a stop to it alright - everyone is laid out." He said.
"Laid out? You killed them?" Batgirl asked.
"We're not above killing but we try not to, per Huntress's request." Red Hood said as he gestured at his sister.
"You don't kill but you partner yourself with a killer? How backward you are, Bellatrix." Damian said.
"It is no business of yours, Wayne." Huntress growled.
"You're my sister, so it is my business, and you're a Wayne too; as well as an Al Ghul." Damian countered but Bellatrix scoffed.
"I've never been an Al Ghul, that's why you and your mother cast me aside; the only one who saw any worth in me in that family was my grandfather. Just like you wiped your hands of me back then, I wiped my hands of you - you're nothing to me but a stranger I happen to share my blood with." Huntress said.
"Bellatrix, that's enough." Bruce said.
"You have no say over me, Bat-Boy; I don't have to listen to you." She said.
"I am your father, you need to listen to me." Bruce said.
"I may have your blood but I damn sure don't have to listen to a damn thing you have to say because I don't live with you, nor do I work with you." Huntress said.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Bellatrix, you've been hanging around Jason for too long, it's making you reckless and dangerous. I think it's time you came to live with me, with us, with your family. There is a room waiting for you at Wayne Manor and we can talk about patrols and missions once you get settled in but you need to be with us now; Todd is a bad influence on you." Bruce said.
"You're joking." She said.
"No, Father is right - you've been living with this brute for too long. You're a Wayne and an Al Ghul, it's time you started acting like one." Damian said.
"Let me tell you something: I stopped being an Al Ghul when I left that hell you called home, and I never accepted to be a Wayne. Last time I checked, my last name is Todd and I want nothing to do with you...and of you." She glared at all of them. "Let's go, Bro. I'm done with this." Huntress began to walk away with Jason at her side.
Jason was her brother.
Jason was her family.
Bellatrix was a Todd and there was nothing anyone could do it change that.
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Maribat Secret Santa 2020
@maribat-secret-santa-2020
Happy Holidays everyone🎁
In my defense there was a minimum of 2000 words and there was no max so this ended up being 6112 words sorry, I think. There is some Adrien, class and Lila salt, Adrien gets some sugar later.
Without further ado @eve-v0lution I am your Secret Santa, enjoy.
~~~~~~~~~~
Marinette has never been a normal girl. When she was born the goddess Tikki appeared claiming her as her chosen and the next Ladybug. She was born the granddaughter of Ra's Al Ghul, the head of the League of Assassins, the sister organization to the Order of the Miraculous. Her older brother, and twin, Damian was called to be the next Demon.
When they were five, she was taken to the Temple of the Order of Miraculous. she and her brother kept in contact, but it wasn't much more, than 'yes I am still alive, are you?' which was fine with them. As they were often trained together by both the League and the Order.
A week before they turned 10, she was named the Great Guardian and given the Miracle box. On their 10th birthdays he returned to the League to support her brother as he was officially named the heir of the Demon. However, things never went that smoothly. Slade Wilson led an attack on the League killing their grandfather. Damian rushed on to fight the Mercenary. She followed at his side the only thing she said before entering the fray was "Duusu fans" and combat fans dropped into her hands.
Between the two of them, they pushed Deathstroke back. However, he didn't retreat before throwing a sword at Damian. She called upon Wayzz's "Shell-ter" catching the sword in the shield’s dome. She took the hilt of the blade before dropping the dome. The two of them shared a look before running to find their Mother. Together they used Kaakli's portal to go to the Order.
However, they were met with an equally gruesome sight. Many of the monks laid dead, those that weren't were not in much better of a condition.
A single elder survived, speaking of the simultaneous attack on the Order and League. He told them that he will rebuild the order, but that Mari needed to keep the Miracle box safe. In the end Mother told them that she will be leaving them with their Father.
To say it was a surprise that their Father was Batman would be a stretch. Mother and Grandfather only allowed perfection, so not as surprising as one would think. Batman being Bruce Wayne, sure that wouldn't be her first guess but so what. What actually surprised her were her new brothers.
Damian hated them but she loved their antics. Where Damian became the next Robin, Mari stayed in the cave manning the comms as well as their numerous and often injuries.
However, when she did join everyone on the roof tops, Scarlet joins them. A red cropped hoodie that ended a little below her ribs. A long sleeve Kevlar shirt with a high neck. Black gloves and arm guards were holding the sleeves of the hoodie down. Her pants were the same Kevlar as the shirt and was just as formfitting, there were guards on her thighs that wouldn’t impede on her movement as well as knee pads connected to the shin guard. Short combat boots, a red sash tied to her waist hiding the utility belt and yo-yo, and a mechanical mask that conceals the bottom half of her face. And to top it off Tikki turns her eyes violet and her hair to white.
"Scarlet" Nightwing called to her. They were partnered and patrolling the west side of Gotham.
"Yes"
"Let’s race"
"What do I get when I win?"
He held his hand to his chest in mock hurt "Just so you know one week, anything the winner says is law for one week for the loser"
"Make it one favor redeemable whenever and you've got it" she challenged. He was torn but he agreed.
"Count me in" they heard Red Hood.
"Same" Red Robin also entered "Robin?"
"Tt. No"
"Fine. First back to the cave wins" Nightwing answered. "Go!"
She swung through Gotham and dropped into a pitch-black alley 'voyage' Mari whispered too low for the comms to pick up. Dropping through the portal and into the cave. Her transformation dropped and Tikki went to sit on her shoulder. Alfred was there waiting, Duusu perched on his shoulder as well, with a tray of cookies. She gave him a nod in silent thanks, as she still had a comm in her ear.
Ten minutes later Red Hood pulls in and was about to celebrate when both Red Robin and Nightwing crash into him. Creating a mess of limbs over the motor bike.
"Ha I win now you guys owe" Jason was about to rub in his victory from the bottom of the pile when Mari giggled, pulling the attention of her three brothers.
"Sorry Jay but you lost" she, Alfred, and the kwami were clearly in the middle of tea and cookies.
"She is correct Master Jason. Miss Marinette has been here for the past 10 minutes"
"Tt. Honestly don't race against some one who teleports." Damian grumbled as he walked away from the Bat-mobile.
"Don't worry. I'll wait until you forget you owe me to cash in" she smiled wickedly. "Good night."
And that was when they remembered 'Right Mari has the ability to use the powers of several pocket-sized gods' that was a lesson they wouldn't forget soon. Well Tim and Jason didn't forget; Dick would still bet against her though.
Jason found out she is the perfect prank partner. And no one in or out of the manor was safe. How they managed to swap all of Green Arrow's arrows, each being a different gag, was a mystery even Batman couldn't or wouldn't attempt to solve. The fact that the Justice League saw and heard Batman fall to the floor laughing, scared most of them from finding out. Those who didn't learned what happens when you don't leave well enough alone.
School was well boring; between the curriculum of the League and the Order she had already gotten 2 PHDs and 5 masters. School was nothing more than a pleasantry at this point. Father wouldn't let them out of school, something about needing to be normal kids. That only seemed to draw the twins into the spotlight more, because they were the only two blood children of Bruce Wayne. Damian became known quite fast as Gotham's Ice Prince, but Mari became known as Gotham's Sunshine just as fast.
But don’t let the name fool you, within the first year their classmates learned that yes Damian Wayne is scared of something, and that something was actually a someone who just happened to be his twin sister. Damian apparently was feeling petty about something, and for the life of her she can’t remember what, but he decided to write in big red letters ‘NO!!!’ across every page of her sketchbook. She found that out during lunch, and that was when the entire school learned that the little sunshine child was the only thing that can put the fear of God in the Ice Prince.
---
Freshman year Mari finally got her Dad to agree to letting her into the exchange program for the next four years.
So, she decided on Paris.
Why, why did this exchange have to be four years long. I’m not gonna survive this.
Admittedly it started off okay, okay not really but then things went downhill, fast, faster than you could imagine.
It started when she met her host family. They met her at the airport and that was an experience, I guess.
"Mlle Wayne? Correct" a tall slender woman in glasses asked her.
"Yes Madame" she replied with a polite smile.
"Natalie Sancoeur" the woman replied "And this is" she started but was cut off by a boy around her age, he had blonde hair and green eyes. But what stood out to her was his attributes reminded her of an overexcited and hyper puppy.
"Adrien Agreste" he smiled at her, so she did what was expected of her in polite society.
"Marinette Wayne" and she extended her hand to shake his. However, instead he pulled her into a hug. Once she realized what was happening, she pushed away from him and took a step back. She looked at him and her thought of him being a puppy was only reinforced with the look on his face. So, she looked at Sancoeur, while the woman looked at Agreste with indifference she looked at Mari as if she was in the wrong.
This is going to be great. Was the only thought as she endured the drive to the Agreste household.
Agreste would not shut up the entire way and seemed to be hurt that she didn't answer him. Agreste was also the one who was to give her the tour of the mansion. It wasn’t so bad it gave her the chance to gauge the defense systems, which was lacking, and the layout was simple compared to the Wayne Manor, the League's compound, and the Order's temple.
Unfortunately for her, Agreste ended the tour with her room and then proceeded to sit on the bed and continue to ramble about whatever was on his mind. She did try to get him to leave but that was a complete waste of time and effort. Kwami it was like he couldn't hear me or more likely didn’t even care about my opinion. So, she put in her headphones, hid them behind her hair, pressed play to of music and went to unpack.
As she was finishing setting up the bathroom she noticed, like every other door in this house, there was no lock.
Ugh I need to speak with Monsieur Agreste.
She went back out and saw him. Agreste was at the desk where she had set her laptop and was trying to open it.
"Excuse me but what are you doing?" she asked pointedly, having taken out her headphones and set them in the case.
"I was trying to see what you had on your laptop" he shrugged "can you tell me the password to get in?"
"No" she deadpanned; he had the gall to look shocked. That was when Mme Sancoeur entered the room, without even knocking.
"Lunch is" was all she said before Agreste cut her off.
"Natalie make her open her computer for me" Agreste whined.
She was about to speak but Marinette beat her to it. "Um No. What I have on my personal computer is none of your concern" his face fell while Mme. Sancoeur pursed her lips. "Furthermore, I am assuming since you are at the desk, the bed is askew, and the drawers are open and my clothes are in shambles you were going through my things" she was now glaring at the blonde invading her space. Now he had the decency of looking ashamed. "Am I to assume lunch will be held in the dinning room?" Mme. Sancoeur only nodded, and she left the room.
Lunch, if you can call it that, was also a disaster. Apparently, Americans eat chicken noodle soup, a hamburger, and a load of fries. Because that was what was set in front of her.
Ugh this is going to be a long four years.
"Mlle. Wayne, I hope everything has been to your liking" M. Agreste, Gabriel, as he introduced himself earlier spoke. “You have hardly eaten.”
"Would you prefer my honesty or would you rather me lie to you" Marinette responded swirling the water in her glass.
"Your honesty" he answered slightly unsure.
At this she scoffed "I am going to assume that you and no one else had bothered to read the file of my information that was sent to you" he as well as Mme. Sancoeur remained quiet "Because if you had you would know I am a vegetarian."
Mme. Sancoeur searched some thing on her tablet and there was a soft "oh" from her.
"Your son is also suffocating, to the point that when I asked him to leave the room so I could settle in peacefully, he remained as if I hadn’t asked him to leave" M. Agreste was going to say something but she continued "He also has no sense of privacy as he went through all of my belongings and was attempting to go through my laptop as well." Again, he was going to say something, but Mari continued. "On the topic of privacy neither the bedroom door nor the bathroom have a lock."
“Paris is completely safe, as the house is protected, it should not matter if there is a lock on the door” he replied in a monotone.
“I’m sorry doesn’t matter, in what universe is it alright for two teenagers of the opposite sex be in a house where one of said teenagers doesn’t respect the other enough to leave them alone” she almost started yelling, but kept her head and voice level.
M. Agreste didn’t respond right away, but he gave a small hum before stating that “I will take your request into consideration.”
“Alright, just know that I will guard myself and will not hesitate to use force if necessary” she knew they wouldn’t take her seriously but hey I am warning them, they only gave a nod that they heard. “Also M. Agreste I tend to have a strict morning regimen is it possible for me to continue it using the home gym while here?”
“Of course,” he waved dismissively.
“What does this regimen include?” Mme. Sancoeur asked politely.
Marinette had a wicked smirk as this was going to be the lightest of her routines, she could give but would still most likely shock them. “Oh it is nothing much just a 5 kilometer run as a warm up, then half an hour of boxing, a half an hour of sword forms and training, half an hour of holographic combat training, followed by half an hour of ballet, and half an hour of meditation.” She was smiling watching their reactions and it was priceless. “I usually start around 4 in the morning.”
All of them were shocked, and who would blame them, here I am in my 5’2” high glory with a sunshine disposition stating I can most likely drop kick them into next week. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I was unable to do it this morning on account of being on an airplane, this will be a good way to see the city” so she smiled leaving them gobsmacked.
Finally, she was able to breathe as she ran the streets of Paris listening to her music softly. Back at the mansion she had figured out she had an audience less than ten minutes into boxing, but she continued. As she was about to start the holographic training, that Tim, Barbara, and she had created, but by now the entire Agreste household was watching her. “If you’re only going to watch me leave or else have the decency to spar” she shot at them.
“I’ll do it” little Agreste spoke up “But if I beat you, you’re giving me your computer password.”
“Fine, but when I win, I get locks on both my bedroom door and the bathroom inside” she challenged.
Agreste senior nodded his head and replied bored “Only if you win.”
“First to be knocked down three times loses” she grinned. She went to grab her two training twin swords and handed one to little Agreste.
“These are real swords” he exclaims clearly off balance by the weight of the weapon.
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, neither have an edge” they got into positions and it was easy to see who would be victorious. I got locks and some privacy oh the small victories are truly sweet.
---
Sunday was uneventful, but so long as she was in the mansion for meals unless she had checked in with Mme. Sancoeur, she was free to her own devices.
Monday she would come to regret that it had to end later, but not for a while at least.
Mari rode to school with little Agreste and that was her first mistake. Everyone in the entire school watched her exit the car added to the fact that she's starting in the middle of the semester and that kicks.
She was wearing a charcoal shirt splattered with metallic red paint, a faux caramel brown leather jacket with a hood, black jeans with burgundy all stars. Her hair was down, and a black messenger bag was over her shoulder.
She got out and simply walked in and towards the main office ignoring everyone, she got her schedule and a map of the school. The principal himself walked her to her homeroom and to her horror little Agreste was in the class.
"Mlle. Bustier" he spoke. "Meet your new student."
"Please introduce yourself" she spoke with a sweet smile.
"Bonjour my name is Marinette, and I will be a part of your class for the next four years."
Marinette moved to take the open seat in the back but of course Little Agreste had to speak. "Mari there is an open seat behind me."
It took all of herself control to not facepalm. "I prefer the back"
"I'll spar you for it"
Now she couldn't hide the smile in her eyes or the one playing on her lips "Okay Agreste, but what makes you think you'll win this time?
"Fencing uses lighter swords" he answered mumbling the end.
"Wait why are you challenging the new girl?" a boy in a red hoodie and two-toned hair asks.
"Probably to redeem his honor from our last bout" she was now smiling. Maybe this won't be all bad.
"Then I get the next challenge" the same boy answered confidently.
"Alright" she agreed "Name your sport, um..."
"Sorry Le Chien Kim" he supplied. "Swimming freestyle"
"You're on" a devilish smirk on her lips. Afterwards everyone introduced themselves and she sat down in the back.
They spoke with M D'Argencourt about it during lunch and he told them to wait until after school for the fencing club to set up. So, they did. Honestly, the class isn't so bad, just a little pushy, apparently a student isn't here today but should be back soon. When they all went back after school, that was when Marinette saw her.
"Gami" Marinette ran to the girl in a red fencing outfit and gave her a brief hug.
"Mari-hime what are you doing in Paris?" she asked.
"Exchange program" Mari waved it off.
"Your brother?"
"Not interested" Mari responded.
"So why at the fencing club?"
"Agreste challenged me."
She looked towards the blonde and gave him a pitying glance. "Then you should both change"
"Right" Mari called as she went to the locker rooms. Her uniform was a red bodice with black sleeves and pants, but the gloves, shoes, and socks were a shade of green so dark it appeared black, the stitches on the entire thing were in golden thread. Both her saber and helmet were a combination of black and gold.
They both got into positions when Marinette heard her.
"This is going to be a slaughter" and Gami was right.
Faster than anyone could blink Mari had scored a touch before little Agreste even moved.
"Huh and here I was hoping for a challenge. Agreste" she turned away from him and faced Kagami "Match?" was all she asked, and the girl stood and faced Mari.
Facing Kagami was like fencing Damian. Both are powerhouses and decisive, but Mari's strength was in speed and agility. They met each other strike for strike, she is probably one of the few civilians that may be a match for her and her brother. By the end of practice, she was offered a spot on the team which she accepted.
To little Agreste's dismay Kagami offered to show her around Paris, to which she had agreed.
---
One-month Mari had to settle into her new class. She made fast friends with Le Chien, after their swimming match where she also met a girl named Ondine, Alix Kubdel was next she is competitive with a need for speed, side note never let her meet Jason. Max Kante and Nathaniel Kertzberg were also added to our little group. She met Luka Couffaine while wandering Paris for inspiration, they became fast friends, and she designed the costumes for Kitty section as well as their Demo Album cover. The final and most shocking, apparently, addition to their group was Chloe Bourgeois. Along with Kagami her small group of friends were unshakeable and for the next four years will be thankful for them.
After that one month, a weasel entered the class. Her name was Lila Rossi and everything that came out of her mouth was a lie. Honestly, Mari wouldn't give her a second thought but then the strikes against her grew.
Lila's first mistake was lying about her best friend, Jon, or in reality about Superboy. Oh, she was in a relationship with him. Sorry but Jon is super bi, but leans towards men more, like a walking romantic mess that was a golden moment when he figured it out. The same can be said when it finally dawned on Damian when he figured out for himself. As the amazing sister that she is of course she would tease those two. But the teasing and cooing only escalated when the two started dating. So ya not buying that he took you out, much less as Superboy.
Lila's second mistake was threatening Mari in the bathroom. Please if your going to threaten someone make sure you aren't being recorded. And second don't threaten a Wayne, especially an Al Ghul turned Wayne. So, Marinette recorded every lie, every threat, and every reaction. If she were going down not even the Devil himself would think to help her.
Unfortunately, it had a rather annoying side effect. Little Agreste kept pulling her aside to try and make peace with the liar.
"Please Marinette, can you stop calling out Lila" he repeated for the up-tenth time . They were on their way to dinner about two months after Lila rejoined the class. "Just take the high road"
They were in the hallway outside of the dining room.
"No" Mari stated as calmly as she could. As they both walked in, Mme. Sancoeur and M. Agreste were already inside.
"Why? Her lies aren't hurting anyone"
"Not hurting anyone" she spoke finally turning towards the blonde "What unicorns and rainbows paradise do you live in?"
"Wait, what?"
"Nino almost didn't enter his script for a contest because Lila said she would get someone in Hollywood to help produce it" she answered "It took Max, Nathanial, and I almost an hour for him to submit it on the thought it couldn't hurt"
"Okay that's one"
"Alya's reputation as a reporter is plummeting. She doesn't fact check and believes Lila solely on the idea that 'Lila wouldn't lie to her'. Where Lila uses her blog to spread her lies."
"Yes but no one believes everything they hear or read.”
