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prince-liest · 10 months

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I’m reading Witch King by Martha Wells, and now that I have read more than one (1) series by this author, I have been suddenly brained with a two-by-four sharpied over with “realizing that I really enjoy novels by Martha Wells because they live in the specific niche created by the intersection of casually and thoroughly queer casts and non-romance storylines”

I am as ever a sucker for non-human main characters struggling with their very human feelings, which is why I jumped on Witch King the moment I saw “the author of Murderbot wrote another book with a main character that’s non-human,” but I live in this dichotomy where I can really enjoy reading queer romances but I don’t really identify with non-ace characters (which is not actually something I figured out how to differentiate until I was Last Week Years Old). so there are lots of books out there that I enjoy reading but it’s comparatively rare for me to read something that feels like it was written For Me and Martha Wells does that very well

anyway, give me more ace it-pronouns human-spliced robot main characters and people-eating demons who consider rank over gender when finding new bodies to inhabit

#text posts #martha wells #witch king #personal #her castes and universes are also very culturally and ethnically diverse but I've had ace-ness on the mind lately #so it was relevant to my ongoing thoughts #I never really read books that are advertised as specific types of diversity representation #especially with queer books what I like to read is books that are very queer but aren't ABOUT being queer #so I tend to steer clear when people are like read this the mc is a nonbinary lesbian witch without even really saying what the plot is #but martha wells writes books that are queer and brown and INFLUENCED by being queer and brown but #the characters still get to have their stories be ABOUT whatever fun sci fi fantasy shenanigans are ongoing #((inb4: this is my preference not an overal value judgment))#((I just want to read the same books I read when I was a little kid and have them just ALSO be lovingly diverse))#((and I only really read SFF))#in other news I was trying to figure out how to name my flavor of ace #and then I looked up the difference between demi and gray #and I realized gray is what I am looking for #very very dark gray

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happyk44 · 10 months

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Nico who is so painfully self-aware of who he is and how that affects how the world sees him. Like. You know, just all the Hades/Pluto kids are violently self-aware. They know the power that thrums at their fingertips, the gravedirt that sloughs through their veins, the shadows in their lungs. It's what makes them powerful, this unhidden knowledge. Their cousins step around their own powers, trying to find sense in their father's domains and they, meanwhile, already know, with or without outside help, because power sits in the body, sits in the soul - their domain, their control.

They know that people are scared for reasons beyond their control and it's upsetting, but fuck it, it's gonna happen, might as well move past it.

Someone says to him, "I know you think you're scary and hard to love" and he just cuts in with "No, I don't. I don't think I'm hard to love. I'm easy to love. People just choose not to. I'm not scary either, but people want to be scared of something and I'm an easy choice. Why do you think I'm hard to love? Why do you think I'm scary?"

#happy talks pjo #nico di angelo #idk i just think the kids are extremely introspective and have a better understanding of people and themselves than other people think #because that's what the underworld is when you break it down to pieces. its humanity and history and life - as ironic as that last bit is #like the underworld is who are you who were you what is your story what is the history your soul contains #and for that the child born of bones and darkness are more aware than people give them credit for #anyway. i hope this makes sense. my brain's all fogged lmao

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silvergarnet12 · 7 months

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Finished these finally, been clawing time from uni work to finish something.

#janaff #ulki #tibarn #fe9 #fe10 #tellius #path of radiance #radiant dawn #fairy #faerie #my art #fire emblem #these are inspired by these puzzle books i had as a kid #youd have a story on one side and the illustration on the otherside was a puzzle #main point being all the fairies had pretty brown wings and janaffs wings having the light and dark feathers #reminded me f them so here we are #the feh fairies make me sad slightly because no one has brown wings #they are all so saturated rip

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corellianhounds · 1 year

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“You have done the highest honor of the Creed: Saving a foundling.”

