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umbrellacam · 1 year

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Reading A Lonely Place of Dying is so interesting in so many ways, but the question I'm still rotating in my mind is about Dick, and specifically why he ends up smiling and soft-advocating for Tim to be Bruce's Robin, after he had his morality crisis over young heroes with Jason's death.

So when he finds out about Jason's death, Dick feels guilty over giving Jason his Robin costume and not being there when he died:

New Teen Titans #55

To the extent that, later in the same issue, he unilaterally fires 15-year-old Danny Chase from the Titans, over Donna and Kory's objections, citing what happened to Jason. He even expresses doubt over his own young age when he became Robin, wondering whether that was a mistake:

New Teen Titans #55

However, when Dick visits Bruce in Gotham to both express his condolences over Jason's death and also confront him over not telling Dick about it, he explicitly rejects Bruce's implication of blame:

New Teen Titans #55

And later, when the Gargoyle is mentally torturing him over his past failures to the Titans, to Bruce, and Jason, Dick breaks through his self-blame issues and firmly asserts that there was nothing he could have done to prevent Jason's death.

Secret Origins (Vol. 2) #3

But understanding his lack of blame logically isn't the same as being totally past it, as it's part of Dick's larger cycle of guilt, as he acknowledges to his therapist:

The New Titans #57

So how does Dick get from here, still wrestling with guilt and feeling ambivalent about the idea of young heroes as a whole, to the end of A Lonely Place of Dying, where he smiles and basically urges Bruce to give Tim a chance to become Robin?

Like, yes, Dick then spends the entirety of Batman: Year Three worried about Bruce's tenuous mental state after Jason's death, reaching out to him in the midst of Batman's reckless, violent spiral, trying to both express care and to call his mentor and hero back to his foundations of crime-fighting through careful detective work, not through brutality - and getting rejected by Bruce over and over. Even while being proud of Dick's methods and the hero he's grown into, Bruce just can't seem to pull himself out of his own morass of self-destruction. Dick eventually has to leave him to it, though he clearly hasn't stopped worrying about Bruce by the start of ALPoD.

Yes, Tim impresses Dick multiple times over the course of ALPoD. First at the circus with his reflexes and his quick thinking (apparently almost as much as he irritates and baffles Dick with his stubborn evasiveness and pushy presumption, lol this total gremlin). Then at Wayne Manor when Tim goes through his deduction of Batman's and Robin's identities, although this one is more an implication through Dick's decision to show Tim the Cave immediately afterward, and Alfred's words to Tim.

Batman #441

And yet Alfred's sentiment here is immediately contradicted when Tim insistently pushes the Robin costume at Dick, and Dick gets pissed off, saying that, "When Jason died, he took Robin with him. And no matter how much anybody may want it - you can't bring back the dead."

The New Titans #61

How does Dick go from this to accepting Tim as the new potential Robin all of two issues later!! This boy's emotions are so mixed up, lol.

I feel like while Dick is clearly angered by Tim's presumptions, kind of baffled and creeped-out by the sort of parasocial fixation Tim has on both Bruce/Batman and Dick/Robin, below the surface he's also genuinely absorbing Tim's driving love and care for them both. Like, he's way too ticked off to show it or even think of it consciously at the moment - and it's hard to process!! despite that day at Haly's Circus tying them together a decade ago, this kid is a rando, it's out of nowhere, it's wild to be confronted with!! - but on some level he has to be touched by Tim's care and passion for their legacy. He wouldn't make his heel-turn later and smile at Tim so approvingly otherwise.

Like, Dick wants Bruce to have a partner that cares for him that much, that forces him to care for himself in a way that he clearly hasn't been since Jason's death. And Dick is both afraid and aware that he can't fill that role anymore - that he can try to stand beside Batman as Nightwing and support him that way, but he can't stand behind Bruce in his protective shadow again, can't cramp himself back into Robin.

So even as Dick is making line-faces at this bizarre kid pushing himself at them, talking about Jason and Dick and Bruce and what Batman needs like he knows better than Dick, UGH… Dick is also considering… is maybe moved a bit by that star-bright conviction and overflowing love in the face of all the doubts that seem to plague both Bruce and Dick lately… is maybe hoping, seeing a possible light in the dark. Not on a conscious level, perhaps, but it's maybe churning below the surface with everything else Dick is thinking about.

