#dick and Wally disagree

[hopefulfuturenovelauthor]

Headcanons of what's like to date Bruce, Dick, Jason, Martian, Wally, and Clark?

Hi, sorry for taking so long, but I am very grateful for your patience!

Here you go...

Headcanons of what's like to date Bruce, Dick, Jason, Martian, Wally, and Clark?

I would like to state that I’m assuming you meant Martian Manhunter and not Miss Martian, but in the case that I am wrong and you meant Miss Martian let me know and I’ll add her to this or write a super-long essay of your guy’s relationship or something!

As always please do not copy my work in any way, shape, or form. Thanks!

Warnings: none i think... not spell checked...

Bruce Wayne

Dating Bruce Wayne? Gotham’s favorite Billionaire and the Batman? Wow, good luck.

There is a lot of angsty shit in your relationship. Keep in mind it’s not like you guys have like crazy issues or anything, not to say that the Joker isn’t a crazy issue, but I mean that you don’t actually fight with each other a lot. 

You disagree quite a bit considering you watch him on monitors and he goes out and actually gets hurt, but all of that frustration and worry comes from a place of care.

However, you didn’t talk to him for days when he decided to let Dick join him in the field. You were beyond upset, especially since you knew the dangers of crime-fighting yourself, seeing as you used to be a vigilante. 

Regardless of that, it was Dick that convinced you to cut Bruce some slack. Eventually, you came to agree with the teenager, but only after you kicked Bruce where the sun doesn’t shine.

On a nicer note, definitely lots of gifts coming from his end even though he is called the dark knight.

Even when you were both playing hero and he didn’t know who you were under the mask he gave you little gadgets. You two had also met outside of hero-ing and in your real lives where he constantly graced you with the treat of coffee and/or donuts. 

He likes to get you nice treats and sweets. He knows you don’t care for expensive gifts, especially since you work for a lot of nonprofits.

As for PDA on a scale, I will give you a 7.5/10. A solid 2.5 for physical affection such as hand holding, forehead kisses, whispering in each other's ears, and being a little too close to each other but not so close that you freak out everyone else around you.

As for that leftover 5 on the scale, holy shit do you guys never shut up. The constant flirting is where most of this score comes from. Saying embarrassing and inappropriate shit anywhere and everywhere is common with you. You tease each other relentlessly and enjoy seeing the other squirm. It can be quite uncomfortable for others around you, but you tend to keep the more spicy comments quieter, which leads to all of your odd whisperings.

You sort of live with him…? You guys are most often at his place, but you did decide to keep your own just because you wanted something that you paid for and could afford unlike his gigantic fucking manor.

Bruce cares for you deeply and understands why you want to keep your independence and have at least something of your own, especially considering that you guys work together often.

You are close with all of his family, including each kid he adopts, takes in, or has under his proverbial wing. In fact, you kind of think they prefer you over him, or at the very least Jason definitely does. 

It might also be common sense now that Alfred also likes you more than Bruce because, in your guys' relationship, you have all of the brain cells and are logical. 

You both can be impulsive and rude. You both can come across as very blunt and private people. You work well together despite everything.

You were very glad in the end that you both found someone so supportive and understanding. 

You both were also glad that you had the guts to kiss him because, honestly, he was never going to make the first move without it being an epic disaster.

Dick Grayson

Yay! Okay, this guy and you wow. May I just say couple goals here. Like yes, wonderful, perfect together.

Will you go off on someone for hurting his feelings? Count on it. Whether it is physically fighting or verbally berating someone, you also support everyone’s favorite Blue Bird.

Cute nicknames? Yes, as I stated previously, Blue-Bird, you know because he had been Robin and then he became Nightwing, and Nightwing’s suit is black and blue. Also, his eyes are blue and they look so pretty you could stare at them all day. Also, often used but none as creative as Blue-Bird, sweetheart, darling, cutey, and love.

His pet names for you, are Darling, beautiful, sweetie, bundle of too much adorableness, most wonderful human being to ever exist, my reason for getting out of bed every morning, and love. It is obviously a wonderful mixture of names, and yes, sometimes you do worry about him.

I mean how could you not, you were there since he became Robin, you comforted him through every phase, from being a rebellious teen by denouncing Bruce, becoming Nightwing, forming his own group of heroes, and making the obvious mistake of wearing tights as a part of his costume (that one was particularly hard for you).

I will now rate your PDA, congrats you have received a 6/10. You guys like to give small face kisses (forehead, top of the head, cheek, nose, temple, etc.), you guys give each other small pecks on occasion, and always say ‘I love you’ when one of you has to leave. You hold each other's hands a lot. You guys are very sweet and very wholesome. The only time you aren’t is when you get reunited after a long time (2+ weeks) or a life-threatening thing happens (which is pretty often, I’m not going to lie). 

When you reunite do you share that time slowed down and you are running to each other with the wind in your hair moment before frantically grasping one another to share a passionate kiss. 

Sometimes he will tickle you and pick you up just to spin with you. This happens quite a lot and the two of you often have tickle fights.

You get along with his family, but you have no trouble standing up to them for him. You will fist fight with Jason and tell Tim to ‘shut up and go to sleep’. If Damian starts talking crap you won’t physically hit the child, but you will steal away his pets with treats, which annoys him because food > him.

You will scream at Bruce if necessary. Dick and his adoptive siblings will have to physically pick you up to get you away from the situation.

You guys never fight, except when you eat the last of each other’s ice cream. 

Jeez, you two are so cute together.

Jason Todd

You met early on but got together a few years after his death.

He used to annoy the shit out of you, but the events involving the Joker led you both in the same direction.

You both have a better understanding of each other than anyone else. You are field partners and the only real anti-heroes of Gotham.

You were quick to share an apartment once you both learned each other’s civilian names.

It is easier than you both expected to fall into a rhythm, which only made it easier to go from something platonic to something romantically domestic.

You never seemed to get in each other's way and could somehow calm the other down when the world became a little too quiet or loud. You both rarely slept in the separate beds you had brought and maneuvered into the one bedroom. In fact, neither of you really slept on a bed. 

Most nights you stayed up as late as you could and either returned home and passed out on the couch or watched tv till 3 am, cuddling, and passed out on the couch.

You guys are a little different than others. PDA is more of healthy ways to deal with trauma mixed with a little codependency (but nothing terrible, sometimes shit just gets hard for you both and you have some really off days). Hand holding, back rubs, hugs, and playing with each other's hair and hands are just ways to calm each other.

But back to PDA. Yes. 9/10. You will both totally make out in front of other people spontaneously without a care in the world. He tends to initiate it, but you certainly never have an issue with it.

After all of the shit you two have been through you don’t really care about other people’s comfort around you because you feel safe with each other and are each other's security blankets.

Pet names are definitely common. It is probably the most annoying thing he does when you work together fighting crime. You always hated how he was so arrogant and acted childish when he was Robin. Now he just calls you pet names and flirts ceaselessly with you while you fight together. He will call you sweetheart, darling, beautiful, gorgeous, love, my love, love of my life, and more when you are in the field. He calls you them outside of your night shift too, but that does not annoy you at all. 

You tend to use many of the back, if not all of them, because he means just as much to you. 

He always makes the most adorable face when you cradle his head and call him beautiful. Like this is the softest he will ever be with someone else and he just looks so small and cute and in need of a hug.

If he annoys you, expect gifts in the form of food and drinks. If you annoy him, expect to give him extra hugs and books. 

Yes, you read together, cuddling. Typically different books, but he acts as your personal heater and you love it.

Coffee shop dates, take-out-stay-in dates, and video game dates are to be expected. Also, pastries on top of buildings in the middle of the night are a great pastime.

Also, one last thing, just to mention, you are the only one allowed to use or even touch his guns.

Martian Manhunter

Telepathically communicating, yayyyyyyyy! Okay maybe too soon with that one. But really, expect to be snorting in a silent room as everyone looks at you like you're crazy except for him because he’s smiling fondly at your reaction. 

You two are very sweet together. You help the Justice League with PR stuff, so you talk with the group of heroes all the time.

You often work with the big names and more controversial people in the League, but you work with everyone when you need to.

Also, J’onn can fly so expect to be carried in his arms all the time. He won’t even think about it twice because why would he take you somewhere in a car when he can literally swoop you off your feet bridal style and fly off as you look up at him in complete adoration.

For the moment you’ve all been waiting for, PDA rating. I would say 3/10 in public and 6/10 in private. By that I mean outside world public and the justice hall, mount olympus, etc. as private. In your guy’s place he’s just a cuddle bug or a second cat because yes he bought you a cat for one of your anniversaries.

He cooks you dinner. You join him often, but like he loves to cook you dinner. You think it is really sweet, but he also loves to learn different earthly activities. That and M’gann sends him recipes she thinks you’ll like (and you always love them).

You once made him chocolate cake by the way and now he has a new favorite thing. He loves it and didn’t stop talking about it for months. 

He likes to hold your hands a lot. Sometimes when one of you is stressed the other reaches out in hopes of grounding them before they overthink. It’s very sweet and you both love the gesture.

You sort of also took M’gann under your wing when she first arrived and it melted yours and J’onn’s hearts when she first called you her aunt/uncle. At this point you're like the mom of the YJ and the go to friend for the league. It’s all very sweet but sometimes J’onn feels like the League is hogging you and ‘has to’ drag you away from everyone quite literally, which goes a little something like this:

“Oh, but J’onn, I was having a lovely conversation with Bruce.” “Oh, I’m very sorry, Y/n, but we really have to go,” as he starts to pull you out of the room. “Alright, sorry Bruce we can talk, more some other time?” Once you both make it out of the room you release a breath, “Dinner?” “Yes.” “Great because I’m hungry and Bruce was gnawing my ear off.” After that you both just laugh.