"Really" Mari arched her brow, Alfred would be proud "then explain how most of Paris believes you and Lila to be an item"
"Mlle. Wayne came to explain" M. Agreste finally spoke.
"Oh, most of Paris believes that your son is in a romantic relationship with Lila Rossi" Mari spoke calmly as she opened her phone and pulled up the post from Alya's blog to show the screen.
"What?" the confusion was clear on little Agreste's face as he also pulled up the blog. The meal for her was quite quick but M. Agreste held back little Agreste.
Mari was sketching in the quiet of her room latter that evening when she heard a soft knock at the door. She opened the door and there stood little Agreste fidgeting.
"I'm sorry I never liked how Lila hung off of me but that was harassment, then I realized that's what I've been doing to you I am so sorry. You probably hate me for how I acted, and I understand if you can't trust me or forgive me and I'm sorry." He spoke so fast and barely breathed as he turned about to leave, but he stopped when Mari spoke.
"Okay. Redo"
"What?" he asked tilting his head.
"Let’s start over" she smiled.
"So, you forgive me!"
"No, I am not forgiving you" he looked saddened "I will hold you accountable, but I am, willing to start a new chapter."
"Okay” he looked a bit relieved.
"Hello. I am Marinette Wayne." she extended her hand to shake his.
"Adrien Agreste" he smiled shaking hands. "I'Il get out of your hair then." he sent a small wave that she returned and left.
---
Okay so maybe I exaggerated a bit, but Lila did make these past three and a half years a living pain. Mlle. Bustier fought to keep their class for all four years. The only addition was Kagami in the second year of Mari’s exchange.
But here she was sitting in the back with her friends waiting for the last class of the day to start. Then it happened Principle Damocles and Mlle. Bustier walked in.
"Mlle. Wayne" Damocles called.
"Thank the gods" Mari stated packing up her things and she walked down. "I would say it was a pleasure but that would be a lie" Mari just finished speaking when Alya decided to open her mouth.
"Where are you going class hasn't even started." Alya smiled trying to get Mari in trouble, but neither adult did anything.
"If you really want to know because it seems you've forgotten. I am a foreign exchange student from America, where I will be finishing the final term." Her words must have made some sense to their one community brain cell because they nodded, and she left.
Marinette flew back to Gotham and oh was this going to be great.
Of course, when she landed Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, and Catwoman were making mischief in the airport. She recorded a video of the Bats stopping them, of course they were monitoring it because of her flight but I digress, and Nightwing lecturing them while Batman looked so done. Along with Jay-Jay or really Red Hood taking Mari's phone and taking a selfie with her, her hair was in braid tucked into a black beanie with a pair of red sunglasses. A halter top that had a golden rod yellow X on it. The top quadrant was red, and the rest was back. A black sweater lined and faded to red at the bottom. Comfortable black and red leggings with black flats. She posted the videos and picture captioned 'Back in Gotham. Home Sweet Home! Hood give me back my phone.' on her public account, before even exiting the terminal.
Her class will be here in about two weeks and stay as long, but right now she need a good stretch.
She found Alfred and loaded up her bags into the car and jumped in, told Alfred, transformed, and portaled out. As soon as the portal closed, she was in the middle of a huge hug from all her brothers. Patrol wasn't too bad, there was a run in with the Riddler and a separate incident with Killer Croc but that is a light day in Gotham.
After patrol was mostly filled with junk food, video games, and movies with her brothers.
Going back to Gotham Academy was like she never left. In a way she didn't, as every break she made sure to spend some time with her friends, dragging Damian with her. She would constantly text or video chat with them. To the extent that they knew about Lila and her class, almost as well as her family.
Two blissful weeks of quiet and patrols filled with teasing and bets was amazing. Yes, she will miss patrolling with Nightrunner. Yes, he is part of the extended Bat clan, but it is different with her brothers.
---
Three days granted that was longer than Marinette gave the class to avoid a villain attack. Of course, it had to happen when they were visiting, WE. Dick had volunteered to lead the tour, mainly to get more evidence, but Mari wasn't there. Since she was on break, she decided to take lunch for her brothers. The cafeteria food was good but still, and Tim would probably be holed up in his office.
She was in a blue collared button up tucked into a black skater skirt. A black and indigo letterman Jacket, black glasses frames and blue heels finished the outfit.
"Nettie?" Dick asked when she entered the cafeteria.
"Brought you lunch." Dick's face lit up.
"You are a god send"
She giggled as he took the food. "Not exactly but close."
"You going to force Timmy to eat"
"Yeah. Is he still in his office?"
"Should be"
"See ya at home Dicky Bird" she turned and found herself facing her class. Most of them registered she was there and glared at her seemingly guarding Lila from her sight, her friends noticed her so she sent a wave to Kagami, Chloe, Kim, Alix, Nathanial, and Max.
Getting Tim to eat usually proves a challenge. Mostly because he has one hand glued to a coffee mug and the other on his work. Yet when you make an entire meal into finger foods that are perfectly bite sized it is a breeze. She was going to leave when both Tim's and her phone shot an alarm. It was from Dick 'WE 2 Face' In a flash Mari transformed and waited for Tim, opened a portal, and fell into the lobby.
The two of them took out the goons and restrained them before turning towards Two Face.
"The word on the street is that you and the bird are dating, and you know the Bat." Two Face spoke out to everyone, "Let's hear what other secrets these lips will spill." A gun was held up, presumably to the teen's mouth, but neither Red Robin nor Scarlet could see.
He was clearly holding a teen hostage, and that was when they saw the two hanging sausages, Lila. For the first time since Mari had known her, she was quiet, or at least silently whimpering.
"So, who is she dating?" Scarlet asked yoyo in hand pointing at Lila.
"Robin" she gasps.
"What!?" Both of them yelled before Red Robin started again. "Crap when did I get a girlfriend. Scarlet please tell me this is just a hallucination! I swear if this is, I won’t drink a single drop of coffee for a month!”
Scarlet however was barely standing doubled over with laughter. "She’s a little young for you don't cha think."
"Not helping" Red Robin was in full out panic pacing back and forth trying to comprehend what was being said.
That was when Lila seemed to find her voice again "I'm dating Robin not you."
"Wait, What?" Both vigilantes snapped out of their laughter and panic respectfully. They shared a look and fell to the ground laughing. Two minutes later Batman and Robin showed up. Scarlet and Red Robin were now on their feet but still laughing. No one not even Two Face moved because as everyone knows, Robin is taken and no one will be getting between those two, much less a girl.
"Robin" Batman nodded and to the two laughing teens, Robin nodding in acknowledgement.
"No need B" Red Robin finally stopped laughing.
"Hey Birdie when did you get a girlfriend?" Scarlet asked fully knowing the answer already.
"Tt. Don't be idiotic Scarlet."
"Then why is she saying she is?" Two Face now had the bat fam's attention.
"Who are you?" Robin asked the girl pinned between Two Face’s arm and gun.
"Apparently the girlfriend you never knew existed before three seconds ago." Red Robin supplied, now fully enjoying the shock on his brother’s face.
"Is that why you two were laughing like idiots?"
"Well yes" Scarlet spoke up then whispered 'Voyage, Venom' and Two Face became frozen in place.
Lila was now glaring at Scarlet as she began to yell "What the hell. Why didn't you do that sooner!"
Scarlet snapped her fingers and pointed at Lila "Oh now I remember you" she semi shouted getting the attention of everyone in the lobby. "You’re the girl from Paris who said she was dating Superboy." Lila now seemed to significantly pale.
"Are you saying this girl has claimed to have dated both Superboy and I" At this point both Scarlet and Red Robin had moved and were physically holding back Robin.
"Scarlet" Batman called.
"On it" 'Voyage' "Hey Supes your boyfriend needs you" Superboy then took Robin in a hug from behind resting his chin on top of Robin's head. Her brother now willingly refraining from moving to stay in his boyfriend's arms, while Red Robin left to talk with Commissioner Gordon.
"Miss you are lucky no one was injured, and we were here to take action, your fantasies are just that. Let's go" Batman had lectured the girl who could have been switched with a statue at this point.
All the vigilantes left, and Mari sure as hell made certain Tim finished his food. In fact, he hadn't even changed out of his Red Robin uniform, so Mari guarded the door. She only left when he finished eating, knowing he could now fully react.
Mari was walking out of the elevator and into the lobby and you could practically see the change that occurred. Most of the class were huddled together, her friends were to the side along with Adrien, and Lila was practically glued to the teacher.
She spotted Alfred with Dick not far from her friends, so she decided to go over and speak with her friends.
Unfortunately, that just caused hell's gates to open as she approached, she heard. "You knew she was a liar didn't you" Alya yelled at her friends and Agreste, but Alya was specifically yelling at Agreste. That made her blood boil, so she stepped in.
"Yes, but you didn't believe me when I told you, you didn't believe them either" Mari was now standing between her friends and the blogger. "Agreste didn't want to rock the boat and how you were all treating me it is no wonder."
"Ya but she is a liar, and you are a bully" Alya retorted.
"Was I a bully. Or was that what you were told by the liar" Alya now went quiet. Of the almost four years she was in Paris there was never any proof she bullied Lila. No bruises, no destroyed items, just she said claims. "Yes, I called her out on her lies but that was all. You all were the ones who acted on her words that I bullied her with no proof and bullied me to ‘teach me a lesson'. I have more than enough evidence however, on most of this class and the liar, for cases of assault, slander, defamation of character, and destruction of property."
By now everyone in the lobby was watching this unfold. The class seemed to pale and attempted to shrink in on themselves. Lila and Mlle. Bustier seemed to try to become one with the floor. Her friends were to the side struggling to not laugh along with Dick and Chloe you traitor put down that phone.
"Miss Wayne" an employee came up to Mari seemingly afraid to get her undivided attention.
"Yes" She smiled, becoming Gotham's sunshine that everyone knew, allowing the employee and the other Gothamites to relax.
"The CEO has locked himself in his office and the Board meeting starts in three minutes" the employee fidgeted with the tablet in his hands. That snapped her into professional mode.
"Dick is the tour done?" she held out her hand to take the tablet, opened it and started going trough the documents.
"Ya"
"Go dig Tim from his office. I'll deal with the board."
"On it"
She quickly looked up to her friends "Sorry guys we should catch up later." She walked away the employee on her heels giving her more information.
A whistle was heard next to the group. "Damn I feel bad for the Board members, Mars is on a warpath and not her usual professional warpath" Dick said to Alfred.
"Reminiscent of Master Bruce even" was Alfred's response.
"She really is a Wayne"
"Master Richard"
"Yes Alfred"
"I believe it is in your best interest to retrieve Master Timothy as Miss Marinette is on a 'Warpath' as you say" Alfred barely finished as Dick began to sprint to the elevator. Alfred only sighed as he followed the eldest Wayne child, leaving very bewildered and mortified Parisians in their wake.
#dc x miraculous#dc x mlb#maribat#mlb x dc#miraculous x dc#batfam#marinette wayne#Adrien salt then sugar#ml marinette#damianette twins#damimari twins
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Safety Found in Red Sleeves
Chapter 3
So, I know it’s been a long time waiting for this chapter but it’s finally done! It is 3500+ words of Thana’s overprotective friends and Jason being an overprotective dad/brother.
Before I get into the chapter, I’m going to go over a few words that might trip you up. All of the translations are courtesy of Google Translate so if I’m using a word wrong feel free to correct it.
Baba is Papa. Aleuma is Auntie. Kutlat Saghira is Little Nugget.
Thana stood in front of the class, carefully going over her note cards for her presentation.
Mlle. Bustier smiled at the class before clapping. “Okay, everyone. Let’s settle down and give Ms. Dupain-Cheng our full attention.”
Lila, ever the attention seeker, allowed crocodile tears to well up in her eyes. “Mlle. Bustier. She’s going to copy my presentation. It’s not fair.”
Thana glanced up at the other girl, her blue-grey eyes cold. “Well, Lila. If you’d paid attention, you would know that M. Dupain and Mme. Cheng are my adoptive parents. I’m not doing my presentation on Italy. I’m doing my presentation on Gotham City, New Jersey, USA.” She nodded towards Mlle. Bustier and waited for her to put the slides up on the board before turning to look at the class. “Gotham City, New Jersey, USA is called the ‘most crime-ridden city’ by the locals. The GCPD, or Gotham City Police Department, is exactly what it sounds like. The police department of Gotham City. Most locals, however, do not respect the officers of the GCPD because of the vigilantes that roam the streets. The main vigilante is Batman, he’s also the oldest, he dresses in all black with a cowl on his head that has bat ear like protrusions on the top. After him is Nightwing. Nightwing is very flexible and most Gothamites, people from Gotham, speculate that he is in fact the first Robin. He dresses in a suit of black with a blue bird across his chest. Red Robin, who is widely speculated to be the third Robin, works alongside the first two but also alongside Spoiler. He dresses in a red and black suit with a yellow robin head in the center of his chest atop a pair of crossed bandoliers. Spoiler, who most believe was both the fourth Robin and the second Batgirl, dresses in a suit that is primarily purple with black on her chest. Signal, a member of the team, dresses in a yellow and black suit with a white bat on his chest. It is believed he may be a meta, which is shorthand for metahuman which is what they call people with powers. There is also Black Bat, who most believe was the third Batgirl, who wears a mostly black suit with a yellow bat on her chest and yellow detailing on her arms and around her ribs. Black Bat’s suit covers most of her face from her nose to her chin. Most Gothamites believe that the first Batgirl is working hand in hand with the rest of the team behind the scenes after an attack by the Joker left her paralyzed from the waist down.”
The class looked on in amazement at the high quality photos that went along with each hero, but also in fear as Thana gave a thorough rundown of all the heroes and villains, called Rogues, before Thana’s face split into a smile.
“-The Sirens, a group of three antihero turned Rogues who don’t behave the same way that most of the other Rogues do. They have been seen helping Batman, when it fits them. The Sirens refers to Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. Catwoman wears a black leather catsuit, which is self explanatory in her name. Poison Ivy wears varying shades of green and plant life while Harley Quinn, who was once affiliated with the Joker, most commonly wears a light pink crop top under a pair of gold overalls. The Riddler and Scarecrow, two Rogues who are relatively harmless since they partnered up, are rather distinctive. The Riddler, who wears a green three piece suit with matching hat and a purple tie and domino mask, leaves riddles and clues. Scarecrow, who wears a grey three piece suit with a canvas sack over his head, injects or sprays people with what he calls Fear Toxin but recently he has cut back on the injections and only soaks the paper The Riddler’s riddles are written on in his fear toxin. The Penguin wears a black three piece suit with a white dress shirt and is most commonly accompanied by twin girls who are most commonly seen wearing black wigs, green dresses and Kabuki masks. The Great Rodolfo, whom most speculate is related to the Joker, wears a cream or tan suit jacket, plaid pants, a matching plaid vest and a different patterned plaid necktie. Lastly, there’s Red Hood,” Thana’s hands fisted at her sides and pressed her lips into a thin line, who has recently been spotted fighting alongside various members of Batman’s team. Most Gothamites believe him to be the second Robin returned from the dead. Red Hood wears a red helmet, a dark brown leather jacket, black pants with black boots and a black utility belt, a black shirt with a red bat on his chest, and a red long sleeved shirt under his black shirt.”
---
Thana wrapped her arms around Kim’s waist and let out a shuddery breath. “My brother is Red Hood and he wants me to know it’s him.”
Chloé frowned but nodded. “We’ll help you see him again. However, we need to set up people here to fight the Akumas and someone to get, at least, Adrien to purify the butterfly.”
Alix smiled and turned towards Chloé. “I have some friends in Mme. Mendelieve’s class who can assist us while we’re gone.”
Adrien nodded and smiled. “You mean Bellamy, Brielle, Marc, and Alicia?”
Alix nodded. “Alicia is very sneaky and would be pretty good at using the Mouse Miraculous. Marc is very trustworthy and may or may not already be planning a storyline involving a hero who’s based on them. They would be a good temporary Horse Miraculous user. Bellamy is the Mom friend of their friend group and kind of reminds me of the dragons from mythology who hoard things, so I was thinking about him for the Dragon Miraculous. And Brielle is awkwardly good at keeping people organized, the only person better is Vivienne, so she could probably wield the Bee Miraculous.”
Adrien grinned goofily and slung an arm around Alix’s shoulders. “Those are great suggestions and unless anyone else has anyone better I think we’ll go with them.” Adrien, as the de facto leader of the team, looked to Thana for his longtime partner’s opinion.
Thana nodded from where she was hiding amidst Kim’s red sleeves. “Bellamy was nice to me when I arrived and Alicia always shadows her friends.”
Nino glanced at Chloé before tapping his headphones. He knew she would know what he meant. Nino glanced at their friend, could see how out of it she was becoming, and locked eyes with Chloé.
Chloé, always okay with coming off as argumentative and brash, looked at her oldest friend with a smile before falling back into her usual bratty persona. “Not to say this hasn’t been fun but, this hasn’t been fun. Kim, Nino and I are going to take Fragolina back to mine. Thanks for having us and thank your dad and Jalil for not interrupting us for me Alix. Kim. Nino.”
Kim stood up slowly, making sure to not disturb Thana as he did so. He shed his red hoodie and draped it around Thana’s shoulders before pulling Nino to his feet. Nino, who took his headphones off and placed them atop Thana’s head before selecting one of his playlists and stuffing his phone into one of Kim’s pockets.
The boys guided Thana out of the room, while Chloé smiled at the two other members of their group. “Fragolina’s going through some things at the moment, because she just realized her brother isn’t as dead as she thought he was and wants her to know that he’s looking for her.”
Adrien pursed his lips before glancing at Alix. “I didn’t know she had a brother, did you?”
Alix shrugged. “She didn’t really talk to many of us when she got here.”
---
Thana settled against the pillows on Chloé’s bed with Kim’s hoodie looking as though it was swallowing her whole and the hood pulled up over her head and covering Nino’s headphones with the lyrics to The Neighbourhood’s “R.I.P.2 My Youth” transitioning to Fall Out Boy’s “Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea” sounding in her ears. Nino’s phone was no longer in Kim’s pocket but plugged in while Chloé was packing clothes for their trip to the States.
Nino and Kim were trading practice blows in an area far away from Chloé’s closet. Or they were before Nino began flipping away from all of Kim’s attacks.
Chloé glanced at the boys before shaking her head and turning to their resident Gothamite. Chloé let a smile cross her face before turning to the four Kwamis, who were all relaxing in a large dollhouse, and raising a brow. “What are you four doing?”
Plagg and Trixx wore matching grins while Stompp simply crossed their arms over their chest and Sass began humming a tune. “Relaxing, what does it look like we’re doing?” Plagg’s face broke out in a larger grin before he relaxed into Trixx’s side.
Chloé simply shook her head at the four Kwamis. “Why don’t you four go relax with Fragolina?”
-*-*-*
Jason smiled as he picked up his Little Nugget and settled him on his hip. “Hey Little Nugget. Did you sleep well?”
Damian nodded before burying his face in Jason’s shoulder. “Who are they?”
Jason adjusted his hold on Damian to allow for Damian to see the two girls. “You remember Lady Shiva, don’t you?” He waited for Damian to nod before he continued. “The girl with the dark hair is Lady Shiva’s daughter, Cassandra. The blonde haired girl is Stephanie Brown. Do you remember when Bruce proclaimed that he wouldn’t have his children hanging out with the children of bad people?” Damian pursed his lips in thought, something he picked up from Jason, before nodding again. “Lady Shiva is a bad guy, as is Stephanie’s father. But, by Bruce’s standards so are Talia and Ra’s.”
