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spacedace · 8 months

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Had an idea, thought I'd make it a prompt, 3k+ words later realized this wasn't a prompt anymore but a ficlet 🙃

Anyway, here's the first almost 2k of Talia being a good parent and deciding to not go with either Bruce or Ra's and go off and do her own thing and raise Damian and oops she got attached to Jason while checking in on Bruce and saved him from dying in Ethiopia. & now has 2 sons lol

When her Beloved and her father demanded Talia make a choice, of who she would choose, she didn't hesitate.

She chose neither of them. She chose her child. She chose herself.

Outwitting both Ra's al Ghul and Batman was no simple feat. They were both brilliant, relentless and with endless resources at their command. It was why their clashes were as devastating as they were. Immovable objects and unstoppable forces the both of them. If there was something they wanted, it was something they would have.

But not her.

They would not have her.

She had her own networks, her own people, her own keen intelligence and sharp cunning. It took time - time she really didn't have - and a great deal of pain and loss, but she slipped them eventually. Shrugged off the shroud of who she had been - who she was made to be - and stepped confidently into her new life.

Her son was born nine days after her freedom had finally, fully been assured.

He was small and perfect in every way. Soft and warm cradled close to her chest, unblemished by the cruelty of the world as he slept soundly in her arms. Even as exhausted as she was after such a long labor, she couldn't bring herself to sleep. Her attention narrowed down entirely on his every quiet breath, his downy soft hair, his round peaceful face.

In the weeks that followed his eyes would shift and change from a newborn's blue to her own green. It would take years before she could know if he inherited any of his father's features, but that was fine. He was hers and hers alone.

She named him Damian.

In another life she would name him with her father in mind. That her son would rise as Heir to the Demon and conquer the world. That he'd stand as ruler of all.

In this one, she named him with hope in her heart that what he would master was his own life. That he would never be forced to bow to the will of anyone else. To be made to act as servant or puppet. Let him tame his fate into something good and kind and happy.

She did her best to give him the life he deserved.

Lavished him with all her love and affection. Gave him everything he could ever want or need. The friends she began making for herself - not just trusted allies, but friends - laughed that she would spoil him rotten. It was probably true, but she didn't have it in her to care.

Her son would have the childhood he would have been denied if raised raised in the home of either of their fathers. Her father would have demand harsh lessons and frightened obedience and impossible standards. Damian's would have tried - she knew her Beloved would have tried - but his heart would always be for his city first and all else, even his children, second.

Talia kept tabs on both of them, covertly. Ensured she always kept a healthy distance from anything that involved her father or his people. Gathered stories of her Beloved's exploits to share with her son when he was old enough to hear them.

It gave her insight on just what choosing her Beloved would have meant. Reassured her that while not choosing her father had been the right choice, choosing her Beloved would have been the wrong one.

Bruce Wayne was a good man. Brilliant and driven with his kind heart and admirable goals. Breathtaking in his skill and ability.

Disappointing in his parenting skills.

Talia knew she was lacking as a parent herself. That her own upbringing had left its scars and that try as she might she'd undoubtedly end up doing the same to her own child over the years. But she always pushed herself hard towards improving, in making herself better for the tiny boy that she loved more than anything else. And she felt satisfied that in the very least that when presented with options on how her and her son's life would be, she'd made the one that was best for Damian.

Not the life of an assassin or a vigilante, but the life of a child.

A child who was taught some of the skills of both the worlds she'd turned her back on, admittedly, but only ever for his own protection. Damian was safer knowing how to hide, how to escape, how to fight. She had done her best, but there was always the looming threat that they might be found one day. She needed to be sure he was ready, if that time ever come.

She didn't teach him the way she was taught.

When her son fumbled or failed she gently corrected him. Walked him through what he'd done wrong, how he could improve. Made a game out of the experience so that he came running up to her on toddling feet with bright eyes begging that they have a lesson. His excitement and delight in it all made him a better student then her fear and desperate need for her father's approval and affection.

There was a day she caught sight of him, all of four years old, tiny face scrunched in a look of concentration as he practiced the form she'd taught him the day before with his small, wooden practice sword. Some of his father's features lingered at the edges of his face, but he'd deepened his resemblance to her by picking up her mannerisms and expressions. Her son, going through the same steps and motions she had when she'd been his age, little body wobbling as he turned to fast before plopping on the ground with a tiny oof.

Talia had small silver scars on the back of her hands, so thin and so old as to nearly be invisible anymore. They burned all the same as she recalled herself stumbling in nearly the same way. Stomach churning as she remembered the terror she'd felt as her instructor had snatched her up by her hair and drug her over to a low table, holding her hands in place with a massive hand. The way she'd bit her lip hard enough that her mouth filled with blood as he struck her with the thin lash, knowing that if she cried the punishment would be all the worse.

Damian only blinked his big green eyes and scowled the same way she did whenever something of minor importance didn't go the way she wanted it to. Then he saw her standing there in the doorway watching him and his face lit up, bright as the son and just as beautiful as he jumped to his feet and darted over to her. Tiny hand clinging to the loose fabric of her pant leg as he begged her show me again Mama!

It was moments like that where she knew beyond any shadow of a doubt she'd made the right choice.

Her father would have broken her brilliant, kind hearted son. Would have done to him what was done to her to forge Damian into a weapon.

Her beloved...

He would never hurt her son like that. Not the way her father and his loyal followers would. But she couldn't ignore the fact that Damian would still be hurt all the same under his father's tutelage.

Talia knew the man she loved well. Adored his strengths, but was not blind to his flaws. He kept his heart well guarded, hidden behind imposing walls of silence and razor wire of words he didn't truly mean. Still kind, but horribly distant when it came to those he cared for most. It shielded him some, perhaps, but it left those who loved him feeling lost and alone.