Dinner goes great by the way and you share chocolate cake at the end before going home to cuddle with your cat and watch baking and cooking shows.

Wally West

Just to get it out there, you show your guys affection through food and physical touch 

You make Wally whatever you can cook and make a lot of it for his boosted metabolism. You also order extra pizza for him.

He tries to bake you your favorite desserts but sometimes lacks the patience and other times he eats half of it.

He typically just always buys you your favorite snacks and desserts. Even then he always ‘sneaks’ a bite.

Your PDA is surprisingly low, but as he matures it definitely increases. Like Dick had told you all those years ago it took a while to get used to Wally eating.

I would rate you a 2/10 at the beginning of your relationship and an 8/10 when at your best. (basically Young Justice S1 Wally compared to S2)

You are always touching each other. I don’t mean in an inappropriate way, but considering it is Wally that isn’t unheard of, just not often done in public.

On top of that, he will carry you everywhere, superspeed, normal speed it does not matter. Hand holding always, hugging always. He just wants physical contact. And piggy backs.

But like also, his pickup lines. I repeat his pickup lines. They are so cheesy and corny and you find them endearing somehow. I mean I do too, he is a sweetheart so yeah.

He treats you so well too. Your well-being matters so much to him and if you need something, he will be there in like 3 seconds regardless of where he is.

Nicknames should be expected: whatever you do, whatever you like he finds a way to make it a nickname. He does use babe a lot, but it feels a little basic so he comes up with new one's all the time. Sometimes they stick and other times you choke on air, but the scientific method says that you will fail and retry so it doesn’t phase him.

For the record though, he is Wally so a lot of his nicknames are food based: honey, cupcake, sugar cube, sweet potato, and more.

If you nerd out with him he will never, I repeat, never let you go. 

Also if you wear his merch he will be all over you. Depending on the situation and the place it might get a little spicy, but in most cases he will wrap his arms around your middle and just hold you tightly as he falls back into a chair or couch or something. He will not let you go and will nuzzle his face into your neck for hours. For someone that is so fast and gets bored so easily, he will never want any of this to end. 

Clark Kent

Yeah, you know. You knew. You were well aware of who he was. One single pair of glasses did not fool you. I mean, you didn’t say anything until like the seventh date, but you knew.

Yay, lucky you are normal, in fact, you do not play hero in your free time, but you do have some abilities.

You blame the particle accelerator explosion that occurred in your last home for your abilities. But they were easy to hide and really helped with your job.

You are a psychologist/part-time therapist. You met Clark through an interview you did about the effects of the most recent attack in Metropolis on the citizens' mental health. You had to fight for this article to even exist, but you did so because you could feel the fear that radiated throughout it. 

You did everything you could to provide as much help and information as you could on the topic. Clark had been the photographer for the interview and you both immediately hit it off.

He asked you out to dinner when you stopped by his office to discuss doing another article. Clark said that to celebrate the occasion he could take you out if you wanted.

You said yes because free dinner was nice and he seemed like a good guy, so you thought why the heck not?

Of course, the date went well and you highly enjoyed his company. He asked you out again and said yes.

On your third date, he had to leave early for whatever reason, and then a minute later Superman flew by and started to stop a robbery a block away. Interested, you got as close as you could and were very shocked when you saw Superman’s face. 

You didn’t mention it, but he had the same aura with the slightest bit of guilt that you thought was likely toward leaving you mid-date.

Once he knew you knew he eased up a lot and told you all about his past and Krypton and his powers and his hero-ing. 

You guys have great communication, which is in part due to your empathic abilities. You can always tell when something bothers him and he is more than willing to talk through whatever troubles him. You do the same understanding that you both thrive off of honesty with each other.

Conversation always comes easy. 

Some activities you like to do together are going out for dinner, movie nights, baking, picnic dates, and annoying Bruce Wayne.

Your PDA scale would be like a 4/10 at most. You are very sweet with each other, but sometimes you both find it odd being extra coupley with others around you. Since Clark has super hearing he can tell when people are uncomfortable and since you have your empath abilities you can feel it too. Other people’s moods also affect yours in general so the more people there are the more overwhelmed you feel so you try to avoid anything more than a quick peck on the cheek. 

However, it is still very obvious you two are together because you spend a lot of time with each other and go to lunch together basically every day.

Around the Justice League, you can be a little more open with your affections but you both still prefer privacy.

Nicknames: yes. There are some of the basics: darling, dear, love, etc. Clark particularly likes calling you my dear and you enjoy calling him sweetheart. Sometimes you joke around when he enters a room and you say, “It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s my boyfriend, Clark Kent.”

#clark kent #wally west #wallace west #dick grayson #jason todd #bruce wayne #j'onn j'onzz #Martain manhunter #dc universe x reader #superman x reader #batman x reader #wally west x reader #dick grayson x reader #clark kent x reader #jason todd x reader #kid flash #robin 1 #robin 2 #red hood #red hood x reader #nightwing #nightwing x reader #kid flash x reader #martian manhunter x reader #bruce wayne x reader

[mysterycitrus]

it is kind of sad though because even in the actual comics they don't really show dick as a great leader (thinking about ntt rn but there are others), they just dumb everyone else down. like there are so many different things you could pull on to make him the great leader he's supposed to be but they are rarely willing to put in the effort of thinking about why this guy is leading among so many people who are incredibly powerful and able to avoid a lot of the physical limitations he has

honestly like…. such a good point. i try really hard to write smart characters in my fic (even if they make silly choices) because it’s so crucial to how the bats operate and tbh dick should be on a whole other level of people managing. i think my fave examples of some of his leadership are from titans99 or outsiders2003 because they portray thee most interesting parts of how he communicates with others — the fact that he’ll make shitty choices that people disagree with and that the people he’s leading will disagree with him but still trust him anyway. that’s partially why i love the fab5 so much, cause when they’re written well they absolutely will call him out on his horseshit. but there’s still that absolute trust in his capabilities as a tactician.

like dick as a leader makes a lot of sense on paper — he has one of the longest tenures in the community, he housetrained the biggest bitch on the league, he’s rigorously moral, and he has broad emotional intelligence (even if he frequently uses it for evil). it makes sense that people, especially those with powers, would want to trust someone else to handle the logistics of working in a team with others with the same capacity for destruction. his specific skillset of thinking on his feet while calculating ten steps ahead makes him more popular than bruce and more outwardly confident than tim.

the downside to this tho is like u said — it relies on the other members of the group being written well. roy harper would not bend to dicks will just cause he said so. kory can and will kill against dicks orders. wally forces him into the leadership role to stop him from becoming like bruce. and if ur a writer who doesn’t give a shit he’s an easy character to just insist is smart and talented and trusted “just cause ❤️” rather than proving any of it in the text

#COMPETENT DICK GRAYSON MY BELOVED!!!!!! #driving motivation for writing wolf king — he can and does dance circles around almost anyone else in that family #dick grayson #teen titans #dc comics #the ask and the answer

[adhdslugcrimes]

Wally: if the person I have a crush on disagree with me, I will immediately change my views. I have no principles.

Dick: well maybe you should have principales.

Wally: you're absolutely right, maybe I should.

#dick grayson #wally west #birdflash #Dick is actually oblivious to this one #wally is finally slick #simp wally

[gemini-care-barr]

⚠️ Spoilers for World’s Finest: Teen Titans #5 ⚠️

On the subject of team books and friendships/teams in superhero comics in general…

So, I just read the latest issue (#5) of Mark Waid and Emanuela Lupacchino’s World’s Finest: Teen Titans series and I gotta say it has made me realize what I’ve been missing for a while in comics:

I. need. more. STRIFE!!!

I need more characters fighting and tearing into each other in the meanest ways! And NOT because they hate each other or are on opposite ends of the good/evil spectrum, but because people fight! They disagree! They get frustrated and they take it out on the people around them! And then when the pain of changing FINALLY becomes outweighed by the pain of staying the same: people GROW. They become better. They see how the ways that they were acting and the things they were thinking were tearing them apart and they come together against and despite that strife. And no, that doesn’t make things perfect, there will (and should) still be inner conflict and butting of heads, but that only guarantees more change and more growth because no one is constant and no one should be. The only constants are change, and, with a good team, each other.

And by God, this issue, and this series really, has shown that perfectly. Over the past few issues, we’ve seen the perfect dynamics of the team getting ever so slowly chipped away. Starting with Roy very understandably getting mad at Dick for not sharing his secret identity with the team which was promptly “fixed” in a way that we all knew wouldn’t last. Then we’ve seen Garth and Donna’s relationship on the rocks almost from the get-go because unfortunately shared circumstances just isn’t always enough for two people to base an entire relationship on when their similarities and compatibility basically stop there. We also have Karen bringing in a new guy and not really having too many close relationships with the already established team. And finally, we have Roy’s personal struggles with his father figure being aired out and almost ridiculed by the other kids who just don’t know how to help him. Oh, and of course we also have Wally who comes from an almost perfect superhero sidekick background (special thanks to my guy, Barry Allen, no doubt 😜) which unfortunately makes him a little too loving and lighthearted in the eyes of some of the team and is also seemingly pretty unequipped for dealing with their levels of dysfunction (can we really blame him? No, we can’t, and we really shouldn’t, he’s literally the most functional member of the team outside of maybe some of his judgement of Roy). And all these problems have (inevitably) finally resulted in a lot of in-fighting. In-fighting that has now utterly crippled them, but hopefully not for long as the final page shows Dick’s willingness to change when he goes against Bruce’s rules of secrecy and finally reveals his true identity to the team. I’m hoping this means that they’ll set aside their differences and start working as a team again, rallied around their now unmasked-to-them leader, but I have a feeling that waiting so long to finally reveal himself to the team may carry some consequences of its own for Dick.

