#cass made him listen to it but i CAN see steph listening to ghost

[menacing-menace-rat]

Hope you mind me (same guy that asked the au batman/Moon Knight request) asking for continuations but I'd defs like to see more of the Batman (having Steven and Jake personalities from Moon Knight) au cause srsly loved it.

Maybe this time from Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, and Barbara Gordon's perspective this time if thats okay.

Also for extra lore bit, if I can add, whenever there is a public rich meeting or something like that or just something for the public in general, Steven Grant is always in control, he just goes by Bruce's name in the public eye. It just so happens that no one else in the public eye knows about Bruce's condition.

Hey welcome back! I think I have an idea you are gonna like. Hope you enjoy!

       The boys were out on a training mission with Conner and Wally leaving just the girls home. This was the first time in a long time so they decided to have a girls night in. Barbara made some popcorn while Stephanie picked out some movies. Cassandra was tasked with getting some blankets and pillows for the sofa. 

        Bruce hadn't seen the girls act like this in years; they were mostly adults and here they were giggling and joking about boys like they were kids again. 

        “I'm just happy they can relax like this still.” Steven mumbled softly to Bruce. He couldn't help but nod in agreement. 

         “They won't be able to for long if one of those Arkham nuts escapes tonight. I kept telling you Bruce, my boy you just need to kill the bad guys and your kids can always have this much fun. You wouldn't have to militarize grade schoolers.” Jake hissed. If he had it his way Arkham would be a ghost town, in more ways than one.

         “Give it a rest. That kind of talk is why I can't let you go on patrol.” Bruce jabs back as he sticks his hands in his pockets and leans against the doorframe, watching Barbara set the popcorn in her lap and wheel herself towards the living room.

          “That wouldn't have happened either.” Jake whispers insidiously. 

         “That's enough out of you!” Steven jumps in. Normally Steven wouldn't dare interject while Bruce and Jake were fighting but this was a sensitive subject for them all. 

       “No, no it's not! You and Bruce may not think it but I love these kids too and it killed me to see her in that hospital bed! If Bruce had been man enough to-”

        “Bruce? Wanna hang out with us?” Barbara's voice interrupted Jake mid rant. Bruce perks up and grins down at her. “You know I would but I have an important dinner in a few hours. Maybe Steven would like to.” He hardly has enough time to finish his own sentence before Steven takes over. 

         “I'd love to!” he says in his very distinctive London accent. 

          It wasn't long before Cass, Stephanie, Barbara, and Steven sat on the large sectional couch watching legally blonde. Jake poked fun at the movie and talked about how hot Reese Witherspoon was the whole time. 

       Barbara painted Cass's nails as they only vaguely listened to the movie. 

         “This burgundy is nice but I wish you would have let me use that pretty Robin's egg blue.” Barbara lamented. Cass just shook her head no as she took another handful of popcorn into her mouth. 

         “Steven let me paint your nails for you.” Stephanie says as she presents a very glittery pink polish to him.

         “Oh that's really sweet Steph but Bruce has a dinner thing later.” Steven says with apprehension.

           “Come on uncle Steven, we can take it off before you guys have to leave.” Stephanie begs. He was hesitant but how often does he get to bond with them like this? 

        “Oh alright.” He relents. She wasted no time as she painted his nails in the most gaudy shade of pink the world has ever seen. It was nice though. Jake was cursing the color choice while Bruce seemed to be far away. He was probably just trying to rest before the dinner. 

          The evening winded down and everyone split off in different directions to do their own thing. Steven showered and got around. He unfortunately didn't have enough time to take the nail polish off before leaving.

          ------

The dinner was going well. The nails frankly were a smash hit with the ladies, much to Jake's excitement. Steven really shined in these situations. His shy charm made Bruce seem more approachable and kind. 

       “So many kids! It's so hard to find such a family oriented man in this city.” A gorgeous redhead remarked.

        “They mean the world to me, they really do. Sure each one comes with their own unique challenges but every kid deserves to have a partner willing to try to make them feel safe and cared for. Oh sorry about that. I can get a little emotional about them.” He said as he rubbed the back of his head feeling a little embarrassed over how much he gushed over his kids. “Oh look here, my youngest girl did this to my nails.” He says as he offers her his hand to look at. 

       “Oh Bruce, that's so sweet!” She exclaimed. Most of the women at the table admired Stephen's handy work that night. If not just for the opportunity to hold Bruce Wayne's hand. 

         The dinner had finished and ‘Bruce’ accompanied by about 6 models were heading to his car to go to a club. The paparazzi took  hundreds of pictures as they made the walk from the restaurant. Steven was careful to keep his hands in his pockets. 

          Steven is good at chatting but moments like these with flashing lights and yelling really called for Bruce. So for the first time that evening the man himself came to the surface. 

          When Steven is in control he doesn't feel the need to wait just behind him, peeking over Steven's shoulder to observe his every move. He trusts Steven knows what to say and not say. 

         Poor Bruce was not privy to tonight's earlier activities and when he raised his hand to cover his eyes from the flash of a camera he was very surprised to see the Barbie pink polish on him. 

        The image circulated quickly, billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne staring absolutely gobsmacked at his own pink cladded hand. The picture made the rounds as a meme for a few months, most of which were made by Tim himself.

 I never know how to end these. 😅

I have a very long ask coming about all of the founding members of the justice league. It's taking longer then I thought but it's in the works. My requests are still open and I should be getting to them much faster. Now that I know how to view them. 🤓

#batman #moon knight #cassandra cain #barbara gordon #stephine brown #steven grant #jake lockley #au fanfiction #asks

[captainlordauditor]

Guess who heard Impera

(it was me)

#dendarii.orig #dendarii.jpg #13th #March #2022 #March 13th 2022 #bruce wayne #bao pham #incorrect batfamily quotes #bat shit posts #batman #ghost #batfamily #batfam #cass made him listen to it but i CAN see steph listening to ghost #bruce is an Elder Goth but he has an appreciation for the new stuff #all of the replies are his kids making fun of him btw #used batfleck even tho battinson is more goth bc battinson just doesnt have the proper Dad Energy for this tweet yet

[forevermore-quoth-the-kitten]

The Bats as Jeff Dunham Arguments

Bruce: look, kids, i have a surprise for you.

Jason: *gasps* you’re going in the closet?

Bruce: h- no, and the phrase is ‘coming out of the closet’.

Dick: *gasps* congratulations!”

Bruce: no I’m not coming out of the closet.

Steph: you’re going to continue to hide the truth?

Bruce, getting annoyed: I’m not hiding anything.

Dick: So everyone knows now? congratulations!

Bruce, gestureing to Selina, who waves: I have a girlfriend!

Tim: *gasps* does she knooww? Maybe she will like this one guy!

Bruce: there is no one guy!

Jason: then there are many guys?!

Damian: who are a whoorreee.

Bruce: no-

Damian: you should be stoonneeeddd.

Bruce: Damian-

Tim, offended on behalf of the laughing ghost of Martha Wayne: what would your mother say?!

Bruce, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose: I’m not a whore.

Steph: of course your mother would say she’s not a whore!

Bruce: I’m straight.

Jason: straight, crooked, we do not need to know such graphic details!

Bruce: i mean i have a girlfriend. *Selina’s still behind him trying not to laugh*

Dick: not for loonnngggg. not when she finds out about your many boyfriends.

Damian: whooorreee.

Bruce, no longer able to resist the urge: will you please listen to me.

Jason: i do not talk to whores. you are dead to me.

Bruce, suddenly smirking: you’re dead to all of us.

Jason, shocked and pissed: *jaw dropped*

everyone else in the room: *laughing*

-

Bruce: can we see him?

Jason, taking his chance and pretending he wasn’t talking about his boyfriend: you see him every day.

Bruce: what?

Dick, voice raised: He said, you see him every day!

Bruce: I heard him.

Steph: then why did you say what?

Bruce: what?

Duke, getting in on it: he said, why did you say what?

Bruce: why are you yelling?

Tim: because you keep saying what!

Damian: apparently he cannot hear us.

Jason: he’s getting old.

Bruce: what?

Jason: see!

Cass: he said ‘what’ again.

Dick: it’s downhill after 50.

Damian: he’s been farting more now too.

Steph, nodding: i know, old guys do that.

Bruce, raising his voice now: excuse me.

Cass, hiding a grin: i think he farted again.

Duke: at least he’s polite.

Bruce: guys!

Dick: yes Bruce?

Tim: It’s ok to get old Bruce!

Steph: it happens to everyone!

Jason: unless you die first.

Bruce: my hearing is fine!

Duke: then why are you yelling?

Bruce: i don’t know.

Jason, meeting all of the other kids gazes: he’s confused.

Bruce: no I’m not.

Dick: and in denial!

Bruce: what are you talking about?

Tim: and he’s senile.

Steph: yup.

Cass, patting a very annoyed Bruce’s shoulder: its ok.

Bruce: excuse me!

Dick: why? did you fart again?

Bruce: No

Duke: so it was just the once?

Bruce, about to lose it: what would happen if I snapped and killed you?

Damian: that would make you homicidal.

Bruce: exactly.

Jason: so you’re admitting you’re gay?

-

Steph, turning to Tim in the cave after patrol: hey! before i forget, you changed all the wifi passwords!

Tim, distracted while looking over a mission he’s working: i did.

Steph: why?

Tim: uuhhhh, security maintenance?

Steph: . . . did- did you just make that up?

Tim: i think so.

Steph: ok, so you changed all 3 to new passwords.

Tim, still not looking away from the batcomputer: yes i did.

Steph: ok, so the penthouse wifi, the cave wifi, and the wifi at home?

Tim: right. and this time i made the passwords unusual so that we would rememebr them, but they wouldn’y be guessed easily.

Steph: great. so what’s the password for the penthouse at WE?

Tim: I Can’t Tell You.

Steph: what?

Tim: I Can’t Tell You.

Steph: why not?

Tim: why not what?

Steph: why can’t you tell me?

Tim: tell you what?

Steph: the password.

Tim: i just did.

Steph: no you didn’t.

Tim: yes i did.

Steph: what is it?

Tim: I Can’t Tell You

Steph, getting annoyed: why not?

Tim, still not fully paying attention: why not what?

Steph: why can’t you tell me?

Tim: I just did.

Steph: are you insane?!

*everyone else is watching and trying desperately not to make a sound* *Babs is recording the footage for later*

Tim: no.

Steph: then what’s the password!

Tim: I Can’t Tell You.

Steph: JERK!

Tim, finally turning away from the computer, confused: what?

Steph: you’re a big jerk!

Tim: why?

Steph: i am asking for one simple password for our wifi in the penthouse!

Tim: and you should have it!

Steph: so what is it?

Tim: I Can’t Tell You.

Steph: i hate you!

Tim: are we good?

Steph: fine!

Tim: fine.

Steph: fine!

Tim: fine.

Steph: fine! can i have the one for the cave?

Tim: yes.

Steph: what’s that one?

Tim: I Don’t Remember.

Steph: why not?

Tim: . . why not what?

Steph: why can’t you remember?

Tim: no, I Don’t Remember.

Steph: ok, why don’t you remember?

Tim: i do.

Steph: ok.

Tim: ok.

Steph: so what is it?

Tim: I Don’t Remember.

Steph: hoooly crap. *hangs head and facepalms* did you write it down?

Tim: why should I?

Steph: In case you forgot it.

Tim, a little bit insulted: i won’t forget it.

Steph: clearly you just did!

Tim: no i didn’t.

Steph: then what’s the password?

Tim: I Don’t Remember.

Steph: what the- we have 3 wifi networks!

Tim: yes

Steph: and you made up all the passwords!

Tim: i did

Steph: and you should know them all!

Tim: by heart.

Steph: and I should have them too!

Tim: of course you should!

Steph: what is the password for the wifi in the penthouse?

Tim: I. Can’t. Tell You.

Steph: what’s the one for the cave?

Tim: I Don’t Remember.

Steph: you have the one for the house?!

Tim: yes.

Steph: and what is that one?

Tim: You Have to Guess It

Steph: III Cannn’t Guess Iiitttt!

Tim: well of course not!

Steph: so what is it?!

Tim: You Have To Guess It

Steph: I caaaaan’t!

Tim: you’re making no sense!

Steph: I’m making no sense?! You’re making no sense!

Tim: I don’t know what to say to you! *throws his arms up for a moment*

Steph: what’s the wifi for the Manor?

Tim: You Have to Guess It

Steph: SCREW YOU!

Tim: i don’t deserve that!

Steph: I asked you for the password for the penthouse.

Tim: yes.

Steph: you said I can’t tell you.

Tim: yes.

Steph: then i asked for the cave one and you said I don’t remember.

Tim: also correct.

Steph: and now the one for the house you say i have to guess it.

Tim: you got them all perfectly! *smiling*

Steph, close to tears: wHatT tHe HeLl ArE yOu TaLkInG aBoUt?

Tim, annoyed again: whoudl you like to see the passwords in black and white? 

Steph: Yes i would! 

Tim:they’re on my computer!

Steph: can i go look?

Tim: of course.

Steph: thanks!

*she starts to stalk away, its a miracle she already knows his computer password. The others finally lose it, half of them wheezing on the ground as the others are barley able to stand, much to the very exhausted Tim and Steph’s confusion*

#jeff dunham #jeff dunham quotes #incorrect batfam quotes #incorrect batfamily quotes #Tim Drake #Stephanie Brown #Jason Todd #dick grayson #bruce wayne #Damian Wayne #cassandra cain #duke thomas #Selina Kyle #funny #lol #this is the greatest thing #the next one will either be more arguments #or some epic Jeff Dunham one liners #but its the batfam #got a preference? #post a comment

[arty-shadow-morningstar]

Graveyard Siblings (5)

[Masterlink] (PART 1) (PART 4)

-----

Mari and Cass sometimes switch their suits as they have the same body type. Cass would sometimes go out in full Hellbat gear and give the appearance that Hellbat is out more often than she actually is.

So Orphan/Black Bat also sometimes uses guns.

This also helps with concealing secret identities. Maria was rescued by Hellbat from Joker’s Henchmen. (Vicki Vale was getting sus of the new Wayne and Hellbat.)

Unfortunately since Hellbat rarely comes out and she had already made all of her appearance for the month and it wasn’t a busy weekend, the public had come to the conclusion that Hellbat has a crush on the newest Wayne.

Basically everyone thought that Mari has a crush on herself. Which led to some teasing and escalated to Mari announcing that Jason had a crush on Red Hood on live TV.

It didn’t help that a video of Red Hood and Jason re-enacting Romeo and Juliet with Jason on his apartment balcony and Red Hood on the roof was posted on the internet a few days later. (Thank you, Trixx and Tim’s awesome video editing skills)

Sadly, it was taken down 24 hours later. (Tim and the others have multiple copies of it, on the cloud or hardware, hidden around in the manor and their respective safehouses in the US.)

Some people kidnapped Jason to hopefully gain leverage over the Red Hood and to their dismay and nightmares for years to come, Hellbat came instead.

One lucky and incredibly brave reporter asked why she was there instead of her brother.