She saw how Dick Grayson had grown over the years. Tall and clever and lonely and bitter. Fighting for independence, for acknowledgement, for his father to speak words of love and respect. Things Bruce felt but almost never said unless he thought things were dire.

She saw too how the heavy weight of her Beloved's priorities weighed up on his second son.

Young Jason Todd who saw magic in the harsh world he'd been drawn into and desired to be the protection for others that he never had growing up. She saw much of herself in him, though he faced the world with far more hope than she had at his age. He was a bright boy with a good heart that had weathered a harsh upbringing that Talia could sympathize with. There was a familiar anger in him too, broiling just beneath the surface, flaring up and burning him as much as everyone else when triggered.

Most of all though Talia could see the desperate loneliness that had marred her own life in the boy. The soul deep fear of abandonment. The painful desire for love from a father that always seemed to stay at arm's length who spoke rarely of affection and often of missions to be completed.

She kept a close eye on her Beloved's second Robin.

When he left for Ethiopia, searching for family in a stranger that had already given him up, she'd followed.

Jason only ever wanted family and love. A good boy, bright and fierce and brave. A boy Talia saw a lot of herself in, who faced the world with such determined brightness in spite of the pain and hardship he'd known.

Shelia Haywood took that boy that Talia had grown so fond of, took his trust and his love and crushed it beneath her heel. Callously handed him over to the Joker without a second thought. As if he was disposable, as if he was nothing more than a puppet to use and toss away when it suited her.

Talia had risked everything when she'd decided she would not choose either her father or her Beloved. She'd turned her back on her entire life, everything that had ever been and ever could be on either side. She spent months running, hiding, fighting and killing, in orchestrating a plan that could outwit and outmaneuver the two most brilliant men she knew. And she'd done it all so that her son could live free, as master of his own life.

Jason Todd had come to Ethiopia looking for a mother.

Talia, with blood on her hands and a burning warehouse behind her as she carried his broken body to safety, made sure he found one.

#batman #batman au #talia al ghul #damian al ghul #damian wayne #jason todd #talia al ghul is a good parent #good parent talia al ghul #protective talia al ghul #jason doesn't die #Talia ends up catching Bruce's adoption habit oops #Bruce isn't a bad parent in this exactly #he's just not a good parent either #he loves his kids but his priorities are fucked up and his communication skills are worse than a literal rock's #I just have a lot of feelings about the abstract parallels that you could find between Talia & Jason #And about how Talia could be the mother that doesn't abandon or betray him #believe it or not I think I make this a dpxdc thing #got ideas about introducing Jazz to this whole mess lol #we'll see what happens #Jason - terribly concussed coming to in a private jet with Talia casually reading across from him #Jason: Am I being kidnapped?#Talia - gently and reassuringly: Oh no no no #Jason: Can I leave?#Talia: No.#Damian is gonna lose his damn mind over getting a big brother #Jason was gonna try and escape and go back to Gotham but Damian is just so cute? And loves him so much? And Talia is being so nice?

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bluejaysandblackbats · 24 days

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Lily of the Valley

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: Jason Todd dies and comes back to life. As the League takes him in, he navigates his morality and family values over the years.

Chapters: 18/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Talia al Ghul, Ra’s al Ghul, Damian Wayne, Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Sheila Haywood

Relationships: Jason Todd/Original Character(s)

Additional Tags: Immortal Jason Todd, League of Assassins Jason Todd, Protective Talia al Ghul, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Jason Todd Needs a Hug, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Hurt/Comfort, Adopted Children, Resurrected Jason Todd

Chapter Eighteen: Fool's Conecap

Ra’s provided Jason with the address. It was near his old apartment, but it was uncharacteristically modern compared to the run-down buildings in Park Row. A white picket fence surrounded the house. A painful feeling struck Jason in his chest once he realized where he was. A group home. Jason did everything he could to avoid group homes after his mother passed, and a dreadful fear passed over him as he approached the front door. A small boy with taped glasses answered the door. “Who are you?” the small boy questioned.

“How are they treating you here?” Jason asked. The small boy shrugged. “They’re beating you up, huh? I used to get beat up, too.”

“It’s not that bad… Three hot meals a day,” the small boy replied.

“Well, if you want something more than that…” Jason wrote down a number and slipped it into the boy’s cast. “There are ways out of your situation,” Jason suggested. “Now tell the one in charge I’m here for the file.”

The boy shut the door, and a woman answered shortly after. She handed him a thick file, but she didn’t let go. “Are you Jason?” the stern-faced woman asked. Jason studied her face, grimacing when he saw something he didn’t like. He didn’t trust her. “You look like him… Willis used to give me that same look when he was a boy.”

Jason snatched the file from her. “Keep a better eye on your boys. It’d be a shame if someone shut you down for child abuse,” Jason muttered.

“Good luck proving—.”

Jason stepped so close their noses nearly touched. “You’re right... I have awful luck. It’s more likely you’d have a horrible accident,” Jason threatened.

Jason wanted to kill her right there, but she knew his father… And that was worth looking into. “You’re welcome to try it, Shrimp,” the woman replied. Jason swallowed his anger before walking away.

The file was his assignment, and he didn’t have the time for side quests. He took the file, called a cab to the outskirts of Gotham, and hiked the rest of the way to the jet. To his surprise, Saru sat in a lawn chair outside the jet, silently reading. “What are you doing here?” Jason asked.

Saru smiled at him. “We haven’t gone on our date yet,” Saru smiled.

“I thought you said—.”