Regardless, I’m excited to see some more deliciously grounded, well-written, and much-needed personal conflict in comics again. Not to artificially further a plot or build fluff drama, but to evolve characters and relationships alike.

#World’s Finest: Teen Titans #WF:TT #Dick Grayson #Robin #Nightwing #Roy Harper #Speedy #Arsenal #Red Arrow #Donna Troy #Wonder Girl #Garth #Aqualad #Tempest #Wally West #Kid Flash #The Flash #Karen Beecher #Bumblebee #Mark Waid #Emanuela Lupacchino #comics #comic books #DC Comics #thoughts #opinions #okay real tags are done now for the secret thoughts tags #this is literally very loosely written please don’t fight me lmao #I’m writing almost solely from the perspective of just this latest issue and what I remember off the top of my head from previous issues #I’m kinda referencing some problems I’ve had with recent comics but my knowledge of comics isn’t all encompassing

[nikrei]

Obsessed with how the pre-crisis robin transfer happens honestly. You've got the traditional new robin steals the suit and goes out without permission:

(Batman 366)

But, wildly Bruce uses his words and they talk to each other! They disagree! They talk it out! They hug it out!

(Batman 366)

Jason goes back to his cute Jason not!Robin costume:

(Batman 367)

They brainstorm hero names together! And they are so so bad at it:

(Detective Comics 534)(I don't think bluejay and cardinal are awful, Jason!)

Then Dick shows up! The Titans are smack in the middle of Judas Contract, Wally has just quit, and Dick has hung up his mantle as he considers his identity as an adult. He gets a voice in what happens to his identity! He personally hands over the costume and gives his blessing!

(Batman 368)

Emphasis is put on the importance on legacy

(Batman 368)

It's just handled with way more nuance than it ever is after this, which makes sense! It's the first time this has happened in comics! Dick's been robin for more than 40 years! Everyone loves him, of course the writers are gonna be careful about it this time! I just wanna bring some of that energy to all the other hand offs.

#something something an actual weight to the legacy and the characters i dunno #There is a crisis on infinite earths and the main fall out is every character forgets how to talk to each other #pre-crisis jason todd saga #Jason Todd #nik reads dc

[gffa]

about the anti post, tbf it wasn't in the ship tag so technically not crossing lanes but it was in the character tags and as a babs fan it can still be annoying going in her tag to see that kinda stuff esp cuz a lot of db antis are bigger dick stans and are more critical and negative towards her than him in subtle and not so subtle ways, you know?

anyway thank you for your response! it reminded me why i love their relationship so much! theres so much negativity surrounding this ship that sometimes i begin questioning myself, wondering if they're really that bad and am i missing something?? so its always reassuring seeing others who feel the way i do and view them positively :)

I hear you, it can be really hard to avoid this kind of thing, even when you're trying to stay in your lane and others are trying to stay in their lane, too. And, it really doesn't help when a lot of anti-Dick/Babs people come into our space to be jerks about it. (I don't know if it happens in reverse, I'm not in those spaces enough to tell, I can only say that I haven't seen it any time I wander outside of my corner. But if it does, that's not cool, either.)(Nor do I know the context of the post you saw, for all I know, it could have struck me totally different than it did for you.) And, yeah, honestly, there does have to be room for everyone to like and dislike their own stuff, even if that means we come across posts we find annoying and it means that we find the complaining too much to be around. We have to have a little grace for disagreements, just as people who disagree with us have to have a little grace with us. That said, you know what I find a thousand times more fulfilling? Yelling happily about what I like, because I don't want the entire experience of Thing I Like to be negative and when I see other people having fun, I want to join in on that fun, too--so, I would suggest that any time you feel frustrated by someone being a jerk, find your favorite comic moment or animated series moment or fic you enjoyed reading, and yell very loudly about how great it was and put that in the tag (both characters and ship) because then I'll see something happy when I go through the tag and it'll remind me why I love the ship, too! Or find your favorite Barbara moments and talk about her, because fandom does sometimes overshadow her and I would love to see more about her view of her life and relationships and family! And, honestly, while plenty of people have perfectly valid reasons to dislike a ship--literally ANY ship, this isn't just about Dick/Babs, but it could just as easily apply to Dick/Kory or Dick/Wally or Dick/Roy or Dinah/Babs--there's always going to be a fair amount of ship war nonsense, where criticism isn't even about what the ship is really like, just that it's not the person's OTP. And then who cares! Use that energy to make positive content for the ship because that's a better use of your time! And you deserve to have a nice experience in fandom, too. Dick/Babs is a great pairing, they're adorable and they're flirty and they love each other and they support each other and they're not afraid to have it out with each other when they need to and they just like being around each other. Whether someone OTPs it or just thinks it's fine enough/is a multishipper instead, it's totally great to enjoy a moment of theirs because they can be utterly delightful and nobody's wrong for loving them. 💕

#lumi.txt #dc #batfam #dickbabs #as a note: I have NO IDEA of the context of the original post #so like i'm not arguing against it or for it #i have no idea if it was fair or unfair or what #this is a very generalized take on my personal experiences in fandom

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

The Unsteady Retirement of One Mr Peter Benjamin Parker

by aestorian After the world forgot him, Peter kept fighting. He was Spider-Man after all. But as the villains get worse and the heroes dwindle, Peter finally grows tired. Hasn't he done his time? He's never once shirked the responsibility forced upon him. Never once has he put himself first. Eventually, the straw that breaks the camel's back. Peter finally hangs up the cape. Unfortunately the universe seems to disagree. When Peter wakes up in Gotham he knows he should probably find a was home. But what's the point? Normal people don't find their way home across the multiverse, and Peter is normal now. He refuses to be anything else. So why do unfamiliar heroes keep ending up on his doorstep? And can he really turn them away? -- In which Peter Parker just wants to retire but instead he because a mentor for young dcu heroes and his home becomes a vigilante halfway house Words: 4302, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Series: Part 2 of Batfam fics Fandoms: DCU, DCU (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: Gen, Multi Characters: Peter Parker, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne, Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson, Cassandra Cain, Jason Todd, Stephanie Brown, Helena Bertinelli, Tim Drake, Duke Thomas, Harper Row, Cullen Row, Damian Wayne, Jonathan Kent, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Prince, Cassie Sandsmark, Bart Allen, Kon-El | Conner Kent, Cissie King-Jones, Anita Fite, Greta Hayes, Slobo (DCU), Bernard Dowd, Koriand'r (DCU), Komand'r (DCU), Roy Harper, Connor Hawke, Donna Troy, Wally West, Victor Stone, Raven, Garfield Logan, Billy Batson, Mary Batson | Mary Bromfield, Freddy Freeman (DCU), Athanasia al Ghul Relationships: Peter Parker & Everyone, Batfamily Members & Peter Parker Additional Tags: Batfamily (DCU), Superfamily (DCU), Wonderfamily (DCU), Shazamily (DCU), Arrowfamily, Flashfamily (DCU), Canon-Typical Violence, Feral Batfamily (DCU), Feral Peter Parker, Bruce Wayne Tries to Be a Good Parent, Clark Kent Tries to Be a Good Parent, Oliver Queen Tries to Be a Good Parent, Barry Allen Tries to Be a Good Grandparent, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Cassandra Cain is Black Bat, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Tim Drake is Red Robin, Stephanie Brown is Spoiler, Duke Thomas is Signal, Helena Bertinelli is Huntress, Harper Row is Bluebird, Damian Wayne is Robin, Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective Peter Parker, BAMF Peter Parker, Peter Parker is a Mess, Not Beta Read, We die like most the robins, Mentor Peter Parker via https://ift.tt/g2iBdIQ

#IFTTT #bruce wayne #batman #the dark knight #the caped crusader #gotham #dcu #dc #ao3 #ao3feed

[astro-kitty-launch]

Chances Not Taken

[Wally West x Reader x Dick Grayson]

Chapter 1: Today's the Day

Summary: “Her last sight was Darkseid's massive hands wrapped around Nightwing’s throat as he attempted to choke the life out of her best friend. The God of Evil laughed menacingly, saying that if his father was no match, then he’d be nothing.” "All she could think about is the fact, she broke her promise to Wally West." What if she got a second chance? A chance to relive some of the most pivotal years of her life. To take all the chances that she failed to take the first time. To live the same life but take a different path. To see a whole new side of events that she thought she knew well. Well, she had been given that second chance alright, but not without a cost and a few minor setbacks. Chapter Summary: Dreams either waking or sleeping are not what they always seem to be. Sometimes our dreams are close to becoming a reality. Other times dreams fail to make any sense. ----------------------

TOWER OF FATE

SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS 

July 4, 11:00 ET

Jolting up, Sianna woke to the blaring sound of her alarm clock going off over and over. Her throat felt like sandpaper. Her throat was tight as a strangled sob escaped her lips. Her breaths were rapid and shallow, as if all the oxygen in the room had been sucked out. 