Cassandra bowed, low to the floor, in Damian’s presence. Cassandra would never forget her training, and all must bow before the Heir of the Demon’s Head.
Stephanie gave a two finger salute with a smile. “Sup?”
Dick and Tim emerged from the bedroom they crashed in the night before. “Jason? Does this place have coffee?”
Jason rolled his eyes. “Am I going to have a Tamaranean princess and a half-Tamaranean tyke breaking into the apartment you’re helping pay for?”
Dick’s eyes widened before he dove for the couch, where he left his phone the night before. He let out a victorious shout when he found his phone still had battery life left. He tapped out a text to Kory before turning back to his brothers. “No.”
---
Jason kept watching for danger out of the corners of his eyes, even though it was noon and he was in a supermarket, he couldn’t take any chance now that he had his Little Nugget and two sisters to watch out for. He saw a familiar man with short red hair leading a man with long brown hair, a familiar red haired woman and her companion, a familiar blonde haired woman, turn down aisles further down. “Stephanie Jeanelle Brown. Put down the toaster waffles. Take Cassandra and go find the boxed waffle mix, and while you’re there grab some pancake mix and syrup. Dick, Tim, go find some fruits that will keep for more than a week.”
The four teens nodded before going off to do what was asked of them. Damian, however, pouted from beside Jason. “Why do they get to go get things while I’m stuck with you?”
“Because, Little Nugget, I’m not afraid someone will steal them and make me reconsider how I feel about murder now that it’s not just me.” Jason smiled and ruffled Damian’s hair, which had grown out since Jason had first taken him. “I just want to keep you within eyesight because there are unsavoury characters who live in Gotham and darken the streets. I know technically I’m your brother but I feel like you are my child and I will do everything in my power to protect you, like I couldn’t protect your aunt my sister.”
Damian glanced up at Jason, a look of confusion on his face. “But I thought there were only three girls in the family in the right age range.”
Jason’s face melted into a faraway look and tightly pursed lips. “She was four when I met her, this tiny little slip of a child covered in bruises with dark red hair and blue grey eyes. I was following her, like most street kids would have, when she got the drop on me and then pinned me into the shadows beside a dumpster because her father was walking towards the alley we were in. I became Robin when I was twelve and she was nine, and then CPS and GCPD dragged her from one of our nests and took her away from here. I just found out about that at the press conference.” Jason’s blue green eyes kept sweeping the aisles looking for anyone who could pose a threat to his family. He saw, instead, Selina Kyle deciding between two different laundry detergents in one aisle and Oswald Cobblepot, accompanied by Pere and Gale, deciding between two different kinds of cereal.
Damian took in the information Jason gave him, knowing that Jason would tell him anything he asked even if it was painful to think about. “Who’s her father?”
“Jervis Tetch, aka Mad Hatter.” Jason’s voice was filled with so much venom he had to take a few deep breaths to calm himself down. “He’s a very bad man and if you ever hear anything about him, you run away. The Iceberg Lounge will provide you sanctuary if you can’t make it back to the apartment.”
Damian nodded as he allowed himself to be caged in by Jason’s arms so he was between Jason and the shopping cart.
Stephanie and Cass returned triumphantly with waffle mix, pancake mix and syrup. Followed by Dick and Tim a few minutes later.
Dick turned to Jason with a wry grin. “Is there a real reason we’re shopping at this store at this time of day? Or did you just want to surround yourself with other people who love your Pixie?”
Jason glanced up and made eye contact with Ed Nygma. Jason waved with a small smile on his face before Ed grabbed John’s arm and dragged him to the six siblings.
“Big Todd.” Ed called in lieu of greeting.
John nodded with a smile.
“Are you ever going to give that up?” Jason shook his head fondly. “Ed, John. This is Damian, my Little Nugget. Little Nugget, these are your aunt’s Uncles Ed and John.”
Ed nodded. “Have you tried to get in contact with her?”
John pressed a kiss to Ed’s cheek before looking at their present company. “Now might not be the best place to converse about this topic Love.”
Ed nodded before he let John drag him away. “We must converse again.”
---
Jason smiled as he tucked Damian into bed, before closing the bedroom door. He slumped back into the kitchen and with an exhausted sigh he set about finishing the dishes from the day’s meals. He paused to think about what Ed had said in the store. Would she even want to hear from him? Would she be receptive to talking to him or getting in contact with him?
Tim walked into the kitchen, intending to get a glass of water then go back to bed, when he stumbled upon Jason lost in thought. “Jason?” Tim stood next to Jason and gently pried a plate out of Jason’s hand. “Jason? Can you hear me?”
Jason shook himself out of his stupor and turned to the smaller boy. “Replacement? What are you doing up at this hour?”
Tim shrugged nonchalantly. “I was going to get a glass of water.”
Jason rolled his eyes and grabbed a glass out for Tim. “Sure.” Jason leaned against the counter and watched as Tim filled the glass with water.
Tim smiled at his older brother. “Were you thinking about what Nygma said?”
Jason ruffled Tim’s hair with a half smile on his face. “She was my only family for many years.” Jason turned back to the sink still full of dishes with a chuckle. “Go back to bed Replacement.”
Tim nodded. “Yeah, okay. I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow.”
Jason finished the dishes before dragging his still damp hands through his hair. He let out a tired sigh before turning around, to find discarded clothing covering his couch. He picked up a laundry basket and tossed all of the clothing into the basket. He glanced around the living room and nodded, satisfied with how clean it was. “We’ll have to clean up the apartment tomorrow, as long as Wayne doesn’t call us in.” Jason muttered as he put the laundry basket down on the counter and walked into his bedroom and curled around Damian.
---
Jason, with Damian settled on his left hip, stared at Bruce Wayne who was standing at the door to the apartment building. He raised a single eyebrow as he turned to have his right side facing Bruce. “Can I help you Mr. Wayne?”
“We need to talk.”
Jason snorted. “Then you can do it while walking. We’re meeting someone soon and we’re walking.”
Tim, Steph and Cass brushed past the trio. “Bye Jace! We’re gonna go hang with Kon, Cassie and Bart for a few hours!”
“Text when you get there and when you’re leaving! If we’re not home before you call to let me know you made it home safe!”
“Bye Jason!” Steph called while Cass waved.
Jason turned back to Bruce and raised his eyebrows. “Walk and talk Wayne.” Jason hitched Damian further up on his hip and started to push past Bruce, when Dick beat him to it.
“Call me if you need something or if one of the others needs something. I’ve gotta go home to Kor’i and Mar’i.”
“See you later Dickiebird.”
“See you Jaybird, see you Chick.”
Damian simply waved at Dick and rested his head on Jason’s shoulder. “Bye-bye.”
Jason watched Dick walk away with a smile on his face. He turned to Bruce and frowned.
“Jason-”
“Baba. Go.”
“In a minute Kutlat Saghira.” Jason pressed a kiss to Damian’s cheek. “Do you want to walk and talk or-”
“What did he just call you?” Bruce cut Jason off. “What did you just call him?”
“I called him Little Nugget, and last time I checked I didn’t have to tell you anything.” Jason shook his head and pushed past Bruce. “Are you ready to meet some friends Little Nugget?”
Damian nodded and smiled.
---
Jason pushed open the door to the Iceberg Lounge and smiled as the chilled air cooled the sweat on the back of his neck. “This is where we’re meeting some friends of your Aleuma.”
Damian smiled and patted Jason’s chest, his nonverbal way of saying he wants down.
“Don’t run off, stick close. Not everyone in here is friends with your Aleuma.”
Damian nodded before the two men from the supermarket approached them.
“Jason.” the man with brown hair smiled as he extended his hand to Jason.
“Mr. Crane. Have you been keeping your nose out of trouble?”
John laughed and nodded. “Of course, Ed keeps me in line.”
Ed laughed and shook his head. “Someone has to.”
The red haired woman and her blonde haired companion strolled into the area with matching smiles on their faces.
“Sundew.” The red haired woman called.
“Little bird.” Her blonde companion chirped.
Jason waved. “Damian, the red haired lady is Doctor Pamela Isley and her lovely companion is Doctor Harleen Quinzel. Pam, Harley, this is Damian al Ghul-Wayne. However, he’s more my son than Wayne’s at this point.”
Pam and Harley waved at Damian before offering him smiles.
“Oswald!” Jason called to a portly man across the lounge.
The man, followed by two women dressed in green long sleeved dresses and Kabuki masks, walked over to Jason with a smile on his face. “Todd. It’s good to see you.”
“You too old man.” Jason bowed to the two women. “Pere. Gale.”
The women bowed back.
“Damian, this is Oswald Cobblepot, your Aleuma liked him for some reason and he gave us shelter on more than a few nights.”
Oswald Cobblepot held out a hand to Damian with a smile on his face. “Hello there Damian.”
“Hello.” Damian smiled and stood taller. “Baba. I’m taller.”
Jason snorted. “I see that Little Nugget.” Jason glanced over his shoulder when he heard the door move.
“Hey, Ozzy? You heard from-” Jerome stopped talking before his face split in a smile. “Hoodie! You’re back!”
“Hey Rome.” Jason waved. “Come meet Damian.”
Damian tilted his head in a confused puppy manner before the red haired man appeared from behind Jason. “Is he?”
Jerome extended a hand to Damian with a more mild grin on his face. “Hi. I’m Jerome Valeska, although most of these people know me better as The Great Rodolfo. You must be Damian Todd.”
Damian preened for a moment before coming back to the moment. “Technically, Baba says my name’s still Damian al Ghul-Wayne but I like Damian Todd.”
Taglist
@southamericangothamite @maribat-is-lifeblood @mystery-5-5 @our-preciousss @mochegato @chocolatecatstheron @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen @2confused-2doanything @wannajointhecrabcult @dreamykitty25 @tomanyfandomsonmymind @moonlightstar64 @justafanwarrior @mialuvscats @pheony1882 @pepelachanel @moongoddesskiana @abrx2002 @ladybug-182 @greatcatblaze @thatonecroc @vixen-uchiha @superbwhispersconnoisseur @lilkymilky
After this, there will be a short titled “Pixie?!” featuring Jason fresh from the grave and the appearance of Talia al Ghul using his panicked state against him.
#maribat#ml crossover#mlb crossover#ml x dc#mlb x dc#gothamite!Marinette#platonic sibling jasonette#Safety Found in Red Sleeves#sfirs
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Gone
Barbara Gordon was targeted. Richard Grayson disappeared. Jason Todd ran away. Tim Drake was kidnapped. Stephanie Brown crashed. Damian al Ghul was killed.
Hawkfire rose from the ashes. Nightwing soared through the sky. Red Hood hunted the streets. Red X found the trail. Spoiler haunted her targets. Renegade vanquished his foes.
Batman watched over them all from the shadows.
Followed by Black Bats
Deleted scene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Barbara Gordon was fourteen years old when she was targeted by Pamela Isley. Pamela, calling herself Poison Ivy, blamed Commissioner Gordon for the accident that resulted in her chlorokinetic abilities. She launched an attack on the Gordons’ home that landed the commissioner in the hospital then proclaimed she would reward anyone who could take down the commissioner's daughter. When word got around, it was a free-for-all. The commissioner tried to get Barbara protection, but faith dwindled after a corrupt officer sold information that resulted in the girl taking a gunshot that nearly paralyzed her. Then Barbara’s security detail was attacked by an unknown assailant as she was being escorted out of the hospital. When the girl failed to reappear, the city mourned. Isley was questioned, but she had been locked up at the time and, according to her, no one ever came forward to claim her reward. The commissioner was realistic due to his years in the force and didn’t try to push the searches past the routine timelines. When asked, he would say that they would likely never know what happened if no one came forward with information and he could only console himself with the knowledge that she was likely in a better place now.
Richard Grayson was nine years old when he disappeared from the circus he’d been born and raised in while it was stopped in Gotham. The Gotham police searched, but there was never any sign of him. Commissioner Gordon reached out to Batman, but nothing came from it. After two months the search was called off. There was too much work on GCPD’s plate for them to be putting so much of their focus on one missing child, no matter how publicized the event had been thanks to quite a few of Gotham’s elite seeking to help the poor boy. The Lost Gray Son of Gotham, they called him. His parents remained in Gotham in hopes to find their lost child, but they never succeeded.
Jason Todd was twelve years old when his father reported that he’d run away. Willis Todd, owner of the luxury casino Solitary Wing, reported that his son and an associate had been traveling to the casino together when the boy suddenly leaped from the car while it was at a stoplight and disappeared into the crowd. Despite Willis using his connections to keep it going, the search didn’t last more than a month. Runaways were just too common in Gotham for the police to put much work into it. Willis paid men to keep looking, but after a year all they could come up with was a sighting early on of a boy vaguely resembling Jason disappearing into an alley with a tall man so Willis had to give up. He and his men continued to keep an ear out for the boy, just in case, but nothing ever came of it. The closest thing was a small conspiracy theory about how a boy killed in Ethiopia by the Joker and former Gothamite Sheila Haywood a few months after his disappearance matched Jason’s description, but the theory quickly faded into obscurity.
Timothy Drake was eleven years old when his parents called in his kidnapping. The boy had been home with his nanny when someone snuck into his third-floor bedroom and stole him away. The figure was nothing more than a shadow on the cameras, long and lithe. Every one searched for the young heir, police, Batman, and civilian alike thanks to the hearty reward the Drakes offered, but the search had to be called off after a year passed. His parents continued to offer the reward for any honest information, to no avail. All that appeared were a few claims of people seeing the boy stalking the streets at night with a camera in the years leading up to his abduction, but the Drakes waved it off with the assurances that the boy’s nanny never would have allowed that.
Stephanie Brown was fifteen years old when she and her mother disappeared. Her father reported that his ex-wife must have absconded with the girl after she’d lost custody in their divorce due to an addiction problem. Three months later, Crystal Brown’s car was dredged up from the bottom of a river in Burnside with bags filled with clothing belonging to her and her daughter. The police reported both had died due to the crash, which was likely caused by Crystal’s drug habit. Stephanie’s father continued to search after he discovered their bodies were not located, but he never found them.
Damian Tate was ten years old when he was killed. He had come to Gotham with his mother to meet his father Bruce Wayne for the first time. He was taken days after their introduction by an unknown group. They held the boy for ransom, but when Wayne paid, all he received in return was a video of the boy’s death by a gunshot through the head. When police tracked down the shack he’d been held in, all that remained was charcoal and a few bits of DNA. His parents grieved, even as his mother left Gotham.
Six stories ending in grief.
This is what the news told you.
Hawkfire was the leader of the Birds of Prey, a team of heroines who operated out of Platinum Flats, California. She’d made herself known when she, Black Canary, and Huntress had teamed up to face down the Daughters of Platinum. Instead of having powers, she utilized a belt of gadgets as well as extraordinary computer skills and pyrotechnic gear.
Nightwing was the leader of the Titans, a team of outcast heroes who operated out of Jump City, Florida. He’d made himself known when he led a group of teens against an alien invasion threatening the city. Instead of having powers, he utilized a belt of gadgets as well as extraordinary acrobatic skills and escrima sticks.
Red Hood was the leader of the Outlaws, a team of antiheroes who operated out of a hidden island in the Caribbean. He’d made himself known when he and Artemis of Bana-Mighdall clashed over a job. Instead of having powers, he utilized a belt of gadgets as well as extraordinary strategic skills and an assortment of firearms.
Red X was the leader of Young Justice, a team of teen heroes who operated out of Happy Harbor, Rhode Island. He’d made himself known when he, Wonder Girl, and Impulse freed Subject 13 from a Cadmus lab. Instead of having powers, he utilized a belt of gadgets as well as extraordinary investigative skills and a Bo staff.
Spoiler was the leader of the Outsiders, a team of covert heroes who operated out of Steel City, Washington. She’d made herself known when she and Beast Boy helped save Raven from cultists. Instead of having powers, she utilized a belt of gadgets as well as extraordinary stealth skills and invisibility technology.
Renegade was the leader of the Teen Titans, a team of legacy heroes who operated out of San Francisco, California. He’d made himself known when he learned that certain young heroes were being targeted by the Demon's Fist. Instead of having powers, he utilized a belt of gadgets as well as extraordinary martial arts skills and a katana.
Oracle was a powerful computer program, one utilized by Batman in his war on Gotham’s underbelly and occasionally brought in to help on Justice League cases. Some theorized it may be a form of artificial intelligence, but none have ever been able to confirm it.
Black Bat was an urban legend, a shadow sometimes said to be seen at Batman’s side as he worked in Gotham. There was no proof of their existence except the whispers. No one could agree if they were child or adult, male or female, short and stocky or tall and lithe.
Six stories of hope and power, one story of logic, and one story of rumors.
This is what the news told you.
What the news won’t tell you?
Hawkfire’s teammates know her as Babette "Betty" Kane, but her family calls her Barb, Barbara, Mistress Barbara, Babs, Barbie, Babsy, and Kane. She was the first Oracle. She was the second to stand as Black Bat.
Nightwing’s teammates know him as Dixon Malone, but his family calls him Dick, Master Dick, Pixie, Dickie, Flyboy, and Brother. He was the first Black Bat. He was the second to work as Oracle.
Red Hood’s teammates know him as Jace Knight, but his family calls him Jay, Master Jason, Redjay, Little Wing, Red, Scrappy, and Knight. He was the third to work as Oracle and Black Bat.
Red X’s teammates know him as Alvin Draper, but his family calls him Tim, Master Tim, Shortie, Timmy, Timtim, Chipmunk, and Draper. He was the fourth to work as Oracle and Black Bat.
Spoiler’s teammates know her as Carrie Kelley, but her family calls her Steffi, Stephanie, Mistress Stephanie, Shadow, Stepstone, Stepher, Steph, and Kelley. She was the fifth to work as Oracle and Black Bat.
Renegade’s teammates know him as Terrence Malone, but his family calls him Damian, Master Damian, Dames, Dami, Demon, and Terry. He was the sixth to work as Oracle and Black Bat.
Batman to most was Gotham’s Dark Knight. A few of his Justice League companions know him as Bruce Wayne, but his family calls him something else. For Alfred, he was Master Bruce. For Barbara, he was Uncle Bruce. For Dick and Tim, he was Dad. For Jason and Stephanie, he was the Old Man. For Damian, he was Father. For all of the kids, he was their protector.
The news will tell you a lot, but they don’t always know what’s going on behind the scenes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If anyone's confused, Barbara comes first because I like The Batman (2004)'s timeline of Batgirl coming before Robin. It kind of eases Bruce into both having a partner and being a parent before Dick shows up in all his traffic light glory.
All their aliases are references so see if you can figure them out. I think Jason's is the most obscure, but we'll see (No, it's not Arkham Knight. I only remembered that connection after I'd settled on the name).
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Damienette aranged marriage: part 3
Whoa... Two parts in one day. Sorry if this one is worse, but yet again I wrote this instead of sleeping.
Warning: there will be some cursing from Jason, but can you really blame him?
Credits: Miraculous Ladybug team for the elements I take from MLB show. DC for their characters, @ozmav for the AU, @maribat-archive for giving me access to so many different stories to have take inspirations from, @thyladyanput for idea for Chat Damian and me for the plot.
Part 1
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Damienette arranged marriage: Part 3
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“And why would you tell her everything?!” Jason screamed, still hidden behind Batman’s towering posture.
“Because she is my wife Todd!” Damian screamed. The silence in the room was thick enough that if the assassin swinged his sword, he would be able to cut it in half. Finally, Bruce was the one to break it.
“Fuck.”
This worked like detonating a bomb. Immediately, Red Hood, Red Robin and Nightwing pushed their way into the room and surrounded the two teens.
