batman-endures

[batman-endures]

little blurb from a fic I'm considering writing:

"Your birdie is arrogant," Jason says. His tone could be mistaken for levity, but Dick can hear the underlying sharpness. The way Jason can barely keep himself from gnashing his teeth.

Dick doesn't know what to say to this man who wears an echo of his brother's face. This man who is everything Jason wasn't. Cruel, unkind, unrepentant.

He says, "Tim's survived a lot. Maybe he's earned it." It's better than admitting Tim's flaws. Jason as he is now does not need to know them.

Jason's carefully neutral expression tears into something dark and hostile. "Unlike me, right?" he asks. "He's better than the Robin that died, right? The failure that came before?"

[batman-endures]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Batman Beyond, Batman - All Media Types, Batman Beyond Neo Year Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Dick Grayson & Terry McGinnis Characters: Terry McGinnis, Dick Grayson, Gotham City, Living Gotham - Character Additional Tags: Non-Consensual Body Modification, Mind Manipulation, shadowplay, yes i'm using this outside of tf fight me, neo year my beloved, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Batman Urban Legends - Freeform, Batman Beyond Neo Year - Freeform, By Me For Me, Dehumanization, Sentient Gotham City Summary:

The Parasite's mind is not intact, but.

-

I don't think I've shared this fic on tumblr yet! It's been a while since I posted it on ao3 but here it is!

[batman-endures]

clean up duty

CW: non-graphic dog vomit

Part of Terry’s job–his actual, real, paying day job–was doing chores around the manor. Nothing too labor intensive. Wayne himself had said it was unreasonable for one person to maintain a house built for at least twenty, so he stuck to cleaning only the lived-in places on a regular basis, then slowly branching out to tackle the mess that had accumulated in the shunned rooms.

Today he was going for something in-between on the effort scale. Touching up on a sitting room he’d already given a Mary McGinnis approved deep clean a few months back, but which he planned to take up a couple hours of his attention now.

Ace following him into the room wasn’t unusual in of itself. It was a big empty house. His only companion for most of the day was a crumengy old man and maybe the critters outside if he could find them. After moving past the initial phase where the mutt threatened to maul him any time he was in range, Ace seemed to have decided he was prime entertainment and would occasionally escort him around the property to make sure he didn’t stage another bat themed B&E or something.

Normally Terry was fine with this too. It was kind of nice to have the dog keeping him company during work as long as he kept out of the way and didn’t do anything too dog-like.

Today, as it turned out, was not one of those days. Because when Terry turned towards the door to dust the frame he spotted a spot of strange chunky yellow-ish stuff on the ground just where the door blocked it from sight when one walked in. 

Upon closer inspection it looked to be a day or two old.

The urge for his whole body to curl up in disgust was strong, but his rage was stronger. 

“Out! Now!” he snapped at the large hellion, a firm figure pointed out the door. “Now, boy! Find your stupid master or something! Get out, don’t come back, and don’t let me see you around for at least another hour!”

Ace did as he was told, but seemed rather offended about the ordeal, like he couldn’t possibly fathom what the issue in this lay. Terry seethed. He didn’t even try to hold back when he slammed the door. Or a second later when he wrenched it open again and stomped off to go gather the proper cleaning supplies for this uniquely demanding mess.

And people questioned why he had never ever ever wanted pets.

–

Ace at least had the decency to stay out of his way for the next couple of hours. Or maybe it was deliberate strategy. Terry wouldn’t put it past him to be that smart. He’d certainly shown up at the smartest time. 

Terry rolled his eyes at the faux innocence the dog put on as he unloaded a scoop of food into the feed bowl. He hoped it tasted terrible.

Ace lapped it right up in the time it took to put the bag away, then turned to him with his tail wagging.

Terry scoffed, crouched low so they were on eye-level and leaned in. “You are a terrible, awful dog,” he announced, giving the snoot before him a solemn poke. “And I hate you. I do. Nothing but disdain and malice in my heart for you.“ 

Ace’s eyes were big and soulful. He let out a small ‘boof’. Then he licked the hand offending him. 

"Slaggit.”

[batman-endures]

When Elainna was younger, her father used to tell her about her mother.

Shawn Tsang, the woman who looked Nightwing in the face and left. Shawn Tsang, the woman who Dick Grayson had come back to in the wake of his injuries.

Shawn Tsang, the woman who had died in a simple but violent crime. The likes of which Batwoman could have prevented. Could have saved her from.

Elainna likes to think her mother would be proud of her, now, even though Nightwing hurt her and Elainna's father more than anything else ever could.

Because Batwoman is... she is something. She is not quite the kindness that her father tells her of. She is not a tribute to Shawn Tsang the Defacer or Shawn Tsang the helper. She is something almost all Elainna's own.

And, maybe, she is something Shawn Tsang could have loved.

[batman-endures]

Shawn tsang is unironically my favorite dick grayson love interest I want so bad for her to he more nuanced and also for them to get married this is my only take ahdbsbr

[batman-endures]

neo year reveal to me the context behind the man who is gotham's sword who is he why is he helping gotham tell me tell me

batman beyond neo year lives in my brain rent free and just the thought of gotham very affectionately calling terry her "parasite" should she ever get him under her thumb makes me feral neo year drives me insane

[batman-endures]

batman beyond neo year lives in my brain rent free and just the thought of gotham very affectionately calling terry her "parasite" should she ever get him under her thumb makes me feral neo year drives me insane

[batman-endures]

There is no kindness in this city. No understanding in its weight.

It speaks, so that you may hear, but there is nothing to justify its actions.

Gotham is a horrible thing, with slimy claws and sharp wits. Its protector cannot save it from itself.

What is Gotham, if not a monster? you ask him, the man who shines in the darkness.

Home, he says, pretending as if he cloaks himself in the shadows.

But you are not convinced.

A home does not kill and throttle. It does not use its Sword to destroy. It does not bring its people to their knees. Does not demand subjugation.

It does not coo mockingly, lovingly. Does not say I do not want your head, only you heart, your soul, your everything.

Home, you think, is not a thing with teeth.