Mari being a little shit, “Red Hood may be a tough and scary guy but when it comes to his feelings, my brother is a chicken.”

Pictures of Jason tackling Hellbat somehow never made it into any papers.

The criminal underworld hasn’t taken a hint and Jason has been kidnapped a few more times.

Other times Jason was kidnapped:

Robin: Red Hood made a fool of himself in front of Todd recently and he doesn’t dare to show his face.

Spoiler: He was taking too damn long checking his hair even though I told him that no one was going to see it under his helmet and he was so offended that he is currently sulking in the bathroom.

Red Robin: Red Hood can’t think straight when he is around Jason. I mean have you seen the dude.

Arsenal*during a rare visit to Gotham*: Red Hood owes me one now.

Dick finally ends it by going out as Red Hood and rescuing Jason. Gotham is happy that Redson (Red Hood x Jason) ship has finally sailed.

-------

Kate, Babs, Cass, Steph and Mari were out on Mari’s first girls’ night since her move to the manor.

This is set a little after she came back from Paris with Jason.

They watched rom-com movies, did hair and nails, gossip about the superhero community and bitch and vent to each other.

Marinette off-handedly mentioned the crazy shits she had done during her stint as Ladybug. It started with asking about the T-rex in the Batcave and she mentions jumping into the mouth of a live one before.

Everyone in the room was shocked and after a few more questions, it was obvious that she was very reckless and self-sacrificing. Yep, she was going to fit into this crazy family just fine.

And Holy Shit. There is so much trauma packed into this kid. She needs lots of therapy.

Babs finally decided that they all needed to get out and have some fun. All in their respective suits and they went out.

Joined by Harley, Ivy and Selina.

Plagg came along because I want Plagg to meet Selina.

It was a chaotic night and it was a miracle that Bruce didn’t find out about what the girls did.

-------

Batman and Red Hood were on patrol together when Selina jumped in front of them.

“Hello, Boys”

“What do you want, Catwoman?”

“I want to meet my new prodigy, Kitty Noire.”

Cue Marinette jumping down from her hiding spot, transformed with the Black Cat Miraculous. “Hiya.”

Red Hood carries her like a potato sack and points his gun at the other two.

“Nope, she’s my sister and I called dibs. I adopted her. She’s off limits.”

“Legally, she’s mine.” Batman coughed out.

“I did it first. Emotionally. She’s my emotional support sister. You have plenty kids already, B and Selina, get your own.”

“Hey, I am still here and can hear you.”- Maria

-------

Alya was worried for Lila. She had been acting weirdly for the past month.

She looked very out of sorts. Her clothes weren’t in order and her hair was in disarray. She had bags under her eyes and her eyes looked wild. Lila didn’t look like herself at all.

She jumped at any sound and flinched at really sudden movements.

Alya tried to find out what was wrong with Lila and received vague answers.

One time Lila said that Marinette is to blame.

Alya reaches the somewhat right conclusion that Marinette was haunting Lila and hurting her because Lila used to come to school with bruises and claims that Marinette did it.

Alya goes to Marinette’s grave to desecrate it. (Yeah, go anger the ghost that is haunting someone.)

Unfortunately, the moment she tries to do something, the sky turns dark, clouds appear and the wind begins whipping. A Lightning strike near her and there was a cloaked figure beside her with a scythe.

All Alya saw from the figure was the blood-red lips in a very sharp grin and glowing blue eyes, raising the scythe high before she ran away. The scythe swiped the air where her head once was.

Alya didn’t get far before she tripped and blacked out.

When she woke up, she found herself in the hospital with no idea how she got there.

She was told that somebody found her with a concussion in the park and took her to the hospital.

------

The next one on Mari’s hit list was Natalie.

She wasn’t as involved in the whole thing like Lila, Adrien or Gabriel but she still did it anyways.

Her punishment is a little mild compared to the others and was more of a warning to Gabriel.

Natalie woke up in the middle of the night to see a not-so-dead Ladybug sitting on her vanity chair with the moonlight from the windows illuminating her body and her neck. Her suit was torn exactly like the day of that battle with blood dripping down her arms and from her open wounds. The shadows kept her face hidden but glowing blue eyes stared at her.

Natalie was scared at first. But she regained her normal cool composure.

“I assume you are here to extract your revenge for aiding in your unfortunate demise. But before you kill me, I regret my part in my entire thing and I apologize for everything I have done against you even though I knew it was wrong.”

“At least you show remorse over what you have done. Visiting my grave when even my parents didn’t and leaving flowers. I love those purple hyacinths by the way. Did you know that they mean sorry in the language of the flowers?”

“Why are you stalling my death? Just kill me already.”

“Madam Sancouer. You just played a minor role in my downfall compared to what Adrien and Lila Rossi did to me. And you showed more guilt over your actions than they ever did and Adrien claimed to have loved me. And like I have told the Bats, Death is too swift of a punishment.”

“Who are the bats?”

“None of your concern. You should be more concerned about yourself.”

“Lila sees the ghosts of her past and they haunt her. Adrien is in a living nightmare and has no control over his actions and is despised by everyone. What are you going to do to me?”

“Well, since you show some guilt over your actions, let me tell you a little secret. I am not dead. Not really. I mean I did die. But there was a spell in the grimoire that revived me. It took a few days to work.”

Marinette changed to her normal form. It was a little jarring to see an older Marinette Dupain-Cheng sitting on her vanity chair like it was a throne. The Ladybug suit and the wounds were gone. She looked a little familiar.

“Why are you telling me this? What was the point?” Natalie faltered as she wondered why the girl looked familiar. Marinette moved closer and her face was fully illuminated by the moonlight.

“I intend to take everything by which I mean everything from Gabriel Agreste for what he did.”

“M. Agreste just wanted his wife back. You just gave him your Miraculous, you would still have everything.”

“What difference would it make? Sure I had friends and family before but they turned out to be disappointing. I might have become a famous designer like I dreamed of and can't achieve because I died. Besides, he never said about wanting his wife to come back in his tedious monologues. For all we knew back then, he wanted them for world domination. He showed that he would end the world for them. For kwamis’ sake, he nearly started World War III, just for a pair of earring and a ring. He was willing to kill me to have her back. No wait, he did that too. If he actually read the translated grimoire or asked the Guardian or at least someone with magic for help instead or maybe used his head and made some who can heal as his champion using the Butterfly, we wouldn’t even be in this mess. Face it, Mme Sancour, your boss is a power-hungry and very controlling maniac who is also thankfully an idiot.”

“But- he- he just-. You are just a child, what do you know? M. Agreste knew what he was doing.”

“A child who had a normal life up until he tried to ruin it with his idiotic schemes and hiring Lila to do it. A child who had to fight a war on her own.”

“I am sorry you had to go through that but I doubt you and your little revenge rampage is going to solve anything.”

Ghostly Chains wrapped around Natalie’s body, squeezing tight like it was squeezing the life out of her.

“I was all for sparing you, you know. If you had actually listened to my side of the story, you would have spared from my ‘little revenge rampage’. This is going to be a little painful. Sorry about that.” In a tone that was definitely not sorry.

Pain coursed through Natalie’s body. Her skin crawled and itched as pitch back feathers grew out of it. Her bones turned to dust and reformed.

Where Natalie Sancour once was, there was a raven.

An omen of death and destruction for one Gabriel Agreste.

Marinette leaned down towards the raven. Natalie tried to peck her eye out but Marinette held the beak in a firm grip.

“Ah. ah ah. Luckily for you this is temporary. Mostly. Every night, you will assume this shape and each night the longer you will stay in this form. Slowly counting down the days until Gabriel’s downfall. Since you love helping him so much, you are going to help him know how long he has to live. The night you are a raven from sunset to sunrise, that sunrise starts the day Gabriel Agreste will be utterly destroyed.”

She released the beak and headed towards the window.

"Send him my regards."

With that, she was gone.

(Part 6)

#platonic jasonette #graveyard siblings #maribat #ml x dc #marinette meets the sirens

[iphoenixrising]

DickTimWeek2021 Day 2

** Day 2: Time Loop | Jealousy | Stray AU

Welp. Time to break some hearts.

They’re laughing like assholes as they climb through Timmy’s penthouse windows. 

“Did you see that thug punch himself in the face?”

“That’s the right way to get out of an ass beating by the Batman.”

Tim, still in Red Robin, doesn’t even bother, just lets his knees buckle so he can slide down to the floor and laugh until tears are rolling down the dominio still plastered on his face.

He’s riding the concussion train with 

(J)

Josephine and she’s not as bad as some of them are. 

Dick at least tosses the gloves and gauntlets before hauling Timmy’s bruised ass up off the floor, throwing the arm around his shoulders.

“C’mon, you butt. Really Timmy, just laying here in your suit? Alfred would be appalled.”

“S’why I don’t go to the Manor much anymore.”

“Ooh, I’m telling. You’re going to be in so much trouble,” as he gets Tim down the hallway to the bathroom.

“Y-You can’t! You’re the oldest! Dami’s supposed to be the tattle-tale!”

“Nu-uh. As the oldest, I can do whatever the hell I want.”

And does he tell on Timmy? You bet your ass he does.

It’s nice when Alfred can look at someone else in the family with extreme disappointment.

Tim comes by the Manor the day Alfred video chats him, shuffles down to the Cave behind the butler and absolutely sticks his tongue out at Dick’s smarmy grin.

**

His apartment is a literal mess and Dick can’t be bothered to do much more than flop on the overstuffed couch with a groan. 

Still in his uni from the day shift, he’s too bruised and battered and tired to even think of suiting up for the night. He’s been running himself ragged for two months, the day and night shifts blending together along with the usual bullshit of daily human life, and he desperately needs a night of terrible television, junk food, and snuggles.

Like he’d been reading the room, Timmy walks out of his bathroom, towel around his shoulder and hair just this side of damp.

“Hey, you made it home in one piece.” Tim’s long fingers in his hair literally pulls a noise out of Dick he can’t ever remember making.

“Yeah, I drove down because you looked like death warmed over when we talked last weekend. Luckily for you I went grocery shopping, did a few loads of your laundry, and cleaned up a little so you don’t have to worry about housework.”

“I love you. Have I told you that recently? Like, so, so much–” is muffled by the couch cushions, but he thinks Tim can probably still make it all out.

“Mmhm, I know,” and the gentle scratching against his scalp doesn’t stop, and Dick goes a little boneless with it. “I even brought my Roku so we can binge watch terrible television while you eat something more substantial than cereal. Alfred is going to be so proud of you.”

A pat to his head and Timmy is off, slinging his towel on the rack, turning on the shower again to make sure it’s nice and hot for all those bruises and contusions.

He’s no-nonsense about picking up his previous mentor and best friend, literally stripping him down and manhandling him in the shower after a low whistle at the span of blue/black across Dick’s chest and ribs, the scrapes across his back and shoulders. 

The first aid kit tackle box makes an appearance because Tim plans for literally everything ever, and Dick finds himself sitting on his sink wearily while his injuries are meticulously treated.

He knows he eats something super tasty with meat and vegetables, his belly full, before Tim pulls him down on the couch and lets Dick lay against his chest, between his legs to sleepily float while watching God-awful B-movies.

It’s the most relaxing weekend he’s had in a while.

**

Dami sneers at Tim, arms crossed over his chest, the expression on his face begging Tim to try to deny it.

The third Robin however, is looking over at Dick with horror that the big secret is finally out in the open.

“Th-that isn’t– it’s not–” Tim fumbles desperately, “he’s been my big brother forever, that’s it!”

“Tt. Grayson may be painfully oblivious, Drake, but the rest of us are detectives. Even Todd knows of your feelings and he rarely even comes to the Manor!”

Tim’s soul literally leaves his body.

Dick blinks, completely taken back, mouth open without anything coming out.

Damian raises his eyes skyward and prays for patients dealing with these two. “What I am saying,” he tries, he really is trying here, “is that you two must cease and desist this pointless–” vague hand wave– “pining for one another. It is getting to the point of absurdity. I demand you two either discuss your need for one another or take this ridiculous mooning elsewhere. The rooftops of Gotham is no place for this,” another hand wave, “utter nonsense.”

Tim’s mouth goes dry, subtly backing away to be closer to the Ducati’s waiting for tonight’s ride. He’s pretty sure he has enough energy left in his shaky knees to hop on one and be the fuck out of the Cave before his face literally bursts into flames.

But, well. Dick was Batman.

His strategic retreat is stomped into the ground by acrobatic leaps and a very well done joint lock to keep him from immediately taking off.

Dami scoffs at them on his way up the winding staircase. He stops Pennyworth on the way and turns the butler to return back into the Manor proper, citing those two needed time to figure themselves out.

**

After several weeks under deep cover, Nightwing wearily hacks into Titan’s Tower and makes his way through the maze of hallways until he hits a hidden panel. 

Tim is sleeping on his desk, only one empty coffee mug at his workstation. Even dead in his boots, Nightwing can take a second just to look, just to sigh, just to enjoy how much every inch of this boy is his.

He journeys down the hall, flips the bed covers up, carries his sleeping partner in and tucks the blankets around him, a quickly there kiss to the top of messy, too-long hair. A shower in Tim’s perch literally makes everything in life a little less awful and exhausting, not enough for him to do much more than crawl in bed against Tim’s warm body and snuggle up close.

He gets breakfast in bed and blue-violet eyes looking at him with fondness rather than awe, gets coffee flavored kisses and a slow-paced back rub that continues down to his thighs and calves and feet. Later, he gets a date night in a nice restaurant and a sweet San Fran club scene for dessert. He gets to let loose and hold Tim’s body against him, to play them both until the gazes are intense and the low key UST between them makes other people on the dance floor give them space.

**

Witty banter is a primary weapon against megalomaniacal bad guys of any flavor. For some former Robins, it’s an art form.

Over the years, they’ve cultivated their dip and distraction to bounce off one another like a well-oiled vigilante machine. 

It should have been a standard take-down because it’s not one of their more dangerous, deadly villains. It’s not one of the Rogue Gallery baddies. It’s not one of the mobster families, not one of the super powered groups come to call. It’s not someone with hordes of thugs and deadly science waiting to take them down.

It’s a simple B&E, just Nightwing talking it up to draw gunfire while Red Robin is creeping up from behind to get the last laugh.

It’s one of a thousand times they’ve done this. 

It’s a guaranteed win.

It’s the last hour of patrol before they get to go back to Red’s penthouse and snuggle together, eat and show, probably have some fantastic sex before passing out.

The .45 shell, however, cuts through the suit, between armored plates. 

Going after the running baddies is automatic, taking them down, zip ties, and viola. They’re ready for GCPD to pick-up, all kinds of gift-wrapped.

When N finally realizes Red isn’t with him, isn’t answering comms, isn’t waiting for him on the roof, he goes back inside. He hits up B for a ride in the big car in case he missed –

– anything.

The pool of blood around Red Robin is more than he can afford to lose, and Nightwing has been in the vigilante life for over twenty years, has been official with Red Robin for a little over two, has personal experience on how his Baby Bird can take a mostly-fatal beating and still keep moving. He’s seen Tim come close with the Clench, with horrifying injuries, with any of the many bad guys they fight holding him hostage.