“You were gone for less than forty-eight hours!” Dick
“How did you manage to get married!” Drake
“You are just fifteen demon spawn!” Todd
“And who is she!?” Drake again.
Talia watched this whole ordeal with no small amount of amusement. That is until Bruce suddenly appeared next to her. His frown was downright scary even for her. “Explain. Now!” The growl was low and emotionless, but it was enough to yet again put the room in dead silence.
“Beloved. It is good to see you too.” Talia smiled seductively.
“I am not in the mood. Now talk!”
“Fine.” She dropped all illusion of niceness. “I made peace with old enemy of the League. Or even a shaky alliance. But to seal the treaty, an assurance was required.”
“And that assurance was?” Jason asked confused, earning a facepalm from Dick.
“The Royal Marriage. An heir of the League and future leader of the Order.”
“And that leader would be… her?” Batman asked, not fully convinced.
Marinette was standing there the whole time, greatly uncomfortable with the attention Bat Family was giving her and Damian. She did read a bit on them, but it was always Alya who never shut up about heroes. For the most part, she preferred talk about Ladybug, but lately there was slowly forming a rift. The aspiring reporter was falling into Lila’s lies, posting unreliable videos on Ladyblog. Rossi had it for Ladybug and Alya, together with the rest of Marinette’s class, was falling for her machinations. They still hanged out with Marinette, but there was this distaste forming around her. She was no longer their to-go person with personal problems, being replaced by Lila who was awful at helping others unless it benefited her. But now Marinette had more pressing matter than a pity little liar. She looked at Batman, then at the bat-kids and finally at Damian. They were all looking at her expectantly.
“Oh right! Sorry. I did it again…” She gave them a sheepish smile. “I am Ladybug, hero of Paris and Great Guardian of the Miraculous.” She stated. Most of the heroes (bar Damian who knew a tidy bit about the Order of the Guardians) were confused.
“Paris doesn’t have heroes. There aren’t even any supervillains there.”
“Excuse me?! How does nobody knows what is going on in Paris!” Ladybug shouted. “Ugh! Seriously?!”
Batman narrowed his eyes. “Forgive me, Ladybug, but the Justice League would know if there was a threat in Paris. So who are you really.”
“Then ask Green Lantern. He was the one who laughed at my plea for help.” She scowled, but then her demeanor changed. She calmed down and gave a sheepish smile. “But guess I should thank him. I can only dread what would happen if Superman was akumatized. Or Flash. Or anyone really. I don’t think I could win.”
Batman frowned. He would have a talk with Hal once he dealt with this. If there was really a threat like that, ignoring it was not only stupid, but dangerous. And the girl was at best Damian’s age. She was dealing with this for how long? The way she spoke suggested that she was in charge. A child fighting in a war all alone.
“For now beloved, it should be enough for you that the two of them are legally married.”
“Like hell!” Jason shouted at her, waving his gun. “They are fifteen. No court would accept this.”
“Actually,” Tim started, “under some laws they can be married. For example ‘The Personal Status Law of Muslims’ in Sudan sets the minimum age at ten.” He spoke like he was reading an encyclopedia.
“But we are somewhere between Nepal and China. I don’t think there are such laws here.” Dick said, but his confidence wavered.”
“Tt. First of why don’t anyone ask me or Marinette about our opinion?” Damian asked irritated.
“Shut up Demon Spawn. Adults are working here”
“If you don’t shut up, Todd, I will make you eat your dirty socks until you choke on the stench.” The young boy threatened. Marinette cringed at this, not really wanting to imaging such situation.
“The marriage stays.” Talia stated coldly. “Otherwise, I will not be able to stop League from going to war against Order of the Guardians.”
“You are their leader.” Batman pointed out.
“That may be correct, beloved, but I am but a regent. Only after Damian finally assumes the leadership, his word will be law. I do try to reform the league, but there is little I can do in this situation.”
“Bullshit!” Jason cursed. “You are just manipulative bitch.”
“Jason!” Dick hit the back of Red Hood’s helmet, causing him to almost tumble. “Language. There are minors in the room.”
“Don’t worry Mousier.” Marinette noted that the whole debate shifted to English. She learned it years ago when she first got interested in fashion. Some of the greatest fashion critiques wrote only in English and she didn’t want to be left behind. And other foreign critiques and designers were always translated into English. “After today, cursing is the least of my worries.” During the talk, Marinette pulled her yo-yo to check the situation in Paris. The good news were that there was no Akuma attack since her confrontation with Hawkmoth. Bad news: she was gone for over forty hours already.
“What exactly is the deal?” Bruce sighted. He loved his boys, but he could practically feel his hair graying. At least the girls didn’t go around marrying total strangers. “I want the full story Talia. Don’t even try to deceive us.”
“As you wish Beloved.” She smiled and sat back at her chair. Jason was about to hop onto where Marinette sat, but Damian ‘accidentally’ tripped him. Ladybug detransformed and Tikki flew out.
“What is this flying mouse?!” Dick screeched upon seeing a kwami.
“My name is Tikki. I am kwami, or if you prefer a small god, of creation and luck.”
“Okay… I’ve totally seen weirder.” Jason shrugged and Tim was too busy trying to plug in his pocket kettle to make himself some coffee.
“Ekhm.” Bruce faux-coughted to get their attention. “Begin Talia.”
“Many centuries ago, magic jewels bestowing extraordinary powers were created. These were... the Miraculous. Throughout history, heroes have used these jewels for the good of the human race. Order of The Guardians was responsible for protecting and distributing the Miraculous for the good of all humanity. Some time in the past, League has learned about the existence of this artifacts, more powerful than even Lazarus Pit. A secret war began between two organizations. There was a constant stalemate until the Order was mysteriously destroyed without a trace. We believed all miraculous to be lost until two years ago heroes and villains using them appeared in Paris. Initially, we ignored them, long since abandoning this war. But then, some month ago a temple of the Guardians suddenly reappeared with the Order in chaos. The League attacked, but they were strong enough to withstand the initial strike and turn it into a siege. In time, we would have succeeded and wiped them once and for all. But instead, the Guardians understood their situation and reached to us with agreement. A truce and alliance, in exchange for sparing them.”
“Yeah right! Only an idiot would take such offer!” Red Hood kept arguing with the Assassin woman.
“Or a strategist. Either way, the League wins. They no longer need to worry about threat, but this way they also get an ally.” Batman remained expressionless, but he kept sending Damian and Marinette side-glares. He wanted to know how they are coping with this. The girl was a bit shaken, but that was to be expected. He would talk more with her later. What surprised him was that Damian seemed to show concern for her. The kind he usually reserved only for his brothers and father.
“Yes. While our methods differ, the League and the Order have a common goal: prosperity for all humanity. But to ensure that neither side would go against the other, there needed to be a more tangible symbol of this union.”
“Marriage of the heirs. In the past such method was often used to symbolize an alliance. It symbolized equality of both partners and parties they represented.” Tim acted as an universal encyclopedia again, which Jason did exploit to tease him mercilessly while the others focused on the discussion.
“And let me guess” Dick frowned. “If they break the deal, it means war?”
“Yes.” Damian simply nodded. The memory of his mother’s threat hanging over the girl’s live was still fresh. Now that he got to know her better Damian was surprised that someone so brave and strong could at the same time be such emotionally unstable or open. It was almost refreshing. His family was awful with emotions and beyond that women only saw his last name. Many times he dealt with liars who tried to use him to get into the pockets of his father. But with Marinette he was sure that she was genuine with her feelings. He could not find any reason for her not to be at the moment, especially after she revealed her secret to him.
“So what? We are just supposed to roll with it? What will press think? You will give Alfred a heart attack Damian.” Dick rambled. Youngest Wayne decided to ignore him and turn to his father.
“While this might be a bit inconvenient, I believe it is the best course of action for now.” Damian spoke with cold and calculative voice.
“And what about you?” Batman turned to the girl, who for the most part lately was busy discussing something with the kwami in French. Bruce was proficient, but he was too focused on Talia and Damian.
“I… I accepted that my duty as Great Guardian comes with certain responsibilities. If this is what it takes to preserve peace, then I guess… I guess I will roll with it.” She smiled at Dick, almost daringly. Damian smiled too. Anyone who teased his brothers like that earned some points in his book. “But I can’t just leave Paris. For now it’s peaceful, but I don’t know how long it will last. And there are my parents… Oh Kwami! What will I tell my parents! Or my friends! Or my class! What if they reject me for this and I will be kicked from home, then I will not become a professional designer and I will never fulfill my dream and I will be forever lonely…” She unintentionally rambled in mixture of English and French while walking in circle and waving her hands. Damian grabbed her by her wrists to stop her before she accidentally knocked someone out and then cupped her hands with his. She was still talking random stuff, which made absolutely zero sense. Damn. She is cute when she is rambling. What!? He shut down the intrusive thoughts and focused on the girl… his wife.
“Calm down. Take deep breaths. You will not be alone.” He hoped it would work, but she barely slowed down. He sighted. Damian looked her deep in her bluebell eyes and she saw the two whirlpools of jade green he had. They were more prominent that Adrien’s. “Listen to my voice. All is going to be fine. We will not leave you.” This time, it did work and she calmed down.
Rest of the Batfam watched in shock how Damian has acted. It was most unusual for him to initiate physical contact at all, much less act this gentle. They looked at Talia, but she shrugged.
“I didn’t do anything if that’s what you think.” She smirked. “But I don’t think I needed.” Two newly-wed were just standing there, starring in each other’s eyes.
“Robin!” Batman finally got him to break out of this. “We gotta go. We will figure out exactly what to do later.”
“Fine. But we are taking Marinette with us.” Damian stubbornly stated.
“Yes. She should not stay here. And I have more questions for her.”
The flight to Paris was surprisingly fast. They traveled in perfect silence, but she felt rather uncomfortable with how everyone (bar Damian) sent her a suspicious glares. Finally, they landed around 8 PM on the rooftop of local Wayne Enterprises headquarter. She walked out first, happy to finally get back onto her home turf.
“Now there are some questions that needs to be answered.” Batman spoke.
“Uhm… Okay?”
“Stop intimidating her Father.” Damian scowled.
Bruce reluctantly nodded. “Maybe it would be the best to discuss it in private of my office.” He pressed some buttons on his glove and the bat-plane camouflage. Well, it was probably more of Bat-cargo plane since it could fit six people comfortably and still have much space free.
They got into the office, where Bruce had a total of five armchairs set around the coffee table. Immediately, Damian and Dick took two of them, leaving the head one for Bruce and one in between the two Waynes for Marinette. Tim didn’t bother trying to fight with Jason over who gets the last place, instead opting to just jump onto computer chair at the desk and activating a holo-screen. He quickly connected to Batcomputer and started to pull various files (mostly on Marinette and her close ones, but she didn’t see it).
“So tell me. What is our young couple planning to do now?” Dick teased them.
Jason was standing next to the alcohol bar, pouring several glasses of whiskey. Before Bruce could protest, he brought five and placed them on the table. His reaction to disapproving glare from the other adults was to just shrug. “What? They are married. I think underage drinking would be the least of the problems. Oh! That reminds me.” Jason grinned maliciously and pulled his wallet. He tossed something square and silver at Damian. “I don’t want any demon spawns junior running around soon.”
Once Marinette realized what was that and what was he implying she turned redder than Tim’s outfit. Damian scowled. “I have a sword on me Todd, so watch what you are saying. I might not have chosen her to be my bride, but I will not let you embarrass her just for your fun.”
Jason saw an opportunity and he would be damned if he didn’t take it. “Which sword are you talking about?”
Damian hissed like an angry cat and drawn his sword, lunging at his brother. Todd initially wanted to block the attack with his gun, but fine steel cut right through it. Seeing murder in Damian’s face he did the only plausible thing: started to run.
Marinette was inventing new shades of red with her blushing. Bruce gave her an apologetic look. “Please, don’t take his comments to heart. Jason is…” before batman could find a right word there was a sound of something crashing, followed by a painful yelp. In just a moment, Damian returned happy, his sword a bit bloody.
“Please tell me you didn’t kill him…” Dick begged. Marinette was not sure whether this was a joke or not, but the longer she stayed with the batfam, the less sane they appeared.
“Nah. But he didn’t look where he was running and toppled the stack of boxes and I ended up stabbing him in his left calf. He will live.” Damian assured them. And true to his words, a limping Jason appeared in the doors. He grabbed a fresh bottle of whiskey on his way to the armchair and slumped resigned. “Demon spawn!”
“Idiot!”
“Enough!” Bruce wanted to pull his hair out. “We came here to discuss a certain situation not stab each other. Marinette?”
“Yes monsieur Wayne?” She asked, still stunned with what happened. She had to admit Damian acter chiviliarus protecting her honor, even if his way was pretty violent.
“I was trying to ask you, what do you plan on doing now?”
“I… I don’t know. This all happened so fast…”
“It’s okay. I don’t think anyone would have a plan for such situation.” Dick reassured her
“Bruce does. It’s inside the safe in the batcave in folder labeled ‘Talia never gives up’.” Tim chimed in before returning to his research.
“Well, no one sane has such plans.” Dick tried to cheer her up. It did work even if just a bit. “But ask yourself what do you want.”
“Well… I would wish to finish my education and I always dreamed about becoming a professional fashion designer.”
“And how is this plan working so far?” Bruce inquired.
“Well, I do run a small internet boutique, where I take commissions and uncle Jagged refuses to wear anything that wasn’t personally designed by me.” She said casually.
“Wait a moment… Uncle Jagged as in Jagged Stone, the world-class rock musician?!” Tim suddenly shouted.
“Uh… yes?” She got confused
“But his only designer is the mysterious MDC! That would mean you are MDC!”
“Uh… yes?” Marinette had no idea why Tim acted like that.
“Oh god! Oh god! I got to meet MDC! Can I get your authograph?” He was suddenly next to her, holding a copy of the her first album cover she made for Jagged.
“Sure.” She signed it and handed it back. It read: ‘Good luck TD, MDC’.
Tim Fainted.
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Taglist (sorry if I missed you)
@pheonixashtree @sassakitty @unabashedbookworm @vixen-uchiha @maggiecc12 @actualdisasterwoman @tired-butterfly @shizukiryuu @floralfi @imanerddealwith @northernbluetongue @krispydefendorpolice @toodaloo-kangaroo @dast218 @bluesoulblueheart @theatreandcomicfreak @disneyfoxuniverse @mindfulmagics @alwaysnumberonetruth @nyaabinch @jardimazul @lenamau @rosep16 @dramatic-squirrel @sonif50 @daminett4life @lulutheawkwardess @weird-pale-blonde-person @mooshoon @jeminiikrystal @mochegato @moonlightstar64
#fanfic#fanfiction#crossover#marinette x damian#order of the guardians#guardian!marinette#maridami#maribat#damienette#maribat au#league of assassins#arranged marriage au#batman
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Batfamily Switched AU
Not sure what to call this AU, but basically, what if the Core Kids (Dick, Babs, Jason, Tim, Cass, Steph, Damian) switched places with the New Kids? As in, the New Kids are the ones Bruce adopted, Bruce met first? Anyway, I wrote this at 3am
How the New Kids become the Core Kids
Harper and Cullen Row are the first kids. Harper is age 14 while Cullen is 8. Batman had saved them from getting gaybashed and beat up. Instead of returning them home, Bruce's heart is moved by seeing Harper cry her eyes out about not wanting to go back to her abusive dad, and then of Cullen crying about missing their dead mom. So, he finds enough evidence to put their dad in jail, and then Bruce Wayne adopts them. Harper ends up becoming Bluebird, figuring out on her own that Bruce is Batman.
Duke is Harper's Babs. An incident that happened during the day left his parents Jokerized, and his cousin Jay got custody of him. Duke became the Signal and started working during the daytime due to what happened to his parents. Batman and Bluebird would eventually confront him and officially let him be a member of the team. Duke would be age 14 when he becomes the Signal, and Harper is 16.
Henry Jr. and Claire come next. They were saved by Batman when they were younger, and had gained superpowers that drained their life force when used. They called themselves Gotham Guy and Gotham Girl, and Henry killed himself when he overused their powers after death. Claire, left broken and alone, was adopted by Bruce at age 14.
Carrie is Catgirl. Not Robin or Batgirl, as those mantles don't exist. She's more OOC in this universe. She's spiteful due to her parents lack of attention towards her and seeks to gain that attention by becoming a thief under the name Catgirl, inspired by Catwoman who does slightly take her under her wing, but encourages her to go home and stay safe. After she nearly dies and gets saved by Batman, she realizes she's on the wrong side of the fight. She starts fighting for good, and when Batman hears about her home life, he gathers enough evidence to jail her parents for child negligence, and Bruce Wayne adopts her. Carrie is age 12 when she first starts, and when Harper and Duke are 18 and 16.
Lance Bruner is the Jason Todd of this au. Canonically, he died and stayed dead. Here, he gets ressurected. He got adopted by Bruce due to the agreement between their two now dead fathers. Harper was 19, Duke 17, Claire 15, Carrie and Cullen are 13. Lance was adopted at age 14. In this au, Cullen has been managing the comms under the codename Oracle, and Lance, having found out the big secret, managed to get a voice changer and pretended to be Cullen on the comms. He thought Bruce didn't care about him, and that he never payed attention to him due to his other "siblings". He purposely put the Batfamily in danger, before realizing what he had done. He rushed out to save Batman, sacrificing himself on the process. He dies at age 14, nearly 15.
Helena Wayne crosses over from her world (Earth-2), but she's much younger, only 12. Her world was war torn, and her mother had used a Boom Toom to have Helena escape. Helena discovers and joins the Batfamily when Harper is pushed 20. Wanting to connect with her mother more, she asks Carrie if she can be the next Catgirl, and Carrie agrees, allowing Helena to become Catgirl while Carrie took on the new name of Huntress.
Next, Alina Wayne enters the picture. Her mother, Mariah Shelley, confronts Bruce about Alina being his. The canonical events happen where Mariah gets hit and put in a coma by the Joker, Joker kidnaps Alina, Batman rescues her, and she gets adopted by Bruce at age 9. Alina at age 11 wants to become a superhero, and Harper passes on the Bluebird mantle to her, becoming Nightwing, the name inspired by Superman's stories. Cullen becomes her Flamebird, leaving behind his days as Oracle.
When Lance is 16, he gets ressurected and then trained by the League of Assassins until he is 18. By then, Harper is 23, Duke is 21, Claire is 19, Carrie and Cullen are 17, Helena is 16, and Alina is 12. He takes on the name Red Hood and basically follows the same path Jason did. He feels as though his sacrifice was for nothing- Batman did nothing to get revenge for him, and he just replaced him with new kids, two biological daughters, anyway.
Run down of current positions: Harper is Nightwing (23), Duke is the Signal (21), Claire is Gotham Girl (19), Lance is Red Hood (18), Carrie is Huntress (17), Cullen is Flamebird (17), Helena is Catgirl (16), and Alina is Bluebird (12).
Now onto how the Core Kids become the New Kids
Dick comes in three years before Alina gets adopted. His parents are killed in the same manner, except there is no Bruce Wayne watching, although there still is a Tim Drake watching. He gets adopted by circus family that remains in Gotham. He gets inspired by the Batfamily and decides to strike out as Robin, age 10 (Harper is 20). Batman starts training him alongside Alina, and the two become good friends. The Robin mantle functions a little differently in this universe.
Barbara comes next. She comes in when Dick is 11 and she is 13. She wants to help fight crime, but she starts fighting in the daytime like Duke, just as Batgirl. She sort of becomes his sidekick, in a way.