Anyway, Dick still tracks Batman down and tries being a supportive partner as Nightwing, even going "I'm here. Always," when Batman finally brings himself to admit that he needs help. Only to IMMEDIATELY run face-first into Bruce's control issues and post-Jason-disregarding-orders trauma - "You're not with the Titans now. If you want to be with me, you follow my orders. Now do as I say." (The New Titans #61) Oof, instant I'm-NIGHTWING-not-ROBIN friction, but Dick swallows it for now.

Then Two-Face blows up a building on top of both of them, and Tim (and Alfred!) have to rescue them both. By the time that they've been dug out, Alfred and Dick are both praising Tim's potential to a very baffled and alarmed, verging on angry, Batman lol. Dick and Alfred then grin at each other while young Tim struggles against his intimidation and argues the tremendously (and understandably!) reluctant Batman to a standstill.

Batman #442

As they drive away afterward (Bruce, Dick and Tim in the Batmobile to track down Two-Face - using the tracker Tim planted on him, good job Timmy!! - and Alfred toward home in a separate car), we get the following thought-bubbles:

Bruce: Even if he's right, I don't want another partner. Dick: Bruce, for once, think with your heart, not with cold logic. Tim: He doesn't want me, but he hasn't said no. So just do your best… Alfred: …One way or another, the rest will take care of itself.

Batman #442

"Think with your heart, not with cold logic" - so does Dick's line here mean that this is what he himself is doing at this point? Setting aside his logic, his fears and reservations about young heroes, about Jason's death, about putting another young boy in the Robin costume - because Tim joining them, maybe becoming Bruce's new partner, feels right? Because everything that Tim has shown of himself so far means the kid deserves a chance, at least? Because Bruce's caution after Jason's death would mean that he'll make sure to 'do it right this time'? Because Tim's passion and conviction could be what Batman needs, and - maybe as much if not more than that - could be something that deserves to be nurtured into something great, despite Dick's own (and Bruce's) fears?

Because Dick has to be wrestling with and at least quelling (if not fully letting go of) his fears about the risks to young heroes in these issues, it doesn't make sense for him to be okay with Tim as Robin otherwise. And it can't all be about what use Tim could be to Bruce - the leash he could put on Batman's out of control behavior. That's far too selfish and manipulative as a sole motive for Dick Grayson; especially after Jason, he wouldn't encourage a kid to jump into the meat-grinder of vigilantism solely to save Bruce or preserve the legacy of Batman & Robin.

I feel like Dick has to also be seeing something in Tim here, his potential, his determination, the good that he can and wants desperately to do, that Dick has to respect, has to think deserves a shot. When Alfred goes, "The boy should be a politician!" and Dick replies, "He'd do more good with Bruce," (Batman #442; panels above), it does feel like he's thinking of the difference Tim himself could make in the world. Dick has to be remembering why he himself could not be put off from the vigilante life when he was even younger than Tim, why Jason also went out there and did his best every night. To help people, in a way that mattered.

Anyway, Tim also puts in a good showing when they confront Two-Face, despite giving Bruce a near heart-attack over this strange unfamiliar boy wearing his son's uniform when Tim briefly appears to have been crushed - only for him to have saved himself and warned Batman and Nightwing of danger through his quick thinking.

Afterward, Alfred and Dick both advocate for Tim, so Dick is clearly pulling for Tim to be given a chance. Dick's smile here, my heart.

Batman #442

I still wish they'd been a little more explicit with the turn of Dick's mindset here, but at the same time I guess it's pretty effective as show-not-tell!

All in all, I feel like ALPoD was very effective storytelling, well done Marv, hugely enjoyable read, and I can't wait to read more.