I take umbrage with this statement in the larger context of the show this season because Mando still has yet to have what I think is a pretty significant conversation with the Armorer concerning why he removed his helmet in the first place since that ⬆️ was precisely why he did it

This season has largely brushed past one of Din’s biggest internal conflicts by never showing the audience how he feels as an exiled member beyond him asking how he can atone, not discussing with the Armorer why the transgression was done or in what context— which they apparently didn’t have to address because hey, look, the kid’s back with him again, oh also we’re not going to talk about that despite the Armorer telling him to take the kid back to his own kind in season 1— making it barely an inconvenience to ‘redeem’ himself in the end anyway, and by overshadowing his ritual redemption by knocking him out when he goes into the waters and having him sink to the bottom, having to be saved by Bo-Katan (when we still don’t know why she saved him at all), AND by having his return to the covert and Armorer be overshadowed by Bo-Katan’s out of place induction into the covert.

If they want to credit Bo-Katan with ‘saving’ the Mando kid because she headed up the hunting party even though Din was the one to actually grab the kid in the end, fine, whatever, but it is also the most overt way to again show that everything of value that Din has done this season has still been pushed to the side in favor of showcasing Bo-Katan

Unless they’re leading up to Din having some ego issue regarding Bo-Katan’s popularity and place within the covert because of how much he’s being shoved aside (which is entirely out of character for him), I’m not sure why they aren’t making him and his character more of the focus of the season. We’re not getting anything from him regarding his feelings or direction in terms of the bigger picture, which is why all of the episodes feel like filler— They’re achieving plot points like a checklist instead of showing us how Din feels about anything by not tying the emotional stakes to the physical ones. There’s no tension or narrative weight to any of these actions. His dialogue regarding the Creed, his redemption, and teaching and bonding with the kid (his character’s two main focuses) has been factual and exposition-y without feeling like his story is being told.

#the mandalorian #the mandalorian spoilers #The Mandalorian critical #din djarin #bo katan kryze #idk this is messy but it was also my biggest beef with an episode within a show that has already founded this season—#— on so many other storytelling and narrative issues #there’s only eight episodes in each season. you have to be judicious/economical with where you spend your time #and we still don’t know what the main STORY of this season is supposed to be #season 1: protect the kid and stay alive #season 2: find other Mandalorians in order to find the kid’s people to return him to where he belongs #season 3: ?? not really focusing on the Mandalore or dark saber plot bc Bo katan doesn’t care so she’s not chasing him as the villain #he’s not really the main character driving any of the action or the story. Bo-katan is.#and unfortunately I think it’s a little late in the game to establish this as an ensemble show.#if you wanted that you should have established it in season 1

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bylertruther · 2 years

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i was doing my regular rewatch the other day and tbh... lonnie and will's relationship is so unsettling. lonnie literally did not give a single goddamn fuck that his own twelve year old son was missing and later "dead". he just... did not fucking care! at all. couldn't even pretend to. jonathan comes to tell him what happened and we see that...

lonnie got joyce's call and still didn't care to reach out,

when jonathan tells him this is serious and real, he mocks will by saying "he was never very good at taking care of himself" (which is already disturbing considering this is his son he's talking about, but especially so when you remember that lonnie abused will for being gay and tried to get him to like "masculine" things),

he's already talking to jonathan about seeing him more and reconnecting, like will isn't fucking missing, like he's already fucking dead and he's moved on, as if will is some stranger or worse someone that never existed at all,

instead of feeling any kind of shame about jonathan not believing him when he says will isn't there and him looking in the actual fucking trunk of his car, he just makes a joke out of it asking if jonathan's gonna check up his ass too,

his neglect is brought up again when jonathan slams one of the posters to his chest and tells him "in case you forgot what he looks like",

and that's not even touching on the fact that the very first thing we see lonnie do when jonathan enters the house is fucking shove and pin him to the wall, telling him "you got stronger".

like, he is not a good man in the slightest—the complete antithesis of the byers we know.

and then afterward... lonnie finally decides to come back. he's being nice to joyce and pretending like he's the man of the house again. like he's finally come home to fix and save his family.

he goes to will's funeral and treats it like a schmoozing event, like that isn't his youngest son being buried right in front of him, showing less emotion than one of will's classmates that hasn't ever even talked to him.