“I did… But I realized this is where you come from. I thought we could have an adventure of our own here. Ra’s said it’d be alright,” Saru replied. Jason felt a knot in his stomach. “Go put those files away… And then you can show me around.”

Jason started toward the jet, but something stopped him in his tracks. “I’m going to change first,” Jason replied. Saru nodded, waiting outside while Jason searched for something to wear. She distracted him from his disdain for the city. He hopped off the jet and scratched his head. “Sorry for the wait, Saru.”

Saru smiled and took his hand. Jason smiled. “I understand your feelings about Gotham… But I want to see your home. It’ll help me understand you,” Saru explained. Jason blinked hard as they hiked to the outskirts of the forest. While they walked, Jason described his interaction with the woman. But he withheld the parts about her knowing his father. “Want me to kill her?”

Jason laughed. “I mean it. I could easily kill her for you,” Saru offered.

“I know, but you don’t have to. I’ll handle the old witch when it’s time. Does Damian know you’re here?” Jason questioned. Saru swung his hand.

“Who do you think asked me to go? He worries. Damian doesn’t like that you go on missions alone,” Saru replied, “But don’t tell him I told you that.”

The car picked them up, and Jason immediately fell asleep. Saru chuckled gently. “How long have you kids been together?” the driver asked.

“Oh, um—. This is our first date,” Saru answered.

“Okay, nice. Is it looking good for him so far?” the driver smirked as he adjusted her rearview mirror.

Saru squinted. “We’ve been friends for a few months, so yeah. I’m sure we’re gonna go out again,” Saru replied. She stared out the window silently, ignoring the driver for the rest of the ride.

Jason’s eyes shot open once the car parked, and Saru leaned over. “Are we close to your home?” Saru asked.

Jason shook his head. “Let me take you somewhere better,” Jason whispered.

“What’s better than your home?” Saru questioned. Jason grinned as he took her across the street and cut through the park. “Jason, where are we going?”

“Remember when I told you about the perfect sandwich?” Jason asked. Saru nodded. She remembered everything Jason said to her. She squeezed his hand as he led her through the alley to a small sandwich shop crammed between two taller adjoining buildings. “This is the ‘U’.”

Saru smiled as she stood in line with Jason. She leaned close to his ear and whispered, “I’ll have what you’re having.”

Jason approached the register with rosy cheeks and a sweet smile. Jason ordered the spicy garden burgers with extra sauce and crinkle-cut fries. “I remembered you don’t eat meat. I’ve had every burger on their menu. This one’s one of my favorites,” Jason paused. He wanted to make sure she was interested. “I didn’t get to go last time I was in Gotham, but I’m glad I’m here with you now.”

Saru pressed her forehead to his shoulder, and he squeezed her hand. “Thank you for taking me to your favorite place,” Saru smiled. Jason nodded.

“Thank you for coming with me,” Jason whispered, “Oh! Our sodas.”

They stood by the soda machine while Jason filled their sodas. The man at the counter called their order number several minutes later. They walked to the park with their two large bags and sodas, sitting beside each other on a bench. Saru neatly unwrapped her burger and took a bite. “Mm! Jason!” Saru shouted. Jason smiled as he bit into his and shut his eyes. They took a second bite, and Saru wiped the corner of his mouth with her thumb. Jason finished chewing and swallowed hard. Saru leaned in, and Jason met her halfway, pausing when their noses touched.

“I haven’t ever—.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Saru whispered. And then Saru kissed him. Jason pulled back, startled at first. “Is this too much?”

“No,” Jason whispered, “I—. Could I kiss you again?”

“I’d like that,” Saru smiled as they touched noses.

Jason giggled as their lips touched, and Jason’s parted as he whispered a warmly sincere, “Wow.”

Saru pecked his lips, nose, and both cheeks. “Our burgers are going to get cold,” Saru chuckled. Jason nodded, and they ate together. “This is delicious.”

“Are we on a date?” Jason asked.

“Yes,” Saru answered.

Jason’s face was red hot as he ate his burger, but Saru didn’t mention it. She didn’t want to embarrass him. “I like that your hair is long… You noticed mine, but I never mentioned how much I loved yours,” Saru grinned.

“Thank you, I like your hair that way… Whenever I see your ribbons, I feel like—. That’s you. That’s how I picture you,” Jason replied. Saru sipped her soda to hide her smile. “Was that a strange thing to say? Saru, I probably—.”

“You’re fine. It’s honest and sweet. That’s why I like you,” Saru replied.

“I should be honest with you about why I’m stalling,” Jason paused, “Shouldn’t I?”

“You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to,” Saru replied. And she meant it.

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ghost-bxrd · 5 months

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Prompt:

Jason is terrified of Damian al Ghul-Wayne.

Talia dipped him in the Pit, fed him lies, put him through the worst kinds of pain possible for the sake of training and turned him into a monster that went to heel when called. A monster even Ra’s was wary of.

He’s terrified of Damian, because if his mother managed to manipulate and play him like a fiddle, then she must have taught the same to her son.

Damian, who only has memories of a catatonic Jason cooing at him, cuddling him and protecting him, is becoming progressively more distressed by Jason’s perpetual cold shoulder and skittish behavior whenever Jason sees him.