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cloud-hymn · 2 years

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the tim drake urge to try and “fix” adults in your life when you were only a child because it made you feel needed and was a rare source of positive attention and validation

#tim drake zeroing in on his grieving slightly manic vigilante neighbor: I will fix #kid me: write that down write that down #tim drake #tim drake robin #red robin #bruce wayne #batman #the batman #bruce and tim #batdad #batkids #batfam #dc #dcu #dc comics #batman comics #briar.txt

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cherubic-cherry · 25 days

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His eyes almost closed before he saw a small stack of paper cross his vision, accompanied with a large box of thin-tipped crayola markers.

“Just a bit longer,” Bruce muttered to him, leaning out of his chair to whisper directly into Tim’s ear. He must’ve noticed Tim almost nodding off.

He was ashamed, Bruce had brought him to Wayne enterprise after Tim showed interest in his work, going out of his way to feed into Tim’s curiosity.

And what does Tim do? He spaces out the entire time and probably has embarrassed Bruce in front of his employees.

Tim hated it, but he couldn’t help it, something about the boards words made them slip out of Tim’s brain like sand. Tim’s body was beginning to feel weighed down, the extra sounds was turning out to be quite the affective replacement for a white noise machine.

Bruce didn’t seem exasperated, not by any means of the word.

“ Bernie tends to take up 85% of these meetings droning on, and 50% of that is just talking about his cat, once he wraps up we’ll be almost done. Try drawing something for Damian, he’ll appreciate the gesture.”

Tim was sure that somebody at the table heard what Bruce had said; he was not great at whispering, but they all willingly ignored it. Even going so far as to turn their heads away from Tim and Bruce.

Tim allowed himself a quiet giggle at the joke, making sure it was not loud enough to disturb. Looking down at the papers that were set in front of him and was scandalized by the concept.

It was another remainder that the Wayne’s had yet to grasp what was age appropriate for a 9 year old. For goodness sake, Tim spent his time trying to hack into the Bat-computer, not coloring.

It was juvenile, as well, that Bruce had packed the markers in his bag meant that he had premeditated the fact that Tim would use eventually get bored and need them.

Tim would be wounded from the assumption if it wasn’t proven true.

The young boy subtly took out three markers: yellow, green, black and red. He would make Damian a drawing of the Robin symbol just so he can show Damian and see him try to hide the pride off of his face.

Given how easily Damian is impressed by him, he’ll make comments about its accuracy and detail.

Tim carefully traced the edges of the design, it was image Tim was easily able to conjure up in his head.

He shaded it in carefully, making sure that the colors didn’t blend together; he became so engrossed in the task that he didn’t notice that Bruce took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around Tim’s shoulder.

He did, however, notice that the extra warmth added on to his drowsiness, making it all the more easy to allow his head to sink down onto the paper.

The voices of the board became more and more distant, slowly fading to a whisper.

Tim was able to catch a few words, something about wrapping up and Tuesday and ‘getting the kiddo home’ or ‘getting the kitten home’ either one didn’t make much sense.

He tried to put together the words, like pieces of a puzzle, but they all fleeted away the moment he heard something else.

He felt a heavy weight on his shoulder, a pleasant one yet it attempted to pull him away from his light slumber, which was something that Tim was adamantly against at that moment.

“Abba? ‘m tired,” Tim mumbled groggily, feeling Bruce’s arm wrap around him. He curled into the extra warmth, desperate for anything that will imitate the comfort of a mattress.

“We’re going home now Tim,” Bruce said softly, so soft that Tim wasn’t able to register what Bruce had said and wake himself up for the trip home. Instead he left Bruce with all the complications and allowed himself to slip into that last layer of sleep.

Read the story here:

#fic rec #ao3 funny #ao3 #ao3 fanfic #little Tim drake #bruce wayne #Bruce and Tim #batman #batfam #young Tim Drake #damian wayne #Damian and Tim

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bi-bi-birdy03 · 6 days

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When Bruce stepped into the room after Gordon, nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. Even bracing himself for even the chance it was his son on that table did nothing to soften the dread or fear. A body too small under a pure white sheet slowly being stained a dark rusty color. It was almost black with the abundance of blood seeping into it. Bruce almost never froze in the line of duty, in the facade of Batman, but he wasn't Batman. In that moment, he was a boy in an alley watching his parents bleed out on the concrete. He was a man holding the smoldering remains of a son he thought gone forever. He was a man, not a myth, not a dark knight, not even a vigilante. He was a man who once again lost an integral piece of himself. He was a father who had lost another son.