Sianna’s heart pounded wildly in her chest as if it could cleave itself out of her body. As she slammed her eyes closed as another hand clawed at her chest. As her body quaked with rage, where had it come from? She felt like she’d never breathe again as she choked on nothing but her saliva.

Nothing made a shred of sense, not even this dark looming pit of dread that was everywhere, anywhere, and nowhere all at once. As though something was happening? Or did it already happen? What is it? What was it? What was the source of this panic?

Higher beings, this needed to stop.

She needed to stop.

She needed to breathe.

She needed to calm down.

Sianna forced her eyes open as her mind raced. She took a look at what was in front of her. Reminding herself that she was in her bedroom. She was in her room. Her room. Then she spotted the proof in her Green Lantern poster crisply taped to the wall.

 A few feet away, her Charmander plush was carelessly on the floor, lying face first. Spine up near her feet, was her copy of Jane Eyre. All these items proved she was in her bedroom at the Tower of Fate.

Next, three things Sianna could hear. Her alarm clock was still blaring in a frenzy. The sound of her own ragged breath was gradually becoming less ragged. Forcing her shaking hands to move to make the final sound by clapping her hands together. 

Sianna kicked her feet up sending her royal blue constellation blankets flying off of her sweaty body. Stretching her arm out to slam the off button on her damn alarm. Her breathing was labored but studied. The shaking was now at a slight tremble. Her racing heart was winding down as she sucked in a deep breath. 

Grounded once more, Sienna's mind was frazzled but far steadier than before. She reminded herself that she had just woken up. She had woken up from a dream - no nightmare, that still flashed through her mind.

There were two solid fragments of that nightmare one that she recalled was: Should you be uncertain, have faith. The second was that brief moment where everything was so bright it was blinding. Her lips dipped downward as her hand clutched her chest, as the raw sorrow still held her like a noose. 

Yet Sianna couldn’t quite understand why she felt this way.

Or why it dragged up such an outburst from her?

It must have just been a dream where her subconscious drew on her frazzled nerves of the day before. Nothing more. Gramps would disagree with her, arguing that dreams held more meaning for some homomagi.

 Another subject they disagreed on was faith or belief in something more when all was lost was important. To her, it was nothing more than ridiculous nonsense. Nonsense that people clung onto when backed into a corner to bring them a false sense of security.

Grimacing, she wondered if her alarm had glitched because she swore that she had turned it off last night. Or maybe it was a false memory, and she hadn’t turned off the alarm the night before. Sianna sat upright in her bed for a few moments steadying her mind and body. 

Releasing a small yawn, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Slipping out of her bed, Sianna stumbled into the bathroom, going through her usual morning routine. Exiting her bathroom, then her bedroom, she was finally ready for the day. 

Descending the labyrinth of staircases, it always astounded her how bizarre the tower was with its love of staircases. Staircases were coming from the ceiling, left, right, and ground, and all of them were woven together like an intricate tetris puzzle. Her grandfather said it acted as both a security measure and a manifestation of order. 

Sianna glanced down at her phone, seeing the thirty-odd unanswered texts waiting to be read. Sianna stuffed her phone back into her pocket. If anything she was sure more than half the texts were from a certain annoying loudmouth. Hooking a right onto the next set of stairs she finally  reached the kitchen door and slowly opened it.

A blast of the warm air fanned her face as she got a whiff of the cinnamon, and the sweet scent of vanilla that made Sianna’s lips curle in a fond smile. The room was nice and welcoming, free of the normal, sterile, coldness of the tower. There, manning the gas stove, dressed in a finely pressed suit, stood Kent Nelson. Over his usual clothes was a navy blue apron printed with teddy bears.

“Good morning. Gramps.” Sianna smiled warmly at the sight of her adopted grandfather. It would most likely make anyone else laugh to see the former Doctor Fate acting like a doting grandfather, but to her, it was an integral part of home. As there was no home for Sianna without her Grandfather in it.

“Morning kiddo, you're in luck, an hour more, and you wouldn’t be able to say good morning.” He chuckled.

“ Take a seat.” Grandpa Kent gestured with his free hand towards the table that was set for two, a pitcher of orange juice and milk on either side of the flower-filled vase.

 Glancing back at her grandfather, seeing he’s already turned back to the stove, she approached. Reaching to take a hold of the sponge in the sink, only to get the back of her hand lightly whacked. She pouted at the elderly man, dramatically clutching her affronted hand.

“I am sixteen, you know. You don’t have to cook for me. At least let me help.” Sianna voiced her protest as she puffed her cheeks out in a rare display of childishness,  a fact she seemed to realise since she scowled right after

“Ha, let this old coot cook for his granddaughter.” The elderly man waved her off once more as his eyes gleamed with silent stubbornness.

“ Okay. Thanks, Gramps.” Sianna heaved a sigh knowing just how stubborn the man could be. Taking a seat, she absently began drumming her hands against the table. Staring blankly at the wallpaper that had once been in style decades ago. Those words still echoing in her brain like a mantra: Should you be uncertain, have faith.

“ So, did you rest well?” Her grandfather inquired, breaking her out of her thoughts.

“I guess,” Pausing momentarily, “Though oddly enough, my alarm went off when I recall turning it off.” She answered, not quite in the mood to discuss that dream. 

Not wanting to hear a spiel about dream magic which Sianna firmly believed was a total load. Even if he didn’t move his gaze from the stove, she knew that he knew that, a fact she both hated and loved

“ Is that so?  perhaps it was fate.” Her grandfather joked, causing her brows to furrow. Oftentimes when Kent referred to fate, he was referring to Nabu. She highly doubted that Nabu gave a flying fuck when she woke up. Plus, how’d he even manage to set it up from the top of the tower? 

“Right, The Lords of order finally decided it was high time to magically gift Nabu a sense of humor. So the first stunt he pulls is messing with my alarm clock. Woo.!” She scoffed, waving her hands sarcastically.

“ I had a dream or a vivid memory of Inza. On that night she confronted me. Leading me to a crossroad on whether to give up Nabu and live or you live Doctor Fate.” Kent, undeterred by her response, continued by presenting his dream.

“Ha, you mean when she grilled you and then ripped Nabu a new one.” Sianna chortled fondly, knowing the story by heart. She always wondered what it would be like to meet the woman described as a force of nature, she thinks they would've gotten along.

“Is that how people phrase it nowadays.” Her grandfather snorted as he poured the batter into the pan to start on the next pancake.

Then again, maybe sharing her dream would somehow help chase away this lingering ache in her chest. Except what could she say, knowing her grandfather, he’d take her seriously. And Sianna wasn’t ready to have a serious discussion about her dreams, in fact, she preferred to forget about them completely. So she decided to keep her mouth shut. It was just a dream playing on her anxiety.

“Your favorite. Cinnamon swirl pancakes. Since today’s the day.” In one fluid motion, a stack of three cinnamon swirl pancakes was placed on the plate in front of her. More accurately, it was a marriage between pancakes and cinnamon rolls. A fluffy, buttery pancake stuffed with a cinnamon-sugar filling.

“Oh yeah, today’s the day.” Sianna cheered weakly and chewed her lower lip, yet, another thing she forgot to do was tell her grandfather the news.

 Averting her gaze to the food before her, she should have known he wouldn’t have forgotten. Guilt washed over her as it dawned on her that all these preparations. Her favorite breakfast. It was all to celebrate the significance of today. He did it for her.

“You don’t sound thrilled, Sianna.” Kent soon settled on the other side of the table with his classic blueberry pancakes. 

“It’s not that I’m not excited… it’s just-I’m just…” She broke off as she frantically tried to figure out how to break the nerve-wrecking news.

He’d deflate with disappointment and then get that look she hated, the same look she got when she got in trouble at school and got kicked out of school. How could she explain that sheer dread that plagued her mind at the concept of her among four other sidekicks being shown the inner sanctum of the Justice League was .  That she couldn’t bring herself to cross that bridge.

Sianna liked where she currently was and was fully adjusted to being Zatara’s sidekick. That she was in no rush to join the league despite wanting to one day join their ranks. She expected that to happen when she was older. How could she tell any of them when they were all excited? They wouldn’t understand. To them, her thinking would be backward and complacent.

And maybe it was, but Sianna wouldn’t believe they’d allow them to join the League based on their age alone. Considering the social outcry that would occur given the history of social outcry from taking them on as sidekicks. It would be social suicide. The League wouldn’t risk that, no matter how skilled they were. 

“ Kid, today I have one assignment for you: Don’t hesitate. Just go for it.” Her grandfather's eyes softened as he jabbed a finger in her direction to empathize the goal he was giving her.

Sianna furrowed her bows at his phrasing before merely nodding at a loss for words. What could she even hesitate about? When they were just walking around JL HQ. A small voice in her head nagged at her just to tell him. To stop hesitating. Taking a few more bites as she turned it over and over in her head. Trying to untangle what he meant by don’t hesitate. Did he want her to believe this was actually happening?

“Umm, Grandpa, I have something to tell you.” Finishing her breakfast, Sianna moved her gaze to meet those sky blue eyes as her fingers fidgeted with a strand of her wavy hair.

“I am not going. A few days ago, Zatara got information about an evil sorcerer plot that he needed to investigate, so he isn’t taking me. I'm sorry I know you were excited and made breakfast… and…” She blurted out, her mind racing as her face burned with shame.