but... he's not there because he's had a sudden change of heart.

no, he's there because he has something to gain out of this unimaginable tragedy. his own youngest son is dead and he comes back home to collect a fucking check for it. because he's never cared about will, hasn't ever even seen him as a human being, he just... sees his death as something he can benefit from.

it's just so fucked up and so sinister. lonnie isn't a man riddled with vices, beholden to some disease which makes him act in ways most unbecoming. no, he's... just a man. a small, manipulative, and cruel leech of a man that just doesn't fucking care and is in it only for himself.

it's just... it's really tragic to think that will really was dealing with monsters way before that first demogorgon ever came through the gate.

and even then... that demogorgon was an animal acting as animals do / possessed by vecna and you can't really blame it for that. but what's lonnie's excuse, huh?

#like. hashtag felt lmao #a lot of ppl write lonnie as an alcoholic and i feel like ... lonnie just being a bad person because he Is a bad person without the help of #any vices is just... so much more terrifying and painful.#because then it's just lonnie. just a man who doesn't care about his son. a man who views his baby boy as less than a bug. a man who #doesn't care or hold any affection in his heart because he just simply does not fucking want to or care to. he doesn't care if will is in #danger. he doesn't care if will is dead at the bottom of the quarry. he doesn't care not because he's drunk or high but just.. because.#he couldn't turn will into what he thinks is a proper man so in his mind he's thinking well.. if i can't get anything out of him like that #then i'm at least gonna get my money's worth with this wrongful death case.#a man making the choice to be evil. to inflict pain purposely. for no gain whatso-fucking-ever.#bc at least vecna does it to gain more power to achieve world domination. but lonnie is just a piece of shit that abuses kids.#water is wet lmao but... i feel like stranger things manages to be so fucking dark sometimes and yet it just... it's treated so normally #that you almost don't even notice it. bc ur just viewing this story from the perspective of a character and for them it IS normal #i just. yeah. idk. Thinking Thotz Over Here #it's so fucked up when u stop to think abt it lmao like. if will doesn't get his happy ending bro.......#abuse tw #byers #lonnie #mine

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calumhoodgoss · 16 days

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This was like back in March, LOOK at that smile 🥹

I LOVE THIS PIC AAAAAAA the smile

#him and my boyfriend literally have the same smile ITS SO GREAT FOR ME HAHA #like very similar mouth/lips and then the big show your teeth smile like a kid its great i love it #hes also 6ft 3 dark features and sooo pretty #now this is just about my actual boyfriend whoops #this blog is meant to be about my IMAGINARY boyfriend not my real one HAHA #if you guys want to know the most horrifying story about my bf that involves 5sos lmk and i might just share it #it actually still makes me cringe like it was the most embarrassing thing ive ever gone through HAHA

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fantomette22 · 2 years

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We all know it's going to hurt when the end of Kingdom Hearts Dark Road is going to release. It's going to be hard... be we must remain strong ! Because we need to do it... We're doing it for THEM.

update 26/08 : I DID IT FOR THEM !!!!!

#khdr #kingdom hearts dark road #young xehanort #eraqus #do it for them #my kh post #kh memes #khdr kids #khux final was the craziest & most amazing thing I ever witness... and the end of dark road might be even more amazing and tragic and AHHHH #for people who have no idea what the deal is about : in the kh prequel mobile games a lot of kids tend to die.#we already have a flash forward with graves. So yeah we're a bit scared #and also it's a origin story of the main antagonist

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solradguy · 10 months

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They're going to do more Sol story in season 3 and it's going to drive me nuts in a bad way I can feel it in my bones. They're going to put his ass in a domestic situation and Homer Simpson him. If I name the evil it can't hurt me