When Dick is 15, Jason is 11 and living on the streets. Robin discovers him when he tries to steal his R-Cycle's tires. Dick gets Jason to go into the system in hopes to get him in a good family, but then they discover that this orphanage is actually a human trafficking ring. They both defeat it, and before Batman can even think to adopt Jason, Dick convinces his family to do so. Jason eventually dubs himself Red Robin, partner to Dick, who changes his alias to Blue Robin.
Enter Tim, who is still out stalking all of the Batfamily. He realizes that Dick is Blue Robin and deduces that Jason is Red Robin after that. When Dick is 17 and Jason is 13, Tim is 11. He chases down Dick and Jason and asks to join their "Robin group". Since We Are Robin does not exist in this universe, this is basically it's equal, in a way. Tim has to convince them by then deducing the rest of the Batfamily's identities, but they eventually allow him aboard as Yellow Robin. He functions more as an Oracle at first since Dick and Jason don't let him out until he has proper training.
Cassandra was raised by her father the same way as canon, and she ran away same way as canon. She pops in just around the same time as Tim, and she does it by saving Commissioner Gordon's life when she's 13. Barbara, age 18 at this point, is impressed, and takes her in legally as a ward (not adopted sadly due to the 5 year gal- they're more like sisters here). Cass works best at night, but since she is trained by Babs, she does operate during the daytime as well. Babs gives her the Batgirl mantle while she becomes Black Bat.
Also around the same time, Stephanie, age 12, becomes Spoiler for the same reasons as canon. She runs into the Robins more frequently than the Batfamily and therefore becomes closer to them. After her mother is killed, Dick gets his family to adopt her and she decides to become Purple Robin.
After her adoption, Tim's father is killed (his mother was killed awhile ago), and Dick's family adopts him.
All is well and easy going, until we enter Damian Wayne. Harper is 30 and Dick is 20. Damian is given to his father at age 10, but unfortunately, Batman is 'killed', and Harper takes up the mantle of Batman. Harper offers for Damian to stay with the family, and even briefly gives him the Bluebird title with Alina's permission, but he's too… well, Damian, and Harper is not Dick in this universe even if she's Nightwing. Damian runs away, but is hesitant to return to the League of Assassins. Luck would have it, the Robins find him. With a lot of push and shove, Dick eventually legally makes Damian his ward, giving him a reason to stay in Gotham since he was never made public as Bruce's child, and never adopted (although there was paperwork).
By the time Bruce comes back 'from the dead', Damian has made a name for himself as the Green Robin, and he doesn't want to leave his ragtag group of… siblings? Uncles and aunts? Family. Not sure exactly what they are, but they're family. Since Helena and Alina exist as Bruce's bio-kids already, Damian's "I am the One True Heir!" doesn't work, and his arrogance is stunted because of that. He found a place in the Robins where he never did in the Manor. So, Dick legally adopts him and he changes his name to Damian Grayson.
Eventually, the public would know Damian is Bruce's blood son, but the cover story would be that he was put in an orphanage and adopted by Dick. Damian eventually creates a relationship with his father. Other events that happen is Claire stops being Gotham Girl and becomes Oracle, as she realized being out on the field made her more likely to use her powers instinctively.
The final positions: Harper is Nightwing (31), Duke is the Signal (29), Claire is Oracle (27), Lance is Red Hood (26), Carrie is Huntress (25), Cullen is Flamebird (25), Helena is Catgirl (24), Barbara is Black Bat (23), Dick is Blue Robin (21), Alina is Bluebird (20), Cass is Batgirl (17), Jason is Red Robin (17), Steph is Purple Robin (16), Tim is Yellow Robin (15), and Damian is Green Robin (11).
Legally adopted by Bruce: Harper, Claire, Lance, Carrie, Cullen, Helena and Alina.
#batfam#batfamily#batman#damian wayne#dick grayson#batman and robin#jason todd#bruce wayne#cassandra cain#tim drake#batfamily headcanons#batfamily au#batfam au#batfam memes#batfamily switched au
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Oooh the Krypto-Bat + twins au sounds really interesting! I would love to see more of that if possible!
Krypto-Bat + Twins AU (For the Krypto-Mari AUs) [ Posted on Ao3 ]
Twins AU with Marinette and Clark, Aka, Kia Jor-El and Kal-El
They were sent from Krypton at the same time in separate pods/ships, and when they land on earth, the pods are separated enough to land in two different places
Kal-El is, as originally, ends up in Smallville, adopted by the Kents as Clark
Kia ends up in Gotham
Bruce is already an adult here, and already Batman, including having taken in Dick and potentially Jason as well
Batman is the one to find Kia, mostly because, ever-vigilant, he knows about when something is about to crash into the territory he protects and is determined to be the first to arrive before anyone else.
He takes her in because for one, ‘what the heck, a tiny child with super-strength is in my backyard’ and felt he lucked out with her not ending up in the hands of a villain instead. For two, he’s really curious about what she and her little partially-destroyed space pod are. For three, The Justice League hasn’t been formed, it’s not even a baby of a thought in Batman’s head yet, so he has no one else he trusts to be able to hand a super-powered alien baby off to, so, congrats, Bruce, you have a daughter!
Dick is like ‘oh heck yes, someone else to teach all the ways of being one bendy acrobat’
Also, Since Dick can’t get the Nightwing name from Superman (since there is no Superman yet) He has a different hero name, Blackbird
Jason is the dotting older brother type and none of you will change my mind
“Oh god the teething” will be something Bruce groans about in the future when talking about raising this child. First of all, she’s really strong, and develops her physical invulnerability early on, so you have this baby that will probably chew on the granite gargoyles around the mansion and all the batarangs in the cave
Kia, now named Marinette Wayne, spends a lot of her time with Alfred, so she learns early on how to seem like some all-knowing, all-wise entity, and how to control her emotions and outward expressions. They bats will learn to rightly fear her as much as they fear Alfred
Learning how to be a mini-Alfred doesn’t stop her from being fun, being absolutely sweet, or even a sunshine child. Alfred made sure she doesn’t pent up or bottle emotions, she learns how to deal with them in a healthy way and divert the bad ones into powering good ones
Pair that Alfred attitude with training to control her powers and, eventually, training to defend herself as well as fight, in case she ever decides to join the ‘family business’, and you have a force to be reckoned with, even from a young age
The Jason dying thing can either happen or not
If it happens, when he comes back, his rage about being ‘replaced’ can be lessened, considering he already knew the Robin mantle wasn’t meant to ever sit permanently on anyone’s shoulders
Hell, he even looked forward to the day Marinette would be offered the chance to take it up, he may actually rather be more peeved that it wasn’t saved for her before someone else filled it in
A new hero name Jason may potentially take is Cardinal. He takes it up either because dying never happened, so he never becomes Red Hood after Robin, or, he eventually rejoins the family and decides to take up a new one after dropping the RH name.
Damian coming around is going to be funny, here is why
Marinette and Damian would be about the same age at this point, so you have two ten year olds duking it out
One ten year old is trying to kill all the Robins
The other ten year old is trying to prevent the other ten year old from killing her brothers
Damian is a trained assassin that knew she had super strength because the LoA knows things it shouldn’t, but they also don’t have knowledge of Kryptonite or her invulnerability, so he isn’t prepared at all for her interference
Marinette is a semi-trained not-yet-vigilante with super strength, invulnerability, and a determination to pin down her new brother and tell him to stop trying to kill their brothers
She utilizes a lot of her knowledge from Alfred and gains some well earned but reluctant respect and wariness from Damian
All her pinning of him, something she only manages to do out of pure strength because her fighting skills are not as fine and sharp as Damian’s yet, allows for her to continuously rant to him about morals, her explanations of why he shouldn’t kill her brothers, and her thoughts on how terrible and inaccurate the teachings of the LoA are. He is forced to hear all of this, and, eventually, he actually listens
It helps that he also learns to stop attacking the other Wayne children because, with Marinette as their ever-vigilant protection and buffer, he has no hope of succeeding, so he might as well play nice
Damian still takes up the Robin mantle, Marinette letting him, as she has no desire for it yet
They’re both 15 when Damian decides to take off the Robin suit and, instead of continuing to pursue the Batman title as a ‘rightful heir’, wants to make his own name for himself
His new hero name is Starling
Marinette finally accepts the offer to be Robin
This is such bad news for the criminals, not going to lie, but so much fun for her, for the bats, and for us
First of all, the new costume
We all know about how the ‘traffic light’ might just be a way for Batman to be able to keep an eye on his kid while also making sure no one will hit them with their car when they run across the street like idiots without looking
But Marinette is invulnerable and also has enough fashion sense to demand she tine down the colors
She also has taken a liking to the idea of following in her dad’s footsteps and making her Robin look to be as dark, scary, and Cryptid-y as possible
So here is the suit:
The cape is black on the inside, the outside is an almost-black green that allows for blending into the foliage of all the ivy that grows all over the walls of the old buildings of the city
The eyes/lenses of her mask are gold/yellow instead of white, since it was the only place she was willing to add the color. It helped that it would create a creepy eye-glow effect
The body of the suit is black as well
The gloves and boots are a dark red, with an uneven fade into the black of her arms/legs. This causes an illusion of her having been walking through the blood of her enemies, while having also just removed her hands from the chest cavities of the last ones she dealt with. Obviously, she’s going for the scare-factor with that particular look, and Bruce is admittedly impressed with it, even if he disapproves of her making people think she doesn’t follow the no-kill rule
Over-all, the look is high-key intended to make her seem like a Cryptid, much like the Batman one is supposed to
Second! This is about the time all her other powers are going to be coming into the light
So Gotham and its criminals are introduced to a new Robin, and while it may seem nothing odd, they have another thing coming
Robin is suddenly creepy as hell, for one, especially with the dark and bloody appearance paired with the seemingly unnatural ability to be bendy and lithe
Robin is also much stronger, and a few of the smart ones decide never to engage her in combat.
Robin is also suddenly much faster than before, randomly at first, almost seeming to teleport. Rumor has it even Batman was shocked the first few times
Criminals started using insulated grips on their weapons because their weapons were getting unnaturally hot
Coats became common with the minions of villains, because hearing breathing from the shadows would sudden be accompanied by indoor breezes and temperature drops
Wait… is, is Robin, looming? Since when did Robin loom like that? When did they start being able to soundlessly move closer? Wait, hold on, since when did Robin’s feet not touch the ground??
They hate how suddenly they can’t hide things, either, Robin seems to know where they hid all their weapons, their explosives, their traps, their plans, everything
Evil people start hoping really, really hard that the shadow they just saw move is Batman, and only Batman
You guys get the idea, Marinette as Robin is effective and scary and no one outside the Bat Clan/Family know how she does it
Clark, over in Smallville, is dealing with all these new powers, too, and our thoughts go out to him not having as great an outlet for them as Marinette does
But hey! He becomes Superman at, like, 22, so we can skip right to that! In just a moment!
[Interlude: Hawkmoth.]
It is purely by accident that Marinette, 16 years old and still freshly mantled, finds him and ends up taking him down. It was supposed to be a very casual family trip to Paris, nothing more, and it went rather sideways for her instead.
The Justice League still has yet to be formed, so asking for help was simply hit or miss with wherever Paris sent the plea. The Waynes didn’t even know one had been sent to Gotham while they were gone, aimed at Batman, until after the family returned.
The family got caught up in the middle of a joint Akuma and Sentiminster attack, Marinette the only one able to escape fast enough to change into Robin. She joins the Ladybug and Black Cat superheroes in fighting, her presence both shocking and relieving them
She learns about her vulnerability to magic during the fight. She can take the physical blows just fine, but the moment she’s struck by a magical blast, she feels it like any other person. She got lucky that it wasn’t a terrible hit, or one with magical side-effects, but it did injure her, and painfully
The other heroes realize she needs more protection, and are able to offer her a Miraculous, which she accepts in an instant, not at all wanting to keep getting injured. After she transforms, the blasts no longer hurt her, and she can take the physical blows even better than she had before, not to mention she was loving the extra power-boosts on top of what she already had
No, using a Miraculous doesn’t hurt her or make her sick, because channeling or ‘wearing’ magic is different than being attacked with it (Plus, in DC canon, Superman is able to use magic items (it was a sword if I remember right) that can grant him powers and such. Having a vulnerability to something does not equal having a negative reaction to general contact with it.
“Just because a knife can cut you doesn’t mean you have to grasp it by the blade; grab the handle.” - SilverWhiteRaven)
Her X-Ray and 4-D vision powers start acting up, and this is where she purely by accident gets to see exactly where Hawkmoth and Mayura have hidden themselves while they wait the fight out. She does notice she can’t X-ray any of them while their Miraculous were transforming them, and she guessed it was another magic thing interfering with her abilities
As soon as the Sentimonster and Akuma are defeated, she informs the two local heroes about who she saw and where
They seemed uncertain, and a bit sad about the news, and guessed they may have had previously unknown personal connections to their villains
She helps them make a quick plan of action. They used the post-battle recovery time that usually happens, the short recharge period, to their advantage
The three of them storm the Agreste mansion together, and it’s all over before even a rush of adrenaline can kick in
Robin spends a short moment of time to monologue a rant on morality and heroism to the two defeated supervillains as their two abused Miraculous are recovered. She was pretty sure that by the time she finished her speech and left to rejoin her family, both heroes were looking at her like they had instant crushes
Ideas for the Justice League start up after learning about the hit-and-miss cries for help from Paris
[End Interlude: Alright, back to it!]
By 22, Marinette has gone through 7 years of being Robin, and also college, and she and Damian have joined Tim in running Wayne Enterprises. Tim can go take a nap now, and none of the other Waynes are going to let anything stop him
Marinette, the genius she is, has invested in Stuart Semple, the creator of Black 2.0, as her first move in the business, and that I will come back to in a minute
Superman reveals himself to the world, and, loandbehold, every member of the Bat Clan who are in on her secret recognizes that very power set he displays, and all eyes are on Marinette
She realizes, too, that suddenly, she isn’t the only one. Her escape pod was too damaged and missing too many parts after crashing to have given her anything about her original home, and now there’s Someone Else who might have answers!
Pulling herself together, she asks her dad to accompany her to Metropolis, all the way in Kansas (yes, I am doing that, it is way more logical to protect a whole country when the city you put yourself in is in the middle of the thing and not even over on the coast closest to Alaska and Hawaii)
Marinette, when she gets there, makes her way to the top of the tallest tower, Batman in tow as her overseer and moral/emotional support
She gets Superman’s attention by legit just yelling for him, because what else do you do from the top of buildings besides yell into the wind?
He shows up, a little confused, but mostly surprised by the sight of someone who looks a lot like him
She’s very nervous now, a bit scared that they’re wrong and that Superman isn’t like her, that they are nothing alike, and as she notices their similarity in appearance, is anxious about how high her hopes have suddenly become, and how far of a fall the disappointment will be. But a little reassurance from her dad in the shadows and she gets the words out
“Hi, I’m Marinette, and I was wondering- Well, I mean, I needed to know- Just- Wow this is hard, I’m not usually like this, uhm- Superman, are you- are we- did you come from the same place I did? Can you look at me, and- just x-ray me if you can do that, because I can, and if you can, too, that might mean… Well… Please..?”
His eyes are wide and disbelieving but he does it, he looks, and all the time that he, too, spent looking at himself with his X-ray and 4D vision, comparing his biology and it’s differences to that of humans, recognizes the traits of a Kryptonian in her. “Kia?”
Marinette tears up at his response, and chokes out, “I don’t know if that’s me, but please, I want to find out.”
Marinette is able to collect herself, as is Superman, enough to call Batman out of the shadows and introduce the two, explaining that Batman had ‘assisted’ (have to at least try to keep secret identities intact) in her raising and was simply acting as backup and support for her while she came to Metropolis
Superman invites her to visit the Fortress of Solitude with him, and she accepts, telling her dad to head home and, if things went well, not to expect her home for a few weeks, as she would be spending all of her time learning everything she could
There’s a lot of happy crying and comfort hugs the moment the Fortress welcomes her as Kia Jor-El, twin of Kal-El
Just like she warned Bruce, she spends weeks away in the Fortress, learning as much about Krypton as she can get
She listened to the holograms of her birth parents telling her stories, even the ones every Kryptonian child was told to scare them into behaving, or little tales told to teach morals. She didn’t care that she was already an adult, already knew all these lessons from human versions, but they were what she wanted to hear
Learning of old legends, gods, and mythical creatures were some of her favorites to hear, and she was determined to retell them to her family when she returned
She listened to a lot of kryptonian music, too, discovering it had just as much variety in genres and cultures as Earth
You can bet your bucks that she is going to be recreating Kryptonian instruments a to learn to use, as well as learn every dance the Fortress has recorded in its archives
She has a field day when she discovers there are kryptonian puzzle boxes she can recreate
Her favorite days, however, are when Clark comes by to check on her, finding her in the middle of the day, after yet another all nighter of reading Kryptonian non-fiction novels, and he orders her to bed. She doesn’t like the orders, but after the first time, she never complained again. Clark had left the Fortress after day three of them being in the Fortress, and came back to check on her a couple days later to find her sleeplessly tired and still reading. After forcing her to lay down, he convinced her to stay put if he taught her one of the lullabies he had learned himself. Now, every night he was with her in the Fortress, they either sung the Kryptonian lullabies together, to each other, or, fell asleep to the voices of their parents singing instead
Keeping true to the self-promise, when Marinette returned to Gotham, she excitedly told her family as much as she could
Dick, inspired by many of the stories, and wanting to pay tribute to his youngest sister’s heritage, asks if he can create a new hero identity
She happily agrees after asking Clark about it over the phone, and Nightwing is born
They laugh a bit at it, actually, considering that Robin’s colors are a tribute to the Greysons, and Nightwing is one of the Kryptonian Gods, and yet they’ve ended up swapped between them
Justice League time! This is my favorite part, where it gets into pure identity shenanigans
Give it a few more years before the whole idea comes together. Batman may trust his daughter’s brother, but he still needs to get to know him. They still butt heads often enough, but Marinette is a good, if exasperated, mediator that helps them settle down and come to agreements more
When the JL is finally founded, Marinette is 25, and Bruce is, in fact, only there for the official first day of it in operation
That’s right, Bruce retires!
After so long of fighting the corruption and crime of Gotham, there has actually been progress and improvement. Enough so that Bruce is comfortable with actually retiring as a field vigilante, instead joining the behind-the-scene bats by becoming Agent B
Who other than Marinette takes up the cowl of Batman?
She outright told Dick he can’t pull off the attitude for it, and even Damian could agree she was the best fit
There were, of course, questions of how she would hide the fact of Batman suddenly becoming a woman. After rolling her eyes and saying the fact that female armor doesn’t have to look feminine, she tells them that the answer was simple!
Stuart Semple
That’s right, Marinette was already planning to become Batman after her dad!
She also manages to convince Bruce to play a long-term prank on the JL, all the way from day one. What is the prank, you ask?