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kittykatninja321 · 21 days

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fics that villainize Talia are obsessed with having Jason bad mouth her. I think Jason should be the #1 Talia apologist actually. To a toxic degree even. You tell Jason about the weird cloning shit and he’s like “well I’m sure she had her reasons 🤷🏻‍♂️”

#IM JUST SAYING…#The version of Talia that Jason experienced was a kind and generous benefactor who genuinely cared about him #and protected him at his most vulnerable. Jason’s too busy running at full tilt towards his endgame in lost days to be especially grateful #But I think he would be very aware that he owes her a debt he cannot repay. And so I think he would hesitate to condemn her #Jason Todd #dc #Also it does not make sense for Jason to equate Talia to Ra’s as someone who is intimately aware of the fact that Talia went against Ra’s #wishes to protect him #Talia al Ghul

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elizabethemerald · 11 months

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Don't Sneak up on People with Swords

@im-totally-not-an-alien-2 made a prompt about Danny sneaking up on Jason Todd and @sky00asara made a comment in the tags about what would happen if Danny did that to Talia. So here is my version of that! Enjoy.

Talia al Ghul watched her beloved from afar. He was out, again patrolling his city for those he considered wrong doers. Her son was by his side. She scowled at how Damian’s fighting style had changed, softened in the company of her beloved. Despite her love for the man under the cowl, he had a tremendous ability to take even the most ruthless of killers and change them to spare the undeserving. He had even tried it with her.

She was hidden on the roof of an abandoned tower nearby. The tower had succumbed to fire and was now condemned until the city got around to destroying it properly. For now it made the perfect place for her to observe her beloved and her son work undisturbed.

“Excuse me?”

Talia whirled, drawing her blade as she spun. Her blade moved fast enough to almost cut the air itself yet the small shape ducked under her stroke and back-pedaled quickly to move out her range.

“Jeez! Why is everyone in this city so jumpy!”

The voice more than anything made her realize that the person who had somehow snuck close enough was an actual child. Their black hair and blue eyes made her wonder if this was another of her beloved’s adoptees. Except surely this boy was too young to catch Bruce’s eye?

“Well maybe you should not sneak up on people?” Talia hissed, her voice soft yet stern. To say nothing of how a child who couldn’t be older than five had snuck up on her at all.

“Well maybe you shouldn’t brood on the roof of my home!” The child snarked back, just like one of the Bat’s brood would, completely unafraid of the blade still in her hand. Talia raised an eyebrow at him then looked around at the burnt skeleton of the building they were standing on.

“This building is not fit for human occupation.”

“Neither was the last place I lived.” He said dismissively. “This place hasn’t even killed me yet, so it’s practically a paradise.”

She was tempted to take the child’s words as sarcasm, yet something in the way he spoke made her think he meant it more truthfully.

“You’ve died before?” Talia asked. She relaxed her hold on her blade, allowing it to rest at her side.

“Oh yeah, I die all the time.” He said, then he looked at her curiously tilting his head first one way, then another. “You’ve died too, huh?”

She nodded, now examining him closely, looking for the signs she would recognize. She could see the hint of a scar on the boy’s palm that might have caused a death.

“What is it with this town that so many people have died and come back?” The boy asked, apparently rhetorically as he didn’t let her answer. “First the stabby Robin, then the stabby Batgirl, then Batman, and even Red Hood. It’s like everyone I run into is contaminated.”

Talia’s eyes widened.

“You can sense those who have utilized the Lazarus Pits?” She would have to inform her father about this child. He could put the entire League of Assassins at risk. The child before her just shrugged.

“I have no idea what that is. Red Hood mentioned some kind of pit as well, but I’ve never seen anything like that. I just know y’all are contaminated with ectoplasm, though not enough to make a core.”

“What is this… ectoplasm?” Another name for the Lazarus Waters? Had there perhaps been a Pit outside of League control? In the midwest somewhere based on the boy’s accent.

“Oh it’s this stuff.” He held his hand out and Talia couldn’t help keep her expression of shock withdrawn despite all her training as his hand filled with the glowing green light of the Pits. He held the Pit Water in his hand then tossed the glowing orb to his other hand in a half juggle as if he weren’t carrying the League's greatest secret and weapon.

Nevermind telling her father about this child, he could never learn of him. If Ras had the power this child had under his control the world would never survive. There was only one option. She needed to train this child to wield this strength. With the stealth he displayed in sneaking up on her and his power over the Pits themselves he could make an assassin like the world had never seen. He could be the next Head of the Demon under her guidance. She knelt down to the boy’s level, slipping her sword back away as she did so.

“Tell me, young one. Are you living in this death trap of a building all by yourself?”

“Yeah, but don’t worry, I’ve got it taken care of. I know I’m little, but that just means people are less likely to notice me. I’m able to steal all the food I need from that big box store down the street.”

“Oh of that I have no doubt. My name is Talia al Ghul. What’s yours?”

“Hmm. I’m Danny.” The boy seemed hesitant to trust her, which to be perfectly honest was probably a very smart thing to do, but at least she had a name for this gift of Lazarus.

“Danny, how would you like to come live with me? You won’t have to steal any more, or worry about food ever again, and I could train you how to fight even better than the Bats.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, looking her over closely.

“Would I get a sword?”

“If a sword is what you want, then once you were trained in its use I would acquire one for you.”

Danny looked like he was about to nod, but then he froze, his head tilting to the side as if he was listening to something. His eyes widened and Talia tensed.

“Uh-oh. Fruit Loop incoming. I gotta go.”

Talia half turned as she heard the sound of one of her beloved’s grappling lines catching on the building’s edge. By the time she had turned back to face him, Danny had completely vanished. She hadn’t even heard him leave. She stood and scowled as her beloved landed on the rooftop next to her.

“Talia.” He grunted at her, glaring all the while.

“Beloved. Must you ruin every nice thing in my life?” Talia snarled back. The boy, Danny, had the gift of Lazarus at his beck and call and Batman had scared him off.

Bruce looked momentarily stunned at her fury, but quickly hid it behind his mask. However Talia couldn’t care less about her beloved right now. She just needed to lose him so she could return to find the boy. The boy who would change the world with his power.