#textpost #I think the worst possible direction they could take his story is if Jack-O' gets pregnant 100% serious #It would turn Jack-O' into a Wife Character like they did with Dizzy and the 'new protagonist is the kid of the OG protag' trope-#-is one of my least favorite tropes ever. It's so hard to write it in a way where the kid's not just like Diet Protagonist #Like here's the new character. It's just like the old main character but young and with 0.5% the amount of lore AND #now we have to agonize through having a teenager protagonist for a while #Sorry unrelated to everything YT just put Rainbow in the Dark right in the middle of a bunch of Tool and Smashing Pumpkins #Anyway ideal situation for Sol is he flies to the moon and kicks Asuka's ass since he didn't get to earlier and then he-#-spends the rest of his life making 9000 gunswords and custom motorcycles and hanging out with Axl and Jackie

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batri-jopa · 5 months

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Basilisk Family Reunion (or: Rhyming Feathers)

After years of banishment the son came home to take care of his old father.

The old rooster never had an easy life. If it was not enough of shame for the male to lose his wife... But that chick was also so much different from the rest. And others suggesting that it's because the egg has been layed by the rooster... It was so humiliating.

The boy was different and was never accepted by others. And he grew angry but also he grew strong. Always been feared of. The amount of hate and despair in his soul made others believe he could kill with his eyes.

But that's not like this. And his father always knew this.

The rooster's nature is to protect.

#my art #basilisk #old rooster #old man #rooster #dragon #chicken #creature #sorry this is just a sketch #I wish a had energy to finish this #what on earth was I thinking giving it so many details?😭#digital editing would take ages... that's probably why ppl invented coloured pencils #he should be all dark but also rainbowish #a queer kid #basilisk as a fucked up rooster #bazyliszek #story under cut

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bestial4ngel · 3 months

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Cookie run has me in such a steven universe-esque chokehold ughhhh

#like every time that I stop caring they release a new update with cool characters and pretty environment art lmfao #I’m not into steven universe but that was like 90% of the reason I was when I did like iy #it*#cookie run has the monopoly on charcter design by comparison tho it’s not even a contest #steven universe & cookie run 🤝 having crazy gorgeous environment art + fun character design (cookie run wins on that tho) +#absurd concepts with surprisingly deep stories/lore #OKAY WAIT THAT REMINDS ME— I am soooo convinced that cookie run would’ve made a fantastic kids tv show LMFAO #all the characters and the humour mixed with dark themes and the storyline and the beautiful art would have worked so well for it #also the cool fun concept of anthropomorphized food fits so well into the world of cartoons… I could imagine it being one of those shows-#that is so fun to watch as a kid and later brings up nostalgia like care bears or something lmao #or the (90s) smurfs or something #or mlp? idk #like the chameleon character really made me realize how perfect some of it would be for that #I feel like it would be annoying af if it had the energy & style of modern cartoons tho my mental image of it is super specific lmfao #its so embarrassing to say that but I hope someone out there sees my vision #cookie run kingdom #cookie run #me talking #crk #beast yeast

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phoenixcatch7 · 1 year

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Okay but like Peter Parker reincarnated as dick grayson angst

#peter parker #dick grayson #nightwing #spiderman #Me in my little head listening to music and suddenly it auto fills a gap that wasn't even there and now I can't stop thinking about it #batman #story prompt #fic prompt #Fic idea #The angst would be juiciest if he didn't keep his powers #So like he's always pushing his body further to try and gain back just an inch more of what he had #Because even as spiderman he was too slow or weak to save everyone and he never realised just how dependent he was on his spider sense #At first he's living the dream with alive loving parents and acrobatics and travelling the world in peace #He's crushed when they die. In a way spiderman could have so easily prevented with his webs. He had to watch AGAIN. He's furious #With his experience from his previous life he latches onto batman and creates Robin from that. He balances school and hero life once more.#He becomes night wing when Gotham grows too dark and stifling. He needs out. To be a solo hero again. He hates that he has to leave batman #But at least he's alive to be mad.#When he gets siblings wow new experience!! Batman parenting normal kids is Such a bad idea but he'd die for them!#Then everything cascades and batman goes from iron man/daredevil to punisher/black widow and Jason doesn't want to listen #Even tho he died too and it hurt and b had a bio kid and he's batman until he isn't and he misses aunt may and still he loves being alive #Because spiderman was killed #And nightwing is older than he will ever be