Seeing a man who exudes such strength and courage, who has bested gods, and even death itself become a shell of a person is not something Jim ever wanted to see again. Stepping out of the room as soon as gothams protector becomes man once again on the floor on a morgue is the least he could do. Seeing the officers linger, he makes quick work, shooing them away to let a man greave his child in peace. 'Age seventeen', he thinks, 'another victim of gotham. Never making it to adulthood.'

An exert of a story I'm thinking of writing. I have the outline of half the story I wanna get that done before I start really writing.

#batman #dc comic #dc #tim drake #jason todd #dick greyson #cassandra wayne #bruce and tim #tim and dick #fanfic #jim gordon #bruce wayne

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ktkat99 · 10 months

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Ao3 is down. I'll be posting here.

Two Weeks Of Whump Challenge Day 2. Isolation Chamber

Tim raised his fist to knock on Bruce's bedroom door, but froze.

He was being stupid.

This wasn't something he needed an adult for.

This wasn't something he needed to bother Bruce with.

But… he wanted to.

He exhaled and dropped his hand, head swimming.

He didn't need to wake Bruce.

He didn't need to bother him.

It wasn't like he'd never been sick before.

He coughed harshly and leaned back against the wall, sliding down to sit beside his adoptive father's closed door, letting his forehead rest against his knees.

He'd felt lousy when they'd returned from patrol, but since he'd lost his spleen that was nothing new. He could usually just deal with the fatigue, but this wasn't that.

He wasn't feeling any better, even though he'd been laying in bed for the past several hours. He felt hot, sweaty, sore, and completely exhausted.

His throat hurt.

He kept coughing.

And his ears wouldn't stop ringing no matter what he tried.

He wanted help.

He wanted someone to take over and make him feel better. He'd tried everything and just felt worse and worse.

But, at the same time, Tim knew he was nearly an adult. He didn't need attention like some kid, but he was just… so tired.

Yyyyy

"Tim, wake up."

He tried to.

He really did.

But his eyes were glued shut.

Every muscle ached like he'd just gotten back from mountain climbing.

His head wouldn't focus.

"Tim!"

It was hot.

Way too hot.

"Bruce? What's going on?"

"Get Alfred! Now, Dick!"

He heard a whimper and felt a large hand rub his chest. "Shh, shh. You're going to be okay. Just stay with me. Open your eyes.

Everything felt like it was spinning. He could feel his breaths coming out in desperate, short gasps.

"Jay, go get a thermometer."

"Hm? Why..? Oh, shit."

He coughed, body spasming.

Why couldn't he open his eyes?

Why… why was it so hot?

"You're going to be okay. Just stay with me."

Yyyyy

Cloth was around his eyes when he woke up.

He… he felt something in his hand.

"Tim? Tim, can you hear me?"

"'ruce..?" His throat was killing him, and he hadn't expected talking to be as hard as it was.

The thing in his hand moved and he was able to tell that… it was another hand.

Someone was… holding his hand?

"It's me, buddy. How are you feeling?"

"What happened?" He was so hoarse he almost didn't even recognize his own voice.

"You're sick, buddy. I shouldn't have let you go up against Freeze without backup. You fainted in the hall sometime yesterday morning."

"Sorry." He breathed. "What're you doin' here?"

"Making sure you're doing alright. You scared the hell out of me, Tim."

"S'rry." He was tired.

Confused.

Dizzy.

"Don't apologize."

"You don't… need to stay. Imma be fine."

Something brushed his head, pushing his sweat-soaked hair back. "I'm staying. Deal with it."

Bruce's voice was soft, but he could hear that he was smiling.

"Mm. Tired." He whispered.

"You can sleep. I'll still be here."

Yyyyy

The next time Tim woke up, there was beeping.

He felt the tickle of a nose cannula, and the pressure of tape holding an IV in his arm.

He was so cold.

"Bruce..?" He whispered.

The only thing he heard was the beeping of machines.

He still couldn't see.