#danny fenton #talia al ghul #dp x dc #batman #kid danny #deaged danny #talia is like this is my kid #he can be damian's brother #Danny does not want to get a new dad #a new mom on the other hand #I also had an idea where Jazz came out to check on danny #and fought talia to protect danny #and talia is like ooh two for one special #I get a new daughter and a new son #I can train both of them to over throw ras and batman

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bruciemilf · 1 year

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I just think that the first time Damian and Bruce meet, like, properly, -- as in, Damian finds Talia's shrine for Bruce, thus demanding to meet him, --it should go kind of like this:

Damian, stance diplomatic, " Father. I must say, while your strength lives up to mother's praise, grandfather was right. Your softness promises ruin."

Bruce meets this child, -- his child's fierce steel look with wet eyes. After a while, he picks Damian up. He trashes. Hisses . Every touch is a battle, after all.

Bruce planting kisses all over his face freezes him. He melts in his father's arms soon after. "Baba."

"Hn."

" Beloved, now that you've officially met, I'd love to talk about our wedding. After all, Damian needs both of us--"

" You see him on Mondays. Get out."

Talia gives Damian a kiss of her own, albeit hurried, " Yes, of course. I'll return!"

Meanwhile? Ra's is looking all over for Damian. "Have you seen my nephew anywhere? Usually, he doesn't run from punishments..."

"I believe Ms. Al Ghul took him to Gotham, sir."

Ra's entire face falls. " We have to go."

" Wha-"

Several swords in his arms. Trying to pour Lazarus water is recycled water bottles. " WE HAVE. TO. GO."

#bruce wayne #dc #batman #batdad #talia al ghul #damian wayne #text #text post #battinson #protective bruce wayne #bruce is a twisted mf when he wants to be he'll trap ras in a maze in his own house and hunt him down for a week

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flamingpudding · 7 months

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Part 12 of Ghost Kid in Gotham

>>Masterpost >>AO3

<<1 Previous Next

A Mother's Care

Damian knew his family. He had been with all of his siblings long enough to have taken note of all their small habits or antics. But it wasn't only his siblings. He had also learned about his father and Pennyworth. Thus he knew that his father, after learning about Danyal's existence, would attempt to find a way to contact his mother and find out as much as he could about Danyal's live before them.

Damian also knew his mother. Father had contacted her, that alone would have been enough reason for his mother to appear herself sooner or later. Especially since it had been about Danyal. His twin had become a non-existing topic in the league after his death. His mother had never mentioned his twin ever again, it was like Danyal had never existed in the first place. Back then it had irked him but blinded by the way he had been raised then he had followed that unspoken rule. Never talked about and never thought about him during training or missions, never mentioned him to anyone. But in the privacy of his own chambers he would remember and whisper stories to small and hidden animals he had saved about his twin.

That was why he wasn't surprised, unlike Richard who he was supposed to patrol with, when his mother stepped out of the shadows of a building. Now they were free to talk about Danyal again after so many years.

Still he tensed, there were so many things he wanted to tell her after Danyal appeared. So many questions to which he had no answers to. Yet he didn't make a single sound as he became aware of her presence, stopping and merely looking over his shoulder as she stepped into clear view.

Richard was a different matter. He instantly took a protective stance. Placing himself between Damian and her, an arm outstretched as if to prevent Damian from getting closer in case he felt 'stabby' as his brothers liked to put it or perhaps more so to keep her from approaching him. Richiard did tend to become protective at times. Something that Damian hadn't known how to appreciate at first but still understood in a way.

"Habibi."

"Mother."

"Talia."

They were all curt with each other it seemed and Damian simply nodded in her direction. He knew why she was here, for a split second he wondered how far his father was from their location and if Richard had already contacted them. Their coms were on and active, he could hear Drake having an argument with Brown over something trivial. He had muted his own and it did seem like they were unaware of his mothers presence. He side eyed his brother, wondering if he had used a private channel, so as not to alarm everyone of his mothers presence. Even if Nightwing hadn't, Damian was sure that Oracle had already noticed and most likely had notified his father.

"Your father has contacted me."

"We had questions."

Nightwing's head moved minisculely as he looked between Damian and his mother, silently asking if Damian was fine with this. He gave a small nod, inclining his head slightly to indicate that he wanted to take the lead. It was strange, something was off. His mother smiled but it wasn't that knowing smile she would have if she had done something that would make them want to contact her. Rather he caught the small signs of her slight confusion. A change in her voice, the small lift of her eyebrow and the hints of a frown.

She was worried.

"Habibi, what questions do you still have?"

"Why did you never tell me he was still alive?"

In a way Damian was glad that Richard was leaving the talking to him and only kept his protective stance. It was also unusual for his mother to seek him out when he was with someone. He could see a weariness to the way her stance changed slightly and turned to look into the distance.

"Danyal was weak and a weakness to you. He would have never survived. If anyone had known he was still alive he would have just died a second time."

Damian clenched his fists under his cape. That was not enough reason for him, yet he understood the reasoning. He had been raised by the league for the bigger part of his childhood, he knew their views best and had only later learned how wrong some of them were. If he hadn't been sent to his father and grown with his brothers, would he have accepted that reasoning better?

"Why didn't you say anything after I left?"

His eyes widened slightly under his mask as he saw the smile his mother was giving him as she turned to face him again. Fondness clearly showed in her eyes, a smile he hadn't seen since his twin and him had been small children. It was a smile that had disappeared with time when their grandfather had instructed them to start with the twins training. "Danyal was weak but smart."

Silence followed her statement and he mused over her words, glaring at the ground as he did so. Of course his twin was smart, the only fault Danyal ever openly displayed was his inability to kill.