“Oh, I knew that. Which is why I asked Batman and Robin to help. They are coming here to pick you up. Don’t worry, Sianna, you’ll still get to go.” Her grandfather assured as his crow's feet crinkled, becoming more defined as his eyes glimmered with mirth.

“They’re coming to what?!” She blurted out before her mind could finally catch up.  Blinking her eyes rapidly before they widened completely gobsmacked. 

“But Zatara said… I said it was okay. Plus, there will be other times.” Sianna blurted out, abruptly jumping to her feet astounded at the idea that she was actually going. She was going?!

 As her grandfather's magic caught her chair before it hit the ground. Honestly, she’d been relieved when Zatara told her that he couldn’t take her. Last night she had imagined all the ways to break the news to Kent. 

She had imagined that he’d be upset, not that he’d be unruffled by the news. The gears in her head slowly turned. Sianna had  turned the alarm clock off with the intention to “accidentally” sleep in and miss everything. He must have been the one to turn it on.

“How did you find out? Why?” She demanded, thunderstruck at the blatant meddling on her grandfather's part.

“Zatara told me, Kid. Did you really think I’d let this chance slip away for you? I want you to go. I know that you're nervous, but you’ll gain so much by going.” Kent sighed as though he had already foreseen her trying something like this.

“But..but I can’t go.” Sianna sputtered helplessly knowing there was no way of getting out of this. What could she possibly gain from this?! She didn’t see a point in going to the Hall; it wasn't like they were being inducted as members of the League. Couldn’t it wait until she was actually becoming a member of the League.

“Yes you can Kid. I believe in you, and if everything goes wrong, we’ll go to Clair’s to celebrate you trying. Go for this old man and yourself.”  The elderly man offered a pleading look flashed in his eyes.

Glancing away, Sianna heaved a huge sigh, “Fine. I’ll go.” Knowing her grandfather had done this for her. 

She decided to go against every instinct that told her that this wasn’t a good idea. Something about this whole tour around the hall didn’t make sense, other than Roy now that he was an adult. There would be no backlash from the people if he joined.

Sianna stood up, reaching out for her empty plate to clean it, when a golden light enveloped it. Soon the kitchen sink came to life, washing and drying dishes with the power of her grandfather’s magic. 

“I had that Gramps,” Sianna grumbled softly, crossing her arms for a moment before letting them drop. Just as a loud chime resounded throughout the tower.

“ Sure you did, Kid. They’re here.” Kent waved her off, seeming to anticipate her every move before she even made them. Heaving another fond sigh, she let it go knowing even at the withered age of hundred and six her Grandfather was a force. One she couldn’t hope to subdue.

“Thanks. I’ll see you afterwards, Gramps, and I promise to try and to also not hesitate.  I’ll cook you your favorite dinner when I get back.” Sianna stated sternly before giving her guardian a tight hug.

“ Of course, Kid. Now go out there to be a hero. Go out and be Rowena. Try befriending one of those sidekicks.” Kent chuckled, returning the tight hug with as much strength as his old bones had in them. Patting her head gently, she slowly let go, as she was approaching the door, she turned around once more.

“Don’t try to pick up anything heavy while I am gone. Since I won’t be here to save you.” Sianna hollered, flashing a toothy grin before running out the door as the hall echoed with her Grandfather’s laugh.

 Going despite her misgivings and that she liked where she was. Even with her suspicions. Sianna wanted to be recognized as a member of the Justice League. Most of all, she wanted to be a hero. Maybe she was wrong, and her Grandfather was right, that this was a chance for something more. With a simple spell, she changed her civilian clothes to her hero costume. 

Sianna Nelson had now become The Sorceress Hero Rowena. 

--------------------------

Sianna P.O.V.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

July 4, 13:30 EDT

Here’s the thing about plans: something always goes wrong. Which made Rowena wonder why the hell anyone made plans if things didn't go as planned. She had planned to skip this whole tour of the Justice League headquarters. Only to be strong-armed into it by her grandfather and Dick. 

Now, here she was in front of a man-made body of water where a star-shaped platform floated in the center. On the other side was the towering dome building that could only be located in Washington D.C. The Hall of Justice, in all its magnificent, awe filled glory. It was far more pristine than any photo on the internet. 

And deep in her gut, Sianna knew something was wrong and that this wasn’t how things were supposed to go. Why did things need to change? They were fine as they were now. Free of any potential rejection of being told they wouldn’t be joining the league.

 Tuning out Batman, her eyes wandered around their surroundings. The white cobbled pavement was too white the trees were too perfect. Not a cloud in the sky, and the sun was shining brightly. The heat was there, but not so hot to the point where she was dying. It was the perfect weather to be out grilling for the fourth of July. It was just right.

Then out of the corner of her peripherals, she saw a tall, muscular figure. It must be Batman. But when had the Dark Knight walked over there? Moving to catch up, her body stilled at seeing an odd dark blue bird emblem. That wasn’t Batman! 

Time stilled as chills ran up and down on her back, eyes widening at the sight before her. Her body moved forward before her mind could process what it was doing. Her hands were stretched out and shaking with sheer joy as she wondered how? Wasn’t he dead? He’s alive! 

Sianna then froze in confusion as her thoughts came to a screeching halt. Who is that? Where had she seen that sleek black hair before? Hair that she knew for a fact was soft as butter. Blinking rapidly but this imposing figure remained unmoved as though he was rooted to that spot. Why does she even care? Why wouldn’t he be alive?

Suddenly she was filled with this need, this wish to go back. But go back where? Sianna had to change something, she just had to change something, anything. Why had she made it? Gaze glued to the mystery man with a pair of escrimas secured on his back. 

Hoping maybe they held the answers.

            Just as she was to take a closer look at the stranger's face.

Then a hand shaked her shoulder gently, causing her to glance away.

“Hey Ro! Why so quiet? Nervous?” Robin's voice and the hand gently squeezing her shoulder had snapped her out of her trance.  

“What? Oh, uh,, no, I… I'm fine…. I thought…I just...” Just as she was going to mention the figure, lifting her finger to point him out. 

But when Sianna glanced that way she saw he was gone, as though he had never existed. And for some odd reason, her heart clenched painfully. But that man had just been there. Now it was just her and Robin. Batman had disappeared, he had probably gone off to take care of some responsibilities.

“Ro? Hey, why are you crying?” Robin startled her as a gloved hand gently rubbed away the tear on her chin. She was crying? Her hand shot up as a shuddering breath escaped her lips trying to confirm for herself, briefly forgetting about her mask. To feel for herself and she was…crying. Higher beings, just what was even going on? And now Rowena had a concerned best friend on her hands.

“ Oh, you brought a camera.” Rowena blurted out unintelligently, pointing at it as it hung off his wrist by a strap, hoping to avoid an interrogation of some kind. Well,  if he were to interrogate her, she was pretty sure  the reaction to her saying; ‘Yeah I am crying over this guy in black spandex that I hallucinated out of thin air.’ would be just great.

Needing to get the excess energy out of her system she started fidgeting with her black gloves, systematically pulling at each finger before pulling it back down. Sucking a slow breath in the hopes to center herself. After all, they weren’t fighting villains or engaging in any dangerous activities.

 Grateful that the mask she wore to conceal her identity covered the majority of her face. Only her nose and mouth were visible, making it difficult for a foe to make out the expressions she made. Though Rowena doubted it prevented Robin from reading her expressions.

Even if her mask hadn’t concealed that much of her face, the glamor she was required to cast when she was Rowena was more than enough. Though it didn’t hide her per se, more like messed with the visual perception of those who looked at her.

“So, do you remember what we discussed?” Robin prompted, completely focused on her, and his eagerness just flowed off him. Her mouth dried up as she did know what he was referring to. It was a conversation they had privately in the days leading up to this day. It was part of the reason she didn’t want to be there.

“That you’ve finally accepted that Batman runs around saving people in underwear?” Rowena flashed a cat-like smile causing Robin to groan loudly. As she hoped that he would just drop it.

Robin shot her a glare that carried no real heat as Robin shakes his head fondly,“ No, Ro, and nice try, but I am not going down this rabbit hole with you.”

“ But it has cookies.” Rowena huffed, sporting a small pout, sensing that this was a losing battle. 

“You know about promising to try and get along with Kid Flash. You know, be friends.” The Boy Wonder reminded her as if she could forget. Except for a brief moment, she forgot the others were coming and would be here soon. Running would have been ideal for Rowena if she knew running away wouldn’t have caused a huge problem.

Robin just couldn’t seem to accept how things were between them. What did he expect from her? The Loud Mouth was really, really, chatty. He constantly acted without thinking, never took anything seriously, and always ran ahead. Which grated her nerves and stressed her out to no end. He also loved, loved, loved to scientifically explain magic away. 

Them being friends was laughable.

“ I see no problem in our interactions. Nor have I agreed to anything.” Rowena sighed, crossing her arms as her lips curled into a stubborn frown.

“ Pretending the other doesn’t exist and only talking when someone is trying to kill us is not getting along.” Robin insisted, much to her displeasure, biting down the retort of ‘Speak for yourself.’. In her eyes, maintaining her distance kept the peace of the group. 

“We’re keeping it professional.” She insisted back, determined not to have her mind changed.

“I still don’t get it. You guys weren’t like this when you first met. What happened?” Robin asked again, causing her to groan. It wasn’t like they were best buddies or on good terms in the year of knowing each other. 