His bones felt like lead weights.

"Bruce?" He tried to speak louder, but irritated his throat and fell into a coughing fit.

The beeps changed.

An alarm sounded.

There was a hiss, like a sealed door sliding open.

"Breathe. Come on, Tim. Breathe. In and out."

A hand rubbed his chest, helping to calm his fit.

"That's it. That's it, buddy. You're going to be okay."

Bruce..?

He sounded worried.

Tim turned his head towards the voice.

"Said… you'd be here."

The hand stilled on his chest.

"I know. I'm sorry. But you took a turn for the worse, and with your spleen, we couldn't take any chances."

"Where..?"

"You're in the cave. We had to set up the bio room for you."

Tim felt chilled all over again, for an entirely different reason.

The med bay was always kept sterile, but was also equipped with recessed, air-tight walls that could be pulled out to seal the room off completely in case of emergency.

It was mainly used in cases of bioweaponry, dangerous patients, or in need of a holding cell. In other words, he was in isolation.

"Tim, please." His hand was picked up by a gloved hand and pressed to a chest. "Breathe. Like this. You can do it."

He tried.

He really, really tried.

"Tim, you need to breathe slower."

"Please." He croaked. "Please."

"Tim, you're hyperventilating." A second hand combed through his hair, but stopped when the glove ended up just tugging his hair.

"Don' leave. Don't wanna be alone."

The hand holding his hand against Bruce's chest tightened.

"Buddy, I'm so sorry. It's for your own good."

"I'll be good." He felt wetness on his face and couldn't tell if it was tears or sweat.

He'd always been left alone when he was sick.

His parents always had work, and the people they worked with didn't need to be getting a child's cold passed onto them.

His father tended to… fancy… the nannies which meant his mother fired and rehired them too fast for any of them to care too much about his comfort while sick.

Bruce…

He used to bring him soup and hot drinks.

He used to sit with him.

He…

He used to… be there.

"Don't leave." He whispered through gasps. "Please..?" He was definitely crying now.

"Tim, buddy. It's for your own good. I'm sorry. I'm… Timmy, I'm so sorry."

"I'll be good. Please. Please don't leave."

"I have to. I'm sorry. I- I shouldn't even be in here now."

"No. No, no, no. Please, please. I don't want to be alone."

The intercom blipped to life. "Bruce, he needs to be sedated. His heart rate's way too high, and he's panicking."

"Tim-,"

"Please. Don't do this. I don't want to be alone."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Timmy. It's for your own good."

He felt a prick in his neck and his brain started to fog.

He was tired.

His hand grew limp.

"I'm sorry, Timmy. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, son."

The last thing he felt was his hand being laid across his own chest.

The last thing he heard was the hiss of the door closing.

The last thing he knew, was that he was once again alone.

#batman #tim drake #red robin #batfam #bruce wayne #tim drake's missing spleen #sickfic #bruce and tim #twoweeksofwhump #twow

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jayson10traplo · 5 months

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Tim is bored waiting for Bruce to arrive

#dc comics #bat fam #batfamily #tim drake wayne #batfam #red robin #batbros #yj98 #young justice #batman and robin #red robin tim drake #tim drake #tim wayne #robin #robin dc #dc robin #robin tim drake #batman bruce wayne #bruce and tim

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mylifeingotham · 2 months

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Bruce being Batdad

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spite-and-waffles · 2 years

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Jack Drake is Tim's Dad. Not Bruce. It doesn't matter what you think of him or Bruce. Canonically Tim's entire career up until Identity Crisis was about wanting to tell Jack who he was, and to gain his understanding and approval and pride. His murder, just when Tim finally got all of them, fucking broke him.

Bruce is a father figure to Tim, and Bruce loves him like a son. But they have a far more complicated relationship than just father and son. When Tim thinks of "Dad", he thinks of Jack Drake, the same way Dick thinks only of John Grayson as his Dad. Even Cassandra, horrifically abused by David Cain, will never not think of Cain as her father, because that is what being a child means. You are not wired to reassign the emotionality of that role, no matter how much they hurt you. Ironically, Jason is the one who can't help but see Bruce as his Dad, no matter how much he doesn't want to, which is what breaks him so much.