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animalinvestigator · 1 year

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dark spore kids

#my art #noriko kawada #ken ichijouji #punimon #Im not gonna tag the other dark spore kids and their digimon because the seocnd one isj ust goofy.#ive had these sitting around for a while. i haev more other digimon 02 drawings ill post later i didnt want to put them in the same one with #this becuase the poses came out really similar without me thinkingabout it LOL.#ive just bee ndrawing a bunch of shit like this trying to get through a rough couple weeks. hopefully i can draw more soon!!#a little embarrassing to have only digimon art to show for myself right now but im having fun and making the things i want to see and i gues #thats whats important to me so. o7. bear with me until my heart eventually settles into a calm about it and i can draw other things again #i may have talked about it before but the dark spore really is a very compelling story element to me. so naturally i really wished that the #kids who got it implanted got to be characters more than they did. one of my favorite lines in the entire show come sfrom noriko . soim very #sad that theres not much art of her. thats why i drew her #i also just thought the idea of ken running a dbt skills group therapy session was really funny. hes canonically a psych student as of #02 the beginning im told. tough crowd to be testing your knowledge on....#anyway enjoy!! im outta here until i draw something else i guess

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garaviel · 5 months

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Mmmmrgh trying to get back into my sith warrior to shuffle her thru the expansions but. Idk im not feeling it

#i am so weird about which kids i love the most lmao #im not a good oc mom i do pick faves #faves are Bounty Hunter - Knight - Inquisitor - Smuggler #im trying so hard to care about my Consular bc i feel she might be more interesting in the expansions but its hard getting her there #might beef her level so i can just skip to kotet and start making her dark side #and my Warrior was fun at the time i just dont have a compelling personality or story for her i guess #i couldnt care less about my Trooper #and im in the same boat with my Agent as i am with warrior. maybe if i get her through the expansions she will go join the republic #even tho they havent done much so far with the double agent nonsense. it actually feels kind of Bad and is taking way too long.#either way im back on my swtor bullshit for mando drama. they are doing it better than disney at least even if i still have beef.

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redrobin-detective · 2 years

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fight or flight

Bruce would not consider himself to be an impulsive man. Quite the opposite, he had singularly dedicated himself to his task of ridding Gotham of crime since he was child. He vetted all of his teachers thoroughly and only acted on evidence he could support. Bruce Wayne, the Batman, was not a man prone to fits of emotion. And yet he cannot explain why, when an obligatory appearance at the circus turned tragic, he took home an orphan boy.

“Dick, I’m coming in,” Bruce said, opening the door to the room the boy had been staying in. “Alfred wants to know if you’re coming to dinner.”

“I don’t want anything from you!” Dick screamed, lobbing a shoe at Bruce which he dodged. The room was still in a state of disarray; nightstand knocked over and covers pulled violently off the bed into a protective pile on the floor. The sight was achingly familiar. “You can’t keep me here! I want to go back to Pop Haly!”

“We’ve been over this,” Bruce said softly, opening the door a bit more. “The circus is European, only here on temporary visas. As they aren’t blood relatives, they cannot legally take you in.” Aside from the chaos of the room, a framed picture of Dick’s parents was placed on a place of honor at the windowsill. Bruce unfortunately had to nail the window shut after Dick made 3 very daring escape attempts. “Besides, you and I both know you’re not planning on going back to the circus, not yet.”

“You don’t know anything!” Dick hissed, barring his teeth. “Get out before I make you!”

“I understand, Dick, believe me I understand,” Bruce said heavily, some of the Batman’s gravelly tones leaching into his voice. Bruce had done a lot of thinking in the past week, wondering just what had compelled him to offer himself as a temporary foster parent. He thought maybe it was because he feared for the boy’s safety if Zucco decided to silence him. Perhaps he thought it too cruel to send an innocent child to a juvenile detention center for reasons beyond his control. But, when the hour was late and he’d returned from patrol and was stripped of Batman and Wayne and was just Bruce, he knew.