"My baby bird." He looked up at his mother as she broke the silence. "Danyal changed after his revival but even then, I had faith. Besides I knew from the moment I lowered him into the Pits that you would one day find him again. Nothing truly stays a secret forever."

"So why didn't you bring him to Bruce then?" His head snapped to Nightwing, for a moment he had forgotten about his elder brother's presence and it appeared that his brother's question would not get answered. Damian watched as she shook her head and stepped back. They would not receive an answer to this question.

"What about Danyal's scars, the ones he hadn't possessed before?" The question slipped out before he could stop it. It was irrational to ask his mother of this yet he hoped to get an answer. In accordance with what his father had told them before. It hadn't been league experimentation that gave his twin new scares. Yet his father had mentioned that his mother had also kept an eye on Danyal from time to time.

Surely she must at least know something about them. Her facial expression hardened and Damians eyes winded minisculely when he saw the meaning behind it. His mother's gaze grew distant as she took another step back from them, slowly merging into the shadows behind her.

"Danyal has gained his own share of enemies in the years away, despite living a mostly normal life. Your brother has even gained a special kind of enemies in the past two years. Do keep an eye out for those suited in white, Habibi. But teal and orange are the ones responsible."

Eyes widening Damian stepped forward, a hand slightly raised to reach out. But Richard's arm prevented him from getting any further as his mother disappeared into the shadows. Distantly he registered how Richard was talking over the coms, relaying what his mother came to personally inform them about. His brother's stance had gone rigid at his mothers last words. His brother must have known what his mother was implying.

It took him a moment but once he composed himself again he attempted to reflect on their conversation.

As he regrouped with the rest of his family, belatedly Damian realized that his mother had not once asked how his twin was fairing or in what state he was in. Instead she had given him a warning. A warning he was going to take seriously. Those suited in white, teal and orange. There must be some information his father had yet to share with the rest of them that Damian would need to dig into. As he eyed his elder brother Damian wondered if he should dig into the information himself or see how much he could get out of Richard before he attempted to question his father. There was something about Danyal's life that his mother, father and eldest brother knew but refrained from directly sharing with him.

His mother did indeed care about him and his brother, her way of showing it was just not the most ideal, at least not in his siblings eyes.

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starry-bi-sky · 6 days

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I'm so annoyed. @kingcrow01 tumblr ate your ask about Danny's opinion on the League. tumblr i pressed 'save draft' why didn't you sAVE DRAFT.

ANyways I'm making a post instead. For everyone else, the ask was in summary:

What was Danny's opinion on the League now that he's left it? If he missed the familiarity of it, if he recognized the cult-like behavior inside it, and if he now detested his grandfather.

And to answer (again, grrr): It's complicated! We love complicated <3. Yeah, Danny does miss the familiarity of the League, it was still his home for the first ten years of his life and he has a lot of memories there. Plenty of good along with the bad, and while he's less homesick than he was when he was 10, it still hits him like a truck at random intervals.

Sam, Tucker, and Jazz are great, and he likes the Drs. Fentons enough that he's contemplated murdering Vlad for his meddling, but if he wants to eat the same food his mother used to make him and Damian, he has to do it himself and he can't get the taste right. No one knows arabic so he speaks it to himself because he doesn't want to forget his mother tongue, and he has a few books too. Frankly? He genuinely misses training.

Getting to use Sam's gym helps with his restlessness, same with training with Maddie, but he has no one on or above his level to go against other than his mother. And he only sees her twice a year at most. He knows that he's getting stagnant and he fucking despises it like a bad itch he can't scratch.

He feels conflicted about missing the League, however, since by now he recognizes the flaws and what was wrong with it, and he recognizes that it was cult-like. But even that is kinda, hrm, complicated? If this was a fic I would be able to go better into depth about what he has and hasn't unlearned because cult deprogramming is hard and Danny's doing most of this on his own.

Sam, Tucker, and Jazz have helped with the more obvious stuff: like the ecofascism, the disregard for human life, his emotional constipation; the more obvious stuff that shows in his behavior and personality. But none of them are professionals nor do they actually know the full extent of what Danny's life in the League was like. They only have snapshots since Danyal is very tight lipped about it. So they can only help with what they see themselves through Danny's behavior or word of mouth.

But in summary: He sees, for the most part, what's wrong with the League and disagrees with some of the stuff they do now. But he's very conflicted, and trying to dissect his feelings on the League confuses him. His protests about it whenever Sam and Tucker joke about it have at this point become mostly empty (altho it still causes him some discomfort), and its an inside joke between them three.

As for Ra's? Despises him. If only because Ra's wanted him to kill his little brother -- thinking about his motives with the League confuses Danny, cognitive dissonance and stuff, -- a lot of his hatred stems from "He wanted me to fight my baby brother to the death. I destroyed my relationship with Damian because of him, I had to fake my death and leave my home, and I will never meet my father or see my brother again because of him. Fuck that guy."

#dpxdc #dp x dc #dp x dc crossover #dpxdc crossover #dpdc #danny fenton is not the ghost king #danyal al ghul au #starry asks #demon siblings au #danny's opinions on the league is rather complicated but he knows that some of the stuff that happened inside was wrong. and while he's #always known that his upbringing wasn't normal -- and he took pride in that -- its only in recent years that he's learned that #this was a *bad* thing. that his upbringing was wrong. he's still kinda grappling with that.#danny's homesickness hits the worst when he's patching himself up from a ghost fight alone. stitching up his throat in his ghost form when #he gets hit with a deep child-like grief and the unwitting 'i wanna go home'. he's exhausted and sad and hurting and fucking *tired*#good mom talia al ghul supremacy. she's trying her best.#but yeah sam and tucker did a lot of good for Danny by becoming his friend. he's a lot better off than he would've been if he remained alon #'a child not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth' type of stuff. danny's aware of this and is incredibly grateful #for sam and tucker. and as a result can and will get violently protective. his moral code on killing can be summed up as: i dont kill bc i #value human life and it's inconvenient. but i will do it without remorse if i must.#vlad is only still alive because he's incompetent. but the ice is thin #catch me about to make an incorrect quotes post about this au. i am so close.