Nightwing has seen him perform literal miracles.

And tells him so the entire time he’s got Red Robin up in his arms, carrying him through Gotham’s skyline to the waiting car, falling in with Red on his lap when the familiar hatch slides back, the tourniquet already applied before he even shot a grapple. The struggling pulse is enough of a concern to get it together.

And even if they all gather to strip off the suit, and now it’s on to get vitals back to an acceptable range. Even if the Bats cry overhead, even if the equipment is top notch in the Cave, even if Dick is still talking the whole time, and Alfred is keeping a cool head and Bruce is gripping a hand and Damian is standing at the ready to hand implements and Cass is biting her thumbnail while she hovers and Steph is moving from empty space to empty space around the gurney –

The consistent beep of the flatline cuts through it all.

**

The Titans make it for the service. 

Each of them make a point to hug Dick for as long as possible, holding on tightly.

Bruce is silent and stoic, a little boy again when he has to watch someone else he loves being lowered into the cold, unforgiving ground. Another Robin taking a piece of his heart to the afterlife. 

Steph is red-eyed, a ghost moving around to individual circles, listening to stories she might not have known. 

Cass grips the coffin with bruised knuckles, her whole body wound tight as a string ready to snap. She doesn’t move the entire service, is already convinced leaving him to his own devices caused this whole thing. She doesn’t blame the thugs or Dick or Bruce. She blames the boy that never understood how much it all means.

Duke Thomas is back in Gotham, taking leave from the Outsiders to be here for the family that took him in after the Joker drove his parents insane. He hovers in the doorway to welcome mourners, direct them toward the book to sign-in, talks about Tim Drake with regular humans and other metas in disguise, accepts condolences with his throat tight and his eyes watery. He makes sure Dick has a bottle of water after the first hour, pats Damian’s shoulder, grips Bruce’s arm, weaves an arm around Cassandra’s back to give her a squeeze, obediently looks at the old pictures of Tim on Steph’s photo roll when she’s overcome and has to see that smile again.

In the back, Jason Todd wears dark shades and a clean black suit. Roy Harper is beside him, a hand on the broad back to keep him grounded, to keep the Pit rage at bay. If anyone knows how far Tim and Jason had come over the years, it’s the former Red Arrow. If anyone knows how much agony Jason is in at this moment, at another fallen brother, another Robin gone, if anyone had held the Red Hood while he screamed and cried and broke the utter fuck down, it’s Roy Harper.

Damian Wayne hovers right by Grayson’s side, silently supporting his first Batman, his first brother. Whenever Dick’s eyes start going hazy, glazing over, Damian gently grips a wrist to bring him back, allows fingers to lace through his own and tolerates the tight squeeze that obviously assists in grounding the oldest Robin. 

(Later when the night is crowding grief-stricken Wayne Manor, Damian will be the one to open Grayson’s bedroom door, lift the covers to crawl in behind him, to wind both arms tightly. He will be the one to take the onslaught of grief, to be soaked in tears and snot, to listen to the broken, hoarse voice, to make soothing hums that ultimately mean nothing.)

Alfred Pennyworth quietly talks with the funeral director about the arrangements. Of course Master Timothy would want to be laid to rest with his parents, and the family appreciates all the support and ease of process as the deceased was an important part of the Wayne family. 

When he gets a phone call, he firmly verifies the name on the tombstone is Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne Grayson.

**

Exactly four days after the service, the Flash is staring at him helplessly, gripping Nightwing’s arm tight, “please, please, Dick, don’t do this. You can’t think this is the answer!”

He can barely hear Wally with the absolute destruction going on around them, the machine they’d inadvertently stumbled upon (which is a lie, Nightwing had been looking for it and the Flash basically caught him red handed). 

“You know you aren’t going to be able to stop me.” Standing between the glowing portal and Wally, debris from overhead crashing down on them at intervals, Nightwing is at his peak stubborn, “no matter how fast you are.”

“You don’t understand what’s going to happen,” Wally yells desperately as the vacuum starts pulling at Nightwing’s other arm, pulling him into–

–the Speed Force.

“You don’t have the lightning, Dick, you won’t be able to get yourself out, and I won’t have any way of tracking you!”

The small smirk as the machine’s panel starts going haywire, lights blinking and readings off the charts, makes Wally’s heart clench hard in his chest, makes him try to dig in his heels, makes his stomach tremble.

“You have no idea how many times I’ve already done this, Wally. And I’ll do it as many times as it takes until I change everything.”

The pellet Nightwing palmed before the Flash grabbed his hand goes off the same time the machine hits the highest ratings and a low boom is followed up with an intense swirling suction, pulling the heroes closer to the portal’s surface.

The light grenade goes off without a hitch and the Flash has no choice but to let Nightwing go.

**

They’re laughing like assholes as they climb through Timmy’s penthouse windows. 

#dicktimweek2021 #dicktim #dick grayson #tim drake #sad times #time loop #winter writes #my ficlet

[leapingintodisaster]

Leap’s Guide to the Bats

Dick Grayson - flippy boi - circus child - his parents fell from the trapeze it was very sad - first Robin, chose bright colors and no pants - known for his attrocious puns - grew up to become Nightwing, went through several Bad Fashion Choices^TM - tired, just trying to keep the family together and help people - angrier than people give him credit for - 10/10 best big brother I love him so much

Barbara Gordon - the first official batgirl rn (I think) - commissioner's daughter we love her anyways - badass who dated Dick for a while and was generally just amazing - got shot in the spine by the Joker and paralyzed - became Oracle the best hacker on the planet - hacks all the stuff, is in everyone's ear all the time - is still a total badass and will kick your ass to metropolis if you cross her - and then play innocent and blame it on Batman - I love her so much

Jason Todd - tried to steal Bruce's tires, Bruce pulled an uno reverse and stole him - angery boy but also very soft - died =( - and then he came back to life - either because Superboy Prime punched the universe (don't ask) or because Ra's felt bad - was Lazarus Pitted back to life, zombie bat with white streak now - (except DC won't give him the streak 'cause they're rude) - started calling himself Red Hood - spent some time as angsty murder boi trying to fight Bruce - angry that the Joker's still alive - still an angsty murder boi but he's in the family again and sometimes has friends! but dc also likes taking them away - DC is very rude

Tim Drake - stalker extraordinaire/j - figured out Batman's identity when he was 10 - followed Batman and Robin around for years taking pictures - after Jason died Bruce got hella self-destructive so Tim stepped in and was like "I am going to become Robin because you need to stop" - we stan - hacker child. also has zero self-preservation - became Red Robin when Damian became Robin - if you listen to fanon, sleep deprived coffee boi - is honestly downright freaking terrifying when crossed don't do that - seriously this kid frightens me he's a genius who does shit like figure out who Batman is, follow him for years without detection, beats all the criminal masterminds, at one point he managed to create an entire fake uncle to lie to bruce?? long story. - basically he's terrifying and also he needs hugs I love him

Stephanie Brown - became a superhero out of spite - her dad's a villain so she dresses up as Spoiler to Spoil his plans - ends up joining the bats - becomes Robin at one point when Tim temporarily quits - then she dies. except she doesn't. yes I'm confused too - returns (leslie thompkins??) and goes back to Spoiler for a bit - Babs makes her Batgirl - waffle queen. an icon. I love Steph so damn much - she's just so good okay - she is a ball of sass and poor impulse control - but also really smart and amazing

Cassandra Cain - assassin child I love her - easily one of the most terrifying bats - really, really good at reading body language she knows what you're about to do before you do and will stop you - was raised to read body language instead of speak basically it's complicated - killed a man as a child under orders from her father, didn't realize what would happen and panicked and ran away after she did it - Bruce and Babs both kinda adopted her and mentored her and made her Batgirl - she became Black Bat and Orphan at some point but idk what's up with that love her though - has trouble with words - loves to dance - I would die for Cass Cain I adore her

Damian Wayne - another assassin child - this one's Bruce and Talia's bio kid - raised in the league of assassins until Talia brought him to Bruce - had to learn not to kill people and that killing is not how we rise in the ranks here - no you can't stab Tim and become Robin that's not how this works - bit of a brat at first, grows so much as a character - animal lover - Bruce dies and Dick becomes Batman for a while. he makes Damian his Robin - he also loves art and video games and he learns how to be a kid again - when the writers aren't COWARDS - I love Damian so much he needs so much love - grumpy exterior, cares very much but will stab you if you suggest it

Duke Thomas - glowy boi - tried to beat the Riddler and save the city at nine. I love - his parents were Jokerized when he was a teen and he ended up in the foster care system for a while - joined a group of kids called We are Robin and was amazing - I love We are Robin so much it's so good Duke is incredible - look at him go he's leading a group of vigilante kids it's excellent - becomes Bruce's foster son at some point - becomes a vigilante named Signal. only one of the bats with common sense he has a helmet - he can also turn invisible - Duke is the only meta he can see... see light in the past? he can see light patterns a few minutes into the past and into the future - so he can see what you did a few minutes ago and what you're going to do a few minutes from now - also he has x-ray vision - and shadow powers?? now??? - calls his ability to see light stuff ghost vision - I love - honestly best bat he's so good - gets fanonized as the "sane" one. he is not. - once jumped out of a moving police car and off a bridge - Duke is by no means the sane one he's just as chaotic as the others - what a dumbass. it's great - represents light and hope and truth and I just have so many emotions about Duke Thomas

#batfam #dick grayson #jason todd #tim drake #barbara gordon #stephanie brown #cassandra cain #damian wayne #duke thomas #dc #wrote this at 1:30 am have fun

[pricetagofficial]

Ghost -Part Eleven

Warnings: Language, angst

Masterlist

Word Count: 2.9K

Tag List: @kishony-the-geek​ @idkmanicantenglish​ @unknowntoanyone​ @subtleappreciation​ @catxsnow​ @spxder-mxns​ @river-bottom-nightmare​ @screennamealreadyused​ @woahjaybird​ @bikoncon​ 

A/N: Do I start to fix things? Maybe.

Ghost ran through the street as fast as she could, Cheshire was still in town and there was a high chance she was not alone. They were out for her head, it seemed the League was finally catching onto the hint that she was not going to join them so it was decided that she was too dangerous to live. It was a dick move to leave Jason and Tim on that roof, but if she didn't leave she would have confessed everything right then and there.

She planned to return to the cave, but there were things she needed to get first. The bag she carried everywhere was still in her safe house, and it held everything she kept with her on this hunt of hers and there were items she refused to lose because Bruce had her under house arrest.

Jumping down she swung through the open window and rolled into the bedroom and took a quick look around. It seemed that nothing was missing, or out of place. Slowly, Rory rose to her feet staying as silent as she could listening for a hint that someone was there. A hand rested on the hilt of her sword as she slowly made her way to the corner where her bag rested, Rory's dark eyes narrowing in the pitch blackness of her temporary home.

Something was not right, she could feel it but Rory had no time to investigate. She had to get back to the Batcave before she was found again and almost killed again. Her other hand held the straps to her bag as she flung it over her shoulder. It was silent, almost too silent as if the birds of the night knew someone was there that she was unaware of.

Taking one more look around, Rory quickly dove out the window and ran unaware of the flash of silver that shone across the room once she turned her back.

"Hey Signal, there a tracker on your bike?" she called into the night.

"Did you forget who I work with, Batman puts a tracker in everything. But you are right around the corner from it, I'm guessing you are on your way back?" Duke asked.

"Yeah, the other two are alive at least the last I saw them they were." she chuckled, jumping off the roof and rolling into a landing. "I'll be there in a few, Bats isn't back yet?"

"No, no one is back yet. See you when you get here Ghost."

"right back at you Signal." she chuckled jumping onto the bright yellow bike and taking off towards the cave.

As she drove, Ghost could not shake the feeling that she was being watched. It was an uneasy feeling and no matter how many twists and turns she made, there was a feeling of someone watching her from the shadows. Not wanting to push her luck further, Ghost made a straight shot for the cave.

Pulling into the familiar waterfall, Rory saw that she was the last one back. Taking off her mask, she shot Duke a look who only shrugged. He wasn't lying when he said that no one was back, but then she went silent, and somehow the others managed to beat her back.

Getting off the bike, Rory held her bag close to her chest and avoided the gaze of Bruce who stood there with his arms crossed.

"Where were you?" he asked.

"I kept Jason and Tim alive, you're welcome," she said, heading straight for the cell.

"Where did you go after that?" Tim asked.

"To get my bag?" she asked, turning to look at him. "I thought it was obvious, you know considering the fact that I came back with it?"

"What's in the bag?"

Rory groaned and dropped it in front of them. "Are you really that suspicious of me? Seriously? After I kept two of you alive, I thought you were paranoid but this is a whole new level." she snapped. "Go ahead, go through my bag just try not to get a little too excited when you get to my underwear."

None of them made a move to look in the bag, Rory staring at them with an unamused expression. If they were going to be this ridiculous, so was she. They should at least trust the fact that she would never bring something dangerous into the cave to hurt them. They may all hate her, but that did not mean she hated them or wanted any of them hurt.

After a few moments of tense silence, Rory bent over and grabbed her bag, and walked back to the cell. Shutting the door, she set it on the ground and sat on the cot, and crossed her arms. Duke looked mildly amused at the situation, he knew what Rory was doing because he saw the footage from her mask. What he wanted to know was what made them all refuse to trust her, sure she was an assassin but did that mean they had to hate her?

Aurora Queen was a mystery, he had never even heard of her until she showed up in the cave a few days ago but ever since the others had been on edge like they were waiting for her to do something. Duke knew from Damian that she and Tim had a past and from the look of it, it was a long one but no one was willing to elaborate for him to understand but maybe if he got Rory to trust him she would confide in him?

Rory leaned back against the wall and looked around, they all had lived without her. It killed her to see it, Tim talking with Cass and Steph, Dick with Barbara while Damian was bugging Jason. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, that they all stopped living while she was gone? Of course, they didn't, Gotham needed to be protected and no one else was going to do it if they were not around.

Her eyes went to her bag where at the bottom, rested the wooden box she had gotten from Tim that held her prized possessions. Tim didn't even know she had kept it, and if he did would he still think different of her? The sounds of their conversations drifted through the cave, and it was then Rory had never felt more alone.

She laid back on the cot and closed her eyes, hoping that they would get the hint she wanted to be left alone. One by one, they stopped talking and everyone exited the cave. Thinking that she was alone, Rory sat up and grabbed her bag sliding it over to her. The temptation to look in the box had gotten stronger, she needed something to look back on.

This last year of her life was not an easy one, each day was a struggle not to lose herself in the darkness Rory surrounded herself in. The more she killed, the more she felt herself slip away into the nothingness and become numb to it and it scared her. But being scared meant that she still had feelings, so she held onto that fear until it too slowly began to fade away and replaced it with nothing but pain.