There's a reason they all except Damian call Bruce "Bruce". A mentor, partner, guardian and refuge more than a father, but still a father in all the ways that matter. But more importantly, the shadow that eclipses everything else in their field of vision, with his own well of gravity trapping them in orbit.

Families of choice, adopted parent-child relationships and human relationships as a whole are incredibly complicated. When you try to force it all into a nuclear family model with traditionally assigned roles, you're flattening the characters and refusing the rich tapestry of the human experience.

#this is about preboot #its a shame the DCU ended in 2011 #tim drake #jack drake #bruce wayne #dick grayson #john grayson #cassandra cain #david cain #jason todd #batfamily #dc canon #bat meta #bruce and tim #bruce and dick #bruce and jason #bruce and cass #relationship study #spite waffle

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scintillyyy · 1 year

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prelude to legacy and legacy my dick and tim and bruce beloved.

like. bruce and dick mother-henning tim and dying with worry. god, bruce probably made dick take tim's vitals every 10 minutes. tim angst. they love him so much. argh.

#10/10 required reading #bruce and tim #dick and tim #batman #dc #bruce wayne #tim drake #dick grayson #long post

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asongofstarkandtargaryen · 2 years

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My boy Tim, if you were always careful you wouldn't lose your spleen or be injured a million times.

Your Batdad is absolutely right to worry about your safety!

#wayne family adventures #tim Drake #bruce wayne #wfa #batfamily #dc comics #bruce and tim

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umbrellacam · 8 months

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Post-Knightfall - Batboys and Domestic Chores

aka What To Do When Your Alfred Quits Because Bruce Is A Self-Destructive Dingus With No Regard For His Own Health And So Now You Suddenly Have To Adult All By Yourself

aka despite both being raised by Alfred from roughly age 9 onward, Bruce is still a completely helpless fumbling rich boy when it comes to domestic tasks, while Dick is very much not, lol.

Tim also starts out as a typical sheltered teenage boy who doesn't even know how to fold laundry... But fortunately for him, he has a new older brother to teach him what's what while they're partnered up during Prodigal! :D

...Sort of. Once Bruce is back and he and Tim are on their own, they both still fumble without Alfred or Dick around. Tim's embryonic domestic skills can't make up for Bruce being a sad wet cat re: household tasks, pfft.

In chronological order, starting after Bruce and Alfred have both fucked off and Dick and Tim are holding down the fort in Gotham as Batman and Robin:

DICK AND TIM

Batman #512 - Dick can cook! And he cooks for Tim :) Also, the house-robes are adorable, as always. Tim: "I can't believe you can actually cook..." Dick: "I like to eat." Tim: "So does Bruce - but he had to order Chinese last night." Dick: "That's where I'm one up on him - I've lived on my own without an Alfred. Still miss him, though... He was good for a lot more than cooking and cleaning." Tim: "Yep - but at least we don't have to miss him on empty stomachs."

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #32 - The Manor was thrashed after Bruce's fight with Bane, and was never cleaned up after Bruce's back was broken and Jean-Paul Valley took over as Batman. The Batbros are on the job! Dick (sweeping): "Bruce told me a story once: Two philosophers talked all day." Tim (blithely eating a banana): "And...?" Dick (tossing him the broom): "The mess was still there next morning!" Tim (grinning): "Message received and understood, Captain!"

Batman #513 - Timmy is amazed at Dick's mastery of the household arts! Tim: "Awesome - you can cook and do the laundry?" Dick: "Hey, if there's time, I may even putty some new panes in those smashed windows." Tim: "Blimey - does Alfred the Pennyworth know you've mastered all his domestic secrets?" Dick: "Who do you think taught him?" Tim: "Not to get too serious, Dick, but it's good to see you loose again - and good to see the Manor taking shape, too. Since Jean Paul didn't care about it and Bruce relies on Alfred, it looks like you can teach a trick or two the other Batmen couldn't."