He knew by the look of devastation and roiling anger in the boy’s eyes that no one, not the police or social workers or circus family would be able to help with. Bruce wasn’t sure that Dick could be helped, he himself was living proof, but he had to try. Because if he didn’t, the last of the Graysons would die trying to complete his revenge.

“No you don’t!” Dick roared, pushing himself out of his self imposed little nest. He threw another shoe which Bruce side stepped. “Because if you did, you would let me go! That-that bastard is still out there after killing them, after making them fall!” He took in a deep breath as grief washed over him before the anger returned twice as strong. “I know how this works Mr. Money Bags. We’re carney trash, we’re nobody, no ones gonna go after the killer.”

“Dick, I’ve been involved with the investigation, the police are doing everything they can.” Bruce explained, daring to step closer. Admittedly, the police couldn’t do all that much. There wasn’t a lot tying Zucco to the scene and that’s not even getting into the complicated Falcone-Maroni family mess that Zucco was protected by. There was a chance Zucco would skate by, ordinarily but- “and if they can’t then Batman will bring him to justice.”

“Batman!” Dick laughed, loudly and harshly. “And you city folks call us the freaks, you got a freaking bat monster out there solving your crimes Well I don’t need him, I don’t need any of you! They were my parents, I need to make sure Tony Zucco knows what’s coming to him and why.”

“Is that really what you want?” Bruce couldn’t help but ask. “To kill? To possibly be killed yourself?”

“Yes,” Dick said his eyes angry but filled with tears. “I can’t live in a world where their killer is free. I’d rather die myself.” Bruce’s chest became painfully tight, uncertain and afraid of what to do. It was like walking on landmines, knowing one wrong step will end in catastrophe.

He wondered if this was how Alfred felt every day for the past 15 years, watching Bruce drown himself in grief and anger. He knows very well what Dick was feeling, that pain and single minded rage. He wished he’d been better at managing himself if only so he could know how to help this boy now.

“I don’t think that’s what your parents would want, they’d want you to live, Dick, and this isn’t living,” Bruce said and realized he’d stepped on one of those landmines. The anger in Dick’s eyes turned physical and soon there was a furious acrobat in his face.

“You don’t get to talk about them!” Dick screeched, clawing at Bruce’s arms with impressive strength. “You don’t get to talk for them! You didn’t know them and now they’re dead because of assholes like you!” Batman had 36 ways of disabling the child but significantly less in ways that wouldn’t harm Dick. small, powerful hands clawed at his arms. Well defined legs kicked at him and elbows jammed at him.

But Bruce was larger, older and significantly heavier than the boy. He would bleed, he would bruise but he would survive. Gotham gave him worse on his easier nights. And some part of him couldn’t help but hope that the physical release would help Dick. God knows Bruce had destroyed enough property when he’d been an angry, grieving child. He would endure a thousand cuts if it meant he could ease even a small part of his charge’s pain. It was never that easy but, as Alfred used to say, hope wasn’t a dirty word.

Eventually, Dick wore himself out and his attacks petered out and he ended up slumped against Bruce’s chest. He put one hand on Dick’s shoulder to steady him but was he supposed to hug? Would Dick want that? Could he even offer it? It was easier to focus on the physical pain and on Dick’s quiet, little sobs.

“I hate this, I miss them so much,” Dick cried. Not knowing what else to do, Bruce ran his fingers through the boys wild hair. “Mr. Wayne, please, just let me go. I don’t wanna be here and you don’t want me either. Just turn your back, say I snuck out and you couldn’t find me. You’re rich, you won’t get in any trouble, not over someone like me. Please.”

“I can’t do that, Dick,” Bruce sighed, he pulled Dick closer as the boy tried to wiggle away. “I know it’s hard but I’m doing this because I care about you and because I want to give you what I never got, closure and a chance to heal. Dick, look at me,” The boy refused and Bruce pinched his chin as gently as he could and made him look. “Richard Grayson I promise you on the graves of my murdered parents that Tony Zucco will not remain free for longer. I will make sure he pays for what he did to you. And once he is caught, it will be up to you to figure out what you want to do with your life, the last gift your parents gave you.”