Pain from the fact that she was alone, and she had done it to herself. But like always, Rory told herself it was for good reason. She had to do this, to keep Tim, Oliver, Roy, and Dinah safe. Rory knew that they could take care of themselves, Tim having dealt with the fact that Ra's wanted him as a successor more than Bruce or Damian. Dinah and Oliver had fought the League more times than they could count and could clearly take care of themselves, but Rory was their weakness. If she removed herself from the equations, the League wouldn't be tempted to use her against them.

"You seem pretty deep in thought there."

Rory jumped out of her skin and looked up and saw Barbara standing there with her arms crossed. She gulped and slowly set the box behind her back, hoping Barbara didn't see it. If she saw it, it was unknown because she had a neutral expression on her face.

"Just reflecting, I see you went through with that surgery," she replied.

"It seemed a risk worth taking, you know how much I missed being out there. Being Oracle, I got to keep everyone safe from a distance. But now, I can make sure they stay safe." she explained.

Rory nodded, it made sense. Multiple times, Barbara had told her how much she missed being Batgirl after it was taken away from her by the Joker. It was still unknown what he did to her after he shot her, but Rory knew that it was not good or something she was willing to talk about.

"You know, they may act like they hate you but deep down everyone missed you."

Huffing a laugh, Rory looked up at Barbara. "They sure have a funny way of showing it, I almost thought they would rather me dead."

"You know for a fact they do not want you dead, why else would Dick save you all those weeks ago?" she asked.

"Guilty conscience, I knew that between him and Jason Dick would not let me bleed out. It's what makes him, him."

Barbara chuckled and shook her head. "You might have a point there, Dick can't help but save people. It's who he has always been" she raised her head to look at Rory. "You were the same way yourself, maybe it's why the two of you got along so well."

Rory closed her eyes, "I'm not that person anymore, the Rory you knew is dead. All that's left is her shell animated by a ghost of the girl you want me to be."

"But you could be, no one is truly lost forever, Rory. We all have lost ourselves at one point, but we came back. We didn't let our failures stop us, it made each of us stronger. It's how you learn to be a better version of yourself, by struggling and not giving up no matter what."

Letting out a sigh, Rory finally lifted her head to look at her. "Babs, there is no going back for me. Not after what I did to Tim..." she muttered.

Barbara opened the cell door and sat with Rory on the cot and slowly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Rory, what aren't you telling us?" she asked softly.

She kept her head turned away, but Rory did not brush her hand off. Could she tell Barbara what she was going and why? Rory refused to tell anyone what she was doing because she wanted to keep them safe, but it was getting harder and harder. There was a pit at the bottom of her stomach that grew and grew each time she told a lie, and it never went away. How could she tell Barbara that she crushed Tim's heart to keep him safe?

Rory didn't know she was crying until the tears landed on her hands that were clasped on her lap, she took a deep breath to try and hide it but Barbara saw right through it. She didn't hesitate a second before she pulled Rory close and held her tightly to her chest as she cried.

"I'm so tired of all of this..." she sobbed, gripping her arms. "All I wanted was to keep everyone I loved from getting hurt, only to turn around and do it myself. As shitty as this city is, I miss it."

Barbara held her close and listened as she cried, rubbing her back. "You miss more than the city don't you?"

Rory kept her mouth shut as tears fell from her eyes, the thing she missed most lived in this city and was upstairs probably cursing her name at this very moment because she made his worst fear real. The love she felt for Tim was stronger than anything she had ever felt, and it killed her to say that she never loved him.

Because of her, Tim was probably never going to trust a single person when they say they love him now. She had cut him deep with her words alone, and disappearing was the icing on the cake. She broke the promise, that wherever she went he would go too and where he went she would follow. Partners, through thick and thin.

But they weren't partners anymore, they weren't even friends. Rory and Tim were strangers, passing in the night without a single word to the other. There was a high chance that they would never be the same, how could he even look at her after what she said.

"I saw the box Rory, you don't have to hide it from me. I know you miss him, how could you not?"

"He hates me, Babs... I said horrible things to him, he has every right to hate me." she whimpered, the words finally falling from her lips. "I said that I never loved him, that he was just someone to fuck while I was in town." The tears were in full force again, as she recounted the words she said that night to Tim with vivid detail.

"Everyone hates me because I hurt him so bad, and I don't know how to even forgive myself."

Barbara rubbed circles in her back as she listened, "Maybe it isn't yourself that you need forgiveness from, you need it from someone else first."

"He can't know, no one can," Rory mumbled, the words barely heard.

"How can we help you if you can't tell us the truth, Rory? This mission of yours is only going to get you hurt, or worse killed. We already lost you once, don't make us lose you a second time."

Rory sat up and rubbed her eyes, looking at Babs. "I need to go back out tomorrow night, depending on how things with Samantha goes I will tell everyone why I left."

Barbara gave her a soft smile before she nodded. "Alright, how about you get some sleep alright? Do you want to come up to the manor and sleep in a real bed and not this cot? Your room is still the same, no one has touched it."

Shaking her head, Rory declined. "I doubt they trust me enough to let me upstairs. I don't want to step on more toes than I already have."

Getting to her feet, Barbara looked at Rory. "Alright, but please try and sleep okay?" she called and walked out of the cell and waved before she walked up the stairs to the manor.

Now that she was alone in the cave, Rory changed quickly into sleep attire and curled up on the cot. Crying had taken a lot of her energy and she was exhausted, it wasn't long before she passed out and let sleep overtake her.

The next day had come and gone quickly, Rory had spent a lot of her time training with a punching bag. It was clear that she had a lot of pent up feelings and did not want to be caught up in it, afraid she would break them in half.

When the time came for patrol again, Rory gave her word that she would not kill Samantha just observe. Things were not sitting right with her about the whole situation and Rory wanted to know why. She was paired up with Dick for the night, seeing as he was the one least likely to kick her off a building.

Rory was currently off to the side and adjusting her gauntlets when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Tim behind her. This time, he didn't look angry at her but there was a hidden emotion in his blue eyes. Rory had to keep herself from getting lost in them like she always did and cleared her throat, queuing him to speak.

He rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh and looked at the ground. "I never got to thank you for your assistance last night, I wasn't exactly the nicest person in the world and you didn't have to come after us."

It took everything in her to not brush the loose hair from his face like she used to out of habit. "Is this the start of an apology Timothy?" she teased lightly.

Tim let out a huff. "A little bit of that, along with a thank you."

Rory felt a smile grow on her face. "I guess I should say the same, I wasn't very nice either. if you hadn't have stopped Cheshire, I would not be here. So thank you, Tim."

The two of them stood there awkwardly, not meeting the gaze of the other. They weren't friends, but this was a step in the right direction.

#Costly Affairs #Tim Drake #Timothy Drake #tim drake fanfic #tim drake fanfiction #tim drake fic #tim drake x oc #Red Robin #red robin fanfic #red robin fanfiction #red robin fic #red robin x oc #DC comics #The Archer #The Aurora Queen Saga #Aurora Queen

[douvle-eh]

these are the days it never rains (but it pours)

these are the days it never rains (but it pours)

Summary: Jason stays at the manor after an injury and learns a few things about Dick and maybe offer some comfort. Just Jason trying to be a good brother. Gen.

An: I love a good dad Bruce as much as the next guy but sometimes I also like to indulge in bad dad Bruce so….here you go. If you don’t like abusive Bruce (mentioned only) please don’t read this. Also don’t expect this to make any sense. My writing process works like this - I have random dialogue that pop in my head and at times it’s hard to make sense of what I’m trying to get thru but I just build the sentences around those dialogues.

 -----

It’s raining.

Jason watches as the rain blurs the view from the huge window. A flash of lightning races by, thunder comes a few seconds later indicating that the storm is passing, though knowing Gotham the rain would be staying with them for another week before it clears up to its usual smog.

He lets out a sigh. It’s bad enough that he got hurt in a routine patrol; it was worst that the bat brats had run into him during his struggle to crawl to his safe house and had gone ahead and snitched to Nightwing. The blue bird had forced him to go back to the cave and together with Alfred, they were able to convince him to stay the night or until he healed (though they all knew he would sneak away before then).

Honestly, he would have chosen bleeding out in an alley way to this.

He turns back to the room. They’re in one of the smaller living rooms (Jason still rolls his eyes at the luxury of the manor, who needs multiple living rooms? He never did get use to it) the room is a warm neutral color and consists of two large couches, a love seat and two armchairs (one of which he’s currently sitting on) all positioned to face the large fireplace.

It amazes Jason that everyone is here, and when he says everyone, he means even Duke is here and Jason feels more like an outsider than ever.

He’s tried his hardest to stay away, making sure that he never accidentally run into them but surprise surprise here he is, talk about the worst family reunion. And though the tension between them isn’t as bad as it was before, it’s still awkward.

Duke and Cass give him curious glances, Steph smiles at him when he catches her eye but he hasn’t spoken to them in who knows how long. Tim glances at him warily as if waiting for him to start something, and Damian glares his way whenever they meet eyes. Don’t even get him started on Bruce. The man hasn’t even given him a passing glance. The only one who’s at least trying to pull him in a conversation is Dick and he doesn’t care for the look Dick is giving him, like a puppy who’s head butting you to get your attention because he knows you’re sad.

God, this was hell, sure he’s no longer activity trying to kill them, but they’re far from being a happy family. No matter how hard Dickie’s trying to keep the family together, it’s just too much hard feelings and not enough effort on all their parts.

Besides, the manor brings too many memories with it. Everything pretty much looks the same as it did when he was younger save for a few new pictures and knick knacks. The furniture is the same, the set up of the room, even the weather is the same.

He still remembers the time he spent curled up on the couch reading a book during rainy days as the fireplace warmed him from the Gotham freeze. Bruce would be by him reading his own book and kid him used to hope that this could go on forever, that maybe after all that life had given him that he finally found a place to belong. He remembers looking up at Bruce and getting a smile back, he remembers…he remembers… fire… pain… betrayal-

Suddenly, he feels like he’s floating, like his whole being is just his eyes, like he’s just watching everything happening as his body becomes numb. There is a crushing emptiness in his chest and he has the feeling of being closed in, the room is too crowded, too hot and the voices start to mesh together.

He needs to get out.

Jason takes in a sharp breath silencing the conversation between some of them and is ready to stand up (screw his broken leg). He pushes himself out of the chair and sees Dick standing up ready to help. He shakes his head at his older brother and starts to limp out but stops when he hears a clipped voice from someone entering the room.

“I do hope Master Jason that you’re not thinking about leaving.” Jason turns to the butler (grandfather & caregiver) before he pastes on a smile trying to ignore his siblings’ questioning gaze.

“Of course not Alfie, just gonna walk around a bit, I mean what do you take me for?”

“The fact that you’re not even supposed to be on that leg, much less be walking around; I would say an idiot sir.” Jason grimaces as the younger kids titter at that, he really should have just stayed in that alley and drowned in the rain.

He sits back down and carefully lifts his leg back up.

Dick pulls out a table which Alfred lays the tray of drinks on. He looks at him with a silent question of ‘Are you ok?’ and Jason just nods curtly at him; he really didn’t need the golden boy fussing over him acting like the perfect caring older brother. He knows that’s all bull anyways, just guilt and regret working behind those feelings.

He turns back to the eyes staring at him and narrows his own ready to let them know where they can shove it, but before he gets the chance, Dick interrupts. The eldest turns back to his younger siblings and smiles as he heads next to Damian on the couch. The younger ones gazes automatically follow Dick to where he sits. Jason snorts, Dick Grayson - Ever the center of attention.

“Did I ever tell you guys about the time Bruce and I convinced the whole league that I was a ghost?” Dick starts and Jason sees the family perk at this. Steph stands up and walks closer to Dick, a gleeful smile on her face.

“Oooo, tell me more.”

Dick leans back and throws a hand around Damian’s shoulder, collecting his thoughts before he continues.

“Well, when I was eight it was my first time at the Watchtower and I wasn’t really known as Robin yet, but I was able to talk Bruce –“

“Beg.” Bruce interrupts while Dick rolls his eyes.

“Begged Bruce to let me visit,” he amended before continuing “Anyway, so I went with Bruce to the Watchtower, I guess you can imagine how a lot of the heroes viewed Batman at that time. He was the dark knight all grime, vengeance and ‘I work alone’ hero and suddenly he shows up with a kid dressed up like a traffic light with scaly underwear…” Jason lets his brothers’ story become his anchor as the feeling in his chest lightens and the memories slowly unravel until they disappear for the night. He watches as Dick talks animatedly, he has the attention of everyone in the room as he makes them laugh about his shenanigans and pokes fun at Bruce when the man tries to add to the story or correct what he thought was a mistake.

Jason knows it’s immature of him but as he watches Dick he feels a sting of jealously for the easy way that Dick Grayson could make Bruce relax while he tells stories that to them sound like fairy tales. He’s sure that all of his siblings felt the same jealousy.

Dick Grayson was a charmer, charismatic in a way that’s different from Bruce, more genuine. Maybe it’s his background as a circus performer or maybe it’s because out of all of their siblings he was the only one really grew up with loving parents. But Dick Grayson could soften rock and mold it like clay.

Dick continues with another story from his childhood with Bruce. A Bruce none of them really know. The one who read bedtime stories with funny voices, who readily gave hugs and kisses and sweet nicknames and one who showed that he loved and cared. Of course Jason can’t fault him for it though, Dick was Bruce’s first kid, and Dick had just turned eight at that time, meaning Bruce had him when he was younger than all of them, when he hadn’t lost so many people yet and still had enough light and hope and control over his life.

Dick knew Bruce at a different time, he knew a Bruce that none of them ever had the chance of meeting and for that he was sure all of them listen to his stories with a sense of awe and jealousy.

Jason knows that Dick regrets it, had spoken to him enough to realize that the other man blamed himself for it. He had once confined to him before (under the influence) saying that he felt that his failings made Bruce the way he is, that he messed it up for his younger siblings, that maybe if he had been a better robin, son or partner that there would have been more of Bruce left for them.

Jason wished for that too, but it’s not like him to wonder too long about that. He can’t torture himself about what he should have gotten from Bruce as his son; he let his life be ruled by that long enough.

Dick turns to him and smiles, his eyes bright as he basks in his siblings’ laughter and their questions.

Yeah Dick was just the lucky one, the favorite, the golden child - it was nothing against them.

 ----

 Jason wakes up in his old room and he’s surprised that he fell asleep in the first place. He stares into the darkness before he starts to get restless, he sits up quickly hoping to escape the memories creeping at the edge of is vision. Carefully he brings his legs down and pushes himself to stand wobbling only for a second before he’s limping out of the door. Jason knows that Alfred wouldn’t be too happy with him walking around his leg, but he can’t stand to be in his room right now.

He thinks maybe he should head for the kitchen to get a drink and see if they have any sleeping pills he could take. He hates those things but it’s better than roaming around the manor like a sad ghost. God wouldn’t that just complete his night.

He’s in the hallway but stops when he hears voices from the study. The door is cracked open and the voices are soft enough that he can’t really understand the words. Quietly he peeks in and realizes that the owners of the voices aren’t exactly in the room. Even with a broken leg Jason is able to skillfully lighten his footsteps and quietly push the door open. The study is empty but he can hear the voices a little bit clearer now.