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aviolettrose · 16 days

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A fanfic idea:

Jason gets triggered by certain words into a soldier the league trained, and Damian tries to figure out if Jason is ظل(zala = shadow, translated by google) his "babysitter" and bodyguard from his childhood.

There is a situation where Damian has to battle someone and is forced to use a single weapon. After thinking about his odds, he chose ظل, because either he is right or wrong (of course, he is right)

Jason is frozen in his spot when Damian starts to say something in arabic. "عليك أن تخدم وتحمي رأس الشيطان. يجب أن تأخذ أنفاسك الأخيرة أثناء حمايتي. أنت جنديي الذي سوف يستمع وينفذ أوامري"

("You shall serve and protect the demon head. Your last breath shall be taken while protecting me. You're my soldier, who will listen and act to my orders", translated by google again).

After Damian finishes, you can see how his opponent just stands there and laughs until blood starts to run out of his mouth because he has a katana sticking out of his stomach. He spits blood and dies and bla bla bla, irrelevant.

The opponent falls to the ground and reveals Jason standing there, looking catatonic, no shine in his eyes, and Damian knew he was right.

However, he doesn't know how to "end" Jasons "soldiers' mode," which causes chaos afterward.

Damian is in school, he will see Jason sitting in a three in a league uniform (Jon is freaked out by it)

Damian is on a mission with the Titans? Well, he ain't going alone

However, Jason freaks everyone out, even his family. It seems like he doesn't need anything except training and Damians' presence.

Jason cooked a feast once, only for Damian, and when Tim tries to take something, he almost loses a hand (Jason did it only for a thread, if he wanted to he would have cut Tim's hand off).

It frustrates Damian so much after a while that he asks Bruce if his mother could come over (of course, Bruce says yes because he wants his son back).

When Talia arrives and she sees the state Jason is in, she talks with Jason on Arabic about "his state".

(Like, "Who are you?" "Your Soldier, my queen", "Who told you to protect Your Prince?" "My Prince himself requested my protection")

And of course, Talia gets Jason to snap out somehow (he pretends to have no memories about this time, but he knows everything).

(I didn't think further, but if you have any ideas, please let me know)

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aalghul · 20 days

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it's so sad that talia still doesn't have good friends when her loneliness is what allowed nyssa to get talia to lower her guard

#she was her father's daughter. and then she was free but so alone #and then she had a friend who was her sister and doesnt that mean she'll never be lonely again? to have a sister is to #eternally have a companion. but to nyssa talia was still their father's daughter and an object to steal.#and to use against him.#then she was free of nyssa and alone again. and then trapped in another of her father’s plans #fighting to protect her son who chose the possibility of earning his father’s love over her existing love #(or what damian and talia saw as just the possibility. bc bruce rlly hadn’t shown damian he was valued but he did love him)#and talia was alone again. alone always over and over #who is she if not a daughter a sister a mother. no wonder she clings so hard to those relationships even #when they hurt her. what else does she have in this world #that post i reblogged yesterday about loneliness…that’s her she’s the lonely girl #it was like 2 days now actually but yeah. her #talia al ghul

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littlefankingdom · 1 month

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As a follow-up from this post, Talia who starts to present herself as "your mother" to any new batkids she meets, because she is living in her reality, where Bruce is her soulmate whatever he says or does. He may have another girlfriend, another partner, even a spouse, it doesn’t matter, they are just a "plaything" and he is her betrothed. And those batkids (Duke, I'm imagining Duke) being totally lost because "who the fuck are you????".

And Dick, as her n°1 hater, is screaming that she's nobody's mother (apart from Damian, he has to accept that), she is certainly not his mother, nor his stepmother, and she needs to back-off.

#talia al ghul #nightwing #dick grayson #batman #Bruce is letting her he learnt it was useless to try to stop her #also he isn’t very good at trying to stop people he flirted with #Do you like my cooking? Talia Al Ghul being an anti-hero forever betrothed to Bruce Wayne and who will never let it go #but not in a Yandere way like she doesn’t care if other people flirt or touch him as long as he is consenting #she is her own brand of nuts but this is Batman who isn’t???#ALSO she takes her role as their “mother” very seriously she will protect his kids with her life #cut to Ra's stealing Tim's spleen and she arrived “don't touch my son” and Tim is like “?????”#Tim forever done with the Al Ghuls #dc comics #my ramblings

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allovesthings · 2 months

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I will forever mourn the fact that we never got Dick and Talia essentially sharing custody of Damian during the Dick!Bat era 😞.

They hate each other so much, it could have been so funny.

Instead she suddenly became an awful mother.

#i think at the end of nightwing (1996) she is legit trying to find an army to protect her and Damian from her father #and suddenly she wants to replace Damian with a double of him ?#batman #dick grayson #nightwing #talia al ghul #damian wayne

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bluejaysandblackbats · 1 month

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Lily of the Valley

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: Jason Todd dies and comes back to life. As the League takes him in, he navigates his morality and family values over the years.

Chapters: 16/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Talia al Ghul, Ra’s al Ghul, Damian Wayne, Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Sheila Haywood

Relationships: Jason Todd/Original Character(s)

Chapter Sixteen: Tobacco Jasmine

One night in the infirmary, Saru had a nightmare, and Jason limped over to her bed to wake her. He clutched his side with one arm and held a book in the other. "Saru? Can I—? Saru," Jason nudged her. She took a sharp breath and opened her eyes, smiling once she made his face out in the dark.