They don’t tell anyone except those within the Bat Clan that the cowl is being passed on, and no one will ever know that there was a new identity behind Batman
So, how is it pulled off? Like this:
For one, Bruce will reveal his identity as Batman as a sign of trust to the heroes of the JL
Then, immediately after, he will go home and hang up the cowl for good
Then Marinette is going to take out her redesign and take up the Batman role
The entirety of the new suit is going to be made with Black 2.0, and combining it with the cloak that will cover her whole body, a new full-face mask/helmet, full body armor, a speed that will keep pictures from getting clear pictures of even her profile, and her Kryptonian ability to masterfully manipulate her voice to keep the frightening baritones of her dad, her identity is securely secret, and the prank perfectly maintainable
Add in her own personal touch of changing the usual white eye lenses to gold, layering the cloak with a mechanism that raises and lowers the layers to allow for maximum looming height (where no one can tell if her feet are touching the ground) while also keeping it out of the way when crouching or keeping low, and you have a Batman that not only looks like a literal and legit void with creepy glowing eyes, but one that is going to be scaring the hell out of every single hero, too, when she walks by them in the halls of the JL
Really, it’s the perfect functional prank
It gets more fun every time she comes home from a mission and tells everyone about how her teammates kept commenting that they had worried about Bruce’s age, but with ‘him’ upping the scare levels and seeming to actually be improving in ‘his’ skills, speed, and strength, they find they have nothing to worry about
It’s barely a week in before she overhears a few people considering begging Batman to tone down the endless-void look, but she accidentally scares them off when they spot her, and she’s certain the prank is going to last a good amount of time now
Gotham continues to improve, enough so that the constant presence of Batman isn’t required, easily manageable by the other bats, even in lessened numbers
Most of the bats suspect Marinette taking up the cowl and the new look had a great deal of impact on the most recent crime drops
Bruce has taken to putting lawn chairs in the mansion’s library and using one of Marinette’s old sippy-cups for his evening scotch and cocktails, claiming to be catching up on a missed childhood, with an adult twist
Bruce discovers the Wii, and family game nights have become a thousand times funnier after all the wrist straps get lost
There’s something else Gotham and the JL notice after Batman ‘stopped holding back’ along with the new look. Batman got gentle
It wasn’t that he wasn’t gentle before, no; Batman has always cared about others. Has always treated the villains with humanity and made sure the ones that needed it got the treatments they needed, always made sure no one got hurt unjustly and no one died. Always made sure victims were looked after and safe. But now it’s a lot more
Batman becomes slower, softer, gentler when handling people, good or bad, ‘his’ fist a gauntlet of iron coated in the fluffiest of velvet and stuffed with plush cotton. He even began using words first a lot more, kicks and fists less and less
It boggles everyone this sudden new contrast, this scary as hell void, this renewed cryptid, this beastly monster of the night, having a heart light as a feather, pure as gold
In fact, oddly enough, it scares them all, heroes and villains alike, a hell of a lot more
Everyone knows never to underestimate someone who seems soft, and if Batman is already a better fighter than before, and softer than ever, then please, they beg in the names of the gods, what else is hidden under that cowl?
The prank still works wonderfully, of course, because no one connects the cryptid-ness of the last Robin, that everyone was told had ‘moved on from the Robin mantle’, with the improved cryptid-ness of Batman. Remember that ‘I sure hope it’s just Batman’ thing? Well now they’re frightened of Batman all over again, but they still fear the ‘Return of Robin’, because once again, if Batman has improved, what in the world has Robin been up to?
The prank finally ends with the decision of picking her duty over continuing to keep the secret
Themyscira is in need of some help, some problem there that the Amazonians can’t figure out themselves
Thing is, it’s a women-only place
So the decision is to volunteer for the mission, or keep up the prank
Obviously, she’s a good person and volunteers, deciding it’s time for the prank to be revealed
Thing is, she doesn’t say she’s a woman or even drops the deep scary voice before raising her hand and saying, “I’ll go.”
Everyone is dead silent and just stares
Her hidden straight poker face cracks and she stands up with a laugh, before she unclasped her cloak and drapes it over the back of her seat
Then she pulls off the full-headed mask/helmet, fully breaking the look of an endless void
Everything is dead silent still as everyone stares, before Superman drops his head into his hands, realizing what has been happening, and just bemoans, “Kia, why…”
That’s when the noise breaks and everyone looks at Superman, basically all asking, “WAIT, you KNOW her???”
Marinette is cracking up, trying to suppress her laughter as she subtly sends a message to her family not present at the meeting that the gig is up
Everyone quiets down when Batman stands and clamps a hand down on our unmasked Batman
“Everyone, this is Marinette, ex-Robin, Bruce Wayne’s daughter, and Kia Jor-El, my twin sister.”
It’s noisy all over again, and this time she can’t keep the laugh in
Diana, though, may or may not be dead silent, staring at Batman, and feeling very, very gay right now
Everything settles down eventually, and everything gets back on track, but it will be months before the JL members stop being absolutely disbelieving that they got bamboozled so well and for so long, and they may just be even more frightened of Batman than ever before
The Bat Clan gets a whole new round of laughs after Marinette returns from Themyscira and describes the reaction of the Amazons when Diana introduces Batman as one of the volunteering heroes, before remembering to also mention that Batman, despite the name and previous holder of the mantle, is indeed a woman
Also, considering that Kryptonians are functionally immortal when their powers are working, Marinette is basically permanently Batman now, and can watch over Gotham and everyone else for basically forever now alongside Superman and Wonder Woman
Good luck figuring out how to explain it when the public notices the youngest Wayne daughter isn’t aging any more
Imagine all the kids she’s probably going to end up adopting into the Wayne family over time, too. ‘Mominette’ is too valid to exclude, and this is absolutely going to be a moment of “Oh my god, it’s a learned behavior.”
AND THAT’S BASICALLY IT!! I really hope you liked this, I had so much fun thinking up this whole idea!!
Edit: Now has a Companion/Alternate Story! Krypto-Rogue Twins AU!!!
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Do you think Dick and Damian have a brotherly relationship?
Anonymous asked: “What do you reckon Dick thinks of Damian and what's your view on their relationship?”
The first thing that jumps to my mind when thinking of Dick and Damian is, oh, how far we’ve come.
[Nightwing (1996) #138 || Batman (1940) #687]
Dick didn’t particularly care for Damian before Bruce’s death. He didn’t have to. This was obviously a child with no interest to get to know him (waaaay unlike Tim who was the initially one-sided motor to his own relationship with Dick), a brat, and more importantly not Dick’s responsibility.
As hinted in the last panel above, Dick’s involvement with Damian starts very much as a duty thing. Someone has to take up the Batman mantle after Bruce’s death. Someone has to keep Damian in line and guide him. And there’s no one else to do either, so Dick steps up. He didn’t particularly seek to engage with Damian before he lost the luxury of the choice, much like he lost the luxury to be Nightwing.
It’s a stage of transition for both. Taking on the mantle is an extremely delicate process for Dick. Damian’s identity was built entirely around the fact that he’s Bruce’s son and heir, but his father isn’t here anymore and he’s got no interest in knowing what he thinks is an usurper. But Damian is terribly out of place too. He struggles to adapt to values that contradict everything he was taught, reins himself in against every instinct, and is still told he’s too aggressive, too violent, not enough in a sense. Unworthy of his father’s legacy, and unable to change that with the means he knows.
They’re both at a crossroads. That specific configuration complicated their early days to no end, but it’s also the reason Dick invested so much into their duo. It was hardly a natural thing to do for him– much like becoming Batman.So, how do I do it? Dick thinks, on both front. He has to settle on what he’ll make of Batman, and what he’ll make of this improvised partnership with Damian. Let’s discover it together, he tells him.
[Batman (1940) #688]
And this right here is another defining point of their dynamics: Dick includes Damian in every step of the process.
It doesn’t make everything easy or instinctive. At this point uncertainty defines their relationship. They both have to learn their new personas. There’s a lot of bumps on the way. Dick has to settle on the kind of Batman and mentor he’ll be, and Damian’s still an insecure, uncooperative brat.
[Batman & Robin (2009) #1, #2 & #4]
Some would find Dick almost uncharacteristically patient during most of his interactions with Damian. Tbh I do think he’s been toned down and I’d have expected him to let his temper get the best of him more often– he snapped at Tim (the first person he really saw as a brother) on several occasions ffs.
Yet the narrative emphasized Dick’s conscious decision to take on that responsibility and to make the best of it. It’s not just that he has to get to know Damian, like he did with Tim. He has an additional work to do as the only mentor available.
Damian thinks respect is something you gain. He yells at Dick to prove himself as a teacher, but in the same vein Damian thinks he must prove himself worthy of being kept around. Dick teaches him that a worthwhile dynamic is based upon respect. That Damian already has his, but not only.
[Batman & Robin (2009) #3]
Maybe some of y’all are starting to know me. That’s where I groan, because Damian’s reaction at someone giving a shit about his life lies on the fact that under Morrison his mother cares for him only as a weapon, Talia’s character-assassination, yadda yadda yadda.
But there’s another point to that scene. This is Dick teaching Damian another type of devotion. Not one you grew out of respect to your superior, but one you grow out of care.
In the first few issues of B&R, Damian outwardly went against orders, used excessive force, and went after Pyg on his own. Dick went after him to ensure his safety. In the following panel, Damian questions orders because he genuinely doesn’t understand why Dick is keeping him apart of the main action. So Dick explains.
[Blackest Night: Batman #3]
Dick respects Damian and trusted him with something Bruce never even considered– Robin. Bruce wanted to provide a home for Damian, he wanted to step up as his father (at least when they first meet, then he kinda messes that up too), and man did he try to be patient with him. But not once did Bruce consider making Damian Robin. We joke a lot about Dick being the favorite but I feel some people forget how much Bruce loves, respects and admires Tim. Had Bruce never died, I don’t think he’d have given Robin to Damian at all before Tim chose to step down himself. And even then... he’d have expected Damian to change drastically before he gave him Robin.
When Bruce is known to return soon, it’s bitter-sweet because Damian fears to lose his partner, but also because he’s understandably unsure of Bruce’s intent to leave him the place Dick did.
[Batman & Robin (2009) #10]
Damian needed a place in his father’s legacy. He needed to be acknowledged as worthy to be part of it. I think Dick got that fairly early on (hence his decision to take Robin away from Tim) but that it went completely over Bruce’s head. Dick gave Damian the fragment of security that made it possible for him to realize his potential, then grow into his own person, something that’s absolutely crucial to Damian’s development.
Damian comes to confide in Dick and accept the provided comfort. A vulnerability he didn’t allow himself before, because this is the kind of weakness that Damian thought would nullify his chances of being accepted as a worthy heir/partner. But Dick worked hard on establishing that Damian already had his place as a bat, that he had nothing to prove, and that he could feel comfortable accepting reassurances.
[Blackest Night: Batman #1]
[B&R #22 || Streets of Gotham #7]
So. Father-son, or brothers? Well, I’m not sure we can categorize it that easily.
For sure, they’re equals & partners.Dick is Damian’s teacher in more ways Damian could ever have imagined. He’s also someone Damian can confide in, exchange easy banter with…
[Batman & Robin (2009) #17 & #20 || Streets of Gotham #7]
And someone he shares a true complicity with.
[Batman & Robin (2009) #17]
The grounds on which that relationship started make me lean more towards a parent-son bond than a brothers one. Because while family relationships are never easy, the parent has a duty to guide the child the best they can. If siblings don’t get along, then they don’t get along and (often) everyone lives their life. In most configurations, siblings don’t quite have the same responsibility towards one another than parents have towards their kid. There’s a reason mentor-student relationships are often associated with parent-child ones although they’re not quite of the same nature.
On more than one occasion Dick plays moderator between Damian and Tim, which feels like a “parent” role. Through his mentoring Damian, Dick definitely gathered facets of a parent– teacher, patient guide, placating presence. Anchor.
It’s when they grow closer that they really start to make me think of siblings. The banter, the specific brand of complicity. After Damian’s progress I get the feeling that Dick can loosen the mentor boots the slightest bit and relax in exchanges that are more natural for him.
The way he always treated Damian as an equal and let him in in the decision-making process, too, edges more towards friends or siblings than a strict mentor-protégé/parent-child dynamic. Dick explains his orders and never expects blind-obedience. I mean, elder siblings are often the Actual Worst at treating their cadets like equals (”nuh-huh I’ve got the power of experience respect me!” god shut up), and Dick himself is not without his authoritative sides with other teams/friends he worked with. But based on his global relationships with Tim and Damian, Dick is, as a sibling, above that.
But Dick is also the one who truly brought Damian into the family. His first teacher in this new environment; his first guardian. And Damian is the first kid Dick was truly responsible to guide into realizing his potential. It’s not like with Tim, when Dick took part in his formation on Bruce’s instructions. Dick was entirely in charge of Damian. It’s a mirror situation of Bruce taking Dick in. They’re each other’s first Batman and Robin.
Dick probably first thought of Damian as a responsibility. Alfred helped him see Damian’s potential & good heart, but once Dick saw it, I don’t think he ever doubted of it. I don’t know if he now sees Damian more as a son or as a younger brother. Probably a bit of both.
It’s a multi-faceted dynamic that I can’t sum up with one word. They’re the guys who reinvented the dynamic duo.
#dick grayson#damian wayne#batfamily#batfam#batsiblings#meta#nightwing#robin#batman#dc comics#asks#zae chatters#my stuff
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Robin The Movie Pt 2
Part 1 Part 3
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In another part of the world, a boy gasps for air as he emerges from a Lazarus pit.
After crawling out, he coughs as several figures watch on.
“Where... who am I?” Jason asks.
It zooms in on Ra’s Al Ghul’s smirking face before it cuts to black.
Batman and Nightwing are sneaking through the shadows, bringing justice to Gotham like how they did as Batman and Robin.
But then it cuts to them fighting, screaming at each other in the Batcave while Tim is behind the corner hearing it all.
Tim is insistent. Batman needs a Robin. He needs someone to the his light so that he doesn’t fall too deep into the darkness of the city and the darkness in himself.
Dick considers his reasoning for a moment, but he’s not going to be Robin again. He gave up that mantle when he left Bruce. Dick snaps his fingers before pointing to Tim and then the scene cuts off.
It cuts back to Tim training, before shifting to his initiation as Robin with Dick’s blessing.
Soon enough, Batman and Robin patrol the streets of Gotham once more.
Then Tim’s mother dies and his father paralyzed. Tim is forced to retire as Robin and Stephanie takes the title in his stead.
Stephanie leaves not long after.
Batman is left without a Robin for a while.
During that, the Joker is found to have been beaten by a crowbar. Several criminals of all levels are found dead or brutalized.
Batman follows the lead and Nightwing aids him. They are lead to the Red Hood.
The dynamic duo face the Red Hood on the ledge of Wayne Enterprises. The whirling of helicopter blades hovers between them before the lights from the copper blind the camera and the scene switches to Jason and Bruce, masks off.
Jason’s Red Hood.
An explosion happens in a building and then Jason and Bruce are on opposite ends of the city.
Red Hood is nowhere to be seen after that, but his name is whispered between cities and always makes its way back home, to Gotham.
Tim comes back to being Robin the next day and is very confused.
Then Tim’s father dies and Dick and Jason now have a new brother.
But life goes on for the Bats.
The scenes switch between the two previous Robins and the current one.
One moment it’s Nightwing in the Cave, then next he’s in the Watchtower, the people he’s with shifting and unfocused like before, but someone with red hair always peeks through. Dick’s laughter and voice echoing. At some point, Dick looks out and mutters Jason’s name.
Then it’s onto Jason sneezing, before a female voice tells her, “Bless you.” Then next it’s Jason and another friend aiming to strike on the roof of a building. Next it’s Red Hood and two others brawling off some goons. The sound of explosions, gun shot, arrows flying, and things breaking echo in most scenes, but as does Jason’s hollering.
Tim’s moments are mostly with the Bat, investigating a case, defusing a bomb, fighting the Joker, etc. But there are brief moments where Robin is fighting beside younger heroes, their faces blurred or they’re too far to see amidst the chaos of battle. A boy says some slang that’s very out of date in one scene and then it cuts to the laughter of several teens and then to their chatter and whispers.
Nightwing visits Gotham often, so that he can be a better brother to Tim than he was to Jason, so that he can help mentor this boy in handling the Bat’s emotional incapability and teach him how to read Bruce’s micro-expressions.
Everything goes on well enough for them.
But then Br- Batman dies and Gotham is left without her Dark Knight, and all he’s left her is his blood son, a Robin, and his first son.
Jason steals the mantle and leaves a trail of death and destruction in his wake before he and Dick duke it out in a battle for the cowl. The battle is fierce and leaves plenty of bruises and scars on both brothers.
In the end, Dick wins. He is the first son, the Dark Heir. He’s the only one who could be Batman right now.
Dick makes Damian his Robin.
Why?
“Because you’re not my Robin, Tim, you’re my brother.”
With that, Tim dons the mantle of Red Robin and travels the world, believing that Bruce is alive and that he needs to find him. Dick wants to believe him but he doesn’t risk hoping.
Batman and Robin defend Gotham once more, but whoever is behind the mask of the dynamic duo now, it’s different from who they were previously. Everyone can see it. How the Robin is dark and brooding, violent and angry while Batman is kind and almost cheery, willing to talk and willing to listen.
(Whispers go around some of Gotham’s Rogues, that the current Batman is the first Robin)
Red Hood appears a handful of times, sometimes as a foe, nuisance, or ally (one day tossing Damian into a river and blowing up a building, the next he’s beating the same human traffickers that they’ve been tracking and almost kills one of them, then that Friday he tackles Dick away from gunfire).
During one of the moment’s their goals meet (the Joker’s being pushed into a van headed for Akrham as Batman and Red Hood stand in front of an orphanage, Robin is speaking to the GCPD), Dick tells his brother Bruce’s message for him in his will.
Jason leaves and isn’t seen for a few weeks, even by his Outlaws. But before he left, he wondered aloud if a Lazarus pit could revive him, couldn’t it revive Bruce?
Dick tests this theory out with Batwoman supervising him. In the end, that Batman is not this Gotham’s original Batman. Tim is right, Bruce is alive.
Dick tells him that as soon as he gets back and the two investigate Bruce’s disappearance further. Dick trying to get Tim to talk to people again, he’s basically been isolating himself since he left to travel.
Tim does after much prodding and also goes back to the mansion and helps with cases during the many dead ends he encounters.
After one too many close calls and and situations, plus some reflection, Jason stays in the mansion again with the rest of the family until Bruce is found and Gotham has her Bat again.
Eventually she does have her original Bat again, and Dick goes back to being Nightwing.
Batman and Robin patrol the streets of Gotham once more. Both are dark and brooding, but their edges aren’t as sharp as they originally were and they aren’t letting the change in partners change that.
Nightwing goes back to Bludhaven and his teams, Red Robin returns to his teams and his own missions, Red Hood goes back to the Outlaws.
Dick comes by Gotham often enough for Damian’s sake, and Tim passes by to see Bruce and Alfred. Jason sometimes sneaks into the mansion, only Alfred knows and the few times that Dick and Tim are they, they’ve caught Jason.
The Bats aren’t always together, other times they’re scattered. But all of them still do well enough on their own and with their allies and family.
A scene of Nightwing and a speedster taking out some wannabe villain.
Red Hood fighting off a swarm of Mafia grunts. While some of them are being flung across the room by two other people.
Red Robin standing calmly while surrounded by various large goons, outside a bomb is thrown up into the sky and blows, Red Robin doesn’t flinch at the sound and instead moves to beat the guards.
Robin fighting off a robot with the Justice League’s powers, behind him is a small crater where a boy donning Superman’s S stands up from the rubble. The Superboy and Robin launch for the robot together.
Tragedy finds the family once more, like it always does.
Talia Al Ghul brings Heretic, an evil adult clone of Damian, to challenge the boy. Which cost him his life.
In a fit of irony and cruel poetic justice, Damian is impaled by his own sword and bleeds out next to the skeleton of the bat he killed when he first came into the cave. The memory plays back in slow motion while the rest his life flashes before him.