When he steps in, he realizes that the grandfather clock that hides the cave is open and as he gets closer he can finally hear the voices. It’s Dick and Bruce, he sticks close to the wall as he tries to make sense of their argument.

Really he’s not surprised, Dick and Bruce had always had arguments, seems like they never really grew out of it. He should probably leave, it’s not like he never heard it all before, it usually had Dick trying to talk some sense to Bruce and Bruce arguing that he was wrong. He tries to turn when he suddenly hears his name.

“You need to get over yourself Bruce, Jason is up there and you can’t even say a single word to him. He’s taken the steps, he’s slowly opening up to us, but you have to do your part. You’re his father.”

“He doesn’t want to talk to me.” Bruce answers gruffly and Jason realizes that Bruce’s voice sound almost … distant. This wasn’t Bruce Wayne talking, this was Batman.

“How do you know? You’ve never spoken to him.”

“I’ve tried” Jason wants to snort at this; really he couldn’t have guessed with the way that Bruce has been acting all night, “it doesn’t end well.”

“Well, were you listening? And I mean really listening, not telling him what or how to feel or pushing your morals on to him.”

“He needs to understa-“

“He does, he’s trying!” Dick interrupts, his voice rising and Jason can just imagine him running a hand thru his hair in exasperation. “He hasn’t killed anyone in a while; he’s been using rubber bullets, he’s been curbing his anger even I can see it and I…I don’t know what you want from him Bruce.”

“He knows what I want.”

“No Bruce, he doesn’t and right now I don’t think even you know what you want. You’re just afraid.” There’s a silence between them and Jason slowly moves his leg to ease the weight, he thinks maybe they were done before Dick whispers out “You haven’t changed one bit from when I first met you.” Jason sucks in a breath as he hears the weight of disappointment and he’s confused. What did Dick mean that Bruce hasn’t changed?

Bruce is confused too and asks “What?”

“You’re still that same person from when I was eight. When I just lost my parents and you took me in. Don’t get me wrong you were great, you helped me and loved me and you were what I needed. You gave me a reason to go on but there were times when I felt like I was the one taking care of you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I tried my best.”

“I know you did but I quickly realized that I had to deal with your emotions that you never dealt with when your own parents died and…and maybe the reason why we got along so well when I was a kid was because to me it felt like we were just two kids in a big house who understood each other because of our shared tragedies. But the moment I started to move on and leave my hurts behind I realized that you never would.” Dick voice sounds exhausted as he continues, “I was growing up but I still felt like I had to be there to support you. I had to become the adult for you, and I’m still doing that Bruce. Anytime there’s a situation where you can’t handle emotionally you start pushing people away. You’re so afraid of losing them and I have to come here every time to fix your relationship for you and to tell you how to deal with it. I’m just so tired - mentally, emotionally I was spreading myself so thin just so you could feel better about yourself.”

“I never asked.”

“Oh of course not...you would never ask for help, you’re so afraid of loving those kids Bruce but they already love you. God they would do anything for you and so would I, but I’m not going to let you take advantage of them and raise them the way you raised me. It’s too late for me because I can’t refuse you anymore, but I can fight for them. I know what it’s like to be at the end of your disappointment Bruce, you’ve brainwashed me into a pathetic robot that needs your love and approval.”

“That’s not true.”

“Yes, it is, you don’t know how much I’ve given up or done just to get your approval Bruce. My job, my friends, my own team,” At this Dick’s voice gets a little desperate  as Jason leans more heavily on the wall next to the clock, “What more do you want, what more does Jason have to give up, he already gave you his life!”

“Get out.” The voice growls out and Jason steadies himself ready to leave just in case Dick come ups.

“No, this is what I mean Bruce, the minute I try to make you face your own emotions and-“

“I said get out!”

“-start acting like a father for once-“

“Leave!”

“No!”

“Get out before-“

“Before what?! You hit me again?!” Jason feels himself freeze at that, no, that’s…that not what Dick meant, sure Batman had beaten Jason before, but that was before he knew who he was and was pit-crazy. Jason is sure Dick didn’t mean that Bruce would hit one of his kids for no reason, he’s not like Willis. Bruce was always supposed to be safe. But Dick continues “…because you can’t control me or because you don’t want to hear what I have to say? Go ahead, blame me for everything! Hit me! You know I’m pathetic enough to come crawling back asking for forgiveness so just do it!”

Jason waits, his heartbeat pulsing in his ears as he prepares to intervene, he waits for a slap, a punch, anything. He knows that if Bruce did lay a hand on Dick that he would run down the cave and throw his own fists in even if he has to crawl down.

“That…was a mistake.” Bruce finally answers and he hears a short laugh, bitter filled and mocking.

“Of course it was, the first time.” Then in a tired voice he adds, “and I’ve forgiven you for all of them Bruce.”

Suddenly Jason feels so betrayed, not just by Bruce but by Dick too. Dick always tried to get them to talk, to open up, and to make sure that they didn’t end up keeping things inside so it didn’t eat them up or destroy them. He made sure that Bruce was treating them ok and told them to come to him should they feel the need too. Yet he hid in the dark his own troubles, and Dick for years had preached to them to heal and in shame he had wiped up his tears with a smile and hid ugly bruises and bloody lips in the dark shadows of their broken family.

Again he thought about what he had been jealous of Dick about. Yes, Dick knew a Bruce they didn’t, a Bruce who had less control of his anger, whose parents’ death still felt fresh especially after taking in Dick, and whose life for years had revolved around the mask and nothing else. Bruce had to learn to open up again and his mistakes left their mark on his oldest child.

The silence stretches and Jason wonders now if they’re done. He wonders who will leave first, Dick or Bruce? The answer doesn’t surprise him when Dick starts once again.

“Bruce…” the voice beseeches softly and Jason knows even after all that Dick is the one reaching out for forgiveness. Jason doesn’t think he can handle this anymore, he flees. Quickly he wobbles out of the study, he goes back to the hall way and finds his way to his room, the conversation still tearing thru his mind.

God he hates himself. He knows that Dick and Bruce never had a perfect relationship; he was there front and center for most of their fights when he was a kid. And just like how Dick knew a different Bruce Jason knew a different Dick, he wasn’t always the perfect brother; he remembers when he was an angry teen, one who had felt betrayed after his mantle had been taken from him. He remembers the glare that Dick had given him looking like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. And he remembers the Dick Grayson who didn’t want nor care for that title of older brother.

He gets to his room and steadies himself on the nightstand as he sits on the bed. He grabs at his head pulling the strands of his hair, damn it damn it damn it.

He shouldn’t have listened in, he was perfectly content to imagine that Dick and Bruce had a great relationship and that everything had worked out after he died, because if not…what does that mean for him and the rest of his siblings? That if the golden child of the family couldn’t get approval from Bruce, was all their efforts and sacrifices all for nothing? Was his death all for nothing?

“Jay?” Jason turns to the door where Dick is peering at him, the light from the hallway shadowing his face.

“Knock.” He grits out and the older man tilts his head and even though Jason can’t see his face he knows that he probably has that damned look of his again.

“I did. Can I come in?”

“’sa free country.” Dick takes a moment before he walks in and sits on the bed by him.

“Nightmares?” Dick asks and Jason wishes it was. Nightmares he could deal with.

“Yeah sure.” There’s an awkward silence between them, Jason doesn’t know if Dick knew he had heard his argument with Bruce, so he asks. “What are you doing up?”

“Just…checking on everyone, Tim has a bad habit of staying up way past when he should and Steph and Cass sometimes gets the idea of baking in the middle of the night with Babs on the phone.”

Jason turns to look at the man and tries to imagine the bruises on his face. Imagines his excuses and his smiles and his avoidance of any questions about them with practiced ease, and they as non metas are used to making excuses for unexplained bruises.

Jason wonders how Dick could handle it, being in the presence of his abuser. How can he smile and joke and trust the person who’s beaten him down and made him feel less…but in a way he can understand. Bruce wasn’t someone you could easily leave and forget. Bruce could bring people together, push them to do their best and light up their passion to fight for something. He left you feeling like you could own the world, but the minute you turn to him for approval he stares back at you like you haven’t done enough so you push on, dragging your broken body and splintered mind begging for another chance.

Dick wasn’t wrong, Bruce had a way to make you feel pathetic. Hell, he was only with Bruce for a few years and he’s still chasing after the guys love and approval, he couldn’t imagine being under him for almost two decades and living thru all his drama and trying to make sense of his messed up emotions. Let alone managing it and trying to piece out the puzzle of his psyche so it could be presented as normal for others so no one else had to deal with it.

“Jay?” Jason looks into concerned eyes and realizes that he hasn’t said anything, “did you…want to talk about it? It may help.” Jason holds himself back from laughing mockingly at this, Dick was the biggest hypocrite. Yeah, talk about it; it’ll help Jason and all the while Dick tightened the reins on his own problems.

He thinks about taking the things he’s heard from the cave and just throwing it back on Dicks face, start yelling at him for his idiocy until he’s hoarse and shake his shoulders to get him to spill everything.

He wants to punch him in the face (and sees the irony of that) and tell him everything wrong with what he’s doing and if it had been him a few months ago he would have. Just let him have it and damned the consequences.

He knows that people see him as nothing more than a muscled wall of anger who doesn’t think and who lets his fists and guns do all the talking but Jason wasn’t just a bomb waiting to happen (barring the first few years after his resurrection). Many seem to forget that he was reasonable too. He was level headed enough and could fix a problem without his guns. Otherwise he would never make it as a respected crime lord or a vigilante that could hold candle to Batman himself.

So he tries a different tactic, maybe bring up his past and lay down a picture for Dick to compare to, or at least see how deep this rabbit hole went.

“I never really knew my dad.” He starts, trying to sound nostalgic, “He was in and out of prison most of the time.” Dick scoots closer and Jason sees him getting ready to comfort, his eyes are open and sad and Jason wonders how many times Dick has lent a shoulder to someone that his actions right now is automatic, that in just a few seconds his face and his eyes soften to look caring and empathetic.

“But when he was around … well it wasn’t bad, I mean it wasn’t like some other kids in our neighborhood. Just a smack here and there for talking back or not doing what he asked. He broke my wrist once, but …” He glances at Dick and he sees him nod understandingly urging him to go on.

“I deserved it.”

“No Jay,” Dick shakes his head, anger in his eyes and Jason can see how strongly Dick feels about it, “no one deserves that. That’s abuse, he had no right to hit you.”

Jason nods slowly; at least he knows Dick knows abuse for what it is.

“Yeah? Did your dad ever hit you?”

“Never.” Dick answers with conviction so Jason chooses now to strike.

“Did Bruce?” At this Dick stiffens and realization dawns in his eyes, he knows that Jason had heard. Jason watches as suddenly Dick puts up a guard, something unnamed flashes in his eyes and suddenly he pulls back.

“That…that’s different.”

Jason is quick to answer now, “Yeah, you’re right. I mean it doesn’t matter if he’s smacked me a few times then right? Or Tim or Damian?” Dick’s face suddenly looses all color before his jaws tighten and his hands ball into fists.

“That’s not fair.”

Jason laughs bitterly.  “What’s not fair? That I’m calling you out for playing the martyr again?”

“I’m not-“

“Oh fess up, you don’t get to act like a self righteous prick and talk about how Bruce can’t face his problems when you’re doing the same thing.” They’re quiet again and Jason wonders if anyone else can hear them. He can see Dick’s hands shaking and he feels enough pity to give him a way out. “Fine, tell me this, the times that Bruce hit you, was it when you were in costume? Cuz, hey, I can understand that, it comes with the territory, but Bruce has no right to hit you outside of it.”

The silence is all that Jason needs to hear for an answer and he feels his blood boiling. He wants to ask, ask what led to Bruce hitting him outside of their costume, ask what he said and what he did that made him think he warranted Bruce’s fists, but as he stares at Dick he knows he won’t get an answer. Dick Grayson would rather die with his secrets than ruin any semblance of peace he has found between them. And Jason thinks maybe Dick is trying to do him a favor by not telling him.

“He didn’t mean it.” Dick whispers and they both know how that sounds.

‘They didn’t mean it’

‘They were just angry’

‘It’s my fault’

‘They promised it won’t happen again.’

It’s the loud slam of his fist on the nightstand that makes them both jump. Jason didn’t even realize how deeply he’s breathing, but he can’t help it, if he hears another excuse from Dick he’s gonna stand up and start screaming and wake the whole house. He’ll throw everything down and tear it all raw and all the anger and darkness in their family would be splayed on the floor. But he knows if he does that Dick would never be the same, no matter what anyone says Dick has been the main reason that their family is surviving, he’s filled the holes, hid the secrets, soothe the hurts. He’s given his blood, sweat and tears into making it somewhat functional. It wasn’t perfect, he failed many times (and Jason can’t help but be bitter about the fact that he’s one of those failings) but he also did a lot of things right. He never gave up on any of them and to tear it all down now would break him, because Dick was the heart of this family and the family was his heart.

And for all of Bruce’s flaws and secrets Jason knows he cares for them, either because they were useful to him or because they fit in his agenda of saving Gotham in a never ending mission. He can’t help but feel disgusted by the fact that he cares about Bruce too, that even with every secret that’s being ripped open showing Jason how messed up he is, Jason still cares.

But…he can’t let Dick keep doing this to himself, keeping those secrets. Hiding the emotional, mental and physical bruises. Someday Dick will break under that and the family will follow right after. He knows it isn’t much, (too little, too late) but he may keep the family from falling apart just a little longer.

“Promise me,” he looks Dick right in the eyes because he wants him to know that this isn’t arguable, “if Bruce lays a hand on you again that you come to me.” Jason finalizes what he has to say to make sure that Dick understands, “And if you don’t and I find out, I’m done. I’m out of this family.”

Dick tries to read his eyes while surprise, confusion and hesitance shine back in his own. The array of emotions doesn’t surprise Jason, he’s been slow to fixing his relationship with the eldest. And he’s been guilty of leaving everything to Dick when things go south, ignoring his pleas and outstretched hands when he needed help so much so that Dick learned to do things on his own while barely keeping himself a float. He figured out how to come up every once in a while to breathe before being pulled down again.

So Jason tries.  

“I know that…that I may not be the first person for you to talk to and it might not mean a lot now since I haven’t been around but…“he tries to find the words, settles on the truth and aims to hit Dick where it matters, his sense of duty to their family “we’re the older brothers right? We protect the family. Together. It’s my burden to share.”

He can see Dick’s eyes shine before a fight starts in them, sees as Dick looks at every angle of his offer. Jason can slowly start to see the acceptance in his eyes but he also knows that Dick will always carry the heavier load on his own back.

“I’m not asking you to tell me all of your secrets Dick. Just like I will never tell you all of mine, I just want to be there when you deal with Bruce’s bull headedness and misplaced anger. That’s all I ask.”

Jason doesn’t know how long he waits, but he counts it as a win when Dick doesn’t automatically leave or smile it off.