"Did I wake you?" Saru asked. Jason shook his head. He'd been awake for hours. He raised his book and Saru nodded, allowing Jason to sit beside her on the bed.

"My neighbors, you remember the dawn of youth with pleasure and regret its passing," Jason read. Saru inched closer to him and looked into his eyes. He stammered, swallowing hard before taking a breath, and continued the story. Saru didn't mind. She found his reading voice to be warm and sweet. Jason would stop in between pages to glance at her to see if he'd lost her interest. The novel was short, but Jason read it in a way that made it feel real. "Real beauty lies in the spiritual accord that is called love which can exist between a man and a woman."

Saru wanted to kiss him, but she knew he was far too shy for such an outward display of affection. His innocence would not allow it, so she lay her head on his shoulder and smiled. Jason stopped and offered a soft hum of approval. The sun rose on the horizon, illuminating the infirmary as the tale came to its tragic end. Jason looked at Saru and her closed eyes before moving toward the edge of the bed. "Don't go," Saru whispered. Jason sat in place. "I was listening."

"Did you like it?" Jason questioned. Saru nodded.

"Jason, can I tell you something? You have to promise not to be self-conscious," Saru gently spoke as she reached for his hand.

"I'll try not to," Jason answered.

"Have you ever noticed the light your eyes give off in the dark? It's not human," Saru pointed out. Jason blinked hard and looked at her. "I don't think it's strange... It's actually stunning. You're like a moonflower. You look so beautiful at night." Jason let her hold his hand, and she nestled close to him, so close he could smell the spiced floral scent in her hair.

"Thank you. Saru, you have a beauty that most people only see once in their entire lives. Every time I look at you, I feel you've given me a gift," Jason smiled.

Saru squeezed his hand. "I think I can rest now," Saru whispered, "Unless you'd like to talk." Jason shook his head and made a soft noise.

"No... You should rest. I should go speak with my mother. I haven't seen her since the match," Jason replied as he stood up. She let go of his hand and turned her face away. Jason walked down the hall, careful not to make noise and alarm the nurses.

He crept into Talia's room and nudged her. Talia sat up and smoothed his hair back. "What are you doing out of the infirmary?" Talia asked. Jason smiled. Talia hadn't seen him that happy in years. "What is it?"

"Could I ask your permission for something?" Jason questioned.

Talia knit her brows together. He'd never asked her permission for anything before. "Go ahead," Talia replied with caution.

"Well, I'm nearly sixteen now... And I-. I'd like you to know I've never requested anything else... And I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't sure it was what I wanted—."

"Little one," Talia interrupted, "Don't agonize. It's not becoming." She chuckled as she held his face in her palms.

"Could I go on a date?" Jason asked. Talia's eyes widened.

"With who? Where?" Talia questioned. Jason's cheeks went rosy.

"I'd like to share a meal with Saru... Something special. At the end of the month," Jason answered, "Mama?"

Talia nodded. "Jason, can I ask you something?" Talia whispered as she climbed out of bed. Jason sat next to her. "Is it serious?"

Jason cocked his head. "Are you asking if I've kissed her?" Jason questioned. Talia smiled and kissed Jason's forehead.

"Have you told her that you like her?" Talia questioned. Jason nodded.

"Last night, I sat with her and read her a book," Jason described, "Then the sun came up while we held hands, and Mama... Mama, I haven't felt at peace in so long, but I felt like a teenager. I don't think I've ever felt like a teenager, and now I'm nearly sixteen... My teenage years will be over soon."

"You're right. Jason, I give you my permission to go on a date with Saru... But promise me one thing," Talia whispered.

"Anything, Mama," Jason whispered. Talia embraced him, and he clenched his fists to keep from wincing.

"No matter how old you get, you will always be my little one," Talia replied. Jason hugged her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I promise, Mama," Jason whispered.

"Now go back to the infirmary. It's almost time for breakfast," Talia commanded. Jason chuckled and winced as he stood up and returned to the infirmary. Saru was completely unconscious by that time, and Damian sat next to Jason's empty bed.

"Gē? Where have you been?" Damian questioned.

"I missed Mama... Damian, what are you doing here?" Jason asked. Damian climbed into Jason's bed and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"I thought you were lonely," Damian replied. A nurse entered and woke Saru before serving breakfast to Jason and Saru. Saru opened her eyes and glanced over at Damian.

"Good morning, bābu," Saru whispered. Damian grinned at her.

"Good morning, Saru... Are you and Jason friends now?" Damian asked. Saru nodded.

"He's a nice boy... Damian, can you believe your brother read to me last night?" Saru whispered excitedly. Damian laughed.

"No, not Gē," Damian shook his head.

"He did. He's an excellent storyteller," Saru replied. Damian glanced at Jason.

"Jason likes romance novels," Damian announced.

"Di!" Jason chastised him. His face reddened, and he couldn't bear to look up out of embarrassment.

Saru smiled. "It's a rare trait for someone as strong as Jason to be a romantic... His natural inclination towards empathy is a desirable trait. Not everyone is like that," Saru replied. Jason couldn't look up even if he wanted to. Jason wasn't used to commendation, especially in a romantic sense.

Damian leaned toward Jason to whisper in his ear. "Grandfather mentioned you at dinnertime last night," Damian confessed, "He said good things."

Jason kissed the top of Damian's head. "Should I speak with him?" Jason questioned. Damian nodded.

"He has to go away soon," Damian replied. Jason's appetite left him.

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