Damian is gifted the chance to speak to Dick as he’s dying, and he leaves a message for his other siblings and his father before he passes.
The funeral is quiet as the rain beats down on the Earth. Jason watches from a distance. Dick sobs into the chest of his friend. Tim has a hand on his shoulder in comfort. Bruce stands tall and strong, but the pain can be seen in by those who know him. Some kids around Damian’s age all sob, the same boy from before falls to his knees before his mother and father come in to hold him.
Time passes and they can’t hope that Damian’s not dead because Dick saw him die. He saw him bleed out in his arms as his life faded away.
But then one day Damian’s grave has been dug up. His body’s missing.
#dick grayson#jason todd#tim drake#damian wayne#robin#nightwing#red hood#red robin#bruce wayne#batman#dc#batboys#batbros#batfam#batfamily#dc comics
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Not epilepsy related, I know, but please bare with me. I made a joke on Twitter about how I could probably write a 2 page essay on the title page for Grayson #8.
The tweet was liked by Grayson Creatives: Jackson Lanzing, Tim Seeley and Mikel Janín. I intended to leave it just there, however, I couldn’t get it out of my mind, and apparently I have no self control because 3 days later I had written a five page essay on it, and well once you’ve written 2894 words on a subject you may as well publish it somewhere. And because I might as well say it here, if you ever want to read more essays like this, let me know, and you can support me on Ko-Fi if you’re feeling extra generous <3
So after a quick shout out to my sister Ruth for reading it over and providing invaluable feedback, and the wonderful Wednesday Club discord for helping me brainstorm titles and providing general encouragements, I present:
Climbing the Eiffel Tower: Dick Grayson as a feminist sex icon
Tim Seeley and Tom King’s 2014-2016 DC Comics series Grayson follows the story of Dick Grayson as he infiltrates the spy network known as Spyral and travels across the world chasing one adventure after another. Making his first appearance in 1940 as Batman’s sidekick and protégé, Robin, he became just as famous in popular media as the Batman himself. Unlike most comic book characters, Dick Grayson was allowed to age, going from the eager child circus acrobat to a teenage superhero leading his own team. He later went on to find a day job as a cop, whilst still moonlighting as a superhero under the new name Nightwing. For a short time he even picked up the cowl and became Batman following Bruce Wayne’s apparent (nobody stays dead in comics for very long) death and adopted Bruce’s son Damian as his own Robin. In 2014, following his own apparent death, he was granted the new moniker Agent 37.
Although Seeley and King’s Grayson series was very much grounded in the DC Universe, (where Super-powered humans saves the day by running backwards through time and green shape shifting aliens attend high school) the series had just as much in common with 60s Spy films. Nazis were punched, skimpy swimsuits were worn, and the day was saved again and again thanks to a handsome man with a dashing smile. Yet one of the distinguishing features of the much applauded series was the presentation of Dick Grayson as a sex icon. In an industry berated for its sexualisation of female characters, where a teenage girl is put into a purple metal bikini and it is called liberation, Grayson brought a rare respite for female fans. Suddenly the object of affection was male.
It is a running joke amongst DC fans that Dick Grayson is the sexiest man in all comics (at least from an American perspective). In 2013 Dick Grayson even gained the number one spot in Comics Alliance’s list of 50 Sexiest Guys in Comics, beating fellow former Robin Jason Todd (Ranked No. 23) and the Batman himself (ranked No. 46). It was in the 1980- 1984 New Teen Titans series that Dick Grayson was able to step out from the shadow of the Bat, and start to become the sex symbol he is known as today. Along with starting to appear shirtless, he was also shown to be in a sexually active relationship with his girlfriend, Starfire: a teenage alien princess clad in, yes, a purple metal bikini. Perhaps when created in 1940 he was meant to stay the eager young boy, that is not the character we see today, as one internet commentator described him, he’s “that kid at thirteen who’s hot at twenty-one” (Jaffe, 2017). Dick Grayson is now one of the few male comic book heroes who is deliberately designed to be a sex icon aimed at women. He’s the heir to a fortune, he’s charming, he respects women and he’s got an amazing arse. He’s the sort of non-threatening pin-up model you’d be happy to take home to meet your mother. That is, if you weren’t concerned your mother might not try and take him for herself.
This side to his character is demonstrated in Mikel Janín’s illustration for title page of Grayson #8: “Cross my heart and hope to die” published in 2014. The image depicts Dick Grayson demonstrating a gymnastic maneuver to seven teenage school girls during their gym class. He wears form fitting leggings and a sleeveless shirt, displaying his muscular physique. Meanwhile, the students wear a standard uniform for British Private School Girls: a red rugby shirt and white gym shorts. This helps depict both their social class and their social position. There is a text box at the top of the page which reads “...That doesn’t stop me from wanting to climb up on its Eiffel Tower.” Lower down on the page, a speech bubble depicts Dick saying “Ladies? Are you even paying attention? I swear.”
Janín’s layout is deliberately designed to draw attention to Dick’s butt. The support beams of the wall follow from the text box at the start of the top left of the panel, along to the right of the page and then straight down to the buttocks. The viewer then follows Dick’s legs down to take in the school girls whose attention is firmly set upon said buttocks. It is then their gaze that visually leads you down the rest of his body. The entire set up of the image is for the viewer to see Dick Grayson in the same sexual light as the teenagers do. It enforces Dick’s role within the DC Universe as a teenage heartthrob by showing just that, a line of teenaged girl whose hearts (and other parts) throb at the sight of him.
The fact that Dick’s legs lead you down along the line of students demonstrates that they have just as much importance within the image as Dick. Some would argue that this is an example of fan-service, that is to say, images simply put in place to titulate the consumer. However Janín has not drawn Dick with just the viewer in mind. He wants you to take in the school girls too, and see Dick from their point of view. Whilst this is still asking you to see him as a sexual figure, by having the overall view point be from above, the viewer is able to take step back from the scene, and allow us to also side with Dick. The viewer is meant to see the whole situation from a third-party perspective, yet still asks us to sympathise with the teenage girls crushing on their attractive gym teacher. If the purpose of the piece was for the viewer to sexualise Dick for themselves, his body would have a far more prominent feature, blocking out the girls entirely from view and posing in a more deliberately sexualised fashion, as opposed to the actual image where Dick is just going about his job in a conventional fashion, meaning there are no purple bikinis or broken spines in sight. Dick’s ignorance to the girls attraction towards him adds humour to the image, where his frustrations at their lack of attention are juxtaposed with their very real fascination with his body.
This use of humour helps to set a tone for the comic, wherein the reader is made to feel relaxed and amused by the content before it swiftly changes to something more serious. In the case of Grayson #8 it is one of the girls’ other mentors, a middle aged woman, screaming for help. While some might argue that the clear focus on Dick’s buttocks is purely for fan service, and so is an act of objectification on par with that shown towards female characters, the fact that the image genuinely helps progress the story suggests otherwise. The panel of Dick Grayson teaching gymnastics provides the reader with further insight into the characters’ personalities and roles within their society, whilst the general page layout sets up the pace and rhythm for the plot of the book. If it were just for fan service, it would have been easily removed from the story with no consequence.
However, it is true that one of the selling points of Dick Grayson is his sex appeal. Writers Gail Simone and Devin Grayson have both spoken about how they deliberately write Dick Grayson to have sex appeal. Simmone, who is probably most academically sited for her her women in refrigerators campaign (in which she points out the distressing prevalence for female characters to be brutally murdered in order to progress a male character’s story) as a comic book writer has often included sexualised male characters in her work, Dick Grayson being one of them. She argues that since there are enough female characters who are sexualised in the media, she therefore has said she needs “to have sexy characters who might appeal to more people” she wants “there to be characters for everyone” (Simone, 2014). It is important to note, that Simone does not specify that only women are sexually attracted towards these men, nor indeed that all women would be, simply that there in order to diversify audience, one needs to diversify character appeal. Whereas Simone’s approach may stem from a socio-political form of feminism, Grayson has a more capitalist approach. In an interview discussing Dick Grayson as a sex symbol, she suggested that not using the character as such is a serious marketing failure: “It’s astonishing to me that sexy male superheroes aren’t marketed as aggressively as sexy male vampires or sexy male boy bands. There’s obviously tons of money to be made there. There is no one on the planet that will devote more energy, social media advocacy, and money to a favoured cause than a smitten teenage girl.” (Grayson, 2015). Indeed, in editor Kate Kubert’s original pitch for Grayson, she described it as “a cool, slick, sexy spy book starring Dick Grayson” (Seeley, 2015). Dick Grayson’s sex appeal was always meant to be integral to the story.
Therefore, it is not really a surprise that it is the the title page for Grayson #8 that draws such attention to Dick Grayson’s sexy arse. This could be interpreted as male objectification, since it is Dick’s highly attractive body that is being used to draw in readers to the series. Indeed, the bottom panel in particular is designed to make the reader turn the page and find out what is happening. The viewer is only shown a hint of what the woman is possibly holding, and that she is in complete distress. She is asking for help, and the reader assumes that Dick Grayson is going to be the one to provide it, though one would have to buy the book to find out more. It would naturally appeal to a female heterosexual audience to have an attractive male hero go and rescue a woman in need of aid. It is important to note, that whilst other comic series (and indeed spy films) also have attractive men saving women, what makes Dick Grayson stand out here is his more nurturing role. He is in the middle of teaching a class, not sipping a martini in a cassino. Furthermore it is the female gaze depicted here (almost literally in this case since the audience is partially sees Dick through the eyes of teenage girls) and not the male gaze. This is not a power fantasy where a strong dashing man jumps in and saves the simpering young blonde woman, this is a fantasy in which you witness the nice, handsome teacher come to the aid of a grey haired middle-aged woman. The first fantasy is decidedly that of a heterosexual man, the second of a heterosexual woman. Therefore, if the fantasy that is being presented revolves around Dick’s personality and abilities, it cannot be objectification, since you cannot objectify someone who has personhood.
Yet, even if this image is an example of objectification, the question arises of whether it is harmful objectification, or whether it is acceptable given the context. The sexual objectification of a character takes away their agency, their personality and treats them as nothing better than a particularly life like sex toy. The prevalence of this in female characters reflects upon a society that does not value women, or even consider them as people. Therefore, if Dick Grayson is being objectified, is it as dangerous as when female characters, such as Starfire, are objectified? Dick Grayson already has an established character that goes back over 75 years, and as a rich white-passing (Grayson confirms him to be Romani in decent) cis-man has been granted narrative privileges that other characters have not been. Dick Grayson has always been empowered and valued by readers and creators, so objectifying him every now and then is not going to do too much harm to his overall characterisation, nor help maintain an existing real life precedent for a social inequality.
Dick Grayson’s sexualisation in Grayson #8 is a satirical commentary based upon just that. The book came out in an environment where criticism of female objectification and sexualisation in comic books was starting to become a more publicly discussed issue. 2012 saw the beginning of The Hawkeye Initiative which looked at how female characters were drawn in comics and parodied them by drawing Marvel’s Clint Barton (A.K.A Hawkeye) in the same pose. The campaign was widely celebrated across the internet, though many creators (predominantly male) were insulted by the disrespect shown to the original creators. Of course, part of the project was to disrespect the original creators by displaying how sexist their original drawings were, so to that extent, their reaction was incredibly valid. However, the spirit of the initiative was always to encourage conversation in a light hearted, humourous fashion that did not single out any one creator. Grayson #8 demonstrates the exact same humorous approach. The image does not speak to how Dick Grayson is purely a sex object, or oppressed in any way, it speaks of an understanding that it’s about time the playing field was evened out; that heterosexual women and gay men should have someone they too can fantasise about. It welcomes you to join the teenagers in admiring Dick, and let’s you understand that doing so is harmless and fun. This also helps to subvert a classic spy movie trope, where the male protagonist treats the female heroine as nothing but an object of desire, and she is shot from angles that only accentuate those elements. It is clear that when Kubert asked Seeley to create her a “sexy spy book” (Seeley, 2015) it was Dick Grayson who would be providing the sexy, and not his female co-stars.
As discussed in Camille Bacon-Smith’s seminal 1992 work on Fan Studies Enterprising Women, fandom has often been used as a tool for female sexual exploration, and though Bacon-Smith views this from a slightly more critical outsider’s perspective, more recent studies that have come from within fandom itself, and have shown the way it can help people develop an understanding of their sexuality in a safe manner. This has become particularly true for teenage fans, who often use fan-works to explore these parts of themselves. It is especially important to have these spaces celebrated, since teenage girls’ sexuality is often ridiculed elsewhere in popular media. From Stephanie Meyer to Ringo Starr, actors, musicians and writers have all been pushed to the side as irrelevant just because they’re popular amongst teenage girls, and the quality of their work is assumed straight away to be nonsense just based upon their fanbase. Yet, as Grayson said, it is these same fans who will show the utmost dedication and passion (Grayson, 2015) for works that speak to them, and treat them with respect. That is exactly what is being shown in Grayson #8, teenage girls who have sexualised fantasies about non-threatening men, where it is not presented as a set up to a Lolita-esc story of peodophillia. Dick Grayson is not interested in these girls sexually, the girls understand that they will not be entering into sexual relations with him, but that does not stop them from enjoying looking at him and fantasising about him in a safe manner. Even if their attention is unwanted, the girls cannot harm Dick Grayson and Dick Grayson will not harm them. It could be argued, that the humourous feel to the piece is mocking the girls for their sexuality, and asking the reader to laugh at them, not with them. However, the fact that the layout of the work has such a focus on Dick Grayson’s bottom, and that the page begins with one of the girl’s own comment of sexual innuendo about him as a sexy Eiffel Tower she wishes to climb (King, 2014), it is clear that the viewer is being asked to side with these teenagers and agree, that yes, if Dick Grayson was the Eiffel Tower, you too would gladly climb up it and enjoy that glorious view.
To conclude, Grayson #8’s Title Page is an example of how female sexuality (in particularly, that of teenage girls) can be celebrated in comic books in a fun and safe manner. The title page treats the character with respect and dignity, whilst still nodding to an fan base that have dedicated entire blogs to pictures of his butt. The image is tongue-in-cheek about it’s approach to the celebration of Dick Grayson’s bottom, however it is done with respect to both character and reader. Whilst some might argue that this is objectification, the existing social and historical structures within the industry and western society as whole negate this. It has now become an important act of feminist action to have such characters within comic books. Equal opportunity between the sexes, requires equal opportunity to celebrate sexuality. Dick Grayson’s butt in tight lycra is not going to change the world over night, but it is certainly a very good place to start. Grayson is not the first series to celebrate Dick Grayson’s bottom and share it in all it’s peach like glory, and it is unlikely to be the last, yet, much like Dick Grayson, it is still a beautiful piece of work that shall no doubt be cherished for the ages.
References:
Holy Robin Batman! The Wednesday Club, 9th August 2017 (Available on Geek and Sundry’s Twitch and Projectalpha.com)
http://comicsalliance.com/tim-seeley-grayson-nightwings-dc-comics-interview/
http://comicsalliance.com/why-is-nightwing-hot/
http://comicsalliance.com/comics-sexiest-male-characters/
https://www.themarysue.com/gail-simone-nightwing-butt/
https://www.cbr.com/seeley-king-enter-the-dcus-espionage-world-in-grayson/
https://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/460/384
http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/77.html
#Dick Grayson#Agent 37#Nightwing#Comics#DC Comics#Comic Books#Tim Seeley#Mikel Janín#Tom King#Not Art#Not Comics#(even though it is really but not my comics at least)#My Dad asked me why I wrote this#apparently the answer#For Fun?#Did not clear things up
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► Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne is the son of Batman and Talia al Ghul. This makes him an heir to the world's greatest crime-fighter, and its greatest super-villain Ra's al Ghul. Damian became the fifth Robin, working alongside Dick Grayson as Batman.
Damian's existence was initially unknown to Batman. Genetically perfected and grown in an artificial womb, Damian was intended to be a formidable warrior. Raised by Talia and the League of Assassins, Damian became a talented martial artist by the time he was a pre-teen.
Damian was seen years later when Talia had him spy on Bruce with her. Talia revealed Damian's existence to Bruce Wayne at ten years old and left him in his father's custody in an effort to disrupt Batman's work. Precocious, spoiled, selfish and violent, Damian battled Robin (Tim Drake), whom Damian wanted to replace as Batman's sidekick, and sucker punched him off the T. Rex model in the Batcave. Grounded by Batman, Damian escaped, donned a variant Robin costume made of Jason Todd's old tunic and assorted League of Assassin gear, and got into a fight with the villainous Spook, whom he decapitated. Although misguided and malicious, Damian seemed to genuinely want to aid Batman's war on crime as Damian saw himself as Wayne's true son though that remained unconfirmed.
Eventually, Batman confronted Talia, but both Talia and Damian were soon caught in an explosion. They survived the explosion, but a badly injured Damian required transplants of harvested organs, which his mother ordered her physicians to carry out. Damian made a full recovery.
Talia, Head of the Demon, takes Damian to the Australian Outback where he is tutored in the secret history of his grandfather, Ra's al Ghul. Talia is unaware that a former servant of Ra's, named White Ghost, plans to use Damian as a shell for the soul of Ra's to return to Earth. This process would, of course, kill Damian. Talia is able to save her son from his fate at the last minute.
Sometime after surviving Ra's resurrection, Damian had sensed that someone is out to get Batman. In response to this, Talia began to formulate a plan. It was later revealed that Bruce Wayne had performed a DNA test on Damian to determine any blood connection between them. After learning of Batman's disappearance, Talia took Damian to Wayne Manor, where they deactivated a series of traps and saved Commissioner James Gordon in the process. Damian rescued Alfred from a burning batcave and the kid took the Batmobile, driving it to Arkham in order to aid Batman against the Black Glove. On the road, Damian knocks an ambulance off a bridge, much to Alfred's dismay.
After Batman's apparent death, Damian was left in the care of Alfred Pennyworth and trained by Dick Grayson.
While Gotham was drowning in chaos, crime and corruption, Damian was joy riding in the Batmobile with a friend when Oracle called him to send him on a mission to the Gotham Harbor. Oracle took control of the car, but Killer Croc and Poison Ivy attacked the Batmobile and Croc knocked the car off the road into a stream. Damian was terrified and tried to talk his way out of the situation, but Croc was about to eat Damian until he was saved by Nightwing, who used the Bat-Glider to take Damian out of danger. While they were flying, they were shot out of the air and upon landing they were quickly surrounded by Black Mask's goons. Suddenly an impostor Batman appeared and shot the criminals, killing them all. Dick fought the impostor, who was revealed to be Jason Todd. Jason shot Damian in the chest and Dick took Damian back to the Batcave, where Alfred healed Damian's wounds.
Despite working as Grayson's Robin, Damian expresses a strong willingness to take over the Batman identity himself if Dick is not "up to it." Damian has no respect for Grayson, and tells him that he needs to earn it if he wants his respect.
It is revealed that Damian has begun to visit his father's former friend and enemy Thomas Elliot, also known as Hush, in the prison at the top of Wayne Tower that Dick and Tim put him in, and engages him in chess games. Damian claims that these visits are out of his curiosity for why Hush would alter his appearance to that of Bruce Wayne's. But Hush suspects that the visits are rather Damian's form of grieving for Bruce and a way to "spend time with your old man."
It appears that under Dick's teachings, Damian has begun to grow a conscience and has even demonstrated signs of empathy, particularly towards children. This is demonstrated by his behavior during a mission with the new Azrael and more recently during a Christmas case, in which Damian and Dick find the bodies of several dismembered kids, causing Damian to vomit in horror.