Lighting flashes and the thunder echoes before Dick scoots closer to him. Before long he feels a weight on his shoulder as Dick finally lets himself relax even if it’s just for a little while.

It’s this that Jason realizes for the first time (at three in the morning on a rainy night in his old room surrounded by everything he left behind) that he finally feels like he’s part of the family. That along with his older brother they would keep the secrets together so that their growing family could someday find peace.

He lays his cheek on his brothers head and feels something expanding in his chest trying to lodge the ball in his throat out. No, this isn’t the time, Dick needs him to be the strong one right now.

So he pushes the feeling down and listens as the rain outside continues to pour.

END

Why can't we give love that one more chance?

'Cause love's such an old fashioned word And love dares you to care for The people on the edge of the night

And love dares you to change our way of Caring about ourselves

 This is ourselves under pressure…

 -       Under pressure by Queen/David Bowie

#Batman #Red Hood #Nightwing #Dick Grayson #batfam #batbros #Good Brother Jason Todd #Good Brother Dick Grayson #Jason Todd #fic #hurt/comfort #I love them #Hard working bro Dick Grayson #Tired Dick Grayson #He just wants his family to be happy #Wrote this after reading so much Dick Grayson fics being a good bro #But Jason is a good bro too #Mentioned abuse #Bad Dad Bruce #Bad Dad Batman #But his boys love him anyway

[smells-like-ink-and-fire]

Innocence died screaming, honey I should know

Here’s the thing: For all his talk of Gotham being a life-sucking, happiness draining shithole, leaving it had never been truly an option on Jason’s mind. It was his shithole of a city goddammit, the grim dirt streets he would die on. It was his home, the blood on his veins. This city had its claws deep into him, and leaving, especially leaving never to return, had been simply impossible, did not compute to him.

Especially now, that Jason was getting along better with the Bats these days. He still didn’t, and never would agree with Bruce regarding his no-killing rule. But things were better, or at least he thought they were. His presence was expected and even accepted. There were some awkwardness and silent nobody knew how to fill, but there were also jokes and eating junk food together after patrol. Sure, there were a lot of snippy comments but he made those too, gave as good as he got, and Bruce still didn’t quite trust him, not to the extent he did with the other, though that was just a given, he had made peace with it, he still killed, after all, a little suspicion was an acceptable price to pay for it.

Self-righteous, holier than thou bat.

Still, there was an uneasiness on his chest whenever the pointed looks got too much when they would start questioning his actions and his plans like he hadn’t been trained by the world's greatest detective like the rest of them and League of Shadows on top of that. Forgetting that Jason had effectively taken control of the East End in less than two months, and without any of them noticing.

The good parts didn’t lessen the rage-hurt out when Barbara sneered at him, acting like he couldn’t be trusted in the field, like the fact he had issues, that he cared about the victims because he had been one made him incapable of being rational, turned him into something that was eternally compromised. Like he was a mindless raging monster, who would shoot to kill at mere provocation.

He had been, once, fresh out of those green waters, traumatized, angry, afraid, and replaced. He had been a child, too, didn’t that count for something?

Their veiled accusations of insanity, that he had a problem, that needed to be handled like he was a fucking dog, the angry gremlin claims that he was unhinged and the only reason that they kept him around was to keep an eye on him, it all made Jason feel queasy, made him feel less than human.

It made him wonder how truly welcome he was. Was he welcome or they were just trying to appease their guilt and keep a loose cannon from the streets?

But there were undoubtedly good things too. Moments that made it worth it. His relationship with Steph and Duke, and surprisingly, Replacement was getting better, even though the first two were not around as much as he would like. The nights they had spent chewing off some of the undoubtedly brilliant but assholes teachers while demolishing mountains of homework had been fun, and Replacement-Tim was quite a sass master, now only if he could convince the kid to take a step back from WE so that he wouldn’t have a heart attack before he could drink legally.

Replacement, however, was why he was here. Here being diner on the border of the Bowery and Robinsonville, The Raging Duck, a new place that Golden Boy wanted to try, make a family bonding experience out of it, Jason was sure. Replacement had twisted his way around with words in a shape that made it impossible for him not to come. His saving grace was that Jason had already made clear that he couldn’t stay long, under the pretext of having to verify that month payments collection from the Bowery.

Which was goddammed good thing because this whole outing had been a mistake. The last couple weeks had been rough, with the stress of studying and writing applications for his master degree, the couple of murders that almost led to a gang war between the Falcone and the Russians,  plus a decoy staged by the Riddler, as his newest scape plan, that had taken too long to crack leading to an accident that had killed three people and would have killed a lot more if Jason hadn’t said fuck and put bullet holes on some goons heads. This in turn led to an inevitable argument because of Batman's continuous incapacity to see the necessity of his actions while on some level recognizing that was the only poss0ible decision meant that tension had been higher than usual.

Therefore, putting everybody in a room together was definitely not the best idea, Dickie! The last ten minutes certainly proved so, what had started as an easy-going conversation about their early on mishaps of the field, which included a hefty number of stories where the main theme was “And then I said Fuck Batman – With varying degrees of success” that had started as a split-second change of subject in order to avoid a fight breaking out, had turned into passive-aggressive attacking Jason. The worst part was that Jason wasn’t even sure they were doing on purpose.

Did the even realize he was sitting right next to them? Or was he just a ghost?

“… and then the fantastic Robin fell three stores down only to be needed to be saved by the incredible Spoiler! So, listen to me kids, if you’re going to say fuck Batman you should at least be sure there is something to break your fall before you jump.”  - Steph finished the story with a flourish, going back to her waffles.

“That was a level of stupidity that I wasn’t aware that you were capable of Replacement. Really, I thought you were supposed to be the smart one.

“Please, as if you weren’t the first one to ignore an order just to fuck with B, Jason. There’s a list. The Incident with the Falcone. Killer Crock latest scape. The entire shit show that was last week. – Tim shot back, mulish, poking at his fries

And every single of those missions was a raging success.

“Which is the one involving Babs, back when she was still BG, you know the one she always mentions, because I don’t know what you did dude but she’s still pissed at you for it.”

“Oh, I know! Bruce forced them to work together on that one, it was a drug-smuggling operation that involved kids. Jason jumped in instead of waiting for her signal. Needless to say, it did not end up well. Babs was so very pissed.”

Yeah for the assholes that thought using kids as drug mules was a good idea. BG was just made the street rat had a better plan than her

“Is that why warehouse 25F is a gory, burned-out mess?”

“Nah, that came later, during that corruption case that nearly put the Comish in the hospital. Or maybe it was the one involving that Nazi Arts dealer?”

“Is there a difference? They always end up in unnecessary explosions. Todd’s need for dramatics and overuse of force are well documented”

Because you can talk about overuse of force, demon spawn.                    

“Robin. Less explosions. Trying to help. Hurt.”

“Yeah, he was trying to help Cass, nobody is denying that the thing is Jason desire to be a little shit and prove Batman wrong is way stronger than his drive to help people, and even though there were far less explosions back then, both he and innocent people have gotten hurt.”

How you’d know? You weren’t around back then Dickface.

“So, we can agree that it’s basically a Pavlovian response for him at this point. Your stubbornness and desire to say Fuck Batman no matter the consequences have been able to surpass death Jason, and if that it’s not a feat, I don’t know what is. Congratulations, really!” – Steph summarized.

He had been holding up fine until that point but he just didn’t have the strength to it anymore, every word out it Tim's mouth felt like the blow of crowbar shattering his ribs, chocking on his own blood because a Batarang slashed his throat. He felt faint. He felt dangerously close to crying.

“I have to go.” – Jason got out of his chair.

“Jason…” – The pitying and yet reproachful note on Dick’s voice made his skin crawl.

“I said I couldn’t stay very long. Some of us have stuff to do. You know criminal empires to run, places to blow up, kneecaps to shoot.” – He doped a twenties bill on the table.

“Todd. Cease being childish. Just because you are unable to accept your failures, and the fact that you were incompetent and arrogant enough to be captured by an enemy does not mean you should incapable of accepting constructive criticism.”

“Not being childish gremlin. I do have a criminal empire to run. And I do take constructive criticism, preferably from people who know what the hell they are talking about. You know people that are more than the “blood sons” of people that are greater than themselves. Noise midgets, not so much. Bye.”  – Jason out of the dinner before any of them can reply.

See you never again.

He doesn’t know how he gets back to his closest safe house. It’s a reasonably good one. He likes this one. He focusses on the things he likes. Hardwood floor. The light green paint. On the things, he doesn’t. The shitty heating. The fact that the cabinets doors don’t shut all the way.

Breaths. Slowly. In and Out. Counts to three hundred. Breaths again.

The tears still prickle on his eyes. His chest feels hollow. His throat is dry. He doesn’t have the strength to move from where he’s sat on the floor, his back against the door. Going a few rounds with Deathstroke had hurt less. It certainly never made him want to crawl under his bed and stay there until the world forget he existed. Of course, Slade had also never blamed for his own death.

Even though his own father had. Reckless, overly aggressive, incapable of following orders, loud-mouthed Robin that got what he deserved, Bruce had said. Maybe not to his face but he had said it. Then again it had been his fault, hadn’t it?

He takes a few more breaths, tries to push his emotions back, locking them deep, and walks to the fridge, pours himself a glass of water. Drinks it. His mind goes back to the conversation. The glass shatters in his hand.

“Oh, fuck!”

He goes to the sink, to clean his hands and throws the broken glass into the trash. Lucky there were only some minor cuts that don’t need stitches even if they hurt like a bitch.

Take that universe!

Still, he wraps them in bandages since he doesn’t fancy cleaning blood out of his sheets. Sleep, however, doesn’t come easily that night, and the time he doesn’t spend tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position to follow to try to fall back asleep in, he spends waking up from dreams that leave him feeling like he’s constantly falling, sharp terror waking him each and every time.

There is no rest for the wicked though, and so he takes off by late morning and goes to check o on the rest of the gang, makes sure Antony is running things smoothly. All in all, it’s pretty boring, with enough paperwork to make a bonfire, but it does the job of taking his mind out the things for a while. Patrol is uneventful, which is a welcome respite, and Jason doesn’t do much more than stop a few muggings and beating up some creeps.

During that time, he keeps an ear out for the bats, especially Dick since he’s not anywhere near the mood to listen to another of the boy wonder lectures about how “Damian is just a child; you shouldn’t take what he says seriously”, especially those came with the addition of being delivered in that tone that screamed, “even though he’s right”. But he must have gone back to his turf because he sees no hair nor hide of him or any of the others.

The next two nights are very much a repetition of that first one, with little sleep and little action, so much so that a paranoid and exhausted part of him gets a bit terrified and so he ends up calling Roy just to hear the genius talk about whatever crazy project he’s been working on lately. If the redhead has any idea why Jason is calling him at four in the morning, he doesn’t comment on it and simply talks until his friend's breath has even out.

This way when the sun comes up the next day, Jason drags himself out of bed and heads straight to the shower, the cold water helps ground him back into his body. Still feeling like shit but at least knowing the difference between dream and reality he eats his breakfast while checking his messages and it’s more than a little bit shocked to see a text from Bruce asking, as in there is an actual please in it if they can talk about a possible case with a few crossed wires. There’s even an invitation to stay for dinner alongside with it, which makes him wonder if Bruce hit his head a little too hard the other day, or if Alfred finally made good on his promise of finding a drug that made him less emotionally stunned.

No matter the cause, the message leaves him hopeful enough that he answers with a yeah, I’ll be there by five.

He arrives at the Manor door fifteen minutes past five, just in case, greeting Alfred with a smile that the old butler easily returns. They make some small talk as the older man demands him to at least drink a cup of tea before heading down. Still, they part at the entrance of the cave and Jason takes those final steps alone.

“Sup, old man?”

“Jason.” – Bruce answers, his back turned, typing at the bat computer, probably filling some reports.

“C’mon B, you’re the one who called me unless of course, you somehow have been possessed and that please was you asking for help, in which case, give me a second and let me call the Martian Manhunter, you gotta give a bit more of information.” – Jason kept his gaze on Bruce’s back, his breath steady, he was not rambling thank you very much!

“There been some talk about an escort service in Diamond District that works as a front from money laundering. I think you might know some of the girls.”

“Little bit out of my way. Maybe you should check with Cat.”

Bruce’s eyes were shining, and the line of his mouth meant that he was finding it funny and Jason was filed to the brim with a wave of warmth and nostalgia. It made him feel like a kid again, it made him like Robin again, like magic.

“Maybe we should.”

“Oh gross! Let’s go back to the ever-existing cases of corruption and gross old man please?”

“Isabella McGarvey”

“Know the surname. Any relation to Ophelia McGarvey?”

"Her older sister I believe, records show that she moved from the East Side two years ago but didn’t take her sister with her because she was a minor…"

Most of the afternoon passed that way. With the Batman and the Red Hood checking financial records, discussing disappearances and police reports in an amiable tone, full of teasing.  It was a welcome change of pace being the one providing the answers to all-knowing Batman for once. So, he took his time explaining the inner workings and the shady dealings of the Alley, preening at the attention and the approval, something he would deny until his second dying day.

Perhaps the only dark spot in the otherwise bright day was the fact that Jason kept purposely having to avoid looking at the southeast corner of the cave, at the glass cage that seemed to hover over them.

Refusing to acknowledge that some part of Bruce would always believe he was dead

“There maybe be a loose end might be worth exploiting but I don’t know how long that window would be open: There was a shooting, a few days ago, near the Bowery and Robinsonville, no cameras, three dead, the assailant left no evidence behind.”

“Don’t know what to tell you Bats, last time I was there I was with your kids, didn’t hear anything, neither did mine. I mean, I could ask but this is Gotham, murders are pretty much the norm. Unless those guys are part of something bigger, I got you nothing.” -  Jason shrugged, already calculating the possibilities of why this is relevant and coming out with nothing.

Damn all-knowing paranoid bat.

“They were. Trafficking ring. Middleman.”

“There is no trafficking ring in the Alley”.

Of that he’s certain.

“There is not. Because those men were killed before they could take anyone. But they were known for it, and they were asking the sort of questions that could ping on your radar.”

“Well, I haven’t heard anything. I’ll make sure to pay more attention, update some protocols.” – Jason answered, already planning to investigate it.

If they were acting as a middleman for someone roaming around then that someone would send more to scoop the territory out and he would be prepared when they came, regardless of what else could be there. There were no trafficking rings in Alley.

“Or maybe you did and decided to take care of it your own terms”

The abruptness of the question was so earth-shattering that he took a few steps back to regain his balance.

“Jesus Christ Bruce if are gonna accuse me of murder you could at least have the decency of start with that. No, I did not kill them. If any of mine did I haven’t heard of it. But as far as I’m concerned is no great loss.” - He succeeds at sounding nonchalant and enraged, hiding the fact that the question felt like a bucket of water, leaving his cold and shaking.

So, this is why Bruce actually called, so he could question Jason about his latest failure, his latest disappointment in Bruce’s eyes. Of course, it was, and he was a fool for ever thinking otherwise. For letting himself hope that Bruce was trying, that he wanted to rekindle the relationship they had when Jason still wore those green panties.