Dick didn’t say anything, just pulled himself out of Bruce’s grasp and fled back to his nest. He buried himself under the blankets and was silent save for quiet sobs and hiccups.

“You don’t have to come down if you don’t want to but you do need to eat, I’ll put something in front of your door.” Bruce made his way towards the door. “If you don’t keep your strength up, you’ll be in no state to help catch Zucco.” Dick peeked his face out behind the blankets.

“I’ll see if I can contact Batman, ask about his progress on the case. Maybe see if there’s anything you can do to help, get you involved,” Bruce said even though internally he was screaming. He wanted more than anything to keep Dick safe, away from all this. But the Bat inside him knew that Dick would never settle, never allow himself to grow past this tragedy until he sunk his teeth into his parents’ murderer. Nothing else to say, Bruce closed the door.

“Is the young master coming- my word, Master Bruce!” Alfred exclaimed when he walked into the kitchen. He’d worn long sleeves but Dick had sharp nails and blood was seeping through the fabric, he’d even gotten a few swipes at his face. One scratch just below his lip to the neck stung in the cool air of the kitchen.

“No, he’s not coming. I said we’d set something outside his door,” Bruce said. He didn’t fight back when Alfred pushed him onto a chair and began examining the injuries. He’d been caring for Bruce his entire life, from his very worst up until now which arguably wasn’t much better. “I don’t know how to help him, Alfred. I know his pain, I feel it but I never figured out how to help myself much less others.”

“Oh my boy if there was a cure all fix for grief, I’d put it in a bottle and be my own billionaire,” Alfred sighed, dabbing at the cuts. “All you can do is be there for him, offer love, safety, understanding. I can see the Young Master Dick is a kind boy, that this anger isn’t in his nature. One day, with the proper support, he’ll be able to move past this tragedy.”

“And we’ll get him to a real home,” Bruce sighed. He went to pick at one of the scratches but Alfred’s lightly swatted him away.

“So you still intend to send him away once this Zucco business is settled?”

“He doesn’t want to be here, he’s made that clear,“ Bruce stated. “Besides, with my work... it’s not safe for either of us to have attachments. Once Zucco is brought to justice, he’ll be safe in a regular foster home. He can he be happy there.”

“Will he, Sir?” Alfred tutted. “Because in between the young master’s bouts of grief and violence, I have spoken with him at length. The lad wants nothing more than to fly again, like he did with his mother and father and extended family at the circus. And, forgive me for being bold but I doubt a traditional home will allow him that privilege.”

“What are you implying? That he should stay here?” Bruce scoffed

“I’m not telling you, either of you, what to do. But you brought Master Dick home because you sensed a kinship, forged a connection not of logic but heart. He is so much like you were back then, Master Bruce, maybe he needs your unorthodox methods to stop fighting and start flying again.”

“Well, first of all, Tony Zucco needs to be brought to justice,” He said, standing up suddenly and stalking towards the grandfather clock. “If you need me, I’ll be down in the Cave reviewing his safe houses. Please ensure the boy is fed and he doesn’t find any other windows to crawl out of. I might not make it in time the next time he tries to run.”

“Of course, Sir, happy hunting.”

#hour prompt #slightly over the mark but only about 5 minutes or so #ever since my last prompt Ive been obsessed thinking on feral dick and an awkward bruce #on how they had to learn each other how bruce in a way had to finally confront his own grief to deal with dicks #Batman Year 3 and dark Victory remain my favorite canon Dick origin stories #so took inspiration from there for the details #but B absolutely looked at Dick and realized the kid would get himself killed bc no one else understood #impulse took him in and then blue screened bc he had no idea what to do #Dick sneaking out tracking down Zucco getting his ass beat until Batman saved him and he put bruce and Bats together is what saved his life #i dont think dick could have gone to a normal foster home #i dont think he would have done well would have probably run back to the circus #he needed someone like B to understand him #they helped each other heal which is why their relationship is soooo special but also so disasterous #anyway here's wonderwall

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