Damian also becomes involved with the Wayne Enterprises' board members during one board meeting led by Lucius Fox. He manages to track down financial irregularities within the Wayne Enterprises accounts, intimidating the board of members along the way. The board becomes impressed that the young Wayne has such impressive business capabilities despite his young age, apparently inherited from his father.
After Tim Drake is revealed to have named as Bruce Wayne's heir in accordance of his will made prior of his disappearance, Damian has filed an injunction with the boards to against Drake since he is Wayne's son.
After Bruce's skull was taken from his grave, Damian and Dick decide to bring the rest of his skeleton, along with those of Damian's paternal grandparents, to their base beneath Wayne Tower. Damian is quite shaken by the sight of the bones of his family. On the way to the cave, Dick's body is possessed by Deadman, whom Damian lashes out at in confusion. Deadman then possesses and leaves Damian's body, subsequently passing his knowledge of the attack of the Black Lanterns onto him. The two heroes then prepare for the Black Lantern's assault on Gotham. After raiding the Army Reserve National Guard Armory, Dick, Damian, and the arriving Tim Drake, are able to save Commissioner Gordon, Oracle, and the surviving police officers at Gotham Central from the reanimated versions of the original Dark Knight's deceased rogue gallery members. However, they then find themselves having a horrific encounter with Batman and the Red Robin's parents - the Flying Graysons and Jack and Janet Drake - reanimated as Black Lanterns.. Dick and Tim send Damian with the Gordons to their underground base while they battle the Black Lanterns. Dick eventually orders Damian through their comm-links to send one of his Wingers with Mr. Freeze's gun. Grayson uses the weapon to cryogenically suspend himself and Tim, forcing the Black Lanterns to retreat as they are unable to read any sign of life of them. Deadman later revives the former Boy Wonders.
Talia begun to clone Damian as she has realized that her son has completely sided with Dick Grayson and the Bat-Family. Damian finally stands up for his Robin mantle, telling Talia that being Robin was the best thing that he had ever done, and Talia does not need to save him from something he chooses to be. Talia then shows Damian the cloned version of himself, whom she sees as Damian's younger brother. Talia admits to Damian, that even though she loves him, he is no longer welcome and is now considered an enemy of the House of al Ghul. Damian defiantly replied that he hoped that he would be a worthy one. Damian (as Robin) is then seen teaming up with Batman and Alfred to begin the search for Bruce Wayne.
Dick Grayson eventually sees that Damian requires friendship and compassion in order to curb his harsh methods. So Grayson takes Damian to Titans Tower, where Damian, despite not being a teenager, takes steps to become the leader of the Teen Titans. His first mission ends in disaster after a super powered teen, who was using his powers in revenge for being bullied, is attacked by Damian after Raven is able to calm him down and the teen lashes out and escapes.
Upon his return to Gotham, Grayson notices that Damian's time with the Titans has made him more patient and he is less prone to use his weapons. After apologizing to Damian about his time with the Titans being a bust, Damian states that he knows Grayson sent him there to find friends but "[he has] one in Gotham and that's more than enough" implying that Grayson is the only friend he will need.
Bruce and Damian begin patrolling together as Batman and Robin for the first time. Bruce tries teaching Damian about the sanctity of life, but has trouble relating with his son. Damian begins showing restraint, which Bruce commends, although Alfred still criticizes him for not being supportive enough. Bruce buys Damian a dog named Titus to teach him compassion. They were both targeted by a super-villain named Nobody. They are kidnapped by Nobody, who tries to show Batman that his no-kill methods are ineffective. He encourages Robin's darker side and tries to take him as an apprentice. Robin angrily leaves the Batcave to work with Nobody, who asks him to execute a criminal. Robin reveals that he was lying, and refuses to betray his father. Nobody decides to torture Robin, continuing his personal vendetta against Batman. When Batman discovers their location, he beats Nobody mercilessly. Nobody swears that he will return and kill their friends, so Damian shoots and kills him. Instead of growing angry, Bruce reacts with compassion. When Damian gets out of the hospital, they talk about how difficult it is to adjust from the life of an assassin. Despite their differences, they play with Titus and enjoy spending more time together as father and son.
Bruce and Damian begin working together against his mother Talia, revealed as the head of Leviathan. During a fight in a meat factory, he converts to vegetarianism and adopts a pet named Bat-Cow. He is believed dead when he was shot in the head by an assassin named Goatboy. It was revealed that Talia has created another clone as his replacement, the obedient fully-grown Heretic. Robin is shown to have faked his death, and is confined to the Batcave at Batman's orders. To avoid the bounty on his head, he begins using the name Redbird and switches to a new costume. This allows him to team up with Jason Todd, who is using the Wingman identity. They work together with Batman Incorporated to take down the League of Assassins' top killers. However, Batman tells Damian he has to quit crime-fighting altogether. Bruce reveals that he has seen Damian's future, as told through "Batman in Bethlehem". If Damian does not retire, his actions will lead to a plague that forces the President to nuke Gotham. Batman Incorporated fights Leviathan in the streets, while Damian is forced to stay inside. Alfred Pennyworth gets him a cat to take care of, who he also names Alfred. Damian refuses to stay home while his allies are dying, and Alfred allows him to leave knowing he cannot be stopped.[48] He flies his exo-skeleton into the center of the battle, where Leviathan has taken over Wayne Tower. He neutralizes the child soldiers, and teams up with Dick Grayson to take down the remaining assassins. The Heretic flings Grayson aside, and challenges Damian to a sword-fight. Despite his bravery and refusal to give up, Damian is impaled through the chest and killed.
After various trials and tribulations involving his corpse, mainly revolving around Ra's al Ghul and Apokolips, Batman managed to rescue his son's body and, though using the Omega Sanction infused within a Chaos Crystal shard, brought Damian back to life within the Batcave.
On his 13th birthday Damian is sent a package by his grandfather Ra's al Ghul, which contains a dead Robin. After a meeting with his mother Talia, he discovers that it is a warning from his cousin Mara al Ghul, who has chosen him as her prey as part of an initiation ritual she must undertake in order to properly join the League of Assassins. Mara has been made leader of a group known as the Demon's Fist, which was originally supposed to be lead by Damian but became hers when he chose to leave the league. They too have chosen targets that they must hunt down in order to ascend to the league, Damian descides to collect the other Demon's fist's targets in order to form the new Teen Titans; this includes Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven and Kid Flash.
While searching for a tree for Christmas, Jonathan Samuel Kent accidentally torched some woodlands near a swamp in Hamilton. He was subsequently rescued by Maya Ducard aka Nobody and Goliath. Jon later awakened in the Batcave and found out that Robin had been keeping him under surveillance for a long time. The two initially did not get along, and the situation was further complicated when Batman and Superman arrived, blaming each other for the conflict.
Powers
Archery: Damian asserted that his training with the League of Assassins gave him greater mastery of the bow than even Green Arrow.
Artistry: Damian is considered as skilled with a brush as he is with a sword.
Business Management: Trained by his mother and the League of Assassins in the way of controlling a company with an iron grip. Even as a young boy he knows that in business there are wars and even in war there are assassins. Damian is involved with the Wayne Enterprises' board members. He even intimidated the board members by tracking down financial irregularities within the Wayne Enterprises' accounts.
Disguise: Damian has disguised himself as an elderly busdriver and a substitute teacher.
Driving: He learned to drive at the age of five.
Martial Arts: Trained by the League of Assassins, Damian has stated he knows just as many martial arts as Batman and can use them more effectively. This may be a largely overstated comment but one should not ask for verification. Damian may not be physically tough but he knows how to control his weight and has stated that he knows, "one thousand ways to kill a man." Damian's training has made him a formidable hand-to-hand combatant able to defeat or hold his own against multiple opponents, armed opponents or skilled hand-to-hand combatants.
Genius Level Intellect: Damian has inherited a genius IQ from his father.
Mimicry: Damian can imitate anyone's voice and speech patterns perfectly as he imitated Tim Drake's voice in order to gain access to the Batcave.
Peak Human Condition
Pedagogy: He once taught a geology class for a day at Jon Smith's school.
Stealth: Damian was able to sneak into Gotham City and furthermore into the Batcave virtually undetected until he felt necessary. Of all the Robins, Damian may be the one that is the most silent.
Swordsmanship: Damian assaulted both Tim Drake and Bruce Wayne on separate occasions with his sword, apparently the same sword used by Ra's al Ghul. Although Damian no longer uses his sword he may be unmatched with one if armed correctly.
Throwing: Damian is trained by the League of Assassins in shuriken throwing and further trained by Batman in Batarang throwing.
Arrogance: More often than not, Damian believes himself to be better than he is, this has allowed him to underestimate opponents as well as irritate his allies.
Damian has declared himself a vegetarian.
Damian has a strong love for animals. Pets he has owned include Goliath, Bat-Cow, Titus (dog), and Pennyworth (cat).
Verses
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It’s Britney Bitch
Summary: The Story of how Jennifer and Dick went to see Britney in Vegas.
Pairing: Dick x OC
Notes: So many ideas for this... it’s a bit choppy but was WAY too much fun to write. Dick’s love for Britney is inspired by my best friend who will fight you if you look at Britney wrong.
Maia @royslittleharper
Annabella @the-shadow-of-atlantis
Tagging: @guns-n-lilies @coffee-randomness @daisyboobear @werewitchling @nightwing-rules
Sometimes being a hero was just too much. While Dick was normally good at compartmentalizing his lives some days it was just too much. One small slip up, one civilian lost and it would all come crashing down on the boy.
Today was one of those days.
Dick lay on his bed just staring at the ceiling letting the events of the past week play out in his head. Over and over again. Lost in a circle of “what ifs”
The sound of music a the knock on his door suddenly broke the cycle.
“Go away” he yelled
He was answered by another knock. Sighing he pulled himself up walking toward the door.
“I’m not in the moo..” his words were cut off by Jen throwing a fuzzy pink boa around his neck pulling him into the hallway. His sister Annabella holding up a jukebox blasting Britney Spears.
“Come Dance!” Jen sang twirling around pulling him toward the stairs. He couldn’t help but laugh at their ridiculousness as he let them lead him down to the living room where the speakers blasted his favorite's from the pop star.
A few hours later Bruce found them sprawled out on the couch. Annabella’s head resting in Jennifer’s lap asleep while Dick and Jen watched Britney's music video “Baby One More Time”. Dick explaining all the work that was put into the production his hand gently playing with Jen’s as she giggled at his excitement of the performance.
“She’s a true entertainer.”
“Yep.”
----
Jen let out a long breath as she bent down over her feet on her Yoga mat. Slowly she moved from a downward dog to a Warrior slowly breathing. Deep breaths, in and out, trying to clear her head as her phone buzzed. Dick frantically trying to explain himself and why did had not told her about Jason’s resurrection.
But she wasn’t having it. Not today.
Let him stew in his dishonesty.
Jerk.
Suddenly she heard her doorbell buzz and the sound of a beat she couldn't quite place. Frowning, confused, she stood walking toward the door, the beat getting louder.
Opening the door she was greeted by Dick holding up his cellphone blasting Britney, the pink fuzzy boa around his neck. He threw it around her before taking a step in.
“Dick I’m still mad…”
“Shhhhh,” he said shutting the door. “Just dance with me,” he added before pulling her toward the living room by the boa that was around her neck. She couldn't help but crack a smile as he sang the words to their favorite song “Circus”.
-----
"So Dick's birthday is in a month..." Faith said as she stretched before their practice session. Damian frowned from his place next to the punching bag.
"tt, So?"
"I just have a great idea for a gift.”
“You?” Damian said, “what are you going to get him? A box of ice cream?”
“Ohhhh something so good I will become his favorite and he will ask me to be the next Robin.”
Damian froze studying her, sometimes he had a hard time reading his cousin. While she was always saying outlandish things which he had learned to discredit, there was always those few that held some grains of truth to them. He knew she would never be Grayson’s favorite, but the thought didn’t sit well with him.
“First off, am the heir to Batman and I could get Grayson a better gift in my sleep.”
“Wana bet?”
Tim sighed watching them. He knew Faith well enough to know she had an ulterior motive. Whenever she got that look in her eye she was scheming. Damian hadn’t been with them long enough or cared enough to really notice when Faith was up to no good.
“If I win you have to be MY sidekick for a week.”
“And if I win I get to be Robin for a week.”
“You’re on!”
Of course, everyone wanted to get in on the bet. Annabella joking that the idea of being Robin for a week was too tempting to pass up. Stephanie saying she already had the costume while Gigi really just wanted to be “part of the Bat-fam”
Dick had never gotten so many gifts for his birthday.
Stephanie found him the box of the iconic Wheaties with Nightwing’s face on them.
Annabella had a remade Dick’s first costume “I fixed it, after all, I was the one who burned it last time” she said as he laughed looking it over.
Tim and updated his suite with some amazing new features.
Gigi got him a book with all the best Nightwing tweets. Several included the trending hashtags #nightbooty and #bestbatbooty. Maia may have stolen it to read a few out loud.
Faith gave him a mini figure of Nightwing keyring. “For your belt” she giggled “he can have your back.”
Damian couldn’t help but snicker as he proudly presented him with a katana from Japan, a one of the kind apparently. And better than anything else, especially a stupid little keychain which he didn’t fail to point out to Faith.
“He can put little-wing on the hilt!” Faith cooed looking over the blade.
“Don’t you dare!” Damian said glaring at the brunette who flashed him a sweet smile while Tim pried the blade from her hands concerned what the smaller boy would do to his girlfriend. The younger Wayne was about to add something else but Dick’s laughs cut him off.
“Maia, what are these?” he asked holding up a pair of booty shorts with “Britney Bitch” written in pink rhinestones on the butt.
“Open mine.” Jennifer said handing him an envelope, “and all will become clear.”
Everyone fell silent as Dick opened the card quietly reading it then pulling out two tickets, his eyes growing wide. “No” he gasped holding them up.
“Yep,” the older O’Neal sister said a huge smile on her face, “Two front row tickets to see Britney’s Vegas show opening day.”
“OHHH!!!” Annabella squealed, “I get to do costumes!”
“Take tons of pictures!” Gigi added, “I want to have tweets and everything!”
“I’m so jealous” Maia cried, “I tried to get Jen to let me go instead of her!”
“No way!” Jen laughed, “I am not missing this for the world.”
--------
"Hey Jen, can you just help me with this body glit..." Dick's voice cut off as all thoughts left him as Jennifer walked out.
"That bad?" She giggled as he stood there mouth agape taking her in her "Slave for You" outfit complete with a stuffed animal boa constrictor. Slowly his expression grew to a lopsided goofy grin as he let out a low chuckle.
"You look amazing, Annabella knows her stuff."
Jennifer giggled twirling around letting the beads and lace around her hips sparkle. “Right?” taking a step closer to him. Dick felt his heart pick up feeling slightly like a teenager again as he watched her, “now come here so I can bedazzle you”
“Of course,” he said shivering slightly at her touch. They both may have already had a few drinks with dinner and a few more while getting ready. Which is what he choked up his nerves too. Just the alcohol.
Nothing else.
The concert hall was already packed by the time they go there. Of course, they had to take pictures and then stop to take a few more with other fans. A Bachelor party was so in love with their outfits that they ended up buying them drinks. One of the guys informing Dick that “if he wasn’t taken he would be tonight.” Jennifer was doubled over laughing so hard as Dick sat on the groom-to-be’s lap.
“Just don’t tell my hubby,” the man said laughing.
“You guys are just too cute!” one of the girls in the group said taking a few more pictures, “You need to party with us all night!”
Which they did. Drink and more drinks with a million more pictures before Britney came descending down like an angel from heaven. Quite literally in white feathers and all.
Song after song while they sang at the top of their lungs dancing along with the beat.
The music swelled and Dick couldn't help but admire the way Jen looked in the glow of flashing multi-colored lights laughing and dancing along with the beat. Sure he still had feelings for her, almost 10 years later. But he was grateful because they had something stronger than sexual attraction. They had a friendship. Something that had been tested by everything. From a failed relationship both togeather and separately. Fights, disappearances, and even deaths. Yet here they were, like old times, just enjoying the silly things in life together. Experiencing the world with both arms open.
And he as grateful they were fri...
"Happy birthday" her voice cut off his musings mid thought. Her bright eyes looking up at him as they glowed in the light of the music. Beautiful blue almost magical. Her smile, the smile that seemed to emanate from her very body, that smile that would make him weak in the knees. That smile that he would do anything to see.
Who was he kidding? He was in love with her, he would be until his dying breath.
Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was the magic of Britney, but suddenly all his resolve was gone. That small thin thread of friendship he had been clinging too disappeared with the smoke that filled the air as he leaned forward kissing her.
And to his pure delight, she kissed him back.
He must have been dreaming, there was no way this was real. Yet here they were, and God did she taste amazing.
Pulling away he found himself lost in those blue beautiful eyes totally forgetting where he was. Not even the power of Britney Spears herself could bring him back from the heaven he had been pulled into.
"Wana get out of here?" He asked, more of a plea than a question. She nodded slipping her hand into his.
He had never run so fast in his life.
Pulling her with him hearing her laughs ringing in his ears as they darted around other guests of the hotel. A laugh that was more beautiful than any other sound in the world. God, it took all his self-control to not take her right there in the middle of the Planet Hollywood.
They were in the room moments later as he pulled her into another kiss. Hands desperately moving over at her outfit (or lack there of), her hair, her skin. Anything and everything. Just to feel her, taste her, just to get her as close to him as possible.
They landed on his bed her looking up at him with those beautiful blue eyes as he undid her bra-let.
"Are you sure you want this?" She whispered doubts filling her eyes as she studied him. He felt himself melt seeing her under him for the first time in a long time so vulnerable. If it had been anyone else he would have taken this as a cue to slow down but he knew Jen. She was a clear communicator even more so when drunk. "because I don't know if I can promise anything later and..."
Gently he leaned down kissing her, "I want this more than you will ever know"
-------
"I won" Faith sang skipping down the Batcave holding out her phone. Damian scowled as he walked up to the girl who stood smugly holding up her phone.
"You gave him a keychain, I had a katana"
"Oh silly, that was simply a division, " Faith said showing the others her phone.
"What... is that GRAYSON?"
Stephanie giggled leaning forward to look at the pictures Faith was showing them, "man they look amazing" There was a picture of Dick dressed up in his Circus outfit complete with top hat and open tux jacket. Body glitter over his face and bare chest.
There were a few of Jen in her outfit kissing her snake.
Another picture showed Dick holding Jen's hand up as he spun her around.
“Who took these pictures?” Tim asked
“I have my ways.” Faith giggled before swiping to another photo.
One of the everyone’s favorite non-couple (after Maia and Roy) kissing under the flashing colored lights.
"Jen's the one who got him those tickets" Damian mumbled going back to the mat unconvinced of how this was Faith’s gift.
"That's what they think... but where do you think she got the idea? Who do you think casually mentioned it to Annabella what their outfits should be? Who do you think kept saying what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? And who knew put in the right situation those two would finally get over it?" Faith said sweeping her hands open as she revealed her master plan. Tim laughed shaking his head
"You really are a little puppet master."
“I mean… it’s Britney Bitch” Faith giggled, “Anything can happen.”
#Britney bitch#Dick Grayson#Dick Grayson x oc#dick grayson x reader#Dick grayson fanfic#Tim drake#Maia#Annabella#Faith#Jennifer#Gigi#Feathers#my fic#my story#my writing#Nightwing#nightwing x reader
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