“Where were you at 2:30 in the morning, three nights ago?”

“What?”

Please god, everything but this. I can’t do this again

“At the time of the murder, where were you?

“In a dinner with your kids.” – Jason’s voice was nothing more than a whisper as if all the air had been pushed out of his lungs.

Why you don’t believe me? Why you don’t trust me?

“Damian said you left early, earlier than that, because he got home at 3:00. It takes at least half an hour to get here from there.

“Safehouse a few blocks away, then. Sleeping. Bruce, please”.  – Jason was begging now, voice raw and full of hurt.

“Can you prove that?”

"The hell is wrong with you?!? I already told you: I. DID. NOT. KILL. THEM. When have I ever not taken credit for the people I’ve killed?"

“What’s going on?”

And of course, because his luck could not be worse, that was the Perfect Grayson coming down the stairs. He could feel the headache forming behind his eyes. He did not want to deal with this shit right now.

Was it too much to ask for the ground swallow him whole?

“Nothing! Bruce’s just spent the last five minutes pointlessly accusing of murder! Can you get the fuck out so we can continue discussing it?”

“You were near the scene of the crime, you have a motive, the means, and a history.”

“Wait you killed someone?”

“No! Keep up, Bruce is just being a dick, you know like you usually are.”

“Is a valid concern”

“Is a piece of shit that is what it is!”

“Can someone please explain?”

“Bruce thinks I killed three people after I left the dinner the other day.”

That what you did after you left? It’s that what you meant by shooting kneecaps? Jay… I know that you were angry but this…

“Jesus Fucking Christ Didn’t I just say its bullshit?”

“You said that?”

“It was a joke”

“You have motive, means, no alibi and now your brother is telling me that you left because you needed to shoot someone. What do you want me to believe?”

“THAT I WOULDN’T LIE ABOUT IT!”

“If you were planning only to main them, if your anger got the better out you, as it has before if you did it out impulse, and is trying yo hide it.”

“You know what Bruce? You’ve already made up your mind so I will do us all a favor and get myself out. You can’t trust me? Well, I can’t trust you. From now on there will be no bats at the East End. If you are seen, you will be shot. That’s how trigger happy I fucking am!”

He pushed passed Dick and Bruce, the world was tingled with pit green glow, his ears were roaring, no sound, only rage, and loss. Every step he took was calculated, his breath was short, measured. A of violence ready to blow up at the mere provocation held together only by the barest threads of sanity and humanity and the training Ducra had given him. Roy’s voice babbling at him. Kori’s booming laughter. Kyle ridiculous art. Donna’s everlasting sass and warmth.

Somehow, someway he made home without turning Gotham into a bloodbath, and the relative he felt at activating the security protocol was fastly overtaken by fear. He hadn’t had an attack like that in over three months. Hadn’t let the Pit burning so strong in his veins in so long. Hadn’t felt that disconnection to reality since his early days out of the Pit.

Just the idea of what could have happened in case he lost control made Jason grab the nearest bucket and puke. He stayed there, pressing the palm of hinds to his eyes, heaving.

It didn’t matter, because it didn’t happen.

His phone rang, and if it was anybody else calling, he let go straight to voicemail, but it was Talia’s ringtone and she didn't call jus for kicks, so he presses answer.

“If I told you I didn’t kill a man would you believe me?” – Jason blurts out before he can stop himself, red coloring his cheeks as he realizes what he just said, cursing himself for his stupidity.

“Of course. Why would…I see.” – Talia’s face goes from neutral to confusion and finally anger in a matter of seconds. – “Your father does not know you at all Habibi, and that, rest assured, is entirely his fault. He’s too caught up in the image he made of you to be able to see you as truly are.”

“Batman being a stunned idiot, who can look past his own reasoning of the world? What an earthshattering idea T! – Jason says sarcastically trying to cover up his earlier emotional outburst. -  Anyway, got a reason for calling?

“Do not play coy with me, Jason, it’s unbecoming. Regardless, I do not believe Gotham has done you good. Moreover, I do not believe your father's actions towards you have been in any way helpful to your recovery and growth.”

“What are you? My therapist?”

“I would not be against for you to see one, but I would not force you either. Your choices, as always, must be your own. Besides is my understanding that to be effective therapy must also involve privacy. Another thing that its unlikely to come by if you are to remain here.

“Gotham needs me. The Alley needs me, God knows the Bat can’t handle this shit, they don’t care and even if they did the Alley would never trust them” – It wasn’t as much a rebuttal as it was an excuse

“They do, but you are of no use to them if you are constantly emotionally compromised by the rash and thoughtless actions of those who do not understand you and do not seek to. Loyalty is a gift that must be not be given lightly and they make ill use of yours while reaping the benefits of it. Perhaps it’s time for them to learn how to much you do for them. The absence does make the heart grow fonder.”

“You’re telling me to leave.”

“I’m telling take a step back. You’ve done tremendous work, but there’s more to you then violence. The petty criminals and drug dealers and the pimps are all properly terrified, your minions are capable enough that they can keep your operation running without your direct involvement. Rest. Recover. Come back when you are ready. Besides, you do have your master’s degree to consider, don’t you?”  - Jason blushed, Talia wasn’t one to give compliments that she didn’t mean, and she did have a point, but…

But what? What did he truly have here? It had taken less than ten minutes for Dick convince Bruce, based on nothing more than a few throw away words Jason had said when he was angry and hurting, that Jason had killed a man and once that decision had been made no amount of evidence would make Bruce turn around in his favor. The others probably already knew what had happened and just as likely had decided to stay away from him from now on. After all, if he couldn’t take a little teasing without blasting someone’s brains out then he was certainly no better than the crazies in Arkham, to them.

What Talia was offering has the peace of taking a walk without being judged by the path he chooses to walk on, let the dust stele until bygones were bygones and he could look at Dick’s- Holier-Than-Thou face without breaking every single bone in it.

What did he have to lose that he couldn’t take back later on?

“You do realize that this will take quite a bit of work and resources, right? – Jason could almost see that pleased little smile of hers spread on Talia’s face.

“You do realize who you are speaking with don’t you Habibi? Let’s get to work.

#first chapter #Criminal Minds #Jason Todd #fanfic #Im so nervous #Go check on AO3' #Im sorry for the delay #Spoiler: Jason is a Sad Boy in this #But he'll get better #Xover #Spencer Reid shows up in the next chapter #Worry not #im very proud of myself #ive written

[timeme-drake]

TAG GAME - IMPULSE !

tagged by @memepulse

rules: answer these 85 statements about yourself, then tag 20 people.

last

1. drink - earl grey tea

2. phone call - Lucius Fox

3. text message - “jon where are you” to Jon Kent

4. song you listened to - it was probably “Battle Cry” by Imagine Dragons...

5. time you cried - do you really want to know that?

ever

6. dated someone twice? - i’m not sure what this means

7. kissed someone and regretted it - nope. lots of people regretted kissing me, though.

8. been cheated on - no

9. lost someone special - they all came back to life though so I don’t think it counts? apart from my dad...

10. been depressed - i joke about it a lot but it’s really actually not funny

11. gotten drunk and thrown up - once. Except it was a cocktail of fear toxin and something Ivy made. I think. actually when it comes down to that, multiple times. no alcohol for me. it tastes awful.

fave colours

12. green

13. blue?

14. gold

in the last year have you…

15. made new friends - yes

16. fallen out of love - no

17. laughed until you cried - yes

18. found out someone was talking about you - gotham gossip rags. Ignoring them is a way of life.

19. met someone who changed you - yes

20. found out who your friends are - yes. they have my back.

21. kissed someone on your facebook friends list - Maybe? Does Tam count? Though she added me after the fact...

general

22. how many of your facebook friends do you know irl - all of them. I don’t like friending people I don’t know. LinkedIn is another matter.

23. do you have any pets - no.

24. do you want to change your name - not really

25. what did you do for your last birthday - hung out with family. Ivy and the Birds of Prey handled my villains for the night, which I just realized I never actually thanked them properly for. @batmemegirl @poisonivmeme @memecatwoman @memecanary thank you so much!

26. what time did you wake up today - 7 a.m. Then I kept falling back asleep until almost noon.

27. what were you doing at midnight last night - texting clark

28. what is something you cant wait for - Black Panther on DVD! (Unless it’s already out on DVD, in which case, I’m sorry. Bane has been making trouble again.)

30. what are you listening to right now - lindsey stirling

31. have you ever talked to a person named tom - I don’t think so? I don’t remember the names of everyone from school.

32. something thats getting on your nerves - people making small unnecessary repetitive noises.

33. most visited website - nanowrimo and Tumblr

34. hair colour - black

35. long or short hair - long-ish

36. do you have a crush on someone - does steph count?

37. what do you like about yourself - I don’t hurt people deliberately.

38. want any piercings? - both my ears are pierced. The nose piercing closed up over time.

39. blood type - ab-

40. nicknames - "timmy,” “timbo,” “tommy dork” (thanks Bart), “rob,” “nerd lord,” “bread robin”

41. relationship status - I am dating the ghost.

42. zodiac - cancer.

43. pronouns - he/him

44. fave tv shows - Firefly, Doctor Who, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Stargate et al., Star Trek et al., Leverage, White Collar

45. tattoos - I have one of a phoenix on my right shoulder blade. (Dick and I got matching tattoos after I became Robin.)

46. right or left handed - left, but I’m functionally ambidextrous

47. ever had surgery - yep. I don’t have a spleen any more.

48. piercings - see above. I’m not planning on getting any more at the moment.

49. sport - Tennis.

50. vacation - Dad took me backpacking in the Adirondacks once. It was fun, if awkward that I could move much faster than him and keep going longer without tiring.

51. trainers - batman, nightwing, the Rahul Llama, Lady Shiva

more general

52. eating - an apple

53. drinking - water

54. i’m about to watch - star wars

55. waiting for - the internet to load. (seriously, again?!)

56. want - the entire Redwall series as audiobooks

57. get married - maybe one day

58. career - I’m in school to become an archaeologist, but right now I’m running Wayne Enterprises.

which is better

59. hugs or kisses - hugs

60. lips or eyes - eyes

61. shorter or taller - I refuse to answer this because it would become blackmail/teasing material

62. older or younger - people who are more mature. age doesn’t matter.

63. nice arms or stomach - ????

64. hookup or relationship - relationship

65. troublemaker or hesitant - ?

have you ever

66. kissed a stranger - no

67. drank hard liquor - no

68. lost glasses - yes. It sucks.

69. turned someone down - yeah

70. sex on first date - no. ew.

71. broken someones heart - I didn’t mean to, but I probably did.

72. had your heart broken - I’m not sure.

73. been arrested - no

74. cried when someone died - yes.

fallen for

75. a friend - yes

76. yourself - ?

77. a miracle - ?

78. love at first sight - i don’t know

79. santa clause - now I’m really confused

80. a kiss on a first date - maybe

81. angels - are you asking if I believe in them? Maybe. I’m not sure.

other

82. best friend’s name - Conner, Cass, Cassie, Bart, Dick, Duke, Steph (if you ask me to choose, you just don’t understand)

83. eye colour - blue and hazel. I have heterochromia iridium.

84. fave movie - The Last Starfighter and Back to the Future

85. fave actor - John Boyega and Hayley Atwell

@memepulse YOU DO TOO HAVE MUTUALS.

Tagging: @robimeme, @clonememeboy, @artememe-crock, @miss-meme-martian (unless they’ve done it already, in which case, they can still tag whoever.)

[thelittleredheadedmusician]

Gotham City Ghostbusters 9

A Lack of Evidence

ao3

Next Chapter | Previous Chapter

Duke really should not have been surprised, Jason had warned him, but he did not expect this. Tim stood in front of the huge screen – which Jason would call the ‘Bat-computer’ every time Tim said “as you can see here on the screen” – with a file obviously pulled directly from S.H.A.D.E. displayed on it. The supposed ‘Bat-computer’ held a map of Gotham with dots showing sightings and a list of known ghosts. When Duke had asked the Waynes why not just use Bruce’s files he’d gotten seven identical incredulous looks and finally an answer from Tim, “Because we don’t want him to know we’re doing this. My hacking may be fantastic and Barbara’s even better but Bruce is beyond paranoid and that is not something to be messed with.” Duke had simply held his hands up in surrender and motioned for Tim to simply move on.

“Alright,” Tim continued, “so we may have the run of the city while Bruce is away but going after the heavy hitters could be bad for us when he gets back. So, I say we start with some of the more pesky poltergeists in Crime Alley.”

Harper stuck her arm in the air and waved her hand, reminding Duke of a blue-haired Hermione Granger. “Hi. Yes. Question. I thought we were doing this to get rid of the ghouls at school and, y’know, expose the turds that run Gotham Academy for what they are?”

Dick turned in his seat to face Harper as he explained, “Because you, Duke, and Steph have never done this before and the rest of us are probably more than a little rusty.”

“-tt- Speak for yourself, Grayson,” Damian interjected.

Dick rolled his eyes but charged onward, “So, we’re going to practice a bit, and help out some people who really need it, before moving on to a more high priority target like the school.”

Harper narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips at the eldest but stayed silent. Duke was proud of his friend for holding her tongue. It helped that Dick had made an excellent point that he was inclined to agree with.

“Soooo…” Steph said as she clapped her hands together and looked around at the gathered teenagers. “Are we doing this or no? Cause like, I’m ready. Like right now.”

Jason leapt to his feet from his cross-legged position on the floor. “I’m with ya, waffles. Let’s do this!”

“Busting time!” Steph called as she stood and stretched onto her tip toes.

“Not so fast.” Barbara called and the two overeager ghost hunters paused. “If we’re going to do this we’re going to do this properly. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”

Damian rolled his eyes from where he was curled into an office chair next to Dick. “Some of us know exactly how to handle spirits, Gordon. And if those who don’t are foolish enough to continue with this then they deserve whatever it is that’s coming to them.”

“Oh really pipsqueak? Ya wanna say that again?” Jason growled as he whirled towards Damian and his chair.

Dick had the fastest reflexes and managed to grab Jason and yank him back before he and Damian got into an all-out brawl. “Look, if we’re going to do this then we’re doing it together and properly. So either you both cool your jets and get off your high horses or you stay here. Understood?” The younger boys grumbled but nodded their agreement to Dick’s terms, “Good. Tim? Mind continuing?”

Tim blinked and shook his head as if to clear it. Duke couldn’t blame him, it was tough to keep up with the events of the Waynes even if you were one of them. No wonder they never got any offers for a reality tv show. Or at least never accepted them. Tim cleared his throat before he finally managed to lay out the plan, “So there’s a soup kitchen that’s been having serious problems with its fresh food being removed from the fridge and being left to spoil overnight. They haven’t been able to properly ward the place yet because of the ghost already being there and they can’t afford to hire someone to get rid of it since they have to keep buying more food. We go in, get rid of whoever it is that keeps wasting food and ward the place for them.”

“That’s it? Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!” Stephanie said as she once again rose from her seat.