When she first met Kid Flash, he was the guy disrupting her life. Managing to charm Robin into being his bestie. Loathsome as it was, she was jealous that everyone seemed to be pulled in by his sunny charisma. How anyone could be so bright was beyond her. She hated the feeling of jealousy, most of all, how it made her feel more alone. 

Rowena began absently rocking back and forth on her feet, trying to think of a way to end this conversation.

“ Look, Robin. Sometimes stuff happens, and people realize there’s no way they could ever get along. And that's how it is between me and Kid Mouth.” She attempted to reason with him. Except Robin shook his head in disagreement as if it wasn’t good enough for him.

“That’s not true, Ro. Try to give him a chance you might be surprised by what you discover. Please, for me.” Robin pleaded, managing to tug her heartstrings as she clamped her mouth shut. Higher beings, it was hard. Hard to say no when she knew the sort of disappointment that would follow. She dreaded it.

“ Come on, Ro, it’s ….” Just as Robin was to continue, she blurted out, “ I bet The Flashes will be here last!”

“Ha, that’s way too easy and too predictable considering their track record.” Robin snorted fondly as his shoulders slouched. Just a little more.

“ Okay, then we bet on Aqualad and Speedy” Rowena gestured, flashing two fingers out. Just a little more. Just one last push. And just maybe it would work.

“ I bet my limited edition Xbox that Speedy will get here first.” He chimed in, as a cocky grin spread across his lips. Just like that, the weight on her shoulders melted away as relief came crashing down. Rowena wondered what had brought on this need to push her and the Loud mouth to be friends. 

“I say Aqualad will be here first as there’s no traffic in the ocean. And I bet it on my stash of limited edition Ichiran Ramen!”  Chirped the sorceress as she puffed her chest out, placing her hands on her hips. There was no way she was going to lose her precious instant ramen.

“ Oh, yeah! We’re finally not the last ones here!” Suddenly they were blasted by a spontaneous gust of wind as a boisterous voice cheered.

“ How!? You’re always late!” Both Robin and Rowena shouted in tandem at the sight of the speedster. Her eyes were wide, having not fully prepared herself for the hurricane that was Kid Flash. 

There he stood, clad in his signature yellow and red anti friction uniform. He was smiling so brightly she swore she’d gone blind. Well, at least if Rowena was blind, she wouldn’t have to look at him. Those vibrant emerald pools exuded enough excitement and eagerness to power a whole city.

Well, now all there was left was Aqualad and Spee….then it dawned on her, Kid Flash had arrived here before them. Meaning… 

“Thank higher beings my ramen is safe!” Rowena crowed happily, rubbing her hands together and bouncing slightly in place. Her treasure was safe!

“ Huh, well, I guess the bets are off.” Robin chortled as Rowena continued her version of a happy dance.

“ Rob, what’s going on?” Kid Flash raised a brow cocking his head to the side, his foot bouncing rapidly in place. 

Rowena tuned out as Robin went on to explain their bet on Aqualad and Speedy. How the bet on who’d arrive first and what each of them had put up. She took the time to watch as Flash had gone over to Batman, who had magically reappeared out of thin air. 

Flash frowned at Batman as they discussed something in hushed whispers. Whatever it was, it was clear from the way the speedster jabbed his finger pointedly at Batman he wasn’t pleased. Shouldn’t Flash be proud and happy that his sidekick was receiving this opportunity? 

“ Dude, that's great! I like ramen too! Well, there is this great place in Central. What’s your favorite topping?” Kid Flash grinned as he flashed forward. She flinched back at how little distance they had from one another. Their noses were practically touching as she took a huge step back. 

Higher beings, she hated when he did that. It was as if a car was speeding right at you with no time to move out of the way. You expect it to hit you, but in her case, it didn’t hit. That didn’t erase how it made her heart stop every time. But what was more bizarre was how his excitement was directed at her, of all people.

Like clockwork, Rowena stepped back a few paces, mouthing silently at Robin, ‘What the fuck did you do!’. Because it had taken a lot of work to create distance between her and Kid Flash. Soon leaning towards Robin cupping a hand over the side of her mouth as she hissed, “Is he possessed? He's talking to me.”

“ You do know I can hear you, right? And no, I am not possessed. So favorite topping?” Kid Flash piped up with a grin as Rowena silently stared at him. Frowning, she opened and closed her mouth like a fish, completely foxed by the turn of events. There was no way this shift in demeanor miraculously happened on its own.

Robin butted in, answering for her, “I like kimchi, but Ro here prefers pork belly  and scallions.” Rowena’s brow twisted as her stomach clenched with a queasy feeling. She was not comfortable with this at all.

“ Hey, I like pork belly too!” The ginger beamed brightly at her. At Her! Of all people, and she wanted it to stop. Cause she knew what he really thought of her, there was no need for any of this.

  “ We’ll have to get some when we have free time.” Kid Flash added good-naturedly as though they were friends or something. What did Robin do?! Why is he inviting her? Is it a trap to make her listen to how magic is fake, again? Or maybe he was going to forget his wallet at home and make her pay?

Then Kid Flash closed the distance again at speeds her mind couldn’t register, causing her shoulders to lock up. It was then that Rowena had enough deciding Robin could come get her when the others joined them. Rowena retreated to the other side of the park. 

-----------------------

Robin’s P.O.V

After Ro ran off, Robin turned to catch Kid Flash's shoulders slumping in defeat. Feeling a sharp jolt through his chest, he reached out and gently squeezed the older teens shoulder.

Robin hadn't expected that. Maybe he had pushed a bit harder then he should have. But he was tired. Tired of the two people he was closest to in the world being coldly distant from one another. He knew each of them had their own reasons for feeling this way towards the other, but he had hoped it was a phase. 

With the significance of this day, Robin thought it was time to turn over a new leaf. Just as they were taking the biggest step in their hero careers, they could take a step to get along. 

“It’s progress, right?” Robin broached encouragingly as change oftentimes was either instant or slow. For this case, he knew it would take more time. 

“I told you Rob, Rowena-” Kid Flash began, except Robin wouldn’t let him continue down that trade of thought, 

“Is equally as stubborn, and if we are taking steps to join the League, this cold war you two are waging would eventually have to come to an end.”

“ Both sides need to be willing, Rob. But I get it. Flash says sometimes you gotta be the bigger man in the situation.” The speedster smiled uneasily, staring in the direction Rowena had run in.

“Which takes time. I’ve presented the idea now. Ro just needs to see proof. Until then, patience, not all of us are as fast as you. Plus, if anyone can do this it has to be the most bullheaded guy I know.” Robin meets Kids emerald eye, his gaze softening, offering a lifeline of comfort to Kid Flash.

“You’re right Rob. Time is something I got plenty of cause I am me. I was serious when I told you I’d try. Kid Flash isn’t a hero who gives up. ” A grin stretched across Kid Flash’s face, quickly catching his second wind.

“ Robin and Kid Flash, glad you all have arrived. We were waiting on the other side of the park.” The smooth voice of Aqualad came from behind them. Turning around, he saw Aqualad, Speedy, and Rowena walking towards them from across the park.  

“Aqualad! Speedy! You made it. Today's the day.” Kid Flash burst out at the arrival of their fellow sidekicks. 

“Wait, if you were waiting on the other side, that means you’ve already been here for a while. Who got here first?” Robin quickly deduced the implications. Rowena expected nothing else from someone being taught by the world's best detective. 

His and Rowena’s small bet wasn’t over yet. Just because they hadn’t seen Aqualad and Speedy when they first arrived didn’t mean they hadn’t already been there. The Boy Wonder nearly cursed himself at his lack of observation, unfortunately; it happened all but a few paces away from Batman. On all days to get distracted, it was the day they were finally going to take the first step!

“I did. Then Speedy.” Kaldur trailed off, raising a brow in their direction, silently asking for an explanation, only to receive a mournful cry from Batman’s protegee, “What, no ! my Xbox!” before he fell to his knees dramatically. 

“Ha ha! pay up ninja boy!” Rowena cheered, levitating into the air momentarily. 

“ Aww, man! So we were the last ones here.”  Kid Flash whined, crossing his arms.

--------------------

This Cross-posted on my AO3

Chances Not Taken

<<<&lt;< Prologue Chapter 2 >>>>>

#wally west #richard grayson #kid flash #dc robin #robin #superheroes #dc comics #dc batman #young justice #wally west x reader #wally west x you #wally west x y/n #wally west x dick grayson #dick grayson #dick grayson x reader #justice league #dc flash #dick grayson x wally west #dick grayson x female!reader #dick grayson x y/n #dc x reader #kid flash x reader #dc comics x reader #dc fanfic #young justice fanfiction #dick grayson fanfiction #wally west fanfiction #robin x you #robin x reader

[silverwhittlingknife]

snippet (pre-Robin 74)

I wasn't going to go out tonight. But the former Boy Wonder called me a wimp. - Tim, Robin 74

“Wimp,” Dick says, and waits.

“That’s not gonna work on me.”

It totally will.  “So you’re admitting you’re a wimp?” Dick says innocently.

“No, I’m — are you twelve,” Tim says.

It’s too bad he’s not here because then Dick could make the L sign over his forehead.  Oh well, maybe when they hang out tonight.

Because they will be hanging out tonight.

Three — two — one —

“This is such a bad idea,” Tim says, which is not the same as no.