Robin #12 - More Dick handling the laundry, and Dick flinging a towel in Tim's face - er, teaching him how to fold so that he can pitch in instead of sitting on the side and moping. Dick: "Does that mean that things are going smoother between you and Ariana?" Tim (mopily): "Not really. Every time I think we're finally getting along, something happens to change all that." Dick: "Welcome to the opposite sex, Tim." Tim: "Look at you with the laundry. You're going to make some woman happy someday." Dick: "Well, it's about time you learned to fold a towel." (throws one in Tim's face) Tim: "Hey!" Dick: "I can't do everything around here until Alfred gets back."

BRUCE AND TIM

Bruce is back! And he straight up sucks at all this stuff without Alfred, lol, and doesn't have a Dick to lean on like Tim did.

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #35 - Bruce attempting laundry in the washer (laundry strewn all over the room and bubbles ominously emerging from the machine), getting pizza delivery, and asking the delivery boy for limo service recs, lol. Delivery Boy: "Good afternoon, sir. Three-cheese special, right?" Bruce: "You don't happen to know a good limo service? Or anything about washing machines...?"

Detective Comics #685 - Bruce infamously ruining tuna fish sandwiches. Bruce: "Sorry about lunch, Tim. I'm not much of a hand in the kitchen. With Alfred gone I'm pretty much helpless." Tim: "It's okay, Bruce. How can you screw up a tuna fish sandwich?" (takes a bite) "Oh. That's how."

Detective Comics #687 - Bruce attempts to toss an Armani tuxedo in the washing machine because reasons. Tim: "Are you sure you know what you're doing, Bruce?" Bruce: "How dangerous can it be, Tim? Alfred never seems to have a problem." Tim: "Well, he makes everything look easy. What are you washing here?" Bruce: "My summer tux. It smelled like the river." Tim (pulling out the now-tiny tux jacket and smirking): "Guess you didn't know you were supposed to dry clean these things, huh?"

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #40 - The central heating system at the Manor has gone down, and Bruce is aghast that he (a) has to make a reservation with the maintenance man, and (b) it might take him more than a week to take care of it. Bruce decides to just fix it himself - I wonder how that went, lol. Bruce (hand to his forehead dramatically) : "A butler, at butler, my kingdom for a butler!" Tim (coming down the stairs into the basement): "Specifically Alfred?" Bruce: "Very specifically. He'd have had these central heating tyrants fixed in minutes. Losing Alfred has caused me as much pain as anything Bane did to me."

THE RETURN OF ALFRED! Yaaaaay! And more Bruce and Tim.

Batman #521 - More overflowing laundry shenanigans 😂 Bruce: "Not again, Tim!" Tim: "Honest, Bruce - I know I didn't go overboard on the detergent this time!" Bruce: "You mean you added detergent too--? After I already did it?" Tim: "Uh oh. Hey, I was only trying to help..." Bruce: "The mops." Tim: "Yeah...again." Alfred returns to Bruce and Tim both attempting to mop up, suds everywhere, including in their hair. To preserve both his and Bruce's dignity, he's pretended to come in answer to a Help Wanted ad that he himself placed in the paper, for a butler at Wayne Manor. Bruce and Tim both warmly welcome him home.

Detective Comics #689 - Batman and Robin pick the wrong rooftop to talk on, and startle a woman coming up to hang her laundry so badly that she faints, dropping and scattering the whole load. Robin: "She'll be okay. Just passed out." Batman: "I hate when this happens." Robin: "Well, what do we do now?" Batman: "How about demonstrating some of your new skills - the ones Nightwing taught you?" Robin: "Man..." He does, and the woman wakes up to her neatly folded items in her basket, while Bruce and Tim swing away. Tim (indignant): "It wouldn't hurt you to learn how to fold clothes, even though Alfred is back." Batman (grinning): "You know what they say about old dogs, Robin." Robin: "Right."

(All of these were published within a one year span, from November 1994 to September 1995. Very fun little recurring D-plot in the aftermath of Knightfall c:)

#long post #Dick and Tim #Bruce and Tim #Dick Grayson #Tim Drake #Bruce Wayne #Alfred Pennyworth #dcu #DC Comics panels #Batman #Nightwing #Robin #DC Comics #Cam reads comics #Cam posts

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