Cass gripped her wrist and tugged her back onto the stool she had been perched on. “Not quite.”

“Uh. Cass? What do you mean ‘not quite’?” Duke asked, mild concern growing in his gut.

She scrunched up her nose at Duke as she began signing at him in rapid speed. Despite his best efforts, Duke didn’t know enough ASL yet to understand Cass when her words failed her and she saw that so she paused and made a gesture that wasn’t sign language but Duke would easily understand. She splayed her fingers and held her hand out palm down before twisting her wrist, Duke knew that as the semi-universal signal for ‘ehhh’ and ‘iffy’. She followed it by spinning her hands around each other horizontally, almost like a cha-cha but her hands remained unclenched and she only rotated her wrists. They all knew that was Cass for ‘it’s very complicated and I have a lot I don’t actually know how to say’.

“It’s ok Cass,” Harper told her gently, a small smile on her face. “Just take it one piece at a time.”

Cass grinned back at the other girl before taking a deep breath and saying slowly, “Don’t know… what type. Many move stuff. Most very… da- danger- dangerous.” Her almond eyes flashed with pride and Barbara grinned as Dick clapped her on the shoulder before she continued. “No proof but food. Right Tim?” She motioned towards the screen and her brother nodded.

“Yeah Cass. We don’t have any video footage, no pictures, not even a witness. The only thing we know is that it’s stuck in a loop, only ever taking it off the third shelf and placing it on the shelf immediately to the left of the fridge. It empties the entire shelf every time and leaves the door open when they’re done. So lack of information is bad information in this case. Well, in most cases but that’s irrelevant.” Tim trailed off as he looked to his older brothers.

“There’s enough of us with experience not to mention there’s the saying strength in numbers so I say we get going. What better way to start off than to save some lettuce?” Jason glanced around the cave from the others and not hearing any immediate no’s he began strolling to the cars.

“Well the best that will happen is one of you imbeciles get killed, at worse only slightly maimed so,” Damian shrugged before following after Jason.

“This does not bode well,” Barbara said as Dick gave her a hand and called after his brothers that he was driving so Damian don’t even think about it because he wasn’t even old enough for a license.

Tim grimaced at the trio of “newbies” as Babs had gotten Cass to lovingly refer to them as. He tossed them their supplies as Cass came back from somewhere else in the cave – Duke didn’t even know when managed to disappear in the first place – with what was being dubbed their uniforms. Three bright orange rain ponchos. “Seriously? I thought you were being sarcastic?” Duke said wounded as Cass tugged the plastic monstrosity into place.

“Goop not to be taken lightly.” She told him mischievously.

Cass moved onto Harper who tried to dodge her but was unable as the other girl deftly caught her and forced the poncho over her head. “Cass!” She cried outrage. Cass merely tossed Stephanie hers who donned it willingly. Tim moved past them to head to the cars himself, “You don’t actually have to wear those,” he said as he passed.

“Don’t listen to Timmers! They’re mandatory for beginners!” Jason called from somewhere.

“Mandatory,” Cass said decisively and linked her arms with Duke and Harper as Steph skipped after them to where ever the rest of the Waynes managed to get to in this immense space. Duke swears he saw a dinosaur on the way.

S.H.A.D.E. does exist in the DCU in case you were curious, it's the supernatural/paranormal version of argus, checkmate, spyral, etc. So it'll be showing up in here quite a bit.

#dc comics #batman #my fic #fanfiction #gotham city ghostbusters #duke thomas #lark #tim drake #red robin #jason todd #red hood #damian wayne #robin #dick grayson #nightwing #barbara gordon #oracle #batgirl #cassandra cain #black bat #stephanie brown #spoiler #harper row #bluebird

[pricetagofficial]

Ghost -Part Fourteen

Warnings: Language, angst, Rory and Roy being good siblings

Masterlist

Word Count: 2.7K

Tag List: @kishony-the-geek​ @idkmanicantenglish​ @unknowntoanyone​ @subtleappreciation​ @catxsnow​ @spxder-mxns​ @screennamealreadyused​ @river-bottom-nightmare​ @woahjaybird​ @bikoncon​ 

A/N: Is this an actual part where no one is fighting and Rory has some actual development? 

Rory sat on the bench in the cave as her foot tapped against the rock floor, the sounds echoing across the floor. She was waiting for Oliver to arrive, Dinah had stayed behind in Star City to watch over it while he came to see her.

She didn't regret calling them and telling them, but Rory knew what she was in for it when Oliver arrived. Roy had gotten there the day before and the first words out of his mouth were "What the fuck were you thinking?"

Roy was currently the only other one in the cave with her, Bruce and Tim were at WE for the day with Jason off doing who knows what while Damian was at school and Duke was upstairs with Dick, Steph, and Cass. Barbara was with her dad for the afternoon and that left Rory and Roy alone to welcome Oliver.

Just one look at her and Roy could see that she was nervous as hell. Kneeling in front of her, Roy placed a hand on her knee to make her stop bouncing. "You need to calm down Twinkle-Toes, everything will be alright."

Rory looked at him, she could see the dark circles under his eyes, and he looked worse for wear since she had seen him last in Bludhaven. His hair was longer, and he looked thinner. Rory secretly hoped that he didn't fall back into those bad habits again, it was something she was going to have to ask about later.

"What if he decides to disown me, Roy? I broke every rule he had set, along with his trust. I don't blame him if he even fires me from the vigilante life because I deserve it." she muttered.

Roy made her look at him and gave her a look. "After everything that has happened, Oliver would not disown you. If that was on his agenda, he would have done it years ago Rory. He wouldn't leave you, not when you need him."

She let out a sigh and looked at her hands. "I guess you're right. I just... I just don't want to disappoint him."

"You could never do that even if you tried."

Both Rory and Roy turned and saw Oliver at the bottom of the stairs, his beard was longer than she had seen it last and his blonde hair was slowly going gray with age. Before she could even say another word, Rory got to her feet and ran full speed at Oliver who pulled her into a hug.

She held onto him so tight that Oliver was scared she was going to suffocate him, but that didn't stop him from holding his daughter close to him refusing to let go. Looking at her, Oliver almost didn't recognize her. Rory's hair was still the dark ebony color and thought that it was someone else before he heard her speak.

"You could never disappoint me, sweetheart," he muttered into her hair as Rory tried to hold back the tears.

It didn't occur to her just how much she missed him, it had been over a year since she had seen him. The last time she saw Oliver was the Christmas before she left and that was six months before.

"I'm so sorry Oli, I messed up big time." she whimpered, gripping the back of his shirt tightly.

Picking her up into his arms, Oliver carried her over to where Roy was still sitting and held her tightly as he took a seat next to Roy. "Tell me everything Kiddo, I'm not going anywhere."

Rory curled up, wiping the tears from her cheeks, and stayed still. "I pissed off the League of Assassins, and now they want me dead."

"How did you manage to piss off the entire League?"

Roy huffed a laugh. "Oliver, did you forget who you are talking to? Rory can piss off anyone if she tried hard enough."

"Not helping Roy," Oliver said looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

Rory chuckled softly, "But he has a point, if I was a meta that would be my power. Pissing people off."

Oliver rolled his eyes and looked down at her, Rory was calmer than she was a few minutes ago but she still looked upset. "Talk to me, what's on your mind?" he asked.

"It's everything, I messed up everything good I had because I wanted to keep everyone safe from the League. If I refused and stayed around, they would have gone after one of you and I couldn't let that happen. So I disappeared, the world thought Aurora Queen was dead and the League did too for a while until about two months ago. They sent Merlyn, Slade, I have yet to see Lady Shiva, and Cheshire." Rory explained and looked over at Roy. "She said hi, by the way, you know after she stabbed me with her sword."

Roy's face flushed as he glared at her, his relationship with Cheshire had been a shifty one. They trusted each other, but then they didn't at the same time. How could he be with someone who cared, but didn't care?

"I never thought you were dead and neither did Dinah, we knew what you were doing the entire time," Oliver said, making both of his adopted kids look at him. "We knew you were Ghost from the moment we saw the footage from Bruce, and we aren't mad," he explained.

Rory's breath caught in her throat at his words, getting up and running a hand through her hair. What did that mean? How long has he known it was her, and why the hell didn't he stop her? She had managed to fool the whole world except Malcolm, Oliver, and Dinah. They were the people who trained her into what she had become of course they would recognize her. Malcolm turned her into a weapon and Oliver and Dinah helped her come back from it, maybe this time they could help her come back from it this time.

Turning to look at Oliver, she took a deep breath. "If you knew, why didn't you stop me?" she asked. "You saw what I had become, so why didn't you come and stop me from going down that path?" Her voice had turned into a whisper as she talked, scared of what his response would be.

"I couldn't stop you any more than I could stop Roy from making decisions. If there is one thing I raised you both to be, it's to be independent. I wanted the two of you to be able to make your own choices and act on what you thought was best." Oliver looked at Roy before he looked at Rory, "Even if I wanted to stop you, I knew that you wouldn't listen to me no matter how hard I tried. I could be blue in the face and you would refuse to listen to me."

Hearing what he said, Rory knew he was right. She had convinced herself that she was right, that it was the only way to stop the League and keep everyone she loved safe, but what if there was another way? Could she leave the life of an assassin behind, and go back to who she was before all of this started? Could she even get Tim back, and keep the promises they made to each other?

"I know there is more on your mind, what's really got you down?" Oliver asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Rory knew what he was getting at, it was obvious that something had been on her mind since Tim said those words to her the other day. Without even knowing it, Tim had broken her heart but she deserved it for all that she did to him. Tim was the most important person in the world to her, but there was a slim chance that they could ever be what they were again.

"Just because you two and Dinah forgave me, it doesn't mean that others will as well," she said softly.

"You mean Tim?" Oliver asked.

Rory's silence answered the question for him of course it was Tim that was on her mind. Ever since they came back into each other's lives three years ago, he had been the only thing that was ever on her mind. When Oliver visited on her birthday her first year in Gotham, he could see then how they felt about each other and was not surprised to hear that they had started dating.

Watching them over the next few years, Oliver saw them fall more and more in love to the point he thought that they were going to take that next step in their relationship. But then Rory disappeared without a trace. Feelings like that don't just go away, no matter how hard you tried.

"Have you asked him to forgive you yet?" Oliver asked.

"He refuses to even stand in the same room as me, you really think he will forgive me Oli? What I did was unforgivable, I said awful things to him because I knew he would follow me. Tim is so much more important than I am, he has WE and his life here in Gotham. If I gave him the chance, he would have packed everything up and followed me across the world and abandon everything here." she explained.

"But that doesn't mean he still doesn't care for you." Roy tried.

"He'd be an idiot for doing so, Tim is better off without me." she answered quickly, "and I am nothing more than a cold-hearted assassin to them. I am not worthy of their forgiveness."

Roy crossed his arms and huffed a laugh. "You really are an idiot Twinkle-Toes, some of them already have forgiven you."

Turning to look at him, Rory narrowed her eyes. "You didn't see their face when I came back to town, Jason said he wanted me out of this city the first chance I got. The second the coast is clear, I'm gone. Dick only tolerates me because he is too nice to throw me out on the street only to be killed by a group of assassins."

"That's funny because all I've heard is the good things you've done since you've gotten here." Roy countered.

"I have not done anything good, Roy! What aren't you understanding about this!?" she cried.

Roy got to his feet and looked down at the girl he considered a sister. "You are the one who isn't understanding Aurora! If none of them trusted you, or even forgave you why are you here and not in Belle Reve? Bruce has had every chance to throw you in prison, as have the others. So why haven't they?" he asked, his voice rising in volume with each sentence.

Rory stared up at him in silence at a loss for words, he was right. They had every right and opportunity to throw her in prison so why was she still in the cave?

"Because just like with us you're family and Bruce and I protect our family," Oliver said getting to his feet.

Rory could no longer fight the tears, everything they had said made sense. Ever since she arrived back in Gotham, Rory had been holding onto that fear that they hated her because it was easier than accepting the fact that they could still care for her even after all she did to them. If she was in their place, Rory would have forgiven any of them in a heartbeat because they were safe and alive.

Oliver and Roy pulled her into another hug, keeping her close to their chests. "No matter what you do, you're family and we take care of our family."

After Rory calmed down from their talk and washed any trace of tears off her face Bruce appeared in the cave once more and sat with the three of them talking about what the best course of action to take was. There were currently four assassins in Gotham after Rory and they all knew that they would stop at nothing to accomplish their mission.

A popular theory was to have Rory come back into the spotlight through Queen Consolidated, but Rory shot that down quickly. Even if she led the high profile life again, they would still come after her. Roy thought of possibly fighting them off to make them concede and leave on their own accord, but even he knew that was a far fetched idea.

Rory thought about what Tim had been trying to tell her the other day during the last time they spoke. She regretted snapping at him, and not letting him speak but she was in a bad mood and only made the situation worse. With a deep breath, she voiced her thoughts.

"Tim was trying to tell me something the other day, about smuggling me out of the city. I never let him finish and we are currently not talking to each other, but he might have been onto something there," she explained.

Bruce looked over at her and nodded, "He did mention a place you could go and hide until we find a way to take care of this."

"There's not many places four assassins can't get into. I mean, I highly doubt they would all work together to get to her. Where exactly could she go?" Oliver asked.

"Tim's idea was taking her with him to Jump City. There's enough of them there that it would cause a deterrent on attacking her and possibly give us enough time to get things taken care of here." Bruce explained.

Roy and Rory both looked at each other, years ago he was part of the Titans based in Jump City along with Dick, Wally, Donna, and several other of their friends. It was because of this, Rory had actually met Donna and Wally. But now it was run by Tim and the team consists of him, Conner, Cassandra Sandsmark, Bart Allen, and Althea Einar.

Rory and Conner were great friends before she broke Tim's heart at least, and she had met Bart and Cassie officially last year when they popped in for a visit. The only one she had not met was Althea, who was Zatanna's cousin and her protege.

"That's not exactly a bad idea," Rory started. "Tim and I, when we aren't screaming at each other, are a good team in itself and can keep them at bay but adding them and their skills could keep them off my ass for a little while."

"And since it's in the same state anyway, Dinah and I can pop in every so often and check on them and assist if they need it," Oliver mentioned, looking at Roy. "And I know he wouldn't mind visiting every so often either."

Rory looked between the three of them, trying to see if anyone was going to object. It didn't take long to notice that they were all on board with the plan, but that only left one more thing to do. "Someone's gotta tell Tim and the others that I'm coming," Rory said, crossing her arms.

"I can take care of that, you focus on packing. We'll figure a way to get you out of town soon." Bruce said.

"Better you than me old man, now if you'll excuse me I have one bag total to pack and an escape from Gotham to plan." she grinned and walked off towards the cell that held her bag.

#Costly Affairs #Tim Drake #Timothy Drake #tim drake fanfic #tim drake fanfiction #tim drake fic #tim drake x oc #Red Robin #red robin fanfic #red robin fanfiction #red robin fic #red robin x oc #DC comics #The Archer #The Aurora Queen Saga #Aurora Queen