It’ll do him good to get out.  Tim’s too serious for his own good.  And besides—

It’s strange.  Being out of No Man’s Land.  Dick doesn’t quite like it.  And the adjustment’s bad enough for Dick, who has his own apartment and his own space, who doesn’t have to also navigate lying to an entire family and national television about what he’s been up to and what he’s been doing.  Tim must be stressed, whether he wants to admit it or not.  And then there’s Jack Drake, who—

It’s not that Dick doesn’t trust Jack Drake.  Exactly.  He doesn’t know Jack Drake.  He doesn’t know what’s going on between Tim and his dad, what made Tim think he could get away with disappearing to No Man’s Land without an explanation, why his dad didn’t do anything right away, why he got himself on television cameras later.  On TV, he looked—sounded—like a concerned, caring parent.  He probably is a concerned, caring parent.  Dick’s probably just jumping at shadows.

Still.

He’d like to see Tim.  Tim’s a good liar, but he’s got his tells, and Dick knows him pretty well.  Over the phone’s tricky, but in-person is easy.  He’ll feel better, if he can give Tim a once-over, make sure he really is okay, that the fallout with his family hasn’t been…

Well.  It’s not like he thinks Jack Drake would beat his son or anything like that.  He’s a big guy, muscular—he could, probably, but he wouldn’t.  Not the type, Dick’s almost sure.  And anyway, Tim could defend himself.  But it’d still be nice to see his honorary little brother, and know, absolutely and for sure, that he’s fine.

And they can take a break.  They’ve earned it, after No Man’s Land.  Do something fun and stupid and irresponsible.

It’s honestly kind of a kick, being the irresponsible one.  Irresponsible-ish, anyway.  Dick’s not gonna do anything risky.  Just—something a little silly, maybe, something that’ll make Tim go all ruffled and huffy, break him out of his self-imposed solemnity. 

(In retrospect: the way that Wally and Roy used to screw around, possibly not unrelated to the way Dick used to rise to the bait?  Food for thought.)

Not that Dick was ever as self-serious and stick-in-the-mud as Tim is.

… Necessarily.

(It’s possible that the Titans would disagree.)

Moving on!  Dick’s probably exhausted the comedic potential of moving vehicles and blindfolds at this point.  Maybe a motorboat?  There’s gotta be a reckless way to use a motorboat.  Or maybe they could break into Wayne Enterprises—now there’s an idea.

“It’s okay,” Dick says, fake-sympathetic.  “Lots of people are wimps, Timmy.  You don’t have to be ashamed.”

“You suck,” Tim says, but there’s the little snort of breath that means he’s stifling laughter.  “Okay, okay, you talked me into it.”

Hah.  Dick: fifty-two, Tim: three.

Still winning.

“Fifty-two,” he says aloud, to get the groan.

“Are you still doing your scoreboard thing?”

“A wimp and a sore loser, huh,” Dick says, in his most pitying tones.

“I’m gonna kick you in the face.”

“You’re gonna try.”  Practicing kicks, not a bad idea.  Though Tim doesn’t really need the extra practice, nowadays.  “Sneak out and I’ll meet you at Third?”  There’s a trash dump there—smelly but isolated, good for a rendez-vous.

“Deal,” Tim says.

#my fic #i mean it's not actually a fic it's just an interlude #dick & tim #brothers hanging out and screwing around <3 #dick grayson #tim drake

[yellowocaballero]

I love your writing but I don't read any batman comics or watch any batman shows or seen a single batman movie except like, two and a half episodes of teen titans go. I mean I do know some basics from internet osmosis but that only covers Wayne family adventures pretty much. So ummm who were all those people with dick lol

Oh yes! I like writing stuff that's really widely accessible because I like beating out my own tunes, but I've been on a big comic kick again and sometimes I will write stuff that's less accessible. The new stupid long story will also not be as accessible, sorry! I try to explain stuff for people unfamiliar with the canon plotline.

Without going into a ton of spoilers for the main plotline of the fic, but covering what I stated in the fic:

Dick Grayson AKA Nightwing is the leader of the Teen Titans, a superhero team that (in this universe) he joined when he was 18. In actual canon he was a founder with Wally and Donna (and Garth but who cares). Out of universe, the Teen Titans were invented in the 1960s. The Teen Titans listed are from the slightly later stages of the 1980s comic. The team is formed out of:

Three members from the original 1960s team: the Flash's sidekick Wally West (Kid Flash), Wonder Woman's sidekick Donna Troy (Wonder Girl, later Troia), and Dick Grayson (Robin, later Nightwing). They've all always been friends since the 60s and Donna and Dick especially are best friends, something I think people should mention more! Guy/Girl BFFs, cowards!!!

In the 1980s they were joined by the other, arguably most famous members of the cast. They're most famous because they were the cast members from the 2005 Teen Titans show, which was the cast from the Teen Titans Go show you saw. They would be Victor Stone (Cyborg, who has a serious personality in the comics), Garfield Logan (Beast Boy, jokey and fun in any incarnation), Koriand'r (Starfire, warrior alien princess), and Raven (Raven, hellspawn and #gothgirl).

More obscure dudes also listed (AKA not major characters in the TV show or around since the 60s) would be Joey Wilson (Jericho, who is Slade's son and mute, so he uses ASL). He's not that obscure. More obscure is Panthera (panther lady?) and Danny Chase (deeply fucking annoying). I admit I only know Panthera and Danny Chase from osmosis, I've only read a few comics from this run. There were other guys too but they looked boring.

All that you really needed to know is that they're his friends, Kori is his girlfriend, Dick leads the team, that they're a #ragtagbunchofmisfits, that Joey is Slade's son, and that Dick has a guilt complex. Kind of.

Slade Wilson AKA Deathstroke is like Dick's Arch Nemesis and was the first real antagonist for the series, as well as the antagonist for the most famous arc The Judas Contract (whereupon Slade planted Terra in the team as a #spy). He's probably most famous for being the main bad guy in the cartoon, and who uh kinda fucked as a bad guy. He's always canonically the "COME JOIN ME" bad guy and is always after Dick as an apprentice. There's an arc in both the comics and the show where he kidnaps Dick and forces him to work for him, which causes some pretty lasting trauma in him in both incarnations. He's also a terrible dad and a failhusband. I don't read him too much in the comics so I can't say for sure how interesting the comics get with him, but his relationship with Dick is always very fraught and complex and has a lot of history. He has a lot of respect for Dick and he takes him seriously as an adversary no matter his age but he thinks Batman is lame and that Dick should kill people and stuff and JOIN HIMMMM.

In this AU, basically because Dick's life before Nightwing was kept under absolute wraps, and Slade was so obsessed with the apprentice stuff, I think Slade thought it was funny/satisfying to make up this whole shared backstory between them that Dick just couldn't disagree with jkalsdjf. Because Dick is much more of a spy than in canon he also has a lot of juicy blackmail (from his ex-wife, I think lol) on him. So they have bother a closer relationship and a more M.A.D. one than in canon. I think Slade finds it delightful that Dick isn't as good of a person as he pretends, and I think Dick lost most of his family at once, including his very drill sergeant and hard-edged father and must have, even unwillingly, reacted to somebody who was actually trying to parent him. Well. "Parent".

Wow, that was long and I didn't even digress. I'm always stunned by how y'all will read something no matter the fandom if it's by me, thank you so much! It makes me very happy to give you guys stuff like the Steph thing, where I love the idea of it being an introduction to Batman. Unfortunately internet Batman and comics Batman have. uhhhhh. drifted. apart. and. harder to click into if you aren't as into the comics, but thank you brave soldiers!

#people who are very attached to good dad!bruce aren't going to like this upcoming fic very much I think #that's fine! it's all for me <3 #my writing #wait oh my god ugh am I actually gonna get pushback on that one #yeah i will. welp. hm don't care never will peace and love on planet earth

[thevindicativevordan]

How many legacy characters can DC have simultaneously? We're pushing double digits on human Lanterns. The classics aren't going anywhere soon & the spotlight is only so big.

The Lanterns are the poster children for how "anyone can wear the mask" can get totally out of hand. There's too fucking many of them and sales aren't strong enough to support them all. Can't get rid of them however because that would be "bigoted", meaning the franchise is stuck with more characters than there are titles. Were I in charge I would simply say to hell with Twitter, Tumblr, and social media backlash and start trimming the families down to size.

Let's go through the major "families" and I'll list which ones I would keep. How about we say that I can only keep three members including the "main" character (for the franchises that have one anyway), to keep things interesting. Non-powered characters and love interests don't count for the purposes of this exercise since they work different in terms of narrative use.

Superman - Hurts to pick favorites but I would save Kara, John Henry Irons, and Kenan. Kara gives you a Kryptonian perspective on Earth that Kal lacks, she was the first Superman legacy, and she's easily the second most popular Super after Kal. Irons shows that Lex is full of shit, Superman being around in no way prevents ordinary humans from reaching their potential, and Irons as a "science hero" means he brings something different to the table than the rest. Kenan is the best legacy Superman and it's not even close. He's got a different personality than Clark, he has a different upbringing and background, even his powers are ultimately connected to a different source than Clark's. If they were to ever actually kill Clark off and pick someone to take over, Kenan would be my choice.

Batman - Dick, Jason, and Damian. Those three provide strong storytelling reasons that justify keeping them around. You need Dick to show that Batman has had a positive impact on the people he's come across, Dick serves as an example of Batman's success. Jason meanwhile is the exact opposite, he's the one who points out Batman's failures as a crimefighter and a mentor. Damian is the one who can go either way and adds tension, he loves and respects Bruce which pulls him towards being like Dick, but he also disagrees with parts of Batman's methodology such as the no-killing rule, which tugs him over to being like Jason. Damian is therefore the one who will ultimately decide whether Batman is a success or a failure by which side he ends up on.

Wonder Woman - Artemis, Nubia, and Yara. Artemis is the most fleshed out Wonder other than Diana herself and has the mythology in place to support her as a unique entity, Nubia being black and LGBT+ gives her an edge over Donna and Cassie who are both white and straight like Diana, and Yara is the one I still think could be great if a good writer gets a hold of her.

Green Lantern - Hal, John, and Jess. Hal has the majority of the mythos and is the most popular, John has the DCAU crowd, and Jess has a unique narrative about "overcoming fear" with her struggles with anxiety.

Flash - Jay, Barry, and Wally. Rest are superfluous, this is the cleanest line of succession in comics. Jay has the Golden Age WWII era heroics, Barry gets the Silver Age super science and Multiverse, and Wally has the rich personal drama and Speed Force shenanigans.

Aquaman - Mera, Jackson, and Andy. Mera rules, Jackson I love because of YJ, and Andy is cute, plus Arthur shouldn't have to lose another kid.

#dc comics #justice league #opinion

[fabfiveincorrect]

Dick: I’m an idiot. Donna: Wally: Roy: Garth: Dick: Donna: If you’re waiting for us to disagree, this is going to be a long day.

#fab five incorrect #teen titans #dick grayson #donna troy #wally west #roy harper #garth of shayeris

[ao3feed-birdflash]

time forgets no one

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/rXWnAgR

by banksoflochlomond

“My relationship isn’t a mistake, and it isn’t ‘kind of’ fucked,” Dick informs Jason. He moves ever-so-slightly away from Jason, leaning closer into the open air beneath them. They’re about twenty storeys up, maybe more.

Jason is quiet for a moment. Dick imagines his face beneath the helmet—he hates it when people disagree with him. His face becomes flushed, and his jaw gets set in a certain way that’s very reminiscent of Bruce. They never want to admit how similar they are. 

Jason says, “I never said anything about it being a mistake.”

 (Dick gets into a relationship with someone older than Bruce. For some reason, everyone has an opinion about it.)

Words: 3834, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, Batman (Comics)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Gen, M/M

Characters: Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Roy Harper, Alfred Pennyworth, Original Male Character(s), Wally West, Donna Troy, Koriand'r (DCU)

Relationships: Dick Grayson/Original Male Character(s), Dick Grayson/Wally West, Dick Grayson/Koriand'r, Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson & Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson & Donna Troy, Dick Grayson & Roy Harper & Jason Todd, Dick Grayson & Dick Grayson's Parents

Additional Tags: Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Dick Grayson has the Mother of All Daddy Issues, Hurt Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson-centric, Romani Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson Has Issues, Bruce Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Bruce Wayne Tries to Be a Good Parent, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Good Sibling Tim Drake, Protective Tim Drake, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Drug Use, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Drug Addiction, Drugged Sex, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Addiction, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/rXWnAgR

#dick grayson #robin #nightwing #wally west #kid flash #flash #birdflash #dickwally

[ilikelookingatthings]

Ivy has a type

....and no I don't mean it in the simple way like how Dick Grayson tends to be drawn to redheads romantically or platonically.(wally, roy, barabra, starfire/koriandr, jason todd ect).

Or like superman when it comes to LL initials and strong opinioned people xD

Kiteman and Harley are definitly very different people.....but they also have some aspects that can overlap which might initially be part of her opening up to liking them.

First is both harley and kiteman are sincere when they like someone and tend to forgive pretty quickly. Ivy had to slow kiteman down to properly say her apology because he was going to forgive her as soon as 'i came to apologize' left her mouth. And instead of taking more time after finding out Ivy Cheated in the worst way to work through their problems, he did jump back in after Ivy's grand romantic gesture.

Much like Harley(when she isn't powered by rightious anger) was know for forgiving and making excuses for the joker. She almost gave her dad another chance...and Harley did come back to try to save ivy's wedding despite getting rejected/ivy chose to marry kiteman. Heck Harley found the romantic gestureofjoker killing someone for her appealing(a grandromantic gesturesuited to harley's tastes).

Both kiteman and Harley seem to meanwell in their own ways.

They both can be a bit dramatic and extra expressive with their ideas and plans and draw Ivy into them even when Ivy is that actively interested.

Ivy and Kiteman can be persistant

do not have powers.

Both harley and kiteman want to prove themselves to the superhero community or to spite people who put them down in a way. Joker, their parents, thevilly awards. Though maybe not to the same degree.

Harley might be understandably bitter to some degree but she and kiteman are relativly positive people.

They both will try to fight people out of their league. Superman vs Harleyfor example or kiteman going to fight aquaman.

Both will fight to defend people they care about.

Both love Ivy. They were both devistated by her death.

Bith are smart in their field(charlie with aerodynamics and kites and air flow) harley with being a psychologist).

Both know, respect and praise ivy for being smart and are both very encouraging of her even as its clear plants aren't their expertise.

Both Harley and kiteman will talk to Ivy and thinksheis cook but also can be nirmal with herand make her comfortable to different degrees.

Both can be more forward about their feelings at times but also vulnerable at others in a way she can at least pick up.

And i'm just saying...bith kiteman and harley have some moments were they can be dumbasses XD but can be endearing while being so.

Give me your thoughts. Disagree? Agree? Go ham. Have a conversation.

#harley quinn #harley quinzel #Ivy #Charlie brown #Chuck #Joker #Pamela

[greycappedjester]

Hi :D, a while ago I made an ask about AFTO, but I think Tumblr deleted it or something, it was about which characters (of the JL and the young justice team) would agree with Jay Garrick and which ones would agree with Dick on the matter of the titans and young heroes in general.

Oooh, that's a really good question.

The funny thing is...without the Invasion/mass death of heroes, I don't think even Jay Garrick would have agreed. It was just such a shock for the heroes, that it's really hard to imagine what they would think.

Oddly enough I think Batman would be the hero that's opinion would change the least since he's, of all of them, probably the one who has always known exactly how dangerous being a hero can be. Hawkman and Hawkwoman would probably disagree w/ Jay Garrick and the JSA, likely along with Wonder Woman, since their cultural backgrounds have more to do with chilren training as warriors from a young age. Mera obviously would disagree with Jay Garrick.

I feel like Superman and the Flash would be most likely to agree with the JSA as I feel like they probably aren't big fans of kid superheroes in the first place. Central City's Rogues I doubt were ever really, really dangerous for Wally because of their moral code and tbh Reverse Flash (Eobard) would have targeted him whether Wally was an active hero or not so hard to say being a kid-hero would've put Wally in that much more danger there.

Green Lantern(s) and Green Arrow I think it would be really hard to say where they would fall. Same for Aquaman--I think he'd be morally aganist but might be swayed by Mera.

Martian Manhunter...I've got no clue.

Honestly, I think the JLA and Young Justice looking in on the post-Invasion world would mostly just be shocked that something like the Invasion could happen at all.

I think Wally would be the most deeply hurt and torn about Jay Garrick's actons for obvious reasons. Young Justice would definitely agree w/ Dick and the Titans, I think.

Fun ask! Thank you!

#atfo

[laufire]

Hi Lau, could you answer 🧡 and 💔 for the ask game? Have a nice day!

🧡: What is a popular (serious) theory you disagree with?

why can't I think of a truly "serious" theory in the dc fandom rn lmao. all I can think of are your typical "bruce is actually in an asylum imagining all of this" "leto!joker is actually jason" "xyz is bruce's secret love child" typical nonsense asñldkfjasdf. maybe other sub-fandoms have more extended theories. or maybe the dcu is too dispersed for that.

in the 100's fandom the popular theory I vehemently disagreed with is that clarke and bellamy had romantic feelings for each other that the writers were secretly signalling to us through camera angles and smoke signals and whatever. does that count xD

💔: If you had to remove one major character from the series, who would you choose?

(after typing all that below, I realised I interpreted "remove" as "kill", when there's a question about choosing a character to die... so I'm doing both lol)

well, I'm already toying with the (bare, bare bones of this) idea of writing a story with this premise but... bruce. it's bruce lol.

like... canon is canon. personally I think it could be fine if dc committed more to changes, like when wally succeeded barry as flash after crisis, or kyle succeeded hal as green lantern, but whatever, I get they'll never retire cash cows like batman or superman -only temporarily kill them or incapacitate them in a way that leaves the role free for others to play with.

but that's canon. and fandom could stand to get a bit more original! for my part, at some point I'm going to want to write a story where bruce is dead, dead, no turning back. probably using canon as its basis, and the dickbats era. I don't rule out killing bruce some other way, but that period interests me and has a lot of potential, especially if you focus on the remaining bats (and change things around as to not have that nonsense dc called battle for the cowl, for example).

(and now to answer "remove"...)

I'd remove alfred.

he actually came to canon later (a few years after dick, actually), as a butler and not any kind of parental or foster figure to bruce. this changed at some point post-crisis, although I... don't really see alfred in this paternal role as much as other people do.

what post-crisis did was put doctor leslie thompkins in a parental role, fostering bruce after his parents' deaths, at least for a while. and I would find it much more interesting if dc had continued to pursue that avenue, with all the extra focus on them and their dynamic and the tension between their philosophies.

#replies #gecemi09 #ty! #talking to the void #my thoughts #dc thoughts #dc comics #bruce wayne #leslie thompkins #t